Executive Summary The Aubrey Automotive Repair shop in Aubrey, Texas does not have a manual.

A manual is necessary, because problems concerning employee expectations and training have been arising. The company has lost a total of 100 man hours and $10,000 due to these complications. A manual would clear any misunderstandings and define what is expected of all employees. It would also provide some basic training, saving the company more money. I can complete a draft by April 15th. If this is approved, I can have a final version ready April 22nd. Labor, materials and supplies will cost approximately $280.00. Introduction The manual that I am suggesting will be written for the Aubrey Automotive Repair Facility in Aubrey, Texas. It was established in 1999 and now serves 60 customers a week on average by providing general automotive maintenance service and repair. There are four employees. All of them repair cars that come in, but they also have more specific jobs. Tommy is the service writer. He mainly runs the front desk, handles transactions with customers, inputs and maintains the information in the computer, and conveys it to the mechanics. Monty is the main automotive technician. He does repairs on the cars that come in. Gary and Bill are the coowners of the business. They handle all managerial needs and basic shop maintenance, as well as work on cars that come in.

Problem Definition Even with so few people working here, communication and expectation problems can arise. There was a fifth employee here about a year ago, but he was let go because of performance. His performance and the employers expectations did not match up. He believed he was being treated differently than the other workers. He was in a wheelchair, and thought he deserved special treatment; such as longer times to work on cars, more opportunities for mistakes without penalties, and when he was held to the same standards as other employees, he felt discriminated against. The company lost about 60 man hours and $7,000 giving him several second chances. Eventually they couldnt afford to lose any more, and let him go. There is also no formal training, nor does the company have any money to send new employees to a class. Any new employees are thrown into the workplace with or without experience and rapidly taught hands on. Tommy, the most recent hire, had no training at all when he was taken on. Sending him to a class would cost over $200, and waste too much time. They needed someone to fill the other employees place quickly. During his grace period of rapid learning and mistakes, the company lost about 40 man hours and $3,000. The expectations and demands of an employee need to be defined, as well as basic training provided to avoid any loss to the company.

Problem Solution Working with the owners of the shop, I will write the manual to address these issues. A manual would clearly define employee expectations, explain procedures, and provide some formal training for new employees. It will also have consequences and discipline for any of the standards not met. The manual will include information such as:
Attendance Policy Performance and conduct Pay Administration Safety and Security Training General Administration and workplace practices

I can complete the manual and send a draft by April 15th. If the draft is satisfactory, I can have a completed manual ready by April 22nd.

My work plan will be as follows: Project Management

1-Apr Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Indx, Intro, Glossary Editing Duration (days) 3-Apr 5-Apr 7-Apr 9-Apr 11-Apr 13-Apr 15-Apr 17-Apr 19-Apr 21-Apr 23-Apr

Qualifications
This is a family business and I am the daughter of one of the co-owners. I have been inside the shop and observed and participated in some of the repairs. I have a basic knowledge of how its run, and by working with the owners can fully understand enough to write the manual. I am employed, and so understand the basics of writing an employee manual; with some guidance tailoring it specifically to this shop will not be difficult.

Budget This is the estimated budget for printing the manual. Items Time and Supplies Writing and editing the manual Printing, Binding, and Copies Total 40 hours @ $5.oo an hour 10 manuals @ $8.00 each

Cost (dollars) $200.00 $80.00 $280.00

Conclusion This manual is needed to help clarify expectations and provide training in the repair shop. Expectations need to be clear and met to keep the business running smoothly, and the manual as a substitute for a training class is better because it will be specific for this shop and the only costs to the company will be printing. This will save the company countless man hours and money. Im happy to write this manual to clear things up and prevent future problems.