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Under The Hood
Is the shop heated? Air conditioned?
Our shop has heat and 4 oversized overhead fans. We also provide our employees with Gatorade on hot days.
What is the size of the team I’d be working with?
Currently our service team consists of 12 automotive technicians, 4 service consultants, 2 service drive porters, 1 shop porter, a dispatcher, and service manager. We also have 4 parts counter salespeople, 1 shipping/receiving clerk, and a parts manager.
What are the shop hours and what are the shift timeframes?
Our service department is open Monday thru Friday from 7am to 6pm. Our technicians work from 8am to 4:30pm and get a half hour lunch break.
What tools does the shop provide that are available for all technicians to use?
All manufacturer specialty tools are provided. Each technician is supplied with their own computer and manufacturer specific scan tools. We also make sure we have up to date tire machines and other shop equipment.
What type of break room facility is provided?
We have a recently updated technician break room area with several microwaves, toaster oven, refrigerator, coffee, television, and vending machines.
How many bays does your shop have?
16 bays including our flush mount drive on alignment rack.
How many repair orders do you average per month?
450 total RO's per month. 50 warranty RO's per month.
What is your parts ordering process?
Technicians do inquiries for parts pricing and availability. Once the work it authorized, the service consultants will give the parts department the go-ahead on ordering. Once the parts arrive, we have a special order parts staging area in the shop.
What is your policy on side work?
We ask that our technicians do not work on our makes/models on their own time. We do allow technicians to work on their own vehicle before or after hours in our shop.
Do you offer any skills training or continuing education opportunities?
We enroll all our main line technicians in factory training programs. We also pay for training and ASE certifications.
Can you describe opportunities for career growth at your business?
We encourage our employees to grow their careers with us. We have many success stories of technicians careers developing into many different areas of our business.
Can you describe your performance review process?
We do annual performance reviews. All employees also will have a regular one on one meeting with their manager.
What type of safety training is required?
Automotive lift safety. Hazardous materials handling.
Can you describe how Techs work with and mentor younger techs?
We work to match personalities so our young technicians and their mentors are a match.
How does your shop get involved with the local community?
One of our core values is "Faith, Family, and Community". We host several events at the dealership throughout the year and encourage our employees to participate in events that speak to their heart. Some examples include: Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Animal Rescue League, Pheasants Forever, American Heart Association, and many more!
Do you do anything with local high schools or tech schools to encourage more students to enter the profession?
We work closely with local high school and community colleges to help bring students into our trade. Our managers and technicians all play a role in building the next generation of technicians.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention about career development and community?
We have a professional development program and a personal development program that encourage our employees to further their careers in the automotive industry.
Do you phone screen applicants before doing in-person interviews?
Yes. Our talent acquisition specialist will reach out for a quick 10 minute phone screen.
What do your in-person interviews entail?
Our hiring managers and human resources team conduct our interviews.
Do you perform background checks, drug screening, or personality tests before hiring an applicant?
We do a criminal background check, motor vehicle record check, and drug testing.
Do you perform a skill assessment before hiring an applicant? If yes, what does it entail?
We do not perform any skills assessments.
After an in-person interview, approximately how long should I expect to wait for a rejection or an offer?
We always hope to have a decision within a few days of the in-person interview. In many situations we have offered potential employees a job on the spot.
Approximately how long does the full hiring process take from submitting the application to the time of the hiring decision?
Less than a week.
Express Technician
Pay Range: $17.00 - $20.00/hour
Express technicians are paid hourly.
Apprentice Technician
Pay Range: $18.00 - $23.00/hour
Our apprentice technicians are guaranteed their clock hours, but are paid flat rate.
C Level Technician
Pay Range: $21.00 - $25.00/hour
C Level Technicians are guaranteed 80% of their clock hours and are paid flat rate.
B Level Technician
Pay Range: $26.00 - $35.00/hour
B Level Technicians are guaranteed 80% of their clock hours and are paid flat rate.
A Level Technician
Pay Range: $35.00 - $45.00/hour
A Level Technicians are guaranteed 100% of their clock hours and are paid flat rate.
- Health Insurance Offered
- Our health insurance provider is Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. We offer 3 different plan options (PPO, HMO, High deductible). For our high deductible health care plans we also offer a health savings account with a company contribution.
- Dental Insurance Offered
- Our dental insurance provider is Delta Dental. Delta Dental is a local Iowa provider and have the largest number of approved dentists in Central Iowa.
- Vision Insurance Offered
- Our vision provider is Delta Vision. Among other things, an annual eye exam is covered in your plan at no charge.
- Retirement Plan Offered
- Willis Automotive automatically enrolls employees into our 401k plan the first day of the month after 30 days of employment at 6%. Employer match is 50% on your first 6%. Our 401k provider is Principal Financial Group.
- Sick Leave Offered
- We have PTO that covers both sick and vacation time. Employees start accruing PTO on their first day of employment.
- Vacation Offered
- We have PTO that covers both sick and vacation time. Employees start accruing PTO on their first day of employment. Technician's PTO pay rates are also calculated on their productivity.
- Paid Holidays Offered
- We offer 6 paid holidays. New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. If a holiday falls on a weekend, we still pay our technicians for that holiday.
- ST / LT Disability Offered
- Short term disability is a discretionary benefit our employees can enroll in during their new hire enrollment Long term disability is a company paid benefit and all employees are automatically enrolled.
- Life Insurance Offered
- Life insurance is a discretionary benefit available to all employees. Willis Automotive also provides a death benefit of $12,500 in the event of an employees passing.
- Uniforms Offered
- Willis Automotive works with a local uniform vendor for our regular shop uniforms. We also provide dry fit t shirts that are allowed to be worn in lieu of the normal uniform.
- Other Offered
- Our technicians qualify for a discretionary 3 year deferred compensation package.