Not really a union issue (since most dealerships here are not union to begin with...or are you talking "union state" as in Yankee-blue-belly?...anyhow)...just makes since...you have a skilled mechanic...one you are paying top grade. So, let him do what he does best...make you money repairing stuff. Once the tech is allowed to wander the lot goofing off, messing around on their phone etc, etc...the tech is costing you money. Let the minimum wage porter do this...he/she will be draining you less.

Brian.

 

As a technician, I have to say a tech like this does not make money or last long....they only cost themselves money...since I am paid flat rate off of productivity..
We have porters, but I drive all my vehicles before and after repairs.... I don't want some porter who is probably an idiot driving my vehicle to verify repairs...

 

IMHO being an old Landrover, think of a number then double it. All possible eventualities are built into the pricing.

Ever felt, errr, ..................... ripped off!

 

Agree, yes, there are those techs that no matter what...will only hurt themselves, by too much cell phone usage, goofing off, stupidity, etc. But, disagree with highlighted statement. Since, they are not only hurting themselves...financially...they are hurting the business, too. Because, the owner gets a cut of the techs productivity.

Being productive/ambitious/industrious/intelligent is key to anyone's success, in this field.

We have a tech that works "not-so-intelligently" (in my opinion) all the time. In a flat rate situation...he would starve. Lucky for him, he's not in that situation (fleet mechanics/hourly rate). Watching him work is almost painful. Example, l've seen this identical situation happen in his bay a hundred times. He goes out and jumps a dead vehicle, brings it in, does some diagnostic and decides it's the alternator, changes alternator (which takes about an hour+ at a gingerly pace + diagnostics), hooks battery back up, jumps up in the seat and turns the key...which produces a click, click, click. He gets out...and hooks the battery charger up to the "already knew they were" dead battieries...for the next hour+.

l'm like...you just turned an hour+ job into a three hour+ job.

Just like anything, everyone's prespective will be guide by previous knowledge or experiences. So, what you've seen throughout the years...could be quite different from myself. I've had the beneifit of working flat rate, so...l know what you mean about getting things done, correctly, in a timely fashion.

​​​​​​​Anyhow, good discussion.

Brian.

 

I agree. I work in a dealership environment. It costs my manager bonus money..lol.
The whole cell phone thing drives me crazy..
​​​​​​​Cheers