It's official....

[Jim O'Dell]

I gave notice yesterday at the current job. On Sept 18 I will start at a different dealership. I have been at this Lincoln/Mercury dealership for almost 8 years, on the 3rd owner. The current owner doesn't try to build and retain business, only gripe when it goes down. When I started, we had 12 techs, and 3 service writers. Now we are down to 2 serivce writers and 6 techs. Even if we had the business, we don't have the techs to get it out.
In steps the new job. I went looking last month on a Friday I took as a vacation day. I hit 2 dealerships, one I was interested in, the other I was willing to try, but didn't really want to go there. I got the nod from the one I was most interested in. They hadn't even advertised an opening when I went in, but had something happening in the next "couple of months". I was called for an interview within the week, and basically offered the job the day after that. They encouraged me to finish up my vacation time instead of losing it, so I did that and did the roofing job on the shop last week. The other thing is my Saturday to work will go from every other Sat, to one Sat out of 6!! And then an hour less to boot! Might be hard to remember when I'm supposed to work the weekend!:D
If this pans out like I think it will, I hope to have a couple of tool acquisitions by this time next year! (SCMS, and a Cab TS) Thanks for letting me share my excitement! Jim.

ps: Yes Tyler, this is the job I told you about when you were here visiting.

[Greg Peterson]

Congrats on the new job.

Sounds like you were due for a recharge. And the new job should be just what the doctor ordered.

Enjoy those new found Saturdays. They're especially great when paired up with a Sunday.

[Gary Keedwell]

Good luck Jim. It's fun to get that excitement of a new job. ;)
Gary K.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Good luck with the new job Jim!

[Alan Greene]

Jim,
Congratulations and best wishes in your new job. Sometimes a change like that can work wonders on your life. Enjoy the change and we are looking forward to the gloats.

[Tim Wagner]

congrats, hopefully this won't be a side step, as is usually the case in the automotive industry. i.e the grass is usually the same color on both sides of the fence.

Good Luck.

[Keith Outten]

Jim,

Congratulations and good luck on the new job.
If the grass is the same color lets hope your side gets a bit more rain.

.

[Jim O'Dell]

congrats, hopefully this won't be a side step, as is usually the case in the automotive industry. i.e the grass is usually the same color on both sides of the fence.

Good Luck.


Ha! Isn't that true!! I hope going from a small dealership with limited growth potential, to a large dealership that has cars lined up to the street every morning will make the grass grow enough to at least need to be cut from time to time.:D
Thanks guys! Jim.

[Matt Meiser]

Congratulations Jim. I went through a similar kind of change a few months ago and am glad I finally did. Of course it hasn't all been roses (it is a JOB after all), but its still much better overall. I assume you are staying in the Ford camp due to training/certification?

Also, am I reading that service advisors work on commission?

[Dennis Peacock]

Congrats Jim on the new job!!!!!! It's great to hear people getting jobs that they really want. May this job be all that you hope for it to be and even more. :D

[Benjamin Dahl]

Jim, that is great. A new job is exciting and should keep you fresh.
Ben

[Jim Becker]

That's wonderful, Jim...sometimes you really do need to move on when things get stale and this sounds like a good decision for you. And enjoy those extra Saturdays!!!

BTW, what kind of dealership is the one you're moving to?

[jeremy levine]

:):)Getting a new job that has a lot going for it is a great feeling , enjoy it.:):)

[Jim O'Dell]

Congratulations Jim. I went through a similar kind of change a few months ago and am glad I finally did. Of course it hasn't all been roses (it is a JOB after all), but its still much better overall. I assume you are staying in the Ford camp due to training/certification?

Also, am I reading that service advisors work on commission?

Unfortunately, I get to start the certification all over again. But this particular dealership is worth it. My new boss there has worked for them for 17 years, and the service director has been there over 25 years. It seems to be true of a lot of their employees.
Yes, the service advisor is, in effect, a salesman. The product is parts and the techs labor, so 100% commission, no base, no salary. It can gete scarey when it gets slow!:)


That's wonderful, Jim...sometimes you really do need to move on when things get stale and this sounds like a good decision for you. And enjoy those extra Saturdays!!!

BTW, what kind of dealership is the one you're moving to?


It is a Chevrolet dealer. They have Cad, Chev, Pontiac, GMC, Buick, Nissan, Toyota, and building a new Toyota dealership in a town 40 miles south of Ft. Worth. The guy I'm replacing will be the service manager at the new Toyota store. Thanks! Jim.

[Rick Gibson]

Good luck with the new job Jim. I've only had to change jobs a few times and it gets nerve wracking at first every time. As an aside you are only the 2nd O'dell I ran across. Worked for one in the nuclear plant up here for a few years. He had relatives down south, can't remember whether it was Arizona or Texas.

[Jim Becker]

Very kewel, Jim...that looks like a whole lot of opportunity for you going forward, too, with all those brands in-house!!

[Ed Falis]

Good luck Jim. New job is always an adventure, but it sounds like yours is an opportunity as well, and that you've got it set up pretty well.

- Ed

[Eddie Watkins]

Congratulations, Jim. I hope it works for you. Always good to see a fellow Oklahoman do well, past or otherwise. You dont have any releatives in Tecumseh, do you? LOML has some relatives in Tecumseh named O'Dell.

Eddie

[Jim O'Dell]

I appreciate the well wishes!
Eddie, not that I know of, but it is possible. My Grandpa O'Dell had several sisters, maybe 1or 2 brothers. I only ever met one brother, and he lived in Estes Park, CO., but I'm sure he didn't always live there. I heard more about his mother's side of the famly (Cherry) growing up than his father's side. There were some outside Wichita Falls, TX. that were kin-cousins of his, I think.
Hope everyone has a great weekend! Jim.