Although few debate the importance and benefits of keeping a clean shop often cleanlinesstakes a back seat to getting the repair done properly and on time. But shop owners who are attentive to cleanliness say it not only improves productivity, it also keeps the customers coming back. Some believe so strongly in cleanliness that they incorporate language about it into an employee's work contract, while others simply say, "It's not negotiable, things will be clean."

AutoInc. looked for advice from shop owners who have mastered ways to keep the shop and its technicians clean; the common denominator: it has to be a team effort done on a daily basis.

Salem Boys Auto
Mark Salem, owner of Salem Boys Auto, Tempe, Ariz., takes exception to any reference to his business as a "shop." "It's not a shop, it's a bakery. At any time, I want to be able to have my mother eat her lunch anywhere in the business," said Salem. His business, with 20 bays and 14 technicians who are all ASE-master certified, is in a relatively new building that has a black concrete floor. The technicians are required to clean up as they go, both their specific bay and any other bay they use. "Cleanliness is part of their employment as much as the ability to repair the car," said Salem. In addition, hoists and work benches are cleaned regularly, and trash cans are taken to a nearby car wash so that they too reflect positively on the shop's image.

Twice a week, Salem has the waiting area and front office cleaned by a commercial cleaning service. He said he takes extra care in the waiting area because that's the first thing the customer sees. In addition to comfortable chairs, customers get cookies, calendars, music from a '50s-style juke box and the use of a slot machine from the '50s. Go-Karts are available for customer's children. And, anyone in the waiting area during the lunch hour is served lunch, compliments of Salem Boys Auto.

He has a street sweeper for cleaning the exterior lots; and gasoline-powered vacuums for interior and exterior cleaning. Salem said that although people make very positive comments about his shop and waiting area, he does sometimes have to overcome perceptions that repairs are going to be expensive because the shop looks so good. "It's getting past that first ticket that counts," said Salem. "After that, they're ours."

Salem Boys Auto technicians wear uniforms that are provided and laundered by the company. They also are provided with ear and eye protection, latex gloves, lockers, showers and a "techs only" eating area. "The employees are the mules that pull the wagon. We want to keep them happy," said Salem. While keeping them happy, Salem is also achieving the look he wants from his employees. But he admits that no matter how hard you try or what you provide, you'll always have what he refers to as a "Fred Flintstone of the bunch." According to Salem, this is the employee who has "pillow bunch" in the back of his head, his belt held together with staples and sleep in his eyes. "This is the employee who you keep as far away from customers as possible," said Salem.

Salem makes discussions about cleanliness part of his interview process with potential employees. His best advice: Before you hire someone, look in their car. This will reveal a lot about their concern for cleanliness.

Moses Automotive
Mark Moses, owner of Moses Automotive in Toledo, Ohio, knows that his facility is his best form of advertising. "We want our customers to gasp' when they come into our shop," said Moses. He and his employees believe that even on the shop's worst day, customers need to still see the business at its best. "We have to have an area in which we really excel, especially to compete with the dealers." He too says, "If we can get them in the door, they're ours."

In his nine-bay facility, technicians do not have designated work areas. "They move around, so as a courtesy to the next person, it is expected that techs will clean up their mess," said Moses. He contracts with a service two times a week for a more thorough cleaning, which he says is one of the best investments he has made. He also has epoxy-coated the shop's floors in a medium-blue color. Unlike concrete, Moses says that nothing absorbs into the floor because of the epoxy coating; it's very durable and comes in bright colors.

He said his techs are very conscientious and take great pride in their work and in the business. He defines his work environment as a high-tech, elevated work culture. As such, employees are expected to adhere to a strict dress code. The company provides and launders uniforms for the technicians. Each employee has a written contract with the business in which they agree to good personal hygiene. Moses is careful to distinguish the difference between personal hygiene and personal style. "This is not a style issue. Long hair, piercings are OK. This is strictly a hygiene issue," said Moses.

Moses is very proud to show off his facility and his employees, not only to customers, but also to the two students from local high schools who are shadowing in the business. The business also has been featured in marketing literature and training tapes produced by various companies, including NAPA, Monroe Equipment, Raybestos and Dana Corp.

