The average service writer makes much LESS money than a real technician SO becoming one isn't a step up for a tech in the auto bus unless he's retiring from his tech life (does happen sometimes). All the service writer is suppose to do is translate what the customer needs to have done and then be able to contact the customer when need be. He doesn't need to be a tech. The service writer needs to be polite, a good listener and be able to relate to customers well like a friend (ideally) whereas not all techs have THOSE skills. A service writers job is also time consuming and his pay is not based on flat rate as the techs is. The tech is only being paid when he's working on a car, not talking, not test driving, etc and that's why the whole thing gets more complicated than what most customers are aware of.