Rant Hiring Installers

[Aelin]

Just wanted to rant for a second and see if anyone has any ideas on how to hire full time installers in the Midwest (Oklahoma) or if people on here have encountered similar problems. I own a small shop doing vehicle graphics only, and have been looking for a full time installer now for 3 YEARS. The most I've been able to get are part timers who are chronically unreliable or contract installers, and I'm not sure what to do honestly.

I've been unable to install due to some health problems recently and so have been forced to hire contractors...with the price that contractors around here charge I'm barely making any money on the installs. I have a ton of newbies applying who want to work, but I don't have the time to train somebody from scratch. I absolutely must find someone who has been doing this for at least a year full time, who can hit the ground running on advertising and at least have some basic knowledge of colorchanges, I could train the rest. But it doesn't matter if I offer 18-30 per hour, plus benefits and PTO, still there is just no one. Everyone who can install vinyl themselves either starts their own business (contractors) or are I guess unwilling to leave their current employers. I don't want to play dirty and actually go poach anyone who is currently working for my competition so I'm left wondering... if I can't install vinyl for the next few months to a year am I just going to have to literally close my business over it?!? This seems like such an absurd reason to close a highly successful business. We are booked out for months and yet if I can't find any installers to hire for less than the 6 figure price-tag anyone seems to be looking for I'm just screwed apparently. How does anyone function in this industry if they get injured??

I mean maybe I'm just going about business the wrong way somehow but I don't see how anyone can afford to pay installers $40-70 per hour full time. Most lawyers here don't even make that much, how the heck is a sign shop supposed to pay that to each installer??

How do you all find installers? Do you know of anyone in Oklahoma who is looking for a job? I would even be willing to help someone relocate at this point. I just don't know what do to. I need someone full time who I don't have to train from scratch, and who will actually show up to work (relatively) on time. I even offer PTO and health benefits. That doesn't seem like too much to ask?!

 

[zspace]

Hiring installers that stick around seems to be a challenge everywhere. Sometimes it makes more sense to raise prices to cover the cost of contractors.

 

[Aelin]

Hiring installers that stick around seems to be a challenge everywhere. Sometimes it makes more sense to raise prices to cover the cost of contractors.

I would have to raise prices so much on color changes that it would end up being double the price of a paint job here. I don't see how the industry is sustainable if people have to pay 10k for a wrap.

 

[damonCA21]

Its always a problem when there is a shortage of skilled workers. The experienced ones will contract as they can earn a lot more money and are so busy they can pick and choose who they work for. TBH it is a skilled job though, so the pay should reflect this. It's not like you can expect someone to work for the same wage as an unskilled or semi skilled worker.

I guess it isn't really a career people consider getting into as its not like you can get a qualification from college doing it, and most people would only end up doing it by working for a sign company, so there aren't loads of unemployed installers out there.

Would it really be that hard to train someone up? Learning the basics doesn't take too long, then you can train them on the job. It has to be preferable to closing a good business. Offer a good starting training salary, with a decent jump to full wages after 3 or 6 months, advertise the position and you should get plenty of applicants ( maybe even some with some experience ) so can take your pick of the best one

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I would have to raise prices so much on color changes that it would end up being double the price of a paint job here. I don't see how the industry is sustainable if people have to pay 10k for a wrap.

They don't. There are no barriers to entry - at all - to be in the color change wrap business. If you build a business around low labor costs and low prices then you are gonna put yourself in a corner like you are now.

 

[gnubler]

Many of us are dealing with this challenge. It's a strange economic time, the first major shift I've seen in my lifetime. Keep in mind we're now seeing fast food/restaurant and grocery store jobs advertised for $20/hour and they're constantly short staffed. Younger people are finding more profit in online/social media entrepreneurship, so why would they want to bust their butt working a b!tch job for low pay? Most of my contractors are independent, a few look and smell like they sleep under a bridge or have other issues, but they do good work and get the job done, so that's all that matters.

Lately when I quote out install costs on bids a lot of my customers flip out and either go elsewhere or decide to handle the install themselves. (I know the OP was referring to wraps, but I'm talking about exterior sign installs since I don't do wraps). Probably because they're now having to pay higher and higher wages to their own employees to keep them around. Everyone's feeling the pinch.

 

[mkmie]

Wrapper Mapper

Wrap Installer Search Map

wrappermapper.com

I have used this to get wrappers in other locations. Avery and 3M definitely have a data base for installers. I know this is only useful for contractors but as damonCA21 said contract installers earn more and can pick and choose the jobs they will take. BTW I never pay by the hour for install. I pay square foot price or a per job set price. Hourly only gets discussed on removals.

That said, I feel your pain.

 

[Aaron Hunter]

Anyone else notice that there is a significant lack of new talent in the pool? Feels like there isn't any interest/exposure or gaining of people in the trade.

