Rethinking ‘Standard Repair Time’ management
If you want your truck service operation to improve, you have to look at the entire operation.
Extended warranties: Do they have any value?
The real question is not what the extended warranty covers, but what it does not cover.
Why your truck parts room should operate like a supermarket
The evolution of truck parts management and what you need to understand.
Electric trucks are coming: We need training
You don’t have to wait for an EV to get started with training.
Have dealer service writers ‘swollen’ unnecessary service needs?
Recently, a well-season VP of Maintenance took his personal pickup truck to the dealership when for routine service. During the visit, he also asked about a TPMS sensor replacement, but the cost was $300 plus. This VP knew that this was a tad “salty,” which in the northeast means expensive. Yet, it was a respected
Tires for the fleet owner’s wife’s car: What’s the harm?
Fleet owners often call the fleet maintenance director and say: “My wife’s [or sons, or daughter’s] car need tires.” The director says no problem I will take care of it. Some times the director feels that he needs to make a deal with the local tire company by leveraging the business that is done between
Truck service data, KPIs: tools or targets?
I like data. I love spreadsheets. I like looking at KPI charts on the screen. Data, what a drug. Although, I think social media has taken over first place in a non-substance drug adrenalin rush, like cell phones. Let’s talk about data. What do we do with it? We do not trade vehicles with the
Operating lean may not work in the future for shop administration
For years, those of us in this profession have had the idea beaten to death that we shouldn’t spend money, don’t have too many mechanics, don’t overstock inventory. We even have gone through a phase that maybe we should have consignment parts or even outsource the parts room to a third party. We were brought
Fleet service shops: Going in a different direction
I got a recent call from a gentleman that I have known for 24 years. He told me he was let go from his job; he was told the company was “going in a different direction.” What does that mean? Years ago, I met him through client that retained me to coach his SVP of
Could finance departments be contributing to higher costs?
I have been involved with a couple of bulk fleets that use blowers to unload their products. Upon visiting the two fleets I was amazed at the volume of expensive blowers just laying around. Many of them were just sitting on the ground and on pallets, and what disturbed me the most was they were
Think carefully about your maintenance cost-cutting measures
Costs are continuing to rise thanks to COVID-19. The costs of off-shore parts have risen and are continuing to rise, and because of this “margin madness” is taking place, and bonus incentives seem to be upper management’s avenue to lowering costs. I know of one small fleet with 150 trucks and 450 trailers that decided
Trailer fires: Is CPM data required?
In past years, brake chambers lasted for a long time. We never really had any issue with chambers, almost to the point that we never even looked at them. If you ask most mechanics, they would say “yes, I check them”—but more questions would reveal that they don’t look too closely. This is not to
