Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill The Path to CSR (Client Service Rep) with Skyler Mayne and Leigh Anne Best: Part 1 [E111] - Speak Up! Effective Communication

Episode 111

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Published on:

7th Sep 2026

The Path to CSR (Client Service Rep) with Skyler Mayne and Leigh Anne Best: Part 1 [E111]

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor Training

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I sit down with Leigh Anne Best (owner) and Skyler Mayne, a CSR at Mighty Auto Pro in Medina, Ohio. Skyler's story of entering into this industry began nowhere near a service bay. She came from serving tables, at a restaurant Leigh Anne and Bill frequented. That outsider path turned out to be exactly what made her exceptional at the front desk.

We get into what a CSR actually is, and what it isn't. It's not a Service Advisor, and it's not just someone who answers the phone. We talk about the natural communication instincts she walked in with, and the months of patient, deliberate training it took to turn that instinct into a repeatable skill her shop could count on.

Today's Word of the Day is CSR, and we will spend much of this episode and next defining exactly what this acronym is, and what that role in the shop does.

The best definition is delivered by Skyler herself: A CSR is hired to make everyone else's job easier.

A few things we get into:

  • How a server becomes the best CSR in the industry
  • What a CSR does, and just as important, what a CSR doesn't do
  • The ramp up, and why patience in training matters more than talent
  • Why this seat sets up everyone else in the shop to succeed

I know you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did, and I hope you’ll be getting ready to hear more from Leigh Anne and Skyler on the topic.

Sincerely,

Craig O'Neill

Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit into a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/

Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. https://shopdogmarketing.com/

Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/

Want a more profitable shop? Start with your service advisor. They are the face of your business, the voice on the phone, and the key to every approved repair. Download 'Words That Work - The Service Advisor's Complete Phone Scripts Playbook at https://serviceadvisortraining.com/

Contact Information

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/

Automotive Field Theory with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Coach Chris Cotton: https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

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About the Podcast

Speak Up! Effective Communication
With Craig O'Neill
A perfect compliment for an individual and for small businesses is to be a better communicator. Craig O'Neill exemplifies influence and leadership in helping people find their fullest potential as communicators. “Speak Up!” is a podcast that clearly focuses on learning to communicate more effectively so that we can influence positive change in all our interactions.