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Old 07-14-2014, 11:02 AM   #1
gearhead
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Are RV Techs paid by the book?

I took the new Montana back to the dealer for the 2nd time with refrigerator throwing E3 codes. That's a whole 'nother story!
So I'm talking to the service writer at this huge dealership, just making small talk about them being busy. He said it was incredibly busy, that they are now booking service for September. Everyone is busy in Houston with the oil economy booming. I noticed a couple of "suits" in the service managers office, so I thought here's my chance to give them my elderly sage advice on everything they doing wrong here. I knock on the door,,,so you guys are busy? Oh yes we are swamped. Well that is good sort of. But, you know where I worked for 35 years when we got swamped the solution was fairly simple. You walk out in the shop and ask for volunteers to work until 11pm tonight and who wants to work Saturday and/or Sunday? No volunteers? OK, Bill and Joe you stay until midnight in the body shop. John you stay on that electrical problem. George you are working this weekend. The "suits" looked at me like I was from outer space. "Oh we're already working their tails off. If you know any certified RV Techs we will hire all of them". So you're working until midnight and weekends? "No".
So bottom line, do RV service techs usually work from a book rate for a job like automotive techs? Or, do they get paid by the hour? Either way if they worked extra they would make more money, right?
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Old 07-14-2014, 12:35 PM   #2
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The ones that I know work by the Hour. When I ran my Auto service department I paid a percentage of the labor on the job 25,30,35 % and they Worked their tails off. Comebacks were given to another tech to repair and take it from the first techs pay.
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Old 07-14-2014, 12:56 PM   #3
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I really don't get it. We had a large workforce and fair percentage were overtime hogs. Their work records for a year would get audited because they made more than their managers. They always made more than their foremen and supervisors! You can't tell me that some of those techs wouldn't jump on a few overtime nights and a weekend occasionally. I can't count how many days straight I worked 16 hours a day for 7 days a week.
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Old 07-14-2014, 01:14 PM   #4
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so were is that flat rate book? here in Connecticut the customer has the right to see the guide the shop is using. that is law. so i asked three rv centers that posted all work billed @$120/hour by the flat rate book. so I asked to see it... Ohboy what book?
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Old 07-14-2014, 01:47 PM   #5
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Not everyone wants to work OT. If you have to work OT you are living above your means. Live to work or work to live, choice is simple for me.
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Old 07-14-2014, 02:02 PM   #6
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You have to work overtime, not because you want to. Not because you are living above your means. You are told to work overtime. And you better be there. And it's a union plant.
I have never heard of but one person quitting because they had to work overtime. He opened his own business and planned to quit anyway. The turnover was almost zero.
That is out of a workforce that was at one time 1,200 folks. Included all crafts...welders, pipefitters, electricians, machinists, etc.
If it was a big enough issue the managers and engineers were right there with us.
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Old 07-14-2014, 03:38 PM   #7
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You have to work overtime, not because you want to. Not because you are living above your means. You are told to work overtime. And you better be there. And it's a union plant.
I have never heard of but one person quitting because they had to work overtime. He opened his own business and planned to quit anyway. The turnover was almost zero.
That is out of a workforce that was at one time 1,200 folks. Included all crafts...welders, pipefitters, electricians, machinists, etc.
If it was a big enough issue the managers and engineers were right there with us.
I learn everyday.

I was once TOLD I had to work overtime. I packed up my stuff and went home. Boss did not talk to me for weeks. When he finally did , I told him you can ask me to do something but try to tell me !!! I did not need that job that bad. I have helped out and worked overtime but its always my choice and only if im not going Camping.
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Old 07-14-2014, 05:12 PM   #8
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I think it gets down to how these RV shops are managed. It's no skin off the nose of management if the wait time for repairs is 6 weeks. Unlike my work history where my customers were internal, and I was held accountable, RV shops apparently really don't care if the customers are frustrated. What recourse do the customers have?
Randy that's a pretty sweet deal you had there. Refuse to work overtime and the boss won't talk to you. My bosses never had a problem so big that shut them up. LOL
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Old 07-14-2014, 05:20 PM   #9
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I'm 65 and I work every overtime hour I can get... there is no such thing as too much money. My normal work week is 50 hours and I'll take any more they want to throw at me.

