What Is Amber Follow Up in a Main Dealer Workshop?

What Is Amber Follow Up in a Main Dealer Workshop?

Amber follow up is one of those terms that gets used a lot, but rarely defined clearly.

Most people in a dealership understand it instinctively. It refers to work that was identified, discussed, and deferred.

What is less clear is what amber follow up actually means in practice, and why it so often breaks down even in well run workshops.

Amber follow up starts with a real conversation

Amber follow up only exists because a conversation has already happened.

During a workshop visit:

• A technician identifies an issue
• An advisor explains it to the customer
• The work is priced
• The customer understands it will be needed soon

At that point, the customer often says something like:

"Not today, but yes, remind me later."

That moment is where amber follow up begins.

It is not about persuading the customer. It is about remembering what was already agreed.

Amber follow up is not a sales activity

This distinction matters.

Amber follow up is not:

• Upselling
• Cold contact
• Marketing outreach
• Chasing customers

It is a continuation of an existing discussion.

The customer already knows:

• What the issue is
• Why it matters
• Roughly when it will need attention

Follow up simply reconnects them with that earlier decision at the right time.

Why amber follow up exists at all

Amber work sits between two clearer categories.

Red work is urgent and handled immediately. Green work is routine and scheduled automatically.

Amber work sits in the middle.

It is:

• Not unsafe today
• Not something to ignore
• Often deferred for sensible reasons

Because it does not fit neatly into existing systems, it relies on follow up to convert.

How amber follow up is usually handled

In many dealerships, amber follow up relies on:

• Notes in the DMS
• Advisor memory
• Manual reminders
• Good intentions

This works to a point.

As volumes increase and pressure builds, consistency drops. Some customers are reminded. Some are not. Timing varies. Outcomes are unclear.

No one intends for this to happen. It is simply the limit of manual processes.

What effective amber follow up actually involves

Good amber follow up has a few clear characteristics.

It is:

• Specific to one advisory
• Timed around when the work is due
• Limited in the number of reminders
• Clear about when it stops

Most importantly, it does not rely on someone remembering weeks or months later.

Why timing matters so much

Following up too early feels unnecessary. Following up too late feels careless.

The right timing is usually agreed during the original visit.

One to two months. Around three months. Before the next MOT.

When follow up happens around that point, customers recognise it as relevant and intentional.

When amber follow up becomes chasing

Amber follow up crosses a line when:

• Messages are repeated indefinitely
• There is no clear endpoint
• Customers cannot easily decline
• Responsibility is unclear

Good follow up respects the customer's choice.

After a reasonable number of reminders, the process should end.

Who should own amber follow up?

This is where many dealerships struggle.

Advisors are best placed to explain work and answer questions. They are not well suited to long term memory tasks.

When amber follow up depends entirely on individuals, outcomes vary.

Clear systems remove that burden and create consistency across teams and sites.

Why amber follow up matters more than it seems

Amber follow up affects more than revenue.

It also impacts:

• Customer trust
• Duty of care
• Audit trails
• Advisor workload
• Workshop planning

When it works well, it is barely noticed. When it fails, the cost is usually hidden.

A final thought

Amber follow up is not a complicated idea.

It is simply the act of remembering what was already discussed and checking back at the right time.

The challenge is not understanding it. The challenge is doing it consistently without adding pressure.

That is why so many dealerships struggle with it, and why systems, not people, usually need to change.

---

Learn more about how [amber advisory follow up](/) can be automated to improve consistency and outcomes.