Farver Autobody
A small shop in a small town where everyone knows everyone is how Jim Farver, owner of Jim Farver Autobody, in Hanover, Pa., describes the location of his shop. In business for 26 years, he is a firm believer that a clean shop improves productivity. Technicians are responsible for keeping their work bays and areas clean on a daily basis, which also includes keeping tools in good working order. He enlists the help of a professional cleaning service every Friday and has a designated storage area, which he says eliminates a lot of material laying around. "We also have a computer program that tracks parts so there aren't any parts laying around either," said Farver.

Outside the building, Farver has a policy that helps keep it looking clean too. When possible, he doesn't allow cars in the lot to sit with their hoods up or the engines exposed. His concern is two-fold: one, the weather in the northeast can damage the vehicle and two, it's more aesthetically appealing to customers dropping off or picking up their vehicles.

Farver says that he was raised with a concern for cleanliness. "That's the way it always was, and that's the way it will always be," he said. The expectations he has for keeping a clean work environment are discussed with potential employees during the interview. He also recommends taking a look at a job applicant's car as an indication of their concern for cleanliness. He provides uniforms, hand cleaners and scrubs for technicians, and the most important equipment used to keep the shop clean is a central vacuum sanding system, according to Farver.

Farver appears to have mastered cleanliness to the point that his women customers often tell him that his garage is cleaner than their home.

Custom Autobody, Inc.
With 20 employees, 24 bays and 193 vehicles repaired during the month of November, Custom Autobody, Inc., in North Canton, Ohio, is still able to maintain a positive, neat and clean image, according to Lance Runion, general manager. Sometimes it may mean Runion gets behind the sweeper at 7 a.m. before the doors open, but his "whatever it takes" attitude has contributed to the shop being booked for business through January.

"We want to convey to them [the customer] that their car --- their second largest investment --- is well taken care of," said Runion. Custom Autobody accomplishes this through the assistance of a professional cleaning crew once a month, and the daily work of a retired person whose son works for the company. His responsibilities include cleaning, cutting up boxes for recycling, spraybooth maintenance, properly handling waste thinners, sweeping and washing windows.

Years ago, the shop used to have a policy whereby employees would stop work at 4:30 p.m. to clean. Runion says this is no longer possible due to the volume of work and time constraints. "We run full tilt, right up until 5 p.m.," said Runion.

The shop pays special attention to the waiting area, which does not include any automotive magazines. Instead, more human interest publications, such as Time, People and Good Housekeeping, line the tables. "People tell us our waiting area is like a doctor's office," said Runion. "I just took my son to the doctor and it's better than a doctor's office!" he said.

Selecting A Commercial Cleaning Service

When hiring a professional cleaning service, Service Management USA, a provider of commercial cleaning services based in Fairfax, Va., recommends the following:

• Look for companies that specialize in the type of cleaning you will need and are experienced in the types of stains or cleanups they will encounter in your shop.
• Prepare a written list of specifications that details the work you expect the cleaning service to perform. Provide this list to the cleaning services.
• Get at least three written estimates from commercial cleaning services.
• Ask companies for a list of references. Be willing to call the references and ask questions that go beyond "are they any good."
• Companies that belong to the Building Service Contractors Association International tend to be more professional.
• Have the cleaning service show proof of a certificate of insurance before you hire them. This will protect you in case items or equipment are accidently damaged by the cleaning service.
• Ask the cleaning service for advice. Sometimes it's easy to overlook areas that need cleaning. A good cleaning service will provide some valuable advice based on their experience.
• Be ready to give the company you select some feedback about their work. If they're doing a good job, tell them. If they are not meeting your expectations, tell them that too.

How To Choose A Vacuum Sanding System

Here are some tips on purchasing a vacuum sanding system, which helps keep a clean work environment in body shops.

• Ask how long the company has been in business.
• Ask if the system has a brushless motor.
• Ask if it has a bypass motor.
• Is there a warranty on the motor and, if so, for what period?
• Does it have filtration at least to 0.2 microns?
• Is there venting on the machine? The answer to this should be "no."
• How many CFMs does it have?
• Ask about the H2O pressure.
• Inquire about how many people can use the machine simultaneously.
• Ask about the electronics of the machine.

Information provided by U.S. Luch Vac, based on Norristown, Pa.

Beating Skin Problems Hands Down

There is a myth that red, hurting hands are part of being an auto shop worker. Others claim that not washing hands when they are dry and cracked, or through the cold of winter, is OK. While most body shop owners are concerned about the quality of air in their lungs, or about their hearts, most are neglecting the largest organ in their body: their skin.

