The automotive industry encompasses vehicle dealerships, their service departments and repair businesses owned as franchises or by independent proprietors. Automotive cashiers share duties, skills, and qualifications with cashiers in other retail establishments. However, unique features of the automotive industry make the automotive cashier job description somewhat more expansive than the description for cashiers in other industries.
Job Overview: What Does an Automotive Cashier Professional Do?
The automotive cashier job description entails taking payments from customers and more. In many dealerships and service shops, automotive cashiers perform the functions of receptionists. They also furnish information about the dealership and its services and vehicles. The job duties of an automotive cashier require clear and courteous communication, and accuracy in relaying information about prices, vehicles, and services. As well as the ability to use computers.
Automotive Cashier Job Duties
- Accept payments by cash, credit cards and checks from customers for repairs, parts, and other services.
- Refund customer payments for unused parts or other reasons in accordance with supervisor direction or company policy.
- Record receipts, delivery of change and other transactions throughout the shift.
- Reconcile payments received with invoiced amounts and prices of parts.
- Schedule and service appointments.
- Explain service technicians’ recommendations, repairs and other actions to customers.
- Direct customer calls to the desired or appropriate department.
- Answer customer questions about vehicle problems, the status of repairs, and hours of operation.
Automotive Cashier Job Essential Skills
Computer Skills. Automotive cashiers need skills in operating computers and computer applications that schedule service appointments. As well as prepare and print invoices and receive payments. With command of email or social media, cashiers may assist in reminders to customers for maintenance, service or promotions by the dealership or service station.
Math Skills. Automotive cashiers must add or use machines to total charges, multiply to calculate any discounts and subtract to return change to customers. Counting bills or coins also forms part of the automotive cashier job description.
Customer Service Skills. The automotive cashier job description involves the ability to deliver quality service to customers. Cashiers need to accurately, promptly and courteously inform customers about prices, the parts and services and expected completion times. Customer service also entails good listening skills in order to understand customers’ needs and problems and to relay information from service technicians.
Physical Skills. Stamina helps automotive cashiers, especially those in service bays with no chairs that have to stand for long periods of time. Cashiers may walk frequently to retrieve receipts, keys to vehicles, parts from stock rooms or find customers. Some lifting of boxes, packages or parts may also occur during the work shift.
Becoming an Automotive Cashier Professional
The automotive cashier job description blends elements of mathematics, computer, customer service and basic knowledge of the automotive industry and automobiles. Those who enter this field gather their knowledge and skills for the job from relevant classes in high school. Or even from community colleges and experience in retail or mechanical service services.
Qualifications & Training
Automotive cashiers generally should have a high school diploma or an equivalent degree, such as a GED. Applicants for automotive cashier jobs should take and perform well in classes involving math and computers. Community colleges offer courses on computer subjects such as basic computer and keyboarding skills and using customer service software. In high school and community colleges, students pursuing jobs as automotive cashiers should take courses dealing with automotive systems and essential principles of automotive repair.
Training for automotive cashiers generally comes from the dealerships or companies that hire them. These new hires learn about the company and its values, the departments in the dealership, computer systems and the parts and services offered by the companies. Automotive cashiers also receive training and orientation on specific to the vehicle manufacturers for which the dealerships are affiliated.
Work Experience
Many automotive companies seek or prefer candidates with prior experience in retail, office or customer service settings. These previous positions include cashier, office clerk, receptionist or administrative assistant or working at customer service counters. Jobs in grocery stores, discount or other retailers can also provide this experience.
As the automotive cashier job description includes some elements of sales, especially as to service plans or parts, a prior work history as a floor sales associate at retail stores may also prove helpful. Those who have worked at automotive service stations in other capacities or with repair businesses, such as those performing home appliance or heating and air conditioning, can demonstrate familiarity with the operation of mechanical or automotive repair and service shops.
Working Hours
Dealerships and automotive service shops open generally six days per week. Some also take customers on Sundays. As a result, automotive cashiers can expect to work weekends or evenings. This may especially be the case for part-time cashiers. Service departments and automotive repair establishments normally do not operate at night. Therefore, work beyond early evening hours is not common.
Some places may have early evening hours for routine work such as oil changes or tire rotations for the convenience of those unable to obtain service during daytime hours. Automotive cashiers can land full-time and part-time positions, depending on the employer. Dealerships tend to rely more on full-time automotive cashiers for daytime and weekday work.
Job Outlook & Advancement Opportunities
Employment prospects for automotive cashiers should follow as a general rule the demand for automotive services. According to IBIS World, the auto mechanics industry saw a 2.6 percent per year growth from 2012 to 2017. The sector collected $64 billion in revenue. IBIS World predicts continued growth in the auto mechanics industry.
The aging of vehicles will contribute to the sustained demand for automotive services and, thus, cashiers to occupy positions in repair establishments. Routine maintenance such as tire rotation, oil changes, and periodic tune-ups help maintain the life of vehicles. With technology such as keyless ignition, rearview cameras, Wi-Fi and sensors used in braking in new vehicles will come more reliance by car owners on service technicians when these components malfunction. This will sustain hiring of cashiers especially in dealerships which sell the new cars with the advanced technology.
An increasing presence of electric vehicles and their lesser need for repairs than vehicles with gasoline engines may limit some of the need for repairs. The International Energy Agency reports that, in 2016, dealerships sold 160,000 electric vehicles in the United States.
Automotive cashier jobs can afford many who hold them an introductory experience in a dealership or automotive environment. This may aid those who wish to work in vehicle sales, serve as auto mechanics or aspire to own service franchises.
Conclusion
The roles of an automotive cashier include receptionist for the dealership or service station, collector of payments and ambassador for the establishment. To fulfill the job duties this professional needs good customer service, communication, computer and math, skills. The demand for automotive repairs will support the continued hiring of automotive cashiers, who may rely on these jobs to begin or further careers in the automotive industry.
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