Response to Training Question

Q. In regard to the question from C.L. in the August Clinic as to train or not to train, it sounds like C.L. is new on the job and was handed a problem area.

Unless he has the backing of management, he is likely “beating a dead horse.” If a painter has been making mistakes for years it is really going to be difficult to change his bad habits.

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C.L. has to be a diplomat, psychotherapist, and master of people skills. But, unless management understands and backs him up, he is wasting his time. Perhaps C.L. should ask the painter to let him try to coat some of the pieces. He would get the feel of the gun and painting the part and then identify with the painter’s problems. He could then ask the painter for suggestions as to eliminate some of the obvious problems.

The suggestions should come from the painters. He may get laughed at by the painters, but that’s OK. He can gradually make subtle changes while learning. When I first began to sell coatings, I asked if I could paint one or two parts. I realized some of the problems facing painters and became reasonably skillful over the years.

C.L. is facing an uphill battle, but I feel he can do it with the backing of management. S.B.

A. In the August 2007 Painting Clinic, C.L. wrote about his management trying to solve painting problems by buying new painting equipment. They have a high reject rate because of poor paint quality. He detailed their poor painting practices and questioned whether they should be trained on spray gun usage.

As S.B. points out, the key to the success of this project is having the backing of management. Once C.L. has management on his side, he can put his plan into action. There is a lesson here for paint line personnel: Listen to your paint salesman. You might learn something!