Finding skilled and dedicated employees is a significant challenge for automotive repair shops seeking to fill positions such as technicians, service advisors, and receptionists. The market is as tight as I’ve ever seen it in my 34 years of industry experience. Unfortunately, there isn’t one single thing you can do to make it better for yourself. There also isn’t anything you’ll do today to alleviate your situation. There is however, a lot you can do to create a better employee situation over time – if you’re willing to put in the effort and be consistent.
To overcome the challenge of finding quality employees, and attract top talent, repair shops need to adopt effective recruitment strategies and best practices. Duh! This article explores various approaches, including the "grow your own" practice, mentor programs, leveraging the hospitality industry, utilizing internet-based hiring resources, creating attractive compensation plans, implementing employee referral programs, conducting direct mail campaigns, and maintaining a proactive recruitment mindset. None, of these, by themselves, will be the answer. All together, they will create a scenario that will allow you to succeed at finding quality help. Additionally, the article provides insights into best practices for mentor programs, writing effective want ads, and designing impactful direct mail campaigns to reach potential candidates.
The "Grow Your Own" Practice
Collaborating with Local High School and College Automotive Programs:
Building relationships with high school and college automotive programs is an effective way to nurture talent and develop a pipeline of skilled employees. Repair shops can participate in job fairs, offer internships, and sponsor educational events to connect with motivated individuals seeking careers in the automotive industry. All of these programs are looking for shops like yours to sit on their advisory board. Your input, while time-consuming for you, is extremely valuable to the industry as well as to these schools. Through this input programs can evolve to produce students that fill your needs. Not every student will be a technician, but some, with the right personality and work ethic, will become service advisors. The time you dedicate to attending advisory board meetings a few times each year, agreeing to take on students as interns, and answering shop instructor questions, will often be repaid by you being the preferred repair shop for placement of students. By investing in local automotive programs, repair shops can attract and groom aspiring technicians, service advisors, and receptionists. It won’t happen overnight, but over time you’ll end up with a stable full of technicians and service advisors that fit the culture of your shop.
Establishing Mentor Programs:
Creating and maintaining a mentor program within the repair shop cultivates a supportive environment for new hires and high school or college interns. Experienced technicians can guide and train apprentices, allowing them to develop necessary skills and knowledge. Mentorship programs foster a sense of camaraderie, facilitate knowledge transfer, and promote employee retention. The challenging part is to create a program that does not consume the time of the mentor to such an extent that they are less patient with the intern, or that their overall productivity is hurt in such a way that it affects their paycheck. Just because a technician is a great diagnostician or high producer, does not mean they have the personality to be a great, or even decent, mentor. Still, having a formal program where each student, or new employee, is paired with someone who can answer questions, provide guidance, and educate on processes specific to your shop is critical to success. Daily, or weekly, meetings to review challenges, what has been learned, what the individual is ready to move on to, etc. can bring valuable feedback and keep a student, or new hire, from feeling lost and overwhelmed. It also helps everyone understand how things are going and what the expectations are. Even doing this informally can help.
It is crucial to establish clear guidelines, provide mentor training, and recognize and reward mentors for their contributions. See the best practices section later in this article for more help establishing a mentor program.
Leveraging the Hospitality Industry:
Seeking Service Advisors from the Hospitality Industry:
Service advisors play a critical role in providing exceptional customer service and generating revenue for repair shops. Professionals with a background in the hospitality industry possess customer-centric skills, effective communication abilities, and problem-solving capabilities. These skills are by far more difficult to acquire than enough technical knowledge to have a conversation with a customer regarding what’s needed and why is. You can provide the technical skills knowledge and training, but it is much harder to provide the people skills. I’d rather hire someone with great people skills and teach them sales and technical knowledge, than try to reel in a technician I’ve made service advisor. Look for individuals working in low paying retail and hospitality industry jobs to be your next service advisor. By actively recruiting service advisors from the hospitality sector, repair shops can benefit from their transferable skills and enhance the customer experience.
Utilizing Internet-Based Hiring Resources:
Online Job Boards and Automotive Industry Websites:
Utilizing online job boards and industry-specific websites allows repair shops to reach a wider pool of potential candidates. Although far from perfect, and potentially expensive, posting detailed job descriptions and requirements on platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, or specialized automotive job boards increases the visibility of open positions. Posting to these sites is a necessary evil these days because that’s where people are looking. Their effectiveness in driving qualified individuals to you is suspect, but again, you will still find technicians an service advisors looking here.
It is highly recommended that repair shops also leverage their own website to feature job listings and provide an easy application process. Make how to apply prominent on your Home page. Remember, you’re not just looking for someone who wants a job, but for those friends and relatives of a person who may be looking. Using your website well will help you reach more people.
Social Media Presence:
Establishing a strong presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram enables repair shops to engage with potential candidates. By sharing job openings, company culture, employee testimonials, and success stories, repair shops can attract individuals who align with their values and vision. Again, you’re not just hoping the individual who wants the job sees your post, but that their social network sees their post. Social media can also be used to network and connect with professionals in the automotive industry who may be in contact with potential new employees (i.e. the tool truck drivers, delivery drivers, and service providers who you interface with daily).
Creating Attractive Compensation Plans:
Competitive Wages and Benefits:
Offering competitive wages is crucial to attract and retain skilled employees. Repair shops should conduct market research to ensure that their compensation packages align with industry standards. In addition to base wages, consider offering performance-based incentives, health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and opportunities for professional development. Demonstrating a commitment to employee well-being and growth increases the shop's appeal to potential candidates.
