mikerisich

Salesman Derek Cain had his first introduction to automotive software solutions before joining the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team. “I’ve actually seen it just by going to my own mechanic, not knowing it was Bolt On’s software,” Cain said of the company’s Mobile Manager Pro tool, which enables auto repair technicians to meet customers at their vehicles and begin carrying out digital multi-point inspections. The software includes license plate scanning and decoding functionality, the ability to take and text vehicle condition photos to customers and other time-saving features aimed at automating routine tasks. Cain, of Bensalem, Pa., has more than 20 years of experience in sales and development. During that time he worked and developed relationships as a data solutions expert in the B2B wireless industry working with leading cell phone carriers. He also holds numerous sales awards and worked as the national account sales manager for Cherry Hill, N.J.-based Wireless Technologies LLC. As an experienced industry manager, leaving that field to help educate auto repair shops on ways to speed up processes, boost profits, improve productivity – all while going paperless – was a “no-brainer” for Cain. “I feel extremely honored to be joining the Bolt On Technology team,” he said. “This is a very exciting period for the company and I look forward to helping increase sales volumes and opening up new territories for the brand in markets around the globe.” “BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY has strengthened its direct sales force by hiring Derek Cain as its sales manager for the U.S. and Canadian markets,” Mike Risich, the company’s CEO, said. Working from the company’s development center in Bucks County, Pa., Cain will have the day-to-day responsibility for the development of the OEM channel, extending the company’s significant customer base and continuing to grow BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY as one of the leading suppliers of add-on automotive software solutions. “It’s just something I truly believe the auto industry needs to keep up on,” he said. “It’s like the beginning of cellular, just in a different industry.” About BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY™ Founded in 2008, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY was created by entrepreneur Michael Risich, whose vision of digitizing the automotive repair industry has continued to define the company. BOLT ON stays at the forefront of innovation, continuing to revolutionize mobile applications that save auto shops time, money and the need to write out lengthy estimates or vehicle diagnoses. Bolt On Technology has grown to be one of the leading shop management software providers. The company has partnered with some of the largest companies in the business, including Mitchell1, ATI (Automotive Training Institute), CARFAX and others.

I never set out to develop software add-on solutions that would revolutionize the auto repair industry. All of that happened by accident. Prior to founding BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, I worked as a Microsoft developer and taught evening classes at a school district near my suburban Philadelphia home. It was in the classes that I met an auto repair shop owner and his wife, who asked me to help with their shop’s software programs. When I saw how out-of-date the system was, a light went off in my head. It was kismet. From then on, my life’s goal was in view. I knew I had the passion and know-how to create add-on solutions that would help to automate tedious day-to-day functions at some of the nation’s 275,000 independent auto repair shops. My end goal, while always in sight, was not something that came easy, or right away. A father of three young children, I continued to work my full-time job while spending sleepless nights on what would become BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY. My wife, Christina, who often saw me hunched over our laptop computer in the wee hours, used to joke that I was having an affair – and her name was Dell. I hustled hard, because, more than the lack of sleep and time away from my family, I wanted to build this company. I knew that my time was an investment toward a larger achievement: Helping shops to increase efficiency, boost productivity and drive up profits through automation. In 2009, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY LLC was formed. Two years later, I hired my first employee. About that same time, I moved my company’s operations to a space adjacent to an auto repair shop. The move was strategic – what better place to test my company’s add-on software solutions than a repair shop that would put the software to use each and every day? Fast forward a few years and BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY has developed and sold thousands of licenses for our suite of automotive software solutions throughout the U.S., South America, Canada and Guam. My team of software developers is constantly working to improve upon our existing solutions and create even more modules aimed at making shop owners’ lives easier. We want to over-deliver every single time. We do that by listening to shop owners, understanding their pain points and developing solutions that help. We also do that by staying ahead of technology’s cutting edge. Before Bolt On’s Mobile Manager Pro tablet-powered software module hit the market mechanics didn’t realize they needed digital functionality, or the ability to meet customers at their vehicle to begin paper-free multi-point inspections. But, now that they have it, shop owners tell me it’s hard to imagine living without it. For them, returning to pencil-and-paper inspections would be like buying a VCR instead of a Blu-ray player. Our mobile product revolutionized how data is collected. And that is only the beginning. We want to continue pushing the technological envelope, introducing new software that saves shops time, boosts efficiency and profits and continues to improve upon the customer experience. In the throes of the economic recession shop owners I regularly met with were seeking ways to overcome deep revenue losses and tight profit margins. None that I talked to asked for the ability to conduct digital multi-point inspections, or scan and decode a license plate. But, their struggles were synonymous with many of the time-saving functions inherent in our mobile software. Saving time (and increasing productivity) translates to higher profits because we all know that time is money. If you have the tools to receive customer approval for work authorization in 2 minutes – instead of an hour plus – techs no longer have to remove vehicles from lifts … only to add them later when the customer calls back. Developing software solutions that encompass auto repair best practices is a big component in my company’s future endeavors. In order to create solutions which improve shop operations, I need to stay ingrained in the shop atmosphere. My initial entrance into the automotive software solutions world may have been by accident, but my sleepless nights laying the groundwork for BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY and my continued passion and drive ensure that I’m in it for the long haul. I look forward to sharing my story (and demonstrating our mobile technology) at a Philly New Technology group meetup on Wednesday and hopefully many more speaking engagements in the future. To learn more about BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY visit us at www.boltontechnology.com or call 610-400-1019.

