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mikerisich

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Blog Entries posted by mikerisich

  1. 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.
  2. mikerisich
    The BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team will be spending much of March on the road, traveling to several trade shows and hopefully meeting lots of independent auto repair shops and demonstrating our shop management software.
     
    Following a trip to Kansas City for the Vision Hi-Tech Training and Expo, the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team will showcase its mobile technology software solutions at the ATI SuperConference, which is set for March 11-14 in Palm Springs, Calif. If you're attending, please be sure to stop by our table during the March 12 trade show to see live demonstrations of our shop management software and learn how to implement best practices into your shop's daily routines.
     
    The following week, from March 20-21, we'll be exhibiting at the Automotive Training Expo at booths 59 and 60.

    Why you should make time to see us
    Hundreds of shops are saving 10 to 15 minutes per customer through the use of VIN and license plate decoding, canned tech notes and more as part of Mobile Manager Pro, a fully wireless digital inspection tool and auto maintenance software add-on. Incorporating mobile technology with text messaging capabilities, among various other functions, has helped shops boost average repair orders by 45 to 75% – and higher in many instances.
    Our other leading mobile shop management solution, Welcome Station, is the first-ever service upgrading kiosk developed specifically for the auto repair industry. It is similar in functionality to kiosks in use at airports, grocery and convenience stores and cropping up in restaurant chains.
    The tablet-powered tool is helping shops save time at the front counter and makes up-selling easier by empowering customers to check themselves in, update their contact and vehicle information and choose services they wish to have performed.
  3. 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.
  4. mikerisich
    The BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team will travel to Arizona and Las Vegas in the coming weeks to exhibit alongside partners, Mitchell1 and NAPA.
     
    First up is the Mitchell 1 Shop Management Workshop, which is set for April 30-May 2 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
     
    Whether you’re already a customer or contemplating expanding the capabilities of your Mitchell 1 shop management system, the Bolt On Technology team of Mike and Frank would be happy to answer any and all of your questions, hear your feedback on our products and share best practices for any of our vehicle maintenance software solutions. Mike and Frank will be available to meet and speak with shop owners in between Mitchell1 workshop sessions. Shops can also test drive our Pro Pack, Mobile Manager Pro and Welcome Station auto repair software solutions.
     
    Then from May 5 to May 8 we'll share a booth with NAPA at the NAPA Expo in Las Vegas.

    The annual expo is expected to bring out 14,000 people all with affiliations to NAPA, either through the NAPA TRACS shop management system or through NAPA parts stores. At the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY/NAPA booth, staff will demonstrate Bolt On’s automotive software solutions and show how it fully integrates with the NAPA TRACS shop management system for effortless transmission of data.
    For more information on our auto repair software products or either of the upcoming workshops visit our Website.
     
  5. 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
  6. 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.
  7. mikerisich
    Salesman Derek Cain had his first introduction to automotive software solutions before joining the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team.
     
    “I’ve actually seen it just by going to my own mechanic, not knowing it was Bolt On’s software,” Cain said of the company’s Mobile Manager Pro tool, which enables auto repair technicians to meet customers at their vehicles and begin carrying out digital multi-point inspections. The software includes license plate scanning and decoding functionality, the ability to take and text vehicle condition photos to customers and other time-saving features aimed at automating routine tasks.
     
    Cain, of Bensalem, Pa., has more than 20 years of experience in sales and development. During that time he worked and developed relationships as a data solutions expert in the B2B wireless industry working with leading cell phone carriers. He also holds numerous sales awards and worked as the national account sales manager for Cherry Hill, N.J.-based Wireless Technologies LLC.
     
    As an experienced industry manager, leaving that field to help educate auto repair shops on ways to speed up processes, boost profits, improve productivity – all while going paperless – was a “no-brainer” for Cain.
     
    “I feel extremely honored to be joining the Bolt On Technology team,” he said. “This is a very exciting period for the company and I look forward to helping increase sales volumes and opening up new territories for the brand in markets around the globe.”
     
