What Does a Service Advisor Do?
Service advisors work the service drive at a car dealership or independent repair shop, acting as the customer's contact while a technician works on the vehicle. They greet drivers as they pull in, walk around the car noting damage and mileage, write up the concern in terms a technician can act on and promise a pickup time. Once the technician diagnoses the problem, the advisor prices the repair, calls the customer for approval, follows the job through the shop and explains the invoice at pickup. Pay at many dealerships includes commission on the work sold.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Account Representative, Call Center Representative, Client Services Representative, Customer Care Representative (CCR), Customer Service Agent, Customer Service Representative (CSR), Customer Service Specialist, Customer Support Representative (Customer Support Rep).
Service Advisor Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a service advisor include:
- Greet customers in the service lane, check them in and confirm contact details and how they prefer to be reached.
- Walk around each vehicle with the customer and record mileage, existing dents and dashboard warning lights on the repair order.
- Write the customer's complaint in specific terms, such as when the noise happens, at what speed and from which corner.
- Look up open recalls, warranty coverage and the factory maintenance schedule for the vehicle's mileage.
- Build estimates for parts and labor from the shop's labor guide and parts pricing in the dealer management system.
- Call or text customers with the technician's findings, including photos or video, and get approval before added work begins.
- Follow each car's status through the day and push the technicians and parts counter when a promised time is slipping.
- Arrange loaner cars, rentals or shuttle rides for customers whose repairs will run long.
- Review the finished invoice with the customer, explain what was done and collect payment.
- Handle comebacks and complaints by getting the car back in quickly and working with the service manager on goodwill adjustments.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a service advisor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Enough mechanical knowledge to understand a technician's diagnosis and explain it in everyday terms
- Writing clear repair orders and estimates in a dealer management system using labor-time guides
- Knowledge of warranty, extended service contract and recall procedures for the brands the shop services
- Selling recommended maintenance honestly, based on the inspection results and the factory schedule
- Keeping a dozen open repair orders straight on a busy morning without missing promised times
- Delivering bad news about an expensive repair calmly and laying out the customer's options
- ASE C1 Automobile Service Consultant certification, which many dealers prefer
- A valid driver's license, since advisors often move customer cars around the lot
Education and Training
No specific degree is required; 55 percent of workers in this broad customer service group report a high school diploma or GED as their highest level. Many advisors come up through the shop as lube technicians, porters or apprentice technicians, or complete an automotive technology program at a community college or technical school, which helps them follow what the technicians are finding. Dealerships usually send new advisors through manufacturer training on warranty rules and the dealer software. The ASE C1 Automobile Service Consultant exam is the standard industry credential for the role. Experienced advisors can advance to service manager or fixed operations director.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $36,870 - $51,780 per year, with a median of $44,770.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Customer Service Representatives.
Service advisor positions offer good earning potential, particularly at high-volume dealerships where advisors earn commissions on parts and labor sales. As vehicles become more complex and expensive to service, the need for knowledgeable advisors who can explain technical issues to customers grows. Dealerships are investing in digital tools including online scheduling, video inspections, and text communication that advisors must master. Career advancement paths include service manager, fixed operations director, or dealer general manager positions within the automotive retail industry.
Service Advisor Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $31,750 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $36,870 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $44,770 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $51,780 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $63,590 |
Highest-Paying States for Service Advisors
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Washington ($50,330), California ($49,560), Massachusetts ($49,120), Minnesota ($48,800), District of Columbia ($48,250). Pay is lowest in Arkansas ($37,840), Louisiana ($37,330), Mississippi ($36,380).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,400 |
| Alaska | $45,150 |
| Arizona | $45,690 |
| Arkansas | $37,840 |
| California | $49,560 |
| Colorado | $47,540 |
| Connecticut | $48,090 |
| Delaware | $48,190 |
| District of Columbia | $48,250 |
| Florida | $40,440 |
| Georgia | $39,630 |
| Hawaii | $45,650 |
| Idaho | $43,200 |
| Illinois | $46,130 |
| Indiana | $43,140 |
| Iowa | $46,090 |
| Kansas | $40,320 |
| Kentucky | $38,700 |
| Louisiana | $37,330 |
| Maine | $47,160 |
| Maryland | $42,830 |
| Massachusetts | $49,120 |
| Michigan | $43,950 |
| Minnesota | $48,800 |
| Mississippi | $36,380 |
| Missouri | $44,190 |
| Montana | $45,290 |
| Nebraska | $43,940 |
| Nevada | $40,560 |
| New Hampshire | $47,300 |
| New Jersey | $47,740 |
| New Mexico | $39,030 |
| New York | $48,000 |
| North Carolina | $40,240 |
| North Dakota | $44,670 |
| Ohio | $45,610 |
| Oklahoma | $38,650 |
| Oregon | $47,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,630 |
| Rhode Island | $47,550 |
| South Carolina | $38,860 |
| South Dakota | $40,650 |
| Tennessee | $42,830 |
| Texas | $40,420 |
| Utah | $43,140 |
| Vermont | $47,500 |
| Virginia | $42,730 |
| Washington | $50,330 |
| West Virginia | $38,430 |
| Wisconsin | $46,970 |
| Wyoming | $42,340 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as customer service representatives about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% are on the phone every day
- 94% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 83% use email every day
- 78% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 78% deal with rude or angry people at least once a week
- 73% work against deadlines every day
- 72% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or GED | 55% |
| Some college | 17% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14% |
| Associate's degree | 14% |
Tools and Software Service Advisors Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy organized work with data, records and clear procedures as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Service Orientation, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving.
Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Administration and Management, Sales and Marketing, Mathematics.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 43-4051.00 (Customer Service Representatives). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.