Service Advisor in Newcastle

About us: We are one of the top three automotive retailers in the UK, proudly representing 32 manufacturer brands, selling a huge range of new and used vehicles from over 150 dealerships across the UK and Ireland.

We believe our people are our greatest asset, and we're committed to recognising the valuable contribution each person makes. That's why we continue to invest in a leading rewards and benefits package designed to support your career, wellbeing, and life outside of work.

Service Advisor - Kia Silverlink

New Dealership Launch | Join the Founding Team

Location: Kia Silverlink, Newcastle upon Tyne
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: 42 hours weekly (Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm, with one early finish per week and Saturdays 8.00am to 2.00pm on a rota basis)
Salary: Competitive OTE plus bonus package (uncapped), with a £29,000 basic salary

Kia Silverlink is recruiting for an experienced and dedicated Service Advisor to join our brand-new Aftersales Team. With the dealership due to open in February, this is a fantastic opportunity to be part of the launch team and help establish one of Kia's newest retailers from day one.

Joining our friendly aftersales team, you will be a team player with exceptional communication skills, capable of building strong relationships with both colleagues and customers. Reporting to the Service Manager, you will play a key role in creating the customer experience that will define Kia Silverlink as the business grows.As a start-up dealership, we're looking for individuals who thrive in a fast-paced environment and are excited by the opportunity to help build something new. During the initial launch period, you'll be at the heart of the operation, helping establish processes, customer relationships and service standards that will contribute to the long-term success of the dealership.

As a Service Advisor, you will benefit from continuous training opportunities through our manufacturer and in-house development programmes, giving you every opportunity to grow your career within the automotive industry. This is a truly exciting opportunity with excellent progression potential.

Responsibilities

• Booking MOTs, servicing and repair work for our customers
• Advising customers about warranty cover and promoting additional products and services where appropriate
• Liaising with the wider Aftersales Department to organise and schedule workshop appointments
• Managing a high volume of customer interactions, including telephone calls, emails and online booking enquiries
• Keeping customers informed throughout their vehicle's journey in the workshop
• Maintaining accurate customer records and updating dealership systems accordingly
• Delivering exceptional customer service at every stage of the customer journey
• Supporting the successful launch and growth of Kia Silverlink by helping establish excellent customer service standards from day one
• Working closely with the Service Manager, Technicians and Parts Department to ensure an efficient and seamless customer experience

What You'll Bring

• Previous experience in a Service Advisor role within the automotive industry
• Excellent communication and customer service skills
• The ability to build rapport quickly and manage customer expectations effectively
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a busy environment
• Confidence in explaining technical information clearly and professionally
• Experience using Kerridge, ADP or similar dealer management systems would be advantageous
• A positive, proactive attitude and willingness to support the wider team
• The ability to work independently whilst also contributing as part of a high-performing team
• A passion for delivering first-class customer experiences

This is an exciting opportunity to join Kia Silverlink at the very beginning of its journey. If you're looking for a fresh challenge, want to be part of launching a brand-new dealership and have a passion for delivering outstanding customer service, we'd love to hear from you.

If your skills and experience match what we are looking for, please apply today and a member of the Talent Acquisition Team will be in touch.

Core Benefits

• Competitive salaries with structured pay scales and progression as you grow within the business
• Generous annual leave that increases with your length of service
• Enhanced family leave, including 6 months' full pay for maternity and adoption leave, and 2 weeks' full pay for paternity leave
• Access to Techscheme for discounted technology purchases with flexible payments

Health & Wellbeing

• Eyecare vouchers to help cover vision care needs
• Smart Health - 24/7 access to GP services to support your mental and physical wellbeing
• Dental insurance for everyday dental care and unexpected treatments
• Optional critical illness cover for peace of mind during life's most challenging moments

Financial Wellbeing

• MyView PayNow - access a portion of your pay as you earn, with features to stream, save, and track your money through a user-friendly app
• Free will writing services to help plan for the future
• Flexible life assurance options and partner life assurance for added protection

Leisure & Lifestyle

• Discounted gym memberships to support an active lifestyle
• Travel insurance to help you explore with confidence
• Access to home and technology vouchers
• bYond card and a wide range of exclusive retail and lifestyle discounts

We strongly believe in nurturing and providing our people with specific manufacturer brand and management training to enhance career development opportunities. We have a great bunch of people, and we like to celebrate and encourage success at all levels.

Lookers and Charles Hurst are an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to a working environment that is free from discrimination, is inclusive, and empowers our people to bring their whole self to work and reach their full potential.

If your application is successful, we will conduct relevant employment checks prior to you commencing employment with us. These will include verifying your recent employment, address, credit history and a standard criminal record check. For roles that require you to drive, a driving licence check will also be carried out. Please note, all offers of employment are made subject to a 6 month probation period commencing from your start date.

We take our data protection responsibilities very seriously and are committed to upholding and respecting your privacy rights. Information about how we will process your data including the types of data we collect, the purposes for which we use it, who we may share it with and how long we keep it are set out in our privacy notice. It also includes information about your individual privacy rights. Please make sure you read our Privacy Notice so that you understand how we may collect and use your data.