You earn once selling a car and every year servicing it. Yet many dealers hit the same wall: they can't find anyone who can repair Chinese cars. Service capability must be built in-house — nobody can copy it from you.
1. Who You Actually Need
| Role | Core skills | Headcount |
|---|---|---|
| Service technician | Routine service, wear parts, basic checks | 1-2 to start |
| Diagnostics technician | Fault codes, electrical tracing, scanner operation | Essential if you sell EVs |
| Service advisor | Reception, quoting, customer communication | One can cover it |
2. Where People Come From and How They Learn
- Make supplier training a purchase condition: write "technician training" into your supply agreement — either they send people or host yours.
- Demand full technical documentation: service manuals, wiring diagrams, fault-code tables and torque specs — in a language your team reads.
- Buy the diagnostic tools: without a dedicated scanner, electronic faults are nearly untraceable. Don't skip this spend.
- Set up remote support: a group chat with the supplier's engineers is the cheapest expert backup you will get.
- Institutionalize with procedures: turn common repairs into step cards so new hires follow them, reducing dependence on one star technician.
3. EV Safety Bottom Line
- High-voltage training is mandatory: untrained technicians must not touch the HV system — a technical and a safety obligation.
- Proper tools and PPE: insulated tools, protective equipment and isolation procedures — none is optional.
- Workshop requirements: EV service areas need insulation and fire-safety provisions.
Shunwei Auto tip: Negotiate training places together with parts discounts. A supplier willing to invest in training usually intends to stay in your market long term.
Note: Never rest your service capability on one technician. Standardize the process and train a second person, so losing one hire never stops your service.
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