Service Advisor Customer Service Skills

SERVICE ADVISOR Service Processes

Module One

INDUCTION

Intro

du

ction

Introduction to the Service Advisor Processes This introduction course has been designed to assist you in your role as Service Advisor. It is intended to assist you in understanding the processes you need to follow to fulfill your job functions. It will enable you to understand the processes, and will also enable you to provide exceptional customer service by following the required processes.

The course that follows on the introductory course will explain the detail on how to perform the processes in this module.

Tanto

Objectives of Module One O

bje

ctives

In this module, you will learn:

• How a dealership’s departments’ function.

• The role of the Service Advisor in understanding and performing standard processes.

De

alersh

ip

Structu

re

Dealership Structure Understanding the Role of the Service Department The dealership consists of different departments: New vehicle sales, pre-owned vehicles, service department, parts department and financial department. A typical dealership structure looks as follows:

De

alersh

ip

Structu

re

The Dealer Principal or General Manager is responsible for the overall health or functioning of all departments within the dealership. The new vehicle and used vehicle departments are responsible for selling vehicles. The parts department sells parts to suppliers and supply parts to the workshop to repair and service vehicles. The service department repair and service vehicles. The also do pre delivery inspections on all vehicles to be delivered to customers. The service department is a very important department as customers might see a salesman three or four times but the customer visits the workshop for three or four years, and depending on the service experienced at the workshop will purchase again from the dealership. This makes the job of the Service Advisor one of the most important jobs in a dealership. Your service to your customers will depend on whether they return to the dealership as a customer. The service department must follow the service processes to be able to perform their duties and serve customers to the high Suzuki standards.

The module that follows, will concentrate on the Service Advisor’s role in performing standard processes.

Dealership Structure

Co

re P

roce

sses

Due to the increased complexity of service and repair procedures and the ever changing and increasing customer expectations we can no longer use the “thumb suck” method of during the service experience. In order to offer a professional service to our customer in a standard manner, we need to now realise and accept the fact that change is inevitable and that we need to look at doing things differently and better.

The Service Core Process

Co

re P

roce

sses

The following is a diagram depicting the Core Service Processes:

The Service Core Process

“what to do” Time for the

Review the activities

when you see the

activity symbol

Activity

Service

R

em

ind

er The service reminder is a proactive way of informing

customers that their service is due. Very few dealerships perform this process as they rely on customers to call and book a service or call for a repair. This implies that you need to ensure that the customer data on your Dealer Management System is always updated and contains all the relevant customer information.

The Service Reminder

A database is a system of holding a wide range of up-to-date information about customers and their vehicles so that the information can be easily accessed and used. It is much more than just a list of names. It is a history of the customer, held on the Dealer Management System.

Service

R

em

ind

er

Always check when communicating with a customer, that the information on your system is up-to-date. The above is an important process to implement and will ensure your workshop is fully utilised as you can pro-actively book services. For each customer, you need to prepare a customer history file. This file will contain all the information pertaining to the customer and the customer’s vehicle. The data system needs to maintained and updated every time the customer visits the dealership. You need to refer to the customer’s service history to guide your, and the customer’s, decisions about the current service.

The Service Reminder

Updating and maintaining your customer’s service history means that, just as a doctor refers to your case file when you pay him a visit, you are able to deal with the customer in a professional and knowledgeable manner by referring to the vehicle’s ‘case file”. You will be more credible, and the customer will trust your advice and recommendations

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

”

List target customers • Retrieve the target customer's information.

• Pull out target customers who should be contacted this month as their service due

date is the following month.

• The list should include the following items:

• Customer's name. • Address & phone number. • E-mail. • Next service due date. • The type of service that will be due next. • First registration date. • Model name & License plate No. • Staff name for sales.

The Service Reminder Activities

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

” Contact target customers Create a direct mail or e-mail to remind target customers of their next service due date. Send it to each of the target customers for the month or contact the listed customers by a phone call for reminder as well as appointment.

Follow-up phone call Within a week of sending the direct mail or e-mail, contact the customers by phone to book an appointment for them.

Supervise the progress Record the result of all of approaching activities. Supervise the progress of this activity so that every customer is contacted as planned.

Update customer information Update the customer's information data whenever any new information is obtained through the activity.

The Service Reminder Activities continue…

Ap

po

intm

en

t M

anage

me

nt

Another process, once you have booked a service or repair, is to confirm the appointment. Make note of the customer’s convenient times for making contact and note it on the system.

Appointment Management

The objective of an effective appointment process is to optimise the inflow of service clients into the service centre so as to create at least seven “golden minutes” to spend sufficient quality time with the Service Advisor. Also, the process will ensure the greatest convenience for the customer. This balance between inflow of work, time spent and convenience for the customer puts the customer at ease, allows for rapport to be created and for an effective sell up to take place to give the customer a total one-stop shop.

