The confident moderator Thommy May leads the discussion in front of a packed plenary hall with an introduction to the skills required of bicycle mechanics and introduces the panelists. Gathered together are Benno Sprecher, a trained bike mechanic who has left the industry, Christian Elsener from the Zurich specialist store Velo Elsener and Wolfgang Hess from the specialist motorcycle store Hess Motorrad AG in Ostermundigen.

No prospects, too little pay
First, Sprecher explains why he left the bicycle industry: "I lacked prospects, the salary was too low, the image of the profession of bicycle mechanic was too poor and bicycle mechanics are not valued enough as professionals." Sprecher speaks of 13 monthly salaries of 5,000 to 5,500 francs per year, which are necessary to keep a bicycle mechanic with around 5 years of professional experience in the profession and prevent them from moving to other sectors. For Sprecher, the industry is also unprofessional in many places: "The customer doesn't receive detailed invoices and the stores' websites are too simple."

Hourly rates too low*
Elsener then has his say and explains that retailers who sell at hourly rates of 60 francs make life extremely difficult for other specialist retailers who work at economically necessary higher rates. Elsener argues that a rate of 100 francs is a minimum and that the industry should be more united and professional in order to enforce higher rates.

The view of the motorcycle dealer
"Our processes are more professional, we are more efficient," says Hess as a representative of the motorcycle industry. "The motorcycle businesses are usually larger than the bicycle businesses, which favors an increase in efficiency." What follows is a real riot act for the bike industry: "I think the wage recommendation from 2 Rad Schweiz is too low**, I can't understand why such wages are paid. For a single mechanic, we define the annual target of 1,300 - 1,400 billable hours per year - and with this volume and the associated profit, there is absolutely no discussion as to whether you can pay a decent wage."

Colleagues' performance in the specialist bicycle trade
Discussion leader May asks Hess whether a customer in the specialist bike trade would accept an hourly rate of 140 francs: "We have no acceptance problem with our prices. Our services are presented transparently and in detail". Hess continues: "We also charge for direct acceptance of a repair. If someone comes into the store with a breakdown, we tell the customer that we will put this repair on the emergency list. We don't do direct repairs where the customer looks over the mechanic's shoulder, that's how you burn out a mechanic. This approach of dropping everything for a repair is so colleague-like, preferably on a first-name basis, it's simply too unprofessional".

Hess goes on to show how he handles things as a specialist motorcycle dealer: "We need clear structures. We don't repair immediately. We have identical, professional processes and we stick to them. A collegial bike mechanic can be exploited by today's consumers. A professional appearance is all the more important. This is not even remotely possible with an hourly rate of 60 francs. The customer thinks disparagingly at this price level: "That's just the village bike mechanic. The customer doesn't come and say: Hello, look, that's my son, he wants to do an apprenticeship with you."

Recommended hourly rate: 120 francs
Then Peter Sommer, President of the Swiss 2 Wheel Association, has his say. He recommends an hourly rate of 120 francs for the Swiss bicycle industry and, at the same time, places the onus exclusively on specialist retailers to communicate to customers "how cool" the profession of bicycle mechanic is and therefore a higher hourly rate should be charged.

No strategy on the part of 2 Rad Schweiz
When asked by the moderator how the 2 Rad Schweiz association can help to improve the image of the bicycle mechanic profession, Sommer said: "We attend the European Cup for motorcycle and bicycle mechanics. I am convinced that our mechanics will once again do extremely well. I have a request for the media: publicize these achievements of Swiss mechanics to the outside world so that they can see how good we actually are". Sommer did not mention any further strategies on how the association could carry out an image campaign for the bicycle mechanic profession at the podium.

The shortage of apprentices
Marius Graber - known from Velojournal magazine and the Velociped bike store in Kriens - then comments on Sommer's statement: "It's not enough for me as a bike mechanic to think that I have a great job. We have to make sure that apprentices in the coming years think that being a Velomech is a great profession - and it's simply not enough for us to do well at the European Championships. As a bike store, we have to make the impression that it's cool to work in this store. It's not enough for me to think that my job is great. It's our job to design our specialist stores in such a way that it's cool to work there." Graber continues: "I'm extremely worried that the battle for apprentices will start, with fewer apprentices coming in. We have to position ourselves really well to attract apprentices."

Necessary measures
May asks how to attract good apprentices and Graber answers: "Wages are important, prospects are important, there needs to be a third, intermediate title in addition to bicycle mechanic and master bicycle mechanic. We have to be good as an employer, that goes beyond vacation, social benefits and flexibility, good jobs are needed. Among other things, we need a decent hourly rate and attractive stores in order to attract the right employees tomorrow."

Support from the association?
On the issue of apprentices, Hess says: "Train apprentices! You can't complain that I can't get a good mechanic and on the other hand say that I'm no longer training apprentices because it's too much for me and I've had several bad experiences. For young people, being a bicycle or motorcycle mechanic remains a dream job, but you have to be prepared to pick them up and train them. It's crucial to have a certain amount of pride and to have certain requirements, in the style of I don't take just anyone as an apprentice."

Hess formulates requests to the 2 Rad Schweiz association: "I would like the association to provide a tool for a selection process, such as a standardized aptitude test for the minimum requirements for a prospective apprentice. I also wanted the association to provide me with training on how to recruit new apprentices or employees."

Hess also talks about his experiences with another association that is of interest to the bicycle trade: "We have a Harley sales association. During the euro turbulence, we had a strong structure to influence our suppliers. We had prices at European level within a very short time."

Discourse with results
Following votes from the plenary session, May summarized: "There is now a high probability that hourly rates will be increased in the companies. We have received the OK from the association president, who recommends 120 francs per hour. If all companies implement this, it will be a good step." May emphasizes the importance of such forums and discussions and would like the association to communicate in writing that the hourly rates should be increased.

May also points out the importance of a selection process that can ensure that suitable apprentices are recruited. May also calls on the press to help improve the image of the bicycle mechanic profession.

www.velosuisse-event.ch
www.2radschweiz.ch

Attachment:
* The trade magazine Cyclinfo has determined the hourly rates in the Swiss specialist bicycle trade:
in 2011 the average is 88 francs, in 2013 the average is 96 francs.
** Wage recommendation of the Swiss 2 Wheel Association for bicycle mechanics: from CHF 3,500 to 4,000 after an apprenticeship, from CHF 4,000 to 4,5000 after 5 years of professional experience
*** Short conversation with Peter Sommer after the panel discussion on the question of how the association could ride an image campaign for the bicycle mechanic profession: Sommer emphasizes the importance of the member magazine Inform. He calls on the managing director of the specialist store to convey to the outside world how attractive the job of a bicycle mechanic is. Sommer goes on to say that contacts are being made with editors from Tele Züri, Tele Bern and Swiss television in order to drive forward public relations work.