Colby Zimmermann’s Post

💡 Knowledge and skill are two different things! 🤔 So let’s apply that concept to automotive… ▪️Service advisors. When starting out typically won’t have much technical knowledge yet, and that’s ok. This phase is all about learning the job, the industry, the procedures, and focusing on customer service skills. As the advisor progresses, they should be picking up technical knowledge along the way as part of their career progression. ▪️Technicians. When starting out will in some cases, especially the ones who went to a tech school, possess some technical knowledge but very little skill yet. And that’s ok. This phase is all about learning the job, the industry, the procedures, and focusing on those technical skills. As the technician progresses, they should be picking up additional technical knowledge through their improvement of skill along the way as part of their career progression. 🤔 So what’s the point? Service advisors are encouraged to gain technical knowledge about the various concerns, causes, corrections, and systems as whole, to help them educate their customers. Technicians are encouraged to grow their skills in conducting the various tasks such as diagnostics, repairs, tear downs, and etc, to help them progress their careers and abilities forward. So the objection that service advisors possessing technical knowledge isn’t ideal as they would just be a technician at that point isn’t all that well founded. ✅ This is because of the element of skill, which our technicians work years to obtain and hone. Thankfully for us at that! —— I’m Chris Craig. I create daily educational and coaching content for automotive employees. TikTok: https://lnkd.in/eMMVEWpC YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eTmW3WPS #serviceadvisor #technician #servicemanager #fixedops #learninganddevelopment #teambuilding

If you work at a job where your success is partially or wholly reliant on having technicians, fitters, service people or whomever go to your clients to do their thing: When they accomplish that job: When all is well, the panel is clear and no return visits are required, because your colleagues have done their job and got everything back to the way they should be: Make sure to tell your client that it is the ability, professionalism, experience and general awesomeness of your service people that solved their issue. Let them know that it's a team effort and your team is darned good at what they do! This isn't just for the "feel good" moment, or giving credit where it's due: The next time your colleagues show up at that site: The client already knows the confidence you have in them to get the job done and they'll likely be treated a wee bit better while there.

I've recently seen a number of posts from Automotive Technicians who are unhappy with their own work situation and considering leaving their role or the industry.   I'd really like to build a picture of how Technicians feel in general about their current role (both from those who are happy and those who aren't), what attracts them to want to work with a particular company or brand, what prompts them to look for alternative jobs and, if they are looking to move, where they are looking to move to. After all, Technicians are critical in delivering the experience customers have and they deserve consideration and understanding.   I could make some assumptions, having started my career as a Technician, but that was quite a while ago and I'd rather hear it from those in that position now.   With that in mind, I have a short, completely anonymous survey to help me build an initial picture and that will enable me, in my position with a manufacturer, to figure out what actions I could take to attract people to this role and ensure they get what they need from it.   Feel free to share this post or survey link with your network and specifically any Automotive Technicians, and thanks in advance to any who take the time to provide input. https://lnkd.in/dqfGAk4n

🛠️ Attract Top Auto Technicians with the Perfect Job Description! 🛠️ Creating a compelling job description is key to hiring the best. Check out our latest blog post: "6 Tips to Write the Perfect Auto Technician Job Description" ✍️ 📋 Learn how to highlight essential skills and qualifications 🧩 Understand what details make your listing stand out 🚀 Boost your hiring success 🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/3VXvudu #AutoRepair #HiringTips #JobDescription #AutoTechnicians #RepairPal

Coming up on a mere four months in. I made that transition from Lead Diagnostic Technician to Mobile A.D.A.S. Calibration Technician, and have already been promoted within the 2nd month in the field to Area Operations Manager. This type of thing is almost unheard of these days. We spend a lot of time at work, with our colleagues, and business partners. We should enjoy the work we do. It's easier to enjoy the work you do when you can see the results. Every day I see the relationships with customers grow, they refer other customers, and this market is growing with every opportunity the clients give us. I can finally say, that after years of work and growth to get where I am in the automotive industry, I am working with some of the most dedicated people and I am surrounded by teamwork. At first, it's scary being given the objective to build a market, establishing a customer base, and learn a complex and intricate system that greatly impacts people's safety. I wake up and look forward to the challenge of resolving issues, troubleshooting systems, and at the end of the day seeing what I have grown from my very first customer, and first service call almost 4 months in. It's been a lot of late nights, hours and hours of researching things on my own time to be better than the competition, but it's all paying off. I am truly grateful for the trust in leadership, and the business relationships I am building. No day is ever the same, and this position allows me to be 100% authentically myself. What a gift it is to be in a position where you can be your best version of yourself. If your company doesn't have this culture, you are cheating yourself out of what you deserve. Grow, learn, build, & trust in yourself! 🤠

In the day-to-day lives of a technician you are expected to be a subject matter expert. When I asked Erick Guidry, Regional Quality Manager for a big tech company, if he could go back in time and advise his younger self, what would he tell a youthful Erick to do to set himself up for success? His answer may surprise many, but I personally couldn't agree more. It comes down to the soft skills! The ability to communicate and collaborate, to convey technical prowess in the simplest of terms for your customers, to be able to bring a team together, and the list goes on and on. This may not seem important as a young technician, and may not be if that is what you would like to do for the entirety of your career. However, if you desire to move into management, start your own business, or even if you desire to best represent your organization in the field, those soft skills will be vitally important to your success.

