When you just happen to talk to other service managers or independent shop owners, do you suggest to pay the techs an hourly rate over flat rate?
When you just happen to talk to other service managers or independent shop owners, do you suggest to pay the techs an hourly rate over flat rate?
Ok, so serious question.
Do you prefer beer, liquor or wine?
bluebarchetta wrote: My wife has a Buick Rendezvous that is coming up on 100K and will need plugs/wires soon. Accessing the back plugs is a bitch, so I'd rather pay to have it done than do it myself...but because the job is such a bitch, I am fearful that the tech may be tempted to leave the back three in place, replace the wires, and call it a day so as not to get screwed on flat rate. I wouldn't mind paying for an extra hour of labor...I understand that replacing plugs on a transverse V6 is about ten times harder than replacing plugs on a Miata. Is there a magic phrase or handshake I can use to ensure the job gets done correctly? Or should I just grow a pair and do it myself?
Drop the back of the cradle down an inch or two and reach up from underneath. It helps to have skinny arms.
wheelsmithy wrote: In reply to EastCoastMojo: Multi switch on column that does everything. Junk on those. Opinion.
Wouldn't doubt that a bit.
Mr_Clutch42 wrote: When you just happen to talk to other service managers or independent shop owners, do you suggest to pay the techs an hourly rate over flat rate?
I don't get preachy but I'll share my opinion if it comes up.
EastCoastMojo wrote: Ok, so serious question. Do you prefer beer, liquor or wine?
Beer, "craft" types only. I'm a bit of a beer snob so I typically don't drink anything that's not a microbrew. Also like to keep it local.
Rum is usually where I go if I do go for the hard stuff, though I dont do that much anymore.
Getten in to wines a bit lately but I am still in the infancy of that, mostly sweeter stuff and nothing dry.
Streetwiseguy wrote:bluebarchetta wrote: My wife has a Buick Rendezvous that is coming up on 100K and will need plugs/wires soon. Accessing the back plugs is a bitch, so I'd rather pay to have it done than do it myself...but because the job is such a bitch, I am fearful that the tech may be tempted to leave the back three in place, replace the wires, and call it a day so as not to get screwed on flat rate. I wouldn't mind paying for an extra hour of labor...I understand that replacing plugs on a transverse V6 is about ten times harder than replacing plugs on a Miata. Is there a magic phrase or handshake I can use to ensure the job gets done correctly? Or should I just grow a pair and do it myself?Drop the back of the cradle down an inch or two and reach up from underneath. It helps to have skinny arms.
If memory serves the Rendezvous isn't as bad as the older models were.
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
Mr_Clutch42 wrote: What came first, the chicken or the egg?
The rooster, he's selfish like that.
When you say "I'll go get the manager", do you actually go get the manager or do you just go find another random guy who wants to berkeley with the customer for a while? 
Trans_Maro wrote: When you say "I'll go get the manager", do you actually go get the manager or do you just go find another random guy who wants to berkeley with the customer for a while?
That doesn't happen often. I'm the top of the food chain aside from the owner and I typically know how he would handle the situation so I usually take care of it.
solfly wrote:Trans_Maro wrote: When you say "I'll go get the manager", do you actually go get the manager or do you just go find another random guy who wants to berkeley with the customer for a while?That doesn't happen often. I'm the top of the food chain aside from the owner and I typically know how he would handle the situation so I usually take care of it.
If they don't specify which manager they want, then I handle it myself. Otherwise I get the service manager. Unless they specify store manager, they're probably talking to either me (manager of tire sales) or the service manager.
I am not an automotive tech.
However, I am construction technician.
I would MUCH rather be paid flat rate than hourly for virtually ANY job. There's a good reason too... I am very good at what I do.
I don't rush jobs or cut corners, but I am extremely efficient at my work. It pisses me off when customers expect to pay me an hourly rate similar to other idiots in the industry, and have no interest in compensating me for 38 years of experience.
I produce 2-3 times what other guys do in a day. Don't smoke, don't stop for breaks, and never have to run to pick up supplies during the work day (because I am very good at planning ahead). Never go to the saw table without at least 5 pieces to cut. I can layout and cut an entire complicated roof from the ground without ever climbing a ladder to take a measurement. I simply can't work hourly.
I feel cheated when a customer feels they have the right to pay me entry level hourly rates for premium quality efficient work.
I make more when I work flat rate, and the customer gets much more for their money as well.
SVreX wrote: I am not an automotive tech. However, I am construction technician. I would MUCH rather be paid flat rate than hourly for virtually ANY job. There's a good reason too... I am very good at what I do. I don't rush jobs or cut corners, but I am extremely efficient at my work. It pisses me off when customers expect to pay me an hourly rate similar to other idiots in the industry, and have no interest in compensating me for 38 years of experience. I produce 2-3 times what other guys do in a day. Don't smoke, don't stop for breaks, and never have to run to pick up supplies during the work day (because I am very good at planning ahead). Never go to the saw table without at least 5 pieces to cut. I can layout and cut an entire complicated roof from the ground without ever climbing a ladder to take a measurement. I simply can't work hourly. I feel cheated when a customer feels they have the right to pay me entry level hourly rates for premium quality efficient work. I make more when I work flat rate, and the customer gets much more for their money as well.
