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By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog5 commentsI recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
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By Joe Marconi
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By carmcapriotto
Oscar Gomez shares his transition from technician to educator, emphasizing the importance of foundational knowledge in the automotive field. Oscar discusses his teaching methods and the challenges of getting technicians to attend training sessions, revealing that many technicians are reluctant to seek further education because they don't see personal financial benefits. Oscar's commitment to education is evident in his offering of financial support for students and his passion for teaching, which extends to bilingual classes. Oscar Gomez, Master Automotive Training Show Notes:
The importance of technical training (00:00:19) The significance of continuous technical training for professional technicians. Oscar's journey to becoming a trainer (00:02:30) Oscar's experience as a trainer, including his first national event and the impact of having a respected trainer in his class. Transition from technician to trainer (00:04:00) Oscar's family background in the automotive industry and his initial career aspirations, which led to his transition from technician to trainer. Mentorship and career growth (00:06:15) The pivotal phone call from his mentor and the impact of mentorship on Oscar's career growth and expertise as a technician. Recognizing potential and imposter syndrome (00:08:54) The role of mentorship in recognizing potential, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the value of continuous learning and self-improvement. Importance of mastering the basics (00:10:43) The significance of mastering the basics in automotive diagnostics, the common tendency to overlook basics, and the impact on diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. Lack of understanding basic electrical concepts (00:13:40) The importance of basic electrical knowledge for technicians, especially in the context of working on hybrid vehicles, and the potential dangers of lacking such knowledge. The importance of proper diagnosis (00:15:21) Emphasizing the significance of accurate diagnosis in automotive repair and the consequences of incorrect parts replacement. Transition to becoming a professional trainer (00:16:40) Oscar's journey from teaching emissions to focusing on diagnostic training and the pivotal moment that led to his shift in focus. The value of investing in education (00:18:30) The impact of mentorship and the importance of continuous learning and skill development in the automotive industry. Bilingual training and expanding educational outreach (00:20:00) Oscar's venture into Spanish training. Challenges in promoting technical training (00:21:38) Addressing technicians' reluctance towards training, their misconceptions about its value, and the need for a mindset shift. Empowering technicians through education (00:23:52) Encouraging technicians to prioritize self-improvement and the role of training in enhancing their career prospects. Gender diversity in the automotive industry (00:26:13) The positive impact of female technicians and the need for more women to enter the automotive field. Importance of training with new tools (00:27:20) Highlighting the necessity of training alongside tool purchases and the pitfalls of underutilizing expensive diagnostic equipment. Online training vs. hands-on learning (00:29:11) The preference for hands-on, kinesthetic learning among technicians and the challenges of online training for automotive professionals. Financial Support (00:31:26) Oscar explains his in-house finance option and a seven-day money-back guarantee for training, driven by his passion for education. Student Vetting (00:33:06) Oscar discusses the assessment process for students and shares stories of students traveling long distances to attend his classes. Vision KC Conference (00:34:18) Oscar expresses his excitement at being selected to teach at the Vision conference and acknowledges the support of mentors. Thanks to our Partner, Dorman Training. Training technicians today for the challenges of tomorrow! https://www.dormantraininglive.com/
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By carmcapriotto
Thank you to RepairPal for sponsoring The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast. Learn more about RepairPal at https://repairpal.com/shops
How To Get In Touch
Group - Auto Repair Marketing Mastermind
Website - shopmarketingpros.com
Facebook - facebook.com/shopmarketingpros
Get the Book - shopmarketingpros.com/book
Instagram - @shopmarketingpros
Questions/Ideas - [email protected]
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By Joe Marconi
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