Fired my service writer today...Hate that.

[Crimson Sin]

God I hate having to fire people...
And so close to Christmas too dammit...

Why can't people just LISTEN when given an instruction...
Now this poor bastard has to go home. Tell his ole lady he got canned..
And I have to feel like hell for a few days.
Just venting.. Altho on the good side I got a REAALLY experienced/trained/knows that the HELL she is doing Service Writer starting Monday.
NO. she is NOT hot. She's someones Mom and looks like it. I don't need all the tech's up at the counter hitting on her.
She does however know tires/parts/service.. She was a GM/Subaru/Nissan tech for 14 years..
So I hope Karma (for me) balances out. Fired one. Hired one.
God I hate firing people....

[310stanger]

God I hate having to fire people...
And so close to Christmas too dammit...

Why can't people just LISTEN when given an instruction...
Now this poor bastard has to go home. Tell his ole lady he got canned..
And I have to feel like hell for a few days.
Just venting.. Altho on the good side I got a REAALLY experienced/trained/knows that the HELL she is doing Service Writer starting Monday.
NO. she is NOT hot. She's someones Mom and looks like it. I don't need all the tech's up at the counter hitting on her.
She does however know tires/parts/service.. She was a GM/Subaru/Nissan tech for 14 years..
So I hope Karma (for me) balances out. Fired one. Hired one.
God I hate firing people....

I got let go 3 weeks ago and my parts and service manager didnt even have the balls to say anything to me.

[Crimson Sin]

I got let go 3 weeks ago and my parts and service manager didnt even have the balls to say anything to me.

Oh man, that's brutal...
I feel for ya man.. I sat the kid down and told him it was coming a week ago if he didn't pull his head out..
I gave him a weeks severance pay so he at least had a few bucks in his pocket.

Was it a dealership 310 ?
I worked for a few back in the day... Won't do it again..office politics there were worse than daytime soaps.
My condolences to ya bro.
I will keep ya in my thoughts at Mass when I say my prayers.

[310stanger]

Oh man, that's brutal...
I feel for ya man.. I sat the kid down and told him it was coming a week ago if he didn't pull his head out..
I gave him a weeks severance pay so he at least had a few bucks in his pocket.

Was it a dealership 310 ?
I worked for a few back in the day... Won't do it again..office politics there were worse than daytime soaps.
My condolences to ya bro.
I will keep ya in my thoughts at Mass when I say my prayers.

Yeah, dealership. You got it, dealership politics are a bitch. Its not even about whether or not you are good at what you do in every instance anymore either.

[yellowv]

I have fired my fair share of people. I look at it this way.... People don't get fired for doing what they are supposed to do on their job. people get fired for many reasons, but none of them are for doing a good job. You are running a business and you have to do what you have to do to make that business run. I have never lost sleep over firing someone. Now firing people for no good reason is messed up, but I have never done that.

[310stanger]

I have fired my fair share of people. I look at it this way.... People don't get fired for doing what they are supposed to do on their job. people get fired for many reasons, but none of them are for doing a good job. You are running a business and you have to do what you have to do to make that business run. I have never lost sleep over firing someone. Now firing people for no good reason is messed up, but I have never done that.

people in dealerships get fired just so a buddy can get hired, because one person makes more money then the other guy, because they aren't liked etc. So its not always a matter of good job/bad job

[Crimson Sin]

I have fired my fair share of people. I look at it this way.... People don't get fired for doing what they are supposed to do on their job. people get fired for many reasons, but none of them are for doing a good job. You are running a business and you have to do what you have to do to make that business run. I have never lost sleep over firing someone. Now firing people for no good reason is messed up, but I have never done that.

True. I just always take it to heart a little. I try and keep a good crew and maintain an open door policy. Buy them lunch once a week etc. I can't allow one guy to damage my relationship with my customers etc. I just always take it hard when I have to boot one. I never was able to steel myself against it. Even when I KNOW he/she has to go.

people in dealerships get fired just so a buddy can get hired, because one person makes more money then the other guy, because they aren't liked etc. So its not always a matter of good job/bad job

Exactly why I won't work for a dealership ever again. Altho, knowing how it all works really helps me when I go to buy a car. Salesmen HATE me.
Sales Manager always says the same thing. You should come work for me. Don't have the heart to tell him I did his job and I don't want it ever again.

