SKM Automotive Aftersales L2 cheat sheet

Reception sequence: greet within 30 seconds, confirm identity and contact details, verify vehicle registration/VIN, capture concern in the customer's own words, then hand over to service advisory.

Vehicle handover checklist: mileage, fuel level, visible damage map, valuables removed, keys tagged, customer signature on condition report.

Write the customer concern as symptom + conditions (when, how often, speed/temperature/load) - not as a diagnosis; diagnosis belongs to the technician.

Distinguish three reception types: walk-in, booked appointment, and breakdown/emergency; each has a different intake form and priority rule.

Confirm the customer's preferred contact channel and authorization limit for extra work before the vehicle enters the workshop.

If the customer waits on site, set an expected completion window and a check-in point; if the wait exceeds the window, notify before the customer asks.

Record declined work explicitly with customer initials - this protects both parties and feeds future service reminders.

Courtesy items (wash, vacuum, fluid top-up) must be confirmed as free or chargeable at reception, never assumed.

A job order must contain: VIN, odometer, complaint, requested operations, parts list, labour allowance, technician assigned, promised time, and customer authorization.

Use a three-tier estimate structure: mandatory safety items, manufacturer-scheduled items, and advisory (convenience) items - present in that order.

Any change that raises cost or time beyond the authorized limit requires fresh approval recorded on the job order before work continues.

Operation codes and labour times come from the manufacturer flat-rate table; do not invent times - flag missing codes for the workshop controller.

Job order status flow: open → authorized → in progress → quality check → completed → invoiced → closed.

Upsell rule: recommend only items supported by measured evidence (tread depth, brake pad thickness, battery test result), and show the measurement.

Supplementary jobs must be time-stamped; the advisor confirms parts availability before promising a revised completion time.

Handover pack: invoice, itemized work performed, next service due (date and mileage), warranty notes on parts fitted.

Stock record fields: part number, description, supersession chain, bin location, quantity on hand, quantity allocated, reorder point, unit cost.

Available stock = on hand − allocated − reserved for open job orders; order against available stock, not on-hand stock.

Reorder point = (average daily demand × lead time in days) + safety stock.

Perpetual inventory: every issue and receipt is posted at transaction time; periodic counts reconcile book stock to physical stock.

Superseded part numbers must be mapped to the replacement number in the catalogue; never fit an obsolete number without checking the supersession.

Consumables (oil, coolant, clips, sealants) are issued against the job order to keep warranty and cost-per-job traceable.

Core returns and warranty-return parts must be tagged with the job order number and stored separately until credit is confirmed.

Accessories fitted at delivery change the vehicle specification - record them against the VIN for future parts lookup and warranty.

Support tasks that do not require diagnostic authority: vehicle move and positioning, wheel removal, fluid drain/refill preparation, tool and parts staging, cleaning before return.

Lifting rule: use the manufacturer-specified jacking points; a two-post lift requires the centre of gravity between the posts and pads at the reinforced points.

Fluid identification by specification, not colour; confirm the correct viscosity/approval code from the under-bonnet label or manual before filling.

Torque values come from the manufacturer table and apply to clean, lubricated threads as specified; wheel nuts are re-torqued and recorded.

Tyre pressure is set cold; record pressures and tread depth at three points across the tread for each tyre.

Battery support: test state of charge and state of health, and use a memory saver when disconnecting on vehicles with adaptive electronics.

Service intervals are whichever comes first - mileage or time; record both so the next due date is unambiguous.

Any observed defect outside the job order is reported to the advisor with a measurement or photograph, not fixed silently.

Capacity is measured in productive technician hours per day, not in vehicle count; loading = booked hours ÷ available hours.

Target workshop loading is typically 85–90% of productive capacity; above that, waiting time and rework rise sharply.

Job scheduling rules: safety and comeback jobs first, then booked appointments, then waiters, then express maintenance.

