Why to Consider Becoming an Automotive Service Consultant After Auto Mechanic School
You may be asking: what exactly is an automotive service advisor? These consultants are employed by car dealerships or service centers. Essentially, their job is to communicate with the client about their vehicle, and what kind of repairs or maintenance work needs to be done. Once they’ve consulted with their client and understood their concerns, they relay that information to a mechanic who can perform the necessary repairs. Service advisors may be expected to have technician and sales experiences in order to fill multiple roles with the company. If this piques your interest, read on to take a look at what the duties of an automotive service consultant looks like.
A Day in the Life of an Automotive Service Consultant
What does working as an automotive service consultant look like? At the heart of the role is customer service. You’ll begin by evaluating the vehicle, and performing an initial inspection to assist the mechanic. Through your inspection, you’ll gather the information to provide a cost estimate to clients and a detailed list of the services that need to be performed on the vehicle. Once you’ve spoken to the client about the services, you can advise them on which repairs to prioritize.
It’s important to follow up with the customer on any upcoming maintenance work for their vehicle. This is a lot easier if all services, both approved and declined, are documented. These documents will be useful for a client’s future visits with the mechanic. Lastly, you may be working with insurance companies, to help your client claim certain services on their vehicle.
The Requirements to Become a Consultant
What do employers look for? Firstly, they want someone who has graduated from high school or has an equivalent certification. While it may be helpful to have a degree, it’s not essential. Although training will be offered on the job, many employers look for someone who has some level of experience. Here, vocational programs, such as auto tech technician training in Vancouver, are extremely useful in helping you gain the necessary skills and qualifications needed for the job. The course at ATC Surrey will cover an introduction to the automotive industry, customer relations, internal communication, and customer delivery and follow up. Basic computer skills are also required, as much of the work will take place in an office setting.
Auto Mechanic Courses Teach the Necessary Skills
As with any customer service position, people skills are a must. As the first face that clients see when they bring their vehicle in for servicing, you set the tone of the auto shop or dealership. Patience goes a long way when greeting clients and hearing their concerns. Communication skills are also essential when talking to clients, technicians and other staff. With good communication skills, you can ensure that there are no misunderstandings that could jeopardize the client/dealership relationship. At the same time, you can handle complaints effectively and explain situations to clients in a way that they will understand.
The knowledge you’ll learn through auto mechanic school can help you succeed in this role. Considering you’ll be explaining to the client what is going on with their vehicles, it is important that you understand it yourself. As an advisor, you’ll have many people coming to you for help. In that case, problem-solving skills, being able to think on your feet, and experience with automotive problems are key. Ultimately, an automotive service advisor needs to have thorough mechanical knowledge, as well as strong sales and customer service skills.
Are you interested in starting your career with auto mechanic courses?
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