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The differences between automotive service advisors and customer service associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an automotive service advisor and a customer service associate. Additionally, an automotive service advisor has an average salary of $44,596, which is higher than the $31,709 average annual salary of a customer service associate.
The top three skills for an automotive service advisor include customer service, automotive services and repair orders. The most important skills for a customer service associate are patients, sales floor, and plumbing.
An automotive service advisor is responsible for inspecting the car's condition and engine failure, coordinating with auto mechanics, and scheduling mechanical work orders. Automotive service advisors identify the customers' mechanical problems and write repair reports for the mechanics for further assessment. They may also reach out to clients to sell new items and services offered by the business that would get their cars more efficient and optimized. An automotive service advisor must have excellent communication skills and mechanical knowledge to respond to customers' inquiries and concerns and resolve complaints.
Customer service associates are representatives of the company who are responsible for solving customer concerns. They provide exceptional service to clients to ensure that their problems are solved and that the relationship between the client and the company remains strong. Customer service associates are in-charge of processing transactions, maintaining a good working relationship between the client and the company, ensuring that the client remains loyal to the company, and working on the requests of the client. Through all of this, customer service associates must keep any information they may encounter confidential. They should also have time management skills, problem-solving skills, and customer service skills.
Automotive service advisors and customer service associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Service Advisor | Customer Service Associate | |
| Average salary | $44,596 | $31,709 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $63,000 | Between $24,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Norwood, MA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Phillips Chevy | Fidelity Investments |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between an automotive service advisor and a customer service associate in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Service Advisor | Customer Service Associate | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive service advisors' and customer service associates' demographics:
| Automotive Service Advisor | Customer Service Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 6.1% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |