Becoming Tech-Forward

Vince Vierck, owner of Re-Born Automotive, has been in the industry for over 36 years. Through the decades, he has relocated and grown his Portland-based business. Vierck has also seen the technology of the industry advance and the city around him drastically change as the years progress.   

In order to keep up with his town’s changing demographics and the rapidly advancing technology of the automotive industry, Vierck strives to include the most up-to-date and cutting-edge management tools in his shop. 

Several years ago, Vierck used multiple different platforms for managing his shop—one for customer retention, one for his website, and another that handled his SEO. Making the switch to KUKUI put everything in one place for him.  

“There’s all of these things that you have to manage [as a shop owner],” Vierck says. “With KUKUI coming in, it allowed me to do all of that on one platform, and it really helps.”

KUKUI gives Vierck the ability to communicate with customers and manage his business in the most tech-forward and sophisticated manner to match the progressing industry.       

“It’s KUKUI—this is what they do,” he says.

Become Self-Driving

Vierck says that his transition to using KUKUI was smooth and easy. After everything was set up on his dashboard, the platform quickly became self-driving. KUKUI goes on autopilot, he says, by sending out Re-Born Automotive’s service and appointment reminder emails, follow-up “thank-yous” to customers after their cars are finished, as well as messages asking for online reviews. 

Self-driving is ideal for Vierck, as he is trying to take a step back from his shop and his business.

“At this stage of my career, I like the autopilot thing,” he explains. “I’m getting to be more and more of an absentee owner and I’m only coming in one or two days a week, so I like having something I don’t have to manage each day.”

Vierck describes himself as a “numbers guy” and looks at his dashboard once per week to see how his business is doing. Having all of the numbers in one spot adds ease and simplicity to his role as an owner.

“We already have so many other things to take care of [as owners],” he says. “The technology is what allows me to not come in every day.”

Attract younger customers. 

Not only has Vierck and the members of his staff noticed the tech-forward ease of KUKUI, but Re-Born Automotive’s customers have, as well. He says the shop gets positive feedback from customers on how easy it is to make appointments. They also appreciate the appointment reminders and follow-up messages. 

In a city skewing younger and more digital, it is important to Vierck to be able to update his shop in the same manner. He has seen surrounding repair shops near him close in recent years because of the changing demographics.  

“I want to be updated, I want to be on the cutting edge of technology,“ he says. “When you are trying to appeal to the younger millennial sector, you better have some technology in place or you’re going to be left behind.” 

KUKUI allows for Vierck and his shop to communicate with customers in multiple digital formats, which he says is essential for attracting young customers.  

“If you are relying on calling a millennial and leaving a voicemail, forget it, they are not going to check it⁠—you have to be able to text,” he says. “You need to have all of these different mediums to be able to get a hold of people, and find out what works best for them.”