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True story of a shop owner, Retires after 28 years


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I can't imagine working that many hours... the guy deserves a medal...

that's dedication...

Below is a link to a true story about a shop owner who is retiring after 28 years, working 7 days a week. He is 64 years old. Read it and let me know what you think...

 

http://dailyrecordne...1cc4c03286.html

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Below is a link to a true story about a shop owner who is retiring after 28 years, working 7 days a week. He is 64 years old. Read it and let me know what you think...

http://dailyrecordnews.com/news/article_af756d10-c5a2-11df-be2c-001cc4c03286.html


My business partner started our shop in 1972, thats 38 years ago. In that time, he built an empire and lost it all, and had to start all over again from scratch. It was nearing his 28th year, just like Ken Volland, that everything changed. It was the year he figured out how to finally run his shop profitably, and the year we started our huge leap in sales -- from under $1 million gross to $3.5 million gross three years later.

What I'm trying to say is, there's no reason to have to get out of the game after 28 years. It's one thing if guys like Ken Volland are ready to retire, but it certainly doesn't read that way. It seems like he's too tired of turning wrenches and has been hit too hard by the sour economy. How long would he keep going if he was managing remotely and making good money? It seems like he genuinely cares about his community and would go on if he wasn't there turning wrenches by himself.

Joe, you said tomorrow's shop owner may be different, but Terry (my business partner) isn't part of the next generation. He just didn't want to have to turn wrenches or struggle anymore so he decided to find a way to run his shop from home so he could spend more time with his grandchildren.

Ultimately, I'm trying to say that even if it's been a hard 28 years or working 7 days a week like Ken, it's still not too late to turn things around. You can spend time with your grandchildren, pursue your hobbies, AND run a successful shop at the same time. I've seen it happen in Terry's life.

-David

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         3 comments
      Got your attention? Good. The truth is, there is no such thing as the perfect technician pay plan. There are countless ways to create any pay plan. I’ve heard all the claims and opinions, and to be honest, it’s getting a little frustrating. Claims that an hourly paid pay plan cannot motivate. That flat rate is the only way to truly get the most production from your technicians. And then there’s the hybrid performance-based pay plan that many claim is the best.
      At a recent industry event, a shop owner from the Midwest boasted about his flat-rate techs and insisted that this pay plan should be adopted by all shops across the country. When I informed him that in states like New York, you cannot pay flat-rate, he was shocked. “Then how do you motivate your techs” he asked me.
      I remember the day in 1986 when I hired the best technician who ever worked for me in my 41 years as an automotive shop owner. We’ll call him Hal. When Hal reviewed my pay plan for him, and the incentive bonus document, he stared at it for a minute, looked up, and said, “Joe, this looks good, but here’s what I want.” He then wrote on top of the document the weekly salary he wanted. It was a BIG number. He went on to say, “Joe, I need to take home a certain amount of money. I have a home, a wife, two kids, and my Harly Davidson. I will work hard and produce for you. I don’t need an incentive bonus to do my work.” And he did, for the next 30 years, until the day he retired.
      Everyone is entitled to their opinion. So, here’s mine. Money is a motivator, but not the only motivator, and not the best motivator either. We have all heard this scenario, “She quit ABC Auto Center, to get a job at XYZ Auto Repair, and she’s making less money now at XYZ!” We all know that people don’t leave companies, they leave the people they work for or work with.
      With all this said, I do believe that an incentive-based pay plan can work. However, I also believe that a technician must be paid a very good base wage that is commensurate with their ability, experience, and certifications. I also believe that in addition to money, there needs to be a great benefits package. But the icing on the cake in any pay plan is the culture, mission, and vision of the company, which takes strong leadership. And let’s not forget that motivation also comes from praise, recognition, respect, and when technicians know that their work matters.
      Rather than looking for that elusive perfect pay plan, sit down with your technician. Find out what motivates them. What their goals are. Why do they get out of bed in the morning? When you tie their goals with your goals, you will have one powerful pay plan.
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