 

[Gino]

I would venture to say........... there's no interest in it, cause there's no talent in it anymore. In other words, the mystery is gone. The coordination between your eyes and hands is no longer there or needed. It's almost all done by typing, picking colors, doing some math equations and hitting a print button. Now, take the same scenario and add 50 more machines and it's exactly the same. You add machines, not more talented people.

Y'all are actually talking about paying someone ridiculous prices for putting bumper stickers all over a vehicle or a substrate. Everyone under the sun can put shelf liner paper on. Knowing what is eye catching and pleasing to the eye, is like your kid brothers garage band vs The Eagles.

 

[Geneva Olson]

we use family. we have had luck with 1 person and she's a college kid. she leaves for college and then comes back whenever we need her.

Find a hungry college kid that doesn't know anything.

 

[gnubler]

Find a hungry college kid that doesn't know anything.

Most of them are slinging it on Youtube/TT, not interested in getting their hands dirty.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Wrapping is not exactly a common skill set even for many sign shops. I don't know why so many business owners think that there are all of these well experienced people that are able to jump right into a job on day 1 and work as good as the owner. Like there's a pool of them just hanging around waiting for your help wanted ad to pop up. It is just not realistic.
You have to train people. Sure you can luck out and fill a position with a great person without needing to do that, but it is not the norm and those people command good money plus good benefits. Hire someone and see if they are reliable and trainable, if not, do it again. Sometimes I don't know who is lazier in these situations, the owner that needs the help but doesn't want to put in the effort to train someone or the employees that can't be taught anything.

 

[Aelin]

Wrapper Mapper

Wrap Installer Search Map

wrappermapper.com

I have used this to get wrappers in other locations. Avery and 3M definitely have a data base for installers. I know this is only useful for contractors but as damonCA21 said contract installers earn more and can pick and choose the jobs they will take. BTW I never pay by the hour for install. I pay square foot price or a per job set price. Hourly only gets discussed on removals.

That said, I feel your pain.

Thank you! I'll check that out.

 

[JBurton]

but I don't have the time to train somebody from scratch.

I'll spell out the rock and a hard place for you.
(Rock) having no time to train anybody from scratch.
(You)
(Hard place) having nobody to cover for yourself when you're out of commission.
I know it's not what you want to hear, but you need to pull an inexperienced 'kid' in and show them the ropes, sounds like you'll have plenty of time with you being unable to do installs.
It sucks, but the only way to get a reasonably talented installer at a reasonable rate is to train them in house. Now whether or not the person's loyalty is strong enough for them to stick around after realizing the idea of contract work is a different matter.

 

[damonCA21]

I think training someone up is the only answer really. If there is a lack of new talent, and there is demand for installers, they have to start somewhere and that involves taking someone on and training them. Yes, you may get a lazy one, but if you are offering a good job, then you can get someone who is a real asset to your business.

Get them learning to run the printer, do design work, service it and build signs etc... as well and you not only take the workload off yourself, you can make more money taking on more work.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Anyone else notice that there is a significant lack of new talent in the pool? Feels like there isn't any interest/exposure or gaining of people in the trade.

This applies to most trades... HVAC trains people in prison so they have a steady supply of new "talent"

 

[Stacey K]

I had a high school girl last summer who was able to install vinyl on day one. Just had to teach her a few things. Turns out before she started she watched how to do it on Tik Tok. She was better than both my sons who had been doing it randomly for years.

I just hired a guy to help me tomorrow with a partial wrap. I'm pretty excited.

Every. Single. Day. I worry what will happen to my business if I get hurt or sick.

In Mexico I zip lined for the first time. I did two of them, then all I could think of was falling to my death and chickened out on the rest of them. I left my boys in a Mexican jungle and rode back to the start with a random very smelly guy on a 4-wheeler built for one. Nobody was very happy with me.

 

[Shred_signs]

if I offer 18-30 per hour, plus benefits and PTO, still there is just no one.

I live in Houston and can't get an offer like this. I've been installing for a decade and install all kinds of work.

 

[Boudica]

I had a high school girl last summer who was able to install vinyl on day one. Just had to teach her a few things. Turns out before she started she watched how to do it on Tik Tok. She was better than both my sons who had been doing it randomly for years.

I just hired a guy to help me tomorrow with a partial wrap. I'm pretty excited.

Every. Single. Day. I worry what will happen to my business if I get hurt or sick.

In Mexico I zip lined for the first time. I did two of them, then all I could think of was falling to my death and chickened out on the rest of them. I left my boys in a Mexican jungle and rode back to the start with a random very smelly guy on a 4-wheeler built for one. Nobody was very happy with me.

Zip line is on my bucket list. I've always wanted to do it. They are building one downtown in the park - going over the river. I really want to try it when it's ready.
... That ride back through the Mexican jungle with random smelly may have put you in more danger than Zipping down a mountain.

 

[gnubler]

... That ride back through the Mexican jungle with random smelly may have put you in more danger than Zipping down a mountain.

I would argue that the 'random smellies' in your neck of the woods are far more dangerous than the Mexican ones.
At least Mexico doesn't have hordes of methed out street zombies milling around.