According to the TechForce foundation, automotive technicians are leaving the industry in such large numbers that by 2024 the size of the technician shortage will be 642,000.

Attracting new and retaining, dedicated technicians is already a critical job for shop owners and will only become more important as the technician shortage worsens. Shop owners can combat the technician shortage by offering incentive plans that give technicians the opportunity to maximize their earning potential.

Done correctly, incentive plans can transform a shop. They motivate employees, encourage cooperation, and reward techs and advisors for helping the shop grow sustainably. On the other hand, poorly built incentive plans can reward employees for doing less work or cause employee pay to grow faster than the shop’s revenue—draining the business dry. In short, incentive plans need to be customized for your specific goals, customers, team, and shop. They’re a critical part of finding and retaining quality technicians and fighting the technician shortage.

But incentive plans are only half the picture. Technicians can lose hours of productive, billable time on non-productive tasks and inefficient processes. Lost time often comes in the form of inefficient tools. Having a fully integrated shop management system can seriously reduce busy work, freeing your techs to spend more time doing what they do best— working under the hood.

Technicians at shops using the Shop4D® shop management system bill an additional 1-2 hours per day because they’re able to maximize their efficiency and focus on doing thorough inspections, complete write-ups, and efficient repairs. And with seamless, integrated access to CARFAX QuickVIN and Service History, techs have everything they need to accurately inspect, diagnose and writeup a vehicle every time.

When technicians have clear, achievable incentives that reward them for helping the shop, and the shop creates an environment where productivity and efficiency are prioritized and maximized, technicians are finally able to reach their financial goals, and the shop experiences sustainable success. It’s a win win for everyone.