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Under The Hood
Is the shop heated? Air conditioned?
The shop is well heated using a waste oil furnace. We have discussed with the landlord about installing A/C in the shop. He has given us the tentative go ahead. We are planning to discuss with our Team members and if everyone votes to allocate funding towards an A/C system, we will add it to our Goals and Budget for 2022 or 2023.
What is the size of the team I’d be working with?
We currently have 9 Full Time Team members: *4 ASE Certified Technicians *1 Service Manager *1 Service Advisor *1 Salesperson who is focused on selling Maintenance Memberships and Used Cars *1 Shop Owner *1 Bookkeeper
What are the shop hours and what are the shift timeframes?
Our posted Business Hours are currently Monday to Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM. Technicians are expected to be at the Shop, dressed and ready to work by 7:45AM and to be wrapping up their daily work, cleaning their bay and tools by 5:00PM - 5:30PM. We schedule for the Technicians to take up to 1 hour for lunch and usually happens from Noon to 1:00PM. We have discussed offering flexible schedule options with our Team and have discussed options for a 4 Day Work Week. A
What tools does the shop provide that are available for all technicians to use?
Our Shop is extremely well equipped with Shop Equipment. We are constantly adding to our Shop Equipment whenever our Technicians advise us there is a need. We believe in buying top of the line equipment that allows our Technicians to perform their highest quality work. The list below is a partial list of our most important Shop Equipment that gets used on a daily basis. We have lots and lots of smaller, less used tools as well. *Hunter Hawkeye Elite Alignment Machine with an 18,000lb 4 Post Hunter Lift *Hunter RoadForce Tire Balancing Machine *Hunter Revolution "Robot Assisted" Tire Mounting Machine *Mig and Tig Welders *Torches *Autel MaxiSys Ultra Diagnostic Computer with Labscope *Autel MaxiSys Elite Diagnostic Computer *Drive Diagnostic Computer by Opus/IVS which offers Remote Technical Assistance *AETools Diagnostic Laptop with OEM software for Ford, GM, and Chrysler *Drew Technologies J2534 Pass-through Device *Snap-On Smart Battery Charger *Battery Testers *Shop Press *Strut Machine *Robinair A/C Machine *Diagnostic Smoke Machine *BG Fluid Exchange Machines for Coolant, Power Steering, Transmission, Brake Fluid *Shop Laptop for Each Technician *AAMCO Brake Lathe *1 Man Ball Joint Tool *Environmentally friendly Parts Washer *Alldata Subscription *Identifix Subscription *AVI On Demand - Online Training
What type of break room facility is provided?
We have a dedicated Break Room for Team members to use. There is a refrigerator, microwave, toaster oven, Keurig coffee machine, water cooler, and a breakroom table and chairs. We also stock it with paper plates and plastic utensils.
How many bays does your shop have?
Our shop is a warehouse style with an open floor plan. *We have four bays with two-post lifts which are each assigned to a Technician with ample space in front of each lift for the Technician's toolbox and accessory carts. *We also have an 18,000lb Hunter four-post lift at the Alignment station which is shared by all Technicians. *We have several areas of the shop that can be used as "flat bay space" for services that don't require a lift. These areas are also shared by all Technicians.
How many repair orders do you average per month?
Our current average for Repair Orders is 175 with an average of 2.91 Hours of Billed Labor per Repair Order. We are looking to increase our volume as our Team grows and we currently have plenty of customer demand to do so. We are typically booked 1-2 weeks in advance with a waiting list.
What is your parts ordering process?
We stock all regular parts needed for Maintenance Services including Engine Oil Filters, Engine Air Filters, Cabin Air Filters, Diesel Fuel Filters, and drums of both Full Synthetic and Synthetic Blend Engine Oil for 0W20, 5W20, and 5W30. We have drums of Coolant and Washer Fluid. We also have a significant stock of Amsoil Full Synthetic Engine Oils in multiple viscosities, Diesel Engine Oil, and specialty oils and fluids. Technicians are dispatched each ticket and are expected to address all of the documented concerns that the customer has for Diagnostics, Maintenance, and Repairs as well as to perform a Vehicle Health Inspection. Once the initial concerns are addressed and the Vehicle Health Inspection has been completed, the Service Manager with review findings with the Technician. The Service Manager will share the Technician's findings and the Vehicle Health Inspection by Text or Email with the customer and discuss options with customer to have services performed during the same appointment or to schedule a follow-up visit. Service Manager will immediately order all needed Parts once jobs have been approved by the customer. (Note: All common Parts are usually received from the parts Vendors within 15-90 minutes. Out of Stock or Specialty Parts may take additional time to receive and Service Manager will coordinate plans with Tech and Customer.) Technicians are expected to review Labor Procedures in Alldata and/or Identifix and also inspect all surrounding components before finalizing their recommendations/quote to ensure that any surprises that can be avoided once the job is approved and work begins.
