Skip to main content
EVENT TRACKER
Keep track of rescheduled, canceled industry events with our COVID-affected event tracker - Powered by Snap Finance
Close
Sister Publication Links
  • Rubber & Plastics News
  • European Rubber Journal
tb-logo
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • OPINION
    • CORONAVIRUS
    • AUTO INDUSTRY
    • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
    • COMMERCIAL TIRE
    • FACTORY FIXES
    • GOVERNMENT & LAW
    • INTERNATIONAL
    • MOTOR SPORTS
    • NEW PRODUCTS
    • RETAIL TIRES
    • SERVICE ZONE
    • SEMA/AAPEX
    • SMALL BUSINESS
    • TIRE MAKERS
    • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • TBC Corp. to make donation to company charity to reward vaccinated employees
      Titan to offer free COVID-19 vaccines at Iowa facility
      Bridgestone hosts vaccination events for plant employees
      Cioffi: Will remote working be the new normal?
    • SEMA closes deal for SEMA Garage property in Michigan
      Conti adding dynamic driving simulator at German R&D center
      Yokohama gains OE fitments on BMW, Mercedes-AMG sport utilities
      SEMA picks site in Michigan for 2nd SEMA Garage
    • Pirelli adds 3rd North American bicycle tire distributor
      Goodyear goes retro for 'Throwback' NASCAR race at Darlington Raceway
      Keter to expand NeoTerra SKUs through mid-2022
      Federal approved as 5th Formula Drift tire supplier
    • Vipal targets North America for machinery sales growth
      Commercial tire, retreading sectors on solid footing
      JK Tyre adds radial truck tires to U.S. portfolio
      Mitchell 1 enhances ADAS info access in TruckSeries software
    • New York chipping in $3M+ toward Sumitomo factory expansion
      SBA extends and expands COVID-19 loan program
      Stimulus spending should help tire industry
      U.S. agro-science firm gets $1M grant to research sunflower latex
    • Bridgestone to upgrade Japanese OTR tire plant
      Point S Canada signs point-of-sale agreement with Flexiti Financial
      Fountain Tire promotes pair to new executive roles
      ETRMA adding Nexen and Czech and Slovak trade groups to membership
    • Goodyear goes retro for 'Throwback' NASCAR race at Darlington Raceway
      Federal approved as 5th Formula Drift tire supplier
      Maxxis offers discount to ChampCar competitors
      Michelin strikes supply deals with new Canadian racing series
    • Yokohama OHT adds severe-duty solid tire to Galaxy brand
      Bosch adds 22 aftermarket parts in Q1
      Snap-On introduces TreadReader handheld tire scanner
      Vogue Tyre introduces ‘biggest, boldest' red stripe tire
    • Point S Canada signs point-of-sale agreement with Flexiti Financial
      WTC webinar to address tire/wheel-balancing process errors
      Commercial tire, retreading sectors on solid footing
      TBC Corp. to make donation to company charity to reward vaccinated employees
    • Bosch adds 22 aftermarket parts in Q1
      Marinucci: Detailed instructions will save time
      Bartec introduces TPMS software updates
      Snap-On introduces TreadReader handheld tire scanner
    • WTC webinar to address tire/wheel-balancing process errors
      SEMA closes deal for SEMA Garage property in Michigan
      SEMA picks site in Michigan for 2nd SEMA Garage
      SEMA touts expanded Las Vegas Convention Center ahead of 2021 expo
    • SBA extends and expands COVID-19 loan program
      Stimulus spending should help tire industry
      Giti disputes report blasting tire maker for accepting PPP funds
      SEMA survey shows resilient auto aftermarket in 2020
    • Coopers are ready to rock: Cooper Tire, Alice Cooper seek best garage band
      Last Mile: Delivery surge raises demand for medium truck tires
      Nexen touting manufacturing quality milestone
      Apollo isn't planning U.S. plant — yet
    • Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      7 questions to ask consumers when they need tires for a crossover SUV
      Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      Stocking Tires for Crossover SUVs
      Sponsored By AppointmentPlus
      Three Important Lessons Learned for the Tire Business During a Pandemic
      Sponsored By Yokohama Tire Company
      7 questions to ask consumers when they need tires for a crossover SUV
  • SHOP FLOOR
    • BALANCING
    • DEMOUNTING
    • SAFETY
    • TIRE REPAIR
    • TPMS
    • TRAINING
    • VEHICLE LIFTING
    • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Video: Balancing Tire
      Safety tips for wheel balancing
      An introduction to wheel balancing
      Wheel weights: Balancing form with function
    • Video: Demounting
      Making rims ready for a tight seal
      Tire changer types, tips and trends
      How to clear rim rust and corrosion
    • Video: Safety
      Ergonomics on the shop floor
      Customers
      Considerations for shop safety policies
    • Video: Tire Repair
      Staying safe when repairing a tire
      Essential tools, materials and equipment for tire repair
      An introduction to tire repair
    • Video: TPMS Service
      Replacement TPMS sensor overview
      The life-saving work of TPMS
      An introduction to TPMS service
    • Video: Training
      Options and resources for CE tech training
      Internship ideas to attract tech talent
      Choosing the right auto service tech school
    • Video:Vehicle Lifting
      Tips and recommendations for lifting safety
      The gravity of proper lift points
      Safety essentials when using jack stands
    • Video: Wheel Torque
      The danger of too much, too little torque
      The importance of torque specifications
      Introduction to proper wheel installation
  • Multimedia
    • VIDEOS
    • PHOTOS
    • PODCASTS
  • Events
    • ASK THE EXPERT
    • LIVESTREAMS
    • WEBINARS
    • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
  • Data
    • DATA STORE
  • Resources
    • DIRECTORY
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • ADVERTISE
  • DIGITAL EDITION
  • Awards
    • Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
February 15, 2005 01:00 AM

Exit interviews an essential part of biz

Dan Marinucci
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    AKRON (Feb. 14, 2005) — Any tire dealer committed to the long-term health of his or her service department should take employee departures very seriously.

