Job Description
Sherwood Tractor is looking for an experienced, organized Service Writer to coordinate the daily workflow of our tractor and equipment service department.
Although the official title is Service Writer, this is a service leadership position, not simply a front-counter or data-entry role. You will provide day-to-day direction to four technicians, assign work, monitor shop performance, communicate with customers, and help keep approximately 30–40 open repair orders moving toward completion.
The right candidate understands mechanical equipment, communicates confidently with both customers and technicians, and can remain organized while handling interruptions and changing priorities.
Primary Responsibilities
- Greet service customers and create complete, accurate repair orders.
- Check equipment in and out, including inspecting, photographing, and clearly documenting reported problems and equipment condition.
- Provide day-to-day direction to four service technicians.
- Assign repair orders based on technician capabilities, job priorities, parts availability, and promised completion dates.
- Monitor technician efficiency, billed hours, job progress, and workload.
- Maintain an organized schedule for approximately 30–40 open repair orders.
- Communicate regularly with customers about repair status, estimates, delays, recommendations, and completion dates.
- Obtain customer authorization before completing additional recommended repairs.
- Serve as the first point of contact for complaints, overdue repairs, and difficult customer conversations, with management available for escalation.
- Keep detailed notes in our dealership-management software describing customer conversations, technician findings, work performed, and customer approvals.
- Review and edit repair-order notes so warranty claims are properly documented and ready for our warranty specialist.
- Coordinate parts needs, parts pickup, equipment movement, and other support with the warranty specialist, shop helper, and drivers.
- Follow established pricing policies for equipment pickup and delivery.
- Collect payments and complete the equipment checkout process.
- Answer incoming service calls and make proactive outbound calls to reduce interruptions and keep customers informed.
- Safely move, load, unload, and operate tractors and similar equipment.
- Assist with general service-department operations as needed.
What a Typical Day Looks Like
This is a busy, interruption-driven position that requires consistent follow-through. A typical day may include:
- Managing 30–40 open repair orders at different stages of completion.
- Handling approximately 10–20 service-related calls.
- Checking in one to five pieces of equipment.
- Spending approximately one hour planning and adjusting technician schedules.
- Spending 1.5–2.5 hours providing customer updates and obtaining approvals.
- Moving between the service office, shop, equipment yard, and customer-facing areas.
- Responding to changing priorities, parts delays, technician questions, and customer concerns.
Proactive communication is a major part of succeeding in this position. Customers should not have to repeatedly call the dealership to learn what is happening with their equipment.
How Success Is Measured
Performance in this position will be evaluated primarily through:
- Technician efficiency and productive billed hours.
- Accurate and complete repair-order documentation.
- Consistent customer communication.
- Customer satisfaction and complaint prevention.
- Effective scheduling and prioritization of shop work.
- Progress and turnaround time on open repair orders.
- Ability to keep commitments, follow up, and prevent work from being overlooked.
This position directs technicians’ daily work and measures shop performance but does not handle employee discipline, payroll approval, or formal performance evaluations.
Required Qualifications
- Previous service-writing, service-advising, or closely related dealership experience.
- Working mechanical knowledge of tractors, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, powersports equipment, automobiles, trucks, or similar machinery.
- Ability to understand mechanical terminology and communicate effectively between customers and technicians.
- Strong customer-service and conflict-resolution skills.
- Strong organization, follow-up, and multitasking abilities.
- Ability to remain professional when dealing with upset customers, delayed repairs, or changing priorities.
- Ability to type at least 30 words per minute and enter detailed notes accurately.
- Ability to learn and follow manufacturer warranty documentation requirements.
- Valid driver’s license.
- Ability to safely operate tractors and similar equipment.
- Reliable attendance and ability to work the established schedule.
This position does not require the Service Writer to independently diagnose every mechanical problem. However, the person must understand equipment well enough to accurately document customer concerns, communicate with technicians, explain findings to customers, and occasionally assist technicians with troubleshooting.
Preferred Experience
The ideal candidate will have at least two years of experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Service writing or service advising.
- Coordinating or directing technicians.
- Tractor, agricultural-equipment, heavy-equipment, powersports, truck, or automotive service.
- Mechanical repair or equipment maintenance.
- Dealership customer service.
Candidates with strong transferable experience may be considered even if they do not meet every preferred qualification.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods.
- Ability to work in an office, shop, and outdoor equipment-yard environment.
- Ability to safely operate tractors and similar equipment.
- Ability to inspect, photograph, move, load, and unload equipment.
- Ability to occasionally lift 25–50 pounds.
Schedule and Compensation
Job type: Full-time
Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Expected hours: Approximately 44–46 hours per week
Pay: $18.00–$20.00 per hour
Compensation above the listed range may be considered for an exceptional candidate with extensive mechanical knowledge, strong service-management experience, excellent organizational skills, and a demonstrated record of customer communication and shop leadership.
Benefits
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Additional Information
Employment is in person at Sherwood Tractor in Rose Bud, Arkansas. Candidates may be subject to a background check.
Applicants should submit a résumé describing their service-writing, mechanical, dealership, customer-service, and technician-coordination experience.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $18.00 - $20.00 per hour
Expected hours: 44.0 – 46.0 per week
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Tractor Maintenance: 2 years (Required)
- Managing technicians: 2 years (Required)
- Service writing: 2 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