The #1 most-requested Report Pro feature is here! Report Pro customers have been asking for the ability to view multi-point inspections on a desktop and now that functionality is here! The Inspection Manager addition, which has been rolled out for Mitchell1 SE Mobile Manager Pro users - and will be forthcoming for other shop management systems - allows a service advisor to review/edit an inspection from the desktop, making it easier to share results in person with a customer. The new feature is an exact replication of what's seen on the tablet and allows service advisors the ability to see in-progress, waiting and completed inspections. From the desktop, shop staff can view and edit notes and recommendations, as well as vehicle and inspection images. As is the case with the tablet, shop personnel can share inspections via email, text message, and work order note. Getting started Follow these steps to load the latest Report Pro upgrades: Open Report Pro When you see the prompt for a new update click "get update." The Inspection Manager is accessible in the tools menu of Report Pro.

Xrac, That's a shame all around. Would your employee's health or dental insurance cover a portion of the expense?

Whether you're a beginner, a seasoned Mobile Manager Pro user, or somewhere in between, our 7 step-by-step training videos will help you to more easily decode license plates and VINs, capture customers' signatures electronically, perform digital multi-point inspections and more. As always, the information entered into tablet devices automatically transmits into leading shop management systems without any additional effort, or double entry on your part. To view our latest training videos, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTAHU_-meLQ&list=PLNWs0wU3yWkQEptDZ7egxqJpi25Uq3Cpl For more information on BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.

Wow! Blown away by that voice!!! Amazing!

Determine what you want from exhibitors post-expo now. With so many booths, workshops and more at the AAPEX Show, it would be virtually impossible to leave Las Vegas with all of the information you need to effectively grow your business. That’s why receiving follow up from exhibitors that align with your goals is imperative. How do you do that? Follow these simple tips to gather all the post-show information you need. 1.Set guidelines Communicate your preferred follow-up methods with the exhibitor. Would you like them to call you, send a pamphlet, or fax information to you? Share with exhibitors how and what information you need to make any potential follow up decisions after AAPEX. 2.Carve out time Be sure to set aside time to speak to exhibitors, or review the information they send. Suggest that exhibitors reach out to you during less busy portions of your workday, or ensure that an employee can cover for you. 3.Set goals Give yourself a realistic time frame to discuss, review and act on any follow up material. Don’t leave pamphlets, or other information lying around for months collecting dust. 4.Hold exhibitors accountable Be sure exhibitors do what they said they would do – when they said they would do it. In other words, if the exhibitor agrees to touch base a week after AAPEX and then fails to do so, you may want to reconsider doing business with the company. Failure to follow up shows the exhibitor can’t be trusted. 5.Don’t be afraid to ask questions Perhaps the exhibitor’s follow up raised more questions, or caused confusion. Be sure to ask for further explanations, or clarifications. 6.Seek out proof When follow up regarding the exhibitor’s products or services is not enough ask for insight from others in the know: Shop owners who are also customers. The exhibitor should be able to provide contact information for a customer or two, or you could try to find answers on your own via sites like the International Automotive Technicians Network (http://www.iatn.net/) or www.autoshopowner.com. You can see other helpful AAPEX Show tips and hints in my blog by clicking here. If you’re going to AAPEX Show 2014, we’d love to meet you! Please be sure to stop by booth #2983 to meet the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team, learn more about our mobile technology and our automotive software solutions, Mobile Manager Pro and Welcome Station. For more information, visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.

