Precision Imports, Inc. - Technician Jobs in Milaca, MN

Top Shop for Technician Jobs in Milaca, MN

Photos

  • Our front entrance to the shop.
  • A quick snap shot of the front
  • Our service team
  • Customer waiting area and employee break area. We have very few "waiters", so this area is open to employees most of the time.
  • View of the break area and upstairs to office/bathroom/parts room.
  • Owners, Tony & Jennifer Ringham.
  • Repair in process @ PI
  • Shop floor view from above. We have a bright and clean workspace that we take pride in as a team.
  • Precision Imports, Inc. shop photo
  • Our parts room, we do not stock much. Most parts arrive UPS Next Day Air for repair.

Under The Hood

Is the shop heated? Air conditioned?

Absolutely! We wouldn't have it any other way. We actually have 2 sources of heat and 2 air conditioners! Our shop is a consistent 68 degrees no matter the time of year or how often the doors open.

What is the size of the team I’d be working with?

We consistently have 2 full-time technicians and a full-time service writer. Also, both owners work in the shop as managers and owners.

What are the shop hours and what are the shift timeframes?

We value our personal lives and the lives of our employees. Our desire is to have the most profitable shop in the most reasonable hours to serve both our employees and customers. We are open Monday through Thursday - 8am to 5pm and Fridays 8am - 3pm. Additional hours are commonly available if a technician would like to work more for higher income.

What tools does the shop provide that are available for all technicians to use?

All special tools and scanners are provided by the shop. We have 2 of the latest Matco scanners, and an Autel scanner, in addition to many European specialty tool kits.

What type of break room facility is provided?

We've included a picture in our bio. Our break room doubles as the customer waiting area but this is rarely an issue. Customer waiting appointments are only scheduled in the morning and then the area is free for employee use. We have a fridge, microwave, Keurig coffee maker, Culligan water (hot and cold), and plates/napkins/silverware available. We also regularly stock the fridge with pop and sparkling water and it's not uncommon to find snacks on the counter for sharing!

How many bays does your shop have?

5 bays. 4 lifts and 1 wash bay.

How many repair orders do you average per month?

125-135 ROs - we do a lot of big jobs, not many small tickets. Our average RO is $750, trending upwards. Less cars to pull in and out, more work performed. Did we mention, that we do NOT do tires or alignments!!

What is your parts ordering process?

The service writer creates all work orders, sells the work, orders parts, receives parts, and has them ready for technicians on the parts bench. Techs do have access to ordering their own parts when it serves the shop and customers best to do so. These parts automatically get added to our ROs and accounted for. All orders are placed electronically; we rarely call for parts.

What is your policy on side work?

Employees may use the shop and tools to repair their family's vehicles with permission (outside of work hours). We do not allow employees to fix vehicles for money in our shop for liability reasons.

Are there any other unique features of the work environment worth noting?

Many! This is where we shine! We are located in a rural area but have a very strong customer base. This results in fewer interruptions and a greater ability to control our schedule. Our shop is highly temperature controlled, extremely well lit with the help of white polished concrete floors and solar tubes, and cleaned every weekend by support staff. We do not do tires or alignments, we sublet this work. Our road and lot are paved and the parking situation is plentiful. We consider our parking lot and shop to be well laid out and functional for our customers and team. Lower stress = more productivity for all!

Do you offer any skills training or continuing education opportunities?

Yes, both formally and on the job. We are happy to share our years of European auto repair experience with technicians joining our team. We also pay for and reimburse time invested in outside training sources. We use both Worldpac and Oreilleys training programs when appropriate.

Can you describe opportunities for career growth at your business?

We are a relatively small shop with a limited amount of mobility in terms of title. However, we feel we reward good work with consistent reviews and pay increases on a regular basis. It's rare for an employee to need to ask us for a raise. We are very aware of how much we need our staff and appreciate them as such. We do hope to implement a Shop Foreman position in the future that would provide an opportunity for technicians to level-up.

Can you describe your performance review process?

We meet with employees quarterly to discuss their progress and goals. We like to know our employees personally and understand where they see themselves in months and years to come. This is a one-on-one meeting on-site, often during work hours. Sometimes we head to lunch off-site to meet as well.

What type of safety training is required?

When hired we review fire safety procedures and first aid procedures. We do not outsource any specific training.

Can you describe how Techs work with and mentor younger techs?

We do occasionally hire younger technicians. The owner typically mentors them, however, if a tech on staff is a good fit for helping guide the new-hire, we add compensation for them to do so.

