Service Advisors: In here

SHOdown220

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Sort of funny that after reading this thread I was on Craigslist looking at job postings and found a service writer job for a smaller shop where the owner sounds desparate to get someone in their. I sent him my resume and he replied quickly interested in bringing me on so Im going to meet him today to talk. Looked up the shop and it is small but legit and nice and been in business for 25 years. The guy is offering pay between $1200-1500 per week! That is way more than I was making before and hours are likely less demanding.

Good luck. But don't believe the pay right off the bat. They always quote what their top advisor is making lol. But if you're good and the pay plan is good that should be a good starting point. Let us know what the pay plan is like after the interview. We should be able to give you a real idea of pay. Also ask the shop to see their figures. Ro count, dollars per ro, current and 3 month cse, total sales, number of advisors, etc whatever information you can get will be helpful
 

svtfocus2cobra

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Good luck. But don't believe the pay right off the bat. They always quote what their top advisor is making lol. But if you're good and the pay plan is good that should be a good starting point. Let us know what the pay plan is like after the interview. We should be able to give you a real idea of pay. Also ask the shop to see their figures. Ro count, dollars per ro, current and 3 month cse, total sales, number of advisors, etc whatever information you can get will be helpful

From what I know already is that this place is small and the owner said they do mostly AC work but pictures I saw showed them doing engine rebuilds. Im familiar with the shop as I used to work in the area a long time ago so it has been there a long time. He said he has two techs and the service writer which the guy right now I guess has an alcohol problem and misses a lot of work so he wants him out.

From my knowledge, that pay is about right for service writers at the well established mechanic shops in the area, but I am assuming that this guy is also looking for someone to help run the shop which I can do as well. I actually know a shop owner that was paying his guy 120k/year but he was putting him through the ringer and the guy quit for a less stressful position somewhere else.

Im definitely going to really check it out and most importantly I need to make sure I have the knowledge for it. I know body repair, suspension, and AC really well but my engine knowledge is not at tech level. He didnt seem like he needed someone like that though, just someone who can handle the operations. Thanks for the heads up though. I will definitely ask about those things.
 

svtfocus2cobra

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Update: Went in and talked to the owner for about 5min and he asked me if I wanted to start right there so I finished out the day learning the differences in the operations. The shop is really small but everyone is really nice and the techs are really knowledgable and helpful. Im used to techs getting pissed you dont know exactly what to do when you show up. The pay checks out as well with pretty good bonuses for reaching goals. He just sent me this in a text...

It's $20x40 + $30 x 15 = $1250.00
+ $400 for $70k month $400 $80k. Etc. We have done $100k in July
 

jeffh81

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Update: Went in and talked to the owner for about 5min and he asked me if I wanted to start right there so I finished out the day learning the differences in the operations. The shop is really small but everyone is really nice and the techs are really knowledgable and helpful. Im used to techs getting pissed you dont know exactly what to do when you show up. The pay checks out as well with pretty good bonuses for reaching goals. He just sent me this in a text...


Congrats
 

03Sssnake

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Update: Went in and talked to the owner for about 5min and he asked me if I wanted to start right there so I finished out the day learning the differences in the operations. The shop is really small but everyone is really nice and the techs are really knowledgable and helpful. Im used to techs getting pissed you dont know exactly what to do when you show up. The pay checks out as well with pretty good bonuses for reaching goals. He just sent me this in a text...

Outstanding! Congratulations!
 

Mpoitrast87

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Congrats. If you have never worked a customer service/retail job before then my one tip of advise is don't let the negative customers get to you. You will see grown ass people act like 4 year olds.
 

Outlaw99

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Really hope none of you are like the slime ball piece of crap advisors i worked with at a dealership. Scamming people and making people think parts were bad when they werent and charging for hours and repairs you didnt do. Brag about it and think its fun. They were charging for filling tires with nitrogen....and we didnt even have any.

After working at a dealership....i will never, ever take my car there for any work. Ever. Even if there is a fire. When i bought my jeep, the advisor told me to re attach my vacuum line that they had pulled it so a buyer would bring it back in and they would charge for a major AC repair. Please dont be like them.

Sent from my LG V30 ThinQ using the svtperformance.com mobile app
 

Zemedici

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Update: Went in and talked to the owner for about 5min and he asked me if I wanted to start right there so I finished out the day learning the differences in the operations. The shop is really small but everyone is really nice and the techs are really knowledgable and helpful. Im used to techs getting pissed you dont know exactly what to do when you show up. The pay checks out as well with pretty good bonuses for reaching goals. He just sent me this in a text...

dude!! Congrats!

Keep us posted on how the new gig is working out!
 

