it's the companies that get the service right that will be here at the end of this and go on to become the new
force's in the industry. companies most understand that service and the service engineer are the companies best asset. You could have the best truck in the world but if you don't have a good service back up your dead in the water

Hi as you proberbly know we are comming to the market over the next couple of years. We have a training program for trainees but we will need fully trained people. We understand that respect is important to you and so is money. Yes we will have a nice car but we allso uderstand that you need a good living.so it might be worth your while sticking about because no mater how good the deal we offer to the customer it's only as good as the engineer who services it

RipLexHarvey, just go ahead and leave this industry now. (and I will NOT say anything about "don't let the dorr hit your last part out...", not me, I won't say it) You remind me of the folks that wait until they have "enough money" to have kids.
We all work for respect, and $ is just one (important) way to show respect. If you don't get the respect you truly deserve, then by all means, do what it takes to find the respect you deserve.
"when things get better"? How will you know they are better?
I always hope the owners and "bigwigs" all get to drive nice cars and boats, and live in nice houses, That way they are SOOOO much more likely to stay out of my hair and less likely try to "second guess with 20-20 hindsight" everything I do.

Thank goodness we all made it to the weekend, and can still find a cold beer!!

[there is no such thing as "enough money", just as there is no such thing as "enough time" since; "time=money"]

Hi all
I agree lots of flash cars are driven by the guys in charge but i don't think this is the problem,The problem is every supplier undercuts their competitors and send trucks out at any cost just to get the contract,this creates a loss on a lot of these contracts so no or little money is left at the end,The money that is made never filters down into engineer wages,i know of trucks on large sites that are being charged out at £12 per week, if you get one breakdown a months rental will be wiped out.
john j i agree with you about being a shortage of engineers before the recession but this never created a rise in wages to attract engineers from other industries,most suppliers in the UK pay about the same basic salary to engineers its like no one will or can pay more to attract the right people.
I don't think this will change when the market is flooded with engineers.
Lexharvey rip I think i am with you on this like most of us on this forum we enjoy doing the job but can't do the money and s**t that goes with it.
At least its weekend again and i have got beer in hand lol
herald.

Herald and others,

It seems when business is good (not meaning great) there has been a shortage of good, reliable technicans. Kinda like finding good, used pneumatic tire forklifts (in the US) when used trucks are selling good. It has been this way for both during my 40+ years.

It seems the issues everyone is talking about are not just asscociated with the lift truck industry but other. As an example, I became clsoe friends with a customer of mine who was operations manager for a multi location over-the-road tractor dealer (a well known & respected brand in the US.) It was insteresting to learn from him how similar hourly pay for technicans, GP targets for service, parts, equipment (new & used) sales. And how hard it was to find good, qualified technicans in the Atlanta,GA area. Benefits were above average, too! They had plenty of work being open 7 days 24 hour - 365 days.

I agree with Herald. The absolute problem with the forklift truck industry at the dealer level is that there just isn't enough profit in it to pay a technician or salesmen what they can get in another industry. Think about the copy machine technician that carries ALL of his tools in a small brief case with a total outlay of maybe $80. I'm guessing they probably average at least $30 per hour.
The average forklift truck technician has an investment of $20,000 in tools, has the ability to repair diesel, LP and electric forklift trucks and makes anywhere from $15 to $25 per hour.
There is something seriously wrong with this picture.
I know some threads have accused mid management and ownership of *** all of the profits out of the company but I disagree. My experience is that even most owners would have made alot more money if they spent their career in a different industry and would have expended way less sweat and blood in the process.

Maybe now is the time to start on your own.Small one/two truck customers don't want to spend big bucks/sheckles repairing or servicing their trucks.Where the big boys dont get a sniff you will clear up no problems.You can offer a reduced hourly rate and be more competitive with parts prices,less overheads.

Blimey 1972,1973 i was only age 2 then lol,
Can understand what you are saying but will us engineers/techs get what we are worth or will the price be driven down due to more engineers in the market for jobs than before.
I suppose a crystal ball is needed,but feel that a change of carear maybe the way forward for me.
kind regards
herald

A "S.W.A.G." From Across The Pond,

Base on the following premise based on my 40+ years in this industry: Capital equipment (forklifts fit here) and advertising expenditures are the first expenses taken out of users budgets when things start to slow down and the last items added to the budget when the economy starts back up.
Two key signs of a turn around are: 1. ) Used equipment sales start to pick up and 2.) Short term rental utilization significantly increases. Once the supply of "prime" or "good" used equipment dries up and prices start to escalate, new equipment sales will start to increase.

From the service tech/engineer stand point an increase in activity should follow shortly after (1.) & (2.) above, as used equipment sales are parts eaters and rental managers will initially want to "refurbish" their rental units first before they start to buy new.

When will this all happen is the key for those in the prodcut service area, my "guesstimate" it will be mid to late 2010 when this (forklift) economy will start to turn around. Two keys to the turnaround in the US, "I believe" are:
1.) The auto industry, meaning US based automakers and 2.) Building industry - new residential & apartments.
Both industries and their associated suppliers and dealers employee a significant % of our population of a wide range of incomes. The turn around will be slow but steady, not a "North East" curve increase but maybe an East North East type growth curve, but steady. Companies like the auto industry will be smaller and people will be buying more affordable housing rather than the house that are bigger and better than their friends and one they can really afford.

The next questions might be will it return to the levels of the mid 90's through 2006/7, probably not.

Forklift dealer organizations will shift even more towards the "mega" dealers as the small dealer and good independents will want cash in after hopefully surviving this "recession".

Look at it this way, it has been worse, in 1972 (might have 73) the USA ITA # set a record high - lead times were 52 weeks the next year was the worst ever - the market dropped 70+%. The ITA actually had a negative new order month. It was almost 4 years before things turned around to the levels of the "good ole" days.

That is my 3.4 cents worth.

This S.W.A.G. and a nickel won't get you a stick of chewing gum.

Regards,