Becoming an Automotive Service Advisor: 2024 Guide

Automotive Service Advisor: Training & Education

Thinking about becoming an automotive service advisor?

If you’re looking for a job with diverse career opportunities, this could be the career path for you.

Automotive service advisors, trained in both customer service and automobile care, play an important role in repair shops and dealerships.

Keep reading to learn all about this profession. Find out how to become an automotive service advisor, and learn about their day-to-day responsibilities, required skills, tips for success and more!

Key Summary Points

• Automotive service advisors act as the liaison between customers and auto technicians, handling tasks such as scheduling service appointments and managing quotes.
• Skills required for a service advisor include automotive knowledge, strong communication and listening skills, time management, the ability to think on their feet and self-motivation.
• Service advisors can manage stress by focusing on what they can control, having their paperwork in order, developing positive relationships with customers and earning their trust.
• To become a service advisor, starting out as a technician or in a related role and gaining experience is recommended. Expressing interest in the role and seeking opportunities to learn more about it can also be beneficial.
• UTI offers an Automotive Technology program that can provide a foundation for a career in the automotive industry, including potential advancement to a service advisor role.^1,77

What Is a Automotive Service Advisor?

When taking your car in for a repair, the first person you will come in contact with is usually an automotive service advisor. These auto professionals act as the liaison between customers and the technicians servicing their vehicles. They identify the need for servicing before selling and scheduling the service.

Most service advisors will tell you that no two days on the job are the same. They complete a wide variety of tasks, from welcoming and assisting customers to managing quotes to working with technicians throughout the repair process. 

Automotive Service Advisor Job Description:

• Greet and develop an ongoing relationship with customers.
• Help customers maintain their vehicles.
• Set up service appointments that align with the customer and technicians’ schedules.
• Serve as liaison between the service manager, shop foreman, parts personnel, technicians and warranty administration.
• Support dealership goals for service by generating high sales of services and parts.
• Inspect vehicles and apply proper resources to accurately identify and verify vehicle mileage and service needs.
• Provide customers with information on part warranties and potential savings.
• Identify repeat repairs in customer’s best interest.
• Work with technicians to determine necessary repairs and possible alternatives to cut costs for the customer.
• Administer new and used vehicle warranty repairs in accordance with warranty specifications.
• Write and verify accurate repair orders and include supporting documentation.
• Supervise cleaning and preparation of new and used vehicles.
• Contact customers to keep them in the loop throughout the repair process and communicate when the vehicle is ready for pickup.
• Meet requirements of state and federal law for auto repair and consumer protection.
  

Read: From Student to UTI Miramar’s First BMW FastTrack Instructor

How to Be a Good Service Advisor: Skills You’ll Need

This job is about so much more than learning the mechanics. As with any career, automotive service advisors need a specific skill set to perform their duties.

Automotive knowledge

Automotive knowledge is key for service advisors. Whether they’re ordering parts, looking over documentation or communicating with technicians, service advisors constantly use automotive knowledge. Service advisors also need to continuously refresh their knowledge to stay informed about technological innovations happening in their industry.

Having and properly communicating automotive knowledge also helps establish service advisors’ credibility. If a service advisor is confident in their automotive knowledge, they can properly equip the customer with the necessary information and give them confidence that their vehicle is in good hands.

Strong communication skills

Instead of operating behind the scenes, service advisors spend a lot of time speaking with customers and their colleagues, both verbally and through writing. They must be able to explain repairs in simple terms to their customers while being able to discuss more technical details to fellow industry professionals.

For that reason, effective and professional communication is essential to getting the job done properly and on time. If you have a passion for the automotive industry and want to spend your days around people rather than under the hood, this may be the job for you.

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Listening skills

Attentive listening skills are critical for service advisors. When customers first bring in their car, service advisors must be available to gather details about their auto repair needs.

Service advisors also need to use their listening skills to make their customers feel valued and heard. After all, this is a customer-facing role. So if customers have questions at any point in the process, service advisors need to build positive professional relationships with them and ensure their servicing needs are met.

Ability to think on your feet

Successful service advisors readily take challenges head-on. Whether a repair is running behind schedule, the wrong parts arrive or a customer is unhappy, they’re the first ones to jump in and solve the problem at hand. When things don’t go according to plan, service advisors need to think on their feet and come to a decision that best serves the customer and the company.

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Time management

The environment service advisors work in is often very fast-paced which requires them to have great time management skills. Between setting up service appointments, meeting with customers, writing repair orders and working with technicians—among other responsibilities— the schedule of a service advisor fills up quickly.

