Jobs in an Aftersales Department Explained
The aftersales side of the Automotive Industry deals with the maintenance, repair, and servicing of vehicles once they have been sold.
Aftersales Manager/Service Manager
An Aftersales Manager is responsible for managing and overseeing the aftersales department of a dealership. An Aftersales Manager will deal with both Service and Parts Departments. Some dealerships run with separate Service and Parts Managers.
The main responsibilities of an Aftersales Manager include managing and supervising service advisors, vehicle technicians, and other staff members. It is their job to ensure that the department operates efficiently, hitting it's KPI's and CSI scores by providing excellent customer service.
They are also responsible for developing and mentoring their staff, implementing sales and marketing strategies, and managing budgets and profitability targets.
This is highest role available within the Aftersales Department of a Main Dealership and it takes years of hard work, dedication and maintaining a stable CV to reach this position.
Service Advisor
Your first point of contact within any dealership will be a Service Advisor.
Within a Service Advisor role, they are the first point of contact for customers bringing their cars to the dealership for servicing or repair. This can be a highly stressful job as not all customers are pleased that their vehicle needs to be repaired and therefore, they need to be resilient and able to handle the odd bit of frustration aimed at them!
They are responsible for booking in customers cars, advising or repairs, estimating the costs, keeping the customer up to date on the progress of their vehicle and have a technical knowledge surrounding vehicles in general.
Parts Advisor
Parts Advisors are responsible for ordering, stocking, and selling vehicle parts and accessories to customers. There are two types of Parts Advisors. Those that deal with the front counter i.e. are customer facing and then there is the back counter, and those Advisors are responsible for supplying the Technicians with the parts they need to fix the vehicles.
You would need to have excellent product knowledge and be able to identify the correct parts for specific vehicles.
Workshop Controller
Workshop Controllers are responsible for managing the workflow of the workshop. They allocate jobs to technicians, ensure that work is completed on time, and monitor the progress of repairs and servicing. Workshop controllers need to be well-organised, and able to communicate effectively with both technicians and customers.
You generally find that Workshop Controllers often start out as Technician's or Service Advisors and work their way up.
Vehicle Technician
Vehicle Technicians are responsible for servicing vehicles as well as diagnosing and repairing faults in vehicles. They use diagnostic equipment to identify problems, and then carry out repairs, replacements, or maintenance tasks to fix the issues.
There are many qualification levels and certifications that Technician's can achieve. Generally speaking, to gain employment within a main dealer, you would be required to hold at least an NVQ Level 3 in Maintenance and Repair. Any lower than this, and you cannot be placed on specific manufacturer training courses.
Occasionally, a dealer will take on a Level 2 and progress them through their qualifications and obviously there is also the option of Apprenticeships for those starting out. Always check out the web pages of the dealerships in your area to see who is recruiting for Apprentice Technicians.
All of these roles offer exciting opportunities for people who have a passion for the Automotive Industry and vehicles in general. If you're looking for a fast-paced and dynamic environment which will reward you financially and with career progression opportunities, then you could enjoy a rewarding and fulfilling career in the automotive industry!