with significantly more " remote " interaction and it is easy for your customers to feel like they are left with a lot of unanswered questions and needs! So what are the no-nonsense, practical things that can be done as an Advisor to be proactive and ensure the best possible outcome for my clients AND the Dealership? PROACTIVE TRAINING TIPS FOR SERVICE ADVISORS 1. Communication and Expectation-setting - We have all heard and probably tired of the cliché " Under Promise and Over Deliver " . But what does this actually look like from the perspective of a Service Advisor? * Ensure that you have established the best contact method and best time when you will contact the customer. Be proactive. If the customer has to call you it is If the customer has to call you it is a failure. a failure. Stay on top of status updates. No matter what the status is, make sure to keep waiters updated frequently and re-contact drop-offs before they call you. The goal is to have no upcoming calls for status. Texting solutions are a perfect tool for status updates. But as with anything else, you must actually use them, so use them! * Ensure that you establish a ready-time for waiting customers. Express it by telling them a clock time and getting their assumptive approval. " That job should take about an hour and a half so we are looking at around 12:45, OK? " . By establishing the time on the clock you will cut down on the customer's anxiety while waiting. In this example, if you just say " about an hour and a half " , the customer may lose track of time. The risk is that the customer is more likely to think they have been waiting a lot longer. NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2021 || FIXED OPS MAGAZINE 31