Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM DECEMBER 2019 64 I f you have been in the appliance service industry for any length of time, you know that there has been a severe shortage of new technicians coming into the business for the past several years. Ours is the epitome of an aging workforce- it has been a constant struggle for companies to replace workers as they retire or perhaps go into other fields. We have all talked about this on a fairly regular basis, discussed options to address the matter, and promised ourselves we will address it (at some point). An unfortunate by-product is that it leads to "poaching" technicians from other companies. This is especially true when techs and owners gather at a large scale event, such as a convention or even a manufacturer's training session. Coffee break talk leads to discussions about pay and working conditions, hours, etc., and it escalates from there. But is this really the way you want to build your business? Are you sure you might be getting a quality technician? And for the person that might be losing a tech, there are almost always going to be hard feelings that can poison a solid relationship. At the outset, it needs to be said that people WILL change jobs- it's a natural process of looking to improve one's situation. It's not a sin to want to grow your own business, either, but there are ways to go at it a bit more ethically. First — advertise. PSA has a jobs board on our website at www.psaworld.org, and you can start your search there. Of course, there are untold numbers of sites on line that also allow you to get the word out that you are hiring. And there is no law that says you can't have a conversation with someone at a gathering, but keep it above board. I have run into companies that attend conventions for the sole purpose of recruiting technicians- it's not a sale barn, it's a gathering of industry professionals that want to learn how to improve themselves, their skills and their business practices. That's how it should stay. If you prefer the more direct approach in staffing your business, build your own technicians. There are more and more companies that have their own internal processes for adding technical staff — they either recruit for a local technical school, or take on an employee that has some technical background or capabilities, but is not a full- fledged appliance "expert." Through classroom work, mentoring, shop work, ride alongs, and the like, they build the type of employee they would like to have representing their business. This does take some time and patience, but these employees are often the most skilled AND loyal — they understand that they make their living as a result of your effort and confidence in them. There are a lot of ways to handle staffing in a more open and ethical manner — these are a couple of the most common options. Should someone approach you about a job with your company, it's more than fair to have that conversation and see where it might lead. The other side of the technician poaching issue is that you need to handle your techs, and all of your employees, in a manner in which they won't be so enticed to change jobs and leave you. Open and consistent communications with your staff is always key — hear what they have to say and give them a voice in how the business performs. Keep pay and workloads reasonable — understand the market in your area and structure salaries accordingly. Know your business — understand what goes into a call and your costs to keep the business strong and employees busy and satisfied. Perhaps you set up a bonus or commission structure to offer additional opportunities for income and incentives. Remember, it's up to you as a business owner to make certain that you have a competent and satisfied team that will want to remain a part of your organization. In a tough and very competitive environment, there will always be those that try to take the short cut and make the easy fix. Not everyone out there plays by the rules. But by managing your business as you should, you can both develop resources to add to your company, and do what is necessary to hold on to those solid employees that you have. THERE IS A RIGHT WAY AND A WRONG WAY… Ethical methods for acquiring and recruiting service technicians S E R V I C E D E P A R T M E N T RO Randy Carney, Executive Director, PSA

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