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mikerisich

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  1. mikerisich
    Competition in the marketplace is the biggest challenge Eric Russo has faced in his 22 years of owning four greater Philadelphia area auto repair shops.
     
    The biggest contender of all in his quest for higher profits and a larger customer base has been dealerships, Russo said.
     
    But, Russo said he finally found a tool to not only even the playing field, but to make his shops “better than the
    dealerships.”
     
    In short, Russo and his employees are setting themselves apart from the competition through the use of mobile technology.
     


    to see Eric Russo's video.

     
    The software’s ability to create itemized reports and take pictures of items in need of repairs – all of which can be delivered to the customer by email or text message – gives the shops a more professional look and feel, he said.
     
    “We’ve been able to increase our RO by 20 percent and increase confidence,” Russo said.
     
    Mobile Manager Pro, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s most popular automotive software solution, has also helped Russo’s shops become more efficient, he said.
     
    “Efficiency is key to making money,” he said. “We’re able to turn over bays more quickly.”
     
    One of Russo’s shops had its best month to date and Russo credited Mobile Manager Pro for that success.
     
    “It’s such a great tool that I don’t really want any other shops owning it,” he said, adding that competing with dealerships has gotten a whole lot easier. “I don’t even think we’re on the same ball field anymore.”
  2. mikerisich
    With thousands of exhibitors and countless products, it’s important to know which questions to ask AAPEX Show exhibitors.






    In my last blog, I suggested that shops consider researching the exhibitors whose products or services align most closely to the shop’s main goals and map out a plan to make the most of the limited time available.
     
    Now that you’ve decided which booths you will be visiting in Las Vegas Nov. 3-6, it’s time to think about what questions you might want to ask exhibitors.
    With so many booths, education sessions, networking events and so little time, you will want each interaction to count. This handy guide will help you stay focused.
     
    1. Find the correlation
    You have determined that exhibitors are worth your time. Be sure to ask questions that allow the exhibitor to explain how their products or services could help your business.
     
    2. Steer clear of questions with yes or no answers
    Vague questions, such as “does your product integrate with my shop management system” may yield a response of “yes.” In reality, that may not be true.
     
    3. Ask for the “how” behind the exhibitor’s offerings
    Instead of asking a question that could be open to various interpretations, try rewording the question to ask how the system integrates, for instance. The answer will likely give you more insight and a better sense of whether the product is truly a match for your shop’s goals.
     
    4. Show, don’t tell
    Even better than the “how” of the product or service is seeing it in action. See for yourself the product’s attributes, or shortcomings, by asking for a demonstration.
     
    5. Ask the same questions
    The only way to truly compare apples to apples when considering similar products offered by competing exhibitors is to ask the same questions of each exhibitor.
     
    6. Don’t be afraid to follow up
    You asked all of the questions on your checklist. But, something the exhibitor said raised another question, or caused confusion. While it’s fresh in your mind – and while the exhibitor is in front of you – ask for clarification.
     
    7. Write it down
    Perhaps just as important as asking the right question is remembering the answers. The likelihood of remembering one company or product’s attributes over another may be difficult that night in your hotel room and even more so after AAPEX is over. Jot down notes highlighting things that matter to you and your business. A few notes should be enough to jog your memory after the fact.
     
    Stay tuned for more helpful AAPEX Show tips and hints. If you’re going to AAPEX Show 2014, we’d love to meet you! Please be sure to stop by booth #2983 to meet the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team, learn more about our mobile technology and our automotive software solutions, Mobile Manager Pro and Welcome Station. For more information, visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.
  3. mikerisich
    Say good-bye to tedious customer check-ins with our latest automotive software solution, Welcome Station™, the first-ever self-check kiosk designed specifically for the automotive repair industry. With our tablet-powered tool, your shop can join airports, grocery and convenience stores, as well as restaurant chains in simplifying the customer experience.
    Our touch screen kiosk delivers faster business results, better accuracy and increased up-selling and profit generation opportunities with each customer check-in.
     
    This easy-to-use self-check system frees up service advisors and enables both new and returning customers to quickly and electronically notify shop staff of their arrival, select the vehicle and which services they’d like to have performed and whether they are dropping off, or will be waiting.
     
    Customers can also:
     
    · Update all contact and vehicle information
    · Add new vehicles
    · Receive geo-location weather alerts and related service suggestions
    · Add pending service recommendations
    · Add other services/canned jobs
     
    Increase Shop Efficiency
    With our Welcome Station™ kiosk, shops can cut the glut of long lines during the morning and afternoon rushes, all while saving precious minutes per customer and aligning the shop for more revenue-generating business.
    With a few taps, customers can check themselves in and speed up the shop’s daily process. Based on a modest 2 minutes-per-customer savings, shops with an average daily car count of 15 could save 2.5 hours per week – just in customer check-in time!
     
    Those extra hours are possible without adding staff, or increasing workloads. In fact, our kiosk will make your front staff’s work life easier.
     
    Boost Up-selling Opportunities
    Upon check-in, a customer is reminded of, and has the ability to select past pending service recommendations and even new services/canned jobs.
     
    The addition of area-specific weather alerts further simplify the up-selling process by suggesting services based on the vehicle care needed to maintain safety in different climates.
     
    The alerts suggest services specific to the current weather and seasons:
    · It’s raining – Would you like us to check your wipers?
    · It’s been over 90 degrees lately – Would you like us to check your air-conditioning?
    · It’s been less than 32 degrees lately – Would you like us to check your battery?
    · Winter is coming soon. Would you like us check your tires?
    · As well as other customizable service suggestions
     
    Secured Identity Protection
    To help prevent identity theft, customers are required to enter the phone number attached to the account and select their name.
     
    If the phone number and/or name are not unique to the account being accessed, Welcome Station™ will not continue, and the customer will need to see the service advisor.
     
    Shop Management System Integration
    Like all of BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s™ automotive solutions, Welcome Station™ is fully integrated into your shop management system. Our automotive software solutions offer real-time two-way communication without the need to re-enter information.
     
    For more information, or for a live demonstration, call us at 610-400-1019.
  4. mikerisich
    How To Attract Millennials to Your Shop


    Making auto repair shops profitable can seem like squeezing water from a rock... Some shops resort to raising prices, instead of increasing their customer base. We've created a Free eBook that tells you how to tap into the fastest growing customer base in the country; Millennials.

