http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time Real-World Computing Experience Distilled Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:04:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time/comment-page-1#comment-7927 Lance Francisco Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:36:23 +0000 http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time#comment-7927 I have owned an Independant automotive repair business since 2008. I started my studies as a young boy, by reading all the literature I could find in school libraries, and hands on tinkering. During high school, I utilized our BOCES program, taking the courses offered in my junior and senior years. Upon graduation of High school, I entered Nashville Auto Diesel College. Upon graduation from NADC, I started out in the work force as a flat rate technician for a GM dealorship back home (New York). Very bad memories for me. Allthough I had a great backround and was well rounded in my field, I was still (green) to the real world of making a living and how to make "time" on the jobs assigned to me. It took me approximately 5-7 years to come close to making ends meet. Service writers always seemed to feed the "gravy" work towards the guys that they have known for some time. I finally had enough with dealorships, and took a job with an independant shop after bouncing from dealer to dealer. I took a pay cut as far as the wage number goes, but this employer hired me on at an hourly wage. I found that I stopped stressing to make a wage, and focused better on my jobs at hand. I progressed much faster as a tech. and enjoyed my job. I left that employer to work at the shop that I now own, and only for the purpose of buying a business from a retiring owner. When I made the transaction, I changed all my techs pay scales from flat rate to hourly. I find that the quality of work, and employee morals is well worth it. The hardest thing I deal with now, is keeping them focused on the thin line of productivity and quality work. I have owned an Independant automotive repair business since 2008. I started my studies as a young boy, by reading all the literature I could find in school libraries, and hands on tinkering. During high school, I utilized our BOCES program, taking the courses offered in my junior and senior years. Upon graduation of High school, I entered Nashville Auto Diesel College. Upon graduation from NADC, I started out in the work force as a flat rate technician for a GM dealorship back home (New York). Very bad memories for me. Allthough I had a great backround and was well rounded in my field, I was still (green) to the real world of making a living and how to make “time” on the jobs assigned to me. It took me approximately 5-7 years to come close to making ends meet. Service writers always seemed to feed the “gravy” work towards the guys that they have known for some time. I finally had enough with dealorships, and took a job with an independant shop after bouncing from dealer to dealer. I took a pay cut as far as the wage number goes, but this employer hired me on at an hourly wage. I found that I stopped stressing to make a wage, and focused better on my jobs at hand. I progressed much faster as a tech. and enjoyed my job. I left that employer to work at the shop that I now own, and only for the purpose of buying a business from a retiring owner. When I made the transaction, I changed all my techs pay scales from flat rate to hourly. I find that the quality of work, and employee morals is well worth it. The hardest thing I deal with now, is keeping them focused on the thin line of productivity and quality work.

]]> http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time/comment-page-1#comment-7920 francisco delgadillo Tue, 07 Jun 2011 06:17:43 +0000 http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time#comment-7920 every year i got payed 8 hours of holliday pay regardless if i completed 8 hours a day for that pay period but this year i was told that me and a couple of the other techs got partial of 8 hours because we havent been flaging 8 or more a day...does that sound correct i just need to know because they are always changing rules,,,,clawson honda of fresno every year i got payed 8 hours of holliday pay regardless if i completed 8 hours a day for that pay period but this year i was told that me and a couple of the other techs got partial of 8 hours because we havent been flaging 8 or more a day…does that sound correct i just need to know because they are always changing rules,,,,clawson honda of fresno

]]> http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time/comment-page-1#comment-7879 John N. Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:11:24 +0000 http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time#comment-7879 As owner of two shops and an on-site maintenance service, I have developed serious reservations regarding flat-rate payment of techs. We assign work by what needs to be done, not by tech choice so the mix of large and small jobs is management controlled. Still, I have come to believe that flat rate often puts quality at risk. We have eliminated it for all but our most senior tech. He has an ethic that stresses high quality work done quickly and the result is high productivity with very little come back work. On the other hand, other flat rate techs have sacraficed quality for speed and high earnings. Ironically, the low quality high speed work often causes lower earnings because of come backs. I doubt we will ever pay flat rate to another tech, clock hour work with reasonable performance standards is proving superior. As owner of two shops and an on-site maintenance service, I have developed serious reservations regarding flat-rate payment of techs. We assign work by what needs to be done, not by tech choice so the mix of large and small jobs is management controlled. Still, I have come to believe that flat rate often puts quality at risk. We have eliminated it for all but our most senior tech. He has an ethic that stresses high quality work done quickly and the result is high productivity with very little come back work. On the other hand, other flat rate techs have sacraficed quality for speed and high earnings. Ironically, the low quality high speed work often causes lower earnings because of come backs. I doubt we will ever pay flat rate to another tech, clock hour work with reasonable performance standards is proving superior.

]]> http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time/comment-page-1#comment-7707 Stillts Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:12:30 +0000 http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time#comment-7707 As a young Flat rate technician that just graduated and is now working in the field I realize how much the older techs dont care about the customers vehicles. I always thought that turning wrenches correctly and not taking "BAD" short cuts would be seen in good with the Managers... Instead beating the flat rate system and making them more money even if they dont pay you for some of the task you have to complete is what they care more about. If you ask me the flat rate system sucks...not because I like quality work but they pretty much reward poor work. If there are larger jobs that have to be done on a vehicle they wont get done. Instead you look right pass those bigger jobs and take on smaller jobs increasing your car count instead of the harder more difficult jobs. You can basically be a Senior Technician that does only Entry Level task... how embarassing but profitable...Does it look like a challenging rewarding career anymore to me? No... someone needs to do something about the compensation or alot of new coming technicians will leave the industry just off how they realize that there careers will get boring learning new things and never using there knowledge... Being a Master Technician and doing Entry level work As a young Flat rate technician that just graduated and is now working in the field I realize how much the older techs dont care about the customers vehicles. I always thought that turning wrenches correctly and not taking “BAD” short cuts would be seen in good with the Managers… Instead beating the flat rate system and making them more money even if they dont pay you for some of the task you have to complete is what they care more about. If you ask me the flat rate system sucks…not because I like quality work but they pretty much reward poor work. If there are larger jobs that have to be done on a vehicle they wont get done. Instead you look right pass those bigger jobs and take on smaller jobs increasing your car count instead of the harder more difficult jobs. You can basically be a Senior Technician that does only Entry Level task… how embarassing but profitable…Does it look like a challenging rewarding career anymore to me? No… someone needs to do something about the compensation or alot of new coming technicians will leave the industry just off how they realize that there careers will get boring learning new things and never using there knowledge… Being a Master Technician and doing Entry level work

]]> http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time/comment-page-1#comment-7323 scoulkreelete Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:55:04 +0000 http://blog.stevedoria.net/20060428/evaluating-flat-rate-and-clock-time#comment-7323 I read some of the posts and I think it is a great site. I read some of the posts and I think it is a great site.

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