Amber Advisories vs Service Reminders: Why Dealers Often Treat Them the Same and Why That Causes Problems

In many dealerships, amber advisories and service reminders end up sitting in the same mental bucket. They both involve contacting customers later. They both relate to future work. They both happen after the visit. So they often get handled in similar ways. But they are not the same thing. And treating them as if they are creates confusion, missed work, and unnecessary friction.

What a service reminder actually is

Service reminders are broad and predictable.

They are based on:

• Time intervals
• Mileage thresholds
• Fixed schedules like MOT or servicing

They are usually:

• Generic
• Sent to large groups of customers
• Triggered automatically by dates

They work well for routine maintenance because the context is simple. The customer already expects the contact.

What an amber advisory actually is

Amber advisories are very different.

They are:

• Specific to one vehicle
• Based on a real inspection
• Identified during a workshop visit
• Discussed directly with the customer
• Often related to wear or safety

An amber advisory exists because something was seen, assessed, and explained. The customer does not need educating. They have already been told. What they need is a reminder at the right time.

Where the confusion starts

Problems arise when amber advisories are treated like service reminders.

For example:

• Bundled into generic reminder campaigns
• Triggered too early or too late
• Mixed with unrelated messages
• Sent repeatedly with no clear stopping point

From the customer’s point of view, the message loses relevance. From the dealership’s point of view, conversion drops and tracking becomes unclear.

Timing matters more with amber work

With service reminders, timing is flexible. With amber advisories, timing is everything. Contacting a customer too early feels unnecessary. Contacting them too late feels careless. Amber work needs to be followed up when it becomes due, not when a system calendar happens to fire. That timing is usually set during the original conversation.

Specificity changes how customers respond

Service reminders can be vague and still work. Amber advisories cannot.

A message that says:

“We noticed your vehicle may need attention soon” is very different to: “We previously discussed your front brakes and said we would check back in around now”

Specificity reassures customers that:

• The dealership remembers their vehicle
• The follow up is intentional
• The contact is relevant

This builds trust rather than irritation.

Why unlimited reminders cause harm

Another common mistake is continuing to chase amber work indefinitely. With service reminders, repeated nudges are often accepted.

With amber advisories, repeated contact without response can:

• Create pressure
• Damage trust
• Blur responsibility
• Annoy customers who have chosen not to proceed

Good amber follow up has an endpoint. After a reasonable number of reminders, the responsibility should be clearly discharged.

Advisors should not have to manage both

When advisors are asked to handle:

• Live customers
• Service reminders
• Deferred advisory follow up
• Manual chasing

Something gives. Service reminders scale because they are generic. Amber advisories do not. Expecting advisors to manage both manually often leads to one being deprioritised. Usually, it is the amber work.

Treating amber work separately improves clarity

When amber advisories are handled as their own category:

• Follow up becomes clearer
• Timing improves
• Messaging becomes more relevant
• Advisors are removed from chasing
• Outcomes are easier to track

Each advisory is either:

• Booked
• Declined
• Or closed after reasonable contact

Nothing lingers.

Customers notice the difference

Customers are more understanding than many dealerships expect.

They can tell when:

• A message is generic
• A system is guessing
• Follow up feels random

They also notice when:

• A dealership remembers a previous conversation
• Contact happens when expected
• Messages stop when they do not engage

That difference affects trust and long term perception.

Why this distinction matters operationally

When amber advisories are treated like service reminders:

• Conversion suffers
• Follow up becomes inconsistent
• Duty of care is harder to evidence
• Advisors feel more pressure

When they are treated separately:

• Systems can do the remembering
• Advisors can focus on real conversations
• Customers get appropriate contact
• Value is recovered more reliably

A final thought

Service reminders are about schedules. Amber advisories are about conversations that have already happened. When those two things are treated the same, something important gets lost. Separating them is not about adding complexity. It is about respecting the difference between routine maintenance and known, discussed work. And that difference matters more than most dealerships realise.