Are you seeing lots of questions lately about job titles? Things employers should consider when creating job titles: 👍 Search Optimization: Want title is most common when searching for your role, e.g., Diesel Mechanic is more frequently searched than Diesel Technician. This is especially important for jobs with funny titles. 👍 Competition in Posts: Do you benefit from being more commonly searched or being one of the few competing for less common search terms. 👍 Does the job titles reflect the function and scope of the role: Calling someone a "Director" in a SMB with no indirect reports, can lead to a lot of applicants that are not a fit (overqualified, outside salary range, etc.) Have a job title pet peeve - throw it in the comments.

Technician recruiting is wild these days…. Used to it was good enough to promise loads of work, give a great pay plan, provide structure, and a good environment. Technicians would show up and show out! They felt appreciated because of all the above. It was a beautiful thing! Technicians understood it was a two way relationship of give and take on both sides. Now, it’s… “Give me all the money before I show you what I can do” “It better be a guarantee” “I want $25 more per hour than the market” “Don’t require me to hit a goal of any sort” “Don’t expect me to accept responsibility or respond well to accountability of any sort” “I’ll work on my terms, not in the best interest of the customer or the dealership” I know that technicians have not been favored well through the years but man, it sure makes it hard for us guys out there trying to do the right things. The industry has certainly complicated things when it comes to recruiting. “Love people more than you love cars” ASOTU | More Than Cars ✅ Hire Properly ✅ Train Passionately ✅ Lead Perpetually #servicemanagement #servicedepartment #leadservant #thisiswhatwedo #hireproperly #trainpassionately #leadperpetually #automotiveindustry #fixedops #thisishowwedoit #lovepeoplemore #guestexperience

What can I as technician do to get workshop hours up - Mauritz Rheeder In the competitive landscape of the motor industry, maximizing your hours in a workshop requires a combination of skill, proactivity, and strategic networking. Here are some effective strategies to increase your hours and establish yourself as an invaluable team member: 1. **Enhance Your Skills**: Continuously improve your technical skills and stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies. Attending workshops, obtaining certifications, and learning about new diagnostic tools and repair techniques will make you more versatile and efficient. 2. **Be Proactive**: Don’t wait for assignments to come to you. Take the initiative to identify tasks that need attention, such as routine maintenance, cleaning workspaces, or assisting colleagues. Demonstrating a proactive attitude shows your commitment to the team's success and can lead to more work being assigned to you. 3. **Build Strong Relationships**: Establish good relationships with your colleagues and supervisors. A positive work environment and strong rapport can often lead to more hours, as people tend to rely on those they trust and enjoy working with. 4. **Seek Feedback and Act on It**: Regularly seek feedback on your performance and areas for improvement. Showing that you are eager to grow and adapt based on constructive criticism can highlight your dedication and reliability. 5. **Take on Extra Duties**: Volunteer for extra shifts, emergency repairs, or any additional responsibilities. By being available and willing to go the extra mile, you position yourself as a go-to person for the workshop's needs. 6. **Market Yourself**: Let your supervisors and peers know about your availability and eagerness for more hours. Sometimes, simply expressing your willingness to take on more work can result in increased hours. By focusing on skill enhancement, proactivity, relationship-building, and open communication, you can significantly boost your hours in a motor industry workshop and pave the way for career advancement. #technician #training #service #workshop #career #achievement #development #no1

The Bottom Line is this. Improving the performance and engagement of technicians in an automotive workshop DEMANDS that we address the underlying beliefs, values, and culture of the business AND the people, NOT just focusing on Technician skills. Further, Technician Retention requires a two part solution - the business (and management) needs to become "retention worthy" that is aligned with values that are congruent with those of technical professionals. We know when workshops achieve this because they move beyond being fixated on money and "paying" technicians, to authentically rewarding, resourcing, and recognizing their technicians. Technicians also need to become professionals and "worthy of being retained." This requires an upgrade not just of skill but of their internal resourcefulness. Skill alone doesn't make one a "professional" And this - the internal resourcefulness - is the piece that we're missing. #automotive, #automotiveaftermarket, #FixedOperations,#skillsshortage, #theresourcefultechnician