How efficient is your workshop?

No matter the size of a vehicle workshop, from the smallest garage to the largest multi-franchise dealership, maximising efficiency is key to profitability.

A highly efficient workshop is a business that maximises its assets by reducing unpaid labour to a minimum; running the business close to 100% capacity. So you’ve advertised your business and your order book is full. Your technicians are trained and sufficiently motivated to get the job done. Is your workshop’s equipment up to the task? Is it reliable? Has it been serviced and maintained by a company who can respond to your needs?

In the event of a garage equipment problem, it is important to have in place a service maintenance package with a reliable service provider, one with high first time fix rates and trained engineers in your local area, with access to parts stocks to come and fix the problem quickly and efficiently. Having the comfort of knowing you are one call away from your service engineer to come to diagnose and advise on the best solution to get you up and running is invaluable. In addition, if you are already on a service contract, you likely receive cheaper breakdown rates and priority booking (if you’re with the right provider!)

One off breakdowns can happen. However persistent breakdowns can have major impacts on efficiency. Choosing a service provider with access to parts stocks and trained engineers is another element to gaining improved efficiency in the workshop.

The importance of analysing data

Having access to advanced service management reports which store and log your breakdown calls, enables you to analyse the cost of your workshop, right down to individual equipment. Which can help you make informed decisions.  The more information you have on your business productivity the better it runs.

Can your service supplier produce you with this information, if not, perhaps it’s time to start looking around?

Based upon a study conducted by Straightset on a sample of over 100 sites, the age of your equipment has a major impact on the cost of maintaining your equipment. 

• Equipment over 10 years old costs on average over 50% more to maintain than equipment under 10 years old.

If your garage equipment is costing you, a replacement programme could be the best solution in the long term.  Whilst in the short term can seem like a big upfront cost, particularly if you have a large workshop with a large amount of equipment, but replacing equipment in a logical way based upon robust data, is a sensible choice.

Choosing the right replacement garage equipment, from quality suppliers, with warranties and aftersales support, where parts can be easily sourced, which will stand the test of time is important. With skilled engineers who can install equipment safely and accurately. Also, choosing a garage equipment supplier with flexible payment options is a bonus, if required.

In cases where most the equipment in your workshop needs replacing, a full workshop redesign, could be the answer. Laying out the workshop, maximising the workshop to avoid wasted space, with the right services in the right places will reduce wasted technician time of the need to wander about the site collecting oil from here and water from there.

With so much to think about with the day to day running of a garage workshop, its important you have confidence in the equipment you are using. Choosing a garage equipment supplier who is experienced, proactive, reliable, professional and comprehensive will take the stress away from you and manage your equipment requirements effectively.

About Straightset

Straightset are the UK’s Leading Independent Garage Equipment Company. Providing best in class design, supply, installation and service of garage equipment, for car and commercial workshops, for 30 years.

Straightset are dedicated to offering all of their customer’s exceptional service. We believe in only supplying equipment which can be fully supported – as we are not owned by a manufacturer we are uniquely positioned to offer carefully selected manufacturers who have the same ethos as we do, therefore offering aftercare packages that are second to none.

Straightset offer the full workshop equipment package, including Vehicle Lifts, MoT Equipment, Wheel Equipment, Brake testers, workbenches, lubrication, compressed air systems, workshop tools, spare parts and more. From a range of quality suppliers including Slift, MAHA, Nussbaum, OMA, Beissbarth, Shure to name a few.

The Straightset service team are specialists in the maintenance, calibration and repair of garage and MOT equipment and offer one of the most thorough preventative maintenance packages on the market to help protect your investment.

Straightset’s team of GEA accredited service engineers are strategically located throughout the whole of the UK mainland and are all specially trained to perform breakdown, inspection and service requirements. This ensures the engineer’s assigned have all the necessary skills and parts to achieve very highest levels of first time fixes.

With dedicated and knowledgeable service controllers on hand to provide a personal approach, working with an effective management software to provide relevant, up to date reporting of your service history and call outs. As well as competitive Fixed Rates, Flexible Contracts and Reduced breakdown rates for contract customers.

For Straightset, it’s not just about supplying garage equipment it’s about keeping their customers operational. So, whether you’re looking for a one of piece of equipment, a full workshop fit out or a service plan and whatever your budget, Straightset is a garage equipment partner you can rely on.