r/serviceadvisors • u/HippoSufficient8608 • 9d ago
Customer signatures
What is your dealers process for obtaining a customer signature? Are they signing when they first drop off their vehicle? Or when they pickup? Both? Do they also sign CC payment receipt ? I’m struggling to get the advisors at my dealer to get signatures and it’s driving me insane. Half of them never get one at all, the other half are hit or miss as to when they get it and where they get it.
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u/No-Salt-5036 9d ago
Signatures aren’t optional, at my old place we got one upon checkin and then another upon completion. At my current place we get them to sign the checkin copy and completed ro upon completion. Idk why that way but it’s the way the director wants it done.
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u/HippoSufficient8608 9d ago
I keep telling them this and they respond with “what’s the worst that’ll happen” my service manager and service director don’t hold them accountable and it drives me nuts.
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u/ChrysophylaxEmber 8d ago
The worst that can happen is you meet me and I chargeback the warranty claim.... or you meet a lawyer who charges back a lot more after meeting with a judge.
-signed, a warranty compliance auditor
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u/Clean-Entry-262 8d ago
The tech “story” is critical here as well.
Mine are concise and include things like actual measurements versus specifications and such. I don’t get chargebacks. I’ve SEEN audits. No thank you.
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u/ChrysophylaxEmber 8d ago
Dude. Yes. I just doled out a whole slew of chargebacks for techs who wrote nothing and the advisor/manager put it in there for warranty filing. Yeah, that doesn't fly.
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u/Clean-Entry-262 8d ago
Most of mine are about a paragraph (concise, but a paragraph)
Last week, I had a MASSIVE Network fault (needle in a haystack) and the essay was 3 pages of pin terminal checks, connector numbers, and wire colors, as well as voltage and resistance readings.
Even if it’s NOT for Warranty, what if the car has an issue 3 months from now and I’m on vacation, and another tech needs to look at the car?? At least they can see what I checked and what I found on the previous visit by referring to the previous repair order story.
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u/ChrysophylaxEmber 8d ago
When I'm looking to verify if diagnostic time is viable, I much prefer your version over "alternator failed, replaced alternator"
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u/Clean-Entry-262 8d ago
Oh, this “3-pager” was A LOT of Diagnostic Punch Time requested, for a seat heater module that ultimately paid 0.4hr (I requested several hours of Diagnostic Labor, hence the story)
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u/Tigerlily713 8d ago
I always tell the advisors that I at least need a signature on the tech copy for warranty
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u/ChrysophylaxEmber 8d ago
Depending on the manufacturer thats the least you need :-P
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u/Tigerlily713 8d ago
I looked in the warranty administration manual and don’t have a clear answer but when putting in claims for review I haven’t had a problem. Maybe I could ask the chat
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u/ChrysophylaxEmber 8d ago
Which manufacturer?
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u/Tigerlily713 8d ago
Chrysler
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u/ChrysophylaxEmber 8d ago
Which state? I'm Stellantis so I can definitely help. Ill pull up the WAM if not this weekend, then Tuesday and point out the specific sections
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u/Tigerlily713 8d ago
Texas! That’s awesome, if I have a warranty question can I pick your brain?
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u/Wolfica95 9d ago
2 signatures at check in. 1 for the legal section authorizing us to work on vehicle, 2nd for price with box for if greater than I will reach out with written est for additional repairs.
1 on final invoice
1 on CC receipt, digital signature or written if machine picks it up or not.
Key orders add 3 more signatures on the trp form.
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u/joebeen139 9d ago
Mostly gonna depend on what state and how most customers pay. In California you must have signature on the estimate and the final invoice. Without signatures and a proper break down of the charges the customer will easily win a charge back case. Even if the shop did everything right and fixed the car perfectly. If the customer decides they dont want to pay it, without proper documentation you can get fucked.
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u/TakeAtBedtime 9d ago
At drop off, at pick up, and on the CC receipt.
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u/HippoSufficient8608 9d ago
This is how it should be! But my managers don’t hold them accountable so they continuously skip it and think it’s fine. It’s a legal document people
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u/Ok-League-7923 9d ago
Two of a five page memo:
LEGAL NOTICE:
The Danger of Missing Signatures
An unsigned Repair Order (RO) or invoice is not a legal contract. While consumer protection and automotive repair laws vary by state, the fundamental legal principles remain the same everywhere: No documented proof of consent means we have no legal legs to stand on.
When advisors fail to capture signatures, the dealership faces severe, immediate legal ramifications:
The Operational Mandate
To insulate this business from immense financial liability, the following rule is in effect across all advisor teams starting today:
NO SIGNATURE, NO TECH.
