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An AI Powered CRM for Auto Repair? with Kieran O'Brien - The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast

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Brian and Kim talk with Kieran O’Brien, founder of ShopGenie, an AI powered CRM for auto repair.

Thank you to our friends at RepairPal for providing this episode. RepairPal’s Certified Network of shops are trusted by millions of customers each month. Learn more at RepairPal.com/shops.

  • Introduction and Sponsorship (00:00:01 - 00:00:39) The speakers introduce the podcast and thank the sponsor, Repair Pal.
  • Kieran's Background (00:00:58 - 00:02:00) Kieran shares his story of starting his first business at 16, working in the automotive industry, and building a CRM with technology that established companies are not integrating.
  • Opportunity in CRM (00:02:55) Kieran discusses the opportunity he sees in the CRM side of the auto repair industry.
  • Starting a business at a young age (00:03:33) Kieran talks about how he started his first business at the age of 16 and how he found mentors in the automotive industry.
  • Alternative paths to success (00:05:21) The hosts and Kieran discuss the idea that college is not the only path to success and how apprenticeships are viewed differently in Europe.
  • Raising an entrepreneur (00:06:27) Kim talks about how her son grew up with two entrepreneur parents and how they have had discussions about his future and whether or not he needs to go to college.
  • Parents' reaction to Kieran's success (00:08:49) Kieran talks about the contention between him and his parents regarding his decision not to go to college and how his success in business changed their relationship.
  • The need to promote trade schools (00:09:24) Kieran discusses the need to change the narrative around college and promote trade schools to solve the problem of student loan debt and the technician shortage in the auto repair industry.
  • Sponsorship message from Repair Pal (00:10:11) The hosts thank Repair Pal for sponsoring the episode and encourage auto repair shops to become Repair Pal certified to attract tech-savvy customers.
  • Tenacity and Authenticity (00:11:06) Kieran's approach to promoting her product with authenticity and tenacity, without being pushy.
  • Importance of Customer Experience (00:11:42) Kieran emphasizes the importance of building an incredible product, brand, and customer experience to attract and retain customers.
  • Obsessive Customer Service (00:13:25) Kieran talks about the importance of obsessive customer service and recommends the book "Unreasonable Hospitality" for auto repair shop owners.
  • The Ideal Auto Repair Shop (00:14:57-00:16:41) Kieran O'Brien discusses the ideal auto repair shop, which would be a specialty shop with a focus on customer service and the latest technology. The hosts compare it to the Ritz Carlton and Chick-fil-A.
  • Shop Genie's Customer Experience Platform (00:16:54-00:17:44) Kieran O'Brien talks about Shop Genie's customer experience platform, which is an AI-powered platform for auto repair shops that handles marketing automation, reviews, online scheduling, and more. The platform aims to put everything under one roof and provide the best customer experience in the market.
  • Dealing with Outdated CRM and Marketing Technology (00:17:44-00:18:19) Kieran O'Brien discusses how the CRM and marketing technology in the auto repair industry has been outdated for a while, and how Shop Genie aims to build a customer experience platform that integrates everything in one place, instead of having to deal with multiple software vendors.
  • AI and Blue Collar Jobs (00:18:35) Discusses how AI is not taking over blue collar jobs, but rather replacing desk jobs. Talks about how technicians are getting paid more and how AI is useful for communication.
  • Jasmine: AI Assistant for Auto Repair (00:19:19) Introduces Jasmine, an AI assistant built and trained on auto repair data. Explains how it can help with communication, responding to customers, and even writing marketing campaigns.
  • AI and Service Advisors (00:20:03) Discusses how AI can give service advisors superpowers by reducing the time they spend on the phone and behind screens. Talks about how AI is there to help them focus on creating amazing customer experiences.
  • AI replacing jobs (00:23:30) Kieran O'Brien shares her opinion on AI replacing jobs and how it can make people do things differently.
  • AI making people more effective (00:24:16) Kieran O'Brien explains how AI can help people become more effective and better at their jobs, leading to better margins for businesses.
  • Adapting to AI (00:24:49) Brian Walker talks about adapting to AI and becoming the best at using it for clients to stay competitive in the market.
  • Adapting to AI (00:25:42) The speakers discuss the fear of adapting to AI and how it cannot replace human emotion and feeling. They emphasize the importance of using AI wisely and not letting it replace human interactions.
  • AI and Blue Collar Jobs (00:28:18) The speakers discuss how AI may drive people to get into blue-collar fields and how it may reduce white-collar jobs. They also mention that blue-collar jobs are currently considered the safest jobs as AI is far from being able to replace them.
  • Efficient Training with AI (00:29:28) The speakers discuss how AI may make training more efficient, making it easier for people to become technicians faster. They focus on the pros of AI and how it can be used to make businesses more effective and profitable.
  • Online Scheduling Tool (00:29:33) Shop Genie's free online scheduling tool is discussed as a powerful tool for auto repair shops to stand out from the competition and create better customer experiences.
  • How to Access the Online Scheduling Tool (00:30:41) Listeners are directed to go to shopgenie.io/solutions to access the free online scheduling tool, which takes only 15 minutes to set up.
  • Shop Management System Integration (00:31:02) Shop Genie is currently integrated with several shop management systems, including Shop-Ware, Tech Metrics, and Mitchell 1, with more in the works.

 

Resources

 

 

How To Get In Touch

 

 

Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio

 



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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

    • Joe Marconi
      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog
         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.

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