[310stanger]

True. I just always take it to heart a little. I try and keep a good crew and maintain an open door policy. Buy them lunch once a week etc. I can't allow one guy to damage my relationship with my customers etc. I just always take it hard when I have to boot one. I never was able to steel myself against it. Even when I KNOW he/she has to go.



Exactly why I won't work for a dealership ever again. Altho, knowing how it all works really helps me when I go to buy a car. Salesmen HATE me.
Sales Manager always says the same thing. You should come work for me. Don't have the heart to tell him I did his job and I don't want it ever again.

Its been my experience that service advisors can be the most damaging to a service department. Period. They get handed the promises of a lot of money right away, having not even proved anything. I've worked with writers that dont listen to techs, that downsell customers, that are sleeping with customers, that flirt with customers therefore give them discounts they dont deserve, etc. I get really tired of the "this customer is a good guy" shit. Like what does that even mean? I never try to do wrong by ANY customer. But you get some goofy writer that got suckered and all of a sudden they make it a point to tell ya the person is a good guy. Real good guy, he has no history with us other then warranty complaints. Real good guys dont pay my bills. But writers dont care, because either way they make their money. I've seen writers screw over techs so badly.

[310stanger]

so... crimson you seem like an awesome manager. you hiring? lol

[Crimson Sin]

Its been my experience that service advisors can be the most damaging to a service department. Period. They get handed the promises of a lot of money right away, having not even proved anything. I've worked with writers that dont listen to techs, that downsell customers, that are sleeping with customers, that flirt with customers therefore give them discounts they dont deserve, etc. I get really tired of the "this customer is a good guy" shit. Like what does that even mean? I never try to do wrong by ANY customer. But you get some goofy writer that got suckered and all of a sudden they make it a point to tell ya the person is a good guy. Real good guy, he has no history with us other then warranty complaints. Real good guys dont pay my bills. But writers dont care, because either way they make their money. I've seen writers screw over techs so badly.

I hear that man.. An Independant like my shop the service writers Depend on the Tech's and vice versa.
No inspection or poor inspection.. nothing to sell. No sales = No pay.
Tech's need the writer to SELL or they don't make flat rate.
I set it up that way on purpose, I WANT them to need and count on each other. I just can't see it working any other way.
Discounts and under billed jobs come out of MY ass. A job that runs long or has " well this plastic thingie was old and when I pushed on this hose to get to that bolt... it just broke..that tech won't last long either.
I hope you find a shop that can use your talents man.. Too many "techs" out there that simply shouldn't pick up a wrench. Or worse, have a writer that should Never talk to a customer.

[Crimson Sin]

so... crimson you seem like an awesome manager. you hiring? lol

Yeah I am actually. I have one Lead Tech and two GMTs..
Move to Olympia WA and hit me up

[SS02]

Man... it sucks that U had to do that!
Yet that is Ur job. If he would have listen a week ealier...
Maybe he will learn from this and grow up?

[maxwax]

God I hate having to fire people...
And so close to Christmas too dammit...

Why can't people just LISTEN when given an instruction...
Now this poor bastard has to go home. Tell his ole lady he got canned..
And I have to feel like hell for a few days.
Just venting.. Altho on the good side I got a REAALLY experienced/trained/knows that the HELL she is doing Service Writer starting Monday.
NO. she is NOT hot. She's someones Mom and looks like it. I don't need all the tech's up at the counter hitting on her.
She does however know tires/parts/service.. She was a GM/Subaru/Nissan tech for 14 years..
So I hope Karma (for me) balances out. Fired one. Hired one.
God I hate firing people....

How long had this guy worked for you ?

Had the firing been coming for a while?

What exactly did he not listen to?

Was he really worth a damn as a service writer any way?

Did he know exactly what was expected of him ?

Were you pressured from your boss to make the decision?

Had he been written up for conduct,not doing his job etc. ?

Or was it just as big of a surprise to him as it is going to be to his wife ?

I am asking these questions because I have owned an ran my own business for the past 15 years, and I know how tough it is to find good employees , and I also know how hard it is to work for some one who expects you to look up their ass and read whats on there mind.

I myself am going to let someone go Monday, and his brother also works for me. so I may lose two employees.

It seems to me your decision has been planned for a while,due to the fact that you already have someone hired for Monday, and you refer to him as a poor bastard, and of him having to explain his situation to his ole lady.

