After squaring away the basics and launching your career as an automotive service writer, the next step in the process of learning how to become a service writer is to gain hands-on experience within the automotive industry.
1. Find the Right Environment To Support Your Service Writer Career
Environment will have a major impact on the potential for your career to grow, flourish and shape in new ways.
You should consider whether you’d prefer to work in an independent repair shop, auto repair franchise, or dealership environment. Each work environment has its own perks and unique culture which might affect your decision.
Features like texting your customers their inspection results have revolutionized the way service writers can interact with their clients.
And there’s also the team dynamics to think about. You might ask yourself: do I want to work for a high-volume brand with a large staff and management hierarchy, or would I prefer working with a smaller crew with more of a team feel?
Asking questions about a shop’s values upfront during the interview process can help ensure the work environment is a good fit for you and save a lot of headaches down the road.
2. Consider Continuing Education as a Service Writer
Common advice for aspiring service writers is to seek out training. One great option being could be to gain accreditation or certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. That's an easy to elevate your resume and increase your future earning potential with credibility.
But narrowing down which training to enroll in might not always be an easy decision.
In fact, ASE has over 50 certifications, tests, and courses to choose from. Many of the courses and certifications are focused on general concepts like collision repair, but you’ll also find some specializations like school buses and military tactical wheeled vehicles.
Enrolling in specialized courses helps broaden your perspective and shows great initiative, both of which are necessary qualities for future leadership positions. The knowledge you gain can also be directly applied to bring innovation to your shop and give back to your local community.
Other ways to keep up with the latest industry trends and work on your professional development include attending conferences and trade shows, subscribing to industry publications, and listening to auto repair podcasts or radio talk shows -- or, better yet, read our Auto Repair Industry Index Report!
3. Elevate Your Customer Service Expertise
Although earning an education and practicing your technical skills is important in your journey, we’re not just here to talk about how to become a service writer—we want to help you become the best service writer you can be.
Polish these 5skills to elevate your customer service game:
Be Someone Others Can Depend On: The scheduling process at an auto repair shop involves a lot of moving parts and can get hectic at times. Your team and your customers will look up to you in this role to keep the daily operations running smoothly.
Meet the Customers Where They’re At: On occasion, you may encounter customers who might have unrealistic expectations about the repair order process because they used free online estimate tools. Knowing how to practice active listening with customers leads to more positive customer interactions and a higher customer retention rate.
Practice Empathy: Vehicle concerns can bring about a lot of stress for customers with busy schedules and financial concerns. Learning how to put yourself in your customers’ shoes can help them feel appreciated and ease their anxiety so they can better understand the work that needs to be done to get them back on the road.
Manage Conflicts: Exercising patience while dealing with unhappy customers and managing difficult conversations within the team can help you de-escalate situations before they turn into conflicts. Conflict management is also an important leadership skill.
Build Relationships: The little things like remembering a customer’s name or asking about their day can go a long way in making customers feel comfortable and welcomed in the shop. By giving guests a great experience, you can become the go-to shop for their friends and family, and the first place they think of when they need repairs later on down the road. Relationship-building is also vital to establishing a positive work culture and keeping your team’s morale high.
Fuel Your Career Growth as a Service Writer
If you’re a good problem solver who’s passionate about the automotive industry, building rapport with customers, and keeping shop morale high, chances are you’ll be an excellent service writer. If inspiring others is something that brings you fulfillment, being a service writer is the job for you.
Remember: it’s never too early or too late to follow your passions and try out a different career path. Service writers come from all walks of life and all types of backgrounds, which means you have the freedom to forge your own path.
And with a cloud-based Shop Management Systems helping run your shop as efficiently as possible, your chance to shine as a service writer has never been stronger!
FAQ
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Selecting the right business name for your auto repair shop can be a challenging task. Your business name will be the first impression your potential customers have of your shop and will determine how memorable your shop will be. Use the ideas below to brainstorm the perfect name for your auto repair business.
Creative auto repair shop names
On The Road Again Repairs
NextGear Auto Service
Check Engine Repairs
Torque of the Town
The Engine Room
Chrome & Steel Auto Care
Axle & Alloy Repair Co.
Peak Performance Garage
Smooth Ride Mechanics
Driven Dynamics
Velocity Auto Shop
ClearPath Automotive
Funny automotive repair shop names
The Brake-Up Shop
Motor Mouth Mechanics
Hit & Run Body Shop
Exhausted Mechanics
Hot Wife Automotive A/C Repair
Don’t Tread On Me Auto
The Laughing Lugnuts Auto Repair
Wheel Be Alright Auto Repairs
Motor Mouth LLC
Rust in Peace Repairs
Tek-Tip: Have you thought about how you will market your new business? We reccomend Shopgenie for all automotive marketing needs including websites, CRM, reviews, and more.
