Back to Course

Automotive Service Advisor Essentials Course

0% Complete
0/0 Steps
  1. LESSON 1: AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE ADVISOR COURSE

    Automotive Service Advisor Course Introduction
  2. LESSON 2: CROSS-SELLING ADDITIONAL SERVICE MAINTENANCE ITEMS
    How To Cross-Sell Additional Service Maintenance Items
    8 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  3. LESSON 3: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SERVICE REPAIR ORDERS
    Everything You Need To Know About Service Repair Orders
    6 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  4. LESSON 4: BREAKING DOWN NEW VEHICLE FACTORY WARRANTY
    Introduction To New Vehicle Factory Warranty Policy & Procedures
    10 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  5. LESSON 5: CUSTOMER SERVICE ESSENTIALS FOR AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE ADVISORS
    Customer Service Essentials For Automotive Service Advisors
    5 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  6. LESSON 6: HOW SERVICE ADVISORS CAN TACKLE CHALLENGES IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
    How Service Advisors Can Tackle Challenges In The Automotive Industry
    4 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  7. LESSON 7: AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE ADVISOR CUSTOMER CONSULTATION STEPS
    Automotive Service Advisor Customer Consultation Steps
    9 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  8. LESSON 8: THE MOST EFFECTIVE SERVICE ADVISOR SALES PROCESS & CLOSING TECHNIQUES
    The Most Effective Service Advisor Sales Process & Closing Techniques
    9 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  9. LESSON 9: COMPLETING THE SERVICE VISIT - THE SERVICE VEHICLE DELIVERY PROCESS WORKFLOW
    Completing The Service Visit - The Service Vehicle Delivery Process Workflow
    2 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  10. Lesson 10: HOW TO REACH YOUR SALES GOALS WITH SERVICE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI’S)
    How To Reach Your Sales Goals With Service Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
    2 Topics
    |
    1 Quiz
  11. LESSON 11: THE ULTIMATE SERVICE ADVISOR WORKFLOW QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
    The Ultimate Service Advisor Workflow Quick Reference Guide
    4 Topics
  12. LESSON 12: SCHEDULING SERVICE APPOINTMENTS & CALL SCRIPTS HANDBOOK
    Scheduling Service Appointments & Call Scripts Handbook
    11 Topics
  • ©Copyright Notice All course materials on this site are protected by copyright law. The course material and its content (lessons, topics, exams, videos, slides, and course notes) are protected by copyright law and not to be copied, redistributed, or resold. ©Service Drive Automotive Training. - All Rights Are Reserved.

Lesson Progress
0% Complete

Working With Technicians

The technician is responsible for the repair and preventive maintenance of vehicles. They are skilled employees that work with complex systems or perform highly technical mechanical or diagnostic tests.

Automotive technology is continuously developing; technicians have to continue their education to keep up with these changes.

Technicians employed at dealerships may have to attend training courses two or three times a year, learning new skills.

Examples of automotive technician responsibilities:

  • Perform extensive diagnostic procedures to determine the sources of customers’ concerns and provide accurate repair solutions
  • Discuss repair recommendations with advisors
  • Conduct necessary mechanical repairs and advise on necessary future repairs
  • Carry out routine automotive maintenance tasks
  • Test drive vehicles after all repairs are completed. Technicians need to verify mechanical soundness and determine if other problems exist
  • They also need to remain current on industry best practices in automotive repair
  • Abide by state-required emissions and safety regulations
  • Maintain legible and accurate documentation
  • Maintain a clean work environment to ensure equipment longevity and workplace safety

Service advisors work in close collaboration with technicians, so you need to understand the types of jobs each skill level technician can perform.

Technicians will rely on you to interpret customer concerns. In return, you will rely on a team of technicians to troubleshoot problems, help up-sell hours, and fix it right the first time.

Some technicians do not mind speaking to customers with you. So, don’t be shy to ask a technician for help if you’re ever in doubt about a customer’s concern.

 


Types Of Technicians

Technicians can perform a myriad of duties. Their ability to perform repairs depends on their country’s regulations.

Listed here is a shortlist of technician types and their skill level in North America.

 

Lube Technicians

  • Lube oil filter changes
  • Basic multi-point inspection
  • Tire rotation
  • Install and balance tires
  • Replace the engine air filter or cabin filter
  • Wiper blade replacement
  • Reset oil life monitor or tire pressure monitor

 

Apprentice Technicians

  • Maintenance flush operations such as cooling system, transmission
  • Wheel balance
  • Advanced multi-point inspection
  • Assist in brake service, brake fluid flush, machining rotors, wheel alignment
  • Assist technicians in more advanced repairs as an extra pair of hands

 

Licensed Technicians

Depending on each country’s regulations, technicians are certified by government agencies and can require additional training to perform specific repairs.