The greater Philadelphia area automotive software solutions developer ranked #36 Not only has BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY remained at the forefront developing innovative add-on solutions powering the nation’s independent auto repair shops’ ability to automate daily operations, increase efficiency and boost profits, the Downingtown, Pa.-based company has ranked as one of the 2014 fastest-growing, privately-held businesses in the Philadelphia region by the Philadelphia 100®, the Wharton Small Business Development Center, the Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Business Journal. The Philadelphia 100 rankings are based on companies’ percentage of growth over the last three years, ending in 2013. During that time frame, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY grew by 187 percent and ranked number 36 of 100, according to official Philadelphia 100 rankings released Thursday night. In addition to founder and CEO Mike Risich, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY employed two workers just two years ago and has since grown to employ more than a dozen. The company’s software applications serve thousands of independent auto repair shops in the U.S., Canada and Guam. BOLT ON, which operates a software development center in Bucks County, is poised for continued expansion both in its workforce, as well as its more than a dozen software applications, according to Risich. “This achievement is just the next step in taking our company to another level,” Risich said. “I know our team embraces change and has the drive and motivation to continue to better our customers’ businesses.” About BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY™ Founded in 2008, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY was created by entrepreneur Michael Risich, whose vision of digitizing the automotive repair industry has continued to define the company. BOLT ON stays at the forefront of innovation, continuing to revolutionize mobile applications that save auto shops time, money and the need to write out lengthy estimates or vehicle diagnoses. Bolt On Technology has grown to be one of the leading shop management software providers. The company has partnered with some of the largest companies in the business, including Mitchell1, ATI (Automotive Training Institute) and CARFAX. To learn more about Bolt On Technology, visit BoltOnTechnology.com, see our mobile innovations on YouTube, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. About the Philadelphia 100 Program: The Philadelphia 100 was founded in 1988 by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia Business Journal, and Wharton Small Business Development Center to publicly identify, recognize, and promote successful companies in the Greater Philadelphia region. Previous participants have told us that participating in the Philadelphia 100 helped them attract new employees, obtain new customers, and raise capital. Past honorees include NovaCare, Forman Mills, ATX, Mothers Work, Diamond Couriers, West Coast Video, Spectacor, Urban Outfitters, and Kremer Laser Eye Center

With thousands of exhibitors and countless products, it’s important to know which questions to ask AAPEX Show exhibitors. In my last blog, I suggested that shops consider researching the exhibitors whose products or services align most closely to the shop’s main goals and map out a plan to make the most of the limited time available. Now that you’ve decided which booths you will be visiting in Las Vegas Nov. 3-6, it’s time to think about what questions you might want to ask exhibitors. With so many booths, education sessions, networking events and so little time, you will want each interaction to count. This handy guide will help you stay focused. 1. Find the correlation You have determined that exhibitors are worth your time. Be sure to ask questions that allow the exhibitor to explain how their products or services could help your business. 2. Steer clear of questions with yes or no answers Vague questions, such as “does your product integrate with my shop management system” may yield a response of “yes.” In reality, that may not be true. 3. Ask for the “how” behind the exhibitor’s offerings Instead of asking a question that could be open to various interpretations, try rewording the question to ask how the system integrates, for instance. The answer will likely give you more insight and a better sense of whether the product is truly a match for your shop’s goals. 4. Show, don’t tell Even better than the “how” of the product or service is seeing it in action. See for yourself the product’s attributes, or shortcomings, by asking for a demonstration. 5. Ask the same questions The only way to truly compare apples to apples when considering similar products offered by competing exhibitors is to ask the same questions of each exhibitor. 6. Don’t be afraid to follow up You asked all of the questions on your checklist. But, something the exhibitor said raised another question, or caused confusion. While it’s fresh in your mind – and while the exhibitor is in front of you – ask for clarification. 7. Write it down Perhaps just as important as asking the right question is remembering the answers. The likelihood of remembering one company or product’s attributes over another may be difficult that night in your hotel room and even more so after AAPEX is over. Jot down notes highlighting things that matter to you and your business. A few notes should be enough to jog your memory after the fact. Stay tuned for more helpful AAPEX Show tips and hints. If you’re going to AAPEX Show 2014, we’d love to meet you! Please be sure to stop by booth #2983 to meet the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team, learn more about our mobile technology and our automotive software solutions, Mobile Manager Pro and Welcome Station. For more information, visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.

BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY will exhibit at the show, which is set for Nov. 3-6 in Las Vegas. In a matter of weeks, thousands of exhibitors will fill 1 million square feet of the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada as part of the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX). Businesses, particularly automotive repair shops, have much to gain from the vast educational offerings, as well as the latest and most innovative products and business solutions on display Nov. 3-6. How can you see and do it all? Simply put: You can’t. But, with this handy checklist of tips, you can discover the products, services and other offerings that are most important to your shop. 1. Do your homework Use the weeks leading up to AAPEX to familiarize yourself with the various sessions available and get a jumpstart on planning your days. 2. Define your objective Think about why you registered for AAPEX. Try to pinpoint the top goals you would like to achieve and consider the service providers and/or products that could help you attain success. 3. Research exhibitors who can make your goals reality Say, for instance, you’d like your repair shop to increase its average repair order, automate day-to-day functions and improve customer confidence. Besides BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, you may want to research which other shop management system providers could help you reach your goals. To get started, click here to search the AAPEX Show Website by brand, by product, or by exhibitor. You can view a company’s product information, contact methods, show location and more. 4. Review the lay of the AAPEX land Once you have an idea of which educational sessions you would like to attend and which exhibitors you would like to visit, review the floor plan. 5. Plot out your AAPEX Show plan While viewing the floor plan, attendees can look up exhibitors they would like to visit, see their location and booth number on the map, as well as their booth size. The floor plan helps make it easier to visualize where you want to throughout the course of the show. Stay tuned for more helpful AAPEX Show tips and hints. If you’re going to AAPEX Show 2014, we’d love to meet you! Please be sure to stop by booth #2983 to meet the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY team, learn more about our mobile technology and our automotive software solutions, Mobile Manager Pro and Welcome Station. For more information, visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.

The automotive software solutions provider will demonstrate its Welcome Station customer check-in touchscreen tool during the show. Are you heading to the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) on Nov. 4-6 in Las Vegas, Nevada? In addition to expanding your knowledge base through various Webinars and educational offerings, be sure to stop by the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY booth (#2983) to learn about the many proven benefits of our mobile technology. We would love to meet you and to demonstrate how our fully digital offerings can empower your shop to make more money, save more time and dramatically increase up-sell opportunities. But don’t take our word for it. Test drive and see for yourself how our fully digital Welcome Station kiosk solution will save your front counter employees time checking customers in and dramatically increase the customer’s willingness to authorize services. The tablet-powered tool is the automotive repair industry’s answer to the customer check-in kiosks in use at airports, grocery and convenience stores and restaurant chains. The touch screen simplifies the customer experience, allowing them to quickly and seamlessly update their contact and vehicle information, choose from suggested and popular services and review recommended weather-related services stemming from current or recent area weather. The information customers input automatically integrates with your shop management system, which increases accuracy and also eliminates the need to re-enter data. This easy-to-use self-check system frees up service advisors and enables customers to quickly and electronically notify shop staff of their arrival, select the vehicle and which services they’d like to have performed and whether they are dropping off, or will be waiting. Customers can also electronically sign to authorize the work. Owner Terry Barnby of Ohio-based Goldstar Autocare, said he was tired of seeing spelling and grammar mistakes on repair orders. Too many times when vehicle repairs were finished he’d reach for a customer’s paperwork only to find that his employee failed to take down a customer phone number. Barnby jumped at the chance to take those headaches out of his hands and installed the Welcome Station customer check-in kiosk at his seven-days-a-week shop this summer. “Honestly I’ve been kind of waiting for it,” he said. “The business markets seem to be way, way behind. Bolt On Technology has been bringing products out that we’ve been waiting for.” Since customers enter their vehicle and contact information electronically via a tablet device upon entering the shop, gone are Barnby’s frustrations over mistakes and phone number omissions. “The kiosk forces them to do that,” Barnby said of the phone number entering requirement as part of the check-in process. Customers have given “good responses” to the software solution he said, adding that customers are “impressed with the technology.” “Most of them get it pretty easy because it’s pretty simple,” Barnby said. The Welcome Station kiosk incorporates an illustrated step-by-step format asking both new and returning customers to input or verify their name and contact information, vehicles and note which vehicle is being serviced on the given day. The check-in center also features weather-specific alerts that ask customers to consider services based on current or recent climate changes. If you’re planning to attend AAPEX, be sure to look for us and let us know how we may help. We will be on hand demonstrating the software’s various features, sharing best practices and answering questions. To learn more or to register for AAPEX, which will be held from Nov. 4-6, click here. For more information on BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, visit our Website, BoltOnTechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019. Stay tuned for a future blog highlighting Welcome Station, our touch screen check in kiosk, which will also be exhibited during AAPEX. Remember, you can find us at booth #2983.

