Why you need AC in your shop now

Your shop will likely perform a lot better if you have proper heating in the winter and cooling in the summer, a shop coach wagers. Not only will your staff feel more comfortable doing their work, but it would also help with recruiting new members and retaining current ones.

In fact, Rick White, president of 180Biz, has seen how much more business a shop can do when the technicians are working in climate-controlled environments.

His father used to joke that the staff’s Christmas bonus was to turn on the heat for a day. All humour aside, White such working conditions are not tenable for staff. And your shop could be missing out on making money.

It’s the middle of summer right now and your staff are probably feeling it, especially your technicians straining themselves in the bays. During these days, techs could be working in unbearable conditions, sweating all over the place. During the presentation Business Boss Leader: From Creeper to Leader at the Mid-West Auto Care Alliance’s Vision and Hi-Tech Training Expo, White noted one shop owner who realized he could get an extra three hours per day on average out of each tech just by having air conditioning in his shop. The installation of the AC would be paid off in no time, White said.

If you want to know how much you could get out of your techs during hot and cold stretches, compare the work output on hotter and colder days to optimal conditions. Does work slow down when temperatures hit extremes in your shop? If you could have the same conditions all year round, then what kind of output could you get?

But what about the classic look of having a shop’s doors open while vehicles are you’re open and actively working on vehicles, one audience member asked. White has seen shops put murals on the doors to make it look like the inside of the shop as a creative solution.

One other attendee said they closed the bay doors years ago and business wasn’t affected. He installed an HVAC system, saw productivity go up and no loss of business. All you really need is a sign that clearly says you’re open, White said.

Another attendee noted that he’s someone who likes to shop at places that treat their customers better. So by treating his own staff better, he hopes that translates to more customers.

Another brought up the safety concerns. You don’t staff falling over because they’re overheated or get frostbite.

Not to mention, White then pointed out, that it’s easier to attract talent when you can tell them your shop is cooled in the summer and warmed during the winter.

“When you say ‘I’m looking for help,’ I would have ‘air-conditioned shop’ [highlighted],” he said.