AUGUST 2022 TECHNICIAN OF INFLUENCE AWARD WINNERS
International® is pleased to announce the four winners of the Technician of Influence Award for the month of August. The individuals listed here have demonstrated their commitment to pursuing continuous improvement and delivering the highest level of customer service.
ROOKIES
These tech professionals have less than two years of experience at the dealership, have shown commitment to Uptime by being top producers, have gone the extra mile, and have proven they are responsible and trustworthy.
SERVICE TECHNICIAN
Andrew joined West Michigan International last year and committed to attending the International® Truck and IC Bus® Uptime Academy Apprentice Program. He has already brought so many strengths and such drive to his future career with us. He continues to impress us on a daily basis with his abilities and knowledge at a young age. He graduated from the Uptime Academy as one of the top tier students within the program. He has the commitment and drive for not only himself but our dealership and International as a whole to become a top tier technician. He continues to take the knowledge he has gathered and helps mentor the youth within our shop. He is committed to learning and excellence. Andrew has already proven to have the abilities to be a top producer within our department and industry.
SERVICE TECHNICIAN
Coming from an independent shop background, Michel has one of the best overall work ethics, and mechanical aptitude, as well as being an outstanding team player, as anyone I've ever witnessed. He's an absolute joy to have on our team at Rechtien International Trucks. Michel tackles any job with the same gusto, he has helped shadow an apprentice. He would stay late to get a customer out; he follows safety standards (without being told or reminded) and works extra when our workload demands it.
Michel has been consistent and completed all his International online training. Michel has been given the task of dedicated Bus Tech on Medium Duty engines and has excelled with the procedures needed, and then migrated to some of the large bore engines (N13 & A26). He has adapted very well with 1) very efficient times, and 2) no issues or comebacks. His productivity rating typically tops our team, and he still has time to assist others.
It's just a true blessing to have an individual like Michel to work with. It's hard enough trying to accomplish what we need to for our customers. Michel makes that effort so much more pleasurable. He is a great family man with a positive attitude, an overall gem.
VETERANS
These tech professionals have two or more years of experience at the dealership, have shown commitment to Uptime by being top producers, have gone the extra mile, and have proven they are responsible and trustworthy.
SERVICE TECHNICIAN
Ken has been a diesel technician with Lee Smith Inc. for 43 years. He carries International's Diamond Certification and is still one of our highest producing technicians at the age of 67. He is a walking, talking book on International trucks with experience dating back to the ‘70s. Besides being a technician, Ken is also our acting training coordinator. He takes pride in assisting young technicians who are new to the industry. His extensive knowledge and willingness to help is guiding the next generation of technicians at Lee Smith to success.
Ken helps support one of our largest customers at Lee Smith, Miller Industries. Miller distributes wreckers across the US as well as overseas. Over the past decade, wrecker bodies and truck chassis have developed into complex electrical and hydraulic systems that require extensive knowledge to get the body and chassis working in sync. Ken has been key to providing remote assistance to Miller distributers across the world. He is extremely knowledgeable in Datalink communication issues and is able to write body controller programs to resolve the issues. Ken has been very proficient, producing significant billed hours for the past 40 years. His comeback percentage for 2021 was also remarkable at less than 1%. If we extrapolate his average billed hours over 43 years at a miniscule $100 ELR, it has him generating over $6.5 million dollars in labor revenue. I am confident in saying that Ken Clouse is the definition of "Being a Top Producer." Ken is a Scout Master for Scouts of America, pack number 3117, in Rossville, GA. He spends a large amount of his free time mentoring young boys and girls to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
SERVICE TECHNICIAN
Kenny will always go out of his way to exceed the customers’ and dealership expectations at Interstate Truck Center. He will help all the departments to better service our customers. He constantly pushes his fellow techs to be better and hold them to a high level. He isn't afraid to speak up and educate the customer, fellow techs, or other department employees. A Diamond Level Technician, he also holds his class A license and is working on becoming Allison Certified. He is young but has earned the respect of the Senior technicians with his work ethic. He will assist the service staff with any questions and show them how to look up specifications, diagrams, or thoroughly explain the repair plan. He has taken the initiative to learn the parts online so he can better himself and the departments around him. Kenny is a great team player and sets the standards in the dealership. He checks in and out with the Service Advisors at the beginning and end of his day to make sure they can produce at a high level. The dealership trusts his judgement and knowledge on all the platforms we service.
He utilizes all the International service procedures to ensure he is the top producer in our shop. He created a production-based pay plan with the service manager to reward high production. When he’s not making his own repairs, he will be with a tech teaching them and doing research. He sells our dealership to customers outside of work to help drive business to us. He helps sell trucks and even for our parts department when the customer doesn't understand what they might need during their own repairs.