It sort of gives you the sense of ultimate power,but the curse of wondering who it will come back to bite in the ass.

I consider the little bastard that I am going to fire a friend ,and his back ground is a little shaky, but he was just what the doctor ordered for the first 6 mos. but now he has gotten too comfy being a friend and won't listen to any thing, Hell I left early to have lunch with my wife Friday, so my mom stops by to see me and his ass is sitting in the break area smoking a joint.

I was soo pissed I am waiting to see what kind of story he can come up with over the weekend, and if he tries to make my mom out to be a liar, then he gets an ass kicking as well.

[310stanger]

How long had this guy worked for you ?

Had the firing been coming for a while?

What exactly did he not listen to?

Was he really worth a damn as a service writer any way?

Did he know exactly what was expected of him ?

Were you pressured from your boss to make the decision?

Had he been written up for conduct,not doing his job etc. ?

Or was it just as big of a surprise to him as it is going to be to his wife ?

I am asking these questions because I have owned an ran my own business for the past 15 years, and I know how tough it is to find good employees , and I also know how hard it is to work for some one who expects you to look up their ass and read whats on there mind.

I myself am going to let someone go Monday, and his brother also works for me. so I may lose two employees.

It seems to me your decision has been planned for a while,due to the fact that you already have someone hired for Monday, and you refer to him as a poor bastard, and of him having to explain his situation to his ole lady.

It sort of gives you the sense of ultimate power,but the curse of wondering who it will come back to bite in the ass.

I consider the little bastard that I am going to fire a friend ,and his back ground is a little shaky, but he was just what the doctor ordered for the first 6 mos. but now he has gotten too comfy being a friend and won't listen to any thing, Hell I left early to have lunch with my wife Friday, so my mom stops by to see me and his ass is sitting in the break area smoking a joint.

I was soo pissed I am waiting to see what kind of story he can come up with over the weekend, and if he tries to make my mom out to be a liar, then he gets an ass kicking as well.

what a jackass. i totally dont go for the smokin weed on the job. i also cant stand people that think they have a golden parachute via connections. But what about the "left early to have lunch with my wife". Do the techs get to do this? What about my manager that would leave during the day and go get a fuckin haircut for 3 hrs? Managers sure take advantage of their position too.

[Nhra Firebird]

Firing people is the worst part about my job. I have fired a full crew of guys before, and i will do it again if i have. I don't go to work everyday to make friends. I go to make money and help everyone else earn a living.

[Nhra Firebird]

My grandpal has taught me alot about business, and he has one of the biggest construction companies in the united states.

[SouthernBornThriller]

They had me supervising for awhile at my job...I hated it. Working mostly with high schoolers on their first jobs (grocery store ftw!). Some are great, eager to get in there and start earning their keep in life, but most are just worthless.

The worst were the 30something year olds I got in there every now and then who still live with their mom, couldn't get anything better than a fucking cashier job at a grocery store, and wanted to act like they're hot shit because they're 10+ years older than me. Last one I had I didn't fire, just made his life hell until he quit.

I was never good at dealing with bad employees though...I was either too nice and looked the other way too often, or I was a Nazi boss. Never found a good balance.

Only ever personally fired two people though, a guy and a girl who were caught fucking in the bathroom by a customer....that was fun.

[tornado]

Im a writer and have been for 14 years,and dont want to do it the rest of my life thats for sure. We usually get shit on,guess we are considered middle management or something,ive been promised thjings elsewhere and nothing but broken promises,as for techs I never ever would screw them,if you dont have them there for you,then your screwed.

[tnthub]

The dealership where my wife works has lt go a secretary, a salesperson, a finance guy, and a technician in the past three weeks... They also cancelled their holiday party this year.

Sales are off, business is slow, and everyone is getting "beat up" on prices and complaints (in order to get $$ off service work even if the work was well done).

Reposessions are way up...

It is a very tough time at many automobile dealers.

[Y2KSS1363]

what a jackass. i totally dont go for the smokin weed on the job. i also cant stand people that think they have a golden parachute via connections. But what about the "left early to have lunch with my wife". Do the techs get to do this? What about my manager that would leave during the day and go get a fuckin haircut for 3 hrs? Managers sure take advantage of their position too.

RHIP.