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Episode 373: In this episode of The Heavy Duty Parts Report, Jamie Irvine and co-host Jennifer Irvine explore the problem of shotgun repairs—when technicians replace multiple parts based on assumptions rather than identifying the true root cause of a vehicle issue. They examine how modern commercial vehicles have become significantly more complex making accurate diagnostics more challenging and increasing the risk of unnecessary repairs, downtime, and lost revenue.
Drawing on insights from Derek Ness of Dash Mechanical, Jamie explains that not all technicians have the same aptitude for diagnostics and that shop owners must identify individual strengths, invest training resources strategically, and ensure technicians are assigned to the right roles.
The discussion concludes with practical recommendations for repair shops, including measuring comebacks, evaluating technician capabilities, creating standardized diagnostic procedures, training staff and customers, and building a culture focused on “right part, right fix, first time” to improve reliability, customer trust, and long-term profitability.
Links
· HeavyDutyConsulting.com
Sponsors of this Episode
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