Training Day: Visions' 48-Hour Build Challenge

Shops, People & Opinion
Training Day: Visions' 48-Hour Build Challenge

Photography by Jamie Kembel (Lacie Lou Photography)

 

We’ve all experienced the audible sigh that sweeps throughout a room when management says there’s some required training to be done.

You can expect to be in a mind-numbing lecture or sat in front of a computer watching painful informational skits, and then answering multiple choice questions afterwards to “test your knowledge.”

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 25Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 24Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 26

By those standards, the installer staff at Visions (a Canadian chain of electronics stores specializing in 12-volt) have it pretty good. Usual fare for the 40 or so guys from regions all over western Canada is to sit in a classroom and learn from notable members of the industry, like Bryan Schmitt of Mobile solutions, or the madman himself, David “Fishman” Rivera. Ryan White, Visions Regional Manager of Car Audio in Northern Alberta, takes feedback on the course every year and decided to switch up the pace this year after some complaints.

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 2Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 3Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 4

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 5Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 6Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 7

“The installers always complain that they don’t want to sit in a classroom,” White explains. “So, this year, when planning started for this thing, we had this crazy idea: ‘Why don’t we have a build-off with all of our installers?’ Of course, none of the installers knew what was going on. When they showed up, they were basically put to work. They wanted hands-on, so they got hands-on!”

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 8Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 9Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 10

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Malibu PASMAG 5Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Malibu PASMAG 13Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Malibu PASMAG 25

Imagine showing up for a classroom lecture, only to be handed tools and told to give it what you got! I think we can all say that’s a class we wouldn’t skip. Visions’ installers weren’t just told to have at it though; this was a challenge with rules and guidelines to be followed. Split up into four teams of 11, the installers were to work on specially selected Visions employees' vehicles.

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Malibu PASMAG 11Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Malibu PASMAG 12Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Malibu PASMAG 17

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Malibu PASMAG 15Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 12Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Malibu PASMAG 7

“Each team was given a list of rules to treat those vehicles exactly as they would a customer vehicle,” says White. “One guy, for his truck, couldn’t lose a certain amount of space under the rear seat because he had a fold-out thing and he had to put a dog in there. The other guy still needed to fit his kid’s stroller in the trunk. It wasn’t like a free-for-all where they could do what they wanted.”

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Patriot PASMAG 16

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Patriot PASMAG 3Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Patriot PASMAG 5Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Patriot PASMAG 6Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Patriot PASMAG 9

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Patriot PASMAG 2Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Patriot PASMAG 4Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Patriot PASMAG 11

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 34

This provided the eager installers with real-world scenarios, some of which they may not have even come across before. They also had a chance to tackle some installs that aren’t very popular given their different regions, so just in case they need to, they have that experience to draw from in case someone needs an alarm, heated seats, back up camera or even headrest video displays.

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 38Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Alpine PASMAG 1Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Alpine PASMAG 2

The best thing was that the installers, whether a rookie or not, didn’t have to go it alone with unanswered questions. Instead of a special guest to give a lecture, Visions asked its partners, like GEM-SEN and Gentec, to provide factory techies that are versed in the brands that would be going into the vehicles.

 Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Alpine PASMAG 5

“They got right in there and installed just like us,” smiles White. “The nice thing was that the guys were able to ask them questions one-on-one, where before if we had a guy speaking to a classroom of 40 guys, they might not have had actual time to talk to him or have him answer their questions accordingly. Now, they’re working alongside him for two days straight and he’s able to show them install techniques.”

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge PASMAG 54

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 2Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 7Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 10

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 1Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 12Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 18

When all was said and done, the fortunate victims of the installer training – a 2013 Jeep Patriot, 2015 Chevy Malibu and two 2013 Dodge Rams – had tasteful installs, built around the owners’ needs, done with premium brands like Kicker, JL Audio, Alpine, Hertz, Pioneer and JVC. There was no first prize however; it just wasn’t that kind of exercise.

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 13 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 15 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 16Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 20 copy

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 21 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 25 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 27 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 29 copy

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 31 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 32 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 41 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 43 copy

“The whole idea was to promote teamwork within the company,” White says. “We didn’t want to have Calgary against Edmonton or something like that. The nice thing was that each team had a person on it from each of our markets, so one team had a guy from Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg – all of our stores.”

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 44 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 46 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 53 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 54 copy

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 55Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 60Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 79

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 56 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 57 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 58 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 61 copy

White says they’re already planning a bigger and better surprise for next year. Looks like mandatory training won’t ever be seen the same way again at Visions! This 32 store, 12-volt specialty chain is training its staff to not just slap in a head unit and a couple speakers all day, it’s promoting them to fabricate and build really cool stuff.

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 64 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 66 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 73 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 76 copy

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 80Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 81Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 97Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 100Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 104

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 89 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 90 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 96 copyTraining Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 102 copy

Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 106Training Day Visions 48 Hour Build Challenge Ram Kicker PASMAG 111

For more information, go to http://www.visions.ca.

Contributor: Jamie Kembel, (Lacie Lou Photography)

Related Articles

PAS365 Podcast: SEMA 2024 Live - Part 2 PAS365 Podcast: SEMA 2024 Live - Part 2
Continuing our shenanigans from earlier in the week of SEMA 2024, we opened up the live stream for the second time this week to discuss more awesome...
Throwback: 5 MORE Vehicles from PASMAG in 2003 Throwback: 5 MORE Vehicles from PASMAG in 2003
The year 2003 had such a variety of feature vehicles in early PASMAG, and you guys really seemed to enjoy the previous 5 Vehicles from PASMAG in 2003...
Kurenai: Jason Helmick's Show-Stopping 2015 Scion FR-S Kurenai: Jason Helmick's Show-Stopping 2015 Scion FR-S
Photography by Paul Delapena. “It’s a daily. I’ll just keep it stock.” A sentiment we’ve heard time and time again. One that may be true for a moment...
KnuKnonceptz Kord Ultra Flex KnuKnonceptz Kord Ultra Flex
KnuKonceptz expands its ultra flexible Kord Oxygen Free Copper speaker wire line up with a new color combination - Red/Black. This new color offering...
Kicker ST Series Explained Kicker ST Series Explained
Most every Basshead remembers experiencing their first “windy build.” Tightly contained in an unsuspecting volume knob, the anticipation is akin to...
Metra Electronics New Tesla Speaker Adapter Plates Metra Electronics New Tesla Speaker Adapter Plates
Metra Electronics is now shipping new speaker adapter plates that fit an assortment of Tesla models. These new products were introduced at the SEMA...