Photos
Under The Hood
Is the shop heated? Air conditioned?
Nelson Hall Chevrolet has plenty of fans in the shop in the summer and it is heated in the winter. We just renovated the technician restroom. Working temperatures can get challenging at times, but our technician's work environment is important. During the summer we provide cold bottled water.
What is the size of the team I’d be working with?
We currently have 7 line technicians and 3 quick lube specialists in addition to 3 service advisors, a warranty administrator plus two additional service support specialists. Nelson Hall Chevrolet currently employs around 45 people.
What are the shop hours and what are the shift timeframes?
Nelson Hall Chevrolet shop hours are 07:30 a.m. until 05:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Technicians are required to work a minimum of 40 hours per week but may work more if desired. Most technicians work between 08:00 a.m. and 05:00 p.m. but some flexibility is allowed as long as a minimum of 40 hours is worked.
What tools does the shop provide that are available for all technicians to use?
Plenty of shop lifts are available. We currently have more lifts than line technicians. All GM factory tools are available. Any special tools provided by GM are available.
What type of break room facility is provided?
We have a conference room that is always available to all employees for breaks or time away from the work environment. It is part of the main building and has an outside entrance.
How many bays does your shop have?
We have over 20 service bays available. There is more available shop space than any shop in the area.
How many repair orders do you average per month?
Our current average is between 700 and 800 repair orders per month at Nelson Hall Chevrolet
What is your parts ordering process?
We have a parts rear counter easily accessible to technicians with a parts specialist assisting with the order. Warranty parts may be ordered upon proper diagnosis in consultation with the service advisor. Service advisor approval is required to order customer pay parts.
What is your policy on side work?
Any work done on weekends or evenings at a technician's home is allowed as long as it is not a Nelson Hall Chevrolet customer or a customer that has come as a result of a relationship with Nelson Hall Chevrolet, or is any conflict of interest with Nelson Hall Chevrolet. No side work is allowed on Nelson Hall Chevrolet property. Work on a personal or family vehicle is allowed as long as a repair order is written. Personal vehicles are charged 1/2 of the normal hourly labor rate.
Are there any other unique features of the work environment worth noting?
We are very flexible with off time for technicians that show a good work ethic. We are closed Saturday and Sunday.
Do you offer any skills training or continuing education opportunities?
We pay you for training. Training is available every day. Online training hours are compensated. Offsite training is also available after certain requirements are met. We pay all fees associated with ASE or any other training deemed worthwhile.
Can you describe opportunities for career growth at your business?
Compensation and training course completion increase month to month and year to year, depending on the motivation of the individual. You also will be enrolled in General Motors programs where you have the opportunity to receive additional compensation.
Can you describe your performance review process?
The review process is not formal. That being said, you will always know where you stand at Nelson Hall Chevrolet. The owner, Steve Hall, and the service manager, Donnie Gardner are available.
What type of safety training is required?
Most courses have safety training as an element of the course.
Can you describe how Techs work with and mentor younger techs?
All technicians assist each other regardless of age or experience.
How does your shop get involved with the local community?
For over 50 years, we have been involved with nearly everyone in our community of Meridian and the surrounding area.
Do you do anything with local high schools or tech schools to encourage more students to enter the profession?
We have reached out to Ross Collins in Meridian. This is a great profession for any person with an aptitude for the job and a strong work ethic. We are very selective in our hiring process.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention about career development and community?
Technicians get paid to do web based training and distance training
Do you phone screen applicants before doing in-person interviews?
Sometimes we do the primary interview by phone and sometimes in person. We always talk to an applicant in person before our final hiring decision.
What do your in-person interviews entail?
We ask about any legal question one can imagine to learn more about an applicant. That being said, the interview is less important than work history and recommendations by former employers as well as professional qualifications.
Do you perform background checks, drug screening, or personality tests before hiring an applicant?
Yes we do all of those.
Do you perform a skill assessment before hiring an applicant? If yes, what does it entail?
We use an aptitude test called Caliper Selector. This is a hiring tool, but we recognize some people do not test well, and have had successful employees that did not perform well on the test. We do not share test results with the applicant. We use it mainly to highlight an applicant we may not have considered based on past work experience or qualifications.
After an in-person interview, approximately how long should I expect to wait for a rejection or an offer?
We will discuss that at the interview. How quickly an applicant responds to the reference check, the Caliper test, and the background check usually dictate the speed of a final decision.
Approximately how long does the full hiring process take from submitting the application to the time of the hiring decision?
Again, the speed depends on the speed of the response time by the applicant. We have hired an applicant in as little as 3 days.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention about your hiring process?
Every step in the hiring process is required by every candidate. We have hired many successful employees that may have had a negative mark in their background. We need to know any major negatives in someone's past from the applicant before we discover this in a background check or from a former employer.
Technician
Pay Range: $35,000.00 - $100,000.00/year
Our highest compensated technicians work on commission as they have the skills to competently produce the maximum number of productive hours, plus they are paid at a much higher hourly rate. We have not had a shortage of vehicles to repair or maintain in the history of this dealership. We also have a group of midlevel and oil change technicians paid a guaranteed hourly rate plus commission. Additionally, technicians are paid for appearing in a video for the customer when necessary. Our highest compensated technician made over 100,000 last year and is on track to exceed this figure significantly.
- Health Insurance Offered
- We pay 50% of the health insurance premium. Blue Cross Blue Shield is our carrier.
- Dental Insurance Offered
- We offer dental insurance
- Vision Insurance Offered
- The benefit is over $100 per year
- Retirement Plan Offered
- 401K plan available after 1 year of service.
- Sick Leave Offered
- An employee can use up to 5 paid personal workdays per year for any reason. Details are in the Nelson Hall Chevrolet Employee Handbook.
- Vacation Offered
- One week of paid vacation after one year. Two weeks of paid vacation three years.
- Paid Holidays Offered
- Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day are all paid holidays.
- ST / LT Disability Offered
- Available for a cost
- Life Insurance Offered
- Available for a cost.
- Uniforms Offered
- We provide Nelson Hall Chevrolet logoed shirts several times per year through Lands End.
- Other Offered
- Just ask someone employed at Nelson Hall Chevrolet about our benefits. We have additional opportunities offered from time to time. As an employer, we do not want to over-promise as we aim to retain the employees we hire. We have a Nelson Hall Chevrolet handbook that details our policies and benefits.
Shop Talk

This shop has not yet added any Shop Talk posts.