Technicians in the United States need ASE certification. In Canada, they must have a 310S certificate before performing any mechanical repair. Technicians in a dealership will require an additional 3 to 5 days of product-specific training per year, either online or in-class.

Warranty repairs and factory recalls require technicians to have training specific to the repair they are performing. i.e., transmission repair needs a technician to have factory training, or the warranty claim will not be paid. Most manufacturers now require only top-level trained technician’s complete vehicle recalls.

Licensed technicians can perform all the jobs listed in the lube and apprentice sections as well as the following:

  • Engine repair
  • Automatic transmission/transaxle
  • Manual drive train & axles
  • Suspension & steering
  • Brakes
  • Electrical/electronic systems
  • Heating & air conditioning
  • Engine performance
  • Light vehicle diesel engines
  • Certified master automobile technician
  • Advanced engine performance specialist
  • Light duty hybrid/electric vehicle specialist
  • Advanced multi-point inspections
  • Perform vehicle safety

 

Shop Tip:

  • Work cooperatively with your technician; they are your eyes and ears
  • Ask for a technicians assistance if you are stuck on a customers concern
  • Ask a technician to work with you to upsell services
  • Not all technicians are created equal
  • Ensure the technician working with you is qualified to perform the repair

 


Labor Time Guide (LTG)

Automotive shops use the software called labor time guide or LTG. LTG programs can estimate repair costs quickly and easily on common vehicle maintenance and repairs. This means that each type of job has a predetermined time attached to it.

LTG’s inform the technician how long it should take to perform a specific repair and help advisors provide customers with an estimated cost. LTG tells flat-rate technicians how much they will be paid for the job.

Aftermarket automotive repair facilities use the labor time guide manuals, which show the time required to complete an automotive service procedure. Advisors can quote and charge customers the amount of labor stated in the manual.

Dealership service departments depend on their manufacturers for labor times. They have developed their own flat rate guide based on performing the procedures on new vehicles, determining the time to be less than on an older vehicle with rusted parts. When a dealership technician works on a vehicle out of warranty, you pay them using the third-party labor time guide.

Manufacturers created the guide by studying the time to complete a task by several technicians. They recorded how much time it took to perform the removal and reinstallation of various components. Then, calculate the average of these times and arrive at the labor time to pay technicians.

The time includes bringing in the vehicle, diagnosis, going for parts, completing the repair, and road testing to confirm the job’s success.

An experienced technician that has done this repair often will be faster to diagnose and complete the job than one with less experience.

 

Shop Tip:

  • There will always be a system in place to help guide you with billing out labor hours

 


Technician Pay Structure

Since you will be working closely with technicians, it may help you to understand their pay structure.

Technicians are paid either straight time (hourly), flat rate (a predetermined time to complete the repair), or hourly pay with additional incentives based on productivity.

Automotive shops paying technicians straight time will be paid hourly regardless of how long it takes to finish the repair.

There are several ways to calculate flat-rate hours needed to complete repairs. Shops can use commercial reference guides, manufacturer guidelines, or personal experience.

Straight time pay example: If the average time to replace a power steering pump is one hour. It takes the technician two hours; the technician is paid for the full two hours.

A shop that pays technicians a flat-rate means the technician is only paid when they are working on a car. The number of hours earned is predetermined based on the type of repair each car needs.

Flat-rate example: Using the same example of a power steering pump repair. The predetermined repair time is one hour. However, it takes the technician two hours to complete the repair. Nevertheless, because this technician is paid flat-rate, they only earned one hour of pay. Alternatively, if the repair is finished in thirty minutes, they would still earn the entire one hour of flat-rate pay.

Flat-rate technicians can experience pay fluctuations at the beginning and end of seasonal cycles. Such as earning less during the slower periods, then more during peak seasons. Some technicians can earn nearly 20 hours a day, while others barely earn 4 hours.

Estimating the time needed to diagnose and repair can be tricky because not all repairs are easy to locate. So, customers need to approve the additional hours required to diagnose troublesome issues or older vehicle repairs.

Lube Technicians and apprentices are mainly paid hourly and can earn spiffs for up-selling extra products.

Licensed technicians can earn either straight time or flat-rate pay, plus spiffs or bonus’.

As you can see, selling more hours to customers benefits you and your team of skilled technicians.

 

Shop Tip:

  • Most technicians today are paid flat rate hours
  • Check with technicians if they require additional time to complete repairs
  • Inform customers if there is an additional labor charge