The Service Write-Up
UVeye captured the condition. Now the RO has to capture the rest — concerns, history, recalls, warranty, authorization. This is where sloppy write-ups become CSI hits at pickup. Get it right at the iPad and the rest of the day flows.
Complete a clean, complete Service Write-Up on the iPad using CDK — confirming the RO, capturing concerns verbatim, checking history and recalls, verifying coverage, and getting proper signatures and authorization before the car goes back to dispatch.
Write-Up Happens on the iPad with CDK
Per the Dyer SOP, every write-up happens on the iPad using CDK. Not at the desk afterward. Not on paper. iPad, in front of the customer, while the conversation is still fresh.
The iPad keeps you facing the customer instead of hunched over a desk. It lets you confirm details live, show them the RO before it prints, and capture details before they walk away. Treat it like a conversation tool, not a clipboard.
The Write-Up Sequence
1. Confirm or open the RO
If the customer has an appointment, roll it into an RO. If they're a walk-in, open a fresh one. Verify the customer's record matches the vehicle on the drive.
2. Verify contact information
Confirm cell number and email on file. Ask how they prefer to be contacted — phone, text, both. This drives every communication step that follows.
3. Pull VIS and check recalls
Pull the manufacturer's website. Print the VIS (Vehicle Information Sheet). Check for:
- Open recalls
- Active factory warranty coverage
- Any TSBs relevant to the customer's concern
If you find a recall or warranty item, raise it before you finish the write-up — the customer should know.
4. Capture the customer's concerns — verbatim and detailed
"Noise while driving" is not sufficient. The tech can't chase that. Push for detail:
- When does it happen? Always, sometimes, only when cold?
- Where does it come from? Front, rear, driver, passenger side?
- What does it sound/feel like? Squeak, thump, grind, vibration?
- How long has it been happening?
Capture the customer's wording in their own language. The tech can translate it later.
5. Review history and previously declined work
Look at the last 12–24 months:
- What was declined last visit? Those are your warm leads.
- What's due now by mileage or interval?
- Any previous complaints on the same concern? Could be a repeat.
- Has the work the customer is asking for already been performed? Don't sell it twice.
6. Aftermarket coverage
Ask if the customer has any aftermarket warranty, extended service contract, or maintenance coverage that could apply to today's work. Get the contact number for the coverage company. Verify coverage before repair starts — especially for maintenance items.
7. Review each line with the customer
Don't just hand them the iPad to sign. Walk through each line on the RO out loud:
- The work they're authorizing
- The price (if known) or that it's pending the MPI
- Anything they've declined
8. Set MPI expectations
Tell the customer they will receive a Multi-Point Inspection (MPI) video once the technician completes it, followed by a phone call from you. This is the SOP standard — set the expectation up front so the customer isn't surprised by the video showing up in their inbox.
9. Print the RO
Once the customer has signed the iPad authorization, print the RO. Any add-on lines after the RO has been printed must be signed off by the Service Manager and the customer.
10. Authorization dollar amount
Enter the dollar amount authorized by the customer in the designated box on the tech copy.
11. Record estimated completion time
On the RO, for both waiters and drop-offs. Communicate this clearly to the customer along with how and when you'll provide updates.
12. Get signatures
Obtain customer signatures for both approval sections in front of the tech copy.
13. Turn the RO into dispatch
Hand off to dispatch for tech assignment.
What "Specific" Looks Like — Customer Concerns
The biggest write-up failure is vague concerns. Push for detail. Compare:
| Weak (don't do this) | Strong (Dyer standard) |
|---|---|
| "Noise while driving" | "Customer states: thumping noise from front when braking, intermittent, worse when cold, started about 2 weeks ago" |
| "Check engine light" | "CEL on at arrival, no flashing, customer states it's been on ~2 weeks, no drivability change noticed" |
| "AC not working" | "Customer states: AC blows warm on driver side only, passenger side fine, started last weekend, no unusual smell" |
| "Pulls" | "Customer states: pulls slightly to the right on smooth highway above 50 mph, even with hands off, hasn't checked tire pressure" |
The 3Cs — How Concerns Become Repairs
Every concern the customer brings up eventually needs to be documented in the 3Cs format on the RO. You start that documentation here:
- Complaint: The customer's stated concern, in their words.
- Cause: What the tech diagnosed. (Filled in by tech after diagnosis.)
- Correction: What was done to fix it. (Filled in after repair.)
Your job at write-up is to nail the Complaint. Tech fills in Cause and Correction. All three must be complete and accurate at pre-delivery verification, or the RO doesn't close.
SDL Notes — The Communication Trail
Per the Dyer SOP, complete the Notes section in SDL every time the customer is contacted, when the vehicle status changes, and if the vehicle is staying overnight. Start that habit at write-up:
- Note the write-up was completed and customer left / is waiting
- Note expected completion time given to the customer
- Note any verbal commitments (e.g., "promised callback by 11 a.m.")
Declined Work — Document with Declined Repair Op
If the customer declines any recommended work at write-up, document it with a Declined Repair Op on the RO. Don't just leave it off — declined work is its own line item that protects you and the dealership later.
Write-Up Checklist
Common Mistakes
- "Noise while driving" — no detail. Tech can't chase that.
- Skipping the recall check because "it wasn't part of the appointment."
- Adding a line after the RO is printed without the manager and customer signoff.
- Forgetting to ask about aftermarket coverage — the customer pays out of pocket for something covered.
- Declining work that isn't documented as Declined Repair Op — leaves the dealership exposed.
- Setting a vague timeline ("we'll call you when it's done") instead of an estimated completion time.
Manager Coaching Tip
Pull five random ROs from yesterday. Look for: (1) detailed customer concerns vs vague ones, (2) recall check confirmed, (3) aftermarket coverage asked about, (4) Declined Repair Op used for any declines, (5) estimated completion time recorded, (6) SDL notes at write-up. If three out of five are missing pieces, the team needs a refresher, not a write-up. The format only sticks when it's reinforced weekly.