Change can be terrifying but it’s also essential for businesses. Businesses that refuse to grow and change will get left behind. They’ll lose their customers to businesses that have evolved to meet new needs and have adopted better and more efficient practices.
Are you worried that your shop is stuck in the past? Are you looking for where to modernize your shop? Here is a list of signs that your shop is stuck in the past and how you can join us in the present.
1. You are still doing paper inspections
There are many reasons why auto shops should ditch paper inspections.
One of the main reasons is that they are outdated and customers typically don’t want them anymore. They don’t have time to make out scribbles and if they do they hardly understand what’s on the paper report. Not only do customers hate them but they’re also very easy to lose or damage. With all the fluids in the shop, an entire inspection report could be damaged or completely destroyed from a simple spill.
With software like Autoserve1, you have access to inspections in a digital form. These digital vehicle inspections are revolutionary in the shop as technicians can perform inspections right from a smartphone or tablet. Then they can insert pictures and videos showing customers exactly what is wrong with their vehicle or what may need fixing next time they come into the shop.
These inspections are very detailed, easy to interpret and customers love them. You’ll love them too because Austoserve1 contains Builder1 that allows you to have custom checklists for all the services you provide, making the process more thorough. More importantly, shops that do use digital vehicle inspections from AutoServe1 see their average repair order increase by 25%.
2. You are relying on phone calls to communicate with clients
Nowadays people are less likely to pick up the phone because they’re either busy or they’re a younger person who dreads the thought of actually talking on the phone. It’s clear that younger generations much prefer text. When given the chance to text over calling or voicemails it’s almost guaranteed they’ll pick texting.
Just check out this short skit below that sums it up nicely.
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When your customers hate calls or voicemails, it usually means you will have an increasingly difficult time getting in contact with them. This slows up your work schedule as workers sit in limbo wondering if they should go ahead and fix another problem and then if they do the customer may feel uninvolved in the process or get upset.
There is a simple way to avoid this and it is called two-way texting. With Autoserve1, you can text photos and videoes to your customers outlining what has been done and what needs to be done and they can simply approve additional repairs in a matter of seconds without a phone call. That’s right, even if they’re in a busy meeting or somewhere loud and hectic you’ll be able to get work confirmation through text!
3. Your auto shop lacks transparency and trust
Traditionally, auto shops haven’t been trusted by customers. Unfourtantly a few bad eggs have made a poor reputation for the rest of the honest, trustworthy auto shops out there. We see it all the time, even family-friendly shops who has never been anything but helpful to customers be accused of lying about much-needed service work.
Customers hate walking in to collect their vehicle and hear about all the additional repairs that were done or need to be done. This mistrust is typically based on the fact that customers can’t see the problems or their importance until the vehicles fail them. Of course, shops rather be proactive than reactive.
The simple fix to this problem is to use Autoserve1.
Austoserve1 gives shops the elements of transparency and trust they need to increase sales and sell much-needed service easily. That is because customers can be texted the recommended repairs where they can see photos and videos showing them exactly what the technician see’s while he/she works on the customer’s vehicle. The customer can clearly see what the problem is and they are much more likely to approve repairs. The average repair order goes up by 25% when shops employ Autoserve1 for a reason.
4. Your shop does not have an efficient way for all the members of your team to communicate about the repairs
The traditional ways of communicating involves paper documentation and word of mouth.
There’s an easier more efficient way using technology like, Workflow1, which is a part of Autoserve1. With Workflow1, your service team will have an at-a-glance progress report of the auto repair process. The progress report can also be updated with one click as soon as the repair is done.
The software also alerts the whole team as soon as the customer approves a repair and when parts are ready to go. With improved communication between staff and customers, the business has to do better as a result.
5. You don’t have many young customers
In 2016, Millennials made up 29% of who bought cars. These people are becoming drivers and car owners and so they will be looking for an auto shop to meet their needs. If you find that you have a small amount of Millennials then you might not be appealing to them.
Since Millennials are tech-savvy, they appreciate the use of technology in all facets of their life, including auto repair. They’d appreciate a software like Autoserve1 where they could get their reports digitally. Since Millennials generally hate phone calls, the two-way texting feature would be greatly appreciated.
Millennials are said to have limited knowledge of auto repair. With Austoserve1, you’ll be able to send photos and videos which can show them what was done and what needs to be done. They would appreciate this knowledge in a way that doesn’t feel like a lecture.
In addition to that, Millennials would appreciate a shop that cuts down on the amount of paper used since they tend to be very environmentally conscious. 66% of Millennials also make purchase decisions based on a brand’s political/social beliefs.
The good news is that Millennials are loyal. According to a report “Millennials are loyal to businesses possessing a forward-thinking mindset.” If they like your shop they’ll be getting the word out there through word of mouth and social media and soon you’ll be attracting even more clients.
We want your shop to stay competitive and succeed but you’ll have to be honest about whether or not your shop is changing with the times. The bottom line is if you’re not leveraging technology you’re going to be left behind. The good news is, it’s easy to bring your shop into the present and future with Autoserve1.