mikerisich

Awesome accomplishment! Congratulations, Joe. Well deserved, AutoShopOwner is a great resource to its members.

Hey guys,

Here’s a few examples of shops using text messaging to keep their customers up to date and aware of needed services. http://www.ratchetandwrench.com/RatchetWrench/February-2016/Six-Ways-to-Use-Technology-for-Customer-Engagement/

Please note that the article does mention BOLT ON a few times. Sorry for the shameless plug, but I do feel this is a good testament to the power of texting.

Hope this helps.

Hi Gabe,

Nice to meet you. Good luck with your shop. Feel free to ask any questions you have. This forum is great for useful advice from real people making it happen every day.

Welcome aboard.

I use baymaster. Do you integrate with them yet? I've been considering trying digital inspections, but only if the integration is there. Thanks, Dave.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Hi Dfrisby,

Thanks for reaching out. We have done integration with Bay-Master in the past for our credit card processing program, but have not expanded it to our digital inspections technology.

We are looking into offering Bay-Master functionality in the future, but do not have a date of completion at this time.

Let me know if I can help with anything else.

I talked with someone over there today, I guess you guys don't integrate with tabs auto fluent.

Hi Robbie,

Thanks for reaching out to us. We actually spoke with TABS a little while ago about integrating our software with their management system. Long story short, they didn’t seem too interested in their side of the involvement.

Great company, but perhaps they had other important things going on. Who knows, maybe if enough shops ask them, maybe they give it another thought.

Let me know if you need anything else.

What does bolt on cost monthly ? I'm interested

Hi Parker’s Auto,

Thanks for reaching out to me. We have several different options available, depending on your needs. Prices can range from $30-299 monthly, and we have some bundled package options as well.

Your best bet would be to call us for a live demonstration. We’ll show you exactly how our solutions work in your shop.

If interested, give us a call at 610-400-1019.

Hope this helps.

Thank you Mike for responding. On Wednesday I did get to speak with a supervisor and was able to explain what why I was upset. She addressed the issue with the support team and Nick was able to remote in to correct it. Since then Mike and my salesman called to address my concerns. Unfortunately I wasn't able to speak with either of them at the time but did speak with them today. I believe we are all on the same page now.

I want to apologize if my post came off as a blast at the company. I reread it today to see if could be received this way (I will admit depending on your perspective it could be). It was really intended to inquire if anyone else had noticed a decline in customer service. My shop has spent over 25 years building a culture and sometimes myself and the owner don't always know if the culture is being carried throughout the company. Sometimes we find out through unconventional ways. I felt that if Mike were to read this and any other replies it could result in him finding out what some of his customers are experiencing. Again my apologies to your staff if they felt like I was blasting them.

Hey Dan,

Thank you so much. No need to apologize, though. I appreciate your honesty and don’t want you to feel that you were blasting us.

You’re absolutely right, this is definitely something I want to be aware of. Your direct feedback is the best way for us to improve our service, and we welcome your thoughts wholeheartedly.

M-Spec, Matt, and Bock Automotive, thank you so much for chiming in and discussing your experience with us, as well. I apologize if you’ve had any discomfort working with us, and want you to know that I am here for you. If, for any reason you feel you’re not being treated well, please let me know. I will take care of your situation personally.

Thanks again guys, and have a great weekend.

P.S. thank you for the kind words about Randall. I have passed your comments to him and he thanks you for them.

We've been using Bolt On for a year and a half. Customer service has been great and the product has been great, until very recently. We just switched to a different management program and we have been have numerous issues. Usually they attack the issue and resolve it quickly and communicate very well. For whatever reason this has dramatically declined from what I'm used to. I'm curious if anyone else has noticed this. Currently I'm on hold to speak with someone for the last 20 minutes. This call is related from an issue we had yesterday that was not resolved. The tech support disconnected from us and did not call to let us know what was going on, and the problem (as well as a new problem) was still there. No call this morning to follow up or reconnect. Mike if you're still reading these websites it would be nice to hear from a supervisor to get an explanation as to why this is being handled in such a way. You guys are usually the best in this department, not sure if you're growing to fast and you have some new people that don't know your culture or what but it kinda sucks from this side.

