How continuing staff training helps you improve your vehicle workshop

Make the most of your car hoists with Levanta

As we’ve spoken about before, probably the number one consideration when you’re designing a new workshop fitout is ensuring the best vehicle throughput. If you’re responsible for the workshop operation r, there are many things you can do to ensure you’re getting the maximum number of vehicles through your workshop each day – as well as the biggest improvement to your business’s bottom line each year.

Workshop layout, the right workshop equipment, and providing your technicians with sufficient resources all play a part – and so too does your level of staff training.

Part of ensuring the best possible efficiency and vehicle throughput is making sure your staff have the training and experience they need to operate at their best.

We asked Levanta’s workshop efficiency experts for their advice on ways to give your workshop technicians the vehicle hoist training they need to perform at their best.

How does insufficient staff training affect workshop efficiency?

Though you might think there’s not much time to be saved on each service through staff training, in fact it soon adds up to a substantial loss of time.

For example, let’s say your technician is unfamiliar with the particular new model of hoist you have installed. It may take this technician an extra 10 minutes to load the hoist correctly and carry out the lift.  Multiply those extra ten minutes by the number of vehicles you expect a hoist to handle in a day – a week – a year, and you can soon see how big a problem insufficient staff training can build up to.

Every hoist is different, and every automotive workshop often has several different types of hoist installed. If your technicians aren’t familiar with the quirks of each different car lift, you could face the problem of increased inefficiency and down time with every service.

What’s more, it isn’t just efficient work flow that can suffer – the right vehicle hoist training can make all the difference to your Workplace Health and Safety too. When staff are unfamiliar with heavy equipment, the chances of a workplace accident can only increase.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure your staff are not only properly trained to use vehicle hoists – but stay that way too.

The importance of continuing car hoist staff training

It’s not just a matter of having initial training at the time of your hoist installation, for a couple of reasons.

Of course, staff turnover is simply a fact of running any business. That means that ensuring adequate training for all your staff isn’t just a matter of ‘do-it-once-and-forget-it’.

It is also important to continue to enforce positive behaviours – such as ensuring hoists are on the locks – amongst other standard procedures that should be in place at all times.

What’s more, you must make sure your technicians who do stay with you, remain familiar with the correct systems and procedures for using your workshop’s equipment.

One way to do this is by locking in an ongoing training package with Levanta.

You can arrange for Levanta’s workshop equipment experts to visit your workshop business every six to twelve months at the time of hoist servicing or as required, both to refresh your existing staff and ensure they’re still up-to-speed, and to train any new staff who’ve been hired in the meantime.

Talk to Levanta for vehicle hoist installation and training

Levanta’s workshop equipment experts are highly experienced in fitting out and maintaining the ideal vehicle workshop for your business’s needs. They can fully train your workshop technicians – and refresh them as necessary – to ensure you get the most from your new vehicle hoists.

To find out more about car lift maintenance and how we can help make your workshop safer and more efficient, call Levanta on 1300 577 541 or use the contact forms for your local branch here.  

How can I effectively store special tools in my workshop?

Workshop furniture ideas for your business

Many dealerships have issues with storing the large volume of special tools that are required to perform vehicle repairs in their busy workshop. Your special tools are expensive, and at times, difficult to store.

That’s why you need an effective tool storage solution to maintain order, prevent loss, and ensure your tools and equipment are quickly accessible for the task at hand.

The best solution for workshop special tool storage

To address this issue, Dura Workshop Furniture have developed vertical tool cabinets that allow all tools to be hung in the storage system.

Each module pulls forward into the workshop, allowing clear visibility of the tools that are hung on both sides of the divider. Dura vertical tool cabinets are lockable to prevent unauthorised access to the tooling.

Dura Workshop Furniture is manufactured in the UK, comes with a 5 year warranty, and is specifically designed for automotive workshops.

Talk to Levanta about workshop furniture design to suit you

Remember – a well organised, clean and tidy workshop will help your business be more efficient, and help you attract and retain the best talent.

Levanta are the distributors for Dura workshop furniture throughout Australia and NZ. We can visit your dealership workshop to scope out your needs, and come back with a design that will address your tool storage issues. We’ll help you get your tool room organised and set for success.

Call Levanta now on 1300 577 541 or contact us online to see how we can design and build a durable workshop furniture fitout for your dealership.

