What are the lessons of a former hourly tech turned Fixed Ops Director? Our guest, Sterling Sutherland of Spring, Texas, made that jump himself, and he's sharing the advice he wishes someone had shared with him along the way: How to approach the move to flat rate, when to swallow your pride and pick up the phone to ask a question, and which certifications can actually open doors for you.

If you've ever wondered what your next step in a service career looks like, this conversation with Sterling is not one to miss.

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Shop Talk is the podcast by RV techs for RV techs, with real-world advice to work smarter and earn more.

In this episode, we sit down with Ed Turner, who makes the case that a well-told work order is one of the most underrated moneymakers for an RV tech. So if you aren’t telling the full story behind a repair, it’s time to learn how. Plus, we’ll hear time-saving tips like talk-to-text, photo markup, snapping the serial number instead of squinting at your own handwriting, and much more.

Shop Talk is the podcast by RV techs, for RV techs, where we talk with real experts about how to have the most impact in the shop.

What does it take to log record billable hours with exceptional customer service? In this episode of Shop Talk, we talk with flat rate tech Nick Singley about how he stacks hours and makes them count.

We'll hear why saying yes to the jobs nobody else wants is exactly how you build your hours, and how chasing manufacturer certifications — before anyone asks you to — can make you the only person in the building who can take on a given job. 

Plus, we get into how the RV industry is turning techs into IT pros, and why that's actually an opportunity.

What does it actually take for an RV tech to run a profitable, efficient bay?

Efficiency is a skill that separates techs who have to stay late to make up for lost time from those who leave on time and earn more doing it. In this episode of Shop Talk, we talk with Master Tech Spencer Kearney about the real time-killers in the bay, why chasing hours often costs you money, and how to run your bay like a business.

Plus, we'll touch on writing warranty stories that almost never get kicked back and why the least desirable jobs often pay the most.

How has the life of an RV tech changed? It's a question perfectly suited for longtime Master Technician Tom Wirtala, who's seen just about everything in his 30+ year career. Tom has lived the evolution first-hand.

He also gets into what separates a good tech from a great one, why time management might be the most underrated skill in the bay, and the one piece of advice he gives every new technician: turn your doom-scrolling into job training.

Whether you're a seasoned wrench-turner or just breaking into the trade, this one's worth a listen.