Express Repairs (ER) in Wetherill Park is one of several new, purpose-built, NRMA rapid repair shops that have been opened in the last 12 months.
What impressed the judges in this shop was the simplicity of process married to a sophisticated, custom-built, smart phonebased workshop management system.
The workshop is functional without being spartan. Owner Gavin Stuart has thoroughly researched just what is needed to turn out quality express repairs. His conclusion is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on equipment to achieve this.
So, while the business uses quality products such as Sikkens paint, the spray booths are relatively inexpensive curtained units from China.
Stuart travelled extensively in Asia, visiting volume shops and cherry-picking the best practices that he observed over there.
These practices appear to be working extremely well as the simple processes, each with quality check stages, have led to impressive workshop efficiencies.
Stuart didn’t feel that desktop systems took advantage of the latest mobile technology, and it is his wife Danielle who is the programming brains behind the workshop system called C360, which runs as an app on any smart phone.
Each job sheet has a QR code on it that any of the staff can scan and log onto the job and have the repair status displayed
on their phone.
Around 90-110 cars per week a repaired in this massive 3000sqm facility. This is achieved by a staff of just 20, including nine panel beaters, five spray painters and two detailers.
Batch invoicing and a virtually paperless system has minimised admin and therefore cut down on admin staff.
The reception area is simple but welcoming with seats and a coffee machine in the cheerful orange and blue ER livery.
Nothing is wasted in this business.
Materials are measured so that there is minimal wastage on paints and consumables.
Stuart believes that the impressive cycle times – ER ’s average repair target time is three days – and dedication to customer service go hand in hand as the customers love getting their cars repaired quickly.
ER also offers a café-style repair where the customer comes in and has a coffee while the car is being assessed and they are told what time they can pick it up the next day.
The shop’s productivity is partly dependent on its suppliers and so strong relationships have been forged to ensure timely
and accurate deliveries.
The repair market is changing and there is a demand for forward-thinking repairers who are industry innovators. Stuart is among the vanguard of these innovators.
Powell’s comments
At Express Repairs Gavin Stuart has created a new concept of vehicle body repair. With sound processes and procedures in place, everyone takes their share of ownership and responsibility of each repair and this starts as early as the client greeting right through to final hand-over back to the client. Material and parts suppliers also share these responsibilities.