    The stereotype of the lazy Millennial (born 1980-1995) has caused many people to disregard this generation when it comes to trying to get their money. Do they all live in their parents’ garage? Are they only interested in clothes, coffee, video games, and the internet? The answer is... not really.


    Millennial Money Exists
    Contrary to popular beliefs, Millennials are employed, spending money, and buying cars. The average young driver's finance term lasts longer than their finance terms, so someone has to work on their vehicle. Why not you? Are you taking active steps to attract - and retain - their business?

    Since Millennials are waiting longer to start families, and usually avoid credit cards if they can, they have cash on hand. That cash can go towards instant gratification buys, but it also goes towards their needs... but only if they see a value in the purchase. e.


    Why (and How) to Market Your Auto Repair Shop Online
    Did you know, according to Barkley, Millennials have come of age in the time of crowdsourcing, where large groups of people are entrusted to provide solutions more effectively than could an individual, so it feels natural to them to gather as much information as possible before making decisions.

    Millennials, like non-Millennials, also consult blogs, company websites and professional review sites to help them make purchasing decisions. This behavior isn’t solely driven by the price of the item. If your shop isn't on Facebook, isn't being reviewed on Yelp!, or doesn't even have an up to date website, you are missing out on money.




    Selling Maintenance & Repair Services to Millennials
    Getting Millennials to come into your shop is one thing, but getting them to approve services is completely different. You can try and justify your repair costs by explaining how their vehicle works, but it would be so much easier to send them photos using digital inspection software. You can slap a lube sticker in their windshield, but are you sure they aren't going to just pull into the nearest "Super Duper Fast Lube" next time?
    This eBook has the answers. Click the image below to download your copy today.


  5. mikerisich
    Facebook and Google are constantly changing its algorithms making it more difficult for auto repair shops to gain traction online. Direct mail can be expensive and traditional advertising nets little returns.
     
    So, what’s a shop owner to do?
     
    Use your shop’s customer invoice to market your business.
     
    Compared to other ways of promoting your business, creating a unique, customized invoice is by far the least expensive, quickest and easiest method of sharing information about your repair shop.
     
    Tips for getting started on invoice customization
    Including shop-specific information on your invoices is an effective way to not only spruce up the look of your bill, but to give your customers – especially first-time customers – a good impression of your business.
     
    Chris Lapierre of Attleboro, Massachusetts-based Lapierre’s Auto Repair uses the Report Pro auto repair software solution to incorporate his shop’s logo, as well as Facebook and Twitter links.
     
    “It makes it a little bit more personal,” he said.
     
    1.Choose a theme
    Report Pro offers 10 different invoice choices. Themes can be tailored to best suit your needs and range from simple to more advanced options. By-the-job invoicing is popular in instances where shops want to give a breakdown on multiple jobs.
     
    2.Add your logo
    After your business name, Website, address and phone number, your logo is perhaps the most important element of any invoice. It goes hand-in-hand with your shop’s name as one of the main ways for customers to identify your business.
     
    3.Don’t forget color
    Incorporating the color(s) used on your logo, signs and other related marketing materials helps to brand your business. Why go for black and white invoices when you can create more eye-catching colorful creations?
     
    4.Get social!
    Building your Facebook and Twitter followers just got easier with the inclusion of icons and/or links on your invoices. By putting this information at your customers’ fingertips it will be easier for them to find your shop online and follow your pages.
     
    5.Ask for reviews
    Including links to review sites like SureCritic makes it easy for your customers to quickly and easily review your business. Reviews are important as most new customers will scour review sites and read customer reviews before choosing a business.
     
    6.Strengthen your brand with affiliates
    Is your shop affiliated with a well-known auto parts retailer or auto repair leader? Including their logos on your invoice will help to build credibility with your customers, proving that your shop is reputable, in part, because of its partners.
     
    7.Use coupons to build repeat service
    Report Pro enables shops to include invoice coupons or provide package pricing for recommended services. Whether your shop chooses to discount the service is entirely up to you, but the appearance of a coupon gives customers the sense that they’re getting a deal, which dramatically increases the chances of repeat business.
     
    Customizing your invoices – the sky’s the limit!
    In reality, these tips are just skimming the surface. Report Pro provides more than 100 options for customization. To learn more about this auto repair software tool click here: Report Pro or call 610-400-1019.
  6. mikerisich
    Ian Hanson’s German auto repair shop Ingolstadt West has seen its average repair order increase so dramatically that he said it’s too “hard to measure.”
     
    That was not the case with ClearMechanic, the software that the shop had used before switching to BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY in December 2014.
     
    Based on 819 digital multi-point inspections in the seven months his California shop has been using BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY's Mobile Manager Pro, the shop’s ARO has jumped from $194.36 prior to inspections to $632.31 now – an increase of $437.95.
     
    “The digital inspection part is the money maker,” Hanson said, adding that his technicians are on board with the mobile technology as well. “Technicians are using the electronic repair orders.”
     
    Adding photos specific to the needs of the vehicle to the inspections has helped sell more services easier than before simply because the customer can see why repairs are needed.
     
    “We use the photographs a lot,” he said. Once the inspections are complete, Hanson said his techs text it – along with photos – to customers.
     
    Vehicle photos are used throughout the customer interaction and help to personalize the experience. When customers arrive and use the Welcome Station kiosk to check themselves in, a photo of their vehicle pops up on the screen.
     
    To read more about Ingolstadt West's experience using Mobile Manager Pro, click here: http://www.boltontechnology.com/digital-multi-point-inspections-drive-shops-225-higher-ro/index.html
  7. mikerisich
    Follow these tips to become more efficient this summer and every day


     

    Even the most hardworking technicians and service advisors can sometimes find it difficult to stay productive – particularly during the dog days of summer.
     
    These productivity boosting tips can help your team make the most of their work day, which means extra time to service more vehicles and increase profit margins.
     
    1. Keep cool
    As much as possible, try to maintain a comfortable temperature in the bays and in the shop. Try bringing in fans to circulate air if need be.
     
    2. Hydrate
    On days too hot for fans to make much of a difference, consider offering bottles of ice cold water or sports drinks. Not only will it help prevent dehydration, it also doubles as a morale booster.
     
    3. Take breaks
    It may seem counter-productive to offer technicians more breaks, but on super steamy days giving an extra few minutes for a break will help employees recharge their batteries.
     
