Welcome to working in an oil change business. It is a place of luxury, where we have air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. You are three months from being an ASE Master Tech!
…And then you wake up from your nap. That is not realistic for starting out as a lube technician. So, we are going to help you learn what to do and what not to do, and set expectations for the job that you have.
Things to Do
Learn. Learn as much as you can. Use training programs, reach out to parts suppliers for their training classes, and even watch online videos. This is a fairly simple job to do, but not knowing what you are doing can means thousands of dollars for others when you make mistakes. If all you want to do is change oil and pick up a paycheck, then these things are not for you. But if you have any aspirations of moving up in this industry, then knowledge is necessary. When you go home and are sitting around relaxing on your phone, flip it to a YouTube channel video. There are a ton of them out there. Some are even funny and informative. Many times, you can learn what not to do from watching these videos. Whatever path you take to gain this knowledge, just know that it does not have to be by going to a technical college or spending more than others.
Be a model employee. This will help you stand out with your management team. Be on time, keep your area clean, and do your job quick—all without having to be asked to do it. It will not be a quick rise, but these are the skills that managers look for to decide who should move up the ranks. Once you have been there for a while, share your wisdom with someone else. Show someone else what you did to get where you are and be a sounding board. As above, with learning, you never know what you will learn from someone else’s actions.
What Not to Do
No matter what someone else tells you, having a $10,000 Matco box and thousands of tools does not make you a mechanic. Do not make that kind of financial commitment until you know more and have started to move into other areas of the business. If you become a general technician, getting work on wrench time, maybe then you might want to look into this investment. In fact, nearly every place that you work out of to start will have their own tools for the job. Do not put yourself in a hole if you don’t know if you want to do this for a career.
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Now that you have a few things to look into as you start out in this industry, find a path that works for you. But remember that you are working on a customer’s second biggest purchase besides a home. Do not let yourself make mistakes that will cost them or your business money because you did not take the time to prevent inferior performance. An ounce of prevention prevents a pound of frustration.
About the Author
Adam Tatum
Adam Tatum is the Director of Operations for Virginia Lubes, a Jiffy Lube franchisee with 11 locations. He has over a decade of experience in the industry with a proven track record of building customer counts and sales, as well as using innovative ways to bring a new look to the automotive field for both the customer and the employee. Performance comes from growing your business through people.