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Joe, Great article

Jeff Monson
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Jeff Monson

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Joe, I recently read "you're fired". Your article really hit home with me as I just went through this situation with my service advisor. Starting out as a technician in my own shop 15 years ago, I have had to let a "few" go, it never is easy and some, especially this one, leave a scar that takes some time to heal.

 

My situation has never been better, I have 4 technicians, 1 service advisor and 1 tech/service advisor so basically all my bases are covered. The shop runs smooth if I am there or not, its a great feeling to have come so far. Turnover has been nothing, my newest employee is or "was" 3 1/2 years in the running, so I havent had to fire anyone for quite some time.

 

So my service advisor has a habit of calling in sick a few times a year, and its always on mondays and usually lasts till wednesday, then all is good for a few weeks. Well I have had talks with him since his 1st year as an employee that anything over his 2 week time off limit would not be tolerated. He has consistently taken 3 weeks every year since he was hired, I just dont pay him for the extra week. Eventually I started to notice my shop moral and attitude towards this situation was going in a bad direction, so jan 1 of 2009 I told my advisor that any day over 2 weeks this year would result in termination. Well here we are in the end of October and he has used his 10 days and I am just wondering if the magic day will come that he gets sick. Low and behold last week he did get sick and this time he was really sick, SO WHAT NOW, he missed 2 days due to this and when he returned I fired him. It was a really crappy feeling as he did a great job for me, BUT I had to stick to my guns, I had to show my employees that the rules we make we must follow. I fought with this decision in my head for the last few days wondering if I did the "right thing". My conclusion is I did the right thing for my business and the wrong thing for my freedom from the shop.

 

Your column is very good, and the last 4 paragraphs are very wise advise for any shop owner.

 

Joe keep up the good work!!!

  • 2 weeks later...
autoguy Rising Star

autoguy

Posted
Posted
WOW! You can change the shop names and the techs, but the story is the same.

 

I am glad I wrote this story. People don't realize this, but like you said, the emotional scares takes time to heal.

 

You have a great story. Thanks the email and best of luck. It sounds like you have a good thing going!!

 

Joe

 

I also enjoyed reading it.

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    • Joe Marconi
      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog
         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.

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