Hey all— I’m part of a small investment team doing diligence on a tech company in the heavy-equipment service space and am looking to speak to some operators in the space to get a better hold of some of the industry dynamics. Specifically, I’m looking for techs who previously worked at a dealer (CAT, John Deere, Komatsu, Volvo, etc.) and now run their own service truck or small shop. Would love to learn more about: How your pay, workflow, and parts/diagnostics access changed after leaving the dealership What’s painful about finding/servicing multi-brand fleets today? Why did you go independent and were there any pain points working within the dealer? What’s in it for you $150 honorarium (Amazon gift card/venmo, etc.) for a 30-minute Zoom/phone call Completely confidential—this is NOT a recruiting pitch or sales call If interested, feel free to DM me and we can set up some time. Thanks! Happy to answer questions in the thread.
Qty (2) new members asking us to fill out surveys in 1 day....Must be a campaign or sumtin'
The main problem with any of this nonsense is, no way to collect a payment. Explain how that is done? You would want one of us (the fish) to send all our private information into an unknown dark hole. So why do you bother? If you don't have a local office in every state and city, you would never get anything from me. This is just like all the spam phone calls and emails everyone gets. Just fishing for a persons ID that is all this is about.
This site gets soooo many weird survey requests. Scam or not this is the first one that has offered pay though
Payment via an Amazon gift card is pretty easy - just need the counterparty's email. Have done it hundreds of times for market research-related interviews with no issue. Hope my intention did not come off the wrong way. Not looking to fish for anyone's personal info. Just looking to better understand some of the industry dynamics to inform how we think about a particular investment we are looking into.
You said "Completely confidential".... and yet, you need an e-mail address to send the $150. Let's not forget Voice Recognition, spending 1/2 hour on a call is more than enough to steal a person's Voice.
Anyone that wishes to can answer your questions right here in this forum. I don't need to be paid to freely give up the stuff DDoug just mentioned. Sorry but most of us mechanical sorts are just a bit smarter than most scam targets. And good thinking DDoug about the voice recognition, good post.
Truckguy7 could extrapolate all the information he wants by using AI and farming the data from the chats we have had over the years about dealer guys going indie. Then again, I could buy a lot of rabbit food for $150 bucks.
♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️ $150 for 1/2 hour of your time…. Well if it sounds to good to be true then it probably is!!♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️
Not looking to scam, just an outsider trying to learn about the space - apologies if how I framed my request raised some red flags. I see now how that could be the case. If folks are willing to share their experiences in this forum as well, that would be much appreciated. Have done some research here on the forums that was helpful in getting a good perspective, but just thought I would ask for other perspectives.
Start asking the questions then.
Yes, right here.
Here's another point to ponder. You came on here for free, and your asking members to go to your website. Pinching forum members away from here. it would go over better if you invested a few $$ with the forum owners and bought some paid advertising up top, if that's not available, make a donation to help defray the operating costs.
Sure thing - here are a few if anyone is willing to give a perspective: - Why do techs typically leave a dealer to go independent? - How much of a pain is unknown pricing/long lead times with dealer services for your typical equipment owner? - How real is the technician shortage for dealers, and does that affect service quality?
Yes ask folks here on this forum all the questions, and pay $150 per proper amount of answers you get, to this website to keep it going. Maybe there can be a special location for it all then, and hopefully uncluttered. You could copy and paste then. I see you asked already, as I was typing the above. I'd like to wait for others to respond since my dealer employment was I think 33 years in the past. And may not pertain.
I don't have a website I'm looking to pull anybody to. Happy to invest $$ wherever would be most appropriate to support the community here - that was the intention of the original $150 I offered. Can put that towards the site instead, as chidog mentioned.
1- poor treatment of the technician is #1. Dealers often tend to treat techs poorly, especially when management has never turned wrenches. I have always been treated very well but I’ve heard some horror stories 3- very, and yes, especially when the dealer hires green ones and throws them into the fire instead of partnering them with experienced mechanics to learn the skills and knowledge of the job. Developing a skilled mechanic is not a fast process. It’s a slow, costly process. Nobody a wants to hear or heed this.
