future hyundai service advisor? looking for input.

[future service advisor]

Just wanted to say hello.

I'm not an owner but I work at a hyundai dealership. I was recently asked if I would consider taking a service advisor position. Before i make a decision, i was hoping for some feedback from genesis owners.
The main question and i feel an important one is, what would be an ideal service advisor when you visit a service department. I already help write service when it gets busy and but i've never been properly trained.

thanks in advance for taking the time to read this post and or responding.

F.H.S.A.(future hyundai service advisor)

 

[homeofstone]

Listen to your customers. Make sure you understand what they want and need. Repeat back to them what will be done on their car and approx. when it will be finished. always call the customer and let them know your findings if a repair and cost. Call the customer when their car is ready. Have each car washed after any service is done. Never get the interior soiled. Give a loaner whenever possible. Get to know your customer's names/faces. Never argue with a customer. Be honest. Don't invent stories to cover a mistake.

 

[krunchy]

Listen to your customers. Make sure you understand what they want and need. Repeat back to them what will be done on their car and approx. when it will be finished. always call the customer and let them know your findings if a repair and cost. Call the customer when their car is ready. Have each car washed after any service is done. Never get the interior soiled. Give a loaner whenever possible. Get to know your customer's names/faces. Never argue with a customer. Be honest. Don't invent stories to cover a mistake.

Yup. Do the right thing always and you can't go wrong....

 

[robthoke]

Listen to your customers. Make sure you understand what they want and need. Repeat back to them what will be done on their car and approx. when it will be finished. always call the customer and let them know your findings if a repair and cost. Call the customer when their car is ready. Have each car washed after any service is done. Never get the interior soiled. Give a loaner whenever possible. Get to know your customer's names/faces. Never argue with a customer. Be honest. Don't invent stories to cover a mistake.

Great advice here. I might add that if you cannot repeat a condition that the customer is complaining about, tell him that the next time it happens, to immediately come to the dealership before he shuts the car off so they can see what is happening to the car. I really hate it when I'm having a problem and call the dealership for an appointment it is a week or so away. Tells me I've got the wrong car if the service department is that busy. Fortunately that has not happened to me with the Genesis.

 

[DubaiRich]

Treat all your customers like they are the last one you will ever have...especially Genesis customers. We invested in your product, now show you are invested in us!

 

[Rockynight]

Seems like you are off to a GREAT start! You asked for input and to me that translates into someone that cares!

For me I express my concerns to a dealer for a reason. An example would be like the last time I took my 3.8 Coupe track with Nav in for service and when I get to my car the Radio was blasting some heavy metal. Not to critique the music but when I take my car in for service I expect it to be serviced and not a toy for the tech.

Columbia Hyundai was the dealer just in case you are wondering.

 

[postalav8]

Might be hard to do because your boss may be on you back....Be honest when you try to upsell your maintenance departments service plan. I stopped going to dealerships for routine maintenance because I got tired of all the BS most would try to sell (not Hyundai, stopped going to dealers prior to the Genesis), and to try to perform items prematurely. Got a set of iridium spark plugs for free since they replaced them at 30000 miles when they were due at 100000 miles. When I dropped the car off I authorized manufacturer recommended maintenance only. Picked up the car and saw the bill and had to show them that they replaced them early out of the maintenance manual. I can read and know what is required and at what mileage intervals. I think dealer recommened plans are rip off money makers for the dealership. It is common knowledge that a dealership makes more from parts and maintenance then sales.

Back to my first point, if you are pressured to upsell then be honest. Tell the customer what the manufacture recommends (Know your product) and then give your dealerships recommended services. Let the customer decide. If not you are the one who has to sleep at night.

Harsh and very general in my thought but it happens more then not. Good luck.

 

[future service advisor]

just wanted to say thanks to all that read and responded. Been a week now and so far its been a challenge. Lots to learn but my manager says I can do it. She still wants me.

already have a question though. I had a new 4dr genesis come in with a possible coolant leak. Mr. #### says that he drove back from out of town (300 miles) and when he parked his car in the garage, he smelled antifreeze. I had my tech look at it and he couldn't smell or find the leak. Drove it est 20 miles,came back and still no smell or leak. Gonna do a pressure test monday.

anybody have any ideas on what else to do?

thanks!!

 

[mikec]

During the customer's long drive, was the interior heater or defroster used? Maybe the leak is under the dash or in the firewall heater core hoses?

Otherwise it's up to the pressure test. Got any UV dye?

As for your initial question: honesty to customers pays big dividends. And if you can talk to the tech that actually does the service - when the job is complete - to provide details to the customer (if they ask like I always do) it earns loyalty. I like to know the service advisor "follows up" to make sure what was asked for was actually done/accomplished. When my Mitsu was new (and still under warranty) I had the dealer do most of the maintenance; the service adviser knew me - and knew I was "car savvy" - and never tried to BS me. He always had the "here's what was done, here are the old parts for your inspection" and became the only service adviser I'd talk to at that dealership. He actually telephoned me when the dealership changed ownership... to warn me the new owner was the "try to con the customer at every opportunity" type and that he was leaving too. He moved to a different brand's dealership (he knew folks there) and I stopped by now and then to chat. The parts counter guy at this dealership (before it changed ownership) also earned my loyalty. When looking up parts, he knew if the part was Mitsu-specific or fairly generic or a re-branded supplier part (like gaskets or bearings often are) and would tell me better places to get those parts. Since he knew I came to the dealer first for everything, he also gave me the 10% discount they normally reserved for high-volume local service shops.

Saying "I don't know, let me go look it up or get a trained technician" instead of trying to tap-dance through a customer question means a lot. The customer should never leave wondering if they got the correct answer. I didn't mind waiting a few minutes if I knew an honest effort was being made to satisfy me.

mike c.

 

[future service advisor]

During the customer's long drive, was the interior heater or defroster used? Maybe the leak is under the dash or in the firewall heater core hoses?

Otherwise it's up to the pressure test. Got any UV dye?

As for your initial question: honesty to customers pays big dividends. And if you can talk to the tech that actually does the service - when the job is complete - to provide details to the customer (if they ask like I always do) it earns loyalty. I like to know the service advisor "follows up" to make sure what was asked for was actually done/accomplished. When my Mitsu was new (and still under warranty) I had the dealer do most of the maintenance; the service adviser knew me - and knew I was "car savvy" - and never tried to BS me. He always had the "here's what was done, here are the old parts for your inspection" and became the only service adviser I'd talk to at that dealership. He actually telephoned me when the dealership changed ownership... to warn me the new owner was the "try to con the customer at every opportunity" type and that he was leaving too. He moved to a different brand's dealership (he knew folks there) and I stopped by now and then to chat. The parts counter guy at this dealership (before it changed ownership) also earned my loyalty. When looking up parts, he knew if the part was Mitsu-specific or fairly generic or a re-branded supplier part (like gaskets or bearings often are) and would tell me better places to get those parts. Since he knew I came to the dealer first for everything, he also gave me the 10% discount they normally reserved for high-volume local service shops.

Saying "I don't know, let me go look it up or get a trained technician" instead of trying to tap-dance through a customer question means a lot. The customer should never leave wondering if they got the correct answer. I didn't mind waiting a few minutes if I knew an honest effort was being made to satisfy me.

mike c.

thanks mike c. I'm gonna mention the the UV dye to my platinum tech this morning and ask mr. ##### a few more questions.

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