Business Ethics Essay

Submitted By streezzz
Words: 1843
Pages: 8

Business Ethics
5/15/13
Repair Quotas
I am a repairs manager at a franchised but independently owned auto repair shop. The owner gave me a monthly volume quota. I would get a bonus for each 30 day period quota that I meet. If I fail to meet the quota three months straight, the owner will fire me or hire another manager and demote me and my salary will be cut with no bonuses. I was doing good for the first four months, then around mid-fall things started to get slow. Business continues to slow down, and I barely met the quota for the last two months. Now I might have to start selling the customers on repairs and parts they need but aren’t urgent. The owner says it is ok and that it’s preventive maintenance and will save the customers money down the line. Is telling the customers they need the repairs to prevent possible breakdowns when I know, for example they won’t need the parts for another 50,000 miles wrong? Is my boss right, and that I should just look at it as a preventive maintenance?
The ethical problem I am having is, if I should sell non urgent repairs and parts to customers to meet my monthly quota. In doing so am I violating the principle of autonomy, because I’m not informing the customer that they don’t need the work done now but will later? I would be coercing the customer to get the repairs by misleading them to possible breakdowns. If I don’t sell the customers on the repairs and parts then I might lose my job or be demotes.
I could just get with the program and do what I have to do to meet my monthly quota and keep my job (1). I could try to sell them on the repairs and part but tell the customers they don’t necessarily need the repairs now but will in the future. And let them make the decision, knowing the possibilities and rush my chances of meeting the monthly quota (2). Or I could try and talk to the owner and see if he’ll show some leniency if I don’t meet the monthly quota, if not then I could also contact the nearest franchise representative and tell them about the owners monthly quota policy (3).
I don’t think I should go talk to the owner to the owner because he might think I’m not good at doing my job and meet the monthly quota. This might result in him terminating or demoting me early. Plus the last time I talked to the owner he made it clear to me that his quota policy is nonnegotiable and not meeting the monthly quota would jeopardize my position at the shop. And if I was to try and contact a franchise representative they might do little or nothing about the quota policy, and the owner might fire me if I meet the policy or not for trying to report him. So trying to talk to the owner or calling a representative is out of the question.
If I go ahead and start selling the customers on the extra repairs and parts, then I’ll be able to meet the monthly quotas and get the bonuses. I also wouldn’t lose my job or get demoted. The customers would save a considerable amount of money by getting the repairs done now and not wait until it’s too late and be stuck with costly bills and fees later on down the line. Even if I do sell the extra repairs and parts, I might not meet the owner’s quota policy and lose my position at the shop.
Likely Impact 1
If I sell the customers on the extra repairs and parts then I could get the 20% bonus for meeting the monthly quota. I could really use the extra money because I have two daughters and a mortgage to take care of. The other mechanics in the shop would be able to get the overtime they have been asking for, and make extra money before Christmas. And I will also be saving the customers from possible breakdowns and heavy towing fees. But still there’s the possibility of me not meeting the monthly quota even if I do give the customers the hard sell. Some of the customers might know about auto repairs and the hard sell technique and think I’m trying to get over on them and take their car somewhere else.
By convincing the customers to buy the repairs and parts