Double"O"

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The thing that drove me nuts is some of the techs whined about making money...I'd throw them a job that paid 1.5 and it only took .5 and they would bitch. I was always like " dude...you are flat rate, play the damn game and get paid"

Like in said earlier i didn't get comission or anything but my goal was to move work through that joint at high speed because quick work made my life easier but a few of my techs bitched about it. Then they would cry thay I always gave the quick jobs thay paid well to others...well those dudes knew how to play the flat rate game and they got a 90 min job done in 30mins... (state inspection, LOF, ROT)...those guys that played right had 8hrs of paid work done by noon...the rest bitched that didn't make thier bonus each week

On the same note I did have guys i couldnt give that job to because their rate would cause the Company to lose money on the same job. But I only got 400 a week without bonus or comission lol
 
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Zemedici

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The thing that drove me nuts is some of the techs whined about making money...I'd throw them a job that paid 1.5 and it only took .5 and they would bitch. I was always like " dude...you are flat rate, play the damn game and get paid"

techs are some of the biggest divas on the ****ing planet
 

svtfocus2cobra

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When in doubt just go take your clothes off for lonely old women

Dude, trust me, doing porn or something ran across my mind more than once as a last resort lol.


Congrats. If you have never worked a customer service/retail job before then my one tip of advise is don't let the negative customers get to you. You will see grown ass people act like 4 year olds.

Luckily I have a few years of prior experience as an auto estimator and general manager of a shop. I think I have seen the wide array of crappy customers and can luckily not let it get to me. I've actually had a few physical altercations before lol.

Really hope none of you are like the slime ball piece of crap advisors i worked with at a dealership. Scamming people and making people think parts were bad when they werent and charging for hours and repairs you didnt do. Brag about it and think its fun. They were charging for filling tires with nitrogen....and we didnt even have any.

After working at a dealership....i will never, ever take my car there for any work. Ever. Even if there is a fire. When i bought my jeep, the advisor told me to re attach my vacuum line that they had pulled it so a buyer would bring it back in and they would charge for a major AC repair. Please dont be like them.

Sent from my LG V30 ThinQ using the svtperformance.com mobile app

Nah. When I ran the other shop I had control over most of that so there was no scamming, and besides we were giving people killer deals. If you had say a 3k dollar insurance estimate and a $500 deductible, my boss would usually let me let the customer keep their deductible or half of it. At this new shop the owner seems very strict on what he allows which is for the best. From what I can tell looking at the rates he doesn't gouge as most rates are already built into the estimating systems
We can change them obviously but as a customer just go get another estimate from a different shop and compare and you will see who is ripping you off.

dude!! Congrats!

Keep us posted on how the new gig is working out!

Thanks brotha! Didn't think I would be staying in the industry but this job popped up real quick and I jumped on it. I figure at the least if I can learn the mechanical side then I will be well versed in every aspect of estimating and should be pretty valuable. They are eager to get me in the shop and learning more stuff which is cool too. I will keep you posted though!

techs are some of the biggest divas on the ****ing planet

Tell me about it! I loved working with my techs at the body shop but damn were they picky and bitchy sometimes.
 

SHOdown220

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Really hope none of you are like the slime ball piece of crap advisors i worked with at a dealership. Scamming people and making people think parts were bad when they werent and charging for hours and repairs you didnt do. Brag about it and think its fun. They were charging for filling tires with nitrogen....and we didnt even have any.

After working at a dealership....i will never, ever take my car there for any work. Ever. Even if there is a fire. When i bought my jeep, the advisor told me to re attach my vacuum line that they had pulled it so a buyer would bring it back in and they would charge for a major AC repair. Please dont be like them.

Sent from my LG V30 ThinQ using the svtperformance.com mobile app

A good reputable shop would never keep an advisor around that works like that. However, the ford dealer I worked at did exactly that, which is why I left so quickly. I saw first hand the other advisor and the techs doing shady shit and I never would. I would bring it up to the service manager who would sweep it under the rug. Couldn't be happier to get out of that place. It sucks but it happens in the industry. Thankfully most dealers I've worked at if they get word a advisor is doing that stuff they immediately get rid of them.
 

Mpoitrast87

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Really hope none of you are like the slime ball piece of crap advisors i worked with at a dealership. Scamming people and making people think parts were bad when they werent and charging for hours and repairs you didnt do. Brag about it and think its fun. They were charging for filling tires with nitrogen....and we didnt even have any.

After working at a dealership....i will never, ever take my car there for any work. Ever. Even if there is a fire. When i bought my jeep, the advisor told me to re attach my vacuum line that they had pulled it so a buyer would bring it back in and they would charge for a major AC repair. Please dont be like them.

Sent from my LG V30 ThinQ using the svtperformance.com mobile app
That sucks. I have never in my life heard anyone do anything close to that. Any and all advisor's ive ever met have been the most honest and stand up people ive met. We go out of our way to prevent customers from spending money.
 

tjs98gt

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I've been in the automotive industry for almost 15 years, 10 of which was in the service write/service manager/store manager role of independent shops, never a dealership. The pay was typically decent to good($800-$1200/wk depending on role and company) but the hours were always 50+ hours each week and salary positions plus monthly commissions if goals were hit. That meant they could work you as many hours as they wanted without worrying about paying additional. The other perk was paid holidays, vacations, insurance etc.

