Great lake student loan

Remember what I said in the last issue: Replacing a great tech can cost you up to 35 grand, so it makes sense to keep them around. Great techs quit for numerous reasons, but four causes are seen over and over again.

Mismatched expectations. This problem starts at the interview where responsibilities and rewards are not clearly understood by either party. If techs expect the job to be more fulfilling or exciting than it really is, they'll start searching the want ads in short order. For example, they may think you hired them to be performance gurus, to run the dyno and build go-fast machines all day. When reality sets in--that 70 percent of most service work is for routine stuff like 5,000-mile services and bolt-on accessory installations--their expectations are at odds with the real world.

Likewise, if a service manager expects more out of the tech's performance than he thinks he's getting, well, Houston, we have a problem. Then, in desperation, the manager applies a little pressure on the tech to make improvements. The tech perceives that as badgering, and the employee/employer relationship unravels like a cheap sweater.

The fix? Before hiring your next technician, create an interview plan (see last month's article) so expectations and responsibilities are clearly communicated early on. Promote the job truthfully. Don't paint an unrealistically rosy picture just to fill an empty stall. It's better to have candidates pass on your job opening than to invest in their learning curve and have them quit just when they start to make the store a profit.

Start a mentor program where novice technicians are placed under the guidance of an experienced tech. Choose technicians with excellent work habits so that good traits are passed on. You can reward the mentor with a portion of the novice tech's labor.

Crappy conditions. A shop can be in such disarray that it drives good employees away. Causes: broken or nonexistent systems, poor leadership or inadequate facilities or equipment. Ultimately, the frustration caused by a poorly run service department becomes too much for the techs to bear, and so they start looking for greener pastures. That's what drove me out of the shops and into the world of technical training.

The fixes? First, commit to doing exit interviews to learn what motivated the tech to leave. Second, hold meetings to identify any area that needs improvement. Manager-only meetings help to understand the broader picture. Meetings that include all service department employees serve to learn the nitty-gritty. Set some rules of conduct to keep everyone focused on problem solving--rules like no complaining without offering at least one viable solution and no personal attacks, only problem identification. You'll probably find most employees have a strong desire to improve their working conditions. Those who just want to bitch may be the primary cause of your departmental disease, and may force you to perform a little surgery. You should get lots of good ideas. Vote on which will get the most bang for the buck and get on track to change at least one or two things per month.

Transplant rejection. This happens when new hires accept a job in a town where they lack family or friends. They start the job excited about their new challenges and the new environment; then they lose enthusiasm when the newness wears off. If the going gets too tough, they pull up stakes and head home for support.

The fix? Whenever possible, hire from your area. If the pickings are slim, start gardening. Advertise via word of mouth or in local papers for novice candidates who want to learn the business from the ground up. Test for mechanical aptitude and a great attitude. For those who want to attend technical schools, entice them back to your shop by offering to pay their monthly student loan payment as long as they remain employed in your store. It's called a tuition reimbursement program, and it's considered a business expense when you pay the lender directly.

Compensation and benefits. Someone once said, "Don't mess with a man's paycheck." There's truth to that saying, but compensation ain't the No. 1 reason great techs take off. That said, if you don't employ your techs year-round, if the wages you pay them are woefully below that paid by most local service-related businesses, or if the benefit package is nonexistent or less than the burger-flipper's down the street, then expect to see lots of new faces in service. If great techs with five or more years of experience can't envision buying a home on the salary they earn, they'll be on the lookout for more rewarding employment, even if they love the job, you and your customers.

The fix? It's not as simple as throwing money at your personnel. It's more the combination of the first three fixes previously mentioned and a compensation-and-benefits package that's in the realm of what an auto technician would receive. According to those in the know, the average pay for a motorcycle technician is about $30,000 to $60,000 per year for an experienced tech and $8 to $13 per hour for a novice. American V-twin techs are typically paid more than others. Shops with low technician turnover typically keep closer to the upper range noted.

One dealership worth noting that's experiencing low technician turnover is Chosa's Harley-Davidson in Mesa, Arizona. At Chosa's techs receive a competitive wage, paid vacations and holidays and a good share of their health, dental and vision insurance premium. Additionally, Chosa's offers an employee-contributed 401(k) program and supplemental accident insurance. But wait, that's not all! Chosa's managers use a detailed interview plan when they hire. The dealership also has a mentoring program for novice technicians and performs routine drug testing to avoid the pitfalls of dependency-related problems.

So, you see, it can be done. You can hire great techs and keep them around long enough to make your life easier and your business more lucrative.

Happy Hunting Grounds

A few schools where novice techs can be found (forgive me if I didn't list all schools offering motorcycle technician courses):

* American Motorcycle Institute in Daytona, Florida. Contact Graduate Placement at (800) 881-2264.

* Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Phoenix and Orlando, Florida. Contact Graduate Placement at (800) 528-7995.

* Lake Washington Technical College in Kirkland, Washington. Contact Bob Monroig at (425) 739-8238.

* Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas. Contact Steve Vergara at (620) 231-3818.

Dave Koshollek teaches sales and service classes for dealership personnel. His career includes stints as a service manager, Dynojet VP and director of technical training at MMI. Email him at DAKOenterprises@cs.com.