How to make a tech’s job more satisfying? Streamline recon.

A lot of roles throughout your dealership may have a hand in the reconditioning process, but technicians are the backbone of the operation. Implementing the right tools can not only improve efficiency but can help with employee satisfaction as well.

I sat down with Troy Britton, technician at Voss Automotive Network, to discuss his experience incorporating ReconTRAC^®, a fully automated and streamlined reconditioning tool, into his process:

__

Before ReconTRAC, how were you and the other techs managing recon work? What challenges did you experience?

We were managing recon work all on paper – inspection forms, estimate sheets, everything. There was a lot of wasted time and inefficiency. The only way we knew there was work to be completed was when we’d actually walk up and ask the manager who was approving the work for us. Then we’d have to write down the job or the parts and enter it into the computer ourselves. Communication between departments was challenging.

What were your initial thoughts when you started using ReconTRAC?

I was a little reluctant. But once I figured out how efficient it was, I really enjoyed it. One of the things I enjoy is the mobile app so that I can take photos of broken parts or leaks, and whoever’s approving the job can actually look at the photos instead of coming out to look at the vehicle, because sometimes I’ve already pulled it out of the shop. I can pull the vehicle out and not let it sit on the lift while I wait to get approvals.

Can you walk me through your recon process with ReconTRAC?

Using ReconTRAC, we get a job dispatched to us digitally so we can start the inspection. As soon as we’re done with the inspection, it’s simple to add the jobs to the estimate, put labor times in, hit complete, and then it goes to parts electronically for pricing. After that, the digital work order is automatically sent to the approval process, which doesn’t take long. It goes back to the parts department where they order the parts. On ReconTRAC, it shows everything that has been approved, and we can get started on the car.

How has ReconTRAC improved your work?

It has improved my efficiency and productivity. Before, it generally took a few hours to get our jobs, get them inspected, and get them through the approval process. That time has improved tremendously. Usually I can get an inspection and approval within an hour – before it would take several. ReconTRAC has improved our cycle time from several days to a day and a half. It makes my job more satisfying because I’m able to get more vehicles through and do a better quality inspection and repair. The whole process is simplified.

__

Troy had a lot of great insight to share on his experience using ReconTRAC. Having a reconditioning system that makes it easier to get information and communicate with different teams can help everyone drive efficiency and reduce cycle times.

Related Articles: