The Reverse Interview

Zach Pirkl

Fixed Operations Director
McGrath Honda of St. Charles
St. Charles, Illinois

He's responsible for the health and profitability of the entire Fixed Operations Department while creating the best processes for employee retention, happiness, well-being, and goal achieving both personally and professionally.

achieving greatness

Master Honda Certified Technician and Foreman @ 25
$885,000 Fixed Gross in 13 bays
Service Manager @ 30
New facility opened Nov 22
1.1 Million in Fixed Gross March 23'
Multiple technicians nearing $200,000 in income last year

Challenging the norm

Q: What are the core values of the company?

A: Honesty, Teamwork, Integrity, and Support

Q: How do you look at and how do you approach performance evaluations, promotions?

A: There's a written pathway for every technician to be able to follow, the goals are known, as well as the rewards for achieving them.

Q: What is the biggest challenge facing the shop at the moment?

A: I'd say the single biggest challenge facing our shop right now is growing some of our younger apprentice technicians

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Wrench Turners Podcast
Reverse interview
zach pirkl

Summary Below

Zach is old school. He sets goals and works harder than anyone else to achieve those goals. But don't take him too seriously. Anyone that rolls 5 deep in a Ruckus crew has a great sense of humour. Performing at high levels is what they do at McGrath Honda of St. Charles. Regularly seeing 100 ROs closed daily through service and deep into the 500's new/used car sales monthly. This is a store pushing every day to succeed, with the right tools and leadership.McGrath Honda of St. Charles is looking for Technicians that are Level 2 Brand Technically Trained and have 10+ years of experience, to operate as a unit at McGrath Honda of St. Charles.

If you're interested in becoming a part of this team, please fill out the form below, and Zach will get back to you within 24 hours.

Text summary of questions and answers below

Shortened Q & A

Question 1

Joshua Taylor

So my first question to you would be what are the core values of the company?

Zach pirkl

So the core values of our company are honesty, teamwork, and integrity.

Question 2

Joshua Taylor

Mr. Pirkl, what would be a typical day? What would that typical day look like for me?

Zach pirkl

So in our shop, our technicians work four tens, so you would get three days off during your week. You come in for your first shift. You're going to meet with our service dispatcher, Danny, and he'll go through, what we got for the day. We have this many appointments. We have this many waiters. He'll ask what's your work in process like? How many tickets do you have? What's on hold for you? What are you waiting for authorization on?

Question 3

Joshua Taylor

Mr. Pirkl, what would be a typical day? What would that typical day look like for me?

Zach pirkl

So in our shop, our technicians work four tens, so you would get three days off during your week. You come in for your first shift. You're going to meet with our service dispatcher, Danny, and he'll go through, what we got for the day. We have this many appointments. We have this many waiters. He'll ask what's your work in process like? How many tickets do you have? What's on hold for you? What are you waiting for authorization on? He'll ask how can I help with that.And here's your one, two, three jobs to start your day.

Question 4

Joshua Taylor

Do you stagger the four-day week? Is it start on the same day or does it rotate? And what time does the start finish work?

Zach pirkl

Yeah, so I am a big believer in just having a set schedule. It makes everyone's life easier, especially when you have 38 technicians as we do in our shop. So we do straight up, every week's the same. That's 7am to 6pm, and another shift that is 8am to 7pm.Service is open to the public until 7pm, Monday-Thursday, 6pm on Friday, 4pm on Saturday, and 4pm on Sunday.That's a big one for us, we are open on Sundays.Everyone has at least two days off in a row.The guys who've been here for a long time have seniority. Almost all of them have three days off in a row. We have one gentleman who's been here for over 20 years who wants to work Monday, Tuesday, be off Wednesday, work Thursday, Friday, be off the weekend.

Question 5

Joshua Taylor

What would you say is your specific management style?

Zach pirkl

I'm 35, but I have been described as maybe a little more old school. I'm a Midwestern kid, that's how I was raised.My management style is that I expect a lot out of people, but I would also say that where I've grown as an adult is becoming more understanding of situations that affect work, from outside.

Question 6

Joshua Taylor

What would you say is the biggest challenge, the single biggest challenge that's facing the shop right now?

Zach pirkl

I'd say the single biggest challenge facing our shop right now is growing some of our younger apprentice technicians. 'Getting the balance right, between pushing, and pushing the right people is critical.'

Question 7

Joshua Taylor

What would you say is the biggest challenge, the single biggest challenge that's facing the shop right now?

Zach pirkl

I'd say the single biggest challenge facing our shop right now is growing some of our younger apprentice technicians. '''''Getting the balance right, between pushing, and pushing the right people is critical.''''

Question 8

Joshua Taylor

What would you say are the qualities of your most highly productive mechanics?

Zach pirkl

''''So we've got the qualities of logical, emotional, we've got the ability to heavily produce under extreme pressure and we've got the ability to adapt to any circumstance.''''

Question 9

Joshua Taylor

What training is provided by the shop, what is what training is provided by the manufacturer, and are there any provisions that the shop provides?

Zach pirkl

American Honda has, I believe it's up to 262 self-studies that need to be taken by a technician as they are climbing the ladder through their training. Once you have your general stuff done, I have the green light to send a technician to training at the Honda Training Center, which is only 20 minutes away from our facility, which is and I'm about sending people as much as possible.There's 64 modules that need to be taken in a classroom setting or in a shop setting at the Honda Training Facility. You go for a week at a time.Because the training center is so close and our local Honda rep knows, if someone calls in and can't make a class, or doesn't show up for their week of training, they call me. I'm going to pull someone off the line and I'm going to send them.It's also kudos to our technicians too. I was really proud when I got my master cert. So if I can get a guy through school and he's comfortable and he's proven himself and he gets that master status, we celebrate it.

Question 10

Joshua Taylor

How do you look at and how do you approach performance evaluations, promotions and things of that nature?

Zach pirkl

We have a pretty standardized pay plan, but it's also a timeline from all the way from someone being an express technician through all of our levels of apprenticeship to journey technician. And so long as you've got your factory self-studies and training up to par through this course, you're eligible at a certain time period to go up to the next level, get a pay increase

Question 11

Joshua Taylor

How does leadership handle conflicts, negative circumstances, detriments, and things of that nature?

Zach pirkl

Generally, it's pretty typical. We'd have a, you know, if a conflict arises, we're seeing a trend of comebacks with somebody or they're giving attitude to advisors or the dispatcher or whomever. It's just always gonna start off with a one-on-one conversation, like, what's going on, dude? I've noticed this or I've had a complaint of this or we've had five cars come back that you've touched in the last two weeks with something going on, going on, what's the issue?