Top tech pay?

[sparkerauto]

Hello everyone, My top tech came up to me asking for a review at the end of the year which was fine. I am curious to what you guys are paying/how your paying your top techs. Mine is making $36 an hour and 40 hours a week. he makes same pay every week. But I don't not give him any health insurance. I give him a week vacation paid. Is this average ? or high ? please let me know thanks guys !

[flacvabeach]

How many hours does he make for you each week? What incentive does he have to make more hours for you?

[xrac]

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[sparkerauto]

xrac, what type of pay/plan do you give your top tech? I figured what I was paying was above average. He asked for a review he has been with me for a little over a year, but I mean I am paying him 36 now what more can I do ?

[xrac]

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[5 Star Auto Spa]

$36/hr is way above the average in our market as well. I would think even in the city, $36 would be on the high end of the spectrum? People tend to be creatures of habit though and I would assume everyone, no matter how much they make, will feel as though they deserve an increase in pay as the months/years go on. We were lucky in the fact that our top tech actually started much lower than what he actually deserves in terms of knowledge and productivity. We were obviously quick to raise his hourly rate once we saw him work and have since outright paid for his health insurance as well. We now give him yearly bonuses based on his production. This way helps us by now raising his hourly rate but rewarding him for his past production.

[FROGFINDER]

Can you afford to lose him?

[sparkerauto]

I was just thinking of what type if pay plan I could do. Something like over certain amount of hours pay him different hourly rate or what not. What type of pay plan is everyone else doing? I have only been in business for about two years I opened up my own shop after being a dealer tech for 12 years so this is all new to me.

[328ijunkie]

36/hr for 40hr weeks! jeez! More than anyone (including myself) makes base salary at my shop!

[sparkerauto]

I feel as though that's what a top tech would be making at a car dealer. When I was working for the Lincoln dealer before I opened my own shop, I was taking home about 1,000 a week. That was flat rate so my hours were much more than 40 but it was still my weekly pay.

[ncautoshop]

I feel as though that's what a top tech would be making at a car dealer. When I was working for the Lincoln dealer before I opened my own shop, I was taking home about 1,000 a week. That was flat rate so my hours were much more than 40 but it was still my weekly pay.

Feel like that's pretty high in the current market. There was a great pay plan in ratchet and wrench a while back http://www.ratchetandwrench.com/RatchetWrench/April-2014/Selecting-a-Technician-Pay-Plan/

 

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[SMMotors]

Kinda sad that everyone thinks $74k/ year is way too much....

 

How is the techs productivity? His efficiency? How many billable hours does he do vs what's available?

 

A tech shouldn't cost you money at all. If you set it up right, the more he makes, the more your making off of him.

 

Seems everyone thinks he should make $900 before taxes and be happy with that. Even it he is producing 65 billable hours a week consecutively?

 

If you can't afford to give him more, you need to increase your car count or efficiency which wouldn't hurt your bottom line. Also maybe overhaul your pay plan that if they shop hits your goals he gets bumped, that way your not just giving him more money because he shows up.

 

Figure what you want to make then tell him he needs to make it happen. It's your job to give him the tools to make it a reachable goal, make sure your shop is productive, and make sure he's the right guy.

[alfredauto]

Seems really high to me. I guess it all boils down to how much does he earn for you? Overpaying and then compensating by working faster seems like a bad plan. Maybe put him on flat rate or bonus plan then its a win for both of you. I pay hourly plus bonus. I also pay more than my competitors.

Edited December 14, 2014 by alfredauto

[Andre R]

We use a base hourly rate plus a flag rate. For example ; $10.00 per hour worked, time and one half over 40 hours.Then $10.00 per flagged hour up to 34.9 hours, $1.00 bump per hour back to the first hour when they reach 35 hours,another $1.00 at 40 hours and anther $1.00 at 45 hours.

You can set the base rate and flag rates to suit the techs level of experience. You can also just give raises on what they flag, change the points at when the increases kick in based on your shops efficiency and volume. You could even put your lube tech/ Gs tech on this plan.