 

Regards,

Dan

Hey Dan,

Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I sincerely apologize for the miscommunication and phone tag we’ve been playing.

I spoke to Derek at your shop yesterday, and he informed me you were at lunch. I don’t know if he passed my contact information to you, but I’m here to discuss your situation whenever you have a chance. Feel free to give me a call at your convenience. Derek has my number.

I also had John, your account representative here at Bolt On, give you a call today to help get this rectified. He tells me you’re out of the shop today, but again, please feel free to give him a call when you get a chance.

In either case, Dan, we will get you back in action as soon as possible. I apologize again for the inconvenience.

Well said, Joe.

Happy New Year to you and your family, and to all Auto Shop Owner members. Have a great year guys!

Good day everyone!

 

I was wondering if anyone is going to be at the Ratchet and Wrench Conference?

 

http://rwconference.com/

 

If I understand correctly, it's an annual thing. Has anyone ever been to any of them before? It's a little steep for my shop, but if it's worth it, I can dig up the money somewhere.

 

Perhaps Joe can chime in?

 

Thank you!

Hey guys,

We’ll be going. We’re actually sponsoring the event and will be teaching a class on how to 'maximize your shop management and customer retention efforts with an advanced multi-point inspection strategy.'

It’s going to be packed with killer advice. If you’re going, you should check it out. You can register here: Ratchet and Wrench Management Conference

Mike,

 

I would be grateful if you were to reach out and give us some tips on how to use it properly. Thank you!

 

 

Ok, sounds good. We'll be in touch shortly.

Hey all! So I've been too embarrassed to ask this question before hand but I'm so tired I don't even care anymore.

 

I've been keeping records as best as I can lately, as far as quickbooks and Mitchell and everything. On paper, everything looks good.

 

By that I mean:

- ARO is growing: - up from about $180 earlier in the year to about $230 last month and growing steadily.

- My GP% is hovering at 57-62%

- Car Count is slowly climbing - at 55 last month (we're a smaller shop)

 

But the problem is, there is hardly any money left from week to week. I can't seem to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I try my best not to spend money unnecessarily, mortgage is not very high, expenses are a bit more than they should be, but is that all that's sucking the money? And I know this question most likely cannot be answered like this, but maybe you guys can point me in the right direction.

 

Feel free to ask any questions. Thank you in advance!

 

Hey CarER,

I checked out your account to see if I could help, and noticed you’re not using your digital inspection tool to its fullest potential. I understand your situation with being a smaller shop, but honestly you’re leaving money on the table.

The main benefits of Mobile Manager are increased ARO, car count, and efficiency across your whole shop. If your usage is limited, your results will be too. Simply put, the more you use it, the more you’ll get out of it.

The blueprints for Mobile Manager were designed by shop owners. We consult with a round table of shops discussing their needs and struggles regularly. Point being is this tool was conceived by people in your situation, and has been tested and proven in the real-world.

We can help you, Reuben. Do you mind if we reach out to see if we can give you some tips on how to get the most out of Mobile Manager? Let me know.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! It’s been a pleasure getting to meet many of you, and I hope you and your families get to spend some quality time together over the holidays and beyond.

Joe, thank you to you and your team for all the efforts you take to keep ASO such a valuable resource. I would recommend this forum to anyone in the auto repair business!

Mike, Thank you for chiming in. I appreciate your input. I went ahead and signed up with Lighthouse, we'll see how it goes.

My pleasure. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

Hey all,

 

I was wondering if anyone on here knows anything about / has Lighthouse 360. From what I can gather, It's basically a CRM program combined with Bolt-On's Pro Pack. (if someone from Bolt-On would chime in, I'm sure they would have more information.)

 

I have Mitchell CRM and Bolt On Products, but what they offer is something of a Mitchell CRM competitor program bundled with Bolt On's pro pack. I was just wondering if anyone here had heard of or used their services and has maybe some more information. Thank you!

Hey guys,

You’re correct; Lighthouse 360 is a CRM program provider. They’re also a licensed reseller of some of our products, and do offer packages containing both their CRM and our solutions.

