From the Magazine: Are you able to leave the shop for extended periods?
In part two of this three-part series exploring business expansion, we look at the ability for the shop to run with the owner away
To be able to do the work of setting up another shop, you need to have the freedom to leave the first one. There are a multitude of things that will need to happen to get another shop up and running: building and training a new team, coordinating building renovations, ordering and installing equipment, paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork.
You need to make sure your current team can handle the day-to-day operations without you, and there’s only one way to do that: Systems.
Over the past year, my team and I have been building the infrastructure required to multiply Kinetic. We have built a detailed operations manual that lays out how each role performs their daily tasks. Along with daily operations, we have built multiple systems for yearly, quarterly, monthly and weekly tasks in the areas of management, human resources, marketing and finance. As well, we have created a policy manual and are in the process of completing training manuals for all positions.
Having these manuals in place provides my team with the resources and training required to do their jobs, the rules they are expected to follow and the recourse if they are unwilling to be a productive and positive member of the team.
The process of building this infrastructure has been a ton of work, but it gave my team the opportunity to decide the best way to deliver an excellent client experience, while ensuring everyone is excelling in their roles. This creates consistency in the way we work through the day and in the way we interact as a team.
As a bonus, because everyone had input and agreed that the processes decided upon were the best way to do their jobs, my team immediately started to follow the processes as designed without any pushback.
The major difference that I have noticed with having these systems and processes documented is that we have created consistency in how we deliver our service.
Before these systems were documented my shop could run without me, as I have a great team that provides an excellent client experience. The major difference that I have noticed with having these systems and processes documented is that we have created consistency in how we deliver our service. The advisors are scheduling appointments in the same way, the techs are performing DVIs in the same way, the advisors estimate and deliver the inspection results in the same way and our clients receive communication about their vehicle’s needs in the same way.
Consistency allows the small day-to-day tasks to be done with minimal effort, which saves time and increases the shop’s productivity and profits.
Once you and your team have documented your daily tasks and everyone knows what their role requires them to do, take a few days off and let your team run the shop. Yes, this is scary but trust your team — they built this with you so give them the opportunity to make you proud.
If there are any issues, update your processes and try again. Do this until you can take a month off without any phone calls from your team asking you to solve a problem — if they can solve the problems on their own while ensuring sales goals are being met, you will be able to start, train and empower a whole new team at shop number two.
In the next issue, I will discuss the two roads you can take to becoming a multi-shop owner — building or buying.
If you need information about building systems and processes, I recommend reading Systemology by David Jenyns. He outlines the steps required to systemize your business and has created a program called SystemHUB to store all of your systems, policies and training in one place.
Erin Vaughan is the owner of Kinetic Auto Service in Regina.
This article originally appeared in the October issue of CARS magazine.
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