    4. Show appreciation
    Acknowledge your team for a job well done. Letting your staff know you appreciate their hard work will go a long way in keeping them motivated and productive.
     
    5. Communicate effectively
    Communication cuts down on misunderstandings, duplicated efforts and in the end saves valuable time. An easy way to instantly let everyone in the shop know the status of customers’ vehicles is to share it on the team chat feature of Mobile Manager Pro. Doing so eliminates the need for techs to walk to the front of the shop to update the service advisor, which in turn increases efficiency.
     
    6. Embrace digital
    Implementing fully wireless multi-point inspections, for instance, dramatically cuts down on a technician’s time writing out recommended services through the software’s canned recommendations and canned jobs feature. Making technicians’ work life easier plays a major role in their ability and willingness to be productive.
     
    For more information on boosting efficiency and productivity, visit www.boltontechnology.com or call 610-400-1019.
  8. mikerisich
    Mychael Althouse had a record-breaking month of sales at his auto repair shop, United Tire & Service in Feasterville, Pa., in April 2014. [see the video here]
     
    The Philadelphia suburban eight-bay shop serviced 12 to 15 cars per day as it has since Althouse took over the 30-year business three years ago.
     
    “We gained probably about $20,000 in total sales that month,” Althouse said. “That month was the best month in my company’s history of owning the shop.”
     
    Not coincidentally, April was the first full month the repair shop had put in place BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s wireless automotive software solution aimed at increasing shop efficiency and boosting profits.
     
    Before his shop began using mobile technology, Althouse, as part of the vehicle check-in process, said he spent about five minutes or more per customer going outside of the shop to jot down the customer’s VIN, license plate number and mileage. Then, he’d come back inside and re-enter the information, hoping he didn’t write the wrong numbers.
     
    “Nine out of 10 customers don’t know what year the vehicle is,” he said. “Nobody knows their 16-digit VIN.”
    With mobile technology, it’s not necessary to know either of those things. With a seconds-long scan of a car’s VIN, the wireless device populates form fields for make, model, year and more, opening the door for technicians to begin the repair order or digital multi-point inspection process as they greet the customer at their vehicle. The data automatically syncs with repair shop management systems, meaning service advisors, owners and technicians no longer have to enter information twice.
     
    Learn the tips that helped Althouse make more profits by joining our free webinar on July 18 from 1-2 p.m. EST.
     
    “It saves time at the front desk,” added Althouse.
    Beyond its ability to quickly and effortlessly scan and decode VINs and conduct digital multi-point inspections either from a mobile device or a tablet, Althouse said the biggest benefit involves photo-taking and texting functionality for easily sharing vehicle conditions with customers.
     
    Photographs that illustrate technicians’ recommended service makes the upsell process easier, even at times when customers can’t physically come to the shop and review pending services, according to Althouse.
     
    “People are able to see their vehicles while they’re at work,” he said. “It helps people make judgments easier.”
     
    In addition, being able to text or email repair orders, along with accompanying photos speeds up the customer approval process, which, in turn, boosts productivity and overall shop efficiency, he said.
     
    Mobile technology, which comes equipped with customizable digital multi-point inspection forms, has helped to keep Althouse’s techs “on point as far as looking the vehicle over a little more,” he said.
     
    “It’s a good tool for your tech to follow so they can get the proper inspection out,” Althouse said of the line-by-line checkout sheets his shop uses.
     
    Learn the tips that have helped shop owners make more profits by joining our free webinar on July 18 from 1-2 p.m. EST. To learn more visit BoltOnTechnology.com or call 610-400-1019.
  9. mikerisich
    It’s been said that one of the most difficult things for an auto repair shop to do is to increase car count.
    With that being the case for many businesses, shop owners are left with pretty much one option to boost revenue: Generate additional income from the existing pool of customers. While some shops may view this as a challenge, in reality it’s an opportunity to maximize spending from a shop’s existing customer base.
    Since your customers aren’t coming in more frequently, you have to make every visit count toward boosting your bottom line.
    How do you do that?
    If your shop isn’t already conducting multi-point inspections on all vehicles, it should be.
    In analyzing data from about 100 businesses using our Mobile Manager Pro automotive software solution to do digital multi-point inspections, we found that shops regularly carrying out inspections boost their average repair orders by a combined average of 256 percent!
    One of the shops has boosted its average repair order from $183.46 to $428.38, for an additional $244.91 more per invoice on average since starting its nearly 500 digital multi-point inspections. Prior to introducing Mobile Manager Pro, the shop had always done a 51-point safety inspection.
    The key to dramatically increasing average repair orders among the shop’s 450-cars-per-month car count revolved around taking vehicle condition photos and texting them to customers along with digital multi-point inspections.
    Why it works
    Customers speculate that automotive repair shops suggest services that are not needed solely to get more money out of unsuspecting vehicle owners.
    For many who are slow to trust repair shops, the issue is more about the common person’s inability to understand an otherwise technical situation. Texting photos and inspection reports to customers puts the tools for making an informed decision literally at their fingertips.
    Being able to quickly thumb through inspections and see why work is suggested empowers customers to determine for themselves what is best instead of feeling they have been coerced into authorizing expensive repairs that may not be necessary.
    Can you triple your average RO?
    Based on 490 digital multi-point inspections carried out, another shop upped its average repair order by 344 percent. Prior to beginning digital multi-point inspections, the shop had an average repair order of $112.23, which has since jumped to $498.65, an average increase of $386.42.
    In addition to photos helping to upsell services, Mobile Manager Pro’s ability to incorporate written recommendations assists service advisors in keeping a customer’s vehicle needs front of mind. The software solution, which is powered either on an Android or tablet device, incorporates safeguards to ensure that recommended services are addressed. If the service writer overlooks something, a note pops up on the screen.
    Imagine spending a portion of what you could reap from 1 repair order and having the potential to gain an additional $110,000 or more in higher revenues each month. For more information, call BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY at 610-400-1019, or visit www.boltontechnology.com.
  10. mikerisich
    We’re excited to join the Automotive Service Association of Arizona at its Automotive Training & Expo in Arizona Father’s Day weekend.
    Mike and Frank will be on hand demonstrating to ASA Arizona members our auto repair software during the expo, which will be held at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler, Arizona.
     