In that industry, working by yourself with your experience it could very well work out for both you and the customer. I don't feel like it works for ours. In certain situations it can but not at a general all makes repair shop.
SVreX wrote: I am not an automotive tech. However, I am construction technician. I would MUCH rather be paid flat rate than hourly for virtually ANY job. There's a good reason too... I am very good at what I do. I don't rush jobs or cut corners, but I am extremely efficient at my work. It pisses me off when customers expect to pay me an hourly rate similar to other idiots in the industry, and have no interest in compensating me for 38 years of experience. I produce 2-3 times what other guys do in a day. Don't smoke, don't stop for breaks, and never have to run to pick up supplies during the work day (because I am very good at planning ahead). Never go to the saw table without at least 5 pieces to cut. I can layout and cut an entire complicated roof from the ground without ever climbing a ladder to take a measurement. I simply can't work hourly. I feel cheated when a customer feels they have the right to pay me entry level hourly rates for premium quality efficient work. I make more when I work flat rate, and the customer gets much more for their money as well.
do you ever try to negotiate a contract price/finish date, with bonuses/penalties for on time/late finishes ?
In reply to wbjones:
I work with contract prices, but the bonus/ penalty thing doesn't work in my region.
In reply to sofly:
I respect your opinion and understand how it can get abused, but my point was it can sometimes work very well.
You previously stated "flat rate = someone getting screwed". I would respectfully submit that the customer gets screwed with hourly, and long term so does the tech (and the company).
There is NO incentive to ever finish. Customer pays for more hours. If I bring my car in for a brake job, there is a value to the brake job, and frankly I don't care how long it takes you. If you are slow, I should not have to pay more.
There is also NO incentive for the tech to get better, because more completed work does not equate to more pay. Eventually, they learn just how slow they can move.
And the company doesn't grow better techs. They get the same old guys who want to measure themselves by their hours instead of their accomplishments.
How do you incentivize your techs?
Hourly pay is a negative incentive for productivity.
In reply to SVreX:
Sorry but flat rate does equal someone getting screwed. Why else does it still exist? Manufacturers love it because they screw the dealers and techs with insane warranty times. And good luck getting those times changed to something reasonable. The only way a "honest" mechanic is making money is either being paid hourly or is running or owning the place in this current economy. This system is why there are those stupid wyotech/UTI/and the like commercials touting the demand shortage and the need to goto school.
In reply to Ranger50:
Option #1: Agreed upon price. 2 parties agree to it in advance. One does the work, the other pays for it. Sounds pretty fair to me.
Alternative: No idea what the price is before starting. One party charges whatever the heck he feels like, which goes up if he is less competent.
Tell me again about someone getting screwed??
Who put the bop in the bop sh bop sh bop?
And as a followup, who put the ram in the ramalamadingdong?
now you're talking the music I grew up with do-wopadowopdo ….
Why am I soft in the middle when the rest of my life is so hard?
How do shops respond to customers providing their own parts? I find that I can save considerable amounts of money be shopping around. If shops can just pass on whatever the expense happens to be from their suppliers, I don't see much benefit for the shops offering competitive parts pricing. Do shops rely on parts sales for additional profit opportunities?
Mitchell wrote: How do shops respond to customers providing their own parts? I find that I can save considerable amounts of money be shopping around. If shops can just pass on whatever the expense happens to be from their suppliers, I don't see much benefit for the shops offering competitive parts pricing. Do shops rely on parts sales for additional profit opportunities?
We don't mind customers bringing their own parts, however, through our relationship with our main supplier we are able to provide a great warranty. If a customer brings their own parts we aren't able to provide that. We do make a profit on parts but much less than you may assume.
SVreX wrote: In reply to wbjones: I work with contract prices, but the bonus/ penalty thing doesn't work in my region. In reply to sofly: I respect your opinion and understand how it can get abused, but my point was it can sometimes work very well. You previously stated "flat rate = someone getting screwed". I would respectfully submit that the customer gets screwed with hourly, and long term so does the tech (and the company). There is NO incentive to ever finish. Customer pays for more hours. If I bring my car in for a brake job, there is a value to the brake job, and frankly I don't care how long it takes you. If you are slow, I should not have to pay more. There is also NO incentive for the tech to get better, because more completed work does not equate to more pay. Eventually, they learn just how slow they can move. And the company doesn't grow better techs. They get the same old guys who want to measure themselves by their hours instead of their accomplishments. How do you incentivize your techs? Hourly pay is a negative incentive for productivity.
We bill based on flatrate, the customer has a very good idea of the cost going in.
We incentivize through a bonus program. some jobs have a set price.
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