What is your policy on side work?
As a general statement, we do not allow our Technicians to perform side work either at our shop or at their home or another shop. Our reasoning behind this is we feel that professional Technicians should be proud of the Shop that they have chosen as their home and they should feel confident and comfortable referring their Friends, Family, and Acquaintances to use the Shop the same way our current customers do. We also believe it is the Technician's professional responsibility to show up every day with the energy and focus to perform at their best. we've found in the past that when Technicians engage in side work, they end up burning the candle at both ends and inevitably get burned out and don't bring their "A-Game" to work every day. Note: We DO allow our Technicians to use our shop to perform Maintenance and Repairs on their own vehicles as well as for immediate family members (usually limited to Spouse and Kids).
Are there any other unique features of the work environment worth noting?
*We typically hold Team meetings at least once every Quarter and the Company provides lunch for all Team members. *We have a very nice, professional Waiting Room for Customers that is spacious and comfortable with leather couches, a Keurig machine, water cooler, and TV. *We offer complimentary Loaner Cars for our customer's to use while we are servicing their vehicles. This helps customers Approve more work which also helps job stability for all of our Team. *We have recently launched our Maintenance Membership program which ahs been in the works for several years. It has been a huge hit with our customers so far and promises to be a great way for us to retain the relationship with our customers for many years which helps provide job stability for everyone on our Team. *We offer the NAPA Easy Pay Credit Card which allows our customers access to a Deferred Interest program that costs 0% for 6 Months. This helps customers Approve more work which also helps job stability for all of our Team.
Do you offer any skills training or continuing education opportunities?
Yes!! We love helping our Team members expand their knowledge and skills! *We provide online training for all of our Technicians via www.aviondemand.com as well as other online training through Parts Vendor and Manufacturer training portals. *Although it has been much less available during the pandemic, we pay for in-person training both through Parts Vendors and Specialty Training Programs that Technicians are able to choose on their own. All training programs must be approved by the Service Manager. *We reimburse Technicians for all ASE tests that they Pass. *We pay for all costs associated with Technicians acquiring and/or renewing their MA State Inspector's License. *If a Technician has a specific course they would like to attend or if they have any other creative ideas for them to improve their knowledge and skills, we'd love to hear their ideas and as long as their is a related value to the Company and our Customers, we will most likely approve the funding needed. We want to see our Team achieve their dreams!
Can you describe opportunities for career growth at your business?
*Technicians have a clear path to elevate their career with our company from whatever level they start at all the way through becoming an ASE Certified Master Technician...and we'll cover the cost of all courses and tests as long as they Pass! *If a Technician is interested in transitioning to a role as Service Advisor or Service Manager, company management will entertain that option if they have the necessary skills and if/when a position becomes available. *We are considering several different areas for possible business expansion in the future. One option is to add a Mobile Diagnostic Van and a second option is to expand to additional locations. Both of these future expansion options will offer new opportunities for our Team members to grow into. *We have a large Network of Shops, Vendors, and other Industry Partners that we can reach out to for placement assistance if any of our Team members has a desire to relocate to a different area of the country or wants to transition into a different type of role that is not available at our Company.
Can you describe your performance review process?
The Owner and the Service Manager both have an "open door policy" and Team members are encouraged to openly discuss any topics that are of concern to them both professionally and personally. We are currently working on implementing a formal review process for performance assessments. In the past, our Team has been relatively small and it was easy for the Owner and Service Manager to stay in regular communication and we regularly discussed individual performance as well as overall shop performance during informal daily conversations and would schedule specific meetings as needed based on the Team members wants and needs and based on the Shop's wants and needs. As our Team continues to grow and the Ownership/Management dynamic is changing, we have decided there is more of a need to implement a more structured process and schedule for our performance reviews.