Ap

po

intm

en

t M

anage

me

nt

Appointment Management

Service Receptionists and Service Advisors will need to be good at scheduling the booking-in and collection times that are relevant to the work required and the capacity of the service centre. They will need to be able to sell hours rather than number of services per day. They will need to be able to negotiate times with the customer. By doing the above effectively, the level of customer satisfaction will be improved, the hours per repair order will be improved, the service centre utilisation will be increased and the flow through, and tempo of, the service centre will be more organised. All this will lead to higher sales, lower cost of labour, less wastage and delays and better profitability.

Ap

po

intm

en

t M

anage

me

nt

Appointment Management

The ideal process will track and sell the hours available on a daily basis. It will increase customer convenience and will create quality time to spend with the customer. It will help to avoid the peaks and valleys that sometimes exist in a service centre’s flow of work. The Service Advisor also needs to co-ordinate after-appointment tasks.

Customer Expectations There is today, according to the “Nostradamus of Marketing” Faith Popcorn, a trend called 99 Lives. It is the trend of too much to do in too little time. This means that the customers are looking for a more convenient way to get the things done that they need to. The customer would therefore appreciate it if the process of making an appointment to have his or her vehicle serviced could be done quickly and at the time that they find convenient. They would also require that the processes to book the vehicle into the service centre, take as little time as possible, hence the importance of following the service processes.

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

” Confirming customer's concern/ request and information • Confirm if the customer is your shop's existing customer or a new customer. • Prepare an interview sheet to record the result of the appointment. • In the case of an existing customer, confirm the following:

• Customer's concerns or requests including the desired appointment date. • If there is any change to the existing customer's information.

• In the case of a new customer, confirm the following:

• Customer's Name. • Customer's concern or request including the desired appointment date. • Phone number. • Model name. • License plate No.

• If VIN information is known, check if the Vehicle is under any outstanding

recall/service campaign. • If so, explain it to the customer and offer remedy work for it. • Recommend to the customer any scheduled maintenance that may be due now other than the requested work. • Confirm with the customer if a Loan Vehicle is necessary.

Appointment Management Activities

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

” Decide on an appointment date • Check an appointment date by checking the Workshop availability (Technicians,

Stalls, Washing facility, Parts and a Loan Vehicles) on the requested date. • Decide the appointment date (including when the vehicle is brought to your shop)

and book Loan vehicle. Note: *Don't book service workload beyond your shop's capacity.

• Record all the appointment information to the interview sheet. Highlight cases of

Rework in the interview sheet to draw staff's attention to the rework.

• Read out what you understand about the appointment and confirm that there is no omission to the customer's request.

Reminder Call • Ask the customer for permission to place a reminder call a few days before the

appointment date, as well as the phone number and the customer's convenient time to contact

Appointment Management Activities continue…

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

” After arrangement activities • Keep the interview sheet at the designated place. • Update the appointment and Loan Vehicle information. • If possible, pre-order the parts that are likely to be used during the servicing. • If necessary, coordinate sublet works in advance. • Place a reminder call to the customer 3 days prior to the appointment date, as per

customer's permission. • Update the appointment information if necessary, according to the result of this activity.

Appointment Management Activities continue…

Pre

paratio

n &

G

reetin

g Preparation for the Following Day and Greeting

Preparation Prepare the documents necessary to enable you to spend time with the customer. Job cards and CPA (Consumer Protection Act) documents should be ready on the customer’s arrival.

The reception area should not represent organised chaos but must give an impression of an organised and professional service centre. The Service Advisor needs to check. The reception area and desks – they should be organised and clean. The bistro or coffee area is prepared for the customer’s convenience. The after arrangement processes, transport to the customer’s office, time of collection, sublet suppliers must be organised and checked.

Pre

paratio

n &

G

reetin

g Preparation for the Following Day and Greeting

Greeting A professional Service Advisor, who has an effective and efficient reception procedure in place, will be able to spend the “seven golden minutes” with each customer, alongside the vehicle. They will be able to receive customers in an ordered, prompt and professional manner. They will be good at establishing rapport and a high level of communication with the customer, putting him or her at ease and establishing a reason for the customer to have confidence in the dealership’s ability to service one of their biggest assets at a value-for-money price.

Pre

paratio

n &

G

reetin

g Preparation for the Following Day and Greeting

Greeting If the Service Receptionists and Service Advisors are able to achieve the above, they will create the very best first impression and lay the foundation for an effective and profitable consultancy. These positive first impressions will also lay a solid foundation in the customer’s mind that the service is value-for-money. A good reception is the first moment of truth and while it can’t guarantee a smooth handover at the end of the day, it will help to put the customer’s mind at ease that his/her vehicle is in good, capable and professional hands.

Customer Expectations The customers of a service centre are usually pressed for time and they want to get their vehicle into the service process as quickly as possible. They do, however, want everything that needs attention to be fixed to their satisfaction. They also feel that, as their vehicle is their second biggest asset if not their biggest, they should be confident in the professionalism and commitment of the people who are going to take care of the vehicle. They will be sensitive to how well organised the dealership appears to be. This will have a direct impact on their perception of value for money.

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

”

Prepare Reception • Prepare the documents with the information of the appointment, the customer and

the vehicle. • Review the information as follows:

• Appointment information. • If the vehicle is due for any outstanding recall / service campaign, if VIN is

known. • Service history. • Other notable data for the service work.

