Just Wondering

[capsgs]

How many guys on this forum have had to endure pay cuts during this mess? They just whacked me a good one!!

[GMFXDOPSMGR]

DITTO 2 X'S IN 4 MONTHS

[robc]

I lost count in the dealerships I have been in where this has happened. Generally the managers understand why the cuts are necessary but it kills shop and advisor morale - especially since the money seems to them to go up front so that the sales managers can still make six-figures while selling 20 cars a month.

I worry for dealerships that have talented managers taking cuts that will have no employee loyalty when things turn around or might be tempted into things that they never thought they would.

I am still looking for answers on how to keep the mood up in a shop that just went through pay cuts.

[sallen1]

Rob, to answer your question:

The only thing I heard about that kept moral after a pay cut was where the dealer/GM and senior management asked for suggestions to stay in business. The employees at the store decided that if they all took a pay cut then they wouldn't have to fire anyone.

Obviously, the "team takes a hit" for the team! Can't remember the store and wonder if it is still working.

I don't like the across the board pay cuts.

We asked for volunteers to rotate time off on Fridays to save a bit and to keep from the "across the board pay cut". So far we've kept everyone at the same pay structure and staff reductions have come from natural attrition.

I think the only way to get thru this is to keep everyone informed with honest information. It amazes me that when stores suddenly shut the doors the employees are "shocked". Someone knew what was happening.

This is also a great time to fill the void in daily work with purging of useless files and other stuff. Keep people busy.

s

[Mike Pardini]

We were just informed that we will be "taking" a day off once a week. Not sure if everyone can afford the 20% cut. We will see after the 1st week.

[FJFIXEDOPS]

capsgs,
I received my new pay plan in January. 2nd one in the last 8 months. Service has struggled to make a profit at this location, but we are tracking a $700,000.00 increase this year over last (granted, it's only two months, but we are certainly doing our share!).
I guess it is what it is at this point. We should be happy to be employed and have a dealer that is making money.
Can't help with the 'how-to' of keeping attitudes up, not in the current market conditions.

Just remember... "This too shall pass"!

[jtr8178]

I work at a heavy-duty diesel truck dealership, and our entire company took a 10% pay cut & 401k match stopped. Pay raises have been "frozen" for 14 months now. Our company made money last year, but times have fallen hard on us Nov, Dec, & January.

Our local CAT distributor laid off 20% of its employees (180), and all of our local competitors have either stopped shifts, laid off employees, done pay cuts, or a little bit of all the above.

Tough times for everyone ... The weaker companies will start to close & this thing will turn around eventually.

[Richard]

No pay cuts, but they cut staffing to the bone.(Well, except in sales)

Luckily (for us anyway) several dealers in the area have closed, and we're getting their traffic (unhappy, snarling people who are pissed they have to drive an hour to get to the dealership, and tell us all these tales about how their former, now closed dealer gave them free loaner cars for anything, including an oil change, how their car was washed and vacummed every time {one that I know is BS, as I bought my personal car at that dealership})

[Parts Guru]

"and tell us all these tales about how their former, now closed dealer gave them free loaner cars for anything, including an oil change, how their car was washed and vacummed every time" Maybe that is why they are closed.

[Richard]

lol... no, my point was that I know for a fact that dealer did NOT wash or Vacumm cars, ect because I bought MY personal car there. I think a lot of people are trying to pull something over on dealers like us that are stuck dealing with a closed dealer's mess!

------------------
GM Certified Parts Manager.
ASE P4 Certified.

http://agmpartsmanager.blogspot.com/

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