The Art of Dispatching work

[Joe Marconi]

In an effort to maximize productivity, my service advisors will dispatch the work to those techs that are proficient in a particular are. So, a tech that is great with check engine lights will get the majority of check engine lights. Most shops probably do the same thing.

 

But, he’s my dilemma; I understand the different techs have different strengths but doesn’t this practice make techs better and better in one area while not giving other techs the opportunity to learn new skills?

[CARMandP]

If you are paying by the hour, that will work. If you are playing flat rape then you will piss a bunch of people off. This still happens at the dealership that I use to work at. The gravy suckers/loudest bitchers got all the easy work and the rest got stuck with the hard/low paying diagnostic work.

[Joe Marconi]

If you are paying by the hour, that will work. If you are playing flat rape then you will piss a bunch of people off. This still happens at the dealership that I use to work at. The gravy suckers/loudest bitchers got all the easy work and the rest got stuck with the hard/low paying diagnostic work.

 

Was that a typo (flat rape)? if not, I like that term!

 

The reason I ask is that I have a few youger techs that I think need to move up the ladder. If I continue to give the check engine lights and other diag work to my top techs, if will keep the youger techs back from learning. I happen to charge a premium for diag work, so the techs are ok with that type of work.

 

As far as those gravy/suckers are concerned, YOU are right! I will not tolerate that t my shop, I cured that problem years ago.

[CARMandP]

LOL. No it wasn't a typo. That was intentional.

 

If you want the younger techs to learn, you must give them the harder work. You might want to be able to "incentive" the top tech to help the younger ones to learn.

[Joe Marconi]

LOL. No it wasn't a typo. That was intentional.

 

If you want the younger techs to learn, you must give them the harder work. You might want to be able to "incentive" the top tech to help the younger ones to learn.

 

That's excalty what we do, glad to see we are on the same page.

 

BTW, I am going to use that term from now on; flat rape

[GeeZ]

That's excalty what we do, glad to see we are on the same page.

 

BTW, I am going to use that term from now on; flat rape

 

So, who is being raped?

[Dan Reichow]

In an effort to maximize productivity, my service advisors will dispatch the work to those techs that are proficient in a particular are. So, a tech that is great with check engine lights will get the majority of check engine lights. Most shops probably do the same thing.

 

But, he’s my dilemma; I understand the different techs have different strengths but doesn’t this practice make techs better and better in one area while not giving other techs the opportunity to learn new skills?

 

 

We belive you need to train others even thou we all want to maintain profit. The trouble begains when you create an elite few that thier will comea day they turn and eat your lunch.

 

We believe cross training is the vest practice in all jobs

[Joe Marconi]

We belive you need to train others even thou we all want to maintain profit. The trouble begains when you create an elite few that thier will comea day they turn and eat your lunch.

 

We believe cross training is the vest practice in all jobs

 

Everyone has their strengths and we need to know those strengths. We try our best to make sure all techs get the same training and same opportunity but when the shop is slamming busy, the work gets dispatched in order that can do the job the quickest.

[Alowes2837]

I agree that you shouldn't just give certain techs certain jobs as yes it will piss some other techs off and that will start to erode the morale of the shop, then the bitching starts etc and you then have another problem to deal with. Also if there is a certain tech that does one type of job all the time he will possibly lose some of the skills for other jobs. There are plenty of other issues with this and not many are positive.

[Joe Marconi]

Perhaps in some Fairy Tale world, all techs are getting along nice, helping each other, not worrying about the other guy, just trying to do the best he can and can handle anything that enters his bay. But, reality is reality and techs are people and we need to understand that many have limitations and emotions can and will get in the way more often than we like.

 

It is a delicate balance to give all my techs the opportunity to earn a good wage and dispatch the work fairly. But in a real world, it doesn’t always work out and animosity begins to set in.

 

I cannot show favoritism either. That will kill the shop for sure. I deal with the emotions as best I can. I give praise to my techs for a great job and thank them often. Some things cannot be totally solved; this is one of those things.

[Dan Winter]

That's excalty what we do, glad to see we are on the same page.

 

BTW, I am going to use that term from now on; flat rape

 

I hate that term, I was paid flat rate as a tech throughout my career, was well paid and loved it. I pay my guy's flat rate, and they love it as well.

 

What I liked best about it was paid according to my efforts, not paid the same as the lazy screw up in the bay next to me. It has been my experience that the guys that don't like flat rate, don't like to work.

[CARMandP]

I loved flat rate. I made a lot of money working flat rate but the problem is when there isn't enough work, you don't make any money. Also when you get stuck with the warranty work all the time instead of the service and maintenance work, it really kills the paycheck.

[Joe Marconi]

In my 30 years in business I have seen many different types of people. Some that don't need to be motivated, because they are self motivated. These techs produce because it's the way they are. Then, on the other hand, I have seen techs that are lazy and need to have a "reason" to be motivated. Flat rate works, there is no dispute on my part. It's just that it is up to management and ownership to provide the opportunity to have enough work. This is where I see the problem in many dealerships. When the work is there, the techs makes money,when the shop is slow the tech suffers. Does it equal out? I don't really know for sure.

 

What I do know is this: if a tech works hard and produces he/she needs to get compinsated for that.