You may be reading this column in our December issue, but it is mid-October as I pound the keys of my laptop, putting thoughts to virtual paper. It’s been a busy year for us at Motor Age, and I’ve spent a lot of time in taxis and airports; time I’ve used to reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m going. Come join me – it’s going to be a hell of a ride!
Let’s start here
I’ve been in the business now for nearly 40 years and I’ll be the first to admit that I am the luckiest son of a gun there is to have the job I have today. Among the perks has been the ability to travel around the country, attending events big and small, and meeting many of you in person.
I’d like to start off this month’s column sharing an observation that runs true everywhere I’ve gone. Whether the event had 30 attendees or 300, eventually the conversations would take a turn to the negative aspects of our business. And what really gets me is that the comments are the same I’ve been hearing for what seems like forever. Techs complain about their pay and their bosses, shop owners complain about their techs and their customers, consumers complain about the costs of the repairs and shops that “rip them off”. And all of them, it seems, end their comment with something like “the industry needs to (fill in the blank)”.
Here, my friends, is where the true problem — and its solution — lies.
There is no entity, no living being, that goes by the name of “the industry.” WE are the industry. It is our actions — or lack of action — that has led to many of these concerns. And they have grown in complexity over time as we, as a collective group, have stood by waiting for “the industry” to come to the rescue.
The good news is that there are those among us that understand that change is up to them. They will not turn the industry to a new direction all by themselves, but again – collectively – they are starting to make a difference. So when you go to work tomorrow, no matter what role you play in “the industry”, do something that will make you and your shop a little better, a little more professional, and add your weight to the collective.
Now let’s get real
Having traveled as much as I have, having met technicians of all skill levels, and having experienced this more than once personally, I can offer my next observation. There are technicians in our industry who are just gifted, equipped with the skill sets and critical thinking abilities that make diagnosing even the newest technologies the automakers can come up with look easy. But they represent a small percentage overall. Let’s say, optimistically, 5 percent. Then there are similar technicians with similar capabilities but they have to work hard to be as good as they are. They are constantly learning, reading, experimenting – just to keep up. Let’s say that’s another 5 percent.
On the other extreme are the techs (and I use that term loosely) that have no business touching anything with a wrench in their hands. Their favorite tool when handling even the simplest diagnostic challenge is the “parts cannon” – swapping parts until either the problem, or the customer, goes away. They are a part of the industry that many of us would choose to ignore, hopeful that their lack of skill or customer care would eventually force them out of the business. Problem is they aren’t being forced out. In many cases, they are even thriving – or breeding faster than they are leaving. I’m going to call that 20 percent.
That leaves the remaining 60 percent of us: a group I tend to really identify with because this was the group I was in as a tech. The majority of this group tries to be professional in every sense of the word but doesn’t know what they don’t know, or they are happy with the money they are making using the stagnating knowledge and skills they already possess. Most want to be better but when you’re only making $37,120 a year (Bureau of Labor, 2014), affording the training is often a choice between the training or making a rent payment. But that doesn’t stop them from devouring whatever information they can find in the trade magazines or online.
Helping these men and women gain access to resources they can trust has been a personal quest for me. It started by reaching out on social media to let them know we were here and wanted to help. You’d be amazed, my friends, at how many events I first attended six years ago where the attendees didn’t even know Motor Age existed, and we’ve been around longer than anyone!
Then it was on to YouTube, then the quarterly webinars, and now it is our “Commitment to Training” program and of course, NACE Automechanika Chicago. All of these offer low or no-cost training opportunities for anyone that cares to attend. You just have to get there or log on.
Apathy and training
My last employer was a national automotive chain and I worked in one of their larger locations. One of the national training providers came to our management one day, offering to let any and all of our technicians attend their training free of charge in exchange for the use of our training room. Guess how many of us attended routinely?
Two or three, tops.
I am amazed at the overall apathy that we have as an industry toward training. Is it the word “training,” implying that you don’t know what you’re doing and need to go to school? I hate to be the one to break this to you, but the truth is many of you do. And you know that, because you’ve told me yourselves at the dozens of events I’ve attended or taught at.
Of the groups I talked about before, it should come as no surprise that the bottom 20 percent wouldn’t even consider attending any kind of formal training. The upper 10 percent, though, seem to attend everything they can get to! And of the middle 60 percent, I’m convinced the majority of them will attend if they know about the opportunity and can get there. Many of the attendees, for example, at Automechanika Chicago 2015 were first time attendees at ANY show or training event. And we saw similar results in our one-day “Commitment to Training” events held over the last 6 months or so.
The rest of the middle group are just apathetic. And apathetic for one of two reasons, I think. Perhaps they are comfortable making a living with their current skill sets and see no need to invest personal time in growing their skills. But more and more I tend to believe they get their apathy from their bosses. These shops do not have a culture that rewards and encourages continuing education. I can’t count how many times techs tell me they can’t attend training because the boss won’t give them the time off, or help them cover at least some of the expense.
Shop owners, listen up. Getting your technicians current or even just improving on their basic skill sets can only make you more money. More money by increasing their efficiency and reducing their mistakes. And I’ve met shop owners who absolutely require a minimum amount of continuing education from their employees, many who will even close up shop for a week so they can all attend. And know this – once a tech who is hungry to learn has a taste of good training and training events, and finds out there are bosses who will support them in satisfying that hunger, they will be leaving you and heading to that competitor’s shop.
Techs, you want to make more money for you and your family? You want to grow, maybe even own your own shop one day? You won’t get there on your current skills alone – you need to grow and learn every day.
And I’ll do all I can to help you do just that. See you in Chicago!
