Manufacturer certification decides who can sell and service
Manufacturers run product training for sales consultants around each launch, and technical training for technicians in levels. Dealer audits often count how many certified staff the dealership has. Record each manufacturer course as an external program with hours and validity, and mark completion when the certificate arrives, so the certificate number and expiry date sit in one place for the whole dealership instead of in a folder at each outlet.
EV and high-voltage safety
Electric vehicles change the workshop. Technicians need high-voltage safety training before touching the battery or drive system, and the workshop needs insulated tools, marked bays and a clear rule on who may work on EVs. Make EV safety a mandatory program with a validity period for every technician who will work on electric vehicles, and keep the list of certified EV technicians visible to the floor supervisor who assigns jobs.
Workshop safety that is refreshed, not assumed
Lift operation, jack stands, paint booth ventilation, battery handling, fire extinguishers and first aid are taught on the first day and forgotten by the next year. Run a short refresher every year for workshop, body shop and washing bay staff, with a 12-month validity, and hold a fire drill alongside it. Expired certificates in the compliance view become the invitation list for the next session.
- Lift and jack safety
- Paint booth and chemical handling
- Battery handling and EV isolation
- Fire extinguishers and evacuation
- First aid and emergency response
Selling skills and customer handling
Beyond certification, consultants need to handle a price negotiation without discount panic, and advisors need to explain an estimate without jargon. Short classroom sessions in the lean months, followed by role-plays in the morning huddle, work better than one long course. Track them as programs with hours, so the training record shows more than the mandatory minimum and new joiners can see what is expected.
How to set it up in ZeniaHR
- Create manufacturer product and technical courses as external programs in Learning, with hours and validity in months.
- Add EV high-voltage safety as a mandatory program for every technician who will work on electric vehicles.
- Create an annual workshop safety program with a 12-month validity, and enrol workshop, body shop and washing bay staff.
- Enrol sales consultants in product programs as soon as a launch date is announced, and mark completions when certificates arrive.
- Check the compliance view per program before each manufacturer audit, and re-enrol anyone shown as expired.
Read more about learning and training in ZeniaHR.
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Why do dealership staff need manufacturer certification?
Manufacturers train and certify sales consultants on products and technicians on technical skills, and dealer audits often check how many certified staff the dealership has. Certification also decides who may work on certain systems, such as electric vehicle batteries, so tracking it with expiry dates matters.
What training do EV technicians need?
High-voltage safety training before working on the battery or drive system, plus the manufacturer's technical training for the specific EV models. Refresh it when the validity lapses, and keep a list of certified EV technicians so that only they are assigned EV jobs.
How often should workshop safety training be repeated?
Once a year is a sensible minimum; set the program's validity to 12 months and expiry will show up without anyone tracking dates by hand. Run a fire drill at the same time, and repeat training sooner after any accident or when new equipment such as a paint booth is installed.