Technicians often say service advisors are one of the biggest problems in the shop. But is the problem really the advisor?

Or is the problem that advisors are not being taught how to ask better questions?

In the final episode of Season 1 of Earned Influence, Joshua Taylor, Jami Alexander, and Racheal Bright talk about the service lane, the service counter, phone calls, customer communication, and the relationship between technicians and advisors.

Some shops have a physical service lane.

Some do not.

Some advisors see the customer face-to-face.

Some build the entire relationship over the phone.

But the core issue stays the same: better questions create better communication, and thus better communication builds more trust with the customer. Better information helps technicians diagnose faster, fix more efficiently, and avoid wasted time.

This episode looks at the difference between automotive service, independent repair, and material handling, where the advisor’s role can change depending on whether the technician is working in the shop or being sent out into the field.

The big takeaway is simple:

The lane matters less than the questions.

Earned Influence is a Wrench Turners Podcast panel series built around real conversations from women in automotive, fixed ops, service, leadership, and the trades.

Featuring:

Jami Alexander

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jami-a-4075a9271/

Mindy Williams

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-williams-700b791b7/

Racheal Bright

https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheal-bright-08281262/

⚠️ Disclaimer:

I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence.

Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast:

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/