“The responsibility for an efficient technician rests not only on the tech, but on the entire team at the shop from the shop owner, to the service writer, to the janitor,” says Ryan Kooiman, training developer for Standard Motor Products, who led the class.
Kooiman worked throughout the afternoon to shed new light on the team effort and the responsibilities of each team member to the class attendees.
Kooiman explained the individual roles of each team member and showed how they all interact and impact one another. Shop owners who don’t promote ongoing training or supply needed tooling, and service writers who don’t gather needed information are just a few examples he shared of conditions that can add to overall inefficiency. He also demonstrated specific diagnostic techniques the techs themselves could use to speed up their troubleshooting, and backed up his words with real-life case studies that demonstrated the advantages of following a logical diagnostic strategy, committing to learning new diagnostic techniques, and following the OEM published service procedures.
Attending shop owners and techs added even more value to the class by sharing perspectives and personal experiences of their own.
“If those who attended apply what they learned today, the result will be better customer satisfaction, better morale for the team members involved, and a better bottom line for the business,” Kooiman says.Kooiman has the practical experience to back up his teaching. Before joining SMP’s Professional Technician Series training arm (an online, interactive training offering from Standard Motor Products), he worked as the lead tech/drivability specialist for a 20-bay independent Michigan shop. His 19 years of field experience is highlighted with numerous accomplishments, including appearances on Good Morning America and the CBS Early Show.
