Toronto, Ontario – BETAG’s Dave Flockhart gave a talk on Thursday at the CCIF 2020 Virtual Experience about the ways in which shop owners can restructure their businesses to succeed in the ever-changing automotive industry.
“Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”
The famous Wayne Gretzky adage served as Flockhart’s driving message in his talk to an engaged virtual audience of shop owners and repairers.
Flockhart and BETAG have made it their goal to try and drive home what they call a “quality-led repair-first mentality” — an attempt toward refocussing a shop’s efforts in order to minimize cycle times and maximize labour margins among staff.
“We are in a period of massive change,” according to Flockhart, and it is imperative that business owners pivot their standards accordingly. Flockhart says that not only have the habits of customers changed over the past 20 years but the habits of young people looking to enter the industry as well. The increasing prevalence of telematics systems in vehicles continues to complicate the certification process for apprentices in the industry.
Flockhart suggests that repair methods have not effectively kept up with changing technology and materials, especially now that non-structural repairs, including repairs to ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems), now make up about 60 percent of repair jobs in Canada.
Four key tests were identified by Flockhart as being necessary steps toward ensuring quality repair has taken place.
A part’s…
- Safety characteristics have not been affected
- Functionality has been maintained
- Durability has been preserved
- Aesthetics restored
CCIF attendees can access the virtual platform here to rewatch Flockhart’s session.