For the past 5 years I have moved into the performance side of the industry managing Black Market Racing and RPM Outlet, which is something I have always dreamed of since being a kid. I love coming to work every day and that its a 40 hour work week but the pay isn't near what I was making before and no benefits of any type.

I am constantly torn about what to do and would like to funnel my extra time into a side gig but I can't figure out what. This thread brings back many of the memories of the things I hated about being a service advisor. I just can't decide if a dealership setting is right for me or if I should keep holding out until we take the current company up a couple more levels and we all make more.....decisions decisions, I need to decide soon though.
 

Mpoitrast87

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I've been in the automotive industry for almost 15 years, 10 of which was in the service write/service manager/store manager role of independent shops, never a dealership. The pay was typically decent to good($800-$1200/wk depending on role and company) but the hours were always 50+ hours each week and salary positions plus monthly commissions if goals were hit. That meant they could work you as many hours as they wanted without worrying about paying additional. The other perk was paid holidays, vacations, insurance etc.

For the past 5 years I have moved into the performance side of the industry managing Black Market Racing and RPM Outlet, which is something I have always dreamed of since being a kid. I love coming to work every day and that its a 40 hour work week but the pay isn't near what I was making before and no benefits of any type.

I am constantly torn about what to do and would like to funnel my extra time into a side gig but I can't figure out what. This thread brings back many of the memories of the things I hated about being a service advisor. I just can't decide if a dealership setting is right for me or if I should keep holding out until we take the current company up a couple more levels and we all make more.....decisions decisions, I need to decide soon though.
Ive never worked at an independant shop so idk what its like. As for dealerships, people typically say go for the smaller family owned dealers and not the huge chain. And like any job its the co-workers that make it good or bad. If i didnt like the other advisors id be out.
 

AustinSN

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The dealership you worked at seemed like a joke compensation wise. My brother's a writer at a dealer I worked at, and he was a tech at the other dealership I wrote at.

We both made good money at both spots.

Yeah that sounds sketch as hell.

Sort of funny that after reading this thread I was on Craigslist looking at job postings and found a service writer job for a smaller shop where the owner sounds desparate to get someone in their. I sent him my resume and he replied quickly interested in bringing me on so Im going to meet him today to talk. Looked up the shop and it is small but legit and nice and been in business for 25 years. The guy is offering pay between $1200-1500 per week! That is way more than I was making before and hours are likely less demanding.

Congrats man! My buddy went from being a "floating" advisor at BMW to a full time advisor for an independent shop, the hours are much, much better and it's so much more laid back. He lost out on a big chunk of money but he is still doing fine and really enjoys it.

The thing that drove me nuts is some of the techs whined about making money...I'd throw them a job that paid 1.5 and it only took .5 and they would bitch. I was always like " dude...you are flat rate, play the damn game and get paid"

Like in said earlier i didn't get comission or anything but my goal was to move work through that joint at high speed because quick work made my life easier but a few of my techs bitched about it. Then they would cry thay I always gave the quick jobs thay paid well to others...well those dudes knew how to play the flat rate game and they got a 90 min job done in 30mins... (state inspection, LOF, ROT)...those guys that played right had 8hrs of paid work done by noon...the rest bitched that didn't make thier bonus each week

On the same note I did have guys i couldnt give that job to because their rate would cause the Company to lose money on the same job. But I only got 400 a week without bonus or comission lol

The best advice I got when I started was "the techs are going to bitch at you no matter what, so make sure they are so busy they don't have time to bitch at you."

My team lead was very vocal, he would radio me while working on a car to tell me how much of a piece of shit I am and that he wants better work. I would just say "ok, bring me the RO when that car is done, I have 3 more up here for you to take."

lol.
 

tjs98gt

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Ive never worked at an independant shop so idk what its like. As for dealerships, people typically say go for the smaller family owned dealers and not the huge chain. And like any job its the co-workers that make it good or bad. If i didnt like the other advisors id be out.

Family owned dealerships are tough to come by in a city as big as Phoenix is. But I do agree about the co-worker thing.
 

svtfocus2cobra

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Congrats man! My buddy went from being a "floating" advisor at BMW to a full time advisor for an independent shop, the hours are much, much better and it's so much more laid back. He lost out on a big chunk of money but he is still doing fine and really enjoys it.



The best advice I got when I started was "the techs are going to bitch at you no matter what, so make sure they are so busy they don't have time to bitch at you."

My team lead was very vocal, he would radio me while working on a car to tell me how much of a piece of shit I am and that he wants better work. I would just say "ok, bring me the RO when that car is done, I have 3 more up here for you to take."

lol.

Thanks man! It's only day two but I feel like Im not doing enough. Im finishing everything there is to do so Im stuck trying to find things to learn and stay busy. It blows my mind that Im getting paid this much more to do less when my last job was literally non-stop for days that were normally 11 to 12 hours and could go longer.
 

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