Making Changes (and how to get everyone on board)

Making a change in a shop can be a difficult thing.  If you have people that have been with your for years, resistance to change is a given.  Some people like change (about 5%), some people hate it (about 5% also), but most people are willing to help an owner make changes if the process is done right.  Here are a few helpful hints for the next time you need to change things up a bit in your shop.

Plan the Change and Change the Plan

Planning your changes is critical.  Thinking through the process from all perspectives (yours, service advisor's, administrative, technician and don't forget Customer as well).  Will your change make things work better for everyone, or just one person.  What is motivating the change?  Does the change result in higher productivity or more income?

After planning the change, approach your staff will the following information:

1. The problem.  Explain in detail why you need to make a change
2. The solution.  Again, give them details about the change you are making.
3. Be ready to rewrite it.  Almost any good employee will feel more valued and respected if you bring them into the decision process.  Quite often they will have excellent input about the issue and be ready to assist in the change instead of resisting it.

Write it down

Most changes that small businesses make (and auto repair shops are no exception) is to begin making a change without knowing exactly how they are going to do it.  The process of writing it down (or typing it in a Word document) in a step-by-step fashion will help you to think through everything several times.  I have found many times as I write down a plan, that I realize something I hadn't thought of before.  This process will help you smoke out a lot of bugs in the plan.

Pick a specific date to make the change

When you (and your whole team) know when a change is going to take place allows everyone to prepare for it.  Getting ready for the change is at least as important as implementing the change.  Whether it involves new equipment, new software or just a new attitude, having time to prepare is critical to success.  Then make sure everyone knows.  Post it on walls, in the bathroom, on the computer screens, wherever you need to so that everyone knows when the change will take place.

Now Do It!

Nothing is more irritating than planning, getting input, writing it down and then never making the change.  Lack of follow through is the second biggest killer of good ideas.

Good luck and keep the wheels spinning!

Chris Boshaw is the owner of Boss Software, the makers of Shop Boss Pro, one of the first web-based Shop Management Systems. To do their part, Boss Software offers a low-cost version of their program for small shops and prices the software to help keep a shop in business.