Getting ignored from the tool truck guys

[2ndGearRubber]

Those are all reasons for turnover, but not the only ones. I’ll use my current job as an example. Tech pay is on the high side and we do survey the market to verify. We are 8-5 M-F, no mandatory nights or weekends. Our shops are well-equipped, well-ventilated, and well-lit. We have good pay, several health insurance options, vision, dental, disability, 401k with match, the whole works. Techs receive ongoing classroom and hands-on training and are paid to sit for the training classes. Even the expensive welding classes are covered 100%. Vacation is 13 days or 18 days depending on tenure. Every repair has Alldata pre-printed for the technician and the labor is billed accordingly. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

You know what? We just had a guy quit. You know why? He was a lifelong hack who was not willing to take the tiny extra bit of time that it takes to fix cars properly. We’ve lost several “technicians” because they were all unwilling to do proper repairs. Are we “a revolving door”?

I believe that you are an A-tech and an upstanding guy. But you’ve seen how many hacks, doofuses, and druggies are running around the industry

Sounds like a big plus to get him out of the shop. It's honestly wild what automotive, and trades in general, will put up with. I don't get the hack mentality either, I know I'm a broken record of not understanding. It literally takes more effort to NOT fix the car. I mean, there's a time and a place where standards can be.... adjusted slightly for extreme ****-boxes. Cage nut spins in the subframe? Cut an access hole, peel it open, swap the component, weld it shut when you're done. "Hack-y"? Sure it is, but sometimes that's the reality of junk vehicles. It's that or scrap it, it ain't worth $1500.

But the blatant parts tossing, guessing, etc seems like WAY more work to me. One half asses the repair; which almost guarantees a comeback. Now one is working on the same issue, due to misdiagnosis or a workmanship issue. We all make bad calls, we all make mistakes. But the eternal hack-job guys just make me shake my head. What's the point? I know I made more than my share of mistakes learning, we all did. But when one isn't willing to learn and improve, why even keep trying? Is there no sense of pride? I take great pleasure in pleasing people, I want them to be happy with the results. But when ones repairs are just a long line of come-backs, misdiagnosis, and bad midrepair choices - there's gotta be a point where you look in the mirror and say this ain't for me? But they just keep coming back for more. Ignorance is one thing, but why not try to improve? We don't know it all from birth, we need to learn and grow. But why just keep floundering barely with your head above water, drowning on every single car, and not improve? Not seek out the information?

Usually the front desk just massively shifts their workload to BS work to get something worthwhile from them. As you said, people are hard to come by; so as long as they show up most of the time and have minimal issues with stuff like LOFs and tires as far as workmanship, they will almost always have a home somewhere.



- Thanks for coming to my TEDtalk

 

[Snaparxon]

OP, be happy you have different options to choose from. My options consist of online, Snap on (currently a ****). Closest other tool truck dealers are over 100 miles away. So if I buy online I don't get to touch or feel it or see what I think before I buy.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

If your tool breaks in the middle of your job will a tool truck driver really drop everything he's doing and come to your rescue? If the tool breaks and you have no "plan B" or can't borrow one, then I assume it's a highly specialized tool that the dealer would likely have to special order? I'd be willing to bet online would be faster then a dealer backorder??

Can, or will, a dealer get a tool next day air and get it in your hands? Just curious if this dealer service is a trip thru "fantasy land" or everyday reality?

I have had this happen a few times and have seen it happen to other techs. We have called our tool guy and they took care of us.

 

[JeepYJ]

I have had this happen a few times and have seen it happen to other techs. We have called our tool guy and they took care of us.

“Took care of us” is a very descriptive answer. What happened and what did your tool guy do for you? How long did it take? Was it a 10mm socket or a one-off specialty tool?

 

[NYBODYMAN]

“Took care of us” is a very descriptive answer. What happened and what did your tool guy do for you? How long did it take? Was it a 10mm socket or a one-off specialty tool?

Sorry sir, didn't realize I needed to write a dissertation about my experience. A tool broke or a tool was needed, both standard and specialty tools. Tool guy was contacted and he came through that day with what was needed.

 

[3jakes]

So this tool truck guy is dead to me. He doesn’t exist to me. It’s as easy as that.

Five pages & counting talking about the dead.
I love this place!

 

[ttpete]

When I began working flat rate in the early 1960s, the tool truck was one of the few places one could get credit. There were very few credit cards available, mainly Amex and Diner's Club, and oil companies cards for gas. It was mainly a cash and carry economy. A few stores had 90 days same as cash or store credit accounts available. The tool truck was essential for someone just starting out in the trade, and the owners were a lot more appreciative of the business we gave them. Back then, we got 50% of the labor charged for each job.

 

[pizza]

Nobody suggested having tea or taking windy walks. Just a simple business relationship. The fact you couldn't understand that and your stereotyping attitude of a "trucker" is arrogantly ignorant and or ignorantly immature.
Living life nose up won't help you one bit.

immature, sure.

but "ignorant"? "couldn't understand"? i'm surprised that's how you interpreted my post. if i'm right, then the lack of understanding is on your end. i thought i was clearly making a joke.

also, thanks for handing out the life lessons.

 

[jimindm]

Sort of getting away from the OPs original question, but I think the whole trade has issues. To be honest technology is changing pretty fast. Keeping up with it on an owner, or technician level is getting harder and harder.

There are very few young people in it today. I am in my mid 50s and the last several classes I attended I was about the youngest there.

Add in the fact that even being sort of up to date is a great expense any more. Much of that kind of equipment needs updating even as you lay out $1000s to purchase.

You can pretty much read post on threads like this to see what the problem is. Customers today have changed a lot from years ago. Most think you just plug in that fancy tool and it spits out what is wrong with the car. They can do that at a parts store now. Then most have watched a video or been on some website to see that it is not really hard to fix. Whether the guy doing the video is a hack or not.

Most people it is all about them. The want it the cheapest, fastest way. Many do not care what kind of position they put others in, and many times demand more.

If most people would just sort of ever put themselves in another persons shoes. Maybe the tool guy has enough business, that he doesn't need any more.

Flame away, but there are still some businesses that have the ability to decide what kind of customers they want, and even fire some that they have. In many cases that start with interaction between the customer and the business, and if one or the other doesn't start that, it will never happen

 

[thool]

TL;DR but if I was a tool truck guy, with the prospect of losing customers and therefore my livelihood because of people shopping online and buying cheap tools, I would do EVERTHING possible to establish and maintain relationships. Earning trust through a handshake, a tool loan, a few deals, even a how's-the-family chat, goes a long way.