    “BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY has strengthened its direct sales force by hiring Derek Cain as its sales manager for the U.S. and Canadian markets,” Mike Risich, the company’s CEO, said.
     
    Working from the company’s development center in Bucks County, Pa., Cain will have the day-to-day responsibility for the development of the OEM channel, extending the company’s significant customer base and continuing to grow BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY as one of the leading suppliers of add-on automotive software solutions.
     
    “It’s just something I truly believe the auto industry needs to keep up on,” he said. “It’s like the beginning of cellular, just in a different industry.”
     
    About BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY™
    Founded in 2008, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY was created by entrepreneur Michael Risich, whose vision of digitizing the automotive repair industry has continued to define the company. BOLT ON stays at the forefront of innovation, continuing to revolutionize mobile applications that save auto shops time, money and the need to write out lengthy estimates or vehicle diagnoses. Bolt On Technology has grown to be one of the leading shop management software providers. The company has partnered with some of the largest companies in the business, including Mitchell1, ATI (Automotive Training Institute), CARFAX and others.
  8. 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
  9. 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*




     
  10. 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.


  11. mikerisich
    Just in time for the New Year and resolutions for 2015, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY is sharing 7 strategies to boost your average repair orders, save time and increase productivity.
     
    Plus, as an added bonus, you can take advantage of our end of year giveaway.
     
     
    Watch our video demonstration and learn more here: http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=1a0fd59c50dc1f357d3fd869d&id=89c0af4016&e=[uNIQID]
  12. mikerisich
    Your shop can get a jump start on New Year's resolutions of boosting profits, increasing efficiency and implementing processes to allow you to accomplish more with less resources.
     
    There’s no reason why your shop can’t make significantly more revenue, save an extra hour a day, gain 100% accuracy, increase marketing potential, speed up customer approval times (up to 79% faster), and way more.
     
    Here’s a sampling of the strategies we will teach during a Dec. 17 webinar:
    Doing more work, with less effort on your part. This is the key to it all.
    Boosting service up-selling opportunities. Big money!
    Killing chicken scratch and inaccurate information. 100% accuracy
    Scheduling future appointments for each customer. No effort on your part.

    The remaining 3 strategies are the best of the bunch, and will be demonstrated in full during this event!
     
    Don't delay, register today for our *free* Dec. 17 webinar: https://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EB52DA82894A39
  13. mikerisich
    If you missed the chance to take advantage of our end-of-year giveaway you're in luck: We've extended this special offer until Jan. 10.
     
    To learn more about how you can improve your business, increase efficiency and boost profitability, click here: http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=1a0fd59c50dc1f357d3fd869d&id=ef190ae7a0&e=fbdebe9e9b
  14. mikerisich
    Our Mitchell 1 customers have been asking for years about the possibility of booking appointments by technician. Later this week, the long-awaited feature request will be available through Report Pro.
    This is a huge improvement to the Mitchell 1 stock calendar. With the update, shops can book appointments by technician.
    Service advisors will be able to easily manage a busy workday and ensure technician availability, which helps to improve productivity and leads to shops becoming more efficient.
    Since blocks are color-coded by type – appointment, estimate, repair order or invoice – shop staff can quickly view by day, week and month. To reschedule appointments simply drag and drop the color-coded appointment blocks.
    For now, the update is only available for Mitchell 1 customers. The Report Pro feature is planned for other shop management systems in the future. To locate the calendar update, simply launch Report Pro, select the Tools tab and from there choose the Advanced Scheduler. The software will notify you of the update once it is available.
    For more information on Report Pro, click here: Report Pro.
  15. mikerisich
    With the most recent time-saving feature added to Mobile Manager Pro, technicians can be assigned to a labor item, either per work order or an individual line item – right from the tablet and into your shop management system. The latest update works with Mitchell1 shop management systems only.
    Now with the addition of the most-requested feature, service advisors no longer need to be at the desktop workstation to add or remove technicians from a work order.
    And since assigning technicians to a work order is something that service advisors must do anyway, it made sense to enable this functionality from within Mobile Manager Pro. In addition to saving time through the elimination of unnecessary steps, the labor technician management feature helps to improve accuracy.
    The new update helps to prepare for the release of a new time clock addition, which is in the works and will be released at a future date.
    To read more on this latest Mobile Manager Pro update click here or call us at 610-400-1019.
  16. mikerisich
    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY has taken the guess work out of digital multi-point inspection delivery to customers.
     
