Have you ever wondered about the process of auto repair? When you drop your vehicle off, what happens in ‘the bays’? While not every auto repair shop has the exact same process, I’m guessing that most processes are similar to ours.
When you schedule your appointment, based on what type of work you are having done, the service advisor takes an educated guess at the amount of time needed to perform the work or diagnose the problem. We have a finite number of labor hours a day so we work to fill those hours and schedule the vehicles accordingly. Our goal is always to meet the timeframe stated to the customer. I’d like to say that always happens, and it usually does, but there are times when the bolt breaks or a part doesn’t arrive and that changes the time frame.
The service advisor takes all the information and enters it into his computer. This information is then sent via an iPad to the technician chosen to work on your vehicle. The technician brings your vehicle into the bay, and proceeds to diagnose and repair or perform maintenance as you’ve requested. Smaller jobs such as oil changes are usually performed earlier in the day, if possible. That frees up the bays for the vehicles that could take a larger block of time. During this time, the technicians are communicating with the service advisor on the iPad, sending videos if needed. The service advisor will then contact you, the customer, with estimates and he will get your permission to perform the needed repairs. The service advisors and technicians will take the time to discuss a scenario such as; the vehicle is older and the repair may be too costly. This is discussed with the car’s owner and the service advisor lets the technician know what the customer has decided.
In the meantime, parts are ordered and delivered as the work is ok’d by the customer. Installation begins and the technician pulls the vehicle out of the bay to test drive it when it is finished. He then drives the next car into the bay and begins the process again.
The service advisor contacts the customer and the vehicle is picked up, ready for the road again.