POWAY, California (December 21, 2005) – Mitchell 1, the leader in providing innovative repair, estimating and management software solutions to the automotive aftermarket, has partnered with industry expert Robert Bob O’Connor, President of RLO Management Solutions- a division of R. L. O’Connor & Associates, Inc., an automotive operations and management training and consulting firm. The partnership is the next logical step for Mitchell 1 following the recent launch of its new business services product offerings under the M1 Business Solutions banner.

“We are thrilled to partner with one of the industry’s cutting-edge consultants.” said Brian Warfield, senior product manager for Mitchell 1. “Bob’s knowledge of the ever-changing, highly competitive automotive service market is directly aligned with the goals for our new M1 Business Solutions products.”

Based in Federal Way, WA, R. L. O’Connor & Associates, Inc. has become well-known throughout North America in the automotive service industry for its industry-specific training, products and consulting services. Led by automotive shop management expert Robert Bob, the company has grown steadily in response to the ongoing needs of the competitive automotive service market.

The partnership with R. L. O’Connor & Associates, inc. will focus on delivering a new product offering, Mitchell 1 Performance Groups (MPG), designed for the Company’s existing Shop Management software customers. MPG is a new M1 Business Solutions product that will combine automated business diagnostic reports, profit-building webinars with professionally facilitated on-line group meetings to help repair shop owners maximize shop productivity and profits.

The MPG product is the next in a series of product offerings in the M1 Business Solutions product line that currently includes Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Call Tracking Services (CTS) launched earlier in 2005. The new MPG product is scheduled to launch in early 2006.

O’Connor and his team of automotive service professionals will assist Mitchell 1 with ongoing implementation of MPG activities designed to help shop owners use their Mitchell1 shop management software to transition from a vehicle-repair mentality to a customer-centric service approach that focuses on selling maintenance and diagnostic repair work.

About the Author

Jill Schafer

Jill Schafer is the Marketing Communication Manager at Mitchell 1 and has over 20 years of marketing experience with high-technology organizations, including over 10 years in the automotive information industry.