Make Your Express Service Bays Even Faster

Remember that time you had to wait in the drive-through line for more than 10 minutes? That was pretty rough. Maybe you’re an exception, but most of us expect things a little faster these days. We can see our favorite shows on-demand, instantly find answers to almost any question with our smartphones and buy precooked bacon. Waiting is for the birds. Your customers think so too. They want to get in, have their cars serviced correctly and be on their way as quickly as possible.

And all this impatience isn’t a bad thing. When you figure out a way to effectively move more cars through your shop, you won’t just have satisfied customers. You’ll also have increased revenue. It makes sense to look for ways to speed up service in your express bays. Here’s how:

1. Invest in Scheduling Software

The clock starts ticking for customers as soon as they get to your shop. If they have to wait in line to check in and then spend a few minutes discussing what they need, you’ve already eaten through a good portion of their lunch break. Online scheduling software will help them (and your shop) save time. People have come to expect the ability to schedule services (and order food and reserve a table and everything else) online. Help them plan their day by investing in this kind of software. It will also help streamline your staff’s time by spreading jobs throughout the day.

Additionally, it helps to be realistic about service times and requirements. You probably already have an idea how long some jobs take, but for others, look to OEMs. They often provide checklists and recommendations for service timelines.

2. Add Service Bays

Too many customers is a good problem to have. But if you find yourself asking customers to wait more than a few minutes for service, you’re probably losing some of them to your competitors. If you’re at this point, it’s time to add more bays (and more techs if you need them). Inground lifts can help you make the most of your space. You’ll be able to fit in more bays in less area, and once you have them up and running, you won’t have the painful experience of turning customers away.

Think carefully about the best way to add more equipment. Can you make do with your current floor space or do you need to add on to your shop? How many do you need? Try not to be shortsighted here. You don’t want to add unnecessary bays, but you also don’t want to redo renovations in a couple years. Do your best to find the right balance. 

3. Use Laser Spotting Systems

It could take even your most experienced technicians a few minutes to properly position a car on a lift, and that adds up throughout the day. A laser spotting system makes the process a whole lot easier. Installed above a lift, it casts a laser line down the center of the lift and the vehicle dash. Technicians can use that line to guide them in, quickly and correctly the first time. They’ll save time on each job, making room for more customers and cutting back on wait times. You can add this feature to existing lifts or, if you’re adding new lifts, look for ones that come with it installed.

4. Lift Faster with Shockwave

Make sure the lifts you’re using are equipped with Shockwave^TM. Shockwave lifts are twice as fast as others, so your employees will spend less time waiting and more time getting through the jobs in the queue. That savings can really add up over the day and week. Your shop will be able to process more jobs so you’ll have more (and more satisfied) customers.

Good or bad, today’s consumers are anything but patient. Embrace the trend and give the customer what he wants with faster, better service.  

See what Shockwave can do for your bottom line by using our calculator.