Course description

Day 1 is classroom based, Day 2 is in the workshop - So safety equipment is needed for the 2nd day (Safety Boots and High Vis)

Technical for Non-Technical

Delivered by T10 Automotive

Course Overview

This two-day programme is designed to bridge the gap between technical workshop operations and customer-facing roles. It equips non-technical teams with the confidence, understanding and communication skills required to support technicians, improve customer experience, and drive commercial performance.

Rather than turning non-technical staff into technicians, this course focuses on clarity, communication, and commercial awareness. It enables delegates to understand what is happening in the workshop, translate it effectively to customers and contribute meaningfully to diagnostics, efficiency, and revenue.

Who This Is For

This course is ideal for:

• Service advisors
• Front-of-house teams
• Customer service representatives
• Parts advisors
• Workshop controllers (non-technical background)
• Managers overseeing technical teams

Course Objectives

By the end of the programme, delegates will be able to:

• Understand the relationship between their role and the technician’s role
• Explain maintenance, repair and diagnostic work in simple, customer-friendly language
• Support the diagnostic process through better questioning and information gathering
• Communicate technical concepts clearly without jargon
• Identify opportunities to improve customer experience and increase sales
• Contribute to workshop efficiency and right-first-time outcomes

Course Structure

Day 1: Understanding the Workshop and the Vehicle

1. Service Design – Backstage Perspective

• How a modern workshop operates
• Front-of-house vs back-of-house responsibilities
• The technician’s world: repair, maintenance and diagnostics
• Common misconceptions about diagnostics

Outcome: Delegates understand how their role directly impacts workshop success.

2. Maintenance and Repair Fundamentals

• How a car works simplified
• Key vehicle systems:
• Engine
• Transmission
• Brakes
• Suspension
• Tyres
• Electrical systems
• Understanding ADAS and modern vehicle technology
• The importance of routine maintenance

Outcome: Delegates gain enough technical awareness to speak confidently with customers.

3. Identifying Customer Value

• Why maintenance matters commercially
• Preventative vs reactive work
• Safety, reliability and cost-efficiency messaging
• Communicating value, not just price

Outcome: Improved ability to explain and sell necessary work.

Day 2: Communication, Diagnostics and Commercial Impact

4. Assisting the Diagnostic Process

• The real diagnostic process:
• Confirm
• Gather
• Analyse
• Identify
• Locate
• Evaluate
• Why computers don’t “tell you what’s wrong”
• The importance of accurate customer information

Practical Activities:

• Diagnostic check sheet creation
• Customer case studies
• Call handling simulations

Outcome: Delegates become an active part of the diagnostic process, not a barrier to it.

5. Jargon Busting and Communication Skills

• Translating technical language into plain English
• Avoiding confusion and building trust
• Explaining complex work simply

Outcome: Clear, confident and customer-friendly communication.

6. Using Customer Information to Drive Sales

• Capturing and using customer data effectively
• Identifying upsell opportunities:
• Seasonal checks
• Air conditioning servicing
• Oil upgrades
• Maintenance packages
• Personalising recommendations
• Building long-term customer relationships

Outcome: Increased revenue through better conversations, not pressure selling.

7. Workshop Experience (Practical Session)

• Live vehicle health check
• Common customer concerns
• Basic diagnostics insight
• Exposure to real workshop scenarios:
• DPF issues
• AdBlue faults
• ADAS systems

Outcome: Real-world understanding that reinforces classroom learning.

Key Learning Outcomes

Delegates leave with:

• Confidence in technical conversations
• Ability to support technicians effectively
• Improved questioning and listening skills
• Clear communication techniques
• Greater commercial awareness
• Practical tools they can use immediately

Business Impact

This course delivers measurable value by:

• Improving workshop efficiency
• Reducing misdiagnosis and rework
• Increasing average invoice value
• Enhancing customer trust and retention
• Supporting right-first-time performance
• Aligning front-of-house and technical teams

Delivery Approach

At T10 Automotive, we don’t do “death by PowerPoint”.

This programme follows our PACE methodology:

• Present – Clear, relevant input
• Activity – Practical application
• Consolidate – Group discussion and reflection
• Evaluate – Real-world application

It is highly interactive, practical and grounded in real workshop scenarios.

Course goals and objectives

Course certificate description

Skill relevance

• 04. Garage Management
• 04. Bodyshop - Garage Management

Other information