How does your shop get involved with the local community?

We sponsor and donate to several different organizations in our small town. We do not currently directly involve our staff in these endeavors, but we do encourage generosity and helping those in need inside our shop when times arise.

Do you do anything with local high schools or tech schools to encourage more students to enter the profession?

The local high school visits us annually and we commonly are invited to speak to their students in trades classes. We have had a few interns from the high school as well as unpaid job shadows.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention about career development and community?

Truly, we see our employees as fellow humans and nearly family, not as machines and dollar signs. Production is important, we are all here to make money, but we seek to understand our employees and honor their desires as we all grow. We would like to add team members who not only want a streamlined work environment and competitive pay, but also value their schedule, work environment, and teammates. We spend a significant portion of our life at the shop - let's make it count!!

Do you phone screen applicants before doing in-person interviews?

Yes. We like to have a 5-10 minute call to see if we're a good fit before scheduling an in-person meeting.

What do your in-person interviews entail?

We meet at the shop so the potential employee can see our environment is FOR REAL (it really does look like the pictures). :) We spend 30-60 minutes getting to know each other better.

Do you perform background checks, drug screening, or personality tests before hiring an applicant?

We do check driving records and call past employers (with permission) for references.

Do you perform a skill assessment before hiring an applicant? If yes, what does it entail?

No.

After an in-person interview, approximately how long should I expect to wait for a rejection or an offer?

We aim to let interviewees know our intentions within 3 business days from the interview.

Approximately how long does the full hiring process take from submitting the application to the time of the hiring decision?

2 weeks is a common timeframe.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention about your hiring process?

We want to determine if we are a good fit for the employee long term, not just if the employee can be useful to us short term. We avoid short-term hires and like to keep a cohesive team and vision for the group.

A Level Technician Pay Range: $80,000.00 - $120,000.00/year

We use a strong base pay combined with a billed-hours bonus structure. The base pay encourages teamwork and shop care, while the billed-hours bonus incentivizes production.

B Level Technician Pay Range: $60,000.00 - $80,000.00/year

We use a strong base pay combined with a billed-hours bonus structure. The base pay encourages teamwork and shop care, while the billed-hours bonus incentivizes production.

C Level Technician Pay Range: $40,000.00 - $60,000.00/year

We use a strong base pay combined with a billed-hours bonus structure. The base pay encourages teamwork and shop care, while the billed-hours bonus incentivizes production.

Service Advisor Pay Range: $60,000.00 - $85,000.00/year

We use a strong base pay combined with a gross profit bonus structure. The base pay encourages teamwork and shop care, while the gross profit bonus incentivizes sales and margin considerations.

Lube Technician Pay Range: $20.00 - $30.00/hour

We use a strong base pay combined with a billed-hours bonus structure. The base pay encourages teamwork and shop care, while the billed-hours bonus incentivizes production.

Health Insurance Not Offered
Dental Insurance Not Offered
Vision Insurance Not Offered
Retirement Plan Offered
SIMPLE IRA, eligible for enrollment at 3 months, and employer match available up to 3%.
Sick Leave Offered
Jan 1 2024 employees will accumulate safe/sick leave per a new MN Statute.
Vacation Offered
1 Week is awarded at 1 Year, prorated, and then the Week is added Jan 1 for subsequent years following. We award additional time the longer an employee is with us.
Paid Holidays Offered
We pay for all major US Holidays and are closed on those days.
ST / LT Disability Not Offered
Life Insurance Not Offered
Uniforms Offered
Uniform service is fully paid for by the shop. We have a weekly pickup/drop-off.
Other Offered
We also provide Paid Birthdays off for full-time employees and pay $50.00 for referrals to the shop!

Shop Talk

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Tony & 2Tone are replacing the timing chains on the back of the engine in a diesel BMW X5. We've seen a couple of these jobs come through the shop. Tony explains what we're noticing and how we're walking out of the repair. Tony's a great teacher and enjoys sharing his experience!

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Today, Tony shares with us the reasoning behind replacing a worn clutch and dual mass flywheel on an Audi 2.0.

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Precision Imports is a TechNet Shop. This means greater parts availability in less time for more production. We manage our parts here at PI, parts don't manage us!

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While tranny swaps aren't our primary business, every once in a while, a ZF 8 speed needs our expertise. Here, Tony talks about why you can't just buy and install a used ZF 8HP transmission without planning to swap the control module.