The objective of the seminar was to help technicians increase the amount of money they are making by developing a plan and learning how to follow it, Chesney said.
Chesney told the class that time is all a shop or a technician has to sell, emphasizing that technicians need to sell every second of time available and then some. Selling more time than you have in inventory is the same as packing extra tobacco into a pipe, he said.
"Packing the pipe" is a phrase used by many technicians who know the secret to profitability in today's automotive service environment, Chesney said, using the phrase throughout the seminar and asking how many hours each technician sells each day.
Chesney detailed how to set up a system for time management and how not to blame other people or events that could prevent a technician from completing his diagnosis and repairs in a timely manner.
Chesney pointed out how developing a partnership with service consultants and parts suppliers can be beneficial for time management. He said that the difficulties of the number of bays a technician may or may not have can be overcome with a little organization and a good attitude.
Chesney gave real examples of customer problems and how a technician should look for all of the problems, not just the one pointed out by the customer. Most customers do not realize that the problem may is caused by five or six items that need repair, he said.
"A good time-management plan should include different diagnostic levels," Chesney said. He went over how a technician should spend each level of allotted time on diagnosing problems and verifying the repairs.
Chesney showed how a technician can relate his findings to a service consultant to add value to the diagnostic charge. He said it is important to make use of all of a technician's resources, including the Internet, readings from his equipment, and his experiences and those of his fellow techs.
Chesney said a technician should remember to look for preventive-maintenance needs. "Don't just focus on the broken stuff," he said. "PM services are gravy."
At the end of the session, Chesney told technicians -- to have a plan and follow that plan. He said to be organized so you aren't standing around waiting for approvals or parts to arrive. Part of the technician's diagnostic process involves clearing the bay for the next vehicle while waiting for an approval, he said.
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