How much do you spend on cars every single year? While most people don't think too seriously about what a car costs, the fact of the matter is that vehicles can be incredibly expensive, especially if you aren't looking after your car properly. I started thinking about how to manage my vehicle a few years back, and it was really fascinating to see how much we needed to do to take care of things. From moving forward with repairs to identifying simple changes that had to be made, it was invigorating to explore everything we could do to make a powerful step in the right direction. Check out this blog for great information about car care.
Have you ever wondered about how your collision repair shop operates? If you're like most people, then the answer might be a confused "no." Isn't it enough that your vehicle comes out looking good? Treating service centers as black boxes is appealing, but understanding how these businesses operate can help you to choose the best one to repair your vehicle. Since collision repair is so vital for the value and long-term reliability of your car, selecting a trustworthy and skilled shop is essential. There are many fascinating aspects to the collision repair industry, but one of the most relevant for collision customers are SOPs.
Breaking Down The Acronym
Okay, so just what is an SOP? In the parlance of collision repair, SOP refers to "standard operating procedures." As you might expect from the name, these are a series of steps that help auto body technicians complete their work in a consistent, reliable manner. SOPs find use across a range of industries, so they aren't solely the purview of auto body technicians. These detailed operational procedures are uniquely suited to collision repair, however. While every accident is unique, the types of damage typically seen by repair shops tend to be similar. These similarities lend themselves well to SOPs.
Should You Care?
One of the primary motivations for the use of SOPs is consistency. Body shop owners often implement these procedures to ensure that different technicians complete the same job in a similar way. This level of uniformity in work has significant business advantages, and it helps to ensure that new workers or managers can get up to speed quickly. This focus on management begs the question: as a customer, why should you care?
While SOPs have significant business advantages, these advantages ultimately reflect on the shop's output. From the perspective of a customer, shops that make use of SOPs are more reliable and consistent in their work. If a previous customer had a good experience, then you are likely to have a good experience as well if the shop's technicians are following a standard set of procedures.
What Should You Do?
Collision repair is one of the most significant events in your vehicle's life. If you need to have your car repaired, it is essential to do your due diligence when selecting a body shop. While there are many factors to consider when choosing the best shop, don't hesitate to ask about their use of SOPs. Most shops should be happy to discuss a few details of their operation, and a shop that implements SOPs is a shop that you can likely trust to perform reliable, consistent, and high-quality work.
For more information, contact a local auto shop like Collisions Plus Performance.
Share21 January 2020