5 tips to ensure your car hoists increase your workshop’s efficiency

How to choose the right auto lift for your workshop

Much the same way as any long-term investment for your business, purchasing a car lift or hoist calls for careful planning and consideration, to give you the maximum ROI from your equipment.

As a helpful guide to Levanta’s huge range of two-post and four-post auto lifts and scissor lifts, we’ve put together the following pointers on picking the right model of car lift for your garage.

1) Consider your available floor and ceiling space

Of course, adding a car lift to your workshop will not only require sufficient floor space, but also enough overhead clearance to let you raise a vehicle off the ground. So before you begin browsing our range of car lifts, make sure you take the time to measure your available space both horizontally and vertically to ensure the lift will fit in your garage and be able to go through the full range of motion even with a vehicle on board.

2) Keep in mind the size of vehicles you’ll be lifting

Your new vehicle lift should have the power and capacity to safely accommodate the size and type of vehicles your workshop most often services. If you service only certain makes, this might mean choosing between only a few specific car lift models. On the other hand if you’re a generalist workshop (and if your budget allows), you’ll be able to service a much bigger variety of vehicles by investing in the biggest four-post lift you can afford.

3) Do you need both storage and parking from your new car lift?

If you need to make the most of your available floor space, you could be better off investing in an “all-rounder” lift that can handle parked vehicles. Some lifts, such as the HD-9 Series, are designed to offer you a storage or parking area as well as a means of providing easy access to the underside of a vehicle.

4) Should you choose a portable car lift?

If you’re working within a smaller space, there are still car lift options available to you. If you don’t have space to permanently install a car lift, you may be able to choose from our range of specialty car lifts and scissor lifts. They don’t require installation, and can be moved into your workspace only when needed.

5) Check the manufacturer’s warranty on your car lift

Before you commit to buying any car lift, it’s worthwhile taking the time to check the warranty offered by the manufacturer. Your car lift will soon be central to the way you work, so it’s important to understand what’s covered in the event of a breakdown.

Download our FREE guide to smarter workshop design

Some car hoist manufacturers offer more comprehensive coverage and better service than others, so do your research and choose a brand with a great reputation. For example, the XPR Series of 2 post hoists come with a 5-2-1 warranty (five years on the lift structure; two years on the hydraulic cylinder(s) and power unit; and one year on labour).

Need advice on vehicle lifts? Talk to Levanta

Having the right car or truck lift in your workshop can help improve your business’s productivity and safety – and help you offer a better service to your customers.

To find out more about our range of car lifts and how they can help make your workshop safer and more efficient, call Levanta on 1300 577 541 or use the contact forms for your local office here. 

4 ways car hoists offer you improved efficiency (and profits!)

What’s the benefit to your workshop business?

Efficiency is a common goal for most Australian businesses. And in a car or truck workshop, efficiency most often means getting cars in and out as quickly as possible (otherwise known as high vehicle throughput).

One of the major decisions you can make to increase the efficiency of your workshop business is having the right car hoists or lifts. In this news post, we take you through the top four ways vehicle hoists can improve your business’s efficiency – and your bottom line.

1) Reducing the required prep time per vehicle

With a more versatile heavy-duty lift, your workshop will be able to service commercial trucks as well as small passenger vehicles, without the need for downtime while you perform a special setup.

Thanks to your versatile high-capacity lift, no matter what type of vehicle comes into your workshop, your technicians will be able to get it up on the lift and ready for servicing in a matter of minutes.

2) Offering easier access for vehicle servicing

By raising a vehicle on a lift such as a Levanta’s 4-post hoists, your technicians will have much better access to “trouble spots” such as the suspension, diff, and other areas compared to when the vehicle is simply raised on a jack.

Your technicians will also be able to work on a lifted vehicle while standing up, rather than having to lay flat on a creeper. This also makes it much easier for them to access hand tools and other necessary auto service equipment more quickly and efficiently.

3) Allowing you to offer a wider range of workshop services

By installing large-capacity hoists that can safely service many types of vehicles, your business can expand into new markets and offer a wider range of services. In turn, this will bring more customers through the doors – leading to increased revenue and profits.

4) Helping you attract quality employees

One thing we’ve noticed over the years is that auto technicians will actively seek employment in a workshop that’s fitted out with the best equipment. This is because they know that by working with the most modern, up-to-date vehicle servicing gear, they’ll not only add to their skills, but also have the best chance of career success.

