I remember not all that long ago, being the “youngster” in the shop. I also recall struggling on a few jobs and reaching out for assistance from my fellow technicians. I eventually found the guidance I was looking for, but it was like pulling teeth.

Yes, the secrets kept by the elders were for a good reason. If they possessed the information that would fix the car quickly, they were the techs likely to secure the job in the first place. Greed ran rampant. However, that was then, and this is now.

With the ever-reaching possibilities of the internet, reaching out for help is a few button pushes away. With platforms like Diagnostic Network and even Facebook, help always seems to be right around the corner.

One thing to keep in mind is that the information shared on these platforms might come relatively inexpensive (or even “FREE”) but it’s not without a great effort. The men and women of the automotive industry take time out of their busy workdays (and even family time) to provide the wealth of knowledge they have acquired to people like you and me.

Be willing to reciprocate when the opportunity presents itself. If not for the great lengths these generous technicians go through to provide knowledge and assistance, think of how many faults you encountered that may have gone unrectified or existed as a headache for far too long.

Just a few tips:

During your workday, be conscious of what faults in what systems you are addressing. Take the time to capture your data properly. This could be photos, scan data PIDs, thermal images, borescope captures and lab scope waveform files, as well.

 Be sure to capture the “files” and not just a screenshot of the data. Having the files available will allow others to manipulate the data you share and allow them to view the data the way they need to see it (for comparative measure).

Get organized! Consider purchasing cloud-based storage (like DropBox, GOOGLE DRIVE, Microsoft OneDrive, and iCloud). Not only will this free up space on your devices but will allow you access to the data anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Take the time to “right-click’ and set up folders when you start a new diagnostic or repair challenge. Save your data in this folder (store it in the cloud). In no time at all, you will become known as an information specialist, and it will serve you very well.

Not only will this improve your rate of success and efficiency, but you will forge alliances with other technicians across the planet and life-long friendships as well.