How difficult is it to find new technicians?

[XDCX]

The Auto Industry is in the midst of some major changes. Some franchises are experiencing over a decade of vehicle sales growth while others are experiencing record low market share.

The purpose of this post will be to survey the Service Managers to determine how difficult it is for them to find new technicians?

The survey will be posted in each franchise group in an effort to determine whether it's easier to find technicians for some franchises than for others. As an example, is it harder to find a Toyota Technician because the brand has experienced so much growth? Or, is it easier to find a Toyota Technician because of the popularity of the brand?

So, here's the question for the Service Managers: How difficult is it for you to find new technicians?

Please take a moment and post your thoughts. It will be interesting to determine if there are any trends based on franchise or location.

[sellcar17]

very hard to find GOOD tech. lots of people with tool boxes but that is all. young people coming from schools want big money, plus tool allowance,in this part of the counrty, the oil fields, and mining people will pay 25.00 plus for recent grads.

[XDCX]

Sellcar17 - welcome to DealershipForum and thanks for the post.

Excellent point about the difference between a GOOD technician and someone with a toolbox that's looking for a job.

It's also an interesting observation about the overall job market and how it can be difficult to compete with the oil fields. I noticed the same thing when I was trying to fill a salesperson's job at a dealership - the type of person I wanted to hire for the job could make more money working at the local Starbucks.

Thanks again for the post and have a great week.

[bruce350]

A good, experienced technician who is cerified IS working. We have spent countless thousands of dollars in factory training for our techs. If you do not have a tech on the payroll that is certifed by the factory to work on their transmissions, etc., then they will not pay you for any warranty claims containing repairs of that nature. Not that training is bad, because it is not-but, if you lose your tech that was certified in some areas that only they were certified, then you are up a creek without the proverbial paddle.

Getting a young mechanic and training him is like courting a young lady. Don't mess it up or all of your efforts will be wasted.

[squinky65]

Try being in Alaska...training a technician costs 3 times the money because of class room locations, then you get one all trained up and he takes a job in the oil fields doing manufacturer warranty repairs in their shops.

[CL Pgh]

Try being in Alaska...training a technician costs 3 times the money because of class room locations, then you get one all trained up and he takes a job in the oil fields doing manufacturer warranty repairs in their shops.

Welcome Aboard! Liked your "cost" comparison post in the other thread... I've always felt Chrysler nickeled & dimed us to death.

Am I reading this post right??? The manufactures (Ford-Chrysler) pay outside shops for warranty repairs? That would suk! How far out in the fields do they have to be before they'll allow such a thing? Bet the Oil companies don't go thru the same bs audits we do!?

[XDCX]

Am I reading this post right??? The manufactures (Ford-Chrysler) pay outside shops for warranty repairs? That would suk! How far out in the fields do they have to be before they'll allow such a thing? Bet the Oil companies don't go thru the same bs audits we do!?

That's an area I have some background with.

Not only do the OEMs offer some of their Fleet Accounts the ability to do Warranty Work, the labor rate that they pay is about 40% of what the dealers charge. So for the OEMs it's actually a cost savings if the fleets do their own warranty repairs.

[XDCX]

Try being in Alaska...training a technician costs 3 times the money because of class room locations, then you get one all trained up and he takes a job in the oil fields doing manufacturer warranty repairs in their shops.

squinky65 - Hey it's great to have another member from Alaska. :)

You make an excellent point, there's nothing worse than spending your dealership's money to train an employee and then watch him/her leave for another employer.

That said, with oil back near $40/barrel I wonder if some of those oil field jobs will be going away?