Service department manager vs assistant service manager

The differences between service department managers and assistant service managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a service department manager and an assistant service manager. Additionally, an assistant service manager has an average salary of $48,923, which is higher than the $41,773 average annual salary of a service department manager.

The top three skills for a service department manager include food safety, food quality and direct reports. The most important skills for an assistant service manager are strong customer service, POS, and customer issues.

Service department manager vs assistant service manager overview

	Service Department Manager	Assistant Service Manager
Yearly salary	$41,773	$48,923
Hourly rate	$20.08	$23.52
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	114,922	48,385
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a service department manager do?

A service department manager is responsible for leading the service department operations by assisting the staff in customer interaction, providing the highest customer service, and negotiating contracts and partnerships with clients. Service department managers coordinate with the sales and marketing team for brand promotions and advising the staff in selling new products to potential customers. They also handle and resolve high-level complaints, process replacements, and issue refunds as needed. A service department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially in encouraging and supporting the team members to meet the department's goals and objectives.

What does an assistant service manager do?

The assistant service manager's role is to support managers in a customer service center by completing varied duties and responsibilities. These include enforcing rules in the facility, responding to service inquiries, and maintaining delivery reports. They are also responsible for tracking service operations, coaching and training staff members, and administering payroll. There are a few skills and qualifications to become successful in this role, including excellent communication skills, people management skills, and a bachelor's degree in business.

Service department manager vs assistant service manager salary

Service department managers and assistant service managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Service Department Manager	Assistant Service Manager
Average salary	$41,773	$48,923
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $60,000	Between $31,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Hawaii
Best paying company	HNTB	Claremont Graduate University
Best paying industry	Government	Technology

Differences between service department manager and assistant service manager education

There are a few differences between a service department manager and an assistant service manager in terms of educational background:

	Service Department Manager	Assistant Service Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	California State University - Bakersfield

Service department manager vs assistant service manager demographics

Here are the differences between service department managers' and assistant service managers' demographics:

	Service Department Manager	Assistant Service Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 64.3% Female, 35.7%	Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 5.2% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between service department manager and assistant service manager duties and responsibilities

Service department manager example responsibilities.

Manage service plumbers & HVAC technicians in daily operations, interview & hire new employees.
Manage parts and service department operations while consistently meeting or exceeding industry standards for profitability and CSI.
Process inventory through store computer system, POS register system and completion of all require paperwork.
Enter schedule edits into KRONOS.
Operate POS system and perform cashier duties.
Enter schedule edits for entire store into KRONOS time clock system.

Assistant service manager example responsibilities.

Hire to manage and organize BMW, Volvo and VW parts departments.
Manage both the service department and parts department for a busy Mazda dealership.
Manage a service and parts department of a high volume RV and marine dealer.
Implement strategic merchandising plans to achieve revenue objectives and reduce expenditures while ensuring payroll remain within budget.
Manage parts and service department operations while consistently meeting or exceeding industry standards for profitability and CSI.
Coordinate and participate with the installation teams to help troubleshoot problems and resolve customer concerns while managing service and commissioning engineers.

Service department manager vs assistant service manager skills

Common service department manager skills

Food Safety, 49%
Food Quality, 43%
Direct Reports, 1%
Customer Satisfaction, 1%
Payroll, 1%
Warranty Claims, 1%

Common assistant service manager skills

Strong Customer Service, 19%
POS, 16%
Customer Issues, 10%
Customer Complaints, 9%
Cash Handling, 9%
Work Ethic, 4%

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Service Department Manager
Service Department Manager vs Assistant Service Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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