Choosing the right service advisor is a concern for all automotive consumers, especially people who are not that into car parts and automotives. For those who are not as savvy with cars, going under the hood can be a puzzle. Most car owners rely on service advisors to maintain, care, and repair their car. So how would you know if you’re getting the best service to suit your needs and are not just getting ripped off? Here are some tips:
Good Advisors Only Give Valid Car Repair Advice
Every kind of repair is important, but there are some that take immediate priority while others can wait a bit longer. One way you’ll know that you have a good advisor is if the first thing they recommend is a repair that’s vital to your safety like brakes or tires. Another thing is if they do an immediate diagnostic for a check engine light because that will prevent further problems down the line.
Make no mistake, though: a good service advisor will still recommend important repairs that aren’t necessarily for your safety but will still save you money in the long run and keep your car in the best possible condition. A good service advisor can also offer you a printed schedule and help you strategically plan out future repairs if don’t have the cash on-hand to do everything right away. While doing this, they would also tell you the possible consequences of delaying certain repairs so you’ll know exactly how important each service is and when would be the best time to do it.
Good Advisors Only Recommend Needed Accessories and Repairs
This one can be a little tricky to discern. Most service advisors are paid commission so the more you spend, the more they make. Not only that, but it should be obvious that an independent shop or a dealership is a business that needs to make money. However, a good service advisor can still be very successful without selling you services or repairs that your car doesn’t need.
Getting sold services and repairs you don’t need is a sure fire way to tell a bad service advisor apart from a good one. Usually, service advisors will look at your car history and tell you the services and repairs that are absolutely necessary to maintain your vehicle while also giving helpful suggestions for services you may want to get but aren’t as essential. In the end, the decision is yours but, like I said earlier, service advisors are there to help people who might not be knowledgeable about cars.
That’s why it’s important to get a second or third opinion if you suspect that an advisor is trying to sell you more than you need, because then they’re not doing their job properly. Never go back to a dealership whose advisors are lying to their customers and ripping them off. Better yet, tell your friends and your family, tell your whole neighborhood and see how long that shop stays in business for.
Good Service Advisors Always Tell the Truth
Most of the time, your service advisor is telling you the truth; they wouldn’t last too long in that field if they didn’t. In cases where your consultation with your advisor is confusing or doesn’t sound right, it’s recommended that you ask as many questions as you have to. If you’re not convinced that a repair is necessary, you could always ask them to take you to your car and show you the problem.
Now, if you still feel like your advisor is lying to you, find the service manager or general manager and let them know. There are two possibilities there: you’ll either out a bad service advisor or you’ll be reassured that a certain service is, in fact, necessary. Lastly, you can always bring your concerns to the Bureau of Automotive Repair.
Before you agree to anything, you can also go around the shop and see how much they charge for their services. A good service advisor tells you everything you need to know and doesn’t withhold information. It’s not exactly easy to spot a good service advisor, but with the pointers above, you’ll have a better time telling a good one from a bad one.
And for service advisors in need of guidance, wanting to increase customer retention and build better rapport with their customer base, these things are easily attainable with the proper training. If you don’t know where to start, you don’t need to worry…. I wrote a book just for you.
