BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY entered into Virtual AAPEX Experience 2020 and SEMA360, the automotive industry’s premier events, riding a repair industry milestone and on the axles of a market expansion that opens up its award-winning digital capabilities to every business that works under the hood or chassis of a motorized vehicle.
To date, over 10,000 independent repair shops have taken advantage of BOLT ON’s award-winning software to grow their businesses on average of 40 percent, the company says. Shops have experienced this revenue growth through improved customer trust and transparency, greater operational efficiencies, and increased average repair orders and repeat visits delivered by BOLT ON’s Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI) tools. The company’s DVIs enable shops to share photos, videos, and tech notes with drivers who can then quickly and confidently approve recommended repairs and services, set their next appointment, and pay for the repairs using their mobile device.
Heading into AAPEX and SEMA, BOLT ON just eclipsed a major milestone of 50 million repair photos sent to drivers through its Mobile Manager Pro and cloud-based NextGear platforms. Western Edge Auto Center in Palmdale, California, a BOLT ON customer since 2015, holds the distinction of transmitting the landmark 50 millionth image, which serves as a testament to how both shops and consumers have adopted multimedia, text-based communications on mobile devices. Shops sending multiple photos to their customers – including evidence of both “good” items found during an inspection along with items that need to be monitored for potential future service – can increase average repair orders up to 39 percent, according to BOLT ON’s research.
The 50 millionth photo shared between repair shop and driver arrives just as BOLT ON announced the availability of its cloud-based product to industry sectors beyond traditional independent repair shops. New and used car dealer service centers, auto body shops, parts vendors, air conditioning specialists, import car specialty shops, truck, RV, motorcycle, and marine repair specialists, fleet managers, and others can now take advantage of BOLT ON’s award-winning solutions, which include DVI reports, text service reminders, next-appointment scheduling, text-to-pay, and other functions. Shops need nothing more than an internet connection and a mobile device; there’s no need to buy new software or hardware.
“Where AAPEX and SEMA bring together the entirety of the automotive aftermarket, now so does BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY,” said Mike Risich, founder and CEO. BOLT ON. “Everyone who attends these events, this year virtually, is looking for the education and tools to succeed and increase profits, particularly during these challenging times, and we’re excited to deliver both those opportunities to registrants through our products and the insights that BOLT ON University is known for.”
BOLT ON University’s “Fast Track Your Shop’s Success” program is available to registrants at no cost and will cover best practices for customer engagement. Presented by John “J.B.” Burkhauser, BOLT ON’s director of education and an A-Level and ASE-certified Master Tech, the session will cover:
- How to better utilize your shop management system to improve operations.
- Best practices for using BOLT ON software to increase repair orders, maximize productivity, and win repeat business.
- Proactive strategies and techniques to keep customers coming back for more than just oil changes.
- New procedures to get services approved by customers – fast.
- Ideas on monitoring shop workflow and the performance of your techs to increase productivity and retain quality talent.
- Proven methods to build trust and improve customer satisfaction.
The “Fast Track Your Shop’s Success” will air live on Wednesday, November 4, from 1-5 PM EST but will be available for streaming after for those who aren’t able to participate in the live event. Find the complete schedule here.
BOLT ON will also participate in Joe’s Garage, a new AAPEX feature offering demonstration videos from leading brands in the industry. BOLT ON will demo Digital Vehicle Inspections, Next Appointment Scheduling, Text To Pay, and Review Manager. BOLT ON will be featured all three days of the expo. Like BOLT ON University, the presentation will remain available for streaming throughout the duration of the expo.
As a result of the expanded market push, BOLT ON will also be exhibiting at SEMA for the first time in its 10-plus year history as its DVI technology is now available to any type of vehicle repair business through its NextGear platform and products. In addition to product demonstrations and networking with event attendees, the BOLT ON team will be hosting a series of roundtable discussions on the following topics and trends facing the industry:
- 11/3, 2 PM EST - Using Digital Technology to Improve Customer Communications
- 11/4, 1 PM EST - Ways to Immediately Improve AROs
- 11/5, 11 AM EST - Challenging the Car Count Myth
Anyone who purchases one of BOLT ON’s products during either the AAPEX or SEMA show will have their set-up fees waived.
