Anyone a Dealership Service Advisor?
11-22-2007, 09:43 PM
#22
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11-24-2007, 02:32 PM
#25
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Why is there such a huge turnover wherever I go? I've visited several dealerships here at Houston and have yet had the chance to see the same people after a years time.
12-06-2007, 02:19 PM
#26
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I was a BMW Service Advisor for years. Will never do it again. Think about it.
Customers are already upset when the come into the service department. The sales department usually messes up the sale anyways by over promissing everything, such as the service department. You only have so many techs to fix so many cars. If your new BMW M5 guy comes in because he has a problem, goes to find out he can't get into get looked at until the next day (sometimes a week out) when the sales department promissed same day service, you're screwed. Techs get in bad moods sometimes or just get caught, maybe the can't get a vehicle done in time, you have to call that already pissed off customer to explain why there 120k vehicle is still broken and you have to ask for more time (and sometimes more money).
Managers are always on your *** to improve customer service satisfaction, but don't help achieve it...
Screw that job. I'm done with it.. never again.
Customers are already upset when the come into the service department. The sales department usually messes up the sale anyways by over promissing everything, such as the service department. You only have so many techs to fix so many cars. If your new BMW M5 guy comes in because he has a problem, goes to find out he can't get into get looked at until the next day (sometimes a week out) when the sales department promissed same day service, you're screwed. Techs get in bad moods sometimes or just get caught, maybe the can't get a vehicle done in time, you have to call that already pissed off customer to explain why there 120k vehicle is still broken and you have to ask for more time (and sometimes more money).
Managers are always on your *** to improve customer service satisfaction, but don't help achieve it...
Screw that job. I'm done with it.. never again.
12-12-2007, 10:32 AM
#28
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I was a tech for twelve years and now I've been an service advisor for seven, I make less money as an advisor and obviously the work is less physical but its a whole lot more mental.
If my back was still good I would tech again...hands down its better, no stress, no long hours and more money.
Dealing with customers with a broken car day in day out gets old.
I'm nearing the end of my career, five more years and I'm doing something else, or maybe nothing..
If my back was still good I would tech again...hands down its better, no stress, no long hours and more money.
Dealing with customers with a broken car day in day out gets old.
I'm nearing the end of my career, five more years and I'm doing something else, or maybe nothing..
03-02-2008, 03:23 PM
#31
Well I guess the responses here says it all... Some love it some hate it..
It depends on what kind of individual you are..
High turnover stores are usually due to management or "the wrong person for the job"
A good advisor will make between 60-100k. Strong mechanical knowledge isn't a required requirement. I have found mechanical background advisors can go either way. I have hired women with no mechanical background that have done VERY well. I have hired techs that made both good and bad advisors.
If you want to be an advisor you will need to be:
Willing to work long hours.
Posses the ability to get along well with others.
Be goal oriented.
Be a good sales person.
Must be a multi tasker.
Have a good demeanor.
If you are moody, its not a job for you.
If you can't handle upset customers, its not a job for you.
If you can't handle stress, its not a job for you.
If you can't multi-task, its not a job for you.
If you can't handle long hours, its not a job for you.
Technicians for the most part tend to be pre-modonna's (Not all) but there are a lot of them. Good ones are in short supply and they know it. A happy tech will produce a lot more than a pissed off tech.
So you will find yourself juggling a lot. Keeping the customer happy, keeping your techs happy, getting promised vehicles done and being able to work on last minute "must have" vehicles that pop in last minute..
It's challenging, pays well, and can be rewarding..
Believe it or not, Service Advisors are the most important people in a dealership. They handle more customers per day, then anyone else in the dealership. Good Service experience leads to good sales.
Hope this helps..
It depends on what kind of individual you are..
High turnover stores are usually due to management or "the wrong person for the job"
A good advisor will make between 60-100k. Strong mechanical knowledge isn't a required requirement. I have found mechanical background advisors can go either way. I have hired women with no mechanical background that have done VERY well. I have hired techs that made both good and bad advisors.
