Dave Wright watched older service technicians at his dealership struggle to turn wrenches and contort themselves into cramped spaces after years of wear and tear on their bodies.
The fixed operations director at Shaheen Chevrolet in Lansing, Mich., saw multiple problems. His shop was losing production, and older technicians were losing pay, because they couldn’t turn the hours they used to. The techs often were counting the days until they could lay their tools down and rest.
But Wright also saw an opportunity. The older techs’ bodies might be aching and worn out, but their minds brimmed with years of knowledge and experience that could help young apprentices become productive line technicians.