Most people make resolutions to get more steps, but what if your resolution was to get fewer steps? This may sound like an unproductive resolution — unless we’re talking about your service department. Think about how many steps your techs take every day to retrieve parts from the parts counter. It’s likely their Fitbit tells the story of a marathon runner rather than a technician. This constant walking back and forth isn’t just hindering productivity in the service drive — it could be impacting your dealership’s profits as well.
A Resolution for Techs
Every step your techs take is time they could be spending on repairs. And every minute your techs aren’t working on repairs is the potential for fewer billable hours. Time is your greatest resource in the service department when used efficiently, and it’s your greatest obstacle to success when it isn’t. Breakthroughs in robotics have paved the way for parts delivery robots to step onto the scene, creating a time-saving resource for one of your dealership’s most profitable departments.
These robots allow your techs to stay in their bays, minimizing downtime and maximizing profits. By implementing a parts delivery robot, you’re not just giving time back to your techs. You’re optimizing your overall operations to function at peak efficiency.
The question isn’t whether your techs can take the steps to move parts — it’s whether that time is actually worth spending.
A Resolution for Parts Runners
So, what if your dealership already has dedicated parts runners? Don’t worry, this isn’t an age-old “robots taking over” story. While parts delivery robots will take on the routine deliveries of a parts runner, this frees your team to reimagine the role and transition employees to more valuable jobs.
Parts runners who previously handled deliveries to techs can take on tasks better suited to growing your business. Whether it’s expanding your wholesale parts business, delivering to shops, assisting with high-quality MPI videos, or upselling previously declined services, parts runners can give more time back to techs and ultimately gain more profits for your dealership.
Parts delivery robots can also help avoid certain workflow hiccups. Sometimes, parts runners have to call off if they’re too sick to come in. While understandable, this leaves a labor gap in that day’s operations. The part-running role then falls on the tech or another team member who already has their own responsibilities, inevitably creating delays. On top of that, the “parts runner” role itself can be challenging to fill and keep in the current market. But a parts delivery robot bypasses these issues entirely, avoiding disruptions to your service workflow.
A Resolution for Safety
The new year usually brings vows for a healthier lifestyle (like counting steps). But while most people think of exercise and diet, this can also include safety and injury prevention. Parts delivery robots can help your team in this respect, too. Even the strongest, most capable staff faces some level of risk every day. You can avoid the risk altogether by offloading physical tasks in your service department to robots.
Picture this: One of your techs or parts runners has a bad back and tries to carry a battery to a bay. This could easily become a liability for further injury, as well as cost your dealership the extra hands it relies on for day-to-day operations. With navigation technology and heavyweight-bearing capabilities, parts delivery robots help eliminate risk and enable safe parts deliveries.
As you begin a new year at your dealership, it’s worth considering this important question: How many billable hours are slipping through the cracks every time one of your techs walks away from their bay to get parts? For many, the answer might be too many.
Any service department looking to reclaim time, increase billable hours, and improve overall efficiency needs to look no further.
Parts delivery robots are here to streamline your service operations, deliver parts directly to techs, and facilitate an environment that nurtures productivity.
A resolution for fewer steps in the service department is ultimately a resolution for a more profitable year.
