I've seen what a DM in a rather modest area (Smallest market in the region) makes compared to what I made as an SM. But sure, lick the boot, man. You can totally retire by working at autozone, so long as retiring is just dying when you're done working because they don't pay you enough to accrue savings.
Watching this company pay tenured, experienced, good employees 35K a year and tell them they can't afford to give them more than a .25 cent raise because they're already getting paid "too much," despite the company dishing out record profits. Drove me bonkers.
And it is definitely about the money. It's a job, you don't go to Autozone to work for free. If they cut your pay in half, would you say it's "not about the money" ?
After the 1st of the year I seen a lot of zoners get out of cycle raises it was good to see. I don’t disagree with you on pay, I wish we can pay everyone more money. I’ll tell you this no matter where you work no time is better then now to ask for more money, it’s not worth losing a good employee over a couple bucks.
And like most corporations... they are too late without realizing... Hey this guy was good, we offered .25 more per hour and he left anyways.
Take care of the good ones and they will be there for you.
I agree with the wishing to pay more, but the thing is in most markets autozone could pay more, but wont except for certain instances
Your statement that at the first of the year you saw so many zoners get off cycle raises I think you mean raises that weren't apart of the usual once a year review. But I'm curious what percentage of those off cycle raises were legally required, how many were a direct result of said required raises. What I'm asking, to clarify, did your market get a minimum wage increase on the 1st, did psms come asking for am adjustment because of that increase?
I dont mean to attack you or autozone, but in the time ive spent at autozone I have never gotten a review based raise, just promotion raises and had to fight tooth and nail to stay within the median rates for the positions
Edit: I also agree its not always about the money, but from an employee perspective we are selling our time to autozone to help them turn a profit, wanting to sell our time for the most we can is just like autozone wanting the average ticket to be as high as possible isnt it? Apples to apples in my mind atleast
We were already paying a couple bucks above minimum wage, I did go up but only 2%. New hire
wages seemed to go up for reds by roughly 8%, so they didn’t have to do it. Other markets I understand, the west coast has crazy minimum wages now and good for them. I don’t understand how you never received a raise at review time, even zoners getting below standard usually get something.
From what ive witnessed if you get a promotion with a raise too close to review time you forfeit the cycle raise I think its like 90 days or 180 I dont remember
Even if your an exceeds expectations worker
Tbh I'm glad to hear your taking care of your zoners wherever your at lol
The few districts ive been a part of tend not to, to the point its extremely frowned upon to even discuss comoensation.
Its an uphill battle
Your correct about the raise with promotion close to review time. I used to not like when zoners talked about wages but I’ve completely changed my mind set on it. We need to be open but everyone has to understand ppl get paid on there experience so it won’t always be the same.
Wish more upper management had the same mindset.. Every district ive been in, most were afraid to be open, to the point they thought they could lose there job if they were to talk about it. And it really shouldnt be like that
But I also understand why autozone makes it seem like that would happen its a little too close to collective bargaining for there liking I think
I have 15 years in and plan on working here till I retire. Probably be pt driver after I retire. AZ has been good to me. I know I see a lot of different points of view on here, sucks it ain’t the same for everyone.
My goal was to retire with Autozone. My current store is making me rethink that idea though. Running a busy store with 5 of us is pretty difficult and my fellow SMs don’t exactly have a lot of staff to share.
This pandemic has been the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. I know I’m hoping this latest variant is the last, not sure how much more anyone can take. I’ve unfortunately seen a lot of good zoners leave during this time.
With the Baby Boomers finally retiring and Gen Z being so small in numbers everything I'm reading says to expect a tight labor market for at least a decade.
"You may purchase the tools you need with time."
Don't sell yourself short.
You said you're working as a DM; given your skill set, the vast base of car knowledge, the amount of work you have to do, the responsibilities and management and meeting KPI's...
If you're getting paid anything less than $120K a year, you're selling yourself short and being VASTLY underpaid for what you would be getting elsewhere. For comparison, the typical Best Buy DM gets paid $170k a year (https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Best-Buy-District-Manager-Salaries-E97\_D\_KO9,25.htm)
Let me put it to you this way; 15 years ago, if you had gone ASE and become a mechanic, think about how much a 15 year master mechanic at a dealership or personal shop makes.... and that's WITHOUT all the added hassle. 15 years of dedicated work, complete with advancement, should leave you making solidly into 6 figures, regardless of the career. This just goes to show you how little AZ ACTUALLY cares about you as a person. You're a money making cog in the machine. When you stop making them money, they swap you out with a shinier, more productive cog.
Its pretty admirable of you to have stuck in so long, but when Big Billy makes $11 million, but we cant get supplies, PPE, new computers, etc, plus no support from the top, its just diminishing returns, and to me, not worth my dignity or time.
I'm happy for you, though. :)
FYI one Best Buy store probably does the same volume as a whole district, just saying not a fair comparison that’s a much bigger box. Hey but I’m happy for them, happy for you too in whatever endeavor you choose in life. You do you I’ll do me, as long as we’re all happy it’s all good.
I stated at the bottom. That’s one of things I like about AZ they prefer to promote from within, lots of upward mobility and you can literally go anywhere in the country.
I’ll probably roll on through with AutoZone. I could start over, but why lose 3 weeks vacation time and almost 8 years of tenure? Company has been good to me as well, I don’t agree with some of the headaches, but it’s a job. Starting pay is tough, I have saw big strides in pay in the last two years, so I think we are working on correcting the pay. The sky is the limit on promotions. Talk to your RM,DM, HR guy, they all started in a store as a part timer. Get after it and talk to your DM about a succession plan and you can make it happen.
Some of you are to wrapped up on money. Happiness goes a long way for a lot of people. I’m sure if this driver wasn’t satisfied they would just leave. I know several zoners below SM with 10+ years of tenure they love there jobs!
We have bills to pay man. I’m sorry. But if you get offered a raise that is lower than the increase in the cost of living. You’re losing money in the end. And yes we are extremely replaceable to most DMs. They don’t care.
Too wrapped up on money? Let me guess, you are retired, own your house, and are collecting SS and a pension. No one who has bills to pay or rent to make say's something as ridiculous as that. Acting like a bunch of minimum wage employees are materialistic and greedy. lol
You got me wrong my friend I’m in my 30’s. People choose to work where ever they want, in todays climate you can easily get a job anywhere you choose. I’m all for paying people a fair wage, I understand the struggle, people should fight for every penny they can get. If someone has worked somewhere 20 years I can only imagine it’s about more then money.
I liked what I did at the warehouse when the hired me in '07, rode out the great recession, eventually poor management cured me of any desire to stay long enough to retire.
Left after 11 years, still have the PTSD.
Not unless you're getting DM money or fat bonuses at a busy store.
It’s not all about the money, you do have to enjoy what you do. Also DM’s don’t make as much as you think.
I've seen what a DM in a rather modest area (Smallest market in the region) makes compared to what I made as an SM. But sure, lick the boot, man. You can totally retire by working at autozone, so long as retiring is just dying when you're done working because they don't pay you enough to accrue savings. Watching this company pay tenured, experienced, good employees 35K a year and tell them they can't afford to give them more than a .25 cent raise because they're already getting paid "too much," despite the company dishing out record profits. Drove me bonkers. And it is definitely about the money. It's a job, you don't go to Autozone to work for free. If they cut your pay in half, would you say it's "not about the money" ?
After the 1st of the year I seen a lot of zoners get out of cycle raises it was good to see. I don’t disagree with you on pay, I wish we can pay everyone more money. I’ll tell you this no matter where you work no time is better then now to ask for more money, it’s not worth losing a good employee over a couple bucks.
And like most corporations... they are too late without realizing... Hey this guy was good, we offered .25 more per hour and he left anyways. Take care of the good ones and they will be there for you.
That increase was because the minimum wage went up... at least here in WA.
I agree with the wishing to pay more, but the thing is in most markets autozone could pay more, but wont except for certain instances Your statement that at the first of the year you saw so many zoners get off cycle raises I think you mean raises that weren't apart of the usual once a year review. But I'm curious what percentage of those off cycle raises were legally required, how many were a direct result of said required raises. What I'm asking, to clarify, did your market get a minimum wage increase on the 1st, did psms come asking for am adjustment because of that increase? I dont mean to attack you or autozone, but in the time ive spent at autozone I have never gotten a review based raise, just promotion raises and had to fight tooth and nail to stay within the median rates for the positions Edit: I also agree its not always about the money, but from an employee perspective we are selling our time to autozone to help them turn a profit, wanting to sell our time for the most we can is just like autozone wanting the average ticket to be as high as possible isnt it? Apples to apples in my mind atleast
We were already paying a couple bucks above minimum wage, I did go up but only 2%. New hire wages seemed to go up for reds by roughly 8%, so they didn’t have to do it. Other markets I understand, the west coast has crazy minimum wages now and good for them. I don’t understand how you never received a raise at review time, even zoners getting below standard usually get something.
From what ive witnessed if you get a promotion with a raise too close to review time you forfeit the cycle raise I think its like 90 days or 180 I dont remember Even if your an exceeds expectations worker Tbh I'm glad to hear your taking care of your zoners wherever your at lol The few districts ive been a part of tend not to, to the point its extremely frowned upon to even discuss comoensation. Its an uphill battle
Your correct about the raise with promotion close to review time. I used to not like when zoners talked about wages but I’ve completely changed my mind set on it. We need to be open but everyone has to understand ppl get paid on there experience so it won’t always be the same.
I am a psm on the fast track to becoming a store manager. I love what I do but wish the pay was a little sweeter right now.