The automotive software solutions provider will demonstrate its Mobile Manager Pro tool during the show. Are you heading to the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) on Nov. 4-6 in Las Vegas, Nevada? In addition to expanding your knowledge base through various Webinars and educational offerings, be sure to stop by the BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY booth (#2983) to learn about the many proven benefits of our mobile technology. We would love to meet you and to demonstrate how our fully digital offerings can empower your shop to make more money, save more time and dramatically increase up-sell opportunities. But don’t take our word for it. Test drive and see for yourself how our fully digital Mobile Manager Pro automotive software solution will save 10 to 15 minutes per customer through the use of VIN and license plate decoding, canned tech notes and more. BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s one-of-a-kind tool, which is the only software solution add-on offering full shop management system integration, debuted during last year’s AAPEX show. Since then, shops using the paperless module to carry out digital multi-point inspections, estimates and more are seeing 45-75% higher average repair orders over traditional paper and pencil methods. The inclusion of vehicle condition photos, which are texted to customers along with digital multi-point inspections, strengthen customer confidence, which leads to quicker customer approvals of higher ticket services and repairs. Nick Nix, the owner of PJ’s Auto Repair in Yuba City, Calif., said his shop of 17 years has seen a “dramatic impact” since Mobile Manager Pro was implemented this summer. Nix said the shop made an extra $3,600 in profit the first week of use and the shop’s average repair order had increased by $30 from $130 to $160 within two weeks. For shop owner Jeff Rossetti of Ohio-based Automotive Techniques, mobile technology freed him from the constraints of working in a PC-only environment. “I don’t have a bunch of workstations anymore,” Rossetti said. “It’s the mobility of being able to walk around the shop and do a lot of the functions that you usually would have to do at a PC.” The software features color-coded auto pre-canned technician notes and recommendations as part of the fully customizable digital multi-point inspection process. Technicians can boost productivity by meeting customers at their vehicle to begin the vehicle inspection process. If you’re planning to attend AAPEX, be sure to look for us and let us know how we may help. We will be on hand demonstrating the software’s various features, sharing best practices and answering questions. To learn more or to register for AAPEX, which will be held from Nov. 4-6, click here. For more information on BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, visit our Website, BoltOnTechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019. Stay tuned for a future blog highlighting Welcome Station, our touch screen check in kiosk, which will also be exhibited during AAPEX. Remember, you can find us at booth #2983.

Hi Kingwoodshell, Have you tried posting your questions on the Mitchell Manager forum (http://www.managerforum.net/)? It's a great resource and other Mitchell users, as well as the forum administrators are quick to offer solutions whenever possible.

Bolt On Technology, LLC has been selected for the 2014 Best of Downingtown Award in the Software Company category by the Downingtown Award Program. Each year, the Downingtown Award Program identifies companies that it determines have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. According to the Downingtown Award Program, winners are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2014 Downingtown Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally and data provided by third parties, according to the Downingtown Award Program. The automotive software solutions provider, which is headquartered in Downingtown and operates a development center in Bucks County, Pa., is experiencing a more than 200 percent year-over-year growth. Bolt On Technology was recently named by the Philadelphia 100 as one of the top 100 fastest-growing, privately held entrepreneurial companies in the greater Philadelphia region. Mike Risich, the company’s founder and CEO, attributes Bolt On Technology’s recent accolades to the deployment of an impressive suite of software add-on solutions aimed at automating day-to-day routines and saving a cross-section of the nation’s 275,000 independent automotive repair shops time and money. “We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of software innovation as it pertains to the auto repair world,” Risich said. “We strive to systematize and revolutionize the way shops conduct business. In short, we provide our customers with the efficiency-building tools they can’t live without.” Earlier this year, Bolt On Technology released a dramatically updated version of its signature software tool, Mobile Manager Pro. The fully wireless module enables repair shops to take and text vehicle condition photos to customers; conduct paper-less digital multi-point inspections; and scan and decode vehicle identification numbers and license plates among other functions. The inclusion of photos illustrating needed repairs is helping to build customer confidence, as evidenced in quicker response times – from a national average of one hour and 17 minutes with traditional customer phone calls to a mere 37 minutes via text message communication. Following on the heels of the Mobile Manager Pro update was Bolt On Technology’s release of Welcome Station, which the company believes is the auto repair industry’s first-ever customer check-in kiosk. Similar to touch screen stations at airports, grocery and convenience stores, the tablet-powered software allows repair shop customers to quickly check in, update their information, add new vehicles and select repair services. For more information about Bolt On Technology visit www.boltontechnology.com, or call 610-400-1019.