     
    What’s in it for you?
    Our team will offer an interactive presentation of all of our software solutions. Shops will be able to test drive our products, which fully integrate with leading shop management systems, including Mitchell1, ShopKey, NAPA TRACS, R.O. Writer and ALLDATA.
    Here’s an overview of what we’ll be showing:
     
    Mobile Manager Pro helps shops save 10 to 15 minute per customer transaction with this fully digital multi-point inspection tool, which features VIN scanning and decoding, license plate decoding and full shop management system integration. Vehicle inspections and accompanying vehicle condition photos can be texted to customers for instant review and approval.
     
    Welcome Station is the first-ever customer check-in designed specifically for the auto repair industry. It works like the kiosks used at airports, convenience stores, grocery stores and in restaurant chains. Within a matter of seconds customers check in, update their personal and vehicle information, choose vehicle services, review pre-programmed weather-related upsells and digitally sign to authorize work.
     
    Pro Pack, a bundled package, consists of 3 automotive software solutions:
     
    Lube Sticker Pro prints customer key tags and windshield lube stickers and helps build customer retention with advanced. The software uses a vehicle’s average miles driven to accurately predict when customers should return for routine services, including lube, oil and filter, coolant flushes, tire rotations and even annual state inspections.
     
    Message Manager sends text message appointment reminders to customers who can reply to confirm or call the shop to reschedule. The text messaging tool also dramatically cuts down on waiting for customers to return phone calls authorizing service.
     
    Report Pro lets your shop stand out from the competition with invoices customized to include a shop’s logo, color scheme, credit cards accepted, coupons, social media links and more than 100 other customization options. Shops can also create customized reports to evaluate specific areas, identify selected customer groups and more.
     
    What can you learn?
    In addition to learning how our auto repair software could help your shop become more efficient, ASA is offering nine hours of training classes geared for shop management, service advisors and technicians. Topics include online marketing, selling diagnostics and mastering electrical troubleshooting, among other discussions.
    The training portion of the tradeshow is geared to offering insight on the challenges impacting ASA Arizona members – and beyond. For more information on the classes and training available, click here: http://www.asaaz.org/members/automotive-training.php.
     
    More information
    The Automotive Service Association of Arizona Automotive Training & Expo will be held from June 19-21 at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd, Chandler, Arizona. To register or to learn more, click here: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07eam0xdul18bf4045&llr=t9katicab
  11. mikerisich
    The automotive software solutions provider will demonstrate its Welcome Station customer check-in touchscreen tool during the show.


     
    Are you heading to the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) on Nov. 4-6 in Las Vegas, Nevada?
     
    In addition to expanding your knowledge base through various Webinars and educational offerings, be sure to stop by the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY booth (#2983) to learn about the many proven benefits of our mobile technology. We would love to meet you and to demonstrate how our fully digital offerings can empower your shop to make more money, save more time and dramatically increase up-sell opportunities.




    But don’t take our word for it. Test drive and see for yourself how our fully digital Welcome Station kiosk solution will save your front counter employees time checking customers in and dramatically increase the customer’s willingness to authorize services.
     
    The tablet-powered tool is the automotive repair industry’s answer to the customer check-in kiosks in use at airports, grocery and convenience stores and restaurant chains. The touch screen simplifies the customer experience, allowing them to quickly and seamlessly update their contact and vehicle information, choose from suggested and popular services and review recommended weather-related services stemming from current or recent area weather.
     
     
    The information customers input automatically integrates with your shop management system, which increases accuracy and also eliminates the need to re-enter data.
     
    This easy-to-use self-check system frees up service advisors and enables customers to quickly and electronically notify shop staff of their arrival, select the vehicle and which services they’d like to have performed and whether they are dropping off, or will be waiting. Customers can also electronically sign to authorize the work.
     
    Owner Terry Barnby of Ohio-based Goldstar Autocare, said he was tired of seeing spelling and grammar mistakes on repair orders. Too many times when vehicle repairs were finished he’d reach for a customer’s paperwork only to find that his employee failed to take down a customer phone number.
     
    Barnby jumped at the chance to take those headaches out of his hands and installed the Welcome Station customer check-in kiosk at his seven-days-a-week shop this summer.
     
    “Honestly I’ve been kind of waiting for it,” he said. “The business markets seem to be way, way behind. Bolt On Technology has been bringing products out that we’ve been waiting for.”
     
    Since customers enter their vehicle and contact information electronically via a tablet device upon entering the shop, gone are Barnby’s frustrations over mistakes and phone number omissions.
     
    “The kiosk forces them to do that,” Barnby said of the phone number entering requirement as part of the check-in process.
    Customers have given “good responses” to the software solution he said, adding that customers are “impressed with the technology.”
    “Most of them get it pretty easy because it’s pretty simple,” Barnby said.
     
    The Welcome Station kiosk incorporates an illustrated step-by-step format asking both new and returning customers to input or verify their name and contact information, vehicles and note which vehicle is being serviced on the given day. The check-in center also features weather-specific alerts that ask customers to consider services based on current or recent climate changes.
    If you’re planning to attend AAPEX, be sure to look for us and let us know how we may help. We will be on hand demonstrating the software’s various features, sharing best practices and answering questions.
     
    To learn more or to register for AAPEX, which will be held from Nov. 4-6, click here.
     
    For more information on BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, visit our Website, BoltOnTechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019. Stay tuned for a future blog highlighting Welcome Station, our touch screen check in kiosk, which will also be exhibited during AAPEX. Remember, you can find us at booth #2983.
  12. mikerisich
    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY™ is committed to passing the ‘V’ – are you?
     
    The greater Philadelphia area developer of more than a dozen wireless solutions to simplify automotive repair shop operations is supporting the V Foundation.
     
    Spurred by support from Bolt on Technology Director of National Sales and Corporate Sponsorships Frank Dragoni, a local youth baseball coach, the company is backing the altruistic efforts of the 21-year-old foundation.
     
    Dragoni, who’s been fundraising for the V Foundation for the last four years, is organizing the Jimmy V Home Run Derby for high school students on July 13 at the Trenton Thunder stadium in Trenton, N.J. Dragoni hopes to raise $50,000 through the fundraiser, which will feature several former Major League Baseball greats, including Jeff Manto, who played for the Colorado Rockies and most recently was the third base coach for the White Sox. David Amaro, a 24th round Chicago Cubs draft pick in the 1984 amateur draft, will also be on hand, Dragoni said.
     
