Tower Operator/Warranty Administrative Assistant

at  Ford

JOB SUMMARY:

The Tower Operator is responsible for managing the flow of service work within the dealership, ensuring that all incoming work orders are distributed to technicians according to their competencies and skillsets. This role ensures the efficient and timely completion of all service tasks, coordinating between service advisors, technicians, and management to maintain smooth operations within the service department. The Tower Operator plays a crucial role in maximizing technician productivity and ensuring that work is completed within the promised times whenever possible. The Warranty Administrative portion of the role will assist our Warranty Administrator with downloading warranty claims and performing duties related to assist in closing warranty workorders. The administrative portion of the role will be important in monitoring open workorder count and assisting advisors by identifying missing information or problems requiring correction prior to submission to the warranty team.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

Experience: Previous experience in a service department or similar role in the automotive industry is preferred.
Organizational Skills: Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Communication: Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to interact with technicians, service advisors, and management.
Attention to Detail: Ability to ensure that all work orders are handled accurately and efficiently, and that technicians are assigned tasks based on their competencies.
Problem Solving: Strong problem-solving abilities to address delays, conflicts, or unexpected issues that arise in the workflow.
Time Management: Ability to efficiently manage time and resources, ensuring that all work is completed by the end of the day.
Technical Knowledge: Familiarity with common automotive repair processes and terminology, as well as understanding the competencies of different technicians.

Work Order Distribution:
Receive and review all incoming work orders from service advisors and prioritize them based on urgency and technician availability.
Assign work orders to technicians based on their skill set, experience, and current workload, ensuring that each technician receives a balanced and manageable number of tasks.
Ensure that all work orders are completed within the designated timeframe, collaborating with technicians to monitor progress.
Technician Coordination:
Maintain a clear understanding of each technician’s competencies and specialties (e.g., diagnostic work, mechanical repairs, electrical, etc.) and assign work accordingly. Monitor training and school registration for techs and apprentices throughout the year and report to management.
Communicate directly with technicians throughout the day to ensure they have the necessary information, tools, and resources to complete tasks efficiently. Bring feedback from techs to management when required.
Monitor and track job completion, ensuring that work orders are being processed on schedule and making adjustments as needed.
Ensuring Daily Work Completion:
Keep track of the status of all work orders to ensure that all tasks are completed by the end of the day or within the expected timeframe.
Manage any urgent or high-priority tasks, ensuring they are completed in a timely manner.
Proactively identify any delays or bottlenecks in the workflow and work to resolve them to prevent delays in service delivery.
Liaising Between Departments:
Serve as the point of contact between service advisors, technicians, sales, delivery coordinator, and management to ensure smooth communication regarding work orders, timelines, and priorities.
Ensure that technicians are aware of any special instructions, new recalls or bulletins, parts requirements, or customer-specific requests related to the work orders.
Relay updates to service advisors, ensuring they are informed about the status of their assigned work orders and any delays or issues.
Maintaining Work Order Records:
Ensure that all work orders are properly documented, accurately tracked, and updated with progress notes throughout the day.
Monitor and ensure proper filing and archiving of completed work orders for future reference.
Time Management and Efficiency:
Reassign work orders if a technician is unable to complete a task due to time constraints or technical difficulties, ensuring no work is left incomplete.
Continuous Improvement:
Continuously evaluate technician workloads, skillset alignment, and work order processes to suggest improvements that increase efficiency and minimize downtime.
Stay informed about new tools, technologies, and service offerings to better allocate work and improve overall service department performance.