Job type

Spare parts adviser

£16k - £25k

Typical salary

37 – 45

Hours per week

Spare parts advisers (or motor vehicles parts persons) supply individuals, dealerships and garages with spare parts.

More info

  • Sell and supply parts for vehicles to consumers and to the motor trade
  • You'll need good knowledge of how vehicles work, along with sales and customer service skills
  • Progress into management or set up your own parts supply business

As a spare parts adviser, you'll manage the supplying of motor vehicle parts to clients, dealerships or garages.

DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES

  • Advising customers on what parts they might need for their vehicle
  • Taking orders in person, over the phone or by email
  • Checking availability of parts on computerised stock records
  • Getting parts from the storeroom or warehouse or ordering them from suppliers
  • Putting orders together
  • Sending orders by courier or making deliveries yourself
  • Dealing with payments
  • Raising invoices and issuing receipts
  • Maintaining shop window and shelf displays
  • Ordering supplies
  • Putting stock away
  • Updating records

DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT

You could work in a warehouse or at a car manufacturing plant.

You'll need

For this role, you'll need thoroughness and attention to detail, customer service skills, the ability to work well with others, good initiative, sensitivity and understanding, excellent verbal communication skills, the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure, and active listening skills.

You could take a college course such as vehicle systems maintenance, vehicle fitting principles, or vehicle technology.

Direct application is possible if you've got experience in vehicle servicing, retail or stock control. You'll also need good technical knowledge of how vehicles work, car spares and motoring accessories.

You could get into this job through an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in vehicle parts.

You'll need a full UK driving licence to make deliveries to customers.

CAREER PROSPECTS

With experience, you could progress to a supervisor or service adviser job, or move into service and repair. You may be able to move into self-employment as a parts supplier.