Fullbay roundtable looks at finding, keeping talent

Updated Jan 31, 2025

Fullbay LogoA-level techs usually don't just walk in the front door looking for work, Mike Bascom, general manager of Bascom Truck & Auto says at a Fullbay Roundtable on Tuesday.

"You have to grow an A tech," he says, and that starts while they're still in school. Mike Bascom's business, started by his father, Dick Bascom, in 1975 and passed on to him and his sister, Mandy McWilliams, vice president of finance, works with the local community college to get techs in the door early. 

"We're trying to help our younger people see they can build a career at our shop," McWilliams says. "They can grow and move up and earn more money." 

She says the family philosophy is to pay people what they deserve, offer great benefits and plenty of opportunities for improvement. 

"We believe in treating them the way we would want to be treated," she says. 

[RELATED: Building a tool set for starter technicians]

And that includes setting aside time to listen to employee concerns. The company started having monthly eat-and-meet gatherings where employees and leadership share a meal and talk about their concerns. They have separate meetings for day shift and night shift employees. 

Less-experienced technicians are also set up in teams with more seasoned lead techs that help build a culture where leadership is accessible to everyone. The veteran techs also learn more skills, such as patience, by helping out. The shop checks the lead tech in to whatever job the less-experienced technician is working on so the lead tech's productivity isn't affected. 

Bascom uses a hybrid system where techs are paid hourly and then by the job, with bonuses if they complete jobs in under the allotted time. 

"That keeps them doing the best they can," Dick Bascom says. Neither techs nor customers are charged when work comes back, but too many jobs returned can take a technician off the bonus program. 

[RELATED: HDAW expanding educational focus to help recruit, retain aftermarket talent]

The threat keeps the technicians honest, McWilliams says. The shop requires them to leave their phones alone while they're working, whatever that looks like to that technician. Taking away phones is not something she thinks she should have to do in an professional environment. 

"That's an incredibly difficult standard," McWilliams acknowledges, especially for younger techs. But "these are not my kids," she says. "I have kids at home." 

Technicians at Bascom work in teams and team leaders can also receive bonuses based on the team's production. The shop also has an efficiency standard, and each tech's performance is measured and shared with them every week with data pulled from Fullbay. 

"By giving them the report every week, the work is fresh in their mind," Mike Bascom says. Technicians are encouraged to ask questions about their data and point out anything they think is a mistake. 

Dick Bascom says another way to ensure success is to be familiar with operating costs. To figure out rates, he doesn't start where many shops start — the competition. Instead, he starts with his fixed costs and the investment he has in his facility and equipment, then adds a fair profit and divides that number by the number of hours the company can sell. He then takes that number and compares it to what competitors charge. 

If the rate isn't competitive, Bascom goes back to the drawing board. 

"We can adjust those numbers if we're not competing in the market," Dick Bascom says, but fortunately, given the wealth of experience in the shop, he says most of the time, the number that comes out is the right one. 

Knowing costs can also come in handy when negotiating with fleets. Dick Bascom started out doing maintenance for one fleet, and worked his way up to three freight companies. All three got a special rate. Eventually, the companies consolidated into one and the maintenance manager asked for more of a discount. Dick Bascom says because he knew his costs, it was easy for him to say no. 

"We had to hold the line," he says. "You have to have the courage to make decisions to keep you profitable." 

Bascom's is still there. The three freight companies are not. 

The shop also uses data to take a deep dive into their customer list. Dick Bascom says they know how much revenue each customer is worth. They've also made a profile of their ideal customer and, after identifying customers that look like that in the marketplace, make an aggressive play for their business. 

"We've taken to learning what our valuable customers look like and what they have in common," Dick Bascom says. "That's the customer we want to go recruit." 

Looking for your next job?
Careersingear.com is the go-to platform for the Trucking industry. Don’t just find the job you need; find the job you want with the company that wants you!
Learn how to move your used trucks faster
With unsold used inventory depreciating at a rate of more than 2% monthly, efficient inventory turnover is a must for dealers. Download this eBook to access proven strategies for selling used trucks faster.
Download
Used Truck Guide Cover