10 Habits of Successful Automotive Technicians

At ATI we love the HumbleMechanic YouTube channel. One of our favorite videos is titled “10 Habits of Successful Technicians”. Here is the link for you to watch if you have about 15 minutes:

If you don’t have time to watch, here is a breakdown of the 10 Habits of Successful Technicians from HumbleMechanic: (start at 1:50)

1. Be On Time – This is one of the most important and easiest habits, but also one of the ones that people mess up the most. Remember that you have people depending on you to show up at a certain time. Showing up late puts more pressure on your coworkers and can cause a ripple effect through the work place.
2. Have The Right Tool For The Job – Ensuring that you have the right tool for the job makes the job easier and faster. You are also less likely to break something when you are using the proper tool.
3. Know Your Product – This applies to everyone, whether you work in aftermarket or you work in the dealership: you must be familiar with the product you are working with. The more you know about the carline the faster you can make repairs. The more you know the better.
4. Never Forget The Basics – When running diagnostics, a lot of seasoned automotive technicians waste time looking for a complicated problem when the issue is actually something simple and basic. When you start skipping basics is usually when you get burned.
5. Listen – Listen not only to what a customer says but also what they mean–listen to what they are telling you. For example, the customer might tell you that they hear a squeak in the dash when they drive, and when you take it for a drive you hear a rattle. The customer might interpret the noise differently than you do, so be sure to listen to what they say and ask for clarification when needed. Communication is crucial. It is better to ask for clarification 4 or 5 times rather than waste time chasing down the wrong thing.
6. Work Smart – This one is in the same boat as being on time–it is pretty obvious. But what does “working smart” mean?
   1. Taking good notes during a diagnostic check in order to avoid wasting time rechecking the same thing over and over
   2. Having an action plan, knowing the order you are going to do things
   3. Stacking tasks on top of each other; for example if you are flushing the brakes and you need to rotate tires, stack these tasks on top of each other.
7. Always Keep Learning – It is good to keep up with advancing technology but it is even better to be ahead of it. So be sure to keep up with recalls, product updates, tech tips, service actions, etc. This can be tough especially for stubborn techs who like to imagine they already know everything that they need to. But things are constantly changing in the automotive industry, so be sure to inform yourself and keep up with the latest developments.  
8. Know When To Ask For Help – This, too, can be tough for automotive techs who find it difficult to admit that they might not know everything. This inability to ask for help when help is needed can lead to significant problems and cause even the best techs to get caught in a diagnostic circle where they just keep scratching their head. When you get stumped and you don’t know what to do next, simply swallow your pride and ask for help. Don’t be afraid to utilize the knowledge of your coworkers.
9. Don’t Be Scared Of A Job – Cars can be intimidating, so can some of the jobs that need to be done to fix cars. But being scared of a car or being scared of an issue with the car doesn’t fix the car. So let your fear go. Stop dilly dallying and look up the issue in the repair manual. Or maybe just dive right in and see what you discover. Again, being scared doesn’t get the job done, so find a way to move beyond your fear.
10. Work With Your Customers – It is all too common that automotive technicians lose site of their ultimate goal: to help the customer. So be nice to the customers and let them know that you are there to help them! You will win more customers this way. Even if someone in the shop isn’t your customer, a smile and a hello to someone waiting for their car to be fixed can do a world of good.

That’s it! Those are the 10 habits of successful automotive technicians according to the HumbleMechanic. At ATI we help prepare our automotive students for careers as successful auto techs by teaching them these skills and many more. If you are in the Las Vegas area and you are interested in a rewarding career as an automotive technician, be sure to check out our Automotive Technician program. We have classes starting soon and you can complete the program in as little as 14 months!

Call us today to speak with an admissions representative about how we can help you on your path to a brighter future.

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