Meet Customers Where They’re At

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Read time: 3 min

When my husband Dana and I started Haglin Automotive, our loyal customers found us from The Yellow Pages.

Things have drastically changed since then thanks to all the technology advancements. Online reviews and Google play a big part in whether a customer will set foot in your shop or return for future repairs. 

At Haglin Auto, we always adjust to meet customers, and whether they’re a return customer or a new customer, we prioritize how they feel.

It’s important to meet your customers where they are. We even offer customers free vehicle pick-up and delivery service, free shuttle services, and free loaner vehicles.

But, more importantly, we make sure they understand their repairs and can see everything that’s going on with their cars.

Build Trust with Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVIs)

Haglin Auto has been around for 41 years in the Boulder area, and twice a year 30,000 people come in and out because of Boulder University of Colorado, so we’ve always had an influx of students.

And in order to cater to our college students, we started implementing DVIs. 

The reason we made the change in the first place was because our service writers would call a local college student and say, “You car is doing this, this, and that,” and a lot of the times a student would respond with, “I don’t understand,” “I’m not the one paying,” or “Let me call my mom or dad.”

From there, the student would make a phone call home, they would ask questions, and then the student would call back with questions. 

Meet Customers Where They Are

Once we realized this was happening often with our customers, we asked ourselves, “Okay, how do we adapt to meet their needs?” And from that point on, we decided to offer those students the convenience of our service writers sending all DVIs from Tekmetric straight to their parents, so they can see everything going on complete with pictures and videos.

Creating that relationship not only with the students but also with the parents has been great. And I understand firsthand what it’s like sending your loved one to another city or state.

My daughter, Krystine, went to Northern Arizona University. When we dropped her off for her freshman year, I made a point to drive to the local shops and based on who they were, I was able to determine which one she should go to if she experienced any car issues. 

‍“We want parents to feel comfortable with their children taking their cars to our shop.”

Knowing that someone was there for her if there was an issue with her vehicle was great, and that’s always been our philosophy. We want parents to feel comfortable with their children taking their cars to our shop. 

The parents can see everything, and with Tekmetric, they can actually authorize everything and even check out using Text-to-Pay.

Adopting the FORD Strategy ‍

At Haglin Auto, we treat all of our customers like family.

We’ve adopted the FORD strategy from The Customer Service Revolution: Overthrow Conventional Business, Inspire Employees, and Change the World by John R. Dijulius III. With each customer that enters our shop, we make it a point to get to know them by asking them questions about each of the  FORD topics. 

If you can name different FORD facts about your customers and employees, that’s great! If not, you may want to find out more about them.

At Haglin Auto, we work hard to give our customers the experience they deserve. We always live by The Haglin Way.   

👉 Ready to grow your automotive business? [Book a personalized Tekmetric Demo Here]

FAQ

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You’re looking for the right tool for your shop: something that can manage your shop's workflow efficiently, free you up to spend your time on important shop decisions, and grow your bottom line.

How do you know if a system is designed to grow your business? At the very least, it must measure your business. If a shop management system cannot accurately measure shop performance, it can’t tell you whether or not using that system has improved your business.

As a digital solution for auto repair shops, Tekmetric understands the importance of maintaining the highest security possible.  Not only do we want to ensure that our customers receive full transparency anytime their vehicle is in the shop, but we also understand the value of keeping customer data protected and secure. 

Last year, Tekmetric took our data security measures to the next level by achieving SOC 2 Type I compliance – and this year, we’ve stepped up our game to achieve SOC 2 Type II compliance. By earning both SOC 2 Type I and Type II compliances, we aim to continue promoting trust, transparency and security throughout the industry. 

As a company that prioritizes innovative, reliable solutions, Tekmetric is proud to be among the first auto repair shop management solutions to receive SOC 2 Type I and II compliance. These certifications are awarded in accordance with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) standards for SOC for Service Organizations (SSAE 18). 

What is SOC 2 Type II Compliance? 

SOC 2 Type II compliance is awarded when a system meets five principles:  

  • Security. SOC 2 Type II protects the system against any unauthorized access, ensuring customer data is only accessible to approved parties. 
  • Availability. This allows for stronger capabilities in monitoring performance, disaster recovery and handling security incidents. For example, Tekmetric has many data centers across the country to promote better disaster recovery. If one center goes down, the others have backup data available, so shops can access their information without missing a beat. 
  • Processing Integrity. This quality revolves around quality assurance and process monitoring. The information you process through the system must be complete, authorized and accurate. 
  • Confidentiality. We recognize that our partner shops obtain many types of personal data from vehicle owners. SOC 2 Type II compliance assures you and the vehicle owners that visit your shop that their data remains confidential within your system. 
  • Privacy. Above all, we want to make sure data is specifically used for its intended purpose. People value dependability, and this certification helps keep your shop’s data private according to the standards specified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA). 

What is SOC 2 Type I vs. Type II?

  • Type I: Describes how security and compliance controls are “designed” based on a specific point in time. For example as of March 31st, the organization conducts background checks and has job descriptions for roles and responsibilities.
  • Type II: Describes the “design and operating effectiveness over a period of time (audit period),” typically 6-12 months. This assessment shows the SOC 2 control implementation and operating effectiveness over that time period. 

What Does It Mean for My Shop? 

Security is a big concern in the modern auto repair industry – and with good reason. No one wants their data available to the whole world. With SOC 2 Type II compliance, we are able to keep any information that you put into Tekmetric secure, from your shop’s data to your customers’ information. 

This happens without you needing to lift a finger. No need to track the last time you backed up your data or review who has access to your system! You can also assure your customers that their sensitive information is safe when they give it to you. They – and you – can sleep easier knowing the data is protected, and your shop management system meets top-tier industry standards to keep it that way.  

Protecting Data in the Long-Term

At Tekmetric, we’re committed to driving positive change in the auto repair industry by promoting accessibility and transparency for both  partner shops and the public. Achieving SOC 2 Type II compliance demonstrates that Tekmetric not only meets, but surpasses industry standards. We are committed to consistently measuring up on behalf of our customers, and data security is no exception to that rule.

By combining our leading shop management solution with top-class data security, we can better support you and your shop in protecting your data and your customers’ data – all without slowing your team down. Here’s to transparency, trust and reliability! 

Announcing SOC 2 Type II Certification: Reinforcing our Commitment to Security

May 7, 2024

Read time: 3 min

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Your auto repair labor revenue and parts margins are critical for enhancing your shop’s profitability. Adjusting your pricing on parts to make a profit is pretty straightforward.

But when it comes to labor times for auto repair shops…that’s where things can get a bit tricky. 

Yes, you need competitive labor rates, but you also need to keep those rates reasonable so you don’t scare off your customers with sky-high prices. 

3 ways your shop can make more money on labor: 

  1. By using a labor matrix 
  2. By creating custom labor rates 
  3. By applying a labor guide markup 

Before we dive into the differences between these three methods for setting the best labor times at your shop, here’s a quick refresher on the one thing these methods have in common: the labor guide. 

What is a Labor Guide? 

A labor guide is like the gospel of labor times for auto repair shops. It tells you how long, on average, it takes to complete different types of repair work.

Remember that the times listed in auto repair labor guides are averages, so it’s best to treat them as a starting point.

Why Auto Repair Shops Need a Labor Guide to Maximize Revenue

April 7, 2023

Read time: 3 min

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