A recent thread, and covered well in post #12. HeavyEquipmentForums Issue #1 Management attitude, corporate cardboard cutout, porker faced. Issue #2 Management thinking in general, lofty. Issue #3 Management thinking vocational schools are the end to their problem, which management ----------- created to begin with. Issue #4 One that management didn't create, lack of raw skill/level in would be worker. Issue #5 Going independent--includes all of above plus a idea that down the the road with all the ----------- cash rolling in they too can own a Cadillac Escalade 600 AWD V series. Issue #6 The worker thinking he's worth more because of shortage in workforce, which management ----------- didn't create. Issue #7 The industry it's self, stop calling and creating titles that are bullsh!t, {technician} a lofty ----------- term used to describe a mechanic, the industry created that to make a mechanic feel ----------- more important about himself, a mood builder, a promotion/elevation without a pay increase. ----------- Public doesn't use the term, it's {I took the tractor to dealer and the mechanic said} {not ----------- technician}. Lofty crap from the heights of corporate & HR, and vocational schools to ----------- stamp next to a name or on a diploma. Issue #8 Where did the tater head teaching at the vocational school get his smarts? Issue #9 Actually goes with #1 & #5, they too secretly desire to be porker faced.
Did you find any? I think in today's Time, it is very difficult to independently run a Service Truck. With all the Electronic now these days in the machines, you would have to invest a lot of money to cover all kind of machines. I am a former Bobcat Shop Foreman, worked there for 10 Years and left for a better paid, closer to the House and more laid back Shop. Not to mention, that I work now only from 6-3 for more money then I got by Bobcat and I worked there from 6-5 Monday to Friday. Even if you purchase the Software, for example by Bobcat, you can buy it BUT it is then only activated for one Machine Serial #. For any other machine you have to spend licenses fee again (round about $500) and then you get it for that specific Serial # and so on. To have it "open" for all, like a Dealer you would have to find some shady Software from the Internet and risk that the Company, in this case Bobcat, comes after you if they find out. And if you dip deeply into the Dealer Territory, they will find out. I can tell you from several experience where Bobcat went after individuals who had either stolen Software or used someone's Passwords. I do it now different, I try to help people in these Forums here now for free. I spend some time here and see where I can help. Do I get money for that, NO but I try to help people. What I saw so long is that a lot of Dealers (in this case Bobcat) try to take advantage for their customers and I hate that! I hated it when I worked for them and I tried to be honest and fair as much as I can! Some of these Diags what I see in this Forum and in others are outrages and scream that the Dealer has no idea what they doing. Back to the Service Truck, I guess you could run and do all mechanical work as long you do not have to touch the computers or controllers. That would be possible. All these machines work the same way in general.
1 Management is the first issue always. 2 The management buddy issue, you know they have their favorites. 3 Fellow shop slaves that are just nasty and jealous, and purposely set you up to fail. 4 Tool thieves in the shop. Probably the same ones that set you up to fail. 5 Management never giving you a pat on the back. 6 Unfair wage structure for low time employees. That is what comes to mind right now. Anyone that would want to be a mechanic in any industry needs a head exam. The best jobs are relaxed non overly physical jobs like a CNC machinist, in the right shop and SHIFT you get to sit down read and study things if you wish. Some of those shops are as bad as a mechanic shop. Never answer an ad for a job that says. "FAST PACED" Work any stand on your feet all day job for years, you will feel it in your 70's, oh and your hands and wrists too. If its your dream to be a mechanic, do it on your own, get an easy very high paying job like a computer programmer, retire early and buy some machines to work on. You have no pressure doing it and no nasty people to work for or work with. Not sure if this is what your looking for but, it is important.
You hit several. A couple of good examples of corporate nonsense. A rather large tire industry dealer here in the northwest, started in Prineville Ore by a guy who had a good idea. Some years before he was actually in a total step down from top post, the movers and shakers in management had moved into position making PR related ads and campaigning to public with there service to impress. They had a dress code, no beards, no mustache, no facial hair, buzz cuts only. Looked like a corporate army. Their moto --{When You Drive in We Come Running}. * That same company had many work related failures, because of the impress the public with speed running to the customer. Same company took care of our truck fleet tires. Each weekend they would send a crew to the shop on Saturday mornings. And never failed a newbie was sent along for training, I would keep an eye out and as soon as newbie started to trot, I put a stop to that crap. {your not at the store, we don't run here, running causes accidents, running causes people to take short cuts, Walk don't run on this property, take your time to do it right without hurting yourself--your not impressing me by running. The crews liked their weekend time at the shop. That same company is now owned by privet equity investors, and keeping help is a issue. * The other is the big {P} total corporate, with the utmost in corp nonsense. I won't go to far into them, but I feel sorry for any young buck trying to start under that thumb.
it's the same in many industries. the larger the company, the more of a 'resource' and less of a human you are. you get to be yourself when you work for yourself or at least a smaller company. working for big outfits might feel impressive to a kid right out of school, but it never takes long to for that corporate glitter to feel paper thin and muck underneath to really start stinking.