    This approach includes conducting a routine exit interview and, wherever appropriate, applying the results of that interview to improving the business.

    Over the years, many bosses have astounded and befuddled me with their cavalier attitudes about why workers choose to leave. Far too many owners and managers I meet treat employee departures as an inevitable occurrence that just cannot and should not be challenged or investigated. They anticipate it like a rainy day; when it happens, they shrug their shoulders and nonchalantly tell you the sun will come up again tomorrow.

    Well, unless you're Daddy Warbucks and can just cavalierly blow off the investments you've made in your employees, to me, most employee departures signify big failures. It could have been a failure to screen the individual correctly in the first place; perhaps a failure by the boss to recognize and deal with a serial malcontent early on; or a failure to identify and deal with laziness or personality problems in a timely manner. Or a failure to communicate with the employee effectively—including effectively motivating him or her.

    Whatever the root cause of the worker's exit, I don't see the occasion as anything for the boss to crow about. Rather, this should prompt a manager or owner to reflect on his or her management skills. Yes, there are times when employees startle you with behavior you never expected. Yes, there are extenuating circumstances that require you to fire someone or quietly ask them to consider leaving before you fire them.

    However, after observing countless worker-employer relationships, I'm convinced that the majority of worker departures are, first of all, very avoidable. Secondly, the departures are very preventable for a boss who has the will to tackle the issues in the case. But my experience has been that the last thing bosses want to consider or admit is that they have failed in any way. No sir, they almost always blame the employee.

    I needn't remind a typical Tire Business reader of the dearth of good workers out there, especially good technicians. This blame-the-worker approach doesn't bode well for the long-term health of your business. The tire dealerships and service shops of the future must be businesses that sense and identify the need for change and recognize it quicker than the competition does. Then they must promptly improve and revise the “needy” areas of the business. Supposedly, one of the strengths of small or relatively small businesses is the ability to change course quickly.

    Recently, I returned a phone call to a service shop operator I know who moaned he had lost two techs and a service writer within the last few months. Yet he shrugged off losing not one but three key people as if it was nothing—then changed the topic.

    Isn't there the remotest chance this mass migration suggests something's very wrong with the way the shop's being run? Shouldn't he be just the slightest bit curious about losing these workers? (In the meantime, he's had to help out back in the bays!)

    All tire dealerships and service shops should have an employee manual. If they do have one, it should contain an ironclad requirement that all employees sit for an exit interview if and when that time comes. At the very least, give each new hire a standard letter explaining the exit interview requirement and the reason for it. Like many other important parts of the business, the exit interview mandate should not come as a surprise to any worker.

    Obviously, my greatest interest is the service department. Departing service personnel—from service writers to tire busters to technicians—should do an exit interview with the service manager. If you have a shop foreman, urge him to interview departing technicians, too.

    Remember that the objective of the exit interview is to politely but professionally cull information that will help the business improve and grow. Glean feedback to help you lead, manage, motivate and build a stronger team in the future.

    Some bosses I respect don't hesitate to ask departing workers point blank: How could we have done our jobs better? Then these owners and managers take the response to heart and improve themselves and their businesses as a result. This approach sure beats living in denial.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Tire Business would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor Don Detore at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Newsletter Center

    Staying current is easy with Tire Business delivered straight to your inbox.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Subscribe to Tire Business

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Tire Business is an award-winning publication dedicated to providing the latest news, data and insights into the tire and automotive service industries.

    tb-logo
    Reader Services
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Site Map
    • Industry Sites
    • Order Reprints
    • Customer Service: 877-320-1716
    Partner Sites
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Automotive News
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Media Guide
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Classified Rates
    • Digital Edition
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • OPINION
      • CORONAVIRUS
      • AUTO INDUSTRY
      • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
      • COMMERCIAL TIRE
      • FACTORY FIXES
      • GOVERNMENT & LAW
      • INTERNATIONAL
      • MOTOR SPORTS
      • NEW PRODUCTS
      • RETAIL TIRES
      • SERVICE ZONE
      • SEMA/AAPEX
      • SMALL BUSINESS
      • TIRE MAKERS
      • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • SHOP FLOOR
      • BALANCING
      • DEMOUNTING
      • SAFETY
      • TIRE REPAIR
      • TPMS
      • TRAINING
      • VEHICLE LIFTING
      • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Multimedia
      • VIDEOS
      • PHOTOS
      • PODCASTS
    • Events
      • ASK THE EXPERT
      • LIVESTREAMS
      • WEBINARS
      • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
    • Data
      • DATA STORE
    • Resources
      • DIRECTORY
      • CLASSIFIEDS
    • ADVERTISE
    • DIGITAL EDITION
    • Awards
      • Tire Dealer Humanitarian Award