The primary driver of the communication breakdown, technicians say, is a lack of clarity on the repair order because the service adviser doesn’t get enough or the correct information from a customer.
The technician isn’t making money talking to a customer or adviser so “every time the adviser does a poor job of writing up a [repair order] it costs the tech money,” Hollenberg said.
Communication really falters when the vehicle’s problem is a “drivability” issue, such as a noise or a light that comes on occasionally, said Todd Caputo, president of Todd Caputo Consulting.
“Those are complicated things,” said Caputo, a former service adviser who later owned dealerships.
Technicians working a flat rate are seldom reimbursed, or at least not enough, for time spent diagnosing a problem, he said.
“The more info the service adviser can get from the consumer the better it is for the tech because the tech is flying blind,” Caputo said.
It all comes down to training, said Caputo.
“An experienced service adviser knows the right questions to ask. A new service adviser sometimes doesn’t know the right questions,” he said.
Advisers need detailed information about a problem from the technician to sell services, said Coralee Zueff, a master service adviser and coach whose book, “Five Star Service Advisor,” helps service advisers communicate better with technicians and customers to reduce conflict and increase profits.
The service adviser also can send a questionnaire to the customer before they come in to get a good description of the problem, Zueff said.
