Bolt On & Protractor team up

Bolt On Technology has teamed up with Protractor so that repair shop owners can access powerful text messaging, appointment scheduling, workflow and reporting capabilities that can help keep repairs bays full and build customer loyalty.

Through its collaboration with Protractor, Bolt On can now easily integrate its Cloud-based NextGear product with one of the workhorses of the automotive aftermarket. Shop managers who love their Protractor software can easily take advantage of NextGear with no long-term contract, no additional hardware, and no steep learning curve.

NextGear capabilities available within the Protractor platform include:

• Customizable and Unlimited DVIs – Expand your digital vehicle inspection capabilities with no limits, giving customers vehicle condition photographs and videos and BOLT ON’s signature red/yellow/green-light vehicle health reports.
• Two-way text messaging with customers – Provide status updates and request approvals via text message; send detailed DVIs for fast scanning and easy comprehension; include videos and photos in the messages so your customers can see exactly what the techs are recommending and why.
• Advance appointment scheduling – Schedule return appointments and other routine maintenance in advance; track mileage, past appointment history, and oil type to create an accurate prediction of when the vehicle will be due for service again; and increase future business and confirmed appointments.
• Workflow Manager – View and track the status of any vehicle in the shop; integrate the appointment calendar for easy scheduling; assign work to technicians and track their time; and customize Workflow Manager for an at-a-glance assessment of the day’s jobs.
• Mobile Payment and Financing Options – Pull customer and work order information from Protractor and text invoices directly to customers, allowing them to pay for services quickly and easily from their smart phone using Text to Pay technology. You can also offer customers primary and secondary financing options to help them afford repairs they may not have otherwise.
• Customer and business reporting – Streamline day-to-day tasks with custom reports that provide a thorough look at critical business and financial data; create personalized, easy-to-read invoices; include recommendations for next visits along with coupons to encourage repeat business; and easily modify and create inspections with a drag-and-drop interface.

“Protractor and Bolt On share the goal of helping shops grow and succeed with cutting edge technology,” said Mike Risich, founder and CEO of Bolt On Technology. “Shops using this leading management system can enjoy everything NextGear offers trouble-free, improving the customer relationship, resulting in more sales, higher AROs and steady traffic in the repair bay. And BOLT ON shops can now seamlessly take advantage of one of the top programs in the industry.”

Data shows that digital vehicle inspections can increase AROs by nearly 40 per cent when vehicle owners can see and more fully understand the nature of the repair.

DVIs enable shops to photograph a vehicle’s condition, track the repair process, build robust customer profiles and communicate inspection summaries and images via text message. The repair shop can, for example, send the customer a picture in real time of worn brake pads, threadbare tire treads, or a cracked timing belt, along with a picture of what that part is supposed to look like and a complete vehicle health report with technician’s notes. Aside from increased AROs, customers appreciate the transparency DVIs provide. To date, Bolt On shops have sent more than 60 million repair photos to customers’ cell phones.

NextGear is available for a monthly fee of $199. There’s no annual subscription or long-term commitment, so shops can simply pay month-to-month.