OCCUPATION: AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE WRITER

Name: Kristy Flannigan

Company: Elmore Toyota, Westminster

Thumbs up: “I enjoy making sure that a customer’s repair work is done correctly and that they leave feeling they were treated right. Service writers are the main point of contact and the way we handle customers reflects on the entire dealership. There are constant improvements and changes here that are fun to keep up with. It makes the job more interesting.”

Thumbs down: “The hours are long and the job involves constant contact with the public. We are outside and on our feet a lot, so we are usually pretty tired at the end of the day.”

Next step: “To improve my skills and move into a management-level job.”

Advice: “Get your hands dirty. Find out how cars work and what the common problems are. That way you can explain things to customers in such a way that they will have confidence in you. But the job isn’t all about cars and paperwork. It’s about customer satisfaction. Good personal skills are equally important.”

Salary range: Automotive service writers in Orange County make $2,500 to $5,500 per month, depending on the dealership and their level of experience.

Hours: Most service writers work a 66- to 72-hour workweek in exchange for receiving three consecutive days off. Some are required to work evenings at service departments that are open late.

Educational and training requirements: Service writers receive on-the-job training. Community college automotive classes and business administration skills are helpful in obtaining a trainee position.

Size of work force: Small. In Orange County, about 1,100 people work as automotive service writers.

Expected demand: Steady, although most dealerships are trimming their staffs. But when vacancies occur, positions are most likely to be filled.

Job description: Service writers schedule cars and trucks for repair at automobile dealerships and service centers. They assign the vehicle to a crew of service technicians and inform the crew of the customer’s problems with the vehicle. The service writer acts as a point of contact, keeping the customer informed of what repairs are needed, what it will cost and when the car will be ready. He or she is responsible for all pricing and paperwork involved in the repair order.

Major employing industries: Automobile dealerships and service centers.

For more information: Community college automotive education departments, automobile dealerships or the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence at (703) 713-3800.

Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times