Greg Buckley from Buckley Auto Care in Newport, Del., had a revolution in his shop that started in 2014. He went from an average shop of $700,000 per year to a $1 million plus shop that dramatically improved his profitability. What really changed his business was how he embraced technology in his shop.
He went from being a manual paper shop to really improving processes, communications and profits, which created a client that produced more profits through technology. The first step was by embracing the complete iOS system and utilizing it throughout the entire shop. This system not only allowed his internal team to communicate in one system, but also allowed him to communicate with his customers’ phones, computers and, now, through the Apple Watch. He is now a part of his client’s life instead of just a service provider. This also gained him a customer that had an average income of over $100,000 per year because the average Apple client is a higher-end demographic and are loyal to their Apple products.
Next, Greg started the process of communicating with his team and customer through a DVI platform that was Apple based with Kukui’s new digital inspection sheet. The digital inspection really improved his efficiency by decreasing the amount of steps his team took each day by having the sheet dispatch work straight to technicians’ bays and the technician’s findings were immediately communicated to the front desk. Therefore, managers no longer had to walk the shop to find out what was going on with the car; they just had to look at their iPad or computer.
Next, the customer’s experience changed by getting not only digital pictures, but also interactive videos that the shop shot through the DVI. Those can be sent straight to the customer’s phone, watch or computer. The new platform also gave the customer instant updates on their car’s repair progress by sending a text straight to their phone, telling them that their parts arrived or that their car is ready. This reduced customer complaints of getting updates on their car and the videos increased sales by selling the job before the advisor would even call. The customer can now approve repairs or review estimates instantly without even having to make a call.
Todd Westerlund, the CEO of Kukui, really revolutionized this process by developing a DVI product that was built on a fast, secure and buildable software. They also were able to create a product that has a touch screen that works even with a glove on. The Apple product also allows a buildable program that will slow down or crash with more features because the product is so advanced with Apple.
Next, Greg integrated the new Kukui customer review platform into their process. The new program will text the customer and ask for a review, either through Google or Facebook. This seamless review process caused them to have more positive online reviews without creating more work for the service advisor, which, in turn, increased their new customer leads that were already pre-sold to try their shop since their peers recommended Buckley’s Auto Care.
Next, Greg integrated Kukui’s new SEO and PPC program to increase leads when customers searched for automotive repair in their area. They were able to have a custom-built website that had the right call to action and SEO built into the site. They also were able to control and review the ideal keywords that really produced ideal customers in a designated area around their shop. The system also allowed them to listen to all phone calls for coaching, review conversion rates of customers and see all aspects of the customer’s experience via the fully integrated system.
Finally, Kukui has found a way that it can pull the entire customer base from the shop’s POS to create a map of its entire customer base that will show where they come from, their preferred method of advertising and full demographic analysis. This allows shop owners to see what areas they are missing and what type of advertising speaks to that neighborhood. So, shop owners can now easily determine how to change their marketing plan to reach customers they have not been able to get into the shop or go after neighborhoods that produced the most profitable customers.
Overall, Greg and Todd both agree that these technologies create a better customer base, improve shop efficiency and make their shop a part of the customers lifestyle, not just a service to use one time.
