Hoffman Estates, Illinois — October 14, 2013 — The development of a learning culture in a collision repair business offers tangible performance benefits, according to new research from I-CAR. Jeff Peevy, I-CAR Senior Director of Field Operations and Segment Development, will discuss the findings and their implications for shop learning practices at noon on Friday, October 18 at the NACE Main Stage in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
Results shared at Peevy’s presentation, “Training, Knowledge and Operational KPIs,†emerged from I-CAR’s latest study centered on repair facilities that are actively engaged in role-relevant I-CAR Professional Development Program training.
This study, which has been ongoing for more than two years, and which confirmed the results of an earlier I-CAR study, shows marked improvements in cycle time, touch time, CSI and supplement frequency as a result of training.
But the new study’s most striking finding emerged in the relative performance of the shops that truly embraced a culture of learning versus those that viewed training as a requirement to achieve Gold Class status. The former saw a 25 percent greater reduction in cycle time and a 47 percent greater improvement in touch time over the latter.
“What the study shows is that the right environment and leadership approach turns training into organizational knowledge, that in turn drives significantly greater performance improvements,†said Peevy.
In his presentation, Peevy will identify the specific actions that shop owners and managers can take to develop this learning culture in their own businesses to get the highest possible return on their investment in training. He will also discuss how these actions can prepare shops for ongoing success in the face of the more than 240 vehicle redesigns and introductions slated for the automotive industry over the next three years.
“While training alone can drive performance enhancements, it is those shops that develop a true learning culture that will sustain those improvements and successfully adapt to the technical tsunami approaching our industry,†Peevy said.
Peevy’s presentation will be open to all attendees of the NACE event.
