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Posted (edited)

I may have already posted this story... if i did... oops... sorry... it's still a pretty funny story none the less.. Gonzo

I don't got a gun

On a warm spring afternoon, the shop busy with jobs. It was just another day, working the hours away till it was quitting time, just like any other day. Why even the phone seemed to have a pleasant "ring" that day. My wife, Le Ann, was in the office working on the daily office paper work. Myself, I was in the shop turning wrenches and humming to the always constant radio in the background.

The shop was busy and things were going along without a hint of trouble, it was a story book day a blissful repairs. I even stopped for a moment to reflect on the wonderful day that it was… "Ah, it's a fine day, a fine day indeed." Why nothing could bother me today.

It's about then I looked outside at the street in front of the shop. Hmm, police cars… 2 of them, driving slowly. Then in the far distance I could hear more cars coming this way, sirens blazing away. I looked back just in the nick of time to see the 2 squad cars that were in front of the shop tear down the street at high speed. Then 2 more came from the opposite direction, slowing down just in front of the shop. I walked towards the garage door just as a figure flew by me. This guy was on a flat out run for the furthest point away from those cop cars. You should have seen it; those cops were on this guy like a swarm of bees. The guy ducked around the corner with the cop cars in full pursuit. He didn't stand a chance.

Where's the wife, I need to go tell her about all of this… why this is exciting… wow, I can't wait to tell her. As I reached for the door knob to the front lobby my wife was already opening the door. She was so frantic she could hardly speak.

"How could you leave me up here all by myself? Didn't you hear me banging on the wall! I could have been killed," gasping for breath as if it were her last.

"Calm down honey," I said, "It was nothing. Nothing at all, did you see that guy, and the cop cars?"

"Nothing! What do you mean NOTHING!" shouting at me, "This guy comes in all sweaty, sits down in the lobby chair, and tells me he just needs a rest. Then tells me he wants to give himself up, and wanted me to call the cops. There he is sitting there holding his shirt up and tells me "I don't got a gun" what was I suppose to do…? I called the cops and kept banging on the wall trying to get you to come up front."

"Holy cow, dear," I stood there in shock answering her, "Why didn't you come and get me?"

"Ya Big Baboon! I was on the phone! Who do you think was calling for all these cop cars," she screamed at me.

Her voice kept getting louder, and she was a total emotional wreck, but continued to tell me, "I couldn't move, I had to talk to the cops, give them a description and the address, they kept telling me to stay on the line. I wanted to run out of there. The guy was out of breath and he didn't look like he had an ounce of strength left. I tried banging on the wall thinking you would show up any minute. But, when this guy heard the sirens he took off again."

It's about then I understood the seriousness of the "gangster in the lobby", my poor wife was terrified. There was no way she was going to spend another minute up front without some way of getting our attention in the back of the shop.

That afternoon I rigged up an 8.00 dollar 12 volt door bell from the hardware store with a 2 prong turn signal flasher from a car. Now if someone comes in the flasher causes the door bell to "ding", "ding", "ding" till the door closes. If the door buzzer doesn't shut off in its usual pattern… drop the tools and run to the front... wife needs me.

This crude door bell set up has been a part of our shop since that day; I've changed the flasher two or three times since then… but not the bell, I'm guessing it's about 15 years old by now, but it still works perfectly. I also installed a louder bell with an emergency button in several locations just in case the first "ding" didn't get my attention.

I'm sure, if I hadn't installed the door dinger that afternoon, I may have been spending a lot of sleepless nights on the couch. As they say… when one door closes another one opens…this time I can hear it open......... thanks to a dingy bad guy with no gun.

Wub ya honey … and yes it's still true… it don't get no better.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Edited by Gonzo
Posted

Had the police arrest one of my guys once while he was working but I ain't never had an experience like that! What hasn't happened to you Gonzo? Another entertaining story!

 

 

Like the Energizer Bunny... it keeps going, and going.... .... ... ... the stories never end...

Posted

I like your comment Joe... at least I think I do... nothing there to read... must be that invisible post thing going around... LOL

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      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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