Current research estimates that there will be around 76 million vehicles in the United States by 2021 — putting the automotive repair industry in an advantageous position as we move into the new year.
In that same year, it is predicted that at least 18% of all U.S. households will depend upon an auto repair service yearly, if not more often, to keep their vehicles in good working order.
To take advantage of this bright outlook, however, independent auto repair shops — the ones that regularly perform three-quarters of aftermarket auto repairs — must invest in the latest technology and equipment to maintain their profitability.
And technology is not just about the repair side of the business — it can also be leveraged to provide a superior customer experience. In fact, surveys show that businesses that invest in 3 years of customer experience improvements can expect to see their earnings skyrocket.
That is why more repair shops are turning to managed services to get help transforming their business — and their customer’s experience.
Putting Managed Services to Work for Your Automotive Repair Business
Auto technology has gone from being a nice-to-have addition to a must-have as more of the industry adopts a tech-heavy business model.
Not only has vehicle technology taken off, but cloud technology and other tools like complex hard- and software are combining to help auto dealers and repair shops meet customer expectations, generate revenue, and increase staff productivity.
A managed services provider (MSP) can help guide your shop through these complexities, ensuring your systems are working well and removing the burden of deployment and upkeep on staff that can be better utilized elsewhere. Here’s how:
1. Cloud-Based Storage
While a cloud-based system for your computing, documenting, and communicating needs is an essential element of a modern, high-tech auto repair business, it can also present some roadblocks for the uninitiated.
Most repair shops concentrate on highly skilled technicians and friendly front desk staff rather than spending dollars on in-house IT personnel, which can make building and managing these systems difficult.
An MSP takes the complexity out of the equation, assessing your needs, creating an appropriate interface, and keeping up with maintenance so your staff can concentrate on repairs and customer support.
2. Better Document Organization
Auto repair shops manage a plethora of documentation — invoices, parts receipts, inventories, and more.
An MSP can develop a document management system that allows technicians, office staff, and accounting personnel to quickly and accurately pinpoint appropriate documentation to speed up processes and reduce customer frustration.
3. Easy Customer Communication
Your MSP can assess your current customer communication platform and create or modify your system to ensure that customers are always kept abreast of what is going on with their vehicles.
This one-of-a-kind customer interface can be a critical element in retaining customers and getting the kind of repeat business that generates a positive revenue flow.
Blue Technologies Provides Signature Managed Services
Blue Technologies can provide the right managed IT services for your industry, bringing your auto repair shop the power of a fully-staffed, expertly-trained IT department — without the cost and overhead of in-house staff.
Our managed services team can help assess the specific needs and challenges faced by your business and develop a set of IT strategies focused on revolutionizing your customer’s experience and optimizing your business processes for increased productivity — and revenue.
We can not only design a custom-tailored IT solution matched to your needs, we have the highly trained staff to deploy it, provide employee education, and keep your system maintained so you can focus on revenue-producing tasks.
Importantly, we use the most current cybersecurity protocols in all of our work to ensure your — and your customers’ — data is fully protected from theft, loss, or breach. In the event of a disaster, our team provides a robust disaster recovery plan to ensure your shop is up and running as soon as possible.
From document management to print management solutions and beyond, our team at Blue Technologies can help your repair business gain a competitive edge, generate repeat business through outstanding customer service, and reduce the burden of complex IT issues on in-house staff.
Take advantage of customized IT solutions for your auto repair business. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant today and learn how our Managed IT team can help support your company’s continued growth.
