Hi Sara,

I can’t figure out why we’re always behind on jobs. How do you keep your team on schedule?

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If running your shop feels like chasing your tail all day, you’re not alone. Staying on schedule can feel like trying to stack marbles – frustrating and almost impossible. But with the right strategies, you can turn that chaos into a well-run operation. Let’s look at three simple fixes to get your team back on track.

  1. Track Your Inventory (Which Is Time!)

In the world of service departments, time is your most valuable resource. If you don’t know where it’s going, it’s easy to waste hours without even realizing it. The best way to start is having your techs clock in on every work order all day. Yes, it sounds time-consuming, but it will be well worth it. When we look at our inventory (time), we buy it by the day, sell it by the hour, half day, or day (depending on what you service), and track it by the 10th of an hour or every six minutes.

Pro Tip: Our Service Manager Certification offers actionable strategies to track technician efficiency and reclaim those lost minutes. Knowing where your time goes makes all the difference in creating realistic schedules.

  1. Communicate Expectations the Night Before

Picture this: you walk into your shop in the morning, and everyone’s asking, “What’s the plan for today?” Cue the chaos. Avoid this by setting the stage the night before. Spend 15 minutes at the end of each day reviewing the next day’s schedule, assigning jobs based on your techs’ strengths, and making sure all parts are ready.

When your team walks in with a clear plan, they can hit the ground running instead of scrambling to figure out what’s next. A little preparation goes a long way in reducing stress and improving productivity.

  1. Tie Bonuses to Tech Efficiency

Let’s be honest: everyone works a little harder when there’s a reward at the end. One of the best ways to keep your team focused and on schedule is to link bonuses to efficiency. Set clear goals for how much billable time each tech should hit weekly. When they meet or exceed those goals, they earn a bonus.

One of the ways we set up bonuses for technicians is by their efficiency. If a tech is 85-100% efficient, we give them a $2 per billable hour bonus. If they are 101 – 125% efficient, we give them a $4 per billable hour bonus, and if they are 126% efficient or higher, they get to take home a whopping $6 per billable hour bonus… and bragging rights.

Not only does this system motivate your team to work smarter, but it also creates a sense of friendly competition. A shop that runs efficiently and rewards good work is one where techs want to stay – and thrive.

 

Take Back Your Schedule

Keeping your shop on schedule doesn’t have to feel like an impossible task. By tracking your inventory, setting clear expectations the night before, and motivating your team with bonuses, you can turn things around. If you’re looking for more tools to streamline your processes, our Service Manager Certification is packed with practical tips to help you lead with confidence and efficiency.

With a little effort and the right approach, you’ll go from chasing your tail to running a shop that works like a dream.

 

Let’s make your service department unstoppable! 🔧

Sara Hey