Russ Evans, manager of Nordstrom’s Automotive Inc. in Garretson, S.D. and co-host of the syndicated radio show Under the Hood, says he can’t imagine how he ever lived without BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s digital vehicle inspection tools.
“I’d come in in the morning, and there would be 5-10 cars to check in,” Evans says. “I would have to get the keys out of the drop box, bring the keys in, go out and collect all of the information, take check-in pictures, and go back to my computer and type in the VIN numbers. Per car, I was spending 7-8 minutes with our old digital inspection process. Now, I can do a full check-in with photos that are ready to be handed off to the tech in under two minutes.”
What sets BOLT ON apart from other digital inspection platforms on the market? Frank Dragoni, National Director of Sales and Corporate Partnerships for BOLT ON, says that it eliminates the manual entry process. Currently, BOLT ON is compatible with the top five management systems in the industry. If a shop has a compatible management system, the technician can go out to the car, input all of the data into his or her mobile device and it will automatically update the shop’s management system.
The Mobile Advantage
Dragoni says that BOLT ON’s mobile platform gives shop staff the ability to get out from behind the counter and create a more personal relationship with customers. With BOLT ON, technicians can walk out to the parking lot with the customer and visually take them through the entire process.
BOLT ON’s integration also allows Evans the ability to hold his entire management system in his hand when he’s doing inspections. The fact that Evans can use his tablet means that he doesn’t have to run to the front if the phone rings, and he can enter a ticket while he’s working on another vehicle. Dragoni says BOLT ON’s mobility allows service advisors to carry their entire workstations with them wherever they go in the shop.
Selling More Jobs
Dragoni says that digital inspections are the way of the future and that customers appreciate being able to see visual proof of what’s going on with their vehicles.
Evans says that it has improved communication in his shop. Before, he explains that he would add an oil change to a job only for the oil change to be forgotten because it didn’t get communicated properly. Now, with BOLT ON’s digital inspections, boxes have to be checked for work performed, and everyone has instant access to that information.
Dragoni says that the visual information provided by BOLT ON will help shops sell more jobs. To illustrate his point, he provides an example of a college student who doesn’t know anything about vehicle maintenance and is bringing his or her car for the first time and gets slammed with a $600 bill.
“That student can’t afford that, so they’ll probably have to go to mom and dad,” Dragoni says. “With BOLT ON, shops can send the photos straight to parents or anyone else to show the extent of the damage. If it was my son or daughter and I saw a photo of brakes that were worn down to nothing, I wouldn’t wait two months until I was able to see the vehicle again. I’m paying for the work.”
It’s not just hypothetical—BOLT ON has the numbers to back it up. Dragoni says that the average repair order for an independent repair shop is $325. BOLT ON clients average $500.
“We’ve had shops that have joined us that have increased sales by hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Dragoni says.
Changing Perception
“When you go somewhere for the first time, perception is everything,” Dragoni says. “We want to change the way that people view the industry.”
Evans says that the technology that BOLT ON has offered has enabled his shop to show his customers detailed information about their vehicles, which shows the customers that he cares.
“With BOLT ON, you’re not just taking notes mentally,” Evans says. “You’re writing it right there in front of them, and you’re adding substance and accountability. Customers see that they are really being cared for.”
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