Name: Christopher Jackson

Occupation: Quick lube manager at NeSmith Chevrolet in Hinesville

How did you get started in the auto industry: “Sixteen years ago I started working on my own vehicles because I got tired of paying someone else to do it for me,” Jackson said. “I learned how to work on cars and then I moved to the service writing industry end of it later on.”
Jackson is a native of Savannah who moved to Midway with his wife and four children five and a half years ago. He’s been employed with NeSmith for nearly four years.

Jackson said he studied Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) courses and completed the required two-year, hands-on training in order to become a certified mechanic and service technician writer. In order to stay on top of new industry standards and the constant upgrading of vehicles he continues to take courses to maintain his certification.
“GM has 1,100 online training courses for technicians and service advisors,” he said. “We are continuously updating our studies because the vehicles are constantly updating.”

Do you have family interested in the business? Jackson said he hopes his eldest teenage son will follow in his footsteps. He said he and his son are currently rebuilding a 1963 GMC pickup from top to bottom.
“It’s already a two-year project and it will probably be another two or three years before we finish it,” he said.
His dream car is a Chevy Super Sport Roadster.

What’s the most rewarding and least rewarding part of your job? “Just taking care of the customers,” Jackson said. “The least rewarding is when a customer is upset. And then there again trying to go back and take care of the customer so they are not upset.”

What advice do you have for someone interested in the auto industry? “Study hard, start young and be very adamant about your customer service because it’s all about customer service,” he said.
Jackson said the salary for technicians ranges from $25, 000-$60,000 a year, depending on experience, knowledge and ability to have a quick turnaround ratio.