Mobile Platforms: Improving Your Auto Repair Shop Workflow
According to Citrix, 91% of organizations plan to have a mobile workstyle strategy in their business and 62% already have one in place. Although this figure is not specific to the automotive repair shop industry, it might as well be. The auto repair aftermarket industry is experiencing an exponential growth in mobile use because it has been shown to help maximize efficiency and speed up auto repair shop workflow. With so many repair shops quickly adopting this time saver, are you staying competitive and going mobile?
If you said yes, then kudos to you; you’re on top of it! However, we urge you to read on to learn some new ways you can up your mobile game. If no, this means you have an amazing opportunity to increase productivity and your overall bottom line. Take a peek below to find out how you can benefit from auto repair shop mobile solutions.
Advantages of Mobile Auto Repair Shop Solutions
Did you know there are at least 14 advantages to going mobile in your auto shop? Here are our top 3 reasons for going mobile in your automotive repair shop.
Work load management
Imagine a world where you didn’t have to stop what you were doing to look at your assignment, get updates or wrangle up information. With a fully integrated repair information, shop management and shop marketing mobile solution, this can be a reality. All information becomes accessible at any point and place in the shop, allowing you to access customer and service data as needed.
For example, you can gather customer information at the car the moment the customer drives into the shop. VINs can be scanned directly from your tablet rather than writing it down and going to the computer. The VIN will automatically populate the car’s specific vehicle data and access past services and customer notes, saving you 10-15 minutes of valuable time on data collection. Also, it allows each technician to access repair information at the bay, which speeds up repair shop work flow.
Better Inspections
Although you probably have already mastered a pretty thorough inspection, why not make it easier on yourself? Tablet-based inspections allow you to quickly and easily look at vehicle history reports and customer specific information, like individual reports and pictures. You can schedule appointments, communicate with peers and remind your customers of services in real-time without moving from the spot you’re in.
Cost Efficient
If it works better, it must cost more money. Not true! Using mobile technology in your auto repair shop is actually cheaper than providing a desktop computer in each repair bay. Many auto shop owners fear that tablets are uber-expensive or maybe too delicate for the shop, but this isn’t the case. There are many other solutions that are cost effective and durable.
For the other 11 benefits, take a look at our Mitchell 1 Incorporating Mobile Platforms Into an Auto Repair Shop Workflow whitepaper.
Mobile Auto Repair Shop Tools
There are three main mobile tools that will skyrocket your success in the shop—repair information, shop management and shop marketing. Ideally you should incorporate and integrate all three of these for maximum efficiency; however, you can go solo on each one of these solutions.
Auto Shop Repair Information Goes Mobile
With more complex cars being made and more data than ever before, it is important for technicians to be armed with easily accessible and complete information to be able to make a timely and proper repair. This information is even better served when it is right at the bay. With Mitchell 1’s ProDemand Mobile, technicians can simply swipe, drag and scroll to find OEM information and Real Fixes from other industry professionals all in one location, saving time on searching.
Auto Shop Management Goes Mobile
With your shop management software accessible via tablet you can essentially bring the counter to any point in the shop. Tools like Mobile ManagerPro can help you work more efficiently. You can quickly get a VIN, create customizable multi-point inspections, complete vehicle diagnosis with photos, make digital estimates and repair orders, instant message your team and many other time-saving functions.
Auto Shop Marketing Goes Mobile
It is simply not enough anymore to do great repairs and give good customer service in the shop. It is becoming increasingly important to stay ahead of your competition by communicating with your current and future customers through marketing. Mitchell1’s SocialCRM is a great auto shop marketing solution that can both integrate with Manager SE as well as other shop management platforms. These solutions can help automate strategic and smart emails, create an advantage with your reviews, help with social media and website performance and many other features.
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