It goes without saying that the Service Advisor is an important, if not underrated, position within the dealership. While the shop foreman and the service technicians take care of what’s under the hood, checking to make sure everything’s working and diagnosing what’s wrong, the advisors are the ones who handle the front-end and determine much or your dealership’s CSI and customer retention opportunities. They also deal with people each and every day. This is not only a challenge, it also requires a pretty specific skill set in order to thrive.
So, obviously, you’re going to want to invest in Service Advisor Sales Training.
Theoretically, you could throw green, uncertain people with a title at customers and hope for the best, but that’s probably not going to go over very well — or, at the very least, it isn’t going to go as well as if you gave them some training beforehand.
There are a few ways you can do this: you can use books, online courses, private in-store training, DVDs, and even multi-dealer workshops.
Even better: you can hire someone else to hire your staff for you.
If you’re in the market to train your service advisors, here are some companies to look out for, and what they offer.
Jeff Cowan’s ProTalk
Jeff Cowan’s ProTalk offers multiple types of training: a DVD training set for purchase, web on-demand training, and even offer in-dealership training for Service Advisors.
The DVD set is available on the storefront as a one-time purchase, and web on-demand training opportunities are available per-login, purchasable via the company’s online shop. The In-dealership training is available in the shop, but no specifics or payment details are given. In order to learn more, you need to contact the company directly.
DealerPro Training
Founded by Don Reed, DealerPro Training won the Diamond Award for #1 Service Training at the 2018 Dealers’ Choice Awards. DealerPro Training has also been featured in AutoDealer Monthly, AutoSuccess, Fixed Ops, RVPRO, and Dealer magazines.
They specialize in In-Dealership training and offer webinars and extensive programs, both of which train Service Advisors on a myriad of topics. These programs range from helping with basic customer interaction to the ins-and-outs of car maintenance and repair.
Chris Collins, Inc.
Chris Collins’ business is a much more personal affair. All material boasts the Chris Collins seal; you can listen to his podcasts, take one of his Service Advisor courses, pay for individual training, or even buy his books detailing his skills.
Everything is available via his online store. His books, “Millionaire Service Advisor” and “Gamification – Playing for Profits” details his tried-and-true method with dealing with customers, and how to be proficient with sales. His Service Advisor courses are available monthly.
The Mar-Kee Group
The Mar-Kee Group offers only one specific product, but it’s intensive: a 90-day Service Advisor Training course. While some online courses are designed around single videos with little interaction, note-taking, or even test-taking, after which the student moves on, this is designed more like a 90-day boot camp.
This course includes: daily assignments, short lectures, note-taking, tests, and even a printable training manual.
Elite
Much like the Mar-Kee Group, Elite also offers a very specific product: The Elite Masters Program. This is designed to not only be a simple workshop, but to be a workshop with extra study sessions for six months after the workshop has finished.
Initially, Sales Advisors will go to the workshop for training. This is an intensive three-day course that involves everything from sit-down lectures to role-play sessions. Then, after the three-day course is complete, the advisors-in-training will have monthly online meetings with the groups and team leaders that they had met with during the workshop for further training. They are closely monitored during this period, and given advice on their strengths and what to work on. After six monthly meetings, the course is finished.
Service Advisor Sales Training can have huge returns for dealerships. Creating a fixed ops marketing and growth strategy has many components. Fixed Ops Digital has experience helping hundreds of dealerships outline a digital strategies to increase service drive traffic, online appointment setting, technician hiring, recall campaign marketing and much more.
We are devoted to helping you discover your potential for profit in the $340 billion per year parts and service industry. Owen Moon, CEO of Fixed Ops Digital, will explain how to utilize the most underappreciated asset of the franchise dealership – OEM – to attract and retain customers that national chains and independent repair shops try to siphon away.
Owen will show you how to grab potential customers with a compelling ‘Why Service with Us’ webpage that will keep them coming back until they’re ready to buy their next car – from you!
Don’t let others control the narrative; dealership franchises can be efficient, cost-effective, and convenient for your customers’ repair needs. Fixed Ops Digital is here to show you how to get the message out. Visit our booth, #833, on the Expo Showroom floor, and be sure to catch Owen Moon’s presentation, Late Ownership Services… the Real Path to Long-Term Customer Retention!
We’ll see you there!
