Are you passionate about connecting people with the services they need? Consider a career in auto service coordination and maintenance scheduling. A maintenance scheduler is a specialized member of an auto service team, in charge of making maintenance plans and bringing together all the resources needed to complete them—from estimating parts and labour costs to acting as a liaison between clients and technicians to processing and tracking administrative paperwork regarding customer repairs.
If you pursue this path, the right training will give you the thorough understanding of the auto service industry that you’ll need to make all of these processes run as smoothly as the vehicles in your care. To get you started, read on for our guide to general maintenance scheduling.
Preventative Maintenance: Routine Checks a Service Advisor Schedules Daily
Each time a vehicle comes into your future dealership, garage, or automotive repair workshop, you’ll want to ensure it doesn’t leave without first being checked for a few important maintenance factors.
Are the head, tail, and indicator lights fully functional? Are any dashboard indicator lights on? Is the windshield in good condition, with topped-up stores of washer fluid? Are their tires in good condition and fully inflated?
According to Google Data in partnership with the Car Care Council, more than 25 per cent of all vehicles that go into shops for repairs happen to have low, dirty, or leaking windshield washer fluid, 13 per cent have faulty brake lights, and approximately 15 per cent have their ‘check engine light’ on. The diligence of a service advisor ensures these simple elements are looked over, making all the difference to the safety of their clients and the quality of their garage’s service.
Regular Maintenance: Keeping Clients Scheduled for Perpetual Service Needs
As a trained service advisor, you’ll be able to advise clients on maintenance and upkeep services that are worthy of their investment at various points throughout their vehicle’s lifespan. For example, you’ll know that every three months (or 3,000 miles), most vehicles need their engine air filter and engine oil levels checked and serviced. Clients in your future workplace will need someone like you to schedule oil changes and checks every three to six months.
While scheduling oil maintenance work, graduates of auto service programs know that it’s wise to advise technicians to check on brake fluid levels and quality and the state of a vehicle’s battery and battery cables, making the most of a technician’s time in the vehicle’s engine compartment. Google Data and the Care Care Council found that 14 per cent of vehicles pursuing random repairs also had loose, missing, or corroded battery parts noticed by maintenance professionals.
Additionally, experts know that a vehicle’s automatic transmission fluid, power steering fluid, exhaust, and belts must also be checked once every three months. When you become an auto service advisor, inquiring whether clients have met these maintenance deadlines will not only keep their cars in peak condition, but also generate work for your auto technician coworkers. While many consumers will be unaware of their car’s maintenance needs, you’re well-informed input can inspire them to take action and invest in their vehicle’s safety and performance.
You will be the expert clients turn to when it comes to estimating parts and labour costs, negotiating terms of payment, and explaining car maintenance services in terms they can understand.
Are you interested in pursuing a career as an automotive service worker?
Visit ATC for more information or to speak with an advisor.
