Auto Body Staffing Panama City FL

Front-office systems come and go. Some are too complex or based on inaccurate forecasts. Others were doomed by unrealistic expectations. But it's not an impossible goal.

By Margaret Ray

Properly staffing the front office is a challenge faced by each and every shop owner a challenge that often escalates into a dilemma.

dilemma n. 1. a predicament that apparently defies a satisfactory solution. 2. a serious problem.

As a veteran of the collision repair industry, I've seen plenty of front-office staffing systems come and go. And while each approach intended to properly balance the number of employees with the shop's workload and volume, most of the staffing plans fell short of their goals.

Why? Some failed because they were too complex or based on inaccurate forecasts. Others didn't work because of unrealistic expectations or ineffective implementation.

But it's not an impossible goal. In fact, it's possible and very necessary if you want to stay competitive in today's collision market. You can't afford to hire the wrong people for the wrong positions at the wrong time.

During the past year, CARSTAR has developed a proprietary front-office staffing model that's beginning to deliver measurable results with productivity and performance. It's also giving our company and franchise stores the opportunity to re-tool their staffing structure and impact overall profitability. At its core, the new staffing model features four basic questions:

1. What's the appr...

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