D. M. Keith Limited
Aftersales Controller- Changan Wakefield
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D. M. Keith is looking for an ambitious and commercially minded Aftersales Controller to join our Changan Wakefield operation.
This is a great opportunity for someone who has developed strong experience within a dealership Aftersales environment and is now looking for the opportunity to take responsibility for the day-to-day running and development of an entire Aftersales operation.
This isn't a traditional Service Advisor role, and we are not necessarily looking for an experienced Service Manager. Instead, we're looking for someone with the capability, drive and ambition to take ownership of a smaller operation and help us grow it.
About the business
D. M. Keith is a long-established, family-owned automotive group with a strong reputation across the industry.
This role offers something particularly valuable for an ambitious Aftersales professional: the opportunity to take ownership of a complete Aftersales operation and develop your management capability within an established automotive group.
You will have the support of the wider D. M. Keith Aftersales team, while having the autonomy to make a real difference at Wakefield.
As the retail proposition develops and the business grows, there will also be opportunities for the successful candidate to progress their career within the wider D. M. Keith Group.
About the role
Our Wakefield site currently operates with three technicians and has a diverse Aftersales operation comprising:
- Changan franchise Aftersales
- Multi-franchise used vehicle preparation, typically 20–30 vehicles per month
- A growing retail non-franchise workshop proposition, designed to attract local customers with competitive servicing, maintenance and repair offers
As Aftersales Controller, you will play a key role in making the operation efficient, profitable and customer-focused, while helping us develop and grow the retail side of the business.
You will be responsible for coordinating the workshop and ensuring our technicians are effectively utilised, while also managing customer requirements, parts, used vehicle preparation and the day-to-day commercial performance of the department.
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Your key responsibilities will include:
Workshop Control
- Plan and control the daily workshop workload
- Allocate work effectively across the three technicians
- Monitor technician productivity, efficiency and utilisation
- Manage WIP and ensure jobs progress through the workshop efficiently
- Identify opportunities to maximise available workshop capacity
- Maintain high standards of quality and customer service
Customer Aftersales
- Manage customer bookings and vehicle requirements
- Provide professional and knowledgeable advice to customers
- Identify and present additional maintenance and repair opportunities
- Ensure customers receive regular updates throughout the repair process
- Deal confidently with customer concerns and complaints
Retail Customer Growth
- Help develop our new non-franchise retail Aftersales proposition
- Drive workshop bookings from local customers
- Support local marketing and customer retention activity
- Identify opportunities to increase customer-pay labour and parts sales
- Monitor lost opportunities and work to convert them into future business
Used Vehicle Preparation
- Coordinate the preparation of 20–30 used vehicles each month
- Prioritise work according to vehicle requirements and business needs
- Manage parts availability and workshop capacity
- Monitor preparation turnaround times
- Ensure vehicles are completed to the required quality standard
Changan Aftersales
- Manage the day-to-day Aftersales requirements of our Changan customers
- Ensure manufacturer processes and standards are followed
- Support warranty, servicing and maintenance activity
- Maintain strong customer satisfaction and retention
Parts & Commercial Control
- Ensure the correct parts are ordered and available when required
- Monitor parts usage and stock
- Understand labour sales, parts sales and departmental profitability
- Monitor key Aftersales KPIs and take action where required
- Provide regular performance information to the wider Aftersales management team
About you
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We are particularly interested in hearing from experienced:
- Workshop Controllers
- Senior Service Advisors
- Experienced Aftersales Advisors
- Aftersales professionals ready to take their first step into broader operational responsibility
Previous Service Manager experience is not essential.
What is important is that you have the capability and ambition to take ownership of an operation and make it successful.
You will need to be:
- Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities
- Commercially aware and motivated by performance
- Confident managing and coordinating technicians
- Comfortable discussing technical work with customers
- Customer-focused without losing sight of profitability
- Proactive in identifying opportunities to generate additional business
- Confident using Aftersales KPIs and performance information
- A strong communicator
- Able to work independently and make decisions
- Ambitious to develop your career within Aftersales
Most importantly, we are looking for someone who doesn't simply want to administer the workshop.
We want someone who wants to improve it, grow it and make it successful.
What we offer:
- Competitive salary, dependent on experience
- Performance-related bonus opportunity
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Staff vehicle benefits
- Manufacturer and D. M. Keith training and development
- Career progression opportunities
- Support from an experienced wider Aftersales team
- The opportunity to take genuine ownership of an Aftersales operation
- A role where your ideas and contribution can make a visible difference
Ready for your next step?
If you're currently a Senior Service Advisor or Workshop Controller and feel you're ready to take responsibility for more, this could be the opportunity you've been waiting for.
We don't necessarily need someone who has already been a Service Manager.
We are looking for someone who has the capability to become one.
If you have the experience, commercial mindset and ambition to help us build the next stage of our Wakefield Aftersales operation, we'd love to hear from you.
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