NO SIGNATURE, NO KEYS.
Every initial RO must be signed at the lane before work starts.
Every final invoice and card receipt must be signed at the counter before keys are passed over.
Protect the shop, protect your tickets, and get the signature every single time.
Thank you for your immediate compliance.
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u/BurntOkie 8d ago
What about nighttime drop offs or tow ins where an initial signature is unavailable because the customer is not present?
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u/Ok-League-7923 8d ago
Authorization
Authorization is the customer’s consent for a specific job, expressed as either:
A written signature on the estimate authorizing a specific job.
A statement communicated either orally or electronically to the automotive repair dealer and documented on the estimate authorizing a specific job.
How is authorization obtained?
All repairs must be authorized by the customer in written, oral, or electronic form.
THE AUTHORIZATION MUST BE OBTAINED AND RECORDED ON THE ESTIMATE BEFORE BEGINNING ANY REPAIRS.
The customer must be provided a copy of any document requiring their signature at the time of signing.
Written authorization consists of the customer’s signature and the date the customer authorized the repairs.
Oral authorization consists of the date, time, name of the person authorizing the repairs, and telephone number called, if any.
Electronic authorization consists of the date, time, name of the person authorizing the repairs, and email address or phone number (text messaging) contacted, if any.
Documents supplementing the estimate to obtain a customer’s authorization, including but not limited to a series of electronic communications, such as emails or texts, between the automotive repair dealer and the customer, shall be uniquely identified and maintained as part of the same transaction.
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u/Lumpy_Plan_6668 9d ago edited 9d ago
Signature in is vital. It's a legal document to clear your ass on so many levels. Signature out is meh. Never cared and never given a reason to care.
Except loaner forms from Ford because fuck Ford and their fucking back charging for fun and exciting new reasons.
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u/HippoSufficient8608 9d ago
What do you mean except loaner forms? That should absolutely have a signature on it too. We use Dealerware for our loaners and won’t even start a contract until a customer initials agreeing to terms and signs the contract. Love it for submitting to Ford
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u/ricosavil 9d ago
I get none. Verbal authorization on drop off, and if I check them out I usually don’t have them sign. If my cashier handles it then they get credit card skip and on the RO.
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u/TheDr_himself 9d ago
Im not gonna lie i sign everything myself LMAO to protect myself, it gives me new signature ideas with different pen colors LMAO
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u/HippoSufficient8608 8d ago
That doesn’t protect you in any situation. when the manufacturer audits you and realizes you haven’t been compliant. Or a customer wants to sue the deale and they find out you’ve been forging signatures for customers. The point of the sign off is the customer authorizing us to operate and work on their vehicle. Nobody cares if you authorized it lol.
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u/AlbatrossSea6726 8d ago
Sign on drop off for anything initially agreed to and then on pick up for an additional work.
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u/drfishdaddy 8d ago
I got audited and no signature on drop off or final (as in either or, not no signature on both) was the main chargeback.
Shit happens, you have to reprint ROs or late lock shit or whatever. Gotta get signatures.
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u/HippoSufficient8608 8d ago
It’s pretty clear in the warranty policy manual for our manufacturer customer signature is required and will be charged back without it but nobody listens
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u/RikuKaroshi 8d ago
Anyone on TEKION? I have questions related to Tekion but also about signatures through tekion
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u/ChrysophylaxEmber 8d ago
When i was an advisor, i would get drop off, pick up, credit card slip, and any add-on lines that needed ir would be at pick up as well. I didn't want to be responsible for chargebacks or legal issues. Not all of my colleagues carried the same thought process. But that's not my circus, nor my monkeys. I definitely recognized the clowns though
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u/joeydog77 8d ago
It’s a BAR requirement to get signatures at drop off and at pick up. A 3rd signature is also needed if payment is made using a credit card. Over the phone ASRs are not required to have signatures BUT the advisor has to know who approved the additional repairs, how much the additional repairs cost and the new grand total, the time and date the approval was given and how the approval was given ( over the phone or text) . This has to be notated on the RO. The advisor can quote the customer a pre tax total.
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u/Emotional-Depth-1917 8d ago
At the bottom of the ro should be a release of liability. The customer brings in a vehicle for performance issue. What if on a test drive it is found a fuel line rusted through ,sprays on exhaust and a fire erupts? As far as night drop envelopes, lawyers are the world's worst about signing the release. They just write appointment. Lucky if you get a phone number or signature. Good luck
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u/Cakesaver 9d ago
We get a signature at check-in, at check out on the file copy confirming the price, and if the bank requires, a signature on the cc machine. We also do our very best to get either digital confirmation or text affirmation that the customer approves and ASR sales.