I Can Work 2 Jobs At Once.. or How I Ticked Off My Employer

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BlantonDetail

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-The following story is an account of my workday yesterday, and may end up being a waste of your time, or possibly an interesting read. You have been warned..

I work as a Service Writer at a small GM dealership. I really don't have much to do throughout the day, since we have only about 8-10 customers per day to make tickets for. Aside from answering the phone and scheduling appointments, I mostly surf the web and read AutoGeek.

Yesterday I had a black Lexus SC to detail and wax. I won't have my garage set-up to detail from until this weekend (finally!) and the owner of the dealership here lets me use the garage after shop hours, until the whole place closes, which is 4:30pm-6pm M-F and 7:30am-2pm Saturday.

The owner of the Lexus works for a Real Estate Developer, and this could turn into gaining his boss's business of washing weekly his Ferrari, 2 Mercedes, and whatever 2 company vehicles they have, plus detailing and waxing them monthly. I wanted to really take my time and do an excellent job, since I'm trying to build my client base and turn this into a full-time job for me, instead of a side job. I decided I'd get a good head-start on the car during the day, since I wouldn't have much time after work.

At lunch I pulled in the Lexus and washed the exterior, since the wash boy was on lunch. He didn't have much to do either, so I kept it in a little longer than the lunch time to finish it and get the wheels and wheel-wells done well. After washing it, I pulled it to an empty spot in the shop to dry-I use a chamois at the moment, but I'm getting a leaf blower this weekend. I then clayed the car, and even started waxing it.
By the time I started waxing, I noticed my Service Manager was looking fairly pissy. I also realized I'd had the car pulled in for at least 2 hours at that point.

I decided to stop on the waxing, and just wait until closing time to finish her up. I still left the car pulled in for the rest of the day, and at 4:30 I just pulled it outside, and finished everything outside. I did it a little backwards in my steps, as far as the interior detail comes in my process, but the car came out pretty nice.

I was told that toward the end of the day, the owner asked if I was "polishin on that car all day" and the guy told him he wasn't sure, but I was at my desk now. The owner allegedly replied "well, he better'd not get used to that sh**"

I'll be all into my garage this weekend, so I won't have to do anymore vehicles here. Anytime our wash guy is out and the owner or the sales guys ask me to do a sold car for them, I do it with no argument and no request to pay me the extra $1.50/hour the wash guy makes. There was nothing that needed done in my job that didn't get done, I still answered every call and greeted every customer.
Besides, if the point was really raised as an issue, they could just not pay me for the day because I made more on that car than I did for the day working here. ($95 vs. $8.50/hr)
I'm still hoping to hear from the guy about doing his boss's vehicles. He was really pleased and said he'd be driving his Lexus to work today for the guy to see.
Everyone seems back to normal with me today, but I think even the sales guys and office women were mad too, for some stupid reason. Anyway, just thought I'd share.
:dblthumb2: :awesome: :props:

T
 
The wash guy makes more than the service writer??? If he makes $10 he must be the highest paid dealer wash guy anywhere.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
The wash guy makes more than the service writer??? If he makes $10 he must be the highest paid dealer wash guy anywhere.
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Yeah, $10/hr. They don't do customer cars, just cars on the lot, cars sold, dealer trades, etc. Normally it's my dad, and he has 47+ years detailing, but right now it's the guy our owner calls Moose, and is one of the dumbest people I've ever met. He asked me in his first week- "They didn't tell me if this car was used or new, so I don't know what to do with it" I take the keytag and explain "This is a 2008... it's used."
 
I can understand where your boss is coming from... He's nice enough to let you use the shop during lunch and after hours for your own business, but you cross the line when you are doing something not related to the job ON the clock.
What ever job I have had, If there is nothing to do, I find something to do. I ALWAYS keep busy. Find some manuals to read to better yourself, find something to clean or re arrange, see if someone needs help with something etc...
I would probably just apologize to your boss and tell him you lost track of time and it won't happen again.
 
ThirdgenTa said:
I can understand where your boss is coming from... He's nice enough to let you use the shop during lunch and after hours for your own business, but you cross the line when you are doing something not related to the job ON the clock.
What ever job I have had, If there is nothing to do, I find something to do. I ALWAYS keep busy. Find some manuals to read to better yourself, find something to clean or re arrange, see if someone needs help with something etc...
I would probably just apologize to your boss and tell him you lost track of time and it won't happen again.
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:iagree: 100%
 
:iagree::iagree::iagree:
When collecting a paycheck, ALL of your compensated time (that means paid) should be spent on the JOB, for the job. There are just too many unemployed folks out there to be so disrespectful of the job and the boss. I totally understand why the other employees were not happy. It's too bad you don't get it.
I hope your detailing venture works out. Then maybe you can employ someone else and gain a better understanding of all of this.
 
