Flagging one Techs work under another Techs number

[joshbuys]

Long story....There are two tech's in my dealership qualified to do diesel work, myself(certified in everything except auto/manual trans and gas engine performance), and my brother-in-law (dual senior master as of a month ago). Three other techs in the shop (one just started working for us and had never been in a dealership before and has no ford certs, one with electrical, brakes, gas engine repair, steering/suspension, climate control, and the other has electrical, brakes, steering/suspension).

 

New guy has diesel experience from independent shops (chevy, dodge, ford(7.3), and some bigger stuff. SM told us he was hired to help with gas stuff and diesel stuff would continue coming to the two of us.

 

So a little over a month ago, a truck comes in and one of our two service advisors(both have been with us less than 3 months) gives it to the new guy - 6.0 cel(warranty) diagnosis - needs an egr valve(failed egr test - maf out of range) installs egr valve - still broke....he asks my brother-in-law for help - has maf code - wire broken at sensor - order's pigtail and repairs - truck goes on it's way - SM ran it with my brother-in-laws number on it. So my brother-in-law and I go and talk to GM/SM about it - both GM and SM tell us it won't happen again and blah blah blah....fast forward to the beginning of May - family emergency(funeral) in California - we both take off two days (10th, 11th) and then got snowed out and didn't make it back 'til late on the 12th.

 

Now with the stage set....truck comes in May 27th on the hook - customer is PISSED!!!! Truck billows white smoke! Handed to me - recent repair history - May 12th - in our dealership - diag/egr valve replaced(customer complaint - blows white smoke, cel, lacks power) "I" made the repair??? I don't recognize this truck.....I perform diag on it and find EGR Cooler is BLOWN!!! Performed EGR Cooler/Oil Cooler Kit replacement, retest for headgaskets - ok, oil change, flush. Then I notice the date on previous history....I WASN'T HERE WHEN THAT HAPPENED....Confront SM - he get's pissed off and tells me I can't go on vacation same time as my brother-in-law....first off - they knew when they hired both of us this might be the case at times, second off, it's not uncommon for us to be stacked 2-3 days before getting a look at a diesel truck, this truck came in on the 11th, and was "repaired" on the 12th, We were both in the shop on the 13th. So I go and talk to GM - he says "well, the guy had a "gun" to our head, and we had to fix his truck"....."You told me a month ago this wouldn't happen" I told him if it happens again, I'm done!!

 

As far as I know, they still have another tech's number active(dual senior master) retired last november. We got the number a while back from our training instructor to contact Ford regarding misuse of tech numbers....It just urkes me that they try to pull this crap, my SM told me "we go out of our way to make sure you two get the diesel work when we've got other's standing aroung", I responded "you're not going out of your way, you've only got two guys certified to fix them". He says "the cp work doesn't require certification, and we still give it to you". I told him "if you think we're going to do all the warranty work while you give the CP to them, you better start looking for some new tech's, I didn't sign on to do ONLY warranty work!"

 

Not once, but TWICE has the new guy been given a 6.0 and failed to fix it properly - first time replaced a part that didn't need replaced, second time only fixed the result of the problem, not the CAUSE....Now my tech number and NAME are on the CUSTOMER COPY of the invoice and "I" couldn't fix it right the first time.....It's not just my tech number....IT'S MY REPUTATION AND MY LIVELIHOOD!!!!

 

Am I wrong to react this way? What would you do?! I'm under contract to stay here through the end of next January (or pay back moving expenses (prorated of course)) but after that, I'm thinking it's time to move on........

 

[Jim Warman]

Just the other day..... y'see, my loving bride has been in Edmonton for a week for doctor tests and shit. In a great deal of discomfort, one evening (Crohns Disease can do this), she visited an emergency ward and called me on her cell phone....

 

"There's a guy here that knows you... you worked on his '67 Charger"... I am curious because my vintage car list is very fucking exclusive. There-upon, she hands this errrrmmmmm 'fellow' her cell phone.

 

He babbles on for a bit... and I am trying to make him aware that I know nothing of him... or his "creampuff". But he strikes a nerve... "ever since you and them other guys at Fountain Tire put that 383 stuff on my 440....".

 

Whoa!!! I have never worked at Fountain Tire... nor would I succumb to the urge to do such a thing.

 

Bottom line... there is always the chance to have your rep sullied...

 

To the subject at hand.... what part of "fraud" are people having trouble with? Could it be the part where honesty is important? Or could it be the other part, the one where honesty is important?

 

The unfortunate part.... what CAN you do about it... (be honest and thoughtful about "CAN")... and what are you prepared or willing to do about it? Pardon me for sounding like a prick because there is no other way to sound...

 

Being employed can be a lot like playing poker.... you can bluff - will they call? They can bluff... what happens if you call? At this point "right" and "wrong" aren't part of the detour you guys are on.

 

Good luck... however it plays out.