BluePrinting the Body Shop - · PDF fileBluePrinting the Body Shop: ... Through his presentations and consulting, ... Manager's Bootcamps," and On-Site Seminars for Mega Dealers such

BluePrinting the Body Shop:A Process for Improving Efficiency & Profits

withGreg Criss, President of Criss Consulting

Moderated by Mike Bowers, DealersEdge Executive Editor

Thursday, November 21, 20131 – 2:3pm ET

Greg Criss, President of Criss ConsultingMr. Criss' career began in the Automotive Sales Industry while searching for the "right" secondary teaching job having just earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Teaching. His first two years were in Sales; however, he was intrigued by the service department at the Toyota Dealership where he was working in the 1980's, and when an opening became available, he accepted the position of Service Manager. Since that day, Mr. Criss has managed large metro facilities in various cities as a Fixed Operations Director, earning and maintaining titles such as Cadillac Masters, Nissans Presidents Club, Pontiac Masters, etc.Mr. Criss worked as a consultant for MSX Corporation in the late nineties, and soon started his own Fixed Operations Consulting Firm with a partner in the Pittsburgh Area. His firm helped numerous Dealerships in the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Metro Area. He has been a featured writer with Fixed Operations Magazine. In January of 2006, Mr. Criss began consulting with Dealer Service Corporation and NCMAssociates. Through his presentations and consulting, he has improved fixed operations results for Dealers in net profit and consumer happiness all over the United States.Mr. Criss has spoken before large association groups such as the Chicago Auto Trade Association, Eastern New York Car Association of Retailers (ENYCAR), and has performed dozens of weekly training workshops such as "Service Advisors Bootcamps," "Service Manager's Bootcamps," and On-Site Seminars for Mega Dealers such as the Holman Group, the Ridell Auto Group and the Sunset Auto Group.

Blueprinting Your Body

Shop

Process for Improving Efficiencies

And Net Profits

Presenter: Greg Criss

www.crissconsulting.net

The BackgroundToyota Production System™

Theory is to work the process from the customer, not from

the raw materials

Kaizen (改改改改) Japanese for "improvement" or "change for the best", refers to philosophy or practices that focus upon continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, and business management.

Kaizen (改改改改)

From “Kaizen” theory many management improvement ideas developed such as ISO9000, Six Sigma, etc.

Kaizen (改改改改)

Blueprinting Vehicles came from this same process of reducing waste and time and maximizing profitability while offering a great product.

Blueprinting

•Every Shop typically has at least one metal technician that the other technicians may dislike.

Blueprinting

•That technicians usually performs the work in record time, and constantly is looking for work.

Blueprinting

•Sometimes that technician becomes your “go to” technician handling more difficult issues and time sensitive issues.

Blueprinting

•Other technicians may say that you are “feeding” this technician.

Blueprinting

•The fact is that this technician is probably employing some, most, or all of the blueprinting techniques.

Blueprinting

•Don’t you wish all of your metal techs were able to turn that kind of flat rate time with excellent quality?

Blueprinting

•Usually when we bring this technology to your facility, your tech who is using these techniques isn’t too happy because he/she knows the consequences.

Blueprinting

•The consequence is that the work goes through your shop quicker allowing you to bring in additional work. (More dollars/ More Net Profit).

Touch Time is Increased and Cycle Time is Decreased

Benefits of Blueprinting

In Most Shops without Blueprinting, touch time is usually 3.5 hours to 4.5 hours

So, what is Touch Time?

Touch time is calculated taking the total flat rate hours of the job divided by the number of days Here.



Number of Days here is calculated by the day we took possession of the vehicle until we finished, uploaded the final estimate, and delivered the vehicle.



So, if the vehicle was here 5 days, and the job paid 20 flat rate hours, the touch time per day was 4 hours. (or 4 hours a day was spent on the vehicle average)



Disclaimer: Different insurance companies calculate touch time differently, but this is a good overall way to calculate it.


Why is a high touch time important?

Insurance Companies monitor your touch time. The higher the touch time, typically, the less rental expense involved for them.



In this competitive market, you may be putting yourself at risk by not having a high touch time. This could lead to lower assignments and DRP?



More and more competitive repair companies are moving into metro and rural markets to compete with you. They may already have Blueprinting techniques? How will that affect you?