• Update the welcome board by the customers' names coming on the following day.

Preparation for Service • Confirm the availability of special tools, stalls, parts and shop-supply consumable

such as oils, grease and detergent. • Schedule the following day's work and assign the technicians considering type of

the work, required operating time, technician's skill level, etc. • Record the result of the arrangement. • Share the information of the following day's work with all service staff by holding a

meeting.

Preparation for the Following Day and Greeting Activities

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

”

Cleaning and organizing the facility • Ensure that the facility is clean, neat and well organized to create a good impression

on customers. • For the customer lounge and the toilet, care for the following points as well:

• Catalogues, posters, magazines, etc are up to date. • There is no dangerous object in the kid's corner. • The toilet equipment is filled up.(e.g. toilet paper, towel, soap). • The toilet is functioning well. (e.g. faucet, flush, odor).

Reception • When a customer comes to the shop, all the dealership's staff should immediately

stop the work at the moment, stand up, make eye contact, smile and express welcome warmly to the customer.

• Confirm the customer's name. • Thank the customer for coming. • Before listening to the customer's concern or request, the staff in charge should introduce himself/herself first. • Guide the customer to a reception counter. • Serve a drink to the customer. • Whenever any new information is obtained, update the customer's information data.

Preparation for the Following Day and Greeting Activities continue….

Re

cep

tion

Reception

Reception Reception has the task of consulting with the customers to understand their requests. The process of consultancy with the customer must create a perception of customer empathy and recording accurately and informatively the precise nature of the problems the customer may be experiencing and the work that he or she wants carried out. It is here that the Service Advisor addresses all of the customer’s concerns and requests. This process must record the customers’ needs in such a way that all the people involved in satisfying the customer’s requirements will be informed of these needs without any uncertainty or ambiguity. The Service Advisor must confirm all requests with the customer, to ensure that all concerns will be addressed.

Re

cep

tion

Reception

Different Types of Customers The Service Advisors need to be able to recognise the different types of customers they will be dealing with and they must be able to change their own social styles to adapt to the specific situations that they find themselves in. They need to be able to ask the right questions. They need to be able to listen intently to their customer’s needs. They must be able to display empathy with the customer and have a strong customer orientation. They need to be controlling their own thinking and emotions. They must record faithfully the customer’s description of the work they want done and what problems the customer may be experiencing in a neat, legible and understandable way.

Re

cep

tion

Reception

Customer Expectations Customers want the Service Advisor to take the time to listen to them, to put themselves into the shoes of the customer and to understand their point of view. They are often people who have no technical knowledge themselves. They see the Service Advisor as an expert in the field. More and more these customers will be women and members of the emerging market, all of whom may be even more reliant upon the expert advice and consultancy of the Service Advisors.

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

” Confirming customer's concern, request and other necessary information • Confirm customer's concern, request and other necessary information in the

following way. Write down what is confirmed on a form.

Repair: a) Repair ;

• Interview the customer about the symptoms paying attention to the following: • Symptoms. • Background information on driving condition (Date & Time, Weather, Place,

Who was the driver, Number of passengers, How the vehicle was operated, etc.)Frequency of occurrence.

b) Be sure to confirm the concerned symptoms together with the customer by using the vehicle.

c) Reproduce the symptom according to the interview. d) If you cannot reproduce the symptom, interview the customer furthermore. e) Judge whether the symptom is within normal operation.

Routine Maintenance: a) Ask the customer's concern or request about the vehicle.

Rework: a) Express apology for any inconvenience caused for the return to the service center.

Reception Activities

Op

eratio

ns

Gu

ide

“W

hat to

do

” General activities in reception • Confirm with the customer if cleaning of the vehicle's exterior/interior is permitted. • Put protective covers to the floor mat, seat, steering wheel and shift knob before

getting in the vehicle. • 3Walk around the vehicle with the customer to check its original condition (exterior

and interior) before sending the vehicle to the workshop. Check on the following items: • Existence of any damage, dent or stain on the exterior. • Any valuables left in the interior. • Any after-market items installed by the customer that may influence the

service work, e.g. lock nuts, security items. If there is, request the customer for necessary tools or an advice to conduct the service work.

• If a Loaner Vehicle is provided to the customer, perform the following before handing it over:

• Walk around the vehicle with the customer to check its original condition (exterior and interior).

• Explain to the customer various condition such as the customer's responsibility in case that damage is incurred during the customer's use, etc. Then obtain the customer's signature on the rental agreement stating the condition.

Confirmation of the results at the reception • Before the reception ends, confirm your understanding of the works, concerns and

requests required customer by repeating it and lastly, • Guide the customer to the customer lounge.

Reception Activities continue…

Conclusion C

on

clusio

n Service Core Processes

You have reviewed the first four items on the Service Core Processes illustration in Module One. Module Two will continue outlining the next processes.

End

End

This concludes the e-learning Service Process Introduction Module One for Service Advisors.

Thank you for your participation!