With such a wide variety of vehicles coming through the doors of today’s workshops, it can be difficult to know where to start with estimates and repairs. Service schedules can vary dramatically even for the same model depending on engine fit-out and options. Front-of-house staff may not always be aware of when and where optional services can be offered.
Without access to the latest data, workshop staff can find themselves not only missing out on valuable work, but could also be giving their customers false confidence because a vital Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)-recommended service was not performed.
AutodataTM, the aftermarket’s leading provider of automotive technical information, has launched Service Advisor, a powerful tool intended to support front-of-house staff quoting and estimating for customers.
After selecting a vehicle by model or licence plate number in the usual way, users can bring up a one-page view of all replacement intervals and service times. It includes the key parts for service in plain language and presents a fantastic opportunity to illustrate to the customer any upcoming work which will be needed as well as the opportunity to spot and upsell additional services.
Service Advisor draws on Autodata’s world-leading service-schedule coverage with 99% of the most serviced makes and models already available within Service Advisor. By clicking or tapping on a specific service, estimators and appraisers can see model-specific options where appropriate, which may affect the quote.
The module did well in beta-testing and received highly positive feedback. It is now being rolled out internationally. It will ultimately replace the current Service Summary module.
Michael Landless, Autodata Head of Product, said Service Advisor offers the possibility to transform the front-of-house experience by giving staff the ability to instantly visualise where a car is in its service lifespan using Autodata’s trusted OEM-supplied data.
“They can select a service option and get an instant labour time quote and show the customer any upcoming services that could be carried out then and there,” Landless said.
He also said it’s a time saving, not just for the front desk, but for technicians who can concentrate on the jobs that make money for their business.
“We’ve been working with selected workshops to ensure Service Advisor meets their needs, and now we’re excited to be able to roll it out to all our customers,” said Landless.
Service Advisor will appear as an option for users of both the Autodata Service & Maintenance, and Diagnostic & Repair packages for cars and vans and is available across all workshop application languages. A Service Advisor API has also been made available to customers using Autodata technical data in their own solutions.
As with all new Autodata modules, Service Advisor has been optimised across both desktop and touchscreen devices, making it easy to present to customers on a mobile phone or tablet.