Customer Satisfaction Scores Rise because the customer is now receiving their vehicle much quicker. In this economic climate, people don’t want deal with their vehicle being “down.”


We actually have the ability with the same staffing to run 25% or MORE vehicles through our department each month.


•We will have less RETURNED parts.

•We will be more efficient by not writing unnecessary supplements.

•The repair will not be delayed by the discovery of unseen additional damage.


Eliminates having to wait on adjusters to show up and approve supplements.

Eliminates additional Accounts Receivables to track, and/or negotiations of additional work needed.


Bay space is maximized because the technicians actually need less space. They can work on the vehicle in front of them and not have to stop. The job will flow from metal to paint.


So Exactly, what is Blueprinting?

Blueprinting is a process that begins at drop-off, and continues until the vehicle is completed.


Blueprinting allows our technicians to accurately repair a vehicle through visual markings on the vehicle.


Blueprinting outlines the steps and dates of the production so that management can follow the vehicle by looking at the vehicle.


Blueprinting includes complete disassembly of the vehicle prior to the beginning of the metal repair.


Blueprinting allows you to discover if a vehicle has immediate potential for being a “total loss.”


Blueprinting allows you to discover if a vehicle has immediate potential for being a “total loss.”

What do I need to begin Blueprinting?A Dedicated Parts GuyHis/her Role will be to be present when the disassembly is performed.

What do I need to begin Blueprinting?A Dedicated Parts Guy

That way, all the correct parts are ordered right then and there. If used parts are needed, that person should find those.


This person must expedite parts to increaseTouch time. And, should walk the lot dailyTo make sure that we are not missing anything.


I prefer this person to be paid on the productivity of the shop vs. parts dollars sold. Why?

What do I need to begin Blueprinting?Parts Carts

The optimum way is for the technician to disassemble the vehicle. So what do we do with the parts?

What do I need to begin Blueprinting?Parts Carts

Parts should go onto a parts cart and when the replacement parts arrive, they are billed, placed on the cart, and production mgr/technician is alerted.

What do I need to begin Blueprinting?Grease Pencils/Windshield Markers/Mirror Hanger Tags

When the vehicle is taken in, we need to develop a way to communicate with everyone.

What do I need to begin Blueprinting?

Grease Pencils/Windshield Markers/Mirror Hanger Tags

The vehicle should be marked with the following: Date In, Date to Metal, Date to Paint, Completion Date, Insurance Company, RONumber, Estimator, and any Sublets.


Grease Pencils/Windshield Markers/Mirror Hanger Tags

The end result should be that anyone walking through your lot should be able to understand what is going on with that vehicle.


Technician Training

I-CAR now has a certified class in Blueprinting, and they have been very helpful in coming to dealerships to perform this class.


Workstation or Laptop with Wi-Fi connection

It is easiest to prepare the final estimate or first supplement in the bay of the disassembly.

Blueprinting Process

Estimators

When a vehicle is brought in, the Estimator should walk the guest to the vehicle.


Estimators

The Estimator should then mark in grease pencil all of the areas that we will be repairing under the Estimate.


Estimators

There are some shops with language issues that this eliminates waste and errors.


Estimators

An Excellent Idea: Let’s mark the areas in a different color that are pre-existing issues. Let’s offer to make an estimate for these additional areas and call the customer with the estimate.


Estimators

An Excellent Idea: There’s never a more convenient time than now to get the work done. After all, they may already have a rental vehicle.


Estimators

An Excellent Idea: And since their vehicle is already here, let’s make them a great offer to get the additional work done. Won’t they be really happy to see their vehicle almost brand new?


Estimators

When the vehicle is finally dropped, then someone is assigns the vehicle production dates, then the vehicle windshield is marked or a hanger tag installed. Now it is scheduled for Disassembly.


Estimators

Will begin the process with sublet to order and schedule work based on the timeline.


Metal Tech or Disassembly Tech?

In many shops, a Disassembly technician disassembles the vehicle to the deepest point of damage and prepares the final estimate or first supplement with the parts person, and the estimator.



A dedicated workstation in the shop is nice, but a laptop will be just fine (with Wi-Fi).



If you use a disassembly technician, you will have to accrue flat rate time from the estimate. A good way to figure this is to capture 10% or 20% of the metal time. So the metal tech will be paid the balance.


