Last Thursday, I was forced to quit my position as a auto technician. For the last 6 months I had been comprimising my standards in order to put food on the table. My former manager lied to customers, overcharged them for work done, charged for work that was not done, charged for parts that were used but represented as new, kept small bonuses and gifts that were meant for the technicians, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc
Some insight on how the majority of auto repair shops and technicians make their cake. Technicians work soley by 'piece-work', meaning they receive a set rate per hour for work produced. There are few standard industry 'guides' that determine how many labor hours per repair are to be charged. The problem is that everyone in line above the technician also is paid soley on the labor dollar rate. This outdated system sets the stage for pitting the tech against the service writer, the manager, the owner and everyone in between.
The shop raised the 'door' or customer hourly rate twice in 6 months to $99.00 per labor hour, but my raise was stalled since November.
I am am "A" level ASE Master auto technician with 25 years of highly technical and diverse experience and STILL have to put up with this thieving kind of s--t everday. I've had it. Not sure what my next career move will be.
