Repair Facility

How to Grow Skilled Technicians & Improve Performance in Your Collision Repair Facility

Auto body shop owners and managers across the U.S. are struggling to attract, motivate and retain skilled technicians in their facilities. Many say this has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. During an Elite Body Shop Academy webinar, Dave Flockhart, chief operating officer of BETAG Innovation, talked about ways to develop and shape the next generation of high-performance apprentices and journeyman technicians to address this challenge.

“The reality is, and we can’t blame it all on COVID, we’ve been thrown a curveball,” said Flockhart. “We’re all contending with the fact that claim volumes are down and driving patterns have changed, perhaps irreversibly.”

form better.” This includes implementing new ideas, systems and processes in shops. As the current population of technicians continues to age, Flockhart said it is critical to find ways to attract new and younger people to the industry to learn the trade. The furlough that occurred during the pandemic and people leaving the industry for other sectors has contributed to the current shortage of skilled technicians. In addition, many say there is an inadequate apprentice pipeline to draw from. Flockhart said shops are feeling itmoreacutely now and tryingto recharge as people begin spending again. With increasing pressure to find skilled workers, shops have been hiring technicians from competitors for higher labor rates and/or signing-on bonuses. “We’re seeing techs walk down the road to the competitor for a small raise or a signing-on bonus,” observed Flockhart. “In the BETAG’s small damage repair course is part of its Outer short-term, that’s fine. But Panel Repair Specialist (OPRS) program in the medium-term, I think it’s a zero-sum game.”

However, he encouraged repairers to come to grips with the situation and be open to embracing virtual claims.

“Although COVID has led to a series of challenges, a lot of those were in play pre-COVID and the pandemic has just accelerated some of them,” he said. He shared one of his favorite quotes from Vivian Greene as a way ofthinkingaboutthecurrentcircumstance: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” In times of challenge, Flockhart has often found there is also tremendous opportunity. “We just have to go looking for it,” he said. “We need to find new ways to think and act differently as well as identify ways we can per-

The Focus on High Performance

Flockhart said there is a strong correlation between the skills shortage and performance. He described high-performance workers as those who have a combination of knowledge, skills and process. Using the analogy of a pit crew, he shared some of the things a crew does to enhance performance during a race. He pointed out how each team member focuses on a very specific skill. “When they come together collectively, they can deliver the whole in an amazingly short period,” he said. “That comes down to the same three factors: knowledge, skills and process.”

By incorporating excellent technique, consistent application, good communicationandteamwork,Flockhart said all of the team members know what each other is doing with absolute clarity. “I think trusting, empowering, recognizing and rewarding are critical,” he said. “As a result, the team begins to behave more cohesively and comes together around a shared objective.” Although the focus and attention are typically on the driver, Flockhart said the team is critical in order to experience success. The same is true in collision repair. “A high-performing pit crew can actually win a race for a team or lose a race for a team almost regardless of what the driver of the car has done on the track,” said Flockhart. “By working together, it provides everyone with a sense of purpose and clarity around what their role is and ultimately creates a competitive advantage and improves performance.”

Flockhart said that collision repairers are under constant pressure to deliver, whether that’s for their insurance partners against performance metrics and scorecards, or for customers. At the same time, they need to deal with increasing expectations, demand and knowledge of what it takes to repair a car properly.

“We’re under this constant pressure to perform,” he said. “When we don’t have the right people in place to do the right jobs at the right times, we drive these operational inconsistencies, which start to negatively affect the very metrics that we are striving to achieve and create a vicious cycle.”

Breaking the Cycle

Besides thinking differently, Flock-

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