I’m not sure how they came up with a $2,000 a month quote. The packages they offer with our products are much less than that.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

 

The myCARFAX Partner Development team is hitting the floor tomorrow and Wednesday! We'll be meeting with the 14 integrated partners exhibiting and catching up with friends throughout the show!

 

You should keep an eye out for the CAR FOX. If you see him in a booth, there's a $100 Visa Gift Card raffle to enter!

 

Thanks,

Thomas

 

 

Here are our partners (shout out to Bolt On! They'll be in many of these booths representing their management system integration along with our QuickVIN product)

 

AAPEX:

• Fuse5 AAPEX 3868
• Navex DST AAPEX 4073
• Omnique Shop Management Software AAPEX 4081

SEMA:

• ALLDATA SEMA 10661
• ASA Automotive Systems SEMA 40013
• FreedomSoft SEMA 40120
• GEM-CAR SEMA 33243
• ISI/ModuLube SEMA 42218
• JMK SEMA 40079
• MaddenCo Inc. SEMA 40094
• MAM Software Inc. SEMA 40129
• R.O. Writer Shop Management Software SEMA 10503
• TCS, an ARI Company SEMA 43135
• Winworks AutoShop Management Software SEMA 32239

 

Thanks, Tom.

QuickVIN has been a hit for so many of our shops. Great stuff.

If you’re going to the show, stop by and say hi. We’ll show you how it helps your shop.

Hi LMCCA,

Our technology ranges between $99-299 a month depending on the package. We have no contracts whatsoever, and have a 30 day money back guarantee.

We demo our technology live, one-on-one with every shop, and offer reduced prices when bundling.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

If anyone would like to see a live demo, give us a call - 610-400-1019

Hope this helps.

We have been to SEMA many times, but have found that PRI is more suited for our shop. However when we bring someone new to PRI or we know someone that is a SEMA/PRI newbie this is what we recommend:

 

1. Take advantage of the online resources and preplan who you want to/need to see.

 

2. Spread your "must see" between each day you will be there, unless they are near each other. Try to visit those booths first thing in the morning when you are fresh.

 

3. Use the final day as "clean up" of what you wanted to see but didn't quite get there.

 

4. At SEMA, you cannot see it all, so be generous to yourself and block out/avoid what really doesn't apply to your shop.

 

5. This sounds obvious, but comfortable shoes and HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE.

 

Have fun guys!!

 

We are bringing a couple of newbies to PRI this year....

That’s good advice, PAPShop. Thanks for sharing!

MIke, I'll be running around the event doing on the spot interviews. Maybe I can sneak an interview in with you... it will be taped for later release.

Hey Gonzo, check your email. I sent you a message via this forum.

Is this affordable for a small two tech shop?

Hi Handson,

The affordability for this type of technology is never a problem. On average, shops increase their ARO anywhere from 20-45%. It’s not uncommon at all to pay the monthly cost in just 1 repair order, making each other repair order all profit—every single month.

See for yourself:

http://boltontechnology.com/tag/mobile-manager

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkUX2-kT4l4&list=PL3GPeuXxDSLH36Ha-FQcH40VFRElB5z_W&index=1

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Any advice for a first timer hoping he doesnt get swallowed up by the crowd?

Hi Tony,

We’ll be there, too. If you’re still interested in custom reporting for Mitchell 1, swing by to discuss the details. We’ll be able to give you a better idea of what’s involved.

We’ll be in the following booths:

• Mitchell 1, booth - 644 (at AAPEX)
• Omnique, booth - 4081 (at AAPEX)
• TCS, booth - 43135 (at SEMA)
• Lighthouse 360, booth - 34285 (at SEMA)

Hope to see you there.

Hi Mike,

 

Thank you for the response, a few more questions of interest below.

 

Does it record incoming and outgoing phone numbers and dialogue?

 

How far back does the phone number registry go?

 

Does it keep statistics on new customers and can someone manually label whether the phone number that called in was an advertisement, inquiry, appointment, job applicant, or quote? If so can notes be added along side?

 

Can you set up a virtual receptionist?