The blueprinting process requires knowledge learned through experience and education of the entire repair process. As a part of the blueprinting process, the vehicle will need to have:


• vehicle maker repair information that pertains to the damaged vehicle.• an initial inspection.• disassembly.• inspection for hidden damage.• quick checks for suspension and structural damage.• three-dimensional measurements of the entire vehicle.


Example of Hidden Damage

Adaptive Cruise Control


Technician will measure the vehicle to determine unseen damage. (Again, I-CAR training will train all of your technicians in the proper procedures)


All door panels, rocker panels, etc that need to be removed will be removed and clips broken or missing will be on the estimate. We can see that now, because it is a “real time” inspection.


Many facilities choose to use “fishing tackle boxes” to put screws, clips, and small parts. These parts can be marked with masking tape over the drawer compartment in the box.


The parts removed and saved are loaded onto a parts cart and labeled with the job number, repair order number, etc. and secured.


When the parts arrive, the parts carts will be loaded so that the whole job can be completed. The cart is not to the tech until the parts are all here.


The parts go to the technician, he finishes the metal work, installs the parts, and it goes to paint.

If there is a supplement, then there was a mistake.


The vehicle goes to paint, gets trimmed out, buffed when necessary, cleaned and delivered.

Side Effects

With every change, there is side effects, but most of these side effects are good.

Side Effects

Your Techs can run out of work quicker. When a vehicle is in a stall not doing anything, it looks more productive than nothing in the stall.

Side Effects

Think about it…. You are actually running the same amount of business, but because of the increased efficiency, it feels like you are running less business.

Side Effects

The Fix….Take in more business.

Side Effects

Intakes are the key. Since jobs can vary in hours so drastically, it is important to establish how many intakes we can take today.

Side Effects

Changing Estimators’ Thinking

Many of your Estimators are in Reaction Mode. They are waiting for the next customer to come in, or for the next assignment to be emailed to you.

Side Effects


Begin a daily Sales focus to get vehicles in. Discuss your daily goals, how we did yesterday, what the week looks like.

Side Effects


Estimators now have more time to de-horse customers and find additional work. After all, we have reduced the amount of supplements we are writing.

Side Effects

Review your Mixing Accuracy Reports

With us firing more work at the painters, it is important that their quality does not suffer. By monitoring the Mixing Accuracy Reports, we can address any issues.

Reasons NOT to Blueprint

ExcusesPeople say I can’t blueprint in my repair facility because:

• “we have a system that works fine.” Repair facilities may already have a system, but that system should be constantly monitored and adapted to make improvements.



• “blueprinting takes too long.” This is not true. With the blueprinting process, one of the main tasks being done is taking steps that are typically done in the middle or end of repairs and moving them to the beginning. So by changing the order of the process, it can allow for an accurate damage report.



• “our insurance relationships won’t let us.” In some cases, the vehicle may not be able to be disassembled during the initial inspection. But once the vehicle comes in for repairs, it should have a completed damage report as the first step in the process.


ExcusesPeople say I can’t blueprint in my repair facility because:• “we do not have the space.” The blueprinting process can be adapted to any facility. company.



• “we do not have the staff.” Staff roles may need to change, but it is not necessary to add additional staff in all cases. This is something that needs to be assessed by each company.

Blueprinting

Bottom LineThe Bottom Line of Adopting the Blueprinting Culture is higher customer satisfaction, higher insurance company satisfaction, more assignments, more thru-put, and more net profit. (Less Supplements and Liabilities)

Blueprinting

Change ResistanceMost Body Shops have a culture that dates back decades. Many of your technicians have provided a living for their families for years without interruption.

Blueprinting

Change ManagementRequires a Leader to embrace the change, and move into the current day’s techniques. Someone who is looking for constant improvement.

Blueprinting

Change ManagementMany meetings and training to implement. Should have processes written down, training performed, pay plans aligned, and installed and instilled.

Blueprinting

Change ManagementFacilitation:

Greg Criss President Criss Consulting, LLCwww.crissconsulting.net(724) 971-6372

Blueprinting

Free Offer!Free Phone Consultation:

Is Blueprinting your NEXT best Step?

Blueprinting

Change ManagementFacilitation:

Greg Criss President Criss Consulting, LLCwww.crissconsulting.net(724) 971-6372

Documents

BluePrinting the Body Shop - · PDF fileBluePrinting the Body Shop: ... Through his presentations and consulting, ... Manager's Bootcamps," and On-Site Seminars for Mega Dealers such