I'm looking for only the best

[coolestacman]

being most of us come from imagrants and looking at the scale or families most likely came from the countries #6-#14.
What changed when they crossed the pond?

[neophytes serendipity]

being most of us come from imagrants and looking at the scale or families most likely came from the countries #6-#14.
What changed when they crossed the pond?

Greed

[aruddick]

question

if i were to work at wall mart being the company supplies the cash register does that become a benifit?

No but the cool blue apron would !!

[Pioneer]

I can already tell by your negative attitude that you are not the man for the job I have to offer, stick with Wal-mart.

This is just a posting for a position, if you feel it's not right for you then don't reply.
Replying with negative comments is not going to make me change my benefit package; it only succeeds in making you look bad.
A benefit does not have to only benefit the employee, just because there is benefit for the employer doesn't change the fact that it benefits the employee.
Maybe you would like to post (honestly) what benefits do you have at your current job that I do not offer?

[DPSwitch]

Pioneer is still a growing business, not a Mega yellow truck type deal, what growing business doesn't hope to get the best they can with what they have to offer?....... I don't really understand the problem.

[coolestacman]

dont worry pioneer, I am too far away to work for your shop o benifits.

I will let you know that I do get a company vehicle, uniforms and tools supplied.

The pay is $48. with benifits and pension. Benifits meaning dental, medical precription and paid holidays.

Things I do as a job. I get paid to prepare quotes, wash my van, attend meetings and anything else on during company hours. Basicly I get paid from the moment I get in the van in the morning until I get home at night.

[DPSwitch]

How much does your company charge for a service call? Just curios.

[coolestacman]

We are billing out at $95. Other shops are billing out at 45-120 depending on what they work on.

[Pioneer]

There is no way around it, if what you say is true you are being paid at 50% of the company income while your employer out of his half pays for your medical, dental, prescription drugs, vehicle upkeep, gas, insurance, and shop rent and utilities.
Sounds like you work for a really nice guy that will soon be working for someone else. Good luck

[btcstudenthvacr]

Well I read all the post top to bottom. As new kid on the block not even finished with school yet at a young age of 32. I wouldn't mind having a job in your shop. However the thought of working for someone to have the better life while I just have enough income from laboring makes me puke. If I really want a career I have to take on all the responsibilities and man up and own my own shop, which I respect you for taking on the initiative to do. Will I hire illegals or even consider it , never a chance. Not only is it illegal it puts an American out of work. I worked side by side with an illegal for many years in my last job, hell we even got to be friends and still are. Unfortunately I didn't know who he really was till he got hauled out one day.The reality is he is a man just like me puts his pants one leg at a time. People that immigrate here do work hard at first after awhile they mold into our society and expect the same humane conditions they are in and the same pay for equal work expected from one man to the next. If you want success in life your looking for share the wealth till it hurts. You never will over compensate a person putting food on your table it doesn't always take cash to make a person happy. If you really want to put yourself ahead of the game put your techs and laborer's as all owners or treat them all as equals. The reality is if they are working for themselves they will always work harder and smarter.

[The Penguin]

There is no way around it, if what you say is true you are being paid at 50% of the company income while your employer out of his half pays for your medical, dental, prescription drugs, vehicle upkeep, gas, insurance, and shop rent and utilities.
Sounds like you work for a really nice guy that will soon be working for someone else. Good luck

I read it differently - 48 inc bennies

extra for the co is workers comp, employment insurance, gov't pension plan

8 hr so the cost to employ is 56 approx

[Pioneer]

I never said anything about hiring illegal, that in itself is against the morals that I expect from my employees.
I said I would like to hire immigrants meaning those who have entered the country legally and who have taken the initiative to learn the language.

Penguin: It doesn’t ad up does it?
I do have one service tech whose take home check is more then mine, but it is not even close to half of what he brings in.

[coolestacman]

Well my employer has been around for at least 40 years in this industry and every year when we have the meeting to find out how well the employer did most jobs have made 15%-40%. When we get customers we keep them. If you look in the area I work there are all sorts of companies that have been around for 30 plus years and making money all under the same conditions.
If the non union would smarten up we could all do a lot better

[aruddick]

If the non union would smarten up we could all do a lot better

Was union untill I figured I could get my round head out of that square hole of the brainwashed. Not sure we need to "smarten up".

[btcstudenthvacr]

So if a union shop can make 15-40% doing things the "wrong way" what does that tell us how non union shops bid there work? I am all for either to be honest, as long as the end of the day the person making the company money is treated fairly working conditions are up to osha standards and the laborer is protected by workman's comp and full health insurance. Now a pension/401k is a different story. How many companies that are non union make sure that their laborer's at the end of their working career have a life to live when their bodies are worn and tired? Working to the age of 72 is a mean cruel joke to me, yet thats a realistic goal of our youth today.