The key to remember when considering any type of shop management system add-on is whether or not the software truly integrates with your shop management system. Bolt On Technology's products fully integrate with shop management systems, meaning you do not need to re-enter the information back into your management system. Information auto populates into your management system following a VIN scan, license decode, etc., without any effort on your part. That is not the case in every instance with our competitors.

BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY customers who use the Pro Pack suite of automotive software solutions, which includes Lube Sticker Pro, Report Pro and Message Manager software modules, can now take advantage of new features. The software add-on solutions have been upgraded for Mitchell1 and NAPA TRACS shop management systems. Lube Sticker Pro, which, in addition to printing lube stickers and key tags and advance scheduling maintenance appointments based on customers’ driving habits, mileage milestones and vehicle age now prints dates in the user's local date format. With the upgrades, new users can auto-populate holidays into black out dates to prevent services from being scheduled when the shop would be closed. Message Manager is used to send text message appointment reminders and receive appointment confirmations right from a shop’s repair order screen and features templates to inform customers when services are due and when vehicles are ready for pickup. The software now offers an opt-in text for quiet time, features a registration key lookup and displays dates in the user’s local date format. The new additions designate one terminal as the auto text computer. Report Pro, which features the ability to create by-the-job customer invoicing with coupons, social media links and more than 100 other options and customized reports, now provides for even more customization. With the latest update, Report Pro users can create new tech worksheet header additions, including gross vehicle weight and vehicle notes. Other new options include the addition of federal tires to the tire registration tool, which makes online tire registration even quicker and easier. The ability for shops to build search queries based on their customers' odometer readings lets shops market mileage-related services to applicable customers. The new features, as well as the existing components of the Pro Pack software suite fully integrate with shop management systems, eliminating the need for double-entry, saving time and increasing day-to-day efficiencies. For more information about Pro Pack, or other Bolt On Technology add-on software solutions, call 610-400-1019, or visit www.boltontechnology.com.

Thanks for all of your kind words and support. It's greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone for the positive comments. Bolt On Technology has no plans to do its own shop management system. Instead, we are committed to improving upon the software solutions we have already developed.

Following the massive recall of more than 6 million Firestone tires in 2000, federal law mandated that tire retailers take steps to notify customers of a tire recall. Until recently, that meant bookmarking each tire manufacturer’s Web site, navigating there and inputting the customer and tire information, according to Tom Gebbie of Lansdale, Pa.-based Gebbie’s AutoCare. A self-described “good typer,” Gebbie, who sells 1,000 to 1,200 tires a year, said he was able to carry out the registrations in about a minute. But, with help from a feature built into his shop management system’s add-on software, Gebbie said he’s been able to cut that time down to under half a minute. Gebbie began using the time-saving tire registration feature on Bolt On Technology’s Report Pro and with the push of a button, fields auto-populate, easing the entry of information and keeping him from having to remember which Web sites he needed to visit as part of the registration process. “It’s been very handy,” Gebbie said. “This is definitely an improvement.” The Firestone recall of 2000 was the only instance to date that Gebbie said impacted his customers. Back then customers were given postcards to register their new tires. But, as Gebbie found out, “not a single one of those had registered their tires,” meaning he had to call the 25 customers who had purchased tires that had been recalled. At Elsy Auto Repair in Newark, N.J., John Slater said the Report Pro tire registration function “makes it a thousand times easier.” Slater said the “one click deal” is much easier than the manual entry and switching back and forth between two open programs. “If the software takes 10 seconds, manually it’s going to take five minutes,” Slater said of the online tire registration process. “It’s like a night and day difference.”

mspecperformance, Please let us know if we can answer any questions about Mobile Manager Pro or any other Bolt On Technology software solutions. We are always happy to help. Our team can be reached at 610-400-1019.

