28 Aug Prescription without Diagnosis Is Malpractice
In short, much in the same manner a doctor checks all your basic vital signs, medical history and in many cases will send off for lab work prior to writing a prescription; a technician should follow a similar methodical process when diagnosing a problem on a vehicle. The notable point here is the amount time gathering data and checking the basics. Unfortunately many technicians will jump heedlessly into the troubleshooting process rather than following a methodical process. This perpetuates the industry statistic that one (1) out of three (3) parts is changed in error. Each manufacturer has a basic checklist and technicians should follow prior to delving into the diagnostic portion of the process. Developing, implementing, and insisting a process of this manner be followed will increase confidence in the technicians, reduce cost, improve efficiency, utilization, shop morale, and the PM process. Moreover, the cost to employ is very low. There have been numerous undocumented cases where failing to follow a process of this manner caused unnecessary $15,000 or higher in-frame overhauls to be preformed. Additionally, if a competent trainer was brought in to train on any system, this would be the first step in the training process.
Reducing maintenance and procurement costs is only a matter of developing and implementing defined processes and holding individuals as well as vendors accountable to follow them. – Buck 2012