Being "threatened" by dealer

[Tractorguy]

Not too long ago I posted being a field tech and having a teaching position offered. Ended up taking teaching position and haven't looked back. Certain dealer I worked with pushes several students through the programs. Had a clean break and everything was going smooth. Now been approached twice that I have no business working on any of that brand due to me taking business away and if any customer has 12 other brands and one of theirs that's "their customer." To this day have not pulled any customer away from the dealer and have no bad mouthed anyone yet. But now they're threatening to pull students from school if I "continue" and the other brand crap is total BS. Just kind of venting/looking for advice. Can't go white knuckles against them.

 

[92U 3406]

Did you sign a non-competition agreement when you started with that dealer? One dealer I worked for made me sign one when I began employment with them. I've found some places I've worked were extremely bitter when good mechanics quit and others would call back once in a while and try and recruit me back lol.

I don't feel a guy would be overstepping if you didn't lay a wrench on the brand that particular dealer sold though. Not like its taking any of their work, right?

 

[Junkyard]

Is your position at an independent school or something not associated with any specific brand? Other than instruction is the current place a for profit enterprise? I don't see how they could really do anything more than threaten. Is it one particular person saying this or multiple people from your former employer? Who do you answer to now? Can they possibly assist in sorting this out?

If there were no confidentiality agreements or the like I don't see that they can do much more than be petty douches which they already are lol. I hate it when crap like this happens. Usually blows over when ignored.

Junkyard

 

[Tractorguy]

No non compete. State school but brand backed and multiple dealers support students. I feel like my supervisor just wants to please dealer. Several individuals have "complained" and no it's running up the dealers ladder.

 

[lantraxco]

Ask your former employer if they would like it better if you resigned and then had the local papers run your letter to the editor about how you were forced to resign by the nastiness threatened by them. All true so it's not libel, just free speech. Address the question to the president of the company, see what kind of reaction you get. Then send it up the chain to the highest level you can reach at the OEM they rep. Me, I'm the kind of miserable sob would do it just to poke the bear, I'm kinda bitter that way about David and Gollumpeth (sic) situations.

 

[Junkyard]

Lantraxco I like to stir the pot too. I've always been my principals over somebody else's crap. Either way it sucks for tractorguy. He's just trying to make a living and train better techs.

 

[Tractorguy]

On another ridiculous note, local dealer has around 12 guys on the road and almost another 12 in the shop. I'm obligated to be at school a minimum of 30 hours a week. I don't have a service truck I don't have a shop and could barely put a dent in their numbers....

 

[old-iron-habit]

Correct me if I am wrong, but are you doing field work besides working 30 hours a week in the classroom? I'm confused about not having a service truck.

 

[Tractorguy]

Yes, I've done some small jobs out of a long bed truck with a compressor in the back. Worked in a couple individuals shops too

 

[crane operator]

Big outfits sometimes like to throw their weight around, just because they can. If your current teaching gig only pay you for 30 hours a week, and you don't have non competes anywhere (or rules at the teaching school against side work), I'm not sure they can do anything but threaten your boss. That's when you'll find out what kind of stones he has.

If you don't care if you lose your current gig, keep doing side work. If your current boss tells you to stop, I guess you'll know where he stands, and then you make your choice.

Everything else is just "talk", if the old employer confronts you personally, you don't work for them anymore, so they can shove it.

I guess if it was me- I'd ask the current boss where you stand, just because I don't like random "talk", and would want it all clear and in the open. I'm not much on beating around the bush and would want it clear.

" I work here 30 hours a week teaching, I've heard there's talk that the dealerships are upset that I do side jobs, on my own personal time. Is there any problem with you, as my employer, on what I do with my free time?"

No guessing, no office politics b/s, just straight up. He can answer- you'll know if you have to decide between side work and your day job.

 

[John C.]

From my experience dealers do not support trade schools. They make a show, maybe kiss up the program director with a lunch or two, toss in some obsolete tools or parts and then show up at graduations acting like the place wouldn't exist unless for them.