    The add-on automotive software solutions company has updated its signature program, Mobile Manager Pro, to automatically send text message notifications to auto repair shops when their customers open digital multi-point inspections. Using Message Manager, a text message software module included in the Mobile Manager Pro suite, shops send digital multi-point inspections to customers via text message.
     
    To read more about this behind-the-scenes update, click here.
  17. mikerisich
    BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s signature automotive software solution, Mobile Manager Pro, has ranked in the top 5 in Top and Best Alternative’s top 10 list of auto repair software.

    Mobile Manager Pro, the company’s signature solution, is the only add-on automotive software solution to make the list. The other 9 modules on the list are shop management systems.

    The wireless tool, which fully integrates with leading shop management systems, enables repair shop technicians to scan VINs and decode license plates and take and text vehicle condition photos to customers along with color-coded digital multi-point vehicle inspections.

    Click here to read more about Mobile Manager Pro's ranking.
  18. mikerisich
    Our Mobile Manager Pro digital multi-point inspection tool will be discussed during the upcoming NACE/CARS Expo & Conference in Detroit, Michigan. The auto repair software will be referenced during our partner, Mitchell 1’s 90-minute training session, “Shop Management Unleashed.”
     
    Tim McDonnell, Mitchell 1’s National Training Manager will lead the training on July 22 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the COBO Center during the annual event, which runs from July 21 through July 25.
     
    Focused on optimizing repair shop efficiency, Tim will provide tips for Manager SE users to improve profit-generating potential and highlight solutions to maximize efficiency. Part of the discussion will center on how Mobile Manager Pro extends the shop management system into your shop’s bays and beyond.
     
    Service advisors can use the tablet-powered, fully wireless auto repair software to meet a customer at their vehicle, scan the VIN or decode the license plate. From there, vehicle make, model, year and more auto-populates fields, saving time and guaranteeing accuracy of information.
     
    The software fully integrates with the Mitchell 1 platform, meaning that any data input through the tablet transmits automatically into your shop management system, offering real-time two-way communication and eliminating double entry of information.
     
    Shops that use Mobile Manager Pro have successfully built a better foundation of customer trust, particularly through the ability to take and text vehicle condition photos, along with color-coded multi-point inspections.
     
    In addition to discussing our digital multi-point inspection tool, Tim will provide insight on configuring a work in progress screen; automating SMS functions; sharing repair order tips; and more. For more information on the topics Tim will discuss, click here.
     
    If you go
    Admission to the Mitchell 1 discussion is included with a CARS registration. The NACE/CARS Expo & Conference will be held July 21-25 at the COBO Center in Detroit, Michigan. The show features more mechanical specialty and technical training than in years past. For more information and to register, click here: NACE CARS.
  19. mikerisich
    Diagnosing and fixing vehicles has gotten even easier for auto repair shops using BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s Mobile Manager Pro digital multi-point inspection tool and Mitchell 1 SureTrack.
     
    Our software developers today finished a new major feature enhancement, making Mobile Manager Pro the first and only application to fully integrate with the SureTrack vehicle diagnostic tool.
     
    Shops using BOLT ON’s mobile technology have already been able to take advantage of time-saving VIN scanning and decoding, license plate decoding, canned jobs, canned recommendations, auto-populated inspection forms, text messaging and customer signature capture, among other efficiency-boosting features.
     