    Get involved!
    Dragoni’s V Foundation fundraising work is through the Philly Friends of V, a regional branch of the nationwide V Foundation. Bolt On Technology is donating Philadelphia Phillies tickets to the silent auction, which will feature other sports-related memorabilia. The greater Philadelphia area company is asking its supporters to get involved by visiting the V Foundation Web site and creating a local event, making a tax-deductible donation, or championing Dragoni’s efforts. Check out this video to learn more about the Home Run Derby.
     
    About the V Foundation
    The V Foundation was established in 1993 by Jim Valvano, who, a few months after its establishment, succumbed to his battle with cancer. Valvano had worked as an ABC/ESPN basketball commentator and analyst following a successful 15-year career as a college basketball coach in which he took his team to several NCAA appearances. The Foundation continues in his name with contributions funding cancer research and related programs.
  13. mikerisich
    Thousands of Shops Can Be Wrong
    Over 100 of the most used service categories Hundreds of pre-built jobs, service descriptions & labor notes The most accurate reporting possible More effective appointment scheduling More accurate estimates
    Your shop needs a powerful management system to produce the level of efficiency and accuracy necessary for growth. To achieve this the old manual way, you need considerable time and patience when learning how to prepare it for use. With Jump Start, all that and more is solved!

    How to Get Jump Start:

    Follow these instructions...
    Put your wallet away; there's no cost at all Click here to request Jump Start Give us about 15 minutes to install it
    *Available for Manager SE/ShopKey SE users only*




     
  14. mikerisich
    Ratchet+Wrench featured our customer, 405 Auto, in its June 2015 issue.
     
    A BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY customer since January 2013, 405 Auto is a power user of our Mobile Manager Pro auto repair software and our Welcome Station kiosk. In the article, the magazine dubbed 405 Auto a ‘Shop of Tomorrow’ for its heavy use of technology, both for tablet-toting technicians working in the bays; and at the front counter where customers are encouraged to use our automotive kiosk to check in for service.
     
    Technology advancements have paid off for 405 Auto.
     
    In 2014, the shop generated $1.4 million in revenue and a more than $1,400 average repair order, according to the Ratchet+Wrench article.
     
    A cornerstone to improved customer confidence – and simplified shop processes – is the use of our tablet-powered customer check in kiosk. 405 Auto Owner Martin Kruszelnicki told us that our technology helped the shop become completely paper-free, in large part due to the interactive kiosk, which greets customers, asks them to update their contact and vehicle information and suggests both recommended and weather-related services.
     
    Instead of long lines of customers waiting for front desk staff to check them in, Kruszelnicki said customers now spend 30 seconds checking in for appointments and drop-in service calls.
     
    “Using Bolt On Technology we are able to save thousands of pages of paper and printing every year,” he said. “Customers love the paperless check-in system and our team enjoys technician tablets and electronic inspections and being more productive at the same time.”
     
    Going green also earned 405 Auto recognition in Santa Monica, California’s Sustainable Quality Awards.
     
    To simplify technicians’ workflow, 405 Auto uses our Mobile Manager Pro digital multi-point inspection tool. Techs use the tool to carry out inspections on every vehicle and to take vehicle condition photos. Inspection reports and photos are sent via email or text message to customers.
     
    A time-saving plus of all of our auto repair software solutions is that it transmits automatically into the shop management system, eliminating the need for re-entry of information.
     
    To read more about how 405 Auto became a ‘Shop of Tomorrow,’ click here to read the Ratchet+Wrench article.
  15. mikerisich
    Following the massive recall of more than 6 million Firestone tires in 2000, federal law mandated that tire retailers take steps to notify customers of a tire recall.
     
    Until recently, that meant bookmarking each tire manufacturer’s Web site, navigating there and inputting the customer and tire information, according to Tom Gebbie of Lansdale, Pa.-based Gebbie’s AutoCare.
     
    A self-described “good typer,” Gebbie, who sells 1,000 to 1,200 tires a year, said he was able to carry out the registrations in about a minute.
     
    But, with help from a feature built into his shop management system’s add-on software, Gebbie said he’s been able to cut that time down to under half a minute.
     
    Gebbie began using the time-saving tire registration feature on Bolt On Technology’s Report Pro and with the push of a button, fields auto-populate, easing the entry of information and keeping him from having to remember which Web sites he needed to visit as part of the registration process.
     
    “It’s been very handy,” Gebbie said. “This is definitely an improvement.”
     
    The Firestone recall of 2000 was the only instance to date that Gebbie said impacted his customers. Back then customers were given postcards to register their new tires.
     
    But, as Gebbie found out, “not a single one of those had registered their tires,” meaning he had to call the 25 customers who had purchased tires that had been recalled.
     
    At Elsy Auto Repair in Newark, N.J., John Slater said the Report Pro tire registration function “makes it a thousand times easier.”
     
    Slater said the “one click deal” is much easier than the manual entry and switching back and forth between two open programs.
     
    “If the software takes 10 seconds, manually it’s going to take five minutes,” Slater said of the online tire registration process. “It’s like a night and day difference.”
     
  16. mikerisich
    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY customers who use the Pro Pack suite of automotive software solutions, which includes Lube Sticker Pro, Report Pro and Message Manager software modules, can now take advantage of new features. The software add-on solutions have been upgraded for Mitchell1 and NAPA TRACS shop management systems.
     
    Lube Sticker Pro, which, in addition to printing lube stickers and key tags and advance scheduling maintenance appointments based on customers’ driving habits, mileage milestones and vehicle age now prints dates in the user's local date format. With the upgrades, new users can auto-populate holidays into black out dates to prevent services from being scheduled when the shop would be closed.
     
    Message Manager is used to send text message appointment reminders and receive appointment confirmations right from a shop’s repair order screen and features templates to inform customers when services are due and when vehicles are ready for pickup. The software now offers an opt-in text for quiet time, features a registration key lookup and displays dates in the user’s local date format. The new additions designate one terminal as the auto text computer.
    Report Pro, which features the ability to create by-the-job customer invoicing with coupons, social media links and more than 100 other options and customized reports, now provides for even more customization. With the latest update, Report Pro users can create new tech worksheet header additions, including gross vehicle weight and vehicle notes. Other new options include the addition of federal tires to the tire registration tool, which makes online tire registration even quicker and easier. The ability for shops to build search queries based on their customers' odometer readings lets shops market mileage-related services to applicable customers.
     