[Wild]

It sounds like you run a respectable outfit Pioneer. Congratulations as that’s not exactly an easy thing to do in this trade, especially over the period of time that you have. I know it took a lot of hard work and self motivation on your part to get to where you are. Just like it takes a lot of hard work and self motivation to become one of the best of the best installation/ service techs. And there are probably a lot of just those types of techs on this forum. And I’m sure the majority of them find it a little insulting to see what you are offering as fair compensation for being the “best of the best”. There’s nothing really wrong with what you offer and I’m sure it’s pretty good for your area like you say. But I know installers that can’t braze or wire a thermostat and they make more than $25/hr. Plus they drive home a company vehicle, get tool reimbursement and all the other “standard” benefits you mentioned. I know, I know, I’m in a different part of the country but if the cost of a 1700 sq ft house out there is $210,000 and gas is $2.55 it sounds more like those best of the best techs would barley get by on $18/hr.

It doesn’t sound like you’re really looking for the best of the best though. You just want an installer that can finish the job from start to finish on their own. With what your company has to offer I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding someone who is capable and more than happy to work for you. And a lot of us hvac guys are ego maniacs, hell I plead guilty, so I’m sure that the tech will think of them self as one of the best like you want.

[bernie1]

I looked at this thread a month ago and it seems Pioneer is still getting the same beating!!!! I too, (being an "old" guy) remember when a job was great just because you HAD a job!!! As for best of the best...unless you are past 50or so you can't be the best of the best. You young guys are up against it because you missed the development of this whole trade/business. How many of you (young and old) know how to replace the tweers in a coal furnace, or how to track down the wiring on a boiler that started as coal then converted to fuel oil then converted to propane then converted to natural and all the original conversion parts still there and intact, or Carriers new pop switch, or rheems fix for a burner whistle! To be the best of the best you need to be trained by the best from experience not just books.The best means understanding the system in it's entirety. The best tech not only knows how to replace parts that fail but has the ability and desire to find out why the part failed ie: Bad blower motor... why?...low voltage...burned contact on relay....dirty filter (no filter)...maybe it was just a worn out motor. part of making an excellent tech is serving my customer so he won't consider calling someone else and will pay my price because he doesn't think I want to make my days pay on his house alone.He is a working stiff just like the rest of us and needs his money worse than we do. My techs have always gotten extra bonuses and pay increases as their experience and knowledge increase and all are required to know installation as well as service.The best are created by learning from the best. We have in house training not just the generic supplier training which seems to work much better using "the days" problems not just hypothetical situations. More training.....more money....and at 25 or 30 years old........"you ain't the best of the best"........I'll take the young guys everyday but give me experience to lead them and the knowledge to teach them and as long as they realize why they have two ears and one mouth I will make them the best of the best....One last thought...If you start out on the top (as some here think they are) where do you go from there......

[Pioneer]

I can't even count the times I have hired a guy who claimed to be the greatest thing sense sliced bread only to find out 2 weeks latter that he's all crust.
We now give every service or install position applicant a competency test before hiring them, that seems to be working out very well.
And as it turns out the person I hired to fill the service position is 47 and the oldest person to apply. Many younger techs applied but scored very poorly almost across the board on the test.
I did get an application from a younger tech on this board that I have high hopes for should a future need arrive, you know who you are
I'm still looking for 2 install mechanics, but the same issues are there, many applicants and none qualified.
You would be amazed at how many people are currently employed as an installer in this field that think the air flow in 2 8" ducts is the same as in 1 16" duct. "Blows my mind".

[Bubbleheadski]

WOW..... What a thread.
Pioneer..... Honestly for our area.... not a bad deal. I cant really relate to the OuterBanks... (I think our cost of living is higher), but I certainly cant afford to move either! Most companies down here try to make techs think they are getting a great deal at $20 an hour. Wanna expand your service area?
I am one of those late into the industry types... I am almost 46 and comming up on 5 yrs in the biz. I constantly go behind guys with 10 plus yrs exp and still fix their mistakes. Yes I make some too.... I am not perfect as I know nobody is.
I think the major problem today is someone with experience tends to become complacent.
Good luck to all your new hires and may you enjoy continued growth.

[tinknocker service tech]

wow read every post
this was a great tread. If i were in your neck of the woods i would apply for sure.
whatever you are doing keep it going because i am sure your guys love it