Anyone who works with mechanics is well aware that good quality management in the workshop is essential to guarantee good results, whether for those who are in a hurry to “fill up” the company’s cash or for those who prefer to think about the results in a longer term. And don’t forget: neglecting management can affect the operational and financial results of even the most experienced managers.
With that in mind, let’s raise some points that usually require extra attention while managing the workshop and that can make a big operational and financial difference in the daily basis of a business. After all, issues such as reducing costs and waste and improving quality, organization and the management of people and services directly impact the results, don’t they?
Not to mention that good quality management in the workshop helps a lot in the internal processes to avoid, for example, rework, failures during repair and classic problems such as warranty and customer dissatisfaction.
Quality management in the workshop: learn how to make it work!
As complex as the expression appears to be, the truth is that quality management in the workshop isn’t hard to implement. Basically, the task consists of schematizing what you already do in search of possibilities that can further improve your work. That’s why it is essential to pay attention to some details of your services. Check out:
1 – Make sure your equipment is well maintained
Pay close attention to the equipment used during work. Calm down, we are not going to impose which ones should be used in each service and in what way they must be handled, even because you already know these things very well.
The point is that the equipment must always be in good condition, which includes their need for proper calibration and maintenance, from the most basic to the most complex item. Imagine that a customer arrives in a hurry to do a simple repair in the car and you come across an unbalanced tool for the job. Until it is put back in order, the driver’s patience will be gone. With him.
2 – Do your best to work with the greatest materials as possible
The materials used during your service routine in the workshop also need special attention. Here, it is worth mentioning items ranging from oil and coolant fluids to the valves and valve seats used in the cylinder head. Everything needs to be properly analyzed.
Remember that, in the case of an eventual problem or defect, the customer is going to file a complaint against your workshop, not against the manufacturer. It is your brand and your reputation that will be diminished. That is why you need double attention while choosing the material for the repair.
3 – Seek professional qualification whenever possible
In the end, who will be in charge of all the work are the mechanics, the attendants, the salespeople, and the other professionals involved in the daily routine of the workshop. Therefore, qualification must be a key word in your business. Offer training, lectures, and whatever is necessary to disseminate knowledge: this is also a way to manage your workshop with quality!
Remembering that, as we are talking about the automotive sector, technological innovations are always appearing in vehicles, which means that the professionals must be constantly recycling their knowledge. So keep an eye on the offers and opportunities for courses and workshops close to you and, of course, on the Internet, which is increasingly overflowing with qualified content, including for free.
4 – Review your processes
The standardization of processes in the workshop is another way to ensure qualified services. Thus, the company’s culture and its own way of working are born. As a result, employees become increasingly engaged in the search for the best results, and customers receive a positive message.
Know that people notice when the business has a coherent and aligned speech. They can be sure that they will not be treated differently throughout the weeks, becoming loyal to their workshop and talking about it in a good way to those around them.
5 – Recognize the value of good communication
Communication deserves a lot of attention when it comes to quality management in the mechanical workshop. And we are not just talking about conversations and exchange of ideas, but all other possible ways of transmitting information pertinent to the business.
For that, the materials used for the team’s communication must be carefully planned and prepared. Messages, reminders, notes on parts or services, news about an automaker and other information must always follow the same pattern and, above all, they need to be clear, because everyone needs to understand what is being said in order to, in fact, apply knowledge in routine.
Guaranteed quality for your work
Taking all these precautions and considering each of them seriously, your workshop can achieve quality certifications, which ensures even more credibility and trust to customers. After all, the stamp of a specialized agency attests that the processes follow standards recognized in the market. Not bad, right?
So, ready to put these suggestions into practice and improve quality management in your mechanical workshop? Then here’s another hot tip: on RIO’s YouTube channel, you can find valuable inputs about mechanical workshop and automotive repairing, straight from the most qualified professionals. Check it out!