Discussion:
Fork lift industry disappearing up its own ego?

I've been in this industry for over 30 years now, and it's got to the point where its absolutely impossible to do a decent day's graft without the 'corporate' nonsense being rammed down your throat.
If I recall why I got into the tools, it was because I hated school, sitting in a room & shuffling paperwork and loved the aspect of fixing things, and being able at tend of the day, saying, yes, I, did this or that today and made a difference to the customer or operators day.

But over the last few years in particularly, we must disrupt at least one day a week to talk about how to do the job, usually from brainwashed corporate weirdos, who've spent to long gazing at the Rose tinted world of a shiny office with nice paintwork and carefully manicured desk toys.

This industry is a dirty, hands on, let's get the job done, and yet as every year rolls by, more corporate crap from BS merchants justifying change, and they wonder why there is a recruitment issue in this industry, get the conditions and the pay right, with decent tools and training and parts back up, before any of the other crap.
  • Posted 29 Mar 2022 09:42
  • Modified 29 Mar 2022 09:44 by poster
  • Discussion started by BurtKwok
  • West Yorks, United Kingdom
Showing items 1 - 12 of 12 results.
I have always heard that you cannot hire a idiot cheap enough, the problem is that is all there is out there.
  • Posted 4 Apr 2022 19:26
  • Reply by Dexter1212
  • Texas, United States
In the interest of ticking the equality and inclusivity boxes, left hand threads are for left handed people and right hand threads are for right handed people. Thought you would have worked that one out!
  • Posted 2 Apr 2022 18:55
  • Reply by tugger
  • Berkshire, United Kingdom
@LaGrange

RE your comment "Have you ever worked with Tech School graduates that don't know.....what Left Hand threads are ?

They are for removing muffler bearings right?????
  • Posted 2 Apr 2022 18:12
  • Modified 2 Apr 2022 18:17 by poster
  • Reply by johnr_j
  • Georgia, United States
"Have An Exceptional Day!"
Very similar to my experiences.

I don't have rose colored glasses.

There is always a better way to select appropriate applicants and avoid the applicants that don't have what it takes.
  • Posted 2 Apr 2022 18:09
  • Reply by LaGrange
  • Missouri, United States
Strong in mind, Strong in Health.
Not m.o.b. But very tall and "appropriately large for size" apprentice. He was so tall he spent much of the time laying on the floor or kneeling down to reach parts of the equipment. I think he realised that it was not for him but parental pressure made him stay the course and our brilliant hr department said we couldn't sack him as he was an apprentice. His interest in college and results dwindled. When he finished his time, 4 years, he was told that there was no job for him and he decided that he would become a "trainee chef" at mcdees! Says it all really, but their hash browns are excellent! So recruitment and hr wasted 4 years of his life and took a place and opportunity away from someone else better suited, still they were happy they ticked boxes and did the right thing in there rose tinted view.
Some time later, the head of hr walked through the workshop and saw an engineer rebuilding a transmission and was astounded at the number of parts, said I didn't know that's what you did down here, how do you know where all the parts go? He replied, its my job. Hr at that time was working on a new pay structure based on their perception of engineer skill level....so did it make a difference...Noah engineers did not get an appropriate rise.
System is broken and will stay that way till the clowns and leeches are gone.
  • Posted 2 Apr 2022 18:01
  • Reply by tugger
  • Berkshire, United Kingdom
Have you ever met or had to "deal with" morbidly obese technicians ?

Have you ever worked with Tech School graduates that don't know what Left Hand threads are ?

I have met quite a few in 20 years, and I always thank management for making terrible decisions.
  • Posted 2 Apr 2022 11:34
  • Reply by LaGrange
  • Missouri, United States
Strong in mind, Strong in Health.
All posts on this issue are very true and hit the nail on the head. Your better lift truck companies, IE material handling entities all have one thing in common. Their management have moved up the ranks from bottom and have insight into the industry no college education can give. Its more than numbers, it is understanding the customer needs and supplying that need. Long term customers will provide long term income stream instead of short term ,dissatified
accounts that that spend a lot of cash in the short term then go somewhere else. Keep in mind a lot of customers have the same management mind set as what we deal with. Degreed managers with no common sense are the norm these days. They have no long term visions or goals They will spend time looking at issues that have no bearing on the day to day operations of their operations. Then wonder why everything goes wrong.
  • Posted 31 Mar 2022 21:15
  • Reply by Dexter1212
  • Texas, United States
"Ya jist" might want to read this article to get better informed.
/www ( dot).mmh (dot) com/article/top_20_lift_truck_suppliers_2021. replace the dot with a. , delter the ( ) and close the spaces
  • Posted 31 Mar 2022 20:43
  • Reply by johnr_j
  • Georgia, United States
"Have An Exceptional Day!"
Agree with everything you say but there is an additional problem in that many "managers" are not "home grown" or come from the tools for service management, or parts department for parts management. Service supervisors may, simply because those above need a cushion between them and those on the front linem as they dont understand the specific mechanical concepts. Another problem is sales "people" being allowed to manage anything, this is totally wrong as they live in a fantasy, spin doctoring and duplicitous world. Commissions should be held back for 6 months to ensure the right equipment has been supplied, if not no commission and no commission for supplying the correct one of sorting out the mess. To manage anything anything you need honesty, appropriate knowledge, and integrity. You dont have any of these attributes by just saying you have. Using professional recruitment agencies is another contributory problem. They place people whose CV's "interest them", so if you are a good spin doctor, economic with the truth, risk taker, (they will never check this out) or just lack integrity, you are on the ladder. I am aware of CV's posted on several internet "notice boards" by people I have knowledge of that are largely fictitious, one attributed some of my achievements to himself. Agencies pocket a very generous commission, often offer a refund if the candidate is found unsuitable within 3 months, which is rarely long enough to display your true colours. The industry is to blame for not having appropriate sucession planning in place, and at the same time believing the myth, that people and ideas from other industries hold the keys and mantras for unrivalled growth and success, yep its all BS and has screwed up this and many outher industries. "Always follow the money", its the unaccountable grey people who are getting rich by "consultants" pedalling untruths and "employment experts" supplying inexperienced and unsuitable staff from outside, that have seriously contributed to the mess.
  • Posted 31 Mar 2022 19:07
  • Reply by tugger
  • Berkshire, United Kingdom
Its everywhere, more chiefs than there are indians , you have people that do the work and the people who take credit for it, the list goes on. one good audit tends to cull out the people who just go through the motions and the people who know what they are doing. I have seen it for years.
  • Posted 30 Mar 2022 20:50
  • Reply by Dexter1212
  • Texas, United States
Couldn't agree more, I started in 1988 at a small firm, we got bought out by a nationwide company about 4 years back. The only IMPACT they had on our small firm was ruining customer and employee relations.

There were too many managers, too many office staff wages to pay, too many pointless forms to fill in, nobody dare make a decision and I was fed up of going on courses to prove I could do my job.

I left after 2 years and started on my own. Never looked back :)
  • Posted 30 Mar 2022 08:08
  • Modified 30 Mar 2022 08:12 by poster
  • Reply by andrew_k
  • England, United Kingdom
Cheers!
  • Posted 30 Mar 2022 07:08
  • Reply by John50
  • Netherlands

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