Belief & Confidence Back A Ballarat Success Story

A career can begin with a childhood interest, a willingness to learn and a conversation with the right person. 

For Jodie Guilfoyle, Service Manager at Ballarat Isuzu, that journey started by simply spending time with her grandfather and grew through to a job in the automotive industry with dealership warranty work, customer service and then a move from passenger vehicles into trucks. 

Today, she helps keep two busy workshops running at one of Isuzu’s highest performing dealerships, supporting the people who keep truck owners and operators on the road.  

Her story offers a glimpse into the opportunities within aftersales side of the heavy commercial vehicle industry, and an honest perspective on building a career as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated sector. 

We caught up with Jodie to chat about taking that next step, finding support and making room for others to grow. 

Q: Where did your interest in automotive begin? 

I’ve been involved in automotive since I was a young child, working with my grandfather on cars and engines. It’s something that’s always been part of my life. 

My husband and I still work on cars at home and if we run into a problem, I really enjoy working through it, getting to the bottom of the issue and finding a solution. 

In 2008, I got into a dealership here in Ballarat. I’d been trying for several years, but I wanted to find the right dealership and manufacturer to work with. 

I was doing a lot of warranty claims, which meant working closely with the technicians and manufacturer to resolve customer concerns. That really grabbed my interest and made me want to develop my skills further. 

Q: What prompted the move from passenger cars into trucks? 

I’d reached a point where there wasn’t much room to grow where I was. I started reaching out to people I knew in the truck industry because I wanted to learn new skills and work with different products. 

I walked into Ballarat Isuzu, handed my résumé to Jonnie Arnel, who was the Service Manager at the time, and explained what I wanted to do. 

I wanted to move back into a Service Advisor role so I could build my knowledge of trucks. I got offered the job on the spot and loved it immediately. 

There are plenty of similarities with passenger vehicles, but there’s also a lot to learn with trucks. Working with larger fleets, waste compactors, street sweepers – all the different equipment really interested me. 

Q: How did that lead to eventually becoming Service Manager? 

I started looking after the Powercor utilities fleet, and I think management saw the potential in me. 

I was pretty quickly promoted to Senior Service Advisor and six months after that, I was offered the Service Manager role. 

One of the things I’ve really enjoyed is having a closer relationship with the workshop. As an Advisor, you tend to work mainly with the Foremen in the workshop. Now I work with the Advisors, Foremen and Technicians, and I get to go out and get my hands dirty a little more, which I enjoy. 

Q: For someone unfamiliar with a truck dealership, what does your day look like? 

We have two workshops here in Ballarat, a light vehicle workshop and a heavy workshop. My role is to help make sure everything is running smoothly across both. 

I support the Advisors with customer jobs and vehicles, speak with the Foremen and catch-up with the technicians every day. 

That might mean talking through a concern or finding out whether they need a particular tool we don’t have. It’s about making sure they have what they need to do the job accurately and to the quality we expect from our workshop. 

Q: Who has helped you along the way? 

Jonnie and our Dealer Principal, Ian Deacon, have been very supportive.  

The whole team has been fantastic through the changes as I moved into management.  

Brydie, our Assistant Service Manager, also looks after warranty and wears a few other hats. She’s been a strong support to me. Colin, one of our service advisors here, has been with us longer than me. He said he would support me the whole way, and that meant a lot. 

Abigail and Caitlyn have come on board more recently on the service side and they’ve hit the ground running. They bring good ideas about how we can improve our procedures. 

We all work together to create a happy work environment and keep our customers satisfied. 

Q: How do you help the team develop? 

We have a monthly toolbox meeting to talk about changes, new people joining and feedback from customers. 

The technicians don’t always hear the positive feedback that comes through the front desk or customer surveys, so it’s good to share that with them. 

We also talk about upcoming training and anything they’d like to participate in. I want to help them build their skills and knowledge in ways that benefit them and the work we can do in the workshop. 

Q: What has your experience been as a woman in this industry? 

I’ve seen the industry go from hardly any female participation to gradually seeing more women wanting to be involved. 

My own experiences have been mixed. Sometimes a customer wants to discuss an issue with their truck, and when I walk out, you can see that they were expecting a man. There can still be that assumption that you won’t know what you’re talking about. 

Women are just as technically knowledgeable about mechanical issues as men and often have innovative ways to resolve them. 

Then there are customers who don’t give it a second thought. I had someone on the phone just recently calling me “mate” and “buddy,” completely comfortable with the conversation. 

That’s the relationship I want to build with all my customers. I want them to feel comfortable with the information I’m giving them and confident that we can help. 

Q: What has the support from Isuzu meant in your role? 

Being able to pick up the phone to Isuzu’s head office makes a real difference. 

Whether it’s the service area manager or the warranty department, I feel comfortable talking through a concern and discussing what we can do for a customer. 

It’s good to see that faith in the product and a willingness to step up when something isn’t right. Having that support behind you helps when you’re working towards a solution. 

Q: What advice would you give young people, particularly young women, considering the industry? 

Believe in yourself and remain confident. 

Don’t let other people’s views deter you from the goals you’ve set. If this is something you want to do, keep working towards it. 

Everyone is entitled to reach for their dreams. 

Q: Finally, what’s next for you? 

There’s always something new to learn in the truck industry and another way to improve how we do things. 

My focus is on building the teams around me.  

I want to help other people develop their skills while continuing to build my own. 

I’d like to do more management development, too. I’m happy being a Service Manager, and there’s still a lot of room for me to grow within this role. 

Ever wondered about a career in the trucking world but thought it wasn’t for you? Check out Michelle's Journey - from manning the reception desk at North East Isuzu in Adelaide to running the whole show.