What type of safety training is required?
All Technicians are expected to have had prior training on: *Lift Safety *Safe Repair Procedures (should be reviewed on each repair through Alldata and/or Identifix) *Safely and Properly Torqueing Lug Nuts *Environmental Safety related to Oils, Fluids, and Chemicals *Safe Operation of Shop Equipment *Test Drive Safety *Personal Safety related to Eye and Ear Protection Equipment Usage *OSHA Certification is a plus
Can you describe how Techs work with and mentor younger techs?
We have discussed the option of bringing on Apprentice Technicians and/or Shop Helpers but have not done so yet. All of our Technicians are either "A-Level" or B-Level" qualifications and generally don't require traditional mentoring. our Technicians generally work very well as a Team and they will help each other out whenever needed.
How does your shop get involved with the local community?
*We regularly sponsor Local Town/School Sports Teams. (mostly in Douglas and Uxbridge) *We sponsor Operation Safe Graduation events. *We make donations of cash and needed products to The People First Food Pantry in Uxbridge.
Do you do anything with local high schools or tech schools to encourage more students to enter the profession?
We have had interactions with the Auto Tech program at Blackstone Valley Regional Technical High School in the past, but haven't worked with them since the pandemic started. We are interested in working more closely with the local high schools and tech schools in the future.
Where do you see the shop in five years?
This is a very hard question to answer given the current state of our economy and world... At the beginning of 2020, we had a Team Meeting and discussed our plans for improvement and expansion. Before we had barely gotten started on our plans, the whole world went into lockdown and life hasn't been the same since. although we've made some headway on our plans, many of our plans have either been delayed or temporarily derailed. We are currently being cautious about our expansion plans until it feels like we have more of a solid foundation as far as the economy and business climate are concerned. In the meantime, we are working on making internal changes that are improving the Customer Experience and improving our internal processes and procedures to help us become the most efficient and effective that we can be until the time is right to expand. We have started to expand in the following areas: *We've added 3 Complimentary Loaner Cars and have plans to continue to expand our Fleet. *We've re-activated our Used Car Sales department. *We've recently launched our Maintenance Membership program which is an Industry Disruptor! *We are working on some plans to add a Mobile Diagnostic Van and possibly expanding to multiple locations...both of which have a good possibility of happening within the next 5 years.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention about career development and community?
TBD
Do you have an application form and how long does it typically take to complete?
Yes. You can find it on this page. It should only take 5-10 minutes to complete.
Do you phone screen applicants before doing in-person interviews?
In most cases, we do speak with interested candidates by phone before we set up an in-person meeting. However, we are flexible. We know that the best candidates are in high demand and we are open to skipping the phone interview and scheduling an in-person meeting ASAP.
What do your in-person interviews entail?
We start with an introduction to our Shop Manager and Owner and then give the candidate a tour of our shop. We then sit down for an informal "Get to Know Each Other" conversation. We'll review the candidates resume and Certifications during the conversation and answer any questions that the candidate may have. The conversation is generally laid back and we just want to get to know each other a little bit to decide if the candidates goals are aligned with our company goals and if personalities seem like a good fit.
Do you perform background checks, drug screening, or personality tests before hiring an applicant?
We don't currently have specific requirements for background checks, drug screening, or personality tests. We are working with our HR company and may add some or all of these in the future.
Do you perform a skill assessment before hiring an applicant? If yes, what does it entail?
Depending on the situation, we may discuss the option of a 2 Day working trial and/or some skills assessment prior to making a final offer.
After an in-person interview, approximately how long should I expect to wait for a rejection or an offer?
We understand that your time is valuable and that you may be considering multiple offers. We will contact you within 24 Hours after an in-person interview to either make you an offer to join our team or to let you know that we've decided on a different candidate.
Approximately how long does the full hiring process take from submitting the application to the time of the hiring decision?
Depending on everyone's schedules, we usually try to move the process forward quickly. We can usually accomplish all steps within a few days...sometimes as fast as 24-48 hours.
