Nose on the grindstone. Walser Buick GMC Bloomington (BGB) Semi-Skilled Technician Sophie Nystrom has the bar set high for herself.
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Nose on the grindstone. Walser Buick GMC Bloomington (BGB) Semi-Skilled Technician Sophie Nystrom has the bar set high for herself.
View full postIT Infrastructure Specialist Spencer Wyrick and IT Technician Jacob Marsnik met over six years ago at their UW River-Falls freshman dorm. They quickly became friends because they both studied computer science and shared interests like board games, biking, hiking, and video games.
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🔧 We're Hiring Experienced Technicians at Toyota of Corvallis! 🔧
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It's a great day to be alive!
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When it get hot we get the staff ice cream!
View full postHappy Friday! Almost every Friday our Parts team makes the whole dealership breakfast!
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Hello, I'm Bill Vickery, Sales & Leasing Consultant here at Tom Wood Subaru. Here’s why you should consider purchasing the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness:
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Getting our Thursday started right! Staying busy and getting vehicles completed and back on the road!
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Day 2 of Dealer Pro training for our advisors. All about SELLING today!
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One of our Junior Technicians replacing a heater support pump.
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Summer's in full swing! Which Chevrolet EV are you gearing up to take on your next road trip?
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Both sides of our Audi shops have multiple large ceiling fans that run throughout the day in order to keep the shop cool. On hot days, we will also close the bay doors in order to keep the excess heat out.
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SHOP SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY
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Does your shop have a documented career development path for technicians?
I think a lot of Techs are in the same boat as you, Russell. I'd like to get into the weeds a bit more on this topic. From a Techs perspective, what do you think is the best way of going about career development. Is it as simple as saying in "x" amount of years, you'll be in "x" position if you accomplish the goals you come up with? At times, I think the hardest part for both the management team and the Tech is coming up with what position they are aiming for. I've sat down with Techs who were adamant that they wanted to be a Service Manager, Advisor or even a GM. Quite a few of them hated it once they got there. It creates a weird dynamic where they want to go back to doing what they had once done but won't because it feels like a demotion. We recently had Lindsey Trett on a podcast and I loved her thoughts on this. She takes her Techs and has them job shadow other positions over the course of their career so they can see what they other jobs actually do. I think it gives Techs a different perspective so they can shoot for what they'd truly like to do. With that being said, I'm curious as to what you'd like to do after you're done wrenching. I really enjoy these types of conversations because I feel like it drives more understanding for both sides.
Technician
I have a bachelors degree and was a working shop foreman for a while. I went back to only working on cars and have made more money with less stress other than being bombarded with work. I can’t find another job that pays more than turning wrenches. Not even a field service engineer.
Technician
I went from tech to service manager to tech for the same reason I almost make twice as much as a tech
This makes me think of multiple things at once. Part of this issue is a larger social issue. Working any job until retirement age can be daunting. Many people feel trapped no matter what job you have. Finding a job that inspires you and makes you happy on most days is the key. Being a shop owner I have struggled with this as well, some days can be tough. The good days need to outshine the bad. The other dynamic is the limited positions available in an auto repair shop. Managers, Service advisors and Technicians are the main roles. I have experienced some technician become good Service Advisors but not many. A successful Service Advisor is a very upbeat people person, otherwise it will not last. Many technicians are happier in the shop behind the scenes. Working at a clean, professional, busy shop that pays appropriately is what can make the difference. The technician must feel appreciated and proud of themselves. They are the experts that perform the work that keeps all the customers on the road. Its an excellent career choice, and its just getting better due to the demand!
This is incredibly good and honest insight, Gabe. The line about having the good days outshine the bad is so on point for any job. Your second paragraph really hit home with me. It is so important for all of us to understand what our strengths and weaknesses are. When you have a clear understanding, you can own them. Took me a long time to understand that part early in my career. Great advice, my friend!
Our brand has a strong pathway to gain certification. We simply piggyback on that and give timeline expectations and pay rate tiers that go along with the certs. Starts at the Lube Tech level and carries on through the highest ranking techs with yearly new model and technology training courses both online and in person. If a tech has aspirations outside of the line then they can commit time to learning a specific role. Spots like parts counter, service drive even if they want to venture to sales they can. More roles in this business you can get familiar with the more valuable you become.
Our brand has a strong pathway to gain certification. We simply piggyback on that and give timeline expectations and pay rate tiers that go along with the certs. Starts at the Lube Tech level and carries on through the highest ranking techs with yearly new model and technology training courses both online and in person. If a tech has aspirations outside of the line then they can commit time to learning a specific role. Spots like parts counter, service drive even if they want to venture to sales they can. More roles in this business you can get familiar with the more valuable you become.
Our brand has a strong pathway to gain certification. We simply piggyback on that and give timeline expectations and pay rate tiers that go along with the certs. Starts at the Lube Tech level and carries on through the highest ranking techs with yearly new model and technology training courses both online and in person. If a tech has aspirations outside of the line then they can commit time to learning a specific role. Spots like parts counter, service drive even if they want to venture to sales they can. More roles in this business you can get familiar with the more valuable you become.
From what I've seen service advisor make almost double the pay of even the top technician but don't have money invested in school, training or tools with 2 weeks learning the system. Sales is even more money for even less work but as a tech I make the business to much money to allow me anything else until I die (because of no retirement plan)
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