Compensation packages sometimes need to be creative in 2023. Setting your shop up with a 410 schedule where employees only have to work 4 days each week and get a full week off every six weeks without taking their vacation time can attract quality employees from other shops and organizations. Sometimes this can be a differentiator for you.
Employee Referral Programs:
Incentivizing Employee Referrals:
Encouraging current employees to refer qualified candidates through an employee referral program can be highly effective. If combined with great compensation packages and an awesome work culture, this is sometimes a shop’s most important hiring tool. Implement a structured program that rewards employees for successful referrals, such as a monetary bonus or additional paid time off. This creates a sense of ownership and motivation among employees to actively participate in the recruitment process. It also ensures you don’t get candidates who may not fit the culture you’ve worked hard to establish.
Direct Mail Campaigns
Identifying Targeted Markets:
Direct mail campaigns can be an effective way to reach potential candidates, especially in specific geographic areas. Identify markets with high concentrations of automotive programs, trade schools, or communities known for their interest in the automotive industry. Tailor the campaign to highlight the shop's unique selling points, career opportunities, and the advantages of working in a reputable repair shop.
Be sure not to mail into geographic areas where the demographic is not likely to support individuals who might gravitate to the automotive industry. Mailing into high income areas, areas with heavy corporate headquarters presence, or technology heavy geographic areas won’t deliver results for you.
Compelling Messaging and Personalization:
Craft a direct mail piece that conveys the shop's values, culture, and commitment to employee development. Personalize the mailings by addressing potential candidates by name and including relevant information based on their background or interests. Include contact information, links to online job postings, and a clear call-to-action for candidates to apply or learn more. Suggest that if they are not interested, maybe they pass this offer on to someone who might be.
Maintaining a Proactive Recruitment Mindset
Consistent Recruitment Efforts:
Repair shops should adopt a proactive approach to recruitment by continually seeking potential candidates. Establish a recruitment calendar and allocate resources to consistently explore talent pools, attend industry events, and engage with educational institutions. By maintaining a steady focus on recruitment, shops can build a robust pipeline of potential employees and reduce the urgency to hire when positions become vacant.
It is far better to identify an individual as someone you’d love to have, and not be able to take them on at this time, than to “hope” you find someone when you need someone. At the very least you now have their contact information, have met them, and they’ve met you. You want to be “looking” when that someone got disgruntled and just left their job – not just when you need someone! This might be the biggest mistake automotive shop owners make when it comes to hiring.
ALWAYS BE HIRING!!
Best Practices for Mentor Programs:
Clear Expectations and Goals:
Establish clear expectations for mentors and mentees, outlining the roles, responsibilities, and desired outcomes of the mentorship program. Set specific goals and milestones to track progress and provide a structured framework for development. If possible, do so in a documented manner. There are many resources for documenting expectations within the industry. Reach out if you need to know more.
Regular Check-Ins and Feedback:
Encourage regular check-ins between mentors and mentees to discuss progress, address challenges, and provide feedback. Open communication fosters a supportive learning environment and ensures the mentee's growth and development. Daily check-ins work best, but weekly can be effective.
Encouraging Skill Development:
Mentor programs should focus not only on technical skills but also on soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and customer service. Provide opportunities for mentees to develop a well-rounded skill set that aligns with the demands of the automotive repair industry.
Writing and Placing Effective Want Ads:
Clear and Concise Job Descriptions:
Write job descriptions that clearly outline the responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations for each position. Use concise language and bullet points to highlight key requirements and preferred skills. Be transparent about work hours, physical demands, and any specific certifications or licenses needed.
Remember, you do not always need an “A” level technician. To protect your gross profit, a highly productive “B” level technician may be more valuable to you. If you have an “A”, then you’re looking for a “B” or a “C”. Clearly state this in your post.
Showcasing Company Culture and Benefits:
Incorporate information about the shop's culture, values, and benefits into the want ad. Highlight the opportunities for growth, training programs, and employee perks to attract candidates who are aligned with the shop's values and goals.
Designing Impactful Direct Mail Campaigns:
Eye-Catching Design:
Create a visually appealing direct mail piece that captures the attention of recipients. Use high-quality images, vibrant colors, and compelling graphics to make the mailer stand out. Always consider professional design services if needed. You’ve developed skills related to the business of automotive repair – NOT graphic design and marketing. Your time is worth valuable money – spend your time doing something you are uniquely qualified to do, not doing graphic design!
Personalized Messaging:
Tailor the content of the direct mail campaign to resonate with the targeted audience. Include information about the shop's unique selling points, career advancement opportunities, and the supportive work environment. Use personalized language to connect with potential candidates on an individual level. Again, get a professional to help with this, or today, in 2023, use AI to help you!
Conclusion:
Recruiting skilled employees for automotive repair shops is an ongoing challenge that requires strategic and proactive approaches. By adopting best practices such as the "grow your own" practice, mentor programs, leveraging the hospitality industry, utilizing internet-based resources, creating attractive compensation plans, implementing employee referral programs, conducting direct mail campaigns, and maintaining a proactive recruitment mindset, repair shops can increase their chances of finding qualified technicians, service advisors, and receptionists. By prioritizing effective recruitment strategies and creating a positive work environment, repair shops can attract and retain top talent, ultimately enhancing their operations and overall success in the automotive repair industry.