According to Dr. Howard I. Maibach, one in 20 Caucasians suffers hand eczema. "In California, which maintains the best records, irritant dermatitis is a major cause of lost work time," says the professor of dermatology and vice chair, School of Medicine, University of California/San Francisco.

Hand eczema is typical in technicians. It is marked by red, chaffed, broken skin. Maibach says that technicians could save themselves a lot of misery simply by taking better care of their hands.

Another physician, Eleanor J. Fendler, research scientist with GOJO Industries, Akron, Ohio, says the days of the macho mechanic who is proud of his grimy, broken skin are gone. The younger generation doesn't want to go out on a date or to a restaurant with mechanic's hands. "Hands are a worker's most valuable tools. If they are irritated or painful, they will be less productive."

She notes that the aerosols, solvents, fluids and paints that workers use every day can be hazardous as well. And the most efficient cleaners used today strip natural oils from the skin. Her company did a study of Ohio technicians and found the skin on their hands "unbelievably damaged. If that condition existed over more of their bodies, they would not be alive," she said.

Noting the habitual nature of hand washing, Maibach says that if workers will change their behavior --- wash regularly and use the proper materials --- they can reduce the incidence of unsightly and painful hand problems.

Surprisingly, hospital nurses and auto shop workers share the problem of cracked, broken skin: the nurses because they wash with soaps 50 times a day; the technicians because they wash so hard to get the grime off. The solution in both cases is to use properly formulated materials both for cleanup and for skin care.

GOJO has introduced a two-part system for shop workers that includes their PowerGold cleaner and new HandMedic antiseptic skin treatment. Available in a bag-in-box dispenser or in a home use container, the system carries a money-back guarantee of better hands after two weeks of use on a regular basis.

Even the U.S. government neglects this area of worker safety. Maibach says there has not been a single government grant from the National Institutes of Health in the past seven years to study irritant dermatitis. He says even the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has failed to meet its mandates, although they will have a program to work on the problem in the near future. Contrast this with the program in a country like Sweden, with eight million people, where there are 25 hand dermatologists at five labs studying the problem. In the United States, there are no occupational dermatologists and fewer than a dozen centers where a worker can get help.

Both Maibach and Fendler call for shop owners and individual workers to pay more attention to hand health. Both say healthy hands will make for more productive workers.

Taking Proper Care Of Your Hands

• DO wash properly. Waterless hand cleaners are usually most effective on the types of grease and grime that service technicians contact.
• DO wash regularly. Make it a habit to take care of your hands.
• DO use a protectant before work to help protect and to promote quick clean-ups.
• DO use an antiseptic skin treatment after work to help soothe and restore skin.
• DO wash hands before and after using the restroom to avoid getting irritants on parts of your body other than your hands.
• DO wear personal protective equipment whenever possible to avoid contact with substances that may be harmful to your skin. When contact with irritants is unavoidable, wash immediately afterward.
• DO change work clothes, including coveralls, daily.

Chemicals, grease and grime can soak right through clothing, allowing prolonged contact with skin. Be sure work clothes are washed separately from your family's laundry so you won't be spreading contamination to their skin.

DON'T wipe hands with a dirty shop towel when you need a quick clean-up. Shop towels may be hiding shreds of metal or other debris that can damage your hands. Instead, for in-between clean-ups, use a wipe that's impregnated with hand cleaner.

RATE THIS ARTICLE What do you think of this article? Your input will help AutoInc. develop additional articles on this subject. Share your thoughts! Your name Your e-mail address

MOST ACCESSED ARTICLES Fuel Injection Service, Not Just Cleaning The Art of Extraction EGR Systems: Operation and Diagnosis Proactive Target Marketing:_Rethinking Your Business Strategy Engine Performance: HO2S Diagnostics MOST E-MAILED ARTICLES Developing Employee Potential How Critical Thinking Can Help Your Business How to Diagnose the Ford Glow Plug What to Look for When Shopping for the Right Shop Management Software Putting a Price Tag on Complaints

AutoInc. Web Site | ASA Web Site | ASA Sets Legislative Objectives for 105th Congress | Locating The Right Salvage Parts | The Air Bag Debate | Purchasing Shop Insurance | Shop Cleanliness: It's Just Part Of The Job | Don't Blow A Gasket | Guest Editorial | Tech to Tech | Tech Tips | Shop Profile | Net Worth | Chairman's Message