On the other side of the coin I went out on my own and prided myself on how many customers I took away from the dealers. Come to find out years later they loved it. I got all their troublesome customers and they didn't have to try to collect money from dead beats anymore. Turned out the troublesome customers were troublesome because the dealer wasn't taking care of them. What I think you have is a jealous person at the dealership being made to look bad because you did something that they couldn't. Take care of the customer.

Does your school have tenure and how long do you have to be there to achieve it? Somewhere in the school there should be a director for your program. I would jump over the supervisor's head if things get anymore serious and talk direct to the person who actually runs things. As far as the dealer goes I would talk to your side work customer and make sure they know about the dealer's actions.

 

[Jonas302]

Well your teaching at a brand backed school and your supervisor wants to please the dealers if you value your current job quit doing side work
The dealer certainly has a right to pull there funding and or students should they decide It basically come down to the dealers are your customers at the teaching job

 

[Tractorguy]

That's the screwy thing, dealer doesn't "contribute" to school. Students all pay or receive financial aid. But dealer claims no matter what equipment I work on if customer has dealer equipment that is their customer and I have no business working even on off brand equipment...

 

[Junkyard]

If they don't have any formal association or financial interests in it they can kick rocks. Otherwise do as crane op said and make sure you're good where you are. I don't see what the big deal is but I tend to mind my own darn business. Last time I checked the customer paid the dealer for said equipment so they can hire anybody they want. Unless there's a warranty issue who cares. Free market system baby!

 

[digger doug]

One problem I see is future graduates not getting jobs at the troublemaking dealership.
Trade schools track how grad's do.
When looking for a trade school, "hires" is a valuable number.

 

[Junkyard]

Yes sir job placement is a valuable indicator of any school, trade or otherwise!

 

[wrwtexan]

If the dealer doesn't contribute to the school, assist students with tuition with a work requirement on the back end, and you didn't agree to not work on anything of their brand after leaving, I don't see them having any right to tell you what you can or can't work on. If I was one of their customers, would I not be allowed to call someone else?! Am I their property?? How far does that "off brand equipment" list extend? My lawnmower, etc? The whole thing sounds to me like a bully dealership that can't stand someone else playing in their sandbox with 'THEIR' toys. I picked up a load of parts at one of my local dealers today and I would love to be told I couldn't work on their brand. Haha, that would be a fun encounter!

On the other side of the coin I went out on my own and prided myself on how many customers I took away from the dealers.

I work on older farm tractors and as such, I have a local large dealer refer work on them to me as they don't want it or have experience with them. Maybe the bullies you're dealing with have run enough customers off that they are feeling the pinch from us shadetree'rs and are trying to stop the hemoraghing from the wrong side of the customer relationship.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Just GO TALK to the administrator.. the one that brought you in.. in the 1st place..
They/he/she has to know whats going on and "might" be feeling abit squeezed by it too..
Just go clear the air..
IF they know nothing about it..or haven't gotten approached by any "dealer".. don't sweat it..
Just end the conversation by asking them, before any decisions are made, please consult w/ you 1st.. because they're probably only getting 1 side of the story.. Good luck..

 

[crewchief888]

just my $0.02, but...

i could possibly see a dealers point of view IF ( and only if) the school "takes in" work, and has the students actually pulling the wrenches, and the customer reimburses the school for parts, and the school charges no labor.
ive seen this happen at a tech school, but typically it's older (20years +) equipment/tractors....
maybe i'm waaayyyy off base here

 

[old-iron-habit]

One problem I see is future graduates not getting jobs at the troublemaking dealership.
Trade schools track how grad's do.
When looking for a trade school, "hires" is a valuable number.

I don't see it as being a problem. If the teacher is good enough that the dealer is concerned that he is hurting them by doing side work, they for damn sure will want to hire graduate students. If they don't its their loss.