The repair industry has seen a huge shift in the last decade. Advancements in shop technology and tools have helped push for faster and more trusted repair visits. A large advancement has been the widespread release of digital vehicle inspections, which allow customers to have a visual representation of the exact issues within their vehicles and eliminates the hassle of paper reports.
When a customer can see with their own eyes what needs to be done to their vehicle, they can immediately understand that the repairs are vital for the safety of their car, themself and their family. This swift form of communication and education quickly gets the customer on board for the needed repairs and grows average repair orders (AROs).
Fully Utilize the Tool
Each vehicle that comes into your shop should first be given a courtesy digital inspection. This report acts as an inside look for customers who may have zero knowledge of what’s under the hoods of their vehicles.
Technicians should aim to take 15-20 clear pictures for every digital inspection—more if needed to strongly showcase a complex issue. They should also take photos of the parts of the vehicle that don’t need repair at the time or could need repairs down the line. This allows customers to see a digital footprint of their vehicle over time and could be used as a way to efficiently educate and sell in the future. For photos of specific parts that need repair, encourage your technicians to take advantage of the editing capabilities within the tool to draw deliberate arrows or circles directly on photos that may need further clarity.
In some cases, short clips might act as a more comprehensive look into the issue, since videos can demonstrate movement and sound. The more complete and thorough an inspection is, the stronger the communication will be between the staff within the shop and with the customer.
Connect Beyond the Inspection
Once the inspection is complete, and the service advisor has had a chance to look it over, it can be sent immediately and directly to the customer using their preferred contact method. No matter where the customer is, they can easily check their text or email and open up their entire inspection on their phone or computer. The convenience and speed of the digital form of communication lets customers see their vehicle report wherever they are with visual examples of what needs to be repaired, eliminating further back-and-forth with the shop that could delay the repair process.
ALLDATA offers digital inspections on its mobile app to work with the ALLDATA Manage Online so you can jump-start the check-in process right at the vehicle and easily fill out digital inspections.
The advantages of a digital inspection can also move beyond the current visit to help facilitate an efficient next appointment. An ever-evolving view of the vehicle’s past repairs and issues makes the next visit even more efficient. Technicians know the exact history of the vehicle and can shape how they focus their next inspection. It can also be used as a sales tool, and jobs that were not sold in the first visit can be revisited and compared to the photo of the previous service to showcase the growing issue. This cuts down time for all parties and creates a stronger, more trusted relationship with customers.
Utilize Digital Diagrams
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Not all repairs can be communicated to customers through photos and videos. Some issues that are complicated or are difficult to showcase simply through vehicle images deserve a more in-depth conversation with customers to get them on board and quickly moving forward.
Build trust with customers by utilizing digital inspections and outside resources and graphics available to view or download from AutoZonePro.com. Digital diagrams help to further build confidence with customers by allowing service writers to easily talk through and guide difficult repair conversations with customers through text, email, or face-to-face.
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