Sept. 12, 2012—A recent eight-month study conducted by I-CAR revealed a strong correlation between technician training and overall shop performance.
I-CAR said that shops involved with training initiatives experience improvements with several key performance indicators (KPIs), including revenue, touch time, cycle time and customer service index (CSI) scores.
In 2011, I-CAR research revealed that 69 percent of collision repair facilities do not train their technicians. Seven percent of those shops went out of business that same year, I-CAR said.
“What these shops did not realize is the bottom line impact that a modest investment in education and training can deliver,” I-CAR said.
In 2012, I-CAR launched an eight-month KPI study of specific repair shops involved with its Professional Development Program. Jeff Peevy, senior director of field operations and segment development for I-CAR, said 100 percent of the shops studied increased monthly revenue. Half of those shops experienced a 5 percent increase in revenue, while the other half increased revenue by more than 10 percent.
In addition, Peevy said average touch time improved by 45 percent, cycle time improved by 14 percent and CSI scores improved by more than 5 percent.
“As we continue to research the impact of training on KPI performance, we will translate this knowledge into curriculum offerings that support business improvements while contributing to the delivery of a complete and safe repair,” Peevy said. “I-CAR has a strong commitment to the vitality of the inter-industry and believes indisputably that knowledge and education are the foundation for excellence.”
