Bill Haas Says 70% of Technicians Need Better Pay, Not More Hiring
Updated
Updated · Auto Service World · Jun 3
Bill Haas Says 70% of Technicians Need Better Pay, Not More Hiring
1 articles · Updated · Auto Service World · Jun 3
Summary
At a MEMA conference in Missouri, shop coach Bill Haas argued the aftermarket’s real shortage is good workplaces, saying weak pay plans, benefits and conditions push skilled technicians out.
Survey data in his session backed that up: 70% of respondents called higher pay the industry’s most urgent issue, only 49% would recommend their current shop, and fewer than 20% preferred flat-rate pay.
Haas pointed to a Stellantis-trained dealer technician whose Pacifica side-curtain airbag job would flag 6.2 hours for a customer but less than two hours under warranty, squeezing earnings on flat-rate compensation.
He said shops and dealers should focus less on recruiting new entrants and more on retention through better pay systems, stronger benefits, climate-controlled workplaces and greater respect for technicians.