Labor rates

Dano · January 24

Commission is usually found in direct retail environments. If a shop sells an install for $---.xx an average installer should expect 35% of the sale for the labor.

An entry level guy might be 30% or less, or sometimes hourly.

A top level guy that doesn't need a babysitter can easily get 40% to 45% of the total sales ticket. Once you get to this level most of these guys are 1099 subs and should be carrying their own insurance.

If the shop has a good sales team, good environment, good volume 40% is about the most you should have to pay. Shop keepers insurance shouldn't be to much, but require that you get a copy of their cert.

This is why some shop owners will only pay on a w2.

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After that you get to the wholesalers who will provide film and services to shops who resale their work. Audio shops, fleet upfitters, small to medium dealerships. These guys will help the retailer set a list price and bill at a net of usually 70%. Also on 1099 and usually net 30 days.

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After that is when an installer opens a full retail store to the public and the cycle starts over again as he trains or hires from the above list.

For what you are doing flat rate is about the way to go if the inventory is mostly similar. Most all pre-load situations are this way.

The only variation would be if you need to pull the door panels or other interior parts off for access or not because it adds more labor to the job, which can also be flat rated. You can check CCC1 at a bodyshop for labor times and divide by half usually and be pretty accurate.

Whew... :hot I'm gonna go sit down with @Bham now. I'm out of breath.

Dano · January 24

For edifice, I've ran the gamut of all of these and prefer the wholesale position with a light mix of retail regulars/referrals over babysitting installers.

As to your question of warranty work, a good installer should only have a few panels come back each year. I average about 5 or 6 annually, usually in the winter. A good installer should replace it without complaint.

If it's customer damage from a seatbelt etc. you should offer to comp him.

Bham · January 24

I have worked a few different ways when it comes to commission and that's really all I can go on for your information.

I did a salary vs. commission where I was guaranteed a certain weekly pay even if I did not tint anything but if my commission earnings were more that what my salary would have been I received my commission pay instead of my salary pay. On this job I was hired as a window tinter but was expected to help out the installers if needed but not paid to be an installer, just a tinter.

I also worked an hourly including commission situation. This was at an accessories shop so if I was not tinting windows I was turning wrenched on accessory installs. Received both hourly rate plus a commission check for tint every week.

Have also done just straight commission as a tinter only. Not a bad way to go if the shop has enough work for you because there in nothing else for you to worry about except tinting.

Re-do's are what they are. If you have a good experienced tinter and you feel it fully necessary to charge them for product if having to redo something then go that route. Otherwise I would not penalize the tinter if they are on commission and not an hourly rate. Just let them redo the mistake and you as the film supplier just eat the extra film. This is of course if your redo's are at the minimum. Constant redo's will have to be handled properly at your discretion.

Hourly is a little more difficult. If on hourly I "might" deduct for the amount of film they are using to redo something and let them keep the hourly. It really depends on the situation in this case.

Dano · January 24

So many ways to slice and dice it.

RacerX64 · January 25

Thanks , you both have been helpful

Tintguy1980 · January 25

This is where I sit in class and learn about the shop operation side. Mid-90's is when I left shop ownership behind, so I have no clue what it's like today save a few discussions when I was a sales rep.

Great input Dano and Bham and thanks for your props from my own past posting(s). :thumb

Dano · January 25

We all have out nitch I suppose. Restyling has always been mine. I like cars, I like art, I like efficiency and I gotta do something, so I guess I'm pretty fortunate to find an industry spot that does all three.

Sometimes we win, even if it's by accident :cool