Cool mechanic shop names
The Car Whisperers LLC
RoadReady Mechanics
StreetSmart Garage
GearShift Garage
Velocity Motors
Gearhead Garage
The Repair Authority
PitStop Pros
Full Throttle Repair
Trackside Garage
Unique and catchy names
Car Medic Garage
Nuts & Bolts Car Mechanics
Unleaded Car Repair
Honest Engine Repair
Auto Barn Car Care
Iron Horse Garage
Blue Ridge Auto Works
RevSync Mechanics
The Auto Vault
Summit Auto Haven
Rust & Revive Repair
Simple auto shop name ideas
Car Surgeons
The Car Guys
Engine Experts
Quick Fix Automotive Repairs
The Brake Brothers
One Stop Auto Shop
Auto Solutions Inc.
Pit Stop Garage
Turbo Tires & More
Wrench Wizards
Service-Specific shop names
Brake Check Repairs
Oil Be Back Automotive Repairs
Vivid Vehicle Body Shop
1 Hour Heat and A/C Auto Repairs
Battery Solutions LLC
Actually Discounted Tires
Renew Collision Center
30min Oil Change Shop
Restored Right Auto Body Shop
Mobile mechanic business names
Repair on Wheels
Roaming Automotive Repairs
One Stop Repair Shop
One Call Repairs
Wheels On The Way
(Insert last name) Mobile Mechanic
The Leaky Gasket Mobile Repair
1 Hour Mobile Mechanic
24/7 Mobile Mechanic
How to select the right auto repair shop name
Once you have your list of potential shop names narrowed down, it is time to do a final round of research to make sure your name is legal, optimized and ready to launch. Check out our final 6 tips and tricks below.
1. Legal checks
Before you can launch your new automotive shop name, you should check for Trademarks by visiting the US Patent and Trademark Website. Simply search your pending business name to see if it is taken or if you can proceed.
Search engine optimization for auto repair shops is an important avenue for driving brand awareness and new customers. To maximize your new business name, aim to include common keywords like “automotive”, “repair”, and “shop”. Also, try to use local terms like “Houston” to help search engines know where your services are located. Lastly, check to see if any competitors are using a similar name and determine if your name will be unique enough.
GoDaddy can check if your new automotive repair shop name is available to use. You will also be able to see how much the domain name will cost and whether it would be cheaper to use a variation of your business name.
4. KISS
Keeping your new shop name simple will help you in the long run. Potential customers will find it easier to remember (and share via word of mouth) if you keep it short and simple. Plus, shorter business names are easier to fit on business cards, advertisements, and social media.
5. Marketing
Looking down the road, your new business name should fit within your overall automotive marketing strategy. Are you planning to use a certain logo or color scheme? Make sure your name fits the theme you are aiming for and attracts your target audience. If you plan to use social media marketing, check to see if your business name is available as a social handle.
6. Set the tone
Your name is likely your first impression with your customers. Once you are ready to launch, give it one more review to make sure it conveys the right brand identity and message. Lastly, have a friend or colleague offer feedback on your business name and see how it resonates with them.
Closing Thoughts
Finding the right name for your business is a daunting task and we hope this guide has helped you brainstorm new business name ideas and narrow down your list. We recommend taking the extra time to make the right choice up front so you don’t have to rebrand down the road. As always, there is wisdom to asking for feedback from your community. Select your top 5 names and ask for help picking the best shop name for your business.
Building a startup takes time, effort, and a lot of determination. You and your team have invested in a great idea, and everyone works diligently to bring new team members, investors, and customers on board. However, the process doesn’t end once the product or service has taken off and gained popularity.
A startup can operate on a lean team, with people wearing multiple hats and taking on extra responsibilities. But as the company grows, it will be time to hire more employees and scale the company to meet demand.
How to scale the business is an enormous question that causes hesitation for many leaders. How do you expand your business offerings and your team without losing the heart and inspiration that helped the startup succeed in the first place?
In my own business, Tekmetric, which offers shop management software for auto repair businesses, I have relied on a few tactics that enabled me—and our whole team—to scale sustainably. Here are four of the most vital.
Thought Leadership
Shop Management
You’ve Built a Successful Auto Repair Shop Startup. Now What?
In auto repair, there are many moving parts to keep track of—both the literal parts your shop uses to repair vehicles, and the parts of your business that determine your shop’s efficiency, security, and ability to grow. If you want your shop to flourish, it’s crucial to devote part of your business to keeping track of the parts you order.
Many shops track parts in terms of cost of goods sold. The parts you need for the job are included on every repair order, so it’s easy to see what parts your customers are paying for as long as you have a solid process for building repair orders.
But what about in terms of accounts payable? How does your shop track how much you’re spending for parts from the supplier?
Thought Leadership
Why Match Parts from Repair Orders on Purchase Orders?