Thanks! And I have screenshots, but there doesn't seem to be a photo upload option for replies.

Hello, I am trying to post an example of an inspection form created using our Report Pro software, but I am not seeing how to do that. Does anyone have any insight?

Spring and summer months are historically busier times for auto repair shops. Of course it would be great to keep that steady traffic coming into your bays day in and day out, each and every day through fall and winter too. But, how do you do it? A stay-busy year-round solution is easier to attain than you may think. Dentists, doctors and hair salons all use advance scheduling to ensure their respective professionals do not confront empty appointment books. The auto repair industry should be no different. Repair shops can stockpile consistent business for various vehicle maintenance issues in the same way by employing help from automotive software solutions. Today’s cutting-edge shop management software programs incorporate features like customer driving history, vehicle age and recommended services based on specific mileage milestones to predict a service timetable for scheduling state inspections, emissions tests, tire rotations, lube oil and filter changes and other services, including coolant flushes. Scheduling these services in advance, while the customer is in the shop, can help businesses avoid the September and February slumps and ensure a consistent repair shop revenue stream. In addition, scheduling routine services in advance helps shops maintain a more manageable work flow-particularly during busy seasons-and helps shops to determine how many walk-in customers can be added on any given day. It also gives customers a greater opportunity to keep up with recommended maintenance while making it easier for them to take action on important vehicle services. Software developed with advance scheduling functionality capabilities takes email, postcards and even phone call service reminders to a whole new level. Using software scheduling tools allows shop owners to be proactive instead of reactive. Think about it, when does boosting business come to mind? Typically shop owners reflect on attracting more customers, or bringing back regular customers when business is down. Waiting until then may be too late. By implementing software that enables a seamless advance scheduling process for customers’ regular 3 to 6 month and even annual vehicle maintenance needs, shops will see far fewer slow days and will be less likely to need last-minute incentives to drive business. Another benefit besides keeping steady momentum is that as the appointment date nears, reminders can be auto-texted to customers, further freeing up shop owners and technicians to focus on other priorities, including performing other customers’ vehicle maintenance. To learn more about implementing advance scheduling software at your automotive repair shop, visit http://www.BoltOnTechnology.com/, or call 610-400-1019.

What’s the one daily task that simplifies your shop life, increases upselling opportunities and dramatically boosts profits? For a growing number of shops, the most important task involves snapping customer vehicle condition photos and sharing them, along with digital multi-point inspections and repair orders, with customers. The sentiment that a picture is worth a thousand words has perhaps never been truer than for a customer literally staring down evidence of needed, and most times unexpected, vehicle repairs. Since spring, shops using Bolt On Technology’s Mobile Manager Pro automotive software suite have taken and shared 100,000 photos with their customers. On average, 7,500 photos are captured every week, which is a testament to the effectiveness of the “seeing is believing” notion. Now, instead of trying to explain why a customer may need to buy new tires, or brake pads, or replace a corroded battery, technicians, with the click of a handheld mobile device, can show them. In all, our data shows that nearly 90 percent of our Mobile Manager Pro users actively put into service the software’s photo-taking capabilities. The number of regular photo-takers continues to grow, as does the bottom lines for shops that have made this feature a part of their daily routine. Along with the photo capture feature, shops are also benefitting from VIN scanning (88 percent usage rate) and digital inspections (84 percent usage rate). The new recommendations capability, which goes hand-in-hand with image capture, continues to increase in popularity as more than 70 percent of shops regularly use it to make new repair recommendations as part of the vehicle inspection process. An add-on automotive software solution that automatically integrates with leading shop management systems, Mobile Manager Pro enables technicians to ditch scrawled handwriting in favor of digital, easy-to-complete forms, including customizable multi-point vehicle inspections, VIN and license plate scanning/decoding and more. Since its release in the fall of 2013, Mobile Manager Pro has been proven to increase efficiency and productivity in the bays. But, for many shop owners and technicians, the real proof of the application’s usefulness is in its ability to take photos. Our research has shown that the uptick in photo-taking is paying off. Techs that take three or more photos, or make three or more service recommendations have seen repair orders increase by $60 to $85. In all, shops are more than doubling their repair order profits simply by showing, not telling. How does your shop communicate customer service recommendations? To learn more about Mobile Manager Pro and the power of using photos to drive higher sales, call Bolt On Technology at 610-400-1019.

OK, great. Our software integrates with Alldata.