Weekly $500 Prize + $500 School Donation
Christian Lawrence and Ian McKenzie have placed 1st and 3rd in SkillsUSA Alabama for the 2nd year in a row. Christian finished 2nd in state last year and Ian finished 4th. This year they plan on taking 1st and 2nd. Christian Lawrence currently is an apprentice at our local GM dealer and will be entering the ASEP program along with Ian McKenzie this following fall semester.
View full post.jpg)
When was the last time you listened to our podcast, Beyond the Wrench?
View full poll question
Comments will be visible after you submit an answer to the question above
Some of our awesome techs! It's hard to get all of these guys and gals in one picture. Best team ever!
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
Carina's career has grown at Bill Jacobs Volkswagen. Starting as a porter and moving up to a technician, Carina credits her coworkers for creating an environment where technicians make it easy to learn and succeed. Carina is on a positive career path and sees a bright future at Bill Jacobs VW.
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
Employee Highlight: Kate, Parts Associate
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
Fox Valley Volkswagen is proud to celebrate two of our Technicians that have been with Volkswagen for 20 YEARS! We are thankful that they have spent 15 of those 20 years with Fox Valley Volkswagen. Congratulations Jason and Zeus!
View full post.jpeg)
Be the first to post a comment
Stepfon finished his first level of training and is now Audi Indianapolis's newest certified technician!
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
The road to a technician career isn't always linear - and that's okay! This week, Adrian talks about the professional meanderings a few of our techs have taken en route to Davey Coach, and how sometimes it's better late than never 🩵
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
We'd like to give a quick shoutout to our newest journeyman promoted technician, Chitram Imrit! Here's Chitram doing a rear main seal on a Honda Acccord—one of his first ROs since becoming a journeyman. Congrats, Chitram! We're lucky to have you here at Walser Honda 🙌
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
Most of our employees have stayed with us for a long time! One of our advisors, Zach, has been with Walser about 8 years. He worked with Walser for a few years and then left, only to come back a year later! Other employees have moved on to different industries, but many of them come back to visit as customers and friends, and continue to work with us in that capacity.
View full post-43.png)
Be the first to post a comment
If you are looking for a place to call your own, with owners who treat you as family, how about a nice clean, state-of-the-art bay with your name on it at Joe's!
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
Congratulations to Phillip Paw on his retirement. In appreciation for 29 years of outstanding service. You will definitely be missed. The Sanford Family
View full post
Bobby Sorensen came to Sheppard about 5 years ago looking for a place to call home, he found it here and has grown into an amazing technician and a phenomenal foreman! And we are happy to announce as of last Thursday Bobby is taking over as the Service Manager for Volkswagen and Audi at Sheppard Motors!
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
Being involved with the next generation of technicians is very important to the future of our industry. There are many ways to give back, from mentorships to advisory committee meetings to donating your time when the schools ask.
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
We recently moved into the formerly SEARS at Westwood Mall allowing our $52 million luxury dealership to span over 180,000 square feet. Now we are able to have everything under the same roof: Sales, Service, and the largest parts warehouse in Texas.
View full post
Be the first to post a comment
Skilled technicians are sought after more than they’ve ever been. Naturally, higher salaries become a requirement in recruiting these technicians. How much more can I possibly pay you may ask? Between the variables of overhead costs and inflation. The dollar has been stretched further than ever. What if an answer to a more profitable repair facility has been hiding in plain sight for decades. Profit that allows you to hire, and just as important, retain and pay these highly skilled technicians. There’s been a notable amount of discussion recently revolving around rethinking the way we charge for the diagnostics we perform everyday. Is it time to ditch the standard idea that a diagnostic charge should of strictly be an hour of labor? Should the time needed to research a vehicles specific systems become chargeable? This not time spent performing vehicle diagnostics. This is specifically time spent needed to research the mechanical, electrical, and computerized functions of a system. Studying a repair procedure to verify the shop is capable and properly tooled to complete the task. As well as verifying all parts needed prior to the parts department providing a parts estimate. When your clients bring in their vehicle for service and repairs. It’s our job to treat them with respect. It’s also essential that we as professionals run a profitable business. Don’t forget however, your client brought their vehicle to you for a reason. Within reason, we must not be afraid to charge for our services.
Technician
I think it has to start with a mutual understanding between both the shop and the client that a very complex system has a very unique problem that’s simply going to require great effort to solve. This process will likely be most effective in facilities that repair high end vehicles that are out of warranty and hitting the independent repair facilities for the first time. In all honesty, the idea itself is still fairly new and naturally there are a number of gray areas associated with it.
Technician
I used to work for an independent shop that advertised free diagnosis, the shop covered the tech at an hourly rate which allowed the tech to build a solid of how the relevant systems functioned. Over time the techs got faster and the shop gained a positive reputation with the customers, within a year of implementing that policy the shops business increased beyond what the facility could handle and the techs could almost profess how each system performed. Since they were cheaper than the dealer they almost always got the work. Now I work at a new car dealer which charges the standard hour for customer pay which is easy enough since the models/years covered is narrow but warranty doesn't pay any diagnostic which regularly leads to a shotgun diagnosis. (edited)
Be the first to post a comment