Contemplating Career Change--Minimal Audi Content

[Bernard Littau]

Nothing is forever, so if you are itching for a change, go for it.  It
sounds like all the parameters other than the job itself are positive, and
the job itself sure sounds like at least an even exchange with the one you
have.

You will occasionally be bitched at as a service adviser, so you will need
thick skin, and a way to make sure not to take your job home with you.
Sometimes a five minute commute is not as good as a half hour commute.  If
you've had a bad day, take the long way home.

Some of the most effective service writers I have dealt with were more or
less ignorant about mechanics of the cars.  You'll need to discipline
yourself to report the problem, not to try and diagnose it.  Use your
knowledge of cars to ask questions of the customer that can help the
mechanics, but don't try and do the mechanics job.  Service advisors are the
interface between the customer and the mechanics -- all they do is translate
customer speak into a problem report, and translate the mechanics findings
and fixes into customer lingo.

The customer lingo changes from customer to customer; some are mechanically
inclined or know-it-alls, and you have to give them technical stuff.  Others
are users of cars much like most of us are users of televisions, they need
no technical details, and perhaps just a touch of sympathy.

Attention to detail is important:  if a customer brings in a car with three
issues, make sure there are three resolutions.  I very much hate picking up
the car with two of three things addressed and one of them slipped through
the cracks.

It sure looks to me that your resume will not suffer from taking this
service advisor position, so I say go for it!

There, does that help? :-)

Best,

Bernard Littau
Woodivnille, WA


>
> All,
>
> I'm interviewing for a "Service Adviser" position at a long established
> local BMW shop that also does work on Audis (there's the Audi content).
[snip]