How to handle emergency repairs on testing equipment

By Pavan Jheeta

Even the best-prepared workshops can be hit with the worst:

A sudden fault or failure on a crucial piece of kit — in a busy period when the workload is high.

But the best-prepared workshops will have plans in place.

Here’s what you need to get ready for the unexpected, and the steps your teams can take to bring your workshop back on track:

 

1. Check the basics

Before your teams call in the cavalry, they need to identify the problem and narrow down the causes of the fault.

Luckily, most modern testing equipment is digital by nature. And that can make diagnosing the problem much easier and faster.

When they discover a problem, your teams should be checking:

  • Whether the problem is mechanical, electronic, or a software issue
  • Any displayed error codes — matching them to the codes in the product manual
  • Any connections or wiring — looking for loose connections or damaged components
  • Any physical connections — whether components and joints look damaged or loose
  • Whether a restart or soft reset can help.

With an early diagnosis of the most likely problem, your teams can move quickly to a potential solution and give the best information to any support services you use.

That means a faster resolution and less downtime — so you can get your workshop back up to speed as soon as possible.

 

2. Find spare parts on site

The best way to handle emergency repairs is to have things in place before they happen.

For a well-prepared workshop, that means keeping spare parts and components stocked on-site at all times.

You won’t be able to stock spares for every eventuality. But you can take a targeted approach with the parts you keep on-site.

That usually means keeping a healthy stock of:

  • Parts for the most commonly used (or commonly broken!) equipment
  • Parts for the most urgent testing equipment — like brake testers and diagnostic equipment
  • The smallest spare parts — to reduce the burden on your storage space.

With a carefully planned stock of the right parts on-site, your teams have instant access to quick fixes for common faults — without having to wait for deliveries from your suppliers.

 

3. Switch to backup equipment

The most careful workshops will have backups of their essential testing kit. It’s an easy precaution that always pays off in an emergency — especially for smaller items like headlamp testers and play detectors.

But in reality, that’s not always practical. Some testing equipment comes with a big investment, and some bits of kit are too large to justify the storage space.

So what do workshops do if they can’t keep backups?

They have a contingency plan.

Instead of investing in duplicates of the equipment you use, you can still be prepared by:

  • Having access to fast-response equipment rental services
  • Making plans to borrow and lend equipment with sister branches in your company
  • Keeping good relations with local (non-competing) businesses — such as consumer garages and workshops, who may use some of the same equipment.

With the right plans and relationships in place, you can get emergency access to replacement equipment — without the upfront investment and storage space of keeping backups on site.

 

4. Get support as early as possible

Good workshops give their teams the training they need to identify and fix simple issues in-house.

But the best workshops keep experts within easy reach — and they’re ready to make use of them at the earliest opportunity.

Many suppliers and manufacturers can offer remote diagnostics for their equipment, helping your teams to diagnose and solve problems without waiting for a callout or a physical inspection.

That’s a massive advantage in an emergency situation, where every hour saved means one less complaint from your customers.

Better yet, some suppliers offer service contracts that include national breakdown coverage and 24-hour phone support, like our own Afterkare service.

So if your teams quickly realise there’s a problem they can’t solve?

They can get instant access to the advice of an expert — someone who knows the equipment inside out and can offer solutions at a moment’s notice.

 

5. Get ready for the next one

The best defence against emergencies comes with forward planning. So if you’ve recently survived a fault with your testing equipment, it’s the perfect time to take stock and get ready.

When the dust has settled and your workshop’s back on track, you need to start asking:

  • Are your teams carrying out inspection and maintenance frequently enough?
  • Did you have all the spare parts you needed on-site?
  • Do you have local relationships and services you can call on in a pinch?
  • Do you have a service contract with your supplier — and does it cover everything you need?

With the right resources and practices in place in your workshop, you’ll be ready for the next emergency — and have the tools to make sure it never becomes a disaster.