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Electronic Inspection Forms


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Apologies if this has been covered already.

 

Is anyone using an online / electronic inspection form for vehicles? I would like to set something up with our techs via an iPad app of some sort, as our current system is not working well at the moment.

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I use AutoVitals. Techs all have ipad mini's with these cases http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GAT15DQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00 We like them because they provide a great cushion around the ipad and have a carry handle as well as the various bright colors.

We have had a few issues with AutoVitals but for the most part it has been great. We also load Identifix and Motologic on the ipads. The techs love them and it has greatly improved our efficiency. We have been using them for about 1 year and to date a tech has not damaged an ipad yet. I think on our next round we will use the larger ipad for the screen space and the overall ipad size is not really much larger.

I am going to demo the bolt on to see what they have to offer. We are not currently using any of the other add on's for AutoVitals.

 

I have run the gammit of netbooks, android tablets and a host of other products and this has been the best one yet. What we found on some of the devices was we could run one product but then another product wouldn't run on the operating system. Mainly Alldata and Identifix. We switched to MotoLogic and have been happy with it but we still also have alldata.

In all this has been a great investment.

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Looking at this right now. Its trying to decide between Clear Mechanic, Repair Shop Solutions, Auto Vitals, Bolt on Technology. For me it needs to link to Mitchell 1 and since we use Kukui Clear mechanic and Repair Shop also link to them.

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We use Bolt-On Technology. It works great! I can't tell you how much customers love to see the inspections with pictures. It really helps make the sale too (a picture is worth a 1,000 words).

 

I will also say this. Bolt On Technology's customer service/support is TOP-NOTCH. I've had almost 0 issues with the product, but any time I have a question, they are super friendly, VERY knowledgeable (not just about their product, but whatever other system you are integrating with too), and quick to help. I have never said this before about any company, but they have me as a customer for life.

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Started using AutoVitals this year. The customers freaking love it! It's been a game changer for our business and has elevated our service above the rest.

 

I do notice it is a very buggy software on the iPad. Anybody else have this issue? If I take a picture on the iPad, sometimes it becomes very hard to scroll and select other items. I usually have to save the inspection, then reopen it.

 

Overall extremely happy!

AJ

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Wow. This is great.

 

Do any of these products actually integrate with the Shop Management software (with the exception of Mitchell)? I would prefer to keep one database of all customer vehicles and information rather than polling two different databases when I want to look something up.

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I know with AutoVitals, it can integrate with other SMS'. Even if they currently don't support one that you use and you have the coin, they will do it for you.

 

I actually wear a headlight and use that as my "flash". They also make a light that plugs into the audio jack that some people have had success with.

 

As far as typing, very rarely do I need to type. Just click away. The speech to text feature comes in handy when I need to though.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      I recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
      Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
      Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
      Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
      Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
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