I don't live over my means... but in 5 years I will pull the plug and all that overtime will come in handy.
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Old 07-14-2014, 05:33 PM   #10
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Heck yeah Javi, take it when you can. One year after I retired I was back working for them as a contractor in south Texas. Wasn't unusual to put in 80 hours a week. Not fun in 112 degree weather and no shade trees. I'm not complaining, it was all play money and I bought some toys. I'm about "done" now though.
I don't know too many folks that work a 40 hour week.
Now if we could get those RV shops to work a few extra hours in the summertime.
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Old 07-14-2014, 06:34 PM   #11
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The shop that I bring my 5er for service works 8-4:30 with 30min for lunch Monday-Friday, the shop is closed on Saturday and Parts is only open till 12. If I were 15 years younger I would get a job at a RV Dealer and make a lot of money.I am seriously thinking about talking to the owner about consulting for him and getting a percentage of the profit over what they made the previous year. They must make a lot on the sale and don't need the back end.
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Old 07-15-2014, 03:21 AM   #12
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Back in a former life I loved overtime, worked the regular hours so I could get to the time and a half for some real coin. For the last 24 plus years I've worked countless hours of overtime for free. why? The mission has to get done, Uncle Sam says we are on duty 24/7/365 son there's no such thing as overtime. Boy would I love to get some back pay for all of that, especially the years in Afghanistan where the average day was 14-16 hours and we worked 7 days a week. I did get a half day off on Thanksgiving and Christmas
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Old 07-15-2014, 04:01 AM   #13
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Gary I don't see why the dealerships don't pick off that low hanging fruit. If they keep just 50% of the labor, and they have a margin on parts, that should be some serious money. There could be a supervision issue after normal hours, but when I was salaried I spent a bunch of time at work off hours supporting craftsmen. My experience was in a very large refinery and it was understood that we operated 24/7/365. I think it should be understood that RV shops get busy in summertime.
Brent: were you working as a contractor or in uniform? Thanks for your service.
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Old 07-15-2014, 04:55 AM   #14
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I think a lot of the "attitude" about overtime comes from the mentality of the worker. If the worker is there for the paycheck, then when they get what they "think they need", they are ready to head home. When they buy into the concept that "the company makes money or my job is gone" they often think things from a different perspective. The more money the company makes the more secure my job......

It really boils down to whether the worker and the company treat the job/employee and his position as a "valuable profession" or if the mindset is that he/she is "a dispensable commodity working in a job".

Thankfully, there are people who consider their link to the company's profit as the reason they have their family security. Without that feeling of loyalty and belonging, they just "come and go with their lunchbox."

It's a part of that concept called "work ethic."
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Old 07-15-2014, 04:56 AM   #15
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The times they are a changing.

The reason no one "makes" their guys work overtime or pushes them is we cannot find techs worth a damn anywhere.

If you are going to lose someone it will take you months to find a good one.

Techs used to be a dime a dozen in the car business and the RV business. The problem now a days is no one teaches VoTech anymore.

With all the cuts in school budgets and the cost of insurance one of the first things cut was shop class. Back in the day you took all the guys who hated school and put them in shop class and taught them a skill. Now there are no skills taught in school except maybe computer tech stuff.

In the county I live in 1 school has a VoTech class and the kids have to get bused to that school from theirs or get there themselves.

I run a large GM dealer in DC metro area and techs are our number one problem.
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Old 07-15-2014, 06:04 AM   #16
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John I watched my employers culture evolve for 35 years. Not that it was bad in 1974, but it progressed to where we treated each other with respect and we were on the same team, just with different roles. Of course some folks liked being rebellious, but I think there is always that percent.
I got a different vibe at my RV dealer. Maybe that the techs were just "them".
RAM...I've been singing that song for a long time. Our education system is in dire straits regarding vocational education. I'm just a couple hours away from a BS in Tech/Voc Education. I thought at one time I would enjoy that after retirement. But I haven't pursued it further. We need to do something soon.
RAM would you offer after hours work at your dealership to those that wanted it?
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Old 07-15-2014, 07:23 AM   #17
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The overtime thing could be a thread on its own.


My Father worked lots of ot. Planed to do all the things he gave up working so much when he retired. Retired at 62, sick at 63 and dead at 64. Did not work out so well for him, my mom has been alone for 13 years now.

Unfortunately I have worked with more guys who have died within 5 years of retiring then not. Its a personal choice I guess. I am 52 and a long way from retiring , but I would not change any of the places I have been or things I have done for a few more bucks in the bank. You never know when your number is up.

BTW The job I refused to work OT when I was told I had to.... I have been there 19 years now. I just let them know it was a two way street when I first started there.
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Old 07-15-2014, 10:48 AM   #18
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We have Service advisors on duty 13 hours a day, 6 am - 7 pm Monday - Friday and Saturday 8 - 4.

Techs can come and go as early or late as they want. I have 2 guys that turn 75 flat rate hours/FRH (booktime) a week and 10 that shuffle along at 30 - 40 FRH and for the life of me can't get them to come in on their regular schedule of 8 - 5.
Can you guys the hours the 2 guys turning 75 hours work??

There is no urgency to anyone anymore. They all feel entitled to do what they want. There is no discipline or need to advance or better themselves. The slackers are usually the first ones inline looking for a raise also.

I can't really do anything about them because I don't have bodies to replace them. The people that do come in to interview have 2 years Jiffy Lube experience and can barely change a light bulb, let alone teardown a motor to put a timing chain in it.

Supply and demand is the problem in the mechanical repair field right now. I would kill for 5 of the guys I used to manage in the late 90s. They are all retired now in their 60s and 70s but they were the best group of techs I ever had. Bust butt 12 hours a day and show up the next morning hungry for more.
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Old 07-15-2014, 11:07 AM   #19
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Why should RV service centers extend their hours? They have a captive clientele who can not go to the local garage to get the work done. If they extended their hours and paided out OT, that would cut into their profit. For us, it would be nice but for them, not extending hours is smart business.
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Old 07-15-2014, 05:24 PM   #20
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Quote:
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Brent: were you working as a contractor or in uniform? Thanks for your service.
Been wearing the uniform for 24+ years. Getting ready to take it off for good in December. Thank you and you're welcome.
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