The alarm goes off. I stare at the clock disbelievingly.
5:45. I can't remember the last time I had to get up before 6 a.m. for work.
Only when I'm lacing up my steel-toed work boots does it
sink in that I'm not going to be sitting at a desk all day. I will not be
staring out the window of my office at fluffy clouds drifting by or deer
prancing around. I will be doing hard time in the dirty confines of a body
shop. Today, it's Nagy's Collision Specialists' location in Wadsworth, Ohio.
When I arrive 45 minutes late due to my shameful reliance
on Mapquest, I am dutifully served a pink late slip to document my tardiness.
This is standard procedure, says Tammy the Office Manager, and so it must be
done. Nagy's relies on standard operating procedures to ensure consistency
across all six of its stores.
So it's time for introductions. Tammy and I have already become acquainted, and she is so nice I have forgotten all about the pink slip. The rest of the team includes:
"Boomer" – assistant manager, been in the
business forever
Rich – body tech, 38 years old, 20 years experience
Kevin – frame tech, 35 years old, 18 years experience
Ed – head painter, mid-30s
Travis – painter's helper, mid-20s
Stevie – detailer, 20 years old
Stevie intrigues me. He is the future of the industry. I
ask him why he got into collision repair, and he said it runs in the family.
"My dad builds race cars," he said.
This is a good team, Tammy says. They all get along and
work hard. The shop does around $1.5 million in gross sales and cranks out
40-60 cars per month. Few walk-ins, mostly insurance referrals. Life is good in
Wadsworth.
Ed sicks me on a Dodge Caliber hood. I prep the underside
for paint with a scratch pad, then flip it over and do the top with a power
sander.
When I break for lunch, I notice two things: my back and
feet hurt, probably because I'm not used to standing all day at work, and I can
taste degreaser in my mouth. I hope it doesn't spoil lunch...and it doesn't.
Vice President and Owner Dan Nagy pays us a surprise
visit in the afternoon. I get to witness an informal interview with a
prospective employee who might be able to help out at the store. Apparently the
man used to work at Nagy's, so the team seems confident he could be a good
addition to the Wadsworth family.
Tomorrow is another adventure. I will put in more time at
the Wadsworth store, then after lunch head to the Doylestown location, which
Tammy says for some unexplained reason gets a ton of walk-ins. This is the
store that Dave Nagy, father of Ron and Dan, opened in 1973. This is the store
that started it all. And it's the largest in the family.
More of Jason's adventures:
Day 2 at Nagy's: Pink Floyd and Cupcakes
Day 3 at Nagy's: A Clean Sweep
Day 4 at Nagy's: Oh Brother
Day 5 at Nagy's: Adios and Farewel
1. Nagy’s Collision Specialists…my home for the next few days.
2. Tardiness doesn’t pay – a late slip on my first day. Blame Mapquest.
3. I felt like one of the guys power sanding a Dodge Caliber hood.
4. A dirty job creates dirty hands.
5. Inspiration for a good day’s work.
6. Travis the painter’s helper likes to keep family close at work.