On this week’s Grease the Wheels we take a look at the job at the top of the shop food chain: the general manager. The Boss. In some cases their name is on the building, in others they are the long arm of a very large corporate entity. Either way, the buck stops and starts with them. In brand new dealerships and shops the learning curve can be seriously steep and finding the right people for the right jobs is a major factor to success. However, we can’t help but notice the trend that most general managers at least at the dealership level come from the sales department. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does limit the perspective that this individual is going to have on the entirety of dealership operations, and their expectations might clash with the reality of some of the other departments they are now overseeing. What makes a good one? What makes a bad one? Who is the best one you’ve ever worked for? Who chased you out of the building? We want to know so we can help tell the world how it needs to be done! This is the second episode of the “Expectations” series where Uncle Jimmy puts on his Human Resources hat, for the first episode about Service Managers see episode 113.
Also Uncle Jimmy gives some legitimately sound business advice to independent and European shops, mobile mechanics, and individuals looking to start their own shops and theorizes the, “Am I An Asshole? Test” to all prospective business owners!
This episode is distributed by The Wrenching Network. Whether you’re a technician, a mechanic, or someone who just loves the car scene, The Wrenching Network is a place that you have to check out. They have all sorts of great content, gear, and snacks to keep you turning wrenches in whatever capacity you do it. Also if you see us over there, make sure you say hi and leave a comment with what you think about the episode!