One of the most vital steps in the transition from traditional power steering service to EPS rebuilding and repair is education. Both shop owners and technicians need to understand the ins and outs of EPS in order to service the new units coming into the shop as well as manage the business effectively. However, that education can be difficult to find without the right partners and resources at hand. In order to fully prepare your team to service EPS, you need the right training.
There are multiple types of training and educational resources out there today to help your shop make the switch to EPS service. In this post, we'll discuss the types of EPS training resources for power steering shops and how they can help you prepare to tackle any repair that comes into your shop.
Types of EPS Training Resources
- Your aftermarket supplier: Your choice in the aftermarket supplier you use for your power steering rebuild components should at least in part depend on the education and expertise the brand can provide as well. The best aftermarket suppliers will guide you through the entire transition to EPS, including the training portion. Whether digitally or in-person, your aftermarket supplier should provide training resources that help prep your team to use their new tools and equipment, diagnose error codes and other issues, and carry out the repair with confidence. You can also lean on your supplier as a troubleshooting resource when you have questions at any time. Finding an aftermarket supplier that knows the power steering and EPS industries can lead you to a wealth of knowledge that can be difficult to find elsewhere.
Training seminars at trade shows: Though limited, some formal training seminars have been available at trade shows and events like APPEX and APRA in the past. These seminars might be more focused on specific products, tools, or components from various OEMs. These seminars, led by aftermarket suppliers, usually provide some sort of industry round-up showcasing what the suppliers have been able to learn about new EPS technologies from the OEMs. While these seminars may not be as hands-on as others you may have attended or will attend, gathering as much information as you can about EPS technologies will be to your benefit should you decide to attend industry events or trade shows.- Online training: Finally, online or digital training resources and courses can be an educational option that your technicians can participate in from anywhere. Whether at home or in the shop, online courses can be a time-efficient method of brushing up on EPS service skills or learning more about the types of EPS systems you're seeing and how they work. While this training market is also somewhat limited in resources available, online training allows your technicians to learn at their own pace and to choose the training topics that are most relevant to them and to your shop as a whole. However, it's important to ensure that the online training is coming from a credible source before starting any type of course.
Finding the Right EPS Education
At this point in the evolution of EPS technology, finding the right EPS training and education can be a difficult task. As of today, many OEMs are doing their best to keep their EPS technologies private from the aftermarket in an effort to become the first to tackle the issues of modern electronic power steering. This can make it tough for power steering shops and rebuilders to find the training they need to get started or to continue building their business around EPS. With this in mind, it's important to recognize that your best best for success in EPS is finding the right aftermarket supplier to guide you through the transition. When you partner with an aftermarket supplier that knows the industry, has ties to the OEMs, and makes it part of their mission to ensure that you provide the best service possible using the best rebuild components possible, your path to success in EPS is much clearer than it would have been otherwise.
