Technology has changed everything about the service advisor role, but it has not replaced the one thing that matters most: people.
In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Michelle Wood, ATI’s Sales and Service Instructor, to discuss the myths and realities of being a great service advisor in a world of automation, AI, and endless new tools.
Michelle shares her journey from dealership receptionist to national trainer and reflects on how the role of service advisors has evolved with technology. She explains how tools like DVIs and automation can improve efficiency, but they cannot replace genuine human connection. Customers do not just want updates. They want to feel seen, heard, and cared for.
The conversation also covers the growing need for training and development, the misconception that advisors must be former technicians, and why withholding information to “avoid scaring customers” actually destroys trust.
Tune in to episode 130 of Maximum Octane to rediscover the human side of automotive service and learn how to build advisors who do more than sell repairs. They build trust, loyalty, and relationships that last.
Episode Takeaways:
3:50 Why service advisors do not need to be former technicians to be great communicators
5:10 Why nobody cares “how the sausage is made”
8:50 Why technology helps, but only if you use it
12:20 What AI cannot do and why the human touch matters more than ever
13:50 Customers still want to do business with people, not systems
17:30 How great advisors read people and tailor their communication
20:10 Why honesty about needed repairs builds trust, not fear
23:00 The interview question every shop owner should ask
27:20 How to find talent in everyday places
30:10 Why trust is the ultimate investment in your advisors
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