Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM NOVEMBER 2017 64 T he correct answer to "What is the future of the service industry?" is based on the future availability of qualified service technicians. Where will they all come from? How will they be trained? Will they stay with your company once they are trained? Can you keep them updated on the latest technologies in these fast-changing industries? Can you give them a challenging and exciting career? Every time we ask the question about the biggest concerns that service companies have, the answer has always seems to refer to finding top-rate technicians, managers, and office personnel. In most cases, individuals are not specifically trained or educated to meet your specific business and service needs. It certainly helps to have electronics and appliance training for your technicians, and pertinent business courses and training for your managers and office personnel; but even with that education, they are seldom truly game- ready to step into the starting line-up at your company. No matter what background a person has, those first few months on the job are difficult because business philosophies differ, markets differ, products may differ, and of course there is a whole new set of people to learn to deal with inside and outside of the company. So where do we get good people for our companies? It's great if you can get someone with at least some electronics background out of a local college or trade school, but even with that, it is diffcult get anyone who is trained on repairing the specific products that you service and repair. That's where letting them train inside your company with experienced staff members and letting them take advantage of manufacturer training on specific products—a valuable tool. We are very fortunate to have industry associations like ETA, PSA, and TRN who work hard to develop certifications that help gauge individual levels of technical expertise, and go beyond that to develop specific training programs to assist in the development of technical staff. There are a lot of ways to find and keep good people, but the reality of the situation is that this responsibility belongs to you. As we all know, the most valuable resource that you have in any company is your people, yet many don't spend the time they should finding the right people and help them develop and grow in their field. Consider the value of an excellent technician or business manager to your company over the span of an entire career. Work with local tech and high schools and your local community to find and mentor good candidates. If you don't have technical- or business-trained people to choose from in your community, then find highly-motivated, hardworking people and help them develop the skills they need to be successful. Many of us got our break when someone took us under their wing because they saw some potential in us and worked with us to develop our skills. Make a dedicated effort to have an atmosphere in your company that encourages training and personal development for every one of your employees, no matter how long they have been with you. Each year, new technologies are released in our industries and you should make a dedicated effort to expose your people to challenging careers. Keep the work new and challenging for everyone. Spend the time to develop your people and help them grow. This approach will be a win-win for all! WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE SERVICE INDUSTRY? S E R V I C E D E P A R T M E N T Don Pierson, President—Certified Service Center (CSC) www.certifiedservicecenter.org RO

• Cover