Part I: Two Important Tools For Your Automotive Service's Customer Acquisition Toolbox

Written for automotive service businesses. Part I of a Multi-Part series. 

Openbay is a subscription service platform and an online marketplace that should be part of your daily business operation. Openbay focuses on delivering a frictionless and pain free end-to-end experience for drivers seeking automotive repair and service. Your business should be on the delivery side of this experience.

Part 1 focuses on Openbay subscription services

Why investing in your online profile and online presence is important to your business

Let’s face it, it’s a well known fact that drivers are frustrated with the process of getting their vehicle(s) serviced. Whether its time for routine vehicle maintenance, a check engine light illuminated or when something breaks, the process of getting service is daunting and time-consuming to most consumers.
As an automotive service provider, ask what can you do to help remove consumer pain and friction from the process of getting their vehicle serviced?  Here are two top ways to use Openbay to promote your business and acquire new customers for your automotive service center.

1. Personalize your Openbay Online Business Profile

Openbay has reserved an online business Profile for your business (example). Apply to become a member of Openbay (join today) and start bringing your Profile to life with a list of services your business performs and the vehicles your business services. For example, if your business focuses on transmission services, then highlight that service as one of the top services your business performs (example).
Take pictures of your service center, both inside and out. Wait for a clear, sunny day to take the pictures. Consumers want to get a feel for your business prior to stepping through the front door. If possible include a picture of the owner, the general manager and/ or service writer. Today’s consumer wants to form a connection with a business they want to engage.
Offer exclusive deals to your visitors. Openbay Profile offers a coupon section. Here you can offer discounts, specials, timed deals (e.g. for two weeks only!). You will have control on the number of deals to offer, the type of deal, etc. The options are endless. Treat these visitors special.

2. Install Openbay Service Advisor on your website

By integrating Openbay Service Advisor into your business website, you can give your online prospective customer a new and innovative way to interact with your business. Service Advisor allows a website visitor to request service through drop-down menus or via search for their year-make-model vehicle and receive a detailed service quote describing parts, labor and taxes based on which service they requested. Here is an example of one in action.
You can customize Service Advisor by adding your business name to the title.

Another option is to keep it simple and promote the offering to your visitor.

One of the highlights of Service Advisor is its ability to automatically generate and deliver service quotes to the customer on behalf of your business. And it does this around the clock. Service Advisor does not require any manual intervention on behalf of the automotive service business. Openbay Service Advisor does all the work. Think about how many phone calls you get from consumers in a given day asking if you can perform a specific service on their Y-M-M vehicle. And what is the estimated price? Just point these callers to your website and Openbay will take it from there.

How about your interest in monitoring Service Advisor activity in real time? Know when customers are requesting service and when service quotes are generated? Openbay has a “tool” for this – we developed a mobile app called, Openbay ASP (Automotive Service Professionals). Openbay ASP is available on Android and iOS devices. It tracks all incoming service requests, details of the service quote generated along with customer contact information. All in real-time. Openbay ASP also allows you to email or call the customer directly from the app.
How Service Advisor works

Openbay Service Advisor is based on a Service Writer algorithm developed by Openbay that leverages your business model margins for aftermarket and OE automotive parts, your labor rate, and several other “variables”. From there it generates all your service pricing automatically. Of course you’re able to test it and fine tune the service quotes getting delivered to prospective customers.

Learn more about Openbay Profile, Openbay Service Advisor, and Openbay ASP by applying to become a member of Openbay today. Speak to an Openbay representative:

Part II of this multi-part series can be found here.