    With this latest update and SureTrack integration, shops will be able to quickly search for the current vehicle’s commonly replaced components, common symptoms and diagnostic trouble code search. In addition, the SureTrack article, which is displayed in the concern, cause, correction format, can be viewed and optionally added as a note on the repair order.
     
    Click here to read more about this major update: http://boltontechnology.com/mobile-manager-pro-now-integrates-with-suretrack/
  20. mikerisich
    Photos aren’t just important for capturing memories. At auto repair shops, vehicle conditions photos show – in addition to tell – customers what repairs or maintenance is needed.
    The number of shops taking photos and sharing them with customers is growing exponentially. Photos taken with BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY's Mobile Manager Pro digital multi-point inspection tool have surpassed 400,000 – that’s double the number of pictures in our database in December 2014. We reached our first six-figure milestone in August 2014 when technicians took a total of 100,000 pictures while inspecting customers’ vehicles.
    On average, shops take 3 photos per multi-point inspection. That number is a bit low. As a best practice, we suggest including 3 to 5 recommendations and 7 to 10 photos per inspection.
    Recommendations + photos = higher repair orders
    For auto repair shops, photos create a greater level of transparency, which helps to improve customer confidence. In addition, since vehicle condition photos are texted or emailed instantly, customers can see vehicle-related issues from their home, office or wherever they may be. It’s like visiting the shop remotely.
    Seeing what needs to be done is powerful for selling services. Customers are able to view the photos and inspection when convenient for them and are empowered to take action. Click here to read more on the importance of photo-taking in auto repair.
  21. mikerisich
    Whether you're a beginner, a seasoned Mobile Manager Pro user, or somewhere in between, our 7 step-by-step training videos will help you to more easily decode license plates and VINs, capture customers' signatures electronically, perform digital multi-point inspections and more.
     
    As always, the information entered into tablet devices automatically transmits into leading shop management systems without any additional effort, or double entry on your part.
     
    To view our latest training videos, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTAHU_-meLQ&list=PLNWs0wU3yWkQEptDZ7egxqJpi25Uq3Cpl
     
    For more information on BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.
     
     
  22. 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
  23. mikerisich
    Nick Nix, the owner of PJ’s Auto Repair in Yuba City, Calif., is seeing a “dramatic impact” in his techs’ ability to “point and click” their way to completing digital multi-point inspections of customer vehicles.
     
    So dramatic, in fact, that after using BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s™ Mobile Manager Pro for only a week, Nix said his shop of 17 years made $3,600 in additional profit.
     
    He attributes the uptick in revenue to his shop’s use of digital inspections, which include technician-recommended services, tech notes, along with vehicle condition photos, all of which can be texted via tablet or mobile device, to a customer in real time.
     
    To track the revenue-generating results, Nix said he used BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s Report Pro software solution. Users can create customizable invoices which include everything from a shop’s logo, color scheme and service coupons, to a breakdown of checks to be carried out during vehicle inspections.
     
    In addition to seeing a major profit boost the first week, Nix said his average repair order had increased by $30 from $130 to $160 within two weeks.
     
    Making the commitment to invest in the suite of automotive software solutions stemmed from his lackluster average RO, which he said was “half of the industry standard.”
     
    “I was looking for you guys,” Nix said, noting that he had envisioned smoother shop operations through mobile technology for some time. “I actually found your competitor.”
     
    Nix said he decided to license Bolt On Technology’s software platform instead of another company because, “you guys are just developing this so quickly.”
     
    The Mobile Manager Pro feature that works best in driving efficiency is the application’s team chat function, according to Nix.
     
    “It’s cut down on shop miscommunication dramatically,” he said. “(Before) we had paper repair orders for the guys. They would have to write on the work order and send it to the service advisor. Now we have real time documented chat. It hits all the techs at the same time.”
     
    For more information on Mobile Manager Pro, Report Pro, or any of Bolt On Technology’s other automotive software solutions visit www.boltontechnology.com or call 610-400-1019.
  24. 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.”
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