I would have given you a stern talking to with the promise that you would be on the street if you pulled that stunt again on my time.
 
BlantonDetail said:
The following story is an account of my workday yesterday........

.......I noticed my Service Manager was looking fairly pissy
Click to expand...

Maybe I missed it, but I did not detect any signs of remorse... or, neither being apologetic and accountable for that matter.....for any of your actions, in your story.....



My Grandfather taught me this long, long ago:

"Give somebody an inch, and they'll take a mile" ~Author Unknown

And...IMO....Seems appropriate here.



Feeling fairly pissy myself,

Bob
 
Employers get really cranky when you are doing stuff that can compete with them.

Once or twice with your own personal car is one thing, but I can't see this working out well for you. I'd stop doing any personal detailing during work hours (including lunch) at the dealership.

Don't ask me how I know....
 
In the car business for 40 years, I've worked at almost every position at a dealership, from the undercoat rack to General Manager. You were flat-out wrong. The dealership allows you to do your own personal work at their facility after hours for your own benefit. That's a privilege almost any other business would not allow. Don't push it. Apologize and keep to the terms of the agreement.

Bill
 
Yes, I know I was wrong. I didn't mean to get anybody aggravated with me and my lapse in judgement here. I just thought I'd share a story and get it all off my chest. I didn't take advantage of the situation on purpose, I just kind of got carried away on it. That's why I pulled the car outside to finish it up, and I won't be doing anymore out there again because I do feel bad about doing the car during work hours. Like I said, if they don't want to pay me for the day, I'll have no argument to that. The owner is a really good guy, who is good to me and my father both, who also works here normally.
I promise - :nomore:

I hope I can be forgiven in the Autogeek world of detailing.

T
 
BlantonDetail said:
I promise - :nomore:

I hope I can be forgiven in the Autogeek world of detailing.

T
Click to expand...

Lol. Well, thanks for not reacting to the thread like a jerk. It seems you do understand your mistake. I am sure we will forgive you. After all, you didn't have to share the story. Now get home to that garage and get things in gear. Good luck!
 
BlantonDetail said:
I hope I can be forgiven in the Autogeek world of detailing.

T
Click to expand...


No offense here, pal.
It's just that the tone of your original post made it seem like you hadn't done any wrong and the managers were not justified in giving you any flak. We just wanted to give you a neutral third-party opinion before things got worse and you lost your off-hours access to the shop, or worse yet your job. We were only trying to get you to see both sides of the situation.
I had those kind of privileges for many years at the dealerships where I worked. Now I no longer have access, so I know how valuable of a benefit it can be.
Bill
 
BlantonDetail said:
I just kind of got carried away on it.
I promise - :nomore:

I hope I can be forgiven in the Autogeek world of detailing.

T
Click to expand...


I can sure sympathize with this. I have forgotten meetings, dinner, the game, etc when I am working on a car.
Even after finishing one I have been late to dinner because I was just sitting next to a car admiring it after a complete paint correction.
 
besides all the other reasons for this being a bad idea on your part. here the big one that wasn't mentioned. Once you pull that car into the building,it is now the responsibility of the dealership.If something happens to that car it falls on the dealership to take care of it.
 
If I were you, I would tell my boss to take that day out of my paycheck (especially after bragging online about what you got paid to do a side gig while at work).

This would go a long way with your boss and show some remorse and maturity in handling your slip up.
 
I would go to the Supervisor and apologize for what you did....A sincere apology goes

a long way in straightening out problems. Good Luck to you with your new Garage!!!
 
I am actually siding with your employer on this. They have an expectation that you will concentrate your efforts during your workday to fufill your job. Even if you started during lunch hour and the day's schedule is light, there is a reasonable expectation that their work comes first. Remember, your boss has/had allowed you to use the facilities after hours. That is a courtesy and he/she may have felt slighted by you spending your lunch hour plus 1 additional hour on a non-customer's car.

As a suggestion, I know you will have your own setup up and running soon. I would only do extra curricular work there and end any side work at the dealership.
 
@blantondetail: sorry , I didn't read all the other posts. It sounds like you learned from this incident.
 
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