I’m a patient guy, but there are certain phrases I’ve encountered on the job that grate on my nerves. They are the clueless and grating moments such as:
- Spoken by a young mechanic: “I’m not working harder until they pay me to work harder.”
- From a parts supply person: “I’ll pull those parts for you tomorrow morning. I’m done for the day in half an hour.”
- A machine operator: “I knew it was coming apart,but I wanted to finish my shift before I stopped.”
- A computerized voice at tech support: “Predicted wait time is…35…minutes. You are…tenth…in line. Please continue to hold.”
- From a service manager talking as he sent me out to fix a machine for a so-called one-horse contractor: “This guy is past-due with his bill. He’s supposed to have a certified check to cover what he owes. Don’t work on his machine until you’ve got that check in your hand.”
- A machine operator: “Too bad it didn’t break down on a hill instead of in all this mud, huh?”
- Spoken by a foreman at a large job site: “Is there a mechanic at the dealership who knows more about this machine and can get it running quicker?”
- From a weather radio report, during a frog- strangling downpour: “Scattered clouds with a chance of showers.”
- • Service manager: “We’re changing the way you
- mechanics bill your hours and fill out work orders to make things easier for the accounting department.”
- A fifth-year mechanic: “I need to borrow your torque wrench again.”
- A company bookkeeper: “Don’t track mud into my office. I’ll fix the mistake with your paycheck as soon as I have the time.”
- The owner of a small dealership I once worked for: “My nephew just graduated college and is going to ride with you for two weeks to get some experience before he takes over as shop foreman
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2023 issue of Service Truck Magazine.