Arising from the pandemic, an online video training program from Isuzu Australia Limited’s (IAL’s) Training Department is helping to keep the brand’s technicians sharp on all the skills required by them.
Tech Aid is designed to deliver ‘just in time’ training in an online setting. The program has been retained as an ongoing, dedicated resource.
It’s proving particularly useful for situations that don’t pop up very often. For example, if a technician hasn’t completed a particular task for a long time and is worried they have forgotten the steps, the training videos offer fast format training advice, which is extremely easy to access.
IAL national training manager David Smith said the three-minute videos were designed to refresh the memories of Isuzu technicians on tasks they are required to do infrequently, such as the procedure to reset transmissions on new N and F Series models currently on Australian roads.
“Obviously, if you do something nearly every day, you remember how to do it,” Smith said. “But for tasks that you don’t do very often – if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
The videos are a step-by-step tutorial on technical procedures that don’t arise regularly at service centres. “The whole point of the tech-aid videos is that it provides what we call, ‘just-in-time’ training,” Smith said.
“They’re only three minutes in duration, and they provide the important information the technician needs to move along with the remainder of the process relatively autonomously.”
The videos been viewed 1500 times by Isuzu’s 700-plus qualified technicians around Australia since they were introduced last year, and Smith said the feedback from technicians had been great.
“What started as a bit of stop gap has evolved into a genuine tool for our techs and we couldn’t be happier with how the program has been received,” he said.
“It’s about finding the solutions that resonate, prompt some autonomy and mastery of the craft, and ultimately, provide the best return possible for our customers – be that both in the form of uptime and bang for buck.”
IAL has a dedicated 1700 square metre training centre at its head office and six full-time staff within the training department.
This is coupled with its own learning management system that’s been in place since 2011
“So we are able to offer a blended mix of training types, from face-to-face to web-based plus the tech-aid videos,” said Smith.
The tech-aid videos were part of Isuzu’s extensive suite of training opportunities, which included the Technicians Guild Program and the annual National Technical Skills Competition.
The Technicians Guild Program aims to arm technicians with the most up-to-date Isuzu truck product and industry information, as well as rewarding them with cash prizes.
After enrolling in the guild, technicians receive a series of articles and questionnaires throughout the year, followed by an end-of-year closed book written exam.
The technicians are then sorted into three levels – member, senior and master, with cash prizes that increase depending on the level attained.
Smith said Isuzu’s dedication to training its technicians was linked to the company’s commitment to providing the best customer service possible. “We aim to keep our customers happy. And that means having Australia’s top technicians delivering world-class service, backed by a breadth of knowledge and top-of-the-line skills.”
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