Dealership service managers aim to build trust with customers—and for good reason. If a customer doesn’t trust your recommendations, they’re more likely to decline work, delay service, or worse, take their business somewhere else.
But what if the biggest trust issue isn’t with customers, but within your own service department?
One of the most common yet overlooked problems in dealership service lanes is a breakdown in trust between service advisors and technicians. It plays out like this:
- Tech recommends five repairs.
- Advisor presents three—either because they think the other two are unnecessary, or they assume the customer won’t want to pay for them.
- Customer approves two.
That’s money left on the table. But it’s not just about lost revenue—when service advisors don’t fully trust technicians (or lack the confidence to communicate their recommendations), customers get mixed messages, hesitate, and start questioning everything.
The problem isn’t that customers don’t trust dealerships. It’s that dealerships often fail to present a clear, confident, and consistent message about service needs. And when internal trust breaks down, so does customer trust.
The good news? This problem can be fixed, and doing so will lead to higher repair approvals, stronger customer confidence, and a better experience for everyone. In a recent Retention Roadmap podcast, we brought on Joe Shaker (CEO of Shaker Auto Group and founder of TruVideo), where we covered everything from how internal trust issues hurt service revenue, to how practices like video inspections are transforming customer communication and repair approvals.
Why Service Advisors Filter Repair Recommendations
At first glance, it seems like customers are the main reason repair recommendations get turned down. But the truth is, many recommendations never even make it to the customer in the first place.
Advisors often filter what they present to customers for two main reasons:
- Thinking with their own wallet – If an advisor personally wouldn’t spend $1,500 on a repair right now, they assume the customer won’t either. Instead of presenting all recommendations, they self-edit the list, trying to “soften the blow” before the customer even sees the estimate.
- Lack of trust in technicians – Some advisors believe techs oversell repairs, pushing unnecessary work. Rather than risk damaging their own credibility, they only present what they personally believe is important.
- Fear of confrontation – If an advisor doesn’t fully understand a technician’s recommendation, they may lack the confidence to explain it to a customer. Instead of asking for clarification, they simply skip the repair suggestion altogether.
This creates an internal bottleneck in the repair approval process. By the time the customer sees their recommended repairs, they’re only getting part of the story—and it’s usually missing key details that could have convinced them to move forward with additional work.
How This Kills Revenue and Customer Trust
- Watered-down repair orders → Customers only approve a fraction of the work needed.
- Inconsistent messaging → If a customer gets different recommendations from different advisors, they start questioning the dealership’s honesty.
- Frustrated technicians → Techs feel like their expertise isn’t valued when advisors ignore or minimize their recommendations.
- Lower CSI scores → Confused or frustrated customers are less likely to return and more likely to leave negative feedback.
The “Telephone Game” Effect: How Poor Communication Breaks Trust
This trust issue between advisors and techs creates a game of telephone—and the message gets lost along the way.
- Tech sees the issue and explains it to the advisor.
- Advisor summarizes the issue (often incorrectly) for the customer.
- Customer doesn’t fully understand the problem, so they hesitate to approve the work.
- Customer delays service, which could lead to bigger, more expensive problems down the road.
This isn’t just about selling more repairs—it’s about educating customers with confidence so they can make the right decisions about their vehicle. If they don’t understand or don’t trust the recommendation, they won’t approve it.
Solving the Problem: Building Internal Trust and Communication
1. Implement a “No Filtering” Policy for Repair Recommendations
Advisors shouldn’t pick and choose which recommendations to share—every service recommendation should be presented to the customer. Transparency is key. Let the customer decide, not the advisor. Reinforce this through training, tracking, and incentives for full disclosure. More clarity means higher repair approvals and a more consistent customer experience.
2. Use Video to Remove Doubt and Improve Communication
Video inspections eliminate second-guessing by showing customers exactly what the technician sees. No more watered-down explanations or skeptical advisors—just clear, visual proof of needed repairs. Customers trust what they can see, and advisors feel more confident presenting work when they don’t have to interpret or justify it themselves.
3. Improve Technician & Advisor Alignment with Regular Meetings
A quick daily or weekly check-in can bridge the gap between advisors and techs. These meetings should focus on building mutual understanding, clarifying repair recommendations, and addressing concerns. When advisors and techs work as a team, repair orders improve, customer trust strengthens, and the dealership runs more smoothly.
4. Train Advisors on Technical Knowledge & Customer Communication
Many advisors hesitate to present recommendations because they lack the technical confidence to explain them. Regular training on basic vehicle systems, common repairs, and customer-friendly explanations makes a big difference. Role-playing exercises can also help advisors practice handling objections and communicating repair urgency effectively.
5. Track Metrics and Provide Feedback Loops
Measure how often advisors present the full list of recommended services and track customer approval rates. If advisors routinely skip recommendations, address it through coaching. Positive feedback matters too—recognize advisors who follow the process and get strong approval rates. What gets measured gets improved.
The Bottom Line: Trust = Higher Revenue & Stronger Retention
Internal trust issues are silently draining revenue from your service department. If advisors aren’t presenting full recommendations—or customers don’t fully understand them—you’re losing thousands in potential repairs every single day.
Fixing this starts with better communication, more transparency, and the right tools. When technicians and advisors are aligned, repair order values rise, customer retention improves, and everyone—techs, advisors, and customers—wins.
The best time to fix this was yesterday. The next best time? Right now.
For more of the latest insights to drive service revenue at your dealership, check out the Retention Roadmap podcast.
Related reads:
What keeps customers coming back to your dealership?
Download the 2023 Dealership Service Retention Report to see what dealership service customers have to say.