A Level Technician
Pay Range: $60,000.00 - $120,000.00/year
ASE Certified Master Technician
B Level Technician
Pay Range: $40,000.00 - $70,000.00/year
ASE Certified Technician
C Level Technician
Pay Range: $35,000.00 - $50,000.00/year
ASE Certified Technician
Service Advisor
Pay Range: $50,000.00 - $75,000.00/year
ASE Certified Service Advisor
Service Manager
Pay Range: $65,000.00 - $100,000.00/year
ASE Certified Service Manager
Student Tech / Apprentice
Pay Range: $13.00 - $18.00/hour
Entry Level Apprentice/Technician Trainee
- Health Insurance Offered
- Company pays 50% of a Single Plan. Employee pays the difference based on whichever plan they select (Single or Family). We have had the HMO Blue New England plan for several years now. We re-evaluate the plan with our Team every year at renewal time to ensure that the Cost and Coverage is the best value for our Team.
- Dental Insurance Offered
- Dental Insurance is available. Premiums are paid by the employee. The current plan being offered is the DPPO Low Dental Plan by Cigna. Here is a link to a video that provides a Benefits Summary of the Dental Insurance program from Cigna: https://youtu.be/XOKoeWqaWMA
- Vision Insurance Offered
- Vision Insurance is available. Premiums are paid by the employee. Here is a link to a video that provides a Benefits Summary of the Vision Insurance program from Cigna: https://youtu.be/EALCkfW8_XY
- Retirement Plan Not Offered
- Sick Leave Offered
- We provide 40 Hours of "Personal Time" on the 1 Year Anniversary of employment and 80 Hours of "Personal Time" on the 2 Year Anniversary. "Personal Time" can be used for "Personal Time Off", "Vacation", or "Sick Time" at the Employee's discretion to fit their personal situation.
- Vacation Offered
- We provide 40 Hours of "Personal Time" on the 1 Year Anniversary of employment and 80 Hours of "Personal Time" on the 2 Year Anniversary. "Personal Time" can be used for "Personal Time Off", "Vacation", or "Sick Time" at the Employee's discretion to fit their personal situation.
- Paid Holidays Offered
- We offer Paid Holidays for the following Nationally Recognized Holidays: Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
- ST / LT Disability Offered
- Short-term and Long-term Disability Insurance is available. Premiums are paid by the employee. Voluntary Short Term Income Protection by Reliance Standard Plan Highlights: Disability income protection insurance provides a benefit for "short term" disability resulting from a covered injury or sickness. Benefits begin at the end of the elimination period and continue while you are disabled up to the maximum benefit duration. Your benefit amount is equal to 60% of your weekly salary to a maximum weekly benefit of $700. The benefit duration will be paid up to a maximum of 26 weeks. Benefits begin on the 1st consecutive day of disability for injuries (accidents) and on the 8th consecutive day of disability for sickness (illness). Voluntary Long Term Income Protection by Reliance Standard Plan Highlights: Disability income protection insurance provides a benefit for "long term" disability resulting from a covered injury or sickness. Benefits begin at the end of the elimination period and continue while you are disabled up to the maximum benefit duration. Your benefit amount is equal to 60% of your monthly covered earnings, up to a maximum of $6,000. The elimination period is 180 consecutive days of total disability.
- Life Insurance Offered
- Company provides a $25,000 Life Insurance Policy for Every Employee that is Paid by the Company. Additional coverage is available to purchase at the employees discretion.
- Uniforms Offered
- The Company provides Uniforms for 2 Weeks. We currently provide Premium Uniforms by Red Cap.
- Other Offered
- Additional Benefits are available at the employee's option through our HR/PEO Partner, RMI Solutions. If you'd like a Summary of Additional Benefits, please click the link below to watch the video...\ https://youtu.be/c2M79HVVqY8 Voluntary Accident Insurance by Reliance Standard Plan Highlights: Voluntary accident insurance provides a range of fixed, lump-sum benefits for injuries resulting from a covered accident. These benefits are paid directly to the insured and may be used for any reason, from deductibles and prescriptions to transportation and childcare. Please refer to the attached highlight sheet for more information. This benefit includes a Wellness Health Screening Benefit of $50. Coverage is 100% paid by the employee.