This means that when you equip your workshop with high quality auto hoists, you’ll not only give yourself the best chance of attracting more talented employees, but also of retaining them for longer. This can save your auto service business some of the costs of finding and training new employees.

Download our FREE guide to smarter workshop design

Talk to Levanta for the right car lift for your workshop

At Levanta, we understand that as a workshop business owner, you always have an eye on efficiency and the bottom line. So to make sure your car or truck workshop is performing at its best in both areas, choose quality auto lifts from Levanta and help your technicians do more in less time.

To find out more about our range of car lifts and how they can help make your workshop safer and more efficient, call Levanta on 1300 577 541 or use the contact form for your local office here. 

How to plan a successful workshop fitout

Everything you need to know to ensure a better workshop design

When you set out to design a new auto workshop fitout, you’ll want to include the best practice standards for every area, right from the start.

Whether your workshop is in need of a refurbishment, an expansion, or a complete new fitout, the key to a successful (and profitable) end result is planning.

You’ll need a workshop design that:

  • Allows the maximum vehicle throughput
  • Enhances workflow efficiency
  • Meets all workplace health and safety regulations
  • Complies with all Australian standards
  • Meets your OEM’s Corporate Identity standards
  • Impacts on the environment as little as possible
  • …all while meeting your budget and deadlines. Easy!

It’s a lot to get your head around. And as a busy Fixed Operations Manager or Workshop Service Manager, you’ll no doubt want to be as hands-on as possible during the all-important design phase. After all, noone knows your customers, your business, and your Dealer Principal like you do.

Yet with your day-to-day responsibilities for your dealership, you can’t simply drop everything to devote the necessary time to planning and managing a new workshop fitout. So how do you make sure your new workshop fitout will meet your business’s needs, now and for years to come?

Plan for a more profitable workshop fitout
with Levanta

To give you a head start on your workshop planning process, we’ve put together this comprehensive workshop fitout guide.

We’ll share some of the key considerations of good workshop design, and show you how with a little forethought and planning, you can make the process as smooth as possible – and ensure the best return from your investment.

Click the image above to download your FREE eBook now!

How to meet your OEM’s Corporate Identity requirements

All about planning the ideal workshop fitout

Whether you’re designing a new workshop fitout, or thinking of re-fitting an existing workshop, there are many factors to consider. The ideal bay layout, the number of essential fittings, and the comfort and safety of your staff will all get a mention. But one of the most crucial requirements of all is the need to meet your OEM’s Corporate Identity standards.

Global vehicle manufacturers have literally spent millions to create a Corporate Identity that clearly portrays their brand to potential customers. They are understandably protective of their Corporate Identity and reluctant to have it watered down. That’s why an OEM’s Corporate Identity handbook can run to hundreds of pages of standards.

And while that may sound intimidating, if you’re planning on refitting your vehicle workshop, it’s also the sound of opportunity for your dealership. Read on to find out how.

Select a workshop fitout expert that understands OEM CI

The old saying, “Buy it on price, you’ll pay for it twice” certainly has resonance when planning a workshop fitout.

If you’re working with a premium marque such as a European manufacturer, standards for meeting their Corporate Identity will be understandably high. These OEMs will often stipulate a particular brand of equipment, or a precise colour of equipment, from a certain manufacturer, who has a proven ability to provide the quality standard of workshop gear they’re looking for.

Though it might be tempting to try and save money by substituting a cheaper brand instead of a stipulated brand, this can often be a false economy. These cheaper brands often simply don’t measure up – leaving you with the need for costly rectification work.

All of this can be avoided by choosing to partner with a supplier with the expertise to work within an OEM’s guidelines, to design a workshop fitout right the first time. And with rebates on offer from OEMs for meeting their requirements, this approach can actually save you money over the long term.

The right partner makes meeting Corporate Identity standards easy

Don’t let your workshop fitout become an expensive nightmare. Make sure you have the information and experience needed to meet your OEM’s Corporate Identity by partnering with the right workshop fitout supplier.

By choosing a supplier that has the ability to work within your OEM’s requirements and deliver a solution to meet them, you can achieve a workshop fitout that not only looks the part, but helps you deliver a better service for your customers too.

Have questions about the best way to meet your OEM’s Corporate Identity requirements for your dealership? Get in touch with the workshop fitout experts Levanta on 1300 577 541 or with your local office’s contact forms here.