When it comes to automotive repair, you have to take the good with the bad. But for me, it’s mostly good.
By Scott Faris
I love my job!
That’s the attitude I try to bring to work every single day. And I can usually maintain that attitude all day long.
Here’s why:
1. Every day I have a chance to be a hero in someone’s life… and that’s a great feeling!
2. The job brings a wide variety of challenges – both physical and mental – that keep me to top of my game. As a flat-rate technician, I’m never bored. Every job is different, and every problem has a unique solution.
3. I enjoy offering good customer service. Every job I do gives me a chance to win the customer over – and satisfied customers will request me the next time they’re in… and that gives me more revenue.
4. I get the chance to influence young apprentices and co-op students. I love their enthusiasm, and their eagerness to learn. I tell them what a great career this can be.
5. I like the freedom and career stability I have. If I need extra income I can stay late or work extra shifts. If I have personal errands to run or want to attend a course, I can leave early. And when the time comes, I can pick up and find a new job elsewhere because technicians are in high demand. The shop may go under, but my toolbox is on wheels and I can always find new employment.
I’m not saying it’s all a bed of roses. Even with all those positives, there are some negatives… and here are some of them:
1. Moonlighters! They hurt the industry, and take work away from legitimate shops. I won’t do anything outside of work. If someone asks me to work on their car, I tell them to see me at the shop during normal work hours. My off time is for me and my family… and I think people should be able to respect that. I work hard and need the rest so I can keep working hard.
2. Employers who don’t invest in their future. Training and equipment costs money, but it’s a wise investment, because good technician won’t stay where they can’t upgrade their skills or do proper procedures. I’ll do my part by volunteering my time to go to courses after hours if necessary. I’ll learn how to use the equipment properly. But I need to know that management sees the value of keeping up with the times.
3. The complainers. There is a lot of negativity in this trade. Technicians who are always complaining tend to burn out and disappear but while they’re around the make life unpleasant for the rest of us. Nothing is ever their fault. They blame everything on the boss, or the customer, or the parts. It is tiresome to listen to!
4. Inadequate service advisers. They’re on the front line and represent the shop more than any one else. They really have to know what they’re doing because a poor adviser can make us look unprofessional.
5. People who give stuff away for free! Shop owners and managers have to charge properly for my diagnosis and research time. If we give it away, we’re telling people that our skills are not valuable. Plumbers don’t work for free. Lawyers don’t work for free. Why should we? If I work for eight hours diagnosing a bus issue, we need to charge for all eight hours. My boss will tell me all he can “get away with” is four hours. Do I feel appreciated after that? No! And he’s giving away his most valuable commodity – my knowledge. It drives me crazy!
Even with all its faults, though, I still enjoy going to work every morning. I love this career and I wish more techs would say the same. They’d help convince the next generation of technicians that they’re in a great industry.
Scott Faris works at Canadian Tire in Osgoode, Ont. He is also a member of the Canadian Technician Advisory Panel.
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Edited comments may appear in Canadian Technician magazine.
March 06, 2013 - bamf says: “ Pretty much nail on the head Scott. Remember tho It's always easier to screw the tech than it is to charge the customer from a management point of view. If the lame ass service writer would do his job and sell it,you would get paid for your effort.But you're the bad guy cause you want to get paid! Customers are more valuable than Techs! ”
March 06, 2013 - bamf says: “ Pretty much nail on the head Scott. Remember tho It's always easier to screw the tech than it is to charge the customer from a management point of view. Customers are more valuable than Techs! ”
May 30, 2012 - DHAUGHEY says: “ Very upbeat and well-written article. One disagreement though: You disagree with the boss giving away your time on the floor, yet you'll give away your time to volunteer for training. While training may be a benefit for you, it is also a benefit for your employer, and your time should be paid. ”
May 29, 2012 - MICHAELSMITH says: “ This trade is difficult to understand fully. The business side and the technical side clash on almost every work order. Whoever's fault it is, it needs to be addressed. I have also worked at a Canadian Tire for 6 years, the problem at ours is the lack of change. In 6 years, the only implemented changes we have made are 1) torque all wheels with at torque wrench and 2) Implement COSTAR. The latter was forced on us by the corporation. We as techs have learnt so much more in 6 years than the benefit of torquing lug nuts- yet procedures have not changed.
We have had two foremen resign over the inability to change what they deemed necessary. I'm not saying that they were right or wrong, we will never know because they were never able to implement them. That is the problem, our garage is stagnant in it's mediocracy.
Luckily there are a few technicians who take the time to go for training (sometimes on their own buck) and others who are passionate enough about their job to go read up on new technologies in their spare time.
If it wasn't for personal initiative, the shop would have sank much more and much faster in recent times.
Not to neglect the other points Scott made... attitude, advisers etc... all of which are valid now more than ever. ”
May 29, 2012 - geomechs says: “ I agree with Scott, especially when he mentions the part about the boss giving away the farm. A good portion of us senior mechanics have endured 40 plus years (and oftentimes numerous bosses) of that and unfortunately the majority of bosses aren't going to change. There's more than one case where the tech has had to clock out and go for a drive just to cool off.
One of my pet peeves is to be dealing with an irrate customer and manage to get him cooled off, then he runs into the boss who starts making promises I can't keep and gets him all stirred up again.
Then there's the boss who doesn't have a clue what makes the tech's project tick but will still override a decision because he's the boss, right or wrong.
In both of these examples the technician's credibility gets shot to hell but, like I learned very early in the game, the tech has got to stand up for himself/herself and not take any crap. After the boss has made a total fool of himself enough times, he'll learn to stay out of the shop and manage the business like he's supposed to.
It's sad when incidents like this happen because it creates a lot of hard feelings. And most bosses mean well; they just get involved when they should be letting the techs do their job instead. ”
May 29, 2012 - HAROLDO'CONNOR says: “ I have worked also at canadian tire in the 80's.a small town is different than the big city but the message that scott is saying is what i haven't heard in a while. In the city it is a dog eat dog world. There not a shortage in the city due to dealers shutting down. When teachers in the asap and mvm program looking for jobs tells me there is a problem here in the city.I was asked to teach twice for truck and coach, basic engines in the ottawa college campuss at woodriffe only 8 hrs a week. These teachers were looking for jobs last year.I have worked with bad additude techs that were younger than me. I asked them why are u in this trade.if u hate it so much and with an additude like that this trade will never change. They finally realized with negitive additude it would never get better.Scotts aditude for positive thinking is excellent and should come to the city and spread the additude and see what the challenges that are here, we need all the help we can get. ”
“ Pretty much nail on the head Scott. Remember tho It's always easier to screw the tech than it is to charge the customer from a management point of view. If the lame ass service writer would do his job and sell it,you would get paid for your effort.But you're the bad guy cause you want to get paid! Customers are more valuable than Techs! ”