Although every member of Glenn Piccolo’s staff is considered essential, they are not irreplaceable.
That may sound harsh, but he doesn’t mean it in the way that it sounds. He loves all of his staff and truly cares about his people, but he’s staffed for success. If he needs to let someone go or someone leaves him unexpectedly, he has created a pipeline of talent that will allow him to replace that person within a few days.
Piccolo is the general managing partner of Adams Automotive in Houston, Texas, a trainer for Auto Shop Answers, and a partner at Houston Boston Partnership. From his experience, he’s learned that many shop owners are held hostage by their staff—meaning they’re afraid to let people go because they might not be able to replace them. Because of that, they often let subpar employees continue working because of fear. Piccolo, who believes this should not be happening, compares the way he’s running his shop to a football team.
“We only have so many seats on the bus. We have to make sure the right people are in the right seats,” Piccolo says.
Once the shop is staffed with the right people the work still isn’t done.
“Whoever wins the Superbowl is still looking for the best talent.”
In other words, he believes shop owners should never stop recruiting.
Backstory:
Piccolo began in the industry as a mystery shopper in 1998. He noticed that the shops he went into weren’t all that impressive, so he took what he saw and decided to do something about it. He began as a service advisor and worked his way up to management and eventually became a partner with Adams Automotive and a trainer for Auto Shop Solutions.
Problem:
Piccolo says that many people think there’s a technician shortage, but according to him, the real shortage is for people who don’t know how to train, recruit, and attract technicians. In other words, he believes there’s a shortage of good owners. But many owners believe that there is a technician shortage and because of this, they’re “held hostage” by their staff. They’re afraid of losing anyone so they’ll accept any kind of behavior. And, if someone does leave them, they’re in panic mode because they don’t think they’ll be able to replace that person.
Solution:
So, how exactly do you create a pipeline of talent to ensure you’re always staffed with all-stars? Piccolo shares his top tips:
Always be Recruiting
Piccolo never stops looking for talent. He’s always checking social media and other shops to find people that he’d like to work for him. He says there have been some people he’s been talking to for years to come work for him.
Anyone is Fair Game
Piccolo reaches out directly to anyone he thinks would be a good fit for his shop and he never feels bad about taking someone from another shop. If they’re happy, they’re not looking to leave, he says.
“I’ll never feel bad for changing someone’s life for the better. We’re all competing for customers, market share, and talent. If one of my people wants to leave, that’s a shame on me. We care about our people, and we want to provide them with the best opportunity.”
Make the Connection
“We send a shop tour, our recruiting video, and then what happens? They see no other place does this and then they have a bad day and they end up calling.”
Piccolo adds that they post about their culture and their numbers on social media which helps with exposure because a lot of techs are searching on social media for better opportunities.
Use Your Staff
The people who already work for you are your biggest advocates—if you’re doing it right. If they’re happy and telling other people in the industry about it, that’s probably the best recruiting tool you can have. Piccolo says they pay quite a bit of money if someone at the shop brings in a new Master Tech.
“There’s no threat that they won’t get work. Most shops, they think bringing someone else over will take money out of their pocket.”
His staff is not threatened by new all-stars on the team because they’re open seven days a week and always allow their staff to work extra if they want.
Be the Boss You Would Want
A players don’t work for B leaders, Piccolo points out. If you’re hoping to get the best team, you need to be the best as well. Piccolo says he’s in the trenches with his team.
“It’s a teamwork-makes-the-dream-work mentality,” Piccolo says of his shop.
Make Yourself Desirable
Piccolo says they pay more than the industry average, which is huge in helping retain people. He also lets his staff work as many hours as they like, which he’s able to do with a shop that’s open seven days per week.
“If they want more work, they can come in any day.”
Having a clean shop, state-of-the-art equipment, desirable benefits, leaders that care, and an amazing culture help, too.
Remember, You’re Never Fully Staffed
If a superstar walks in your door, you hire them on the spot. It doesn’t matter if there’s a spot, Piccolo says. They will pay for themselves. Make room.
Aftermath:
Piccolo is confident that he could replace anyone on his staff within a few days, if not the very same day, with his system.
“I can send a message out and I could get a tech today,” he says with confidence.
Because of this, he’s not afraid to let anyone go if he needs to and he’s also able to wish anyone on his staff well if they decide to pursue another opportunity because he knows his shop will continue to operate as it was without any hiccups.
Takeaway:
For those shop owners reading this that are afraid to let anyone go or find themselves struggling whenever a technician decides to move on, Piccolo says that you need to start building a pipeline. Make sure that you have enough people to be able to handle one person leaving for a few days and get to a place where it only takes a few days to find someone new. Make your shop a place where people want to work and you’ll never be afraid of being short-staffed again.