    The new features, as well as the existing components of the Pro Pack software suite fully integrate with shop management systems, eliminating the need for double-entry, saving time and increasing day-to-day efficiencies.
     
    For more information about Pro Pack, or other Bolt On Technology add-on software solutions, call 610-400-1019, or visit www.boltontechnology.com.
     
  17. mikerisich
    Would you like help building fully customizable multi-point inspection reports? Or how about insight on harnessing the power of mobile technology to digitize your vehicle inspection process, all while saving time, increasing upsell opportunities and boosting your average repair order by 60 percent or more?
     
    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY™ can help with all of those things and more during the Mitchell 1 Shop Management Super Workshop in San Diego, Calif. at the Hotel Solamar July 17-19.
     
    Representatives from Bolt On Technology will offer training sessions on its Report Pro and Mobile Manager Pro software programs, which are fully integrated add-ons for Mitchell 1 and other shop management systems.
     
    Report Pro, one of the automotive software solutions included in the Pro Pack bundle, offers the ability to create by-the-job customer invoicing, customized reports and shop-specific detailed or general multi-point inspections.
     
    Mobile Manager Pro, Bolt on Technology’s signature software solution, features color-coded auto pre-canned technician notes and recommendations as part of the fully customizable digital multi-point inspection process. Technicians can boost productivity by scanning and decoding VINs and license plates, taking and texting vehicle condition photos to customers along with repair orders, estimates and more.
    If you’re planning to attend the workshop, be sure to look for us and let us know how we may help. We will be on hand demonstrating the software’s various features, sharing best practices and answering questions.
     
    The training workshop is designed for those seeking more advanced capabilities, better methods and shortcuts for Mitchell 1’s shop management solutions – Manager 5.9 and Manager SE™ (version 6.5).
     
    Instructors will cover program setup values, inventory, reporting, best practices and advanced transactions, as well as integration with aftermarket cataloging. The curriculum for the two-day training session guides users through all levels of functionality in the Mitchell 1 Manager and ManagerPlus systems. The expanded agenda includes breakout sessions, a practice lab and an expo featuring products and services offered by industry partners.
     
    The Super Workshop will be led by John Dwulet, senior product manager for Mitchell 1’s management software solutions, and Tim McDonnell, national training manager, who together have more than 35 years of combined Manager and ManagerPlus training experience. Workshop sessions run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 18 and July 19, with breakout sessions slated for the afternoon of July 19.
     
    For more information or to register for Mitchell 1’s Shop Management Super Workshop, visit the Management Workshop website by clicking here.
     
    In the event you are not attending the Shop Management Super Workshop and are interested in learning more about Bolt On Technology, consider dialing in for our hour-long July 18 webinar, which will be held at 1 p.m. EST and will cover general tips to increase efficiency and profits. Click here to register: https://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EA57D98583463D You can also direct your questions to us by calling 610-400-1019 or visiting www.boltontechnology.com.
  18. mikerisich
    Overwhelmingly, auto repair shops are removing the guesswork from handwritten vehicle inspections, repair orders and service recommendations through the use of automotive software designed to simplify processes, save time and boost productivity.
    Below are seven fool-proof tips for using vehicle maintenance software to improve overall shop operations.
     
    1. Scan VINs
    Jotting down a vehicle identification number (VIN) is easy, right?
    Sure. Getting each and every letter and number correct­ – and making sure it’s readable – is something entirely different. Scanning a VIN eliminates the need to decipher messy handwriting, lessens the likelihood of mistakes and saves precious time.
     
    2. Quickly review pending service recommendations
    Our research has shown that nearly 75 percent of vehicles being serviced are having an oil change performed. More than likely, additional services or regular maintenance is also needed.
    Shop management software alerts service advisers and techs to all pending services when a customer arrives. This technology maintains a vehicle service history and offers suggestions that are either pending since a past appointment or are due for regular maintenance.
     
    3. Start repair orders and estimates on a tablet or mobile device
    With wireless automotive software solutions, techs can meet customers at their vehicle and begin the digital inspection, repair order, or estimate process using a handheld device. Best of all, the process can conclude the same way it began – with a tablet or mobile device.
     
    4. Build orders, create digital multi-point inspections with press of a buttonWireless software technology eliminates hard-to-read handwriting and speeds up the multi-point inspection and repair order process, allowing for more time to service additional vehicles. Without hiring more staff or adjusting work schedules, productivity, and, in turn profits, can be increased simply by incorporating innovative automotive software solutions.
     
    5. Add photographs to each vehicle service recommendation
    What better way to prove that a customer needs new brakes then to show it? Techs do this every day by taking multiple photos of vehicle conditions, underlining the need for recommended services.
    Without the benefit of pictures, customers all too often believe that shops exaggerate the severity of service suggestions strictly to make more money. Showing a customer pictures can increase repair order revenue from 15 percent to 90 percent on average. It’s much harder to refuse brake work after seeing the extent of the issue.
     
    6. Text or email customers a vehicle diagnosis with images
    Wireless automotive software with built-in text and email functionality enables techs to seamlessly send estimates, multi-point inspections, photos and more directly to customers. This speeds up customer approval times from the national average of one hour and 17 minutes to 37 minutes.
     
    7.Use mobile technology that’s fully integrated with your shop management system
    Boosting productivity is possible simply by using wireless automotive software that automatically syncs data compiled from a handheld device into the shop management system effortlessly. This eliminates the need for double entries as is commonly the case with paper repair orders and handwritten inspection reports.
     
    For more information on BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY's Mobile Manager Pro software solution, visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.
  19. mikerisich

    5 Tips to Ace AAPEX

    By mikerisich,

    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY will exhibit at the show, which is set for Nov. 3-6 in Las Vegas.
     
    In a matter of weeks, thousands of exhibitors will fill 1 million square feet of the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada as part of the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX).
     
    Businesses, particularly automotive repair shops, have much to gain from the vast educational offerings, as well as the latest and most innovative products and business solutions on display Nov. 3-6.
     
    How can you see and do it all?
     
    Simply put: You can’t.
    But, with this handy checklist of tips, you can discover the products, services and other offerings that are most important to your shop.
     
