top of page

In regards to choosing between changing the oil for individuals driving their personal SUVs and for fleet delivery vehicle managers you've got to take into account the full time, not only the amount of money charged per vehicle. It may be enticing to change the oil for V-8 SUV owners at $45.00 a pop, as opposed to handle the cutthroat competition of bidding on fleet oil change services, but you've to consider something; "The Money Is In the Time and Process, Not the Unit Charge Rate," so, let's talk gps vehicle tracking system.

You see, shortly ago, I was reminded of the importance of production in the services business, when I was asked by way of a start-up entrepreneur of on-site auto maintenance. He asked point blank; "Just how many oil changes could be completed by way of a decent crew (I am assuming 2 visitors to a crew/truck) in a 8 hour day utilizing your trucks and methods?"

Okay, listed here is my experience; with full production - Six Sigma style - vehicles in a line (fleets) the clear answer is 100s with a staff of three. Personal cars, many different, you will need very competent auto mechanics with experience 5-6 each hour with 2 people maximum. Obviously, there's more to the story, actually his next question was even blunter and I must say directly on target too; "Do the trucks you utilize work on one vehicle at the same time or multiple at once? transportation services"

When doing fleets you utilize an assembly line methodology, so first, you start the motors on five vehicles, however you pop the hoods on 15 in the row. After 8-minutes, you turn off the first five, start the second five, drain the first five drain plugs, you receive the idea. Or, you utilize evacuation systems. It's a procedure, the money is in the "time" not the job or cost per unit. Travel time is job time by the way, including chasing parts, filters - especially if you are paying automotive technicians to fetch oil filters, fuel filters, and such.

Indeed, I've always instructed our crews on the need to honor the concept of JIT - just over time inventory, that is to state have the supplier, NAPA Auto Parts for instance, deliver the filters had a need to the job site, why pay to stock the filters, inventory them, transport them, when these auto part companies deliver and can do anything to earn your company? If you are likely to run an automobile business if you are coping with private owners of SUVs or those responsible for large fleets of vehicles, you then need to run it with production in mind. Please contemplate all of this and think on it.

bottom of page