I was reading a post on another site when I read something I found quite profound. It was a comment by another gentleman.
He said ”If you are not passionate about what you do, if you do not believe in it with every fiber of your being, it will be reflected in your achievements.”
In my role as a Trainer, this is the single biggest reason I see people fail in this business as Service Advisors and Service Managers.
1st, they don’t want to be there. This is “just a job.” For many it is just the “means to pay the bills.” The amount of effort they put into the day is just enough to get them through it. Yet, when questioned, many people say “I need my job.”
Really? Lots of people need a job.
The truly successful Service Advisors see themselves not only as Advisors, they see themselves as Caretakers of the Customer. Not as Order Takers and Phone Answerers.
2nd, they don’t believe that what they do has real meaning. The Truth is, in our roles as Service Managers and Service Advisors, it can be a thankless and grinding task.
You are not going to rescue a child from a burning building or invent a cure for a life threatening disease.
However, if you are looking for something that involves working with people, thinking, commuication skils, sales, action management, technical knowhow, Customer Service knowledge and the ability to remain calm during stressful situations then you are going to love this position. It has all of that and more.
I like to think of the Service Advisor as more of a Traffic Controller than anything else. Just as important as the Air Traffic Controller is to the Tower, the Advisor is to the Dealership.
The average Advisor has more to do with the overall profitability of the Dealership than any other single person employed by the Dealership.
It is an important role and if you don’t have that mentality, then you should find another profession. And, once in awhile. there will be someone who recognizes your efforts and Thanks you. Sometime they bring donuts, sometimes they just look you in the eye, and say “Thanks for taking care of me.”
Lastly, Resistance To Change. Why is it in our business everyone thinks that once you are trained, nothing else need be done?
What single business on the planet remains static, frozen in process and procedure? What single busines on the planet has a constant supply of the Customers who are exactly the same as they were the year before? With all of the same buying habits, demographics and metrics? Not one that is still in business. Because every single business that thinks that way goes out of business.
Look around you. In the past 5 years, Dealerships have Decreased! and Aftermarket Competition has Increased!
Why are you using old thinking in new times?
Change is inevitable. Become a Change Agent. Read everyday about your Profession. Find and attend Training relevant to your areas of opportunity. Ask your Customer what is important to them. Become proactive and not reactive.
