Organizing Vehicles for Efficiency

Visual tools are important for streamlining processes and eliminating bottlenecks, and your shop’s parking lot is one of the most important visual tools, says Dave Dewalt, manager of business consulting services at Sherwin-Williams. Dewalt says implementing a vehicle organization system can streamline the repair process and increase communication between departments in the shop. He discusses how to organize vehicles in your shop and maximize the use of your parking lot.

Start with the main departments you have designated in your shops. Now, take a look at your average daily workload that comes in and leaves, as well as how many cars you typically have as work in progress. That will give you an idea of how many parking spots each department will need.

Utilize as many visual tools as possible throughout this process. For example, I am a big fan of the magnetic hats in a variety of colors. Create a chart that dictates what each color means, such as an orange hat for framework needed, red for awaiting parts, blue for ready for refinish. I also use a labeled sign to dictate where the sections are.

I also use tracker boards to further emphasize the visual control. The front office has an information board that displays pertinent information about each job. Each department then has its own board, which looks like a keyboard. As the vehicle is moved, the keys go to the designated keyboard in the next department. See Dave’s system below.

Parked Vehicle Movement Guide

Dave Dewalt’s 5 step system for organizing a parking lot to achieve a streamlined repair process.