Why Benchmark? By David A. Kolman, Editor Measuring and improving technician productivity just may be the Holy Grail in fleet maintenance, suggests Frank Gazeley, vice president, business development, Transfinder (www.transfinder. com), a global software firm with a focus on transportation. There are a number of factors that can contribute or hinder productivity, such as how a shop is laid out, what equipment it has or is lacking and how proficient technicians are with technology. “But before you enhance productivity, you’ve got to be able to measure it,” he says. “Before you can measure it, you’ve got to establish key benchmarks or a standard to compare with. “This has to be your starting point from which to measure success and isolate potential problems. The benchmark itself becomes a useful tool.” TARGETS There are number of ways to accomplish setting benchmarks, says Gazeley. 14 Fleet Maintenance | APRIL 2017 One is to incorporate a fleet management system, as this can be useful in establishing targets for a host of tasks, such as specific repairs, scheduled services and pre- and post-inspections. By tracking a technician’s time to perform a certain task and measuring it against the established industry standard (benchmark), a shop will have the critical information needed to ask poignant questions related to the task, he explains. Questions such as: • What type of training does the technician have for a specific repair? • Does he or she have the proper tools? • Is the workspace organized for efficiency? • Is the repair being reported accurately? • Should an additional technician be assigned to specific tasks in order to apply the knowledge needed to fix a specific item? “Good data leads to good questions which ultimately should lead to good answers and adjustments and increased productivity,” Gazeley notes. So, too, can electronically structuring pre- and posttrip vehicle inspections and providing drivers with tools to capture defects encountered on the road, he says. A plus is a system that notifies drivers immediately when repairs are completed, as this does away with the need for a technician to interact directly with a driver. He says it would be a mistake to not consider quality when measuring a technician’s work against a benchmark. “A doctor who sees 100 patients a day may be extremely efficient, but the quality of his or her care may leave something to be desired,” Gazeley says. “So it is with fleet maintenance.” PARTS MANAGEMENT Another way to increase technician productivity centers on parts management, says Gazeley. While many operations are trying to incorporate just-in-time inventory, if not managed correctly, it can come at a premium. “Repairs that need to be rescheduled because a part is not in stock can lead to vehicles being out of service longer. Time can be wasted checking with the parts manager, looking up substitute parts, trying to determine what part is needed based on a specific asset, etc. This is just a sample of the juggling that takes place within shops. “Systems today can do much of this heavy lifting for you, letting you assign parts to specific vehicle types or asset types, allowing you to quickly determine if there is a substitute available and where to order from. Having all of this handy for the technician prior to scheduling work increases productivity at many levels.” Gazeley cautions that a fleet management system alone will not improve productivity, and in some cases can have the opposite effect. In order for the benefits of software to be maximized, there needs to be a significant amount of planning done ahead of time before implementing the solutions. Brainstorming will all the parties involved “will go a long way to making software a solution to your problems, not a source of your problem.” Cleaner Degreaser Safely Dissolves Grease and Oils on Most Everything. Maintains floors for less than $1.00 a day! Flex Line f Aqueous Parts Washer NON - TOXIC NON- CORROSIVE BIODEGRADABLE call 1-800-528-0334 SAFEsm or visit www.oileater.com For FREE sample visit http://tiny.cc/oileater Cleaner f Degreaser t “ULTRA” Concentrated t Biodegradable t Non-Corrosive t Non-Toxic VehicleServicePros.com/10161793 VehicleServicePros.com/10094365
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