    1. Do your homework
    Use the weeks leading up to AAPEX to familiarize yourself with the various sessions available and get a jumpstart on planning your days.
     
    2. Define your objective
    Think about why you registered for AAPEX. Try to pinpoint the top goals you would like to achieve and consider the service providers and/or products that could help you attain success.
     
    3. Research exhibitors who can make your goals reality
    Say, for instance, you’d like your repair shop to increase its average repair order, automate day-to-day functions and improve customer confidence. Besides BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, you may want to research which other shop management system providers could help you reach your goals. To get started, click here to search the AAPEX Show Website by brand, by product, or by exhibitor. You can view a company’s product information, contact methods, show location and more.
     
    4. Review the lay of the AAPEX land
    Once you have an idea of which educational sessions you would like to attend and which exhibitors you would like to visit, review the floor plan.
     
    5. Plot out your AAPEX Show plan
    While viewing the floor plan, attendees can look up exhibitors they would like to visit, see their location and booth number on the map, as well as their booth size. The floor plan helps make it easier to visualize where you want to throughout the course of the show.
     
    Stay tuned for more helpful AAPEX Show tips and hints. If you’re going to AAPEX Show 2014, we’d love to meet you! Please be sure to stop by booth #2983 to meet the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team, learn more about our mobile technology and our automotive software solutions, Mobile Manager Pro and Welcome Station. For more information, visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.
  20. mikerisich
    With the latest Report Pro requested feature addition, shops can more easily identify the status of vehicles being serviced.
     
     
    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s latest auto repair software release – which is available for Mitchell 1 customers – uses color-coded easy-to-read blocks showing vehicles that are unassigned, complete, in progress, waiting for parts and orders involving customers who are waiting.
     
    Dubbed the WorkFlow Manager, the Report Pro upgrade takes Mitchell 1’s Work In Progress screen and presents it in a much more visual way to enable service advisors and technicians the ability to more efficiently manage their work flow.
     
    The WorkFlow Manager’s biggest feature is its ability to quickly and easily change a status by simply dragging and dropping the item to a new category.
     
    In addition, the tool features a Quick Actions function which allows for one-click tasks, including printing an estimate and sending a text message to a customer. Prior to
    Quick Actions, these tasks took three or more steps to complete. As future updates are carried out, more Quick Actions will be added.
     
    The WorkFlow Manager upgrade also includes the ability to filter by service writer and filter by technician.
     
    The tool also displays charged hours and features a quick change status drop-down menu, among other advancements.
     
    If the WorkFlow Manager added for Mitchell 1’s shop management systems continues operating smoothly, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s software development team will look into adding similar functionality as part of Report Pro’s integration with other SMS platforms. A date for this possible feature addition has not yet been determined.
     
    Besides the WorkFlow Manager, shops are using Report Pro to help market their business with unique, easily customizable invoices with more than 100 options for customization, including a shop logo and color scheme, social media links and much more. The software solution, as its name suggests, also enables shops to create various reports, technician worksheets and more.
     
    For more information on Report Pro, click here: Report Pro.
  21. mikerisich
    The automotive software solutions provider will demonstrate its Mobile Manager Pro tool during the show.


     
    Are you heading to the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) on Nov. 4-6 in Las Vegas, Nevada?
     
    In addition to expanding your knowledge base through various Webinars and educational offerings, be sure to stop by the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY booth (#2983) to learn about the many proven benefits of our mobile technology. We would love to meet you and to demonstrate how our fully digital offerings can empower your shop to make more money, save more time and dramatically increase up-sell opportunities.
     
    But don’t take our word for it. Test drive and see for yourself how our fully digital Mobile Manager Pro automotive software solution will save 10 to 15 minutes per customer through the use of VIN and license plate decoding, canned tech notes and more.
     
    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s one-of-a-kind tool, which is the only software solution add-on offering full shop management system integration, debuted during last year’s AAPEX show.
    Since then, shops using the paperless module to carry out digital multi-point inspections, estimates and more are seeing 45-75% higher average repair orders over traditional paper and pencil methods. The inclusion of vehicle condition photos, which are texted to customers along with digital multi-point inspections, strengthen customer confidence, which leads to quicker customer approvals of higher ticket services and repairs.
     
    Nick Nix, the owner of PJ’s Auto Repair in Yuba City, Calif., said his shop of 17 years has seen a “dramatic impact” since Mobile Manager Pro was implemented this summer. Nix said the shop made an extra $3,600 in profit the first week of use and the shop’s average repair order had increased by $30 from $130 to $160 within two weeks.
    For shop owner Jeff Rossetti of Ohio-based Automotive Techniques, mobile technology freed him from the constraints of working in a PC-only environment.
    “I don’t have a bunch of workstations anymore,” Rossetti said. “It’s the mobility of being able to walk around the shop and do a lot of the functions that you usually would have to do at a PC.”
    The software features color-coded auto pre-canned technician notes and recommendations as part of the fully customizable digital multi-point inspection process. Technicians can boost productivity by meeting customers at their vehicle to begin the vehicle inspection process.
    If you’re planning to attend AAPEX, be sure to look for us and let us know how we may help. We will be on hand demonstrating the software’s various features, sharing best practices and answering questions.
     
    To learn more or to register for AAPEX, which will be held from Nov. 4-6, click here.
     
    For more information on BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, visit our Website, BoltOnTechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019. Stay tuned for a future blog highlighting Welcome Station, our touch screen check in kiosk, which will also be exhibited during AAPEX. Remember, you can find us at booth #2983.
  22. mikerisich
    With summer still very much in force, fall is already shaping up to be busy as our team prepares to meet you - and your repair shop staff - at five tradeshows in the coming weeks and months.
    Of those, four shows will be happening within the span of eight days.
    Here’s an overview of where we will be and what you can expect. Be on the lookout for more detailed information as events get closer:
     
    1. From Sept. 24 through Sept. 26, Frank Dragoni, our Director of National Sales and Corporate Partnerships will deliver the keynote address at the First Annual Platte River Rendezvous in North Platte, Nebraska. This event is for Mitchell 1 Shop Manager SE customers only. National Sales Manager Mike Guerriero will join Frank at this tradeshow, which also features sessions on boosting revenues and efficiencies.
     
