I'm an instructor at the Community College level. My students are all interning over the summer and one of their assignments is to sit with the writers to understand the process of the RO, and dealing with the customers, etc. The assignment asked how can communication improve between tech and writer. The results have been eye opening, but not unexpected. What I've noticed is that the students go into the assignment with a pre-conceived notion that is unflattering of the writers mainly because they here the "bad" stories from their senior techs. They are not exposed to the service writers very much in the beginning of their apprenticeship. But once they've had a chance to sit with them, there is a greater understanding and hopefully a better relationship. Especially for new techs and writers, I think the shop should develop a training process that includes cross- training for better communicating and relations.
Thank you for sharing, that's a great experience. Early and constant communication seems to be a solution for a lot of problems. How would you run cross-training of you were shop owner?
As a service and tech manager, the best way to annoy me was to write up a repair order that said: customer states: CHECK BRAKES....... And supply no other information. I would typically go to the service writer and tell him that I checked the brakes in the parking lot and they are still there. Was there anything else that they needed to know? How about actually writing what the specific complaint is - noise, pulsation, grinding, going to floor, etc.
As a technician I’ll go on the books saying when the lug lock is missing it stinks. The writers will rip the car apart instead of go to the waiting room and ask for the location. Also we have a problem with bad concern write ups. We see a lot of “check engine light is back on” write ups or noise concern but can’t say speed or what it takes. Just it’s making a noise.
What will say about this Customer state seen warning some battery voltage low on dash board… service writer open line for 😂check charging system…. After checking battery state of charge,charging system I recommend key fab battery because I see on dashboard and service writer sold alternator and tell me do him favorite,change key fab battery also.
I'm an instructor at the Community College level. My students are all interning over the summer and one of their assignments is to sit with the writers to understand the process of the RO, and dealing with the customers, etc. The assignment asked how can communication improve between tech and writer.
The results have been eye opening, but not unexpected. What I've noticed is that the students go into the assignment with a pre-conceived notion that is unflattering of the writers mainly because they here the "bad" stories from their senior techs. They are not exposed to the service writers very much in the beginning of their apprenticeship. But once they've had a chance to sit with them, there is a greater understanding and hopefully a better relationship.
Especially for new techs and writers, I think the shop should develop a training process that includes cross- training for better communicating and relations.
Thank you for sharing, that's a great experience. Early and constant communication seems to be a solution for a lot of problems. How would you run cross-training of you were shop owner?
As a service and tech manager, the best way to annoy me was to write up a repair order that said: customer states: CHECK BRAKES....... And supply no other information. I would typically go to the service writer and tell him that I checked the brakes in the parking lot and they are still there. Was there anything else that they needed to know? How about actually writing what the specific complaint is - noise, pulsation, grinding, going to floor, etc.
As a technician I’ll go on the books saying when the lug lock is missing it stinks. The writers will rip the car apart instead of go to the waiting room and ask for the location. Also we have a problem with bad concern write ups. We see a lot of “check engine light is back on” write ups or noise concern but can’t say speed or what it takes. Just it’s making a noise.
What will say about this
Customer state seen warning some battery voltage low on dash board… service writer open line for 😂check charging system…. After checking battery state of charge,charging system I recommend key fab battery because I see on dashboard and service writer sold alternator and tell me do him favorite,change key fab battery also.
Keyless remote program