If you want to be an advisor you will need to be:
Willing to work long hours.
Posses the ability to get along well with others.
Be goal oriented.
Be a good sales person.
Must be a multi tasker.
Have a good demeanor.
If you are moody, its not a job for you.
If you can't handle upset customers, its not a job for you.
If you can't handle stress, its not a job for you.
If you can't multi-task, its not a job for you.
If you can't handle long hours, its not a job for you.
Technicians for the most part tend to be pre-modonna's (Not all) but there are a lot of them. Good ones are in short supply and they know it. A happy tech will produce a lot more than a pissed off tech.
So you will find yourself juggling a lot. Keeping the customer happy, keeping your techs happy, getting promised vehicles done and being able to work on last minute "must have" vehicles that pop in last minute..
It's challenging, pays well, and can be rewarding..
Believe it or not, Service Advisors are the most important people in a dealership. They handle more customers per day, then anyone else in the dealership. Good Service experience leads to good sales.
Hope this helps..
03-02-2008, 03:36 PM
#32
just dont ignore the parts men, with out them dosnt matter how many people you walk through that service bay, nothing will get done with out them getting the tech's the parts they need. in my opinion THEY are the most important people in a dealership 
03-02-2008, 07:46 PM
#33
A breed of their own... lol
03-06-2008, 09:13 AM
#39
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Take CSI for instance. I love how the CSI score is our "Dealers score" according to management. Then they want to cut the Advisors pay if we get a bad score. It's even worse when the parts dept screws up(ours sucks and they do cause a lot of bad CSI's) and we get a bad score because of it. So the advisor shouldn't be the only one to get a paycut?? Amazingly when that is presented to management, it isn't a dealerships CSI score anymore.
I can understand if it was something I did, but when other parties are involved and cause the hickup and we get a bad csi because of it, the advisor still gets the blame.
Welcome to the automotive world.
03-06-2008, 09:37 AM
#40
I agree. Management sometimes look at just the overall picture and not the actual problem or help.
Take CSI for instance. I love how the CSI score is our "Dealers score" according to management. Then they want to cut the Advisors pay if we get a bad score. It's even worse when the parts dept screws up(ours sucks and they do cause a lot of bad CSI's) and we get a bad score because of it. So the advisor shouldn't be the only one to get a paycut?? Amazingly when that is presented to management, it isn't a dealerships CSI score anymore.
I can understand if it was something I did, but when other parties are involved and cause the hickup and we get a bad csi because of it, the advisor still gets the blame.
Welcome to the automotive world.
Take CSI for instance. I love how the CSI score is our "Dealers score" according to management. Then they want to cut the Advisors pay if we get a bad score. It's even worse when the parts dept screws up(ours sucks and they do cause a lot of bad CSI's) and we get a bad score because of it. So the advisor shouldn't be the only one to get a paycut?? Amazingly when that is presented to management, it isn't a dealerships CSI score anymore.
I can understand if it was something I did, but when other parties are involved and cause the hickup and we get a bad csi because of it, the advisor still gets the blame.
Welcome to the automotive world.
The CSI report is broken down to each answer and each answer has a score. The "Advisor" question have there own individual score as well.. An advisor can still have a good score and the rest of the experience can have a bad one. Granted you can **** someone off due to a part or tech and still get hammered no matter how you do.
The easiest way to bring up your CSI is simply to discuss it with EVERY one of your customers! A quick 1-2 minute talk will do wonders. And EVERY time you get a bad CSI or even "Very satisified" or "Satisfied" scores CALL THE CUSTOMER! On most occasions if they know you are going to (I use this word loosely) confront them, the survey will take on a whole new meaning when they fill it out next time.
You will be surprised how much your score will go up if you just talk to your customers! Explain to them that your only passing score is "completely satisfied" show them where they can score the actual vehicle, if they are not happy with it..
And the best thing is, your # of responses will come way up, if you just talk to your customers! The average happy person sees the survey and tosses it, not realizing how much it means to you.. The average pissed off person will fill it out.
And now they can fill it out on the internet!