Spacely Sprockets run by Cogswell Cogs.
Funny--truckguy7 shows up but doesn't bother to reply.
I think dealers make as much on the parts as they do on the mechanics.
Apologies for the late response. Really appreciate all the input from everyone. Is there a way to donate the $150 mentioned to the site?
I think what you're seeing, truckguy, is a reaction to the amount of spammers and scammers everybody is seeing everywhere these days. Personally, I can't blame anyone for being a little skeptical to outright cynical in their reaction. If you're on the up and up it's unfortunate, but again, enough people have been burned enough times and you're feeling the fallout. Having some credibility established with the community *prior* to asking for something that requires disclosure of personal information might have been helpful. For anything having to do with offering money to this site, my suggestion would be to contact Steve Frazier directly. And for what it's worth, to the membership at large, probably 10-15 years ago I responded to an ad on Craigslist similarly seeking input from people in the field. A couple of ladies came out to the site, asked their questions, and I got paid $125. It was a nice distraction from the everyday grind, and well worth the time. That's not an endorsement of truckguy7, who I don't know from Adam, but my personal experience is that there are people doing research who are willing to pay for your time. Of course, your mileage may vary...
I was with a dealer for over 20 years and moved from shop to field mechanic then on to lead hand , foreman and finally service manager. For me it was just just the next step to go independent. I always liked the hands on part of the job and liked it best when I could plan my own day without any redirection. Getting service and parts information for Cat equipment is no problem at all. There are many aftermarket suppliers. I can do anything on cat et I could before and even more in some cases. That may change soon as the old sis falls out of date. The tech shortage does seem to be a problem more so now as there seems to be less people getting real life experience when they are young. We used to build things as kids because we had a lot of free time. Now the internet and gaming has taken up a lot of kids free time.
My personal experience was for an increase in pay. The company at that time was charging $45 an hour for service rates and paying me $11.25 an hour. I did all the work and struggled to get a $.25 an hour raises. I decided, since the customers were contacting me personally instead of my boss, I could do better on my own. I went from $33K a year to $95K annually my first year and never looked back. This was in 1990 It was much easier back in the early years due to the lack of complicated computer systems. Parts seemed to be readily available for almost every brand of manufacturer.....so I really didn't deal with many delays or super high pricing. It's very different now....computers are running everything on equipment. To me, it's not financially feasible to own all the troubleshooting equipment and software for today's equipment. I rarely run into computer issues but when I do, it's much cheaper to call the dealer for a hook-up and diagnosis. The technology seems to change so fast now......Ide go broke trying to keep up with the updates alone. It's only realistic to own if you are doing that only.....and it would have to be near fulltime work. The technician shortage is still horrible here in Oklahoma. I heard just the other day......for every 5 senior techs retiring, there is only 2 to replace them. That 2 is not even a guaranteed number due to many not staying in the business for whatever reason. The shortage is real, and it gets worse by the year. Its effecting service quality greatly. Equipment dealers struggle to hire decent working-class techs. The turnover in the industry is extremely high, and the dealers compete with each other using better wages and benefits. It's nothing new to see a dealer tech move from one dealer to another. Most I have known over the years have moved to other dealers multiple times. I've had young techs come out in the past.....if their computer diagnosis dint come up with an issue, they were lost after that. I've seen them on the phone for hours getting instruction from tech support.......only to leave the job and the dealer sends someone out with more experience. I've even had several show up and admit to me that they don't have much experience with a particular machine or its systems. Needless to say, I don't have a lot of faith in most of the trouble shooting they do. I expect soon that indy's will be gone forever.........and dealer support will be the only option. It wouldn't surprise me that dealer field service dies..........and ALL repair and maintenance will be done In-House only.
The last paragraph in post #28. That is the result of todays helicopter/bulldozer parenting, which has had long running effects for years now, going back 40 years. But that is another issue entirely to itself. Third paragraph in post #29. That is the result of a industry building/producing based on all items being electronically/computer controlled. This item I have been told by several young {mechanics} is the reason they quit after barely getting started in the field. They saw no reason to continue the daily frustration of repairing stuff doomed to fail and ending as the guy stood against the wall in a you touched it last firing squad with dealer/customer finger pointing. The mechanical repair field has lost allot of it luster as a life long endeavor when it seems everything is connected to a haystack of wiring, {quote-un-quote} that from a person who found a better job with much better pay and way less frustration, and he was a good mechanic.