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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.

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.

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.

Hi David, I hope everything works out for you and your father. Best of luck! As for phone systems, we have a solution that might help. It may help with the amount you’re paying a month and also provides additional benefits that your current phone system doesn’t. Pro Call is the name of the solution, and with it you can see who’s calling before answering the phone, and also see: · all vehicles owned by the customer · each pending service recommendation - for each vehicle on the account · the average money spent per each vehicle on the account · the total money spent by the customer · the total amount of times the customer has visited your shop · directions from the customer’s location to your shop · and call logs of all your phone activity This all shows without having to switch back and forth between screens to help the customers, and is fully integrated with your shop management system. There are other benefits as well, but in an effort to not sound too promotional, I’ll leave it at that. If you want see a live demo of all the benefits, give John a call at 610-400-1019 ex. 122 Hope this helps.

Hi PAPShop, From our experience, the shop management systems we recommend for Repair Invoices (Mitchell 1, ShopKey, NAPA TRACS, RO Writer, ALLDATA and some others) can handle inventory tracking but are not really configured to do the quick check out process typically required by the Retail Side, but do offer the ability to create the Counter Sale invoice to accommodate such transactions. Hope this helps.

Hi David, You’re in pretty good hands with Mitchell. They’re one of the best shop management systems around. As for tips and help, you’re right to ask, there are things to consider when using it. Some of the things are a little involved, though, so you might want to speak to someone. Feel free to give us a call, we’d be happy to help. I’ll let John know you might reach out to him. His number is 610-400-1019 ex. 122 Mike

Hi Matt, Thank you for sharing your issue. I apologize for any inconvenience you experienced, and have made sure you were not billed at all for Caller ID. You should be all squared away now. We’ll see you Friday for training. If you need us for anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out. http://boltontechnology.com/contact-us

Thanks David, I appreciate you taking the time to discuss your experience with John. It sounds like you have a better idea of your options now. If you have any further questions at all, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here for you.

Hi David, Happy Labor Day. You’re right in taking this change seriously as each shop management system has its pros and cons. As far as being able to walk out to a car and scan the VIN, write a work order, assign a tech, etc. though, shop management systems themselves don’t do that. This is where Bolt On (my company) comes in. We are an automotive repair software company that fully integrates with the most popular shop management systems. We provides shops with the ability to take a tablet out to the car, scan the VIN, decode the license, start an order, assign a tech, take service specific photos, text and email customers a digital multi-point inspection with photos attached, etc. All of the information gathered with the tablet is integrated (in real time) back into the shop management system, eliminating the need to write anything down. There are other benefits as well, but in an effort to avoid self-promotion on this forum, you may want to reach out to us. http://boltontechnology.com/contact-us/

Hey Dan, We currently integrate with the following shop management software: Mitchell 1 ShopKey R.O. Writer NAPA TRACS ALLDATA *We also have TCS, Tasco, MaxxTraxx, Omnique and more in the works as well. I'll keep you posted as we release them.

Sorry for your loss, Harry.

Hi Bob, This may just be a matter of providing better proof. Plainly put, a large portion of customers feel their auto repair facility purposely suggests more services than necessary in order to generate more revenue for the shop. To fix this, you should be adding photos specific to the vehicle’s needs to each inspection. This provides undeniable proof that there is indeed a need for service, and has proven to increase ARO. Click here for a better explanation: http://www.autoshopowner.com/blog/7/entry-176-digital-inspections-drive-shops-225-higher-ro/

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

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.

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

Thanks for the great discussion. I've enjoyed reading all of the comments here. As a best practice, we encourage shops to book the next appointment. It's really not much different than booking haircut and dentist appointments in advance. It saves customers from having to worry about remembering to do it and helps shops do more business. I agree with Joe that in order to be successful, your shop should consider some type of appointment reminder. Text message appointment reminders are one of the features available with our software. Service advisors can set a default number of days to send a text message appointment reminder. Customers can respond back with "c" to confirm the appointment or can call the shop to reschedule. Stowintegrity, it's great to hear that your appointments increased with advance scheduling! I also agree with your later post about the importance of vehicle inspections. We encourage shops to take vehicle condition photos to go along with detailed inspections. What better way to sell services than to show your customers what repairs are needed! We have seen shops dramatically increase their ARO in some cases by 200 percent or more as compared to the shop's ARO prior to doing inspections. One of our shops had a $53 ARO before inspections and now has a $377 ARO since starting inspections. Another shop took its ARO from $104 to $574 with vehicle inspections. These are just a few examples. I'd be happy to speak to anyone who has an interest or who has further questions. Please feel free to reach out to me.

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.

It was common for Holt Auto Service and Machine Shop Service Manager Mike Chase to leave a message for a customer and “wait, wait, wait” for a call back. In the hours that typically followed until Chase talked to customers, the technicians wasted time taking vehicles down from lifts only to begin the seemingly unending cycle again with another vehicle. Since the nine-bay shop began using BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY's Mobile Manager Pro, customer communication – and repair work authorizations – have moved into the fast lane. Plus, the response from customers after receiving color-coded digital inspections and detailed vehicle condition photos has been “phenomenal,” Chase said. “The response I get back from people is unbelievable. They can actually see what we’re seeing,” he said. “A picture is worth a thousand words. Even if they’re not buying everything, they can see it for themselves.” In the days of simply telling customers what was wrong with their vehicles, Chase said, “You always wonder, ‘do they believe you?’ This way, there’s no question.” To learn more about Mobile Manager Pro and how the digital multi-point inspection tool can improve day-to-day operations at your shop, click here: Mobile Manager Pro.

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.

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.

Hi Andre, I'm sorry to hear that you are having trouble with our software. Could you please reach out to our tech support team so we can get this fixed for you as soon as possible? Our number is 610-400-1019, option 1; or you can reach us through a remote support session here: http://www.boltontechnology.com/support-team/index.html. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

When he’s not helping auto repair shops learn tasks to automate their business and become more efficient, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY™ Director of National Sales and Corporate Sponsorships Frank Dragoni, of Yardley, eats, breathes and sleeps baseball. A Pennsbury Athletic Association baseball coach, Dragoni has been gearing up for the Philadelphia Friends of the V Foundation’s annual Jimmy V Home Run Derby, set for June 28 at Trenton Thunder Arm and Hammer Park following the Thunder’s 1 p.m. game. The event pits high school baseball players from Pennsylvania against New Jersey players. “The states kind of battle each other,” Dragoni said, adding that the competition is stiff. “The kids have to be able to hit the ball out of a major league stadium.” The V Foundation was founded by Jimmy Valvano several months before losing 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 Philadelphia branch of the organization gives 100 percent of the proceeds back to the organization, Dragoni said. “It’s a great cause,” Dragoni said. “It’s rewarding to feel like we’re making a difference.” To learn more Dragoni’s V Foundation fundraising work is through the Philly Friends of V, a regional branch of the nationwide V Foundation. Check out this video to learn more about the Home Run Derby. Cost is $11. For more information or to buy tickets, click here. 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. To learn more about Bolt On Technology, visit www.boltontechnology.com,see our mobile innovations on YouTube, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Hi, We don't have videos yet for this update. In terms of how shops are integrating it, some shops have TVs in the customer waiting room showing the WorkFlow Manager, while others are using it as a replacement for the existing work in progress screen. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

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.