Anyone a Service advisor at a dealer?

[ryan2022]

Hi guys,

Its been a while, I'm here for career advice.

I've been doing Mechanical design work for years, and cant stand the office anymore.
The reason I got started in it years ago was because it was Automotive based, now I'm in a totally unrelated field.

Are there any of you that are Advisors out there? I know if Canada its usually a salary role, which would probably limit the income, but I'm not sure.

any experience?

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[aquariuscsm]

Service advisors in the US are salary plus commission.

 

[salv]

Not the best money, but nothing to sneeze at either. Quite possibly the most fun I have had at anything called "work". If you can be satisfied with middle class wages and you can find good people to work for/with, it is a good job. The customers make it fun too. Never have I worked a job where customers bring you baked goods, wine, etc. after you have charged them for repairs. (this job can make you fat!)

 

[DuckRyder]

What kind of dealer?

Also how do you like dealing with people...

It is more akin to a sales job than anything to do with cars... many dealers prefer you know nothing about cars...

 

[salv]

You couldn't be more wrong. It is very hard to work with a service manager, techs, or customers for that matter if you are a know nothing salesman. Old DIY guys don't like it when you argue with conventional wisdom, but that's too bad. Conventional wisdom has it's place, and that is with old American cars that have not computers or gadgets on them.

 

[Kruse]

I am not a customer advisor, but I've seen a few of them. You've got to be able to deal with a screaming customer on a daily basis. Not that it will happen every day, but it does happen. Some advisors will have a knack for getting the customer to calm down, some of them have a knack to escalate the problem. Sometimes the owner and the coworkers can be dirty diapers also. Will you like it? I really think it depends on your personality.

 

[DuckRyder]

You might be right where you work.

Most dealers want the SA's selling and not second guessing customers or techs. IE just write down what the customer says and then sell what the tech says.

I agree it should be other wise and perhaps is some places but those places are the exception rather than the rule in my experience.

And yes, I've been a tech and a SA at a dealer(s) and have many friends who are both and a couple of Service Managers as friends too.

I think what type of dealer it is plays a pretty big role too. (Think how badly is the clientele impacted by the economy)

 

[salv]

I guess I am lucky work somewhere that everyone works together to help customers. The manufacturer is also very good to work with.

 

[ryan2022]

Thanks guys. Some good info. Ive applied at a local GM dealership. If I go this route, I might aim for a Mercedes shop eventually thats closer to the City.

I'm looking at a career change. I have a good number of hours towards my second year of Plumbing, and though about continuing that. My concern is my body. I already have a few sore spots, which could be caused my sitting on my butt for ten years and being a weekend warrior on the side. Maybe this would be better.

 

[montero1]

The majority of Service Advisors I've come across deserve to be punched in the face. Over-selling, LYING, don't return phone calls, basically unknowledgable. I was an apprentice at one point and for every job, the service advisors conversation with the mechanic was "What can we get 'em for?" (Ford Dealer). I just don't know that you can be honest at that job and make a decent living.

 

[DuckRyder]

I would advise you interview the dealer as much as they interview you. For instance how much authority do you have to do the right thing (which may involve charging something off). Kruse is right you'll get yelled at, sometimes the customer will have good cause, sometimes not. Sounds like salv works at a good place.

Is this a single line GM dealer (IE: Chevrolet) or a multi line (IE; Chevrolet, Buick, GMC) and is it a premium line (IE: Cadillac, GMC)?

If you are correct about it being a salaried position that might take a good bit of the pressure off. In the US it is typically a commission with a draw or guarantee (or at least it was when I did it).

It is very much a position for someone who enjoys working with people.

 

[cptbarkey]

i did tech support for 3 years over the phone, i cant see doing that in person is any better. you will get burned out after a few years.

 

[dwcopple]

It is the worst and hardest job at the dealership, management will tell you that too. I highly don't recommend it. Typically you work 7:30-5:30 M-F with one night open until 8PM or so. Ridiculous hours for $400/wk draw and commission (whatever they feel like paying you, no way to know) once a month. All in all, the techs were cool, but management is where the issues lie. It is a horrible job that only got worse when they started making us wear a shirt and tie too. IN A FREAKIN' SERVICE TUNNEL??? Do you really care if the guy writing up your complaint is wearing a polo and khackis rather than a shirt and tie? Wait till it's 90 in summer and -2 in winter and the doors are constantly opening and closing on both ends of the tunnel. Horrid horrid horrid.

 

[EricF]

If you're at a pretty good volume dealer, you don't have to be dishonest and use trickery and scare tactics. A co-worker was a service advisor at a fairly high volume GM dealer. Her personality paid for itself, she said for the 8yrs she did it she made 6 figures yearly with her commissions.
She said she was told to push extra services, like fuel injector cleanings, detailing services...
she said she did well with just a smile and when the guys would bring their cars in she rarely got a NO to anything, but she never oversold a service. the women however she had ultimate trust.
She did her job honestly, and she did well.. GM pulled the plug on the dealership and she went into Parts instead, she said there were weeks things were slow and minimum wage didn't pay the bills, but the ups & downs paid off in the end, but sometimes you can't wait for that.

 

[Doog]

Service advisor psychological evaluation:

1. Would you rather stab Grandma or shoot Grandpa?
2. What weight oil is best for muffler bearings?
3. How long should you leave the Summer air in your tires?
4. What synthetic oils cause bearing skate?
5. How many times can you say "They all do that" before your mouth falls off.

 

[mechtech2]

If you don't oversell, you won't last.
Can you handle that situation?
It is very real.

 

[SLCraig]

Funny to see this thread, one of my good buddies just took a service advisor job at the local Porsche dealer. He seems happy so far.

 

[Lillikai]

I think it depends on where you work. I was the Customer Service Adviser at Jiffy Lube (took over the walmart tle). After about 3 months of working at the counter being called all kinds of names and almost had a few things chucked at my head, I told my manager to put me in the shop to work on cars.

I didn't lie to the customers. Nor did I oversell, even though JL wanted me to. I was nothing but honest and very nice the entire time (I am a woman, we like to talk). Yet I still got yelled.

It is the most stressful job I've ever had. I've since learned that I don't like most people and cars don't talk back. You have to have leather skin and can't get upset after you've been called every name in the book.

Good Luck to you if you do choose to go that route. I know it's not for me. I'm better suited as a technician. I like cars and they like me.

P.S. I was offered the Assistant Manager position at JL last week, I turned it down as well. It didn't pay enough for the responsibility I would have to take on. Plus I don't want to be in the front lines of the customers yelling at me again. No thanks!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Funny to see this thread, one of my good buddies just took a service advisor job at the local Porsche dealer. He seems happy so far.

That's probably the best way to do it. Work at a high end brand service dept. Most of the customers you'll deal with will be loaded, so they won't complain too much if you present them with a work estimate for a couple of grand.

 

[Mr Nice]

Some say dealers are slow because people are putting off repairs due to money being tight.