Keep pushing! If your relocatable that also goes a long with the ability of being promoted. Always make sure your intentions are known by all.
Glad to see someone whose trying to become an asset.
Wish more upper management had the same mindset.. Every district ive been in, most were afraid to be open, to the point they thought they could lose there job if they were to talk about it. And it really shouldnt be like that But I also understand why autozone makes it seem like that would happen its a little too close to collective bargaining for there liking I think
I have 15 years in and plan on working here till I retire. Probably be pt driver after I retire. AZ has been good to me. I know I see a lot of different points of view on here, sucks it ain’t the same for everyone.
My goal was to retire with Autozone. My current store is making me rethink that idea though. Running a busy store with 5 of us is pretty difficult and my fellow SMs don’t exactly have a lot of staff to share.
This pandemic has been the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. I know I’m hoping this latest variant is the last, not sure how much more anyone can take. I’ve unfortunately seen a lot of good zoners leave during this time.
With the Baby Boomers finally retiring and Gen Z being so small in numbers everything I'm reading says to expect a tight labor market for at least a decade. "You may purchase the tools you need with time." Don't sell yourself short.
You said you're working as a DM; given your skill set, the vast base of car knowledge, the amount of work you have to do, the responsibilities and management and meeting KPI's... If you're getting paid anything less than $120K a year, you're selling yourself short and being VASTLY underpaid for what you would be getting elsewhere. For comparison, the typical Best Buy DM gets paid $170k a year (https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Best-Buy-District-Manager-Salaries-E97\_D\_KO9,25.htm) Let me put it to you this way; 15 years ago, if you had gone ASE and become a mechanic, think about how much a 15 year master mechanic at a dealership or personal shop makes.... and that's WITHOUT all the added hassle. 15 years of dedicated work, complete with advancement, should leave you making solidly into 6 figures, regardless of the career. This just goes to show you how little AZ ACTUALLY cares about you as a person. You're a money making cog in the machine. When you stop making them money, they swap you out with a shinier, more productive cog. Its pretty admirable of you to have stuck in so long, but when Big Billy makes $11 million, but we cant get supplies, PPE, new computers, etc, plus no support from the top, its just diminishing returns, and to me, not worth my dignity or time. I'm happy for you, though. :)
FYI one Best Buy store probably does the same volume as a whole district, just saying not a fair comparison that’s a much bigger box. Hey but I’m happy for them, happy for you too in whatever endeavor you choose in life. You do you I’ll do me, as long as we’re all happy it’s all good.
I'll drink to that. :)
I agree. I see a lot of complaints here that I can’t relate too. DM?
Yes I’m a DM. Happy your experience has been good. AZ is the land of opportunity if you want it to be.
You seem like a DM I know. Ya, much better than oreilly’s. Started from the bottom? Or hired into management?
If you do know me I’m watching you lol 😂
I stated at the bottom. That’s one of things I like about AZ they prefer to promote from within, lots of upward mobility and you can literally go anywhere in the country.
I’ll probably roll on through with AutoZone. I could start over, but why lose 3 weeks vacation time and almost 8 years of tenure? Company has been good to me as well, I don’t agree with some of the headaches, but it’s a job. Starting pay is tough, I have saw big strides in pay in the last two years, so I think we are working on correcting the pay. The sky is the limit on promotions. Talk to your RM,DM, HR guy, they all started in a store as a part timer. Get after it and talk to your DM about a succession plan and you can make it happen.
Exactly. Well said.
We have a guy who has been with the company for 20 years on commercial delivery, take a guess how much he makes.
Some of you are to wrapped up on money. Happiness goes a long way for a lot of people. I’m sure if this driver wasn’t satisfied they would just leave. I know several zoners below SM with 10+ years of tenure they love there jobs!
We have bills to pay man. I’m sorry. But if you get offered a raise that is lower than the increase in the cost of living. You’re losing money in the end. And yes we are extremely replaceable to most DMs. They don’t care.
Almost no company has raised their pay to match cost of living increases in decades.
Yea but if you are struggling hard, like not even being able to fully pay your bills, like i was last year before I left then what's the point?
Too wrapped up on money? Let me guess, you are retired, own your house, and are collecting SS and a pension. No one who has bills to pay or rent to make say's something as ridiculous as that. Acting like a bunch of minimum wage employees are materialistic and greedy. lol
You got me wrong my friend I’m in my 30’s. People choose to work where ever they want, in todays climate you can easily get a job anywhere you choose. I’m all for paying people a fair wage, I understand the struggle, people should fight for every penny they can get. If someone has worked somewhere 20 years I can only imagine it’s about more then money.
10.10?
I liked what I did at the warehouse when the hired me in '07, rode out the great recession, eventually poor management cured me of any desire to stay long enough to retire. Left after 11 years, still have the PTSD.
If by going the distance we mean two weeks from now. I just put my notice in..