Grow Your Own Technicians - How?

“Simple, but not Easy” a friend of mine would say.  

Start by forgetting most of what you already know about technician skill levels, pay and schedules.  

The market has changed.  Like it or not, cars are far more complex, but break less often.  If your shop is dependent on warranty or heavy repairs you are at the mercy of a declining market.  20 years ago a typical dealership service department could ignore the light services and did because 50% to 75% of the revenue came from warranty.  We created a whole industry of Jiffy, Express or Quick service outlets.  Most of the rest of our revenue came from repair work that was out of warranty.  Warranty now represents about 15% and if customer pay repair work is the majority of your revenue, you are probably still ignoring the light services and customer loyalty that go with them.  It is a sign that you are short on capacity and should be looking to grow.  You ask how?  Even if you have the bays, you can’t find the technicians.  We’ll get to that.  

To make matters worse, our education system has clearly abandon the trades and left them begging for talent.  All the trades are competing for qualified workers. While you are looking for technicians, every other company that needs someone to perform a task with their hands that doesn’t involve sitting at a desk are searching, too.   Those that are available are not trained.  The only way you can get a qualified main shop mechanic is to BUY one at a higher rate than anyone else in your area is willing to pay.  Or, hope that their spouse gets a great job in your vicinity, they need to move from wherever they are now and happen to stumble into your store. 

Great talent exists, but you won’t find it if you are looking for someone who has automotive training, a chest full of expensive tools and grease under their nails.  They may be looking for a career, but not sure what career or fully committed or able to work “full-time” yet. 

Here is a career path that works well:

• You hire a interested young person who has the right attitude and character.
• You pick a couple of senior technicians who are supportive team players as mentors.
• Place him with a mentor.  If the mentor is flat rate they get all the additional “lift” from having a helper.
• You pay the new tech entry level hourly or salary wages.  Call it training expense.  It is far cheaper that advertising expense plus lost sales due to low capacity.
• The mentors job is to teach the new tech how to thoroughly check a vehicle, and the skills needed to do the most common services you provide.  The mentor also evaluates the new hire for “fit” in your organization.
• The mentor eventually “certifies” the new tech as competent.

The next step:

• If you don’t already, create 2-tech teams on dedicated bays with dedicated tools to do the Express/Quick services that all manufacturers are trying to capture back that we gave away 20 years ago.  
• You always have some turnover at these entry level positions.  When there is an opening, the new certified hire advances to that team.  Here, they are working with someone who is already proven and knows the process. They have constant support from a peer.
• They get paid the same but now have an opportunity to earn more money from spiffs for additional items discovered and completed in their bay or the main shop. 
• They begin to grow and buy their own tools

The next step:

• They may love working the Express/Quick bays but more than likely will want to move up.
• During their time in Express/Quick they are encouraged to take the manufacturer classes and gain certifications on the next level of work; brakes, tires, batteries, alignments, vehicle preps.  
• As you grow your “C” techs into “B” techs and create an opening the Express/Quick tech moves up and you replace them with another mentored newbie that you hired months ago.
• Other than their pay while being mentored it costs you nothing. You get qualified people that are a good fit, have the right leadership and support and like working there.