In order to keep up and do their job well, service advisors must stay organized and use their time wisely. They oversee many different repairs at one time, so they need to prioritize and delegate tasks when necessary. 

Self-sufficiency

Since service advisors mostly manage themselves, they need to be self-sufficient. They also often manage the schedules and workloads of other technicians. This means that service advisors need an independent drive to do their jobs well and be equipped, both mentally and technically, to ensure servicing schedules are running as smoothly as possible.

Versatility

There’s a lot of variety that comes with this career path because many automotive worksites need service advisors. Service advisors communicate with customers and technicians and are responsible for ensuring every customer gets their needs met.

It’s a crucial role in the field. Service advisors often have diverse career opportunities because they can adapt to different industries and personalities.

Read: 8 Questions To Ask When Choosing an Automotive Mechanic School

Overcoming Challenges: Tips for Handling Automotive Service Advisor Stress

Working as an automotive service advisor can be challenging. This fast-paced career comes with a lot of responsibility and requires hard work, motivation and a constant commitment to excellence. For this reason, many service advisors experience stress on the job.

So how can service advisors manage or avoid this stress? According to Henry Gelb, a UTI graduate now working as shop foreman for Nick Alexander Imports, it’s all about focusing on the things service advisors can control. These include:

• Having their paperwork in order
• Ensuring their schedule allows time for meeting with customers and technicians
• Returning calls and handling all of the back-end work they’re responsible for

Additionally, developing positive relationships with customers can also help to minimize the stress that service advisors commonly face. Earning the trust of customers is one of the keys to making a service advisor’s life stress-free.

According to Henry, “Building rapport with your customers will help you in all situations, whether they are good or bad. If you have strong relationships with your customers, their service experience, no matter how severe the problems with the car are, will be much smoother.”

Becoming a service advisor isn’t for everyone. However, it can be an exciting and rewarding path for those who are passionate about the automotive industry and enjoy working with people.

Automotive FAQs

1. What is the median automotive service advisor salary?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for automotive service technicians and mechanics in the United States was $$47,770 in May 2023.²⁵ This means that half of automotive technicians earned more and half earned less. Keep in mind that salary can vary based on several factors, including location, industry, level of experience and employer.

2. What are the job responsibilities of an automotive service advisor?

An automotive service advisor acts as a liaison between the customer and the service technicians. They help customers understand their vehicle's maintenance needs, schedule service appointments and ensure high-quality customer service throughout the repair process.

3. What qualifications or education do I need to become an automotive service advisor?

Typically, a high school diploma or GED is required to become an automotive service advisor. However, many employers prefer candidates with a trade education in automotive technology, along with relevant work experience.

4. What skills are important for an automotive service advisor to have?

Key skills for an automotive service advisor include strong communication abilities, customer service expertise and knowledge of automotive technology. Additionally, organizational skills and problem-solving abilities are crucial for effectively managing service appointments and customer inquiries.

5. What is the typical work environment for an automotive service advisor?

Automotive service advisors typically work in automotive dealerships, repair shops or service centers. Their work environment is a blend of office settings, where they interact with customers, and service areas, where they communicate with technicians and inspect vehicles.

How to Become an Automotive Service Advisor

If this sounds like a career that interests you, you might be wondering how to become an automotive service advisor. Typically, service advisors start out working as a technician in a dealership or as a car porter or valet attendant. Once they’ve acquired enough experience, they may have the opportunity to advance to a service advisor role.

However, completing an automotive technology program and working as a technician both during and after your courses can give you an advantage. It’s the best start to service advisor training, as you’ll gain valuable mechanical and engineering knowledge. Many places need assistants for their advisors, which can be a great way to get your foot in the door and become familiar with the role.

Aspiring service advisors must be proactive. Henry suggests expressing your interest in the role to management and always being willing to help when needed. Whether you’re working as a technician, porter or valet attendant, always look for opportunities to learn more about what a service advisor does.

Once you establish yourself as a service advisor, you can experience the many benefits that come with this career. Dealerships and repair shops are constantly looking for new talent in their service departments, which means exciting opportunities for those who have a passion for the industry!

Train for a Career in Auto Tech at UTI

UTI’s 51-week Automotive Technology program can prepare you to pursue a variety of careers in the automotive industry.⁷ While the program isn't focused on service advisor training, the knowledge you gain can help you work your way up in the industry.⁷⁷

To learn more, visit our program page and request information online today! Or you can contact an Admissions Representative at 1-800-834-7308.