At an automobile dealership, an automotive service advisor serves as a liaison between the vehicle owner and the mechanic. When a customer brings a vehicle in for service, the service advisor makes a list of the customer’s concerns and passes it along to a mechanic. The mechanic will evaluate the vehicle’s condition and make service recommendations. The service advisor will relay the mechanic’s advice to the customer and make every effort to get the customer to authorize all necessary repairs. If a customer is unable to complete all of the repairs at once, the advisor will prioritize the repairs and assist the customer in determining the best place to begin.
The service department is one of the most important revenue generators for a car dealership. Every customer who visits the service department will usually be assisted by an automotive service advisor. For every repair that the mechanic suggests but the customer refuses, he or she must emphasize the worst-case scenario. When sales tactics are used, such as showing the customer how failing to complete a repair could void a warranty, the customer may reconsider the repair and authorize the mechanic to complete it.
The automotive service advisor will make phone calls and send email messages to customers whose vehicles are approaching a scheduled service date, in addition to dealing with customers who stop by the service department for unscheduled repairs or service. To avoid the inconvenience of an unscheduled service call, the customer is frequently asked to schedule an appointment. All of this extra attention to the customer accomplishes two goals: it makes the customer feel valued and important, and it makes the dealership money. In order to win over the loyalty of occasional customers, the service advisor is often authorized to give coupons, such as free oil change vouchers or tire rotations.
Many customers are only made aware of a potential problem as a result of an automotive service advisor’s thorough inspection of their vehicle. When compared to having the vehicle break down and damage other components, this can often save the customer money. Occasionally, an astute advisor will spot a customer who is in the market for a new vehicle and will be able to persuade the customer to buy instead of repair. In this case, the automotive service advisor will typically hand over the customer to a salesperson, who will split the sale commission.