The Labor Department said last month that the measure of hourly output per worker, fell at a 0.3% annualized rate between July and September, the biggest decline in almost four years.
In plain English, despite working more hours we created less value.
The reasons for the decline are, no doubt, complex and interconnected with all kinds of economic conditions, but the bottom line is probably not news to anyone. We hear it across the industries and specialties we serve: Everybody’s working hard and putting in the time, but we’re not seeing incremental results in productivity and revenue.
We’ve all heard the trope, “work smarter, not harder,” and there is some wisdom in that advice. Since we’re already working long and hard, where does the extra productivity come from?
In the auto recon business, that efficiency — that productivity boost — comes from technology. As your business grows, your customers and your employees put more demands on the administrative side of your operations. Customer-specific pricing, commission splits, approvals, and unique invoicing requirements are just a few of the items that can snowball into complexity, extra paperwork, and risks of errors. So even when you and the team are putting in the time and effort, all that time spent dealing with process and paperwork can actually reduce your profits.
That’s why so many successful operations have turned to ReconPro™, a mobile app and back-office software developed to keep all the moving parts of your administration aligned with the work. Inspections on a mobile device become estimates that can be approved directly on the technician’s device or via web connect email allowing the approver to see all the estimated work and provide approvals without delay. Approved estimates automatically become work orders, and completed work orders become invoices that you can send via email, fax, or print directly from the mobile device. Again, no delays waiting to write up the invoice and get it to the accounting department for payment. The software automatically calculates technicians’ pay no matter if it’s flat-rate or complex commissions. ReconPro integrates directly with Quickbooks and several other popular accounting software programs, so there’s no need to double-enter the data and no associated risk of data-entry errors. The amount of time you save will propel your productivity to new heights, and you’ll be working smarter, saving time, and keeping more of what you make.
Join the ranks of successful SMART Repair, PDR, Paint Correction, Wheel Repair, Interior Repair, Detailing, and Mobile Repair businesses that rely on ReconPro day-in and day-out to manage their business. Tell us a little about your business and arrange for a free demonstration today.
