The automotive industry is facing a technician crisis, with the number of applicants willing or capable of working in a busy fixed-ops department continuing to dwindle. Dealers must rely on new methods of training and talent acquisition if they are to keep their service teams staffed for the years ahead.
On this episode of Inside Automotive, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by John Fairchild, high-performance fixed-ops coach and president of Fairchild Automotive Solutions, and Rusty Stewart, parts and service director at Akins Ford. Together, Fairchild and Stewart share their insights into how dealers can acquire new technicians and set them up for success through formalized training programs.
Key Takeaways
1. Fairchild and Stewart emphasize the critical importance of service training in the post-COVID-19 automotive industry. With new employees entering the industry, there is a significant need to ensure that these individuals receive the proper training and understand the real dynamics of the automotive service industry without the influence of a pandemic.
2. Formalized training programs ensure consistency between technicians. By learning from individuals who perform their roles effectively and efficiently, new hires can adopt best practices right from the start, avoiding the perpetuation of bad habits from less skilled or less committed predecessors.
3. Recruiting and retaining skilled technicians is challenging in today’s hiring environment. Innovative approaches, such as Akins Ford’s Technician Development Program (TDP) and partnerships with trade schools, are crucial to addressing the labor shortage in the service sector and ensuring a continuing pipeline of qualified technicians.
4. Fairchild and Stewart recommend dealers look for service talent within their own teams, noting that individuals failing to excel in sales might find their niche as technicians. This approach not only helps retain valuable employees but also fosters a culture of internal mobility and growth.
5. The longevity of employees, especially technicians who have been with Akins Ford for over 30 years, speaks volumes about the dealership’s culture. A positive work environment that values and invests in its employees can lead to high retention rates and become a selling point for attracting new talent.
"By having a formalized training program and being able to establish consistency and getting those processes in place not only breaks those old habits but establishes the right ones to begin with." — Rusty Stewart | Akins Ford
"By having a formalized training program and being able to establish consistency and getting those processes in place not only breaks those old habits but establishes the right ones to begin with." — Rusty Stewart | Akins Ford
