Equipment Foreman, Service

ABOUT WESTERN STATES

Since 1956, Western States Equipment Company has been a leading employer across Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Wyoming. We are driven by our mission of solving our customers’ toughest challenges, guided by our core values of Safety, Excellence, Teamwork, Integrity, Accountability, and Innovation.

By joining Western States, you commit to upholding these values while contributing to our purpose of building our communities for a better tomorrow.  Safety and our Customer Care Commitment remain foundational to our mission and the standard by which we measure our success.

Safety 

• Actively cares, promotes, manages, and advocates for safety at Western States.  As a team member in the organization, it is critical to ensure all employees, vendors, and clients have a safe work environment while adhering to all applicable safety policies, procedures and standards. 
• Embraces our caring culture where we each care to adhere with applicable safety policies, PPE expectations and stop work authority.
   

Customer Care Commitments

• Convey Warmth and Empathy – Acknowledge customers and greet everyone with an authentic smile. 
• Actively Listen – Give your full attention, make eye contact, avoid interrupting, and ask clarifying questions. 
• Build Trust – Take ownership, act with urgency, and follow through on commitments. 
• Say Thank you – Express genuine appreciation for effort, feedback, and collaboration. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Supervises employees. Performs annual performance reviews, oversees the development and administration of employee development plans and recommends compensation increases.  Administers discipline; authority to hire employees.
• Manages expenses including shop assets such as shop supplies, small tools, and environmental needs
• Meets typical annual target of 22% PAD (may vary year over year) for annual profitability of the team and the store.
• Communicates machine repair status, verbally and in writing (if necessary), to the Service Advisor.
• Uses the Service scheduling tool to monitor and maintain all aspects of the repair in the shop specific to the assigned team members and area.
• Monitors work in progress to ensure promise date adherence for the customer. Informs Service Advisor of changes or updates needed to the promise date. Adheres to 100% promise date delivery of repair.
• Works with Service Advisor to meet the final repair performance versus quoted amounts expectations of on or under quote.
• Coordinates the usage, rental or purchase of special tooling needed to perform repair work
• Works with the Technicians to provide the Service Advisor the necessary information for up-sell opportunities to quote to the customer.
• Assigns work as needed to meet customer commitments and the needs of the repair.
• Approves employees’ work time and adjusts employee time on service calls as needed.
• Oversees pre and post inspections of machines being repaired and quality control measures taken throughout the repair process.
• Works directly with technicians to ensure quality control measures have been effectively deployed.
• Achieves the goal of “No re-work will ever touch our customers”.
• Bills out 50% of time to revenue generating jobs.
• Troubleshoots various machines at expert level with no assistance required. Walks around machinery to inspect.  Operates machinery to locate problem.  Diagnoses problems for quality control.  Performs independent failure analysis, proving consistent abilities to determine and repair cause of failure.
• Uses service manuals, SIS and parts books effectively to address technical issues such as looking up parts, machine information, standard labor rates, machine settings, and more to setup work orders or to answer customer inquiries. Performs all required tasks in accordance with procedures.
• Works safely at all times. Adheres to all applicable safety policies.  Complies with all company and applicable external (OSHA, ANSI, etc.) safety policies, procedures and standards.
• Works with centralized functions concerning warranty, goodwill, policy, technical communications and any other relevant items associated with timely completion of the repair.
• Works with Service Advisor to meet the break-even goal for all goodwill and warranty decisions and the variance of those policy and warranty accounts at the end of the year.
• Adheres to all customer care standards.
• Actively cares and advocates safety at Western States.  Adheres to and promotes all applicable safety policies, procedures and standards.
• May accomplish training and serve as a team member in support of Western States’ strategic programs, projects, and initiatives.
• Works within and promote corporate vision, mission, and values of the organization.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Expert-level specialization and proven ability to troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair all CAT machine systems.
• Ability to lead and direct others, determining work priorities and assigning work to others.
• Ability to prioritize the workload with exceeding customer expectations in mind.
• Proven organizational skills.
• Proven customer service skills over the phone and in person.
• Knowledge and use of Microsoft computer products or other comparable systems required.
• Proven conflict resolution skills.
• Proven skills in written and verbal communications, planning, organizing, leadership and interpersonal relationship building.
• Ability to set and manage priorities.
• Must be a self-starter and able to work without supervision.
• Consistent attendance.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 

• Proof of high school diploma or General Education Degree (GED).
• Associates Degree from an accredited vocational school preferred.
• Five years minimum experience working on heavy equipment required. Caterpillar environment with hydraulic, engine and power-train experience preferred.
• One year prior management experience, with customer service and P&L responsibility.
• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record required.
• Must be able to communicate (speak, read, comprehend, write in English).

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: 

• Must be able to sit for long periods of time along with walking, standing, climbing stairs, reaching, pushing, pulling, leaning and twisting.
• Able to lift up to 60 lbs.
• Exposure to extreme temperatures.

Disclaimer:  The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification.  It is not intended be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this classification.

This role is designated as safety-sensitive.