Options to consider for effective and efficient diagnostic training and repairs.

With automotive technology advancing so quickly, it can seem daunting for independent service providers and their technicians to keep up. Yet being able to properly diagnose and fix issues on increasingly complex vehicles is an essential profit driver for shops today. The question is, how do you implement effective diagnostic training on a consistent basis, without negatively impacting shop operations or customer expectations.

According to Chris Thorne, Manager, Automotive Service Provider Training at UAP (NAPA), there are a number of key components that shops need to consider.

Documentation

The first is to properly and comprehensively document the customer’s concerns on the work order and maintain and refer to the vehicle’s history.

Secondly, it’s important for shops to leave the customer in-charge of their money and get into a practice setting blocks of diagnostic time. By doing it this way, says Thorne, surprises are avoided when it comes to billing for the diagnostic time required to fix the problem and as a result, there is less risk of friction between the shop and the customer.

Other key factors to consider include obtaining a scan report of a particular diagnostic problem, with complete scans for each module, so that the technician knows which modules are generating codes and where they need to begin first when it comes to diagnosis. Thorne also notes that data collection is imperative and freeze frame data related to a specific code can prove highly useful. “Getting the live data, recording it on the vehicle and using it in your diagnosis if relevant is essential,” he says.

Search results

Also, having search results of a particular code or symptom available, via subscription-based web platforms like ALLDATA, Identifix Direct or Mitchell 1 ProDemand can be a huge help when it comes to performing diagnostics quickly and efficiently, as well has having TSB searches for specific problems. High quality wiring diagrams and test procedures can also be very helpful in knowing how to tackle a specific problem. Thorne also notes that technicians need to review and consult all applicable scan data, as well as DVOM and scope captures from testing employed during the diagnostic process.

Thorne says that often, aftermarket diagnostic methods can outperform OEM diagnostics, and by creating a known fault and seeing how the vehicle reacts, aftermarket technicians can develop more efficient diagnostic processes for solving specific issues.

Besides all this, the shop also needs to make sure it can properly document the entire procedure, including the cause, concern and correction and relay this information back to the customer in a clear and concise manner.

Additionally, service centres also need to ensure their technicians have the right tools to perform the work and that any re-learns, or system resets or programming are performed as required.

Structuring training

A big question facing many service centre operators and managers, is that with the amount of training required to diagnose today’s vehicles, how do they structure it so there is minimal disruption to shop operations?

Frank Perry, Operations Manager at Midas St. Catharines, in St. Catharines. Ont., says that there are multiple steps shops need to consider. These include online training, classroom training and integrated workplace training. Online training can be effective, as it enables technicians to learn at their own pace, without taking any significant time away from their daily tasks, though in most cases, Perry notes that technicians really benefit from in-person, hands-on training, because it allows them to train in “practical, real-world scenarios with real vehicles and diagnostic tools, outlining best practices to solidify learning through experience. “

Perry notes from his own experiences, that integrated workplace training, where seasoned technicians can share and transfer their knowledge and skills with apprentices can be highly effective. Additionally, the way in which diagnostic training has evolved, into a format where advanced vehicle technology is an integral part of the learning platform [as is continuous learning—and complemented by both online and hands-on training] technicians can be more focused and intuitive, particularly when it comes to bolstering their skills and completing diagnostic repairs successfully.

In-house or mobile diagnostics

Whether a service centre should focus on performing diagnostics in-house or use mobile specialists is a question that often comes up, particularly related to shop efficiency and ensuring repairs are performed properly. Mark Lemay, who owns and operates Auto Aide Technical Services, which provides diagnostic training and support for independent shops, notes that there are pros and cons to both. Having diagnostics in-house enables the shop to control the process, and for their technicians to be able to consistently learn and improve their skills. On the other hand, there will always be that one vehicle that requires a specific repair procedure and focusing too much on it without getting results can impact workflow in the shop. In those kinds of situations, outsourcing work to a mobile diagnostic specialist makes sense, since this vehicle can be set aside until the mobile tech arrives at the shop, and other R/Os and workflow is not impeded. “It’s maybe one vehicle in 10 or even 20, that needs specific skills to diagnose and fix properly,” says Lemay. “If your own [in-house] technicians are still struggling after an hour of working on it, then you need to outsource and bring a specialist in so you can keep production going.”