A bay blocked by a parts shortage is a scheduling loss - release the bay and resequence rather than hold the vehicle in position.

Daily rhythm: morning load review, mid-day progress check, end-of-day handover of unfinished jobs with status notes.

Technician allocation matches skill level to task; complex diagnostics go to qualified staff and are not used as filler work.

Track three KPIs: on-time completion, comeback rate, and technician efficiency (flat-rate hours produced ÷ hours attended).

Tooling and equipment calibration records (torque wrenches, lifts, alignment rigs) are part of scheduling - an out-of-calibration tool stops the job.

Three checkpoints: self-check by the technician, inspection by a second person, and final check at handover with the customer present where possible.

Final inspection items: fluid levels and no leaks, caps and covers refitted, tools removed from engine bay, wheel nut torque marked, warning lights off after road test.

Road test is required after brake, steering, suspension, or drivability work; record distance and observed behaviour.

Comeback classification: workmanship, parts failure, or misdiagnosis - each has a different corrective action and cost owner.

A quality record must show who did the work, who checked it, and the measurements taken (torque, tread, fluid, diagnostic codes cleared).

Do not release a vehicle with an open safety-related defect even if the customer declines repair - record the advice and the refusal.

Post-repair diagnostic scan confirms no stored fault codes remain after clearing; a code that returns immediately means the repair is incomplete.

Cleanliness is a quality item: interior protection removed, no grease on trim, vehicle returned in the condition recorded at reception.

Warranty claim essentials: VIN, odometer at failure, in-service date, complaint, cause, correction, part numbers, labour operation, and technician identification.

Warranty covers defects in material or workmanship within the term; it does not cover wear items, accident damage, or unauthorized modification.

Retain replaced parts for the manufacturer's stipulated period; a claim without the part can be rejected or debited back.

Document retention: service history for the life of the vehicle relationship, warranty claims for the manufacturer-specified period, and financial records per local tax law.

Records must be contemporaneous and legible; a later reconstruction of a job order is a compliance risk.

Personal data handling: collect only what the service needs, store securely, and disclose to third parties only with consent or legal obligation.

Every document carries the job order number as the linking key between estimate, parts issue, labour, invoice, and warranty claim.

Corrections to records are made by dated, signed amendment - never by overwriting the original entry.

Hierarchy of control: eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE as the last line.

COSHH-style rule: obtain the safety data sheet before decanting or using any chemical, and keep it accessible at the point of use.

Battery charging releases hydrogen - charge in a ventilated area, no ignition sources, eyewash within reach for electrolyte contact.

Used oil, filters, coolant, and solvents are hazardous waste: segregated containers, labelled, and consigned to a licensed carrier with a waste transfer record.

Lifting limit guidance: team-lift or use equipment above the local manual handling threshold; never carry a load that obscures forward view on stairs.

Lockout/tagout applies before working on hybrid and electric vehicle high-voltage systems; only trained persons remove the service disconnect.

Emergency equipment checks: eyewash, spill kit, fire extinguishers, and first-aid kit inspected on a defined schedule and logged.

Report every near miss as well as every injury; near-miss data is the leading indicator that prevents the next injury.

Explain in three layers: what was found, what it means for safety or reliability, and what the options and costs are - in that order.

Use measurement language with customers: '3.1 mm remaining against a 1.6 mm limit' is persuasive; 'worn' is not.

Broken-promise protocol: contact the customer before the promised time, state the cause, give a new committed time, and log the contact.

A complaint is resolved by acknowledging, establishing facts from records, offering a remedy within policy, and confirming acceptance in writing.

Follow-up timing: courtesy contact within 48 hours of major work, service-due reminder based on recorded date and mileage.

Satisfaction measurement uses a consistent scale and a consistent question; compare trends, not single responses.

Never discuss another customer's vehicle, staff disciplinary matters, or internal cost margins with a customer.

Record customer preferences (contact channel, waiting preference, courtesy car need) on the customer profile so the next visit starts informed.