    2. Frank and BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY CEO Mike Risich will then head to the National PRONTO Fall Shareholders Conference from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 in Chicago, Illinois.
     
    3. Immediately from there, Frank and Mike Risich will join our partner Mitchell 1 at the Shop Management Workshop from Oct. 1 through Oct. 3 in Orlando, Florida. The training is designed for M 1 shop management users who want to learn more advanced functions, shortcuts and new features. The BOLT ON team will be on hand to demonstrate our products, show the full integration with Mitchell 1 systems and answer any questions.
     
    4. As the Mitchell 1 workshop wraps up, we will be heading to the Automotive Service Association of Pennsylvania’s annual Super Saturday tradeshow on Oct. 3 near our greater Philadelphia company headquarters.
     
    5. The grand finale of our fall travels is the AAPEX Show, held Nov. 2 through Nov. 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our team will be on hand supporting our partners in multiple booths during the massive tradeshow, which hosts thousands of exhibitors and attendees each year.
     
    Stay tuned for more information on our fall tradeshow schedule. Visit www.boltontechnology.com to stay up-to-date.
  23. mikerisich
    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s digital multi-point inspection software was selected as an innovator in the computers and software category of the Professional Tools & Equipment News (PTEN) magazine annual Innovation Awards.
    Mobile Manager Pro auto repair software was chosen from a pool of 117 product nominations. In all, the magazine chose 26 products from 21 companies as innovation award winners for 2015.
    Nominees were evaluated by a panel of judges comprised of technician and auto repair shop owners. According to the announcement on the Website, “the PTEN Innovation Awards recognize the most innovative products introduced in the last year to the automotive aftermarket. These tools, introduced or significantly updated within the last year, are evaluated based on their ability to make vehicle diagnosis and repair easier and more efficient, and make shops more productive.”
    To read more about Mobile Manager Pro or the PTEN award, click here: http://www.boltontechnology.com/mobile-manager-pro-receives-innovation-award/index.html
  24. mikerisich
    At Bud Wildman’s Germantown, Md., shop, Precision Auto and Tire Center, digital multi-point inspections have replaced the previous paper and pencil versions. The paperless vehicle inspections are much more thorough, consisting of 10 vehicle condition photos, an in-depth color-coded report and a $525 average repair order.
     
    “Would you rather slip through 20 cars and sell an ARO of $150 or go through five cars and sell an ARO of $600 each?” Wildman asked. “It takes more time to present the report when it’s done right.”
     
    Since his shop began using BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s Mobile Manager Pro auto repair software in November 2014, Wildman, whose shop won the Automotive Training Institute’s Top Shop Award in 2014, said his average repair order has increased from roughly $380 to $510 with mobile technology. For new customers, that amount is oftentimes much higher, he said.
     
    The shop, which generated $1.6 million last year, has an average car count of 72 to 80 per week. Wildman says he is currently tracking a 12% increase in gross sales this year and his average repair order continues to climb.
     
    Three months after he began using the software, Wildman said a first-time customer authorized an $850 repair ticket minutes after reviewing the vehicle condition photos and accompanying report that the shop sent to her via text message.
     
    “Her response was ‘how much to turn the bar green?’ ” Wildman said, referring to the color-coded Vehicle Health Rating. “She realized from the picture and the report that those items needed to be addressed.”
     
    In all, “99.9 percent” of the shop’s customers receive inspections and photos by text message, with a few requesting email. Regardless of how the information is sent to customers, Wildman said “it instantly creates a trust factor,” particularly with new customers.
     
    “The most powerful impact to the customer is being able to show them their car and what needs to be replaced and repaired,” Wildman said. “When service advisers send a report that’s well done, the questions are reduced and the trust becomes very strong. The customer can recognize what we’ve done for them. The service advisors, as they sell the jobs, spend more time preparing the presentation, but they spend less time talking to the customer.”
     
    Prior to Mobile Manager, Wildman said inspections were done on paper and the shop had no effective way to communicate the urgency of repairs. Plus, Wildman said technicians are notorious for sloppy, unreadable handwriting – which is no longer an issue with the fully digital software.
     
    The tablet-powered auto repair software features VIN scanning and license plate decoding, which automatically populates fields with vehicle year, make model and more. Data input through the tablet automatically transmits into the shop management system without any additional effort.
     
    For more information, click here: Mobile Manager Pro.
  25. mikerisich
    Bolt On Technology, LLC has been selected for the 2014 Best of Downingtown Award in the Software Company category by the Downingtown Award Program.
     
    Each year, the Downingtown Award Program identifies companies that it determines have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. According to the Downingtown Award Program, winners are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.
     
    Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2014 Downingtown Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally and data provided by third parties, according to the Downingtown Award Program.
    The automotive software solutions provider, which is headquartered in Downingtown and operates a development center in Bucks County, Pa., is experiencing a more than 200 percent year-over-year growth. Bolt On Technology was recently named by the Philadelphia 100 as one of the top 100 fastest-growing, privately held entrepreneurial companies in the greater Philadelphia region.
     
    Mike Risich, the company’s founder and CEO, attributes Bolt On Technology’s recent accolades to the deployment of an impressive suite of software add-on solutions aimed at automating day-to-day routines and saving a cross-section of the nation’s 275,000 independent automotive repair shops time and money.
     
    “We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of software innovation as it pertains to the auto repair world,” Risich said. “We strive to systematize and revolutionize the way shops conduct business. In short, we provide our customers with the efficiency-building tools they can’t live without.”
     
    Earlier this year, Bolt On Technology released a dramatically updated version of its signature software tool, Mobile Manager Pro. The fully wireless module enables repair shops to take and text vehicle condition photos to customers; conduct paper-less digital multi-point inspections; and scan and decode vehicle identification numbers and license plates among other functions.
     
    The inclusion of photos illustrating needed repairs is helping to build customer confidence, as evidenced in quicker response times – from a national average of one hour and 17 minutes with traditional customer phone calls to a mere 37 minutes via text message communication.
     
    Following on the heels of the Mobile Manager Pro update was Bolt On Technology’s release of Welcome Station, which the company believes is the auto repair industry’s first-ever customer check-in kiosk. Similar to touch screen stations at airports, grocery and convenience stores, the tablet-powered software allows repair shop customers to quickly check in, update their information, add new vehicles and select repair services.
     
    For more information about Bolt On Technology visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.

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