Doing More With Less: How Dealerships Keep Service Moving With Limited Staff

Service departments today are handling more communication than ever — calls about availability, service status updates, approvals, messages from web leads, and customers who need quick answers.

Even when staffing is steady, peak hours can feel like a bottleneck. When turnover or sick days occur, the pressure increases even more.

The challenge isn’t a lack of demand. The challenge is supporting service teams so they can continue delivering a great customer experience — even when the drive is full and the phones are ringing nonstop.

The New Normal for Fixed Ops

Staffing in service departments has shifted over the past several years. Advisor roles have become more demanding and communication-heavy, while hiring and retaining experienced team members has become more difficult.

Most dealerships are facing:

• High call volume during peak service times
• Longer advisor onboarding and training cycles
• Increased customer expectations for fast updates
• A need to maintain throughput without adding headcount

Dealers aren’t trying to overhaul staffing models — they just need smarter support for the staff they already have.

What Happens When Advisors Are Stretched Too Thin

Advisors are the face of the service lane. When they’re tied up on the phone or juggling too many communication tasks, customer experience inevitably suffers.

Common breakdowns include:

• Longer wait times in the drive
• Missed or delayed service updates
• Approvals slowing down repair work
• Calls rolling to voicemail because no one can grab them

None of these issues reflect the quality of the dealership — just the lack of capacity at key moments.

Protecting Advisor Time = Protecting Throughput

The ultimate goal isn’t to reduce workload — it’s to make sure advisors focus their time where it matters most:

• Greeting customers
• Selling work
• Keeping repairs moving
• Delivering a great experience

When repetitive calls and manual follow-ups are automated or routed elsewhere, advisors stay available for the high-value parts of their role that drive revenue and CSI.

Supporting Teams With Smarter Communication

Dealerships are taking a more modern approach to communication, including:

• Automatically handling routine inbound calls during busy peaks
• Sending immediate responses to common inquiries
• Helping customers schedule services without waiting on hold
• Streamlining approvals through messaging
• Consistent updates without extra workload

With the right support, advisors can stay focused on the drive while customers still get fast, reliable responses.

Efficiency That Directly Impacts Revenue

When staffing challenges don’t slow down communication or approvals, dealerships see real operational gains:

• Faster repair authorizations
• Higher service throughput
• Better CSI and reputation outcomes
• Less stress and burnout on the service team

“Doing more with less” isn’t about asking staff to work harder — it’s about giving them the support they need to work smarter.

A Better Experience for Everyone

Customers feel informed.
Advisors feel supported.
Service managers feel confident in throughput.
And dealerships protect both revenue and staff wellness.

Efficiency doesn’t just improve operations. It strengthens the service department’s role as a driver of long-term dealership growth.

‍