Newlands Auto Electrical is a well-known name in the Canterbury region. As a trusted service provider in the auto industry for over 90 years, they’ve built a reputation on reliability and exceptional service.
Newlands Rolleston saw a 5% increase in billable hours overnight.
Jason Redman
Their continued success has seen the business grow to three bustling workshops under the Newlands name. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Jason Redman, Branch Manager at Newlands Rolleston. During his tenure he’s seen Orion transform from a traditional desktop software to a modern offering thanks to webWorkshop, Orion’s companion web-based app. This change has greatly benefited the workshop’s day-to-day operations.
Life before webWorkshop
Newlands used to rely on printed time sheets charged out on a unit basis system. This was where each technician’s work hours were recorded as units, and ten units equated to an hour. The technicians recorded their units per job based on estimations, often inaccurately, and this led to significant discrepancies and loss of chargeable time. This method lacked precision, and it was common for techs to misjudge the time spent on each task.
The workshop also relied on a paper diary and printed job cards for their everyday operations. These processes went directly against the business’ goal of becoming paperless. It soon became evident that Newlands needed a more efficient system to manage technician time and profitability, all while reducing paperwork.
The solution:
Jason and the management team introduced their techs to webWorkshop in the product’s early days.
webWorkshop changed their time management from subjective unit recording to accurate time clocking. Technicians could now clock in and out of billable and non-billable jobs, capturing the exact time spent on each task.
The paper diary was retired after webWorkshop’s implementation. The team also stopped using printed job cards entirely. Jason told us that the speech-to-text feature within jobs made documentation simpler, reduced human error (no more spelling mistakes!), sped up jobs, and was a significant step towards a seamless, paperless workshop.
It wasn’t all a breeze – Jason recalls some technicians were initially resistant to change. But by coaching them through the transition and assuring them of the new system’s benefits, they managed to get everyone on board.
The Results:
What helped the uptake was the immediate positive results. Newlands Rolleston quickly recognised the benefits of webWorkshop, particularly the time clocking feature, which Jason cites as the standout star. Having an accurate record of time spent on jobs has led to faster invoicing, shorter processing times, and increased profitability. In fact, Newlands Rolleston saw a 5% increase in billable hours overnight.
webWorkshop has also improved accountability. Each job can now be traced directly back to its respective technician, creating a more transparent and accountable system.
Jason strongly recommends the software for other workshops, citing the significant improvements it has brought to Newlands Rolleston. Not only did webWorkshop solve the issue of lost chargeable time, it also propelled Newlands into a digital future.