 

Can messages be remotely accessed?

 

Conditionally, how much storage is there for messages?

 

What is the lag time of message left to message left visibility?

 

How many incoming phone calls at a time can it handle?

 

Does it work with Ooma?

 

Is it a completely wireless system?

 

Can I call customers directly from a cell phone via Pro Call so the shop number shows up instead of a personal number?

 

Conversely, can it forward from the Pro Call program to a cell phone showing customer data? And if so can I set up appointments through a cell phone?

 

If it can forward, how many phones can it forward too?

 

This system would have immense value for me if it can record all incoming and outgoing phone calls while recording all dialogue and simultaneously keeping statistics on the purpose of each phone call whether automatically or manually. And if appointments can be set any day and anytime remotely through a shop cell phone from one central program.,

 

I'm trying to differentiate it's cababilities and limitations in relationship to the phone provider while assigning value to who for what.

 

 

With interest and enthusiasm,

Andre

Hi Andre,

A lot of the things you’ve mentioned are handled through the phone provider, assuming they offer those features.

What our solution does is give you much deeper insight into who the caller is at the moment a call comes in and their current status and value to your shop. You’ll immediately be able to see any recommendations for any vehicles on their account, and be able to schedule a service appointment right then and there, without switching back and forth between programs.

Any changes to the account during the call will be instantly transferred back into your shop management system without any effort on your part.

It does keep a log of all incoming and outgoing calls, and will tell you if the caller is a customer with a work in progress, a former customer and so on.

It can handle up to 8 phone lines and up to 30 voice channels.

It works with both analog and VoIP, as long as the data isn’t privately encrypted.

There’s a bunch more to mention, but this forum asks that promotion be kept to a minimum.

If you’d like, give us a shout and I’ll have my crew give you a live demo of all the ins and outs and how it generates revenue and efficiency. We’re at 610-400-1019.

Hope this helps.

I could really use some tried and true tips on how to increase my hours per ticket and aro. Current hrs per ticket is 1.1 and aro 226.

Hi Bob,

Digital multi-point inspections are probably your greatest asset in increasing ARO and hours per ticket. Right off the bat you’ll increase efficiency, accuracy, sold services, ARO and customer trust. You’ll also eliminate sloppy handwriting and entering customer/vehicle data multiple times to keep your records accurate.

I can actually show you better than I can tell you. Here are a couple of references:

• http://boltontechnology.com/tag/mobile-manager
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3GPeuXxDSLH36Ha-FQcH40VFRElB5z_W

If you’re interested in seeing this live in action, give us a call at 610-400-1019.

Hope this helps.

Hi Andre,

Pro Call is used in conjunction with your phone provider. It’s meant to increase the capabilities of the provider.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Hello All,

 

My brothers and I have been running a car dealership for the last 10 years and are looking into expanding into the auto repair side of things. I started my research into Shop Management Software and boy is the market saturated! I've gone through at least 60 applications and 11 demos. The following systems made my short list (order irrelevant):

 

http://simpleflowsystems.com

https://mitchel1.com

http://napatracs.com/contact-us

Each one of these has their pros and cons, but I felt like Andrioli's HITS Auto Repair would be the best fit for us. I was surprised that they aren't mentioned anywhere here on the forum. I suspect it's because they started as a tire shop management app.

Has anyone here tried them? Pros? Cons?

Thanks in advance!

-Nash

 

Hi Nash,

Nice to meet you!

You’re right about shop management systems, they each have their pros and cons, and none of them are perfect. The thing that matters most when deciding which direction to go is how you’re going to need it both presently and in the future.

For instance, you may want to enhance your shop management system down the road with something like digital multi-point inspections, or the like, and may not be to find a compatible solution if you’ve chose the wrong management system.

That being said, we have vast experience and knowledge with several of the top management systems on your short list. If you’d like, we be happen to give you thorough advice on which system may be right for you. We can be reached at 610-400-1019, press 2.

If you’re going to AAPEX/SEMA this year you can find us at the Mitchell 1 and Omnique booths. Here’s the info: http://boltontechnology.com/sema-and-aapex-2015-show

Hope this helps.