Redwood Shores, CA— May 20, 2013 — Xtime, the leading cloud-based customer retention management platform for the automotive service industry, said today that auto dealers using its technology are boosting appointment show rates and labor hours to improve fixed operations results.
“We’re seeing an 82% appointment show rate since using Xtime to schedule appointments in-shop and on-line,” noted Ross Corey, service manager for Audi St. Paul, Maplewood, MN.
“Our labor hours per RO are up 35%,” said Jeff Bellinger, GM for Brandfon Honda, Branford, CT, “since we started using Xtime’s ServiceTab tablet inspection tool in the drive – and advisors are making more money too.”
Xtime mobile ServiceTab lets advisors greet customers right at their vehicles in the service drive, where conditions are more conducive to face-to-face interaction that builds stronger relationships and trust. By using this intuitive tablet interface, a service advisor can check customers in as they drive up, digitally record walk-around inspection results in real-time, and discuss service recommendations without ever leaving the customer or vehicle
“This technology adds credibility to what an advisor is recommending,” Bellinger noted, “and everything is captured electronically – including the customer’s digital signature to get the repair order started so customers are on their way a good five minutes faster.”
Improves shop utilization
With Xtime managing the appointment booking and check-in process, service managers such as Audi St. Paul’s Corey report gaining greater visibility into appointment scheduling and traffic control. Corey manages 13 technicians working out of 19 service bays, has six advisors, and the shop processes more than 1,150 repair orders a month.
“Everyone sees what appointment days and times are available, so anyone in the shop who takes a phone call or speaks to a customer can schedule the appointment. Also, if we’ve booked time for a big job and that job ends up taking less time than expected, I can quickly adjust that in Xtime and our call center will work to sell that available time as quickly as possible,” Corey said.
“Now with just a few clicks to the Xtime scheduling dashboard, I can change settings to spread workload to avoid bottlenecks and maximize technician use,” Corey said. The system is also being used at Audi St. Paul sister dealerships, Audi Minneapolis, Porsche of Minneapolis, Mercedes of Maplewood, and Porsche of St. Paul.
Brandfon Honda’s Bellinger said Xtime’s online scheduling does more than help him streamline workflow. He shared that consumers who control scheduling their own appointment hours often take those late afternoon or evening appointments that often are overlooked when some employees book them. “With online scheduling we take appointments right up until closing and then stay late to finish the work if necessary,” he said.
Dealers’ use of Xtime:
Simplify and organize appointment scheduling: Whether customers book their appointments by viewing Xtime’s online scheduling tool on the dealership’s website or service staff does it from their desks, scheduling is easier, faster – and more visible to help management better load the shop.
Maximize appointments: Customers using the dealership’s online service menus select recommended and desired services and book their own appointments. Because the online appointment schedule is the same as that seen by dealership staff, in real time, customers book only available days and times. Customers may also telephone the dealership and schedule with the dealership’s Xtime call center.
Build customer trust and comfort: E-mail and other electronic service notifications keep customers advised of their vehicles’ service needs based on scheduled maintenances, recall notifications or other service reminder or promotion emails.
Increase service revenue: Xtime ServiceTab helps advisors do more thorough vehicle walkarounds and identify potential upsell opportunities. Improved shop utilization through Xtime’s ServiceCRM™ product suite and its certified integrations with a dealer’s DMS ensures all appointments are 100% confirmed.
Customers favor the process
Audi St. Paul uses Xtime ServiceTab mobile application to enable advisors to greet service customers at their vehicles.
“We’re surprised at how many customers say they like the technology because it gives them a more personal touch, at their vehicle, and its use at their vehicle saves them from having to stand behind a counter at the advisor’s desk to answer questions,” Corey said.
“Using ServiceTab is a more engaging way to check in customers,” he added, “and our clientele finds us more professional because we do,” Corey said.
Brandfon Honda’s Bellinger said Xtime’s involvement with the dealership has meant significant performance changes. “In our district, we’re one of the only dealerships to have had significant RO count increases during the last two years – and we are also one of the only ones having month-over-month increases this year compared to last. I attribute a lot of that growth to Xtime,” he said.
About Xtime
Xtime is the leading cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and scheduling platform for automotive manufacturers and dealer service departments. Xtime counts more than 5,000 dealerships as customers and has registered almost 2 million consumers. It processes more than 1.5 million appointments each month and has scheduled almost 50 million in total. Xtime is the exclusive or preferred provider for leading global automotive manufacturers in North America, including Kia, Hyundai, VW, Nissan, Lexus, Infiniti, Toyota Canada, Toyota US, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Chrysler. Xtime is also the trusted choice for many of the industry’s leading dealership groups including AutoNation, Group 1 Automotive, Penske, Sonic Automotive, Asbury, Luther, Ferman and Checkered Flag. Xtime is based in Redwood Shores, California and can be reached at (650) 508-4300 or xtime.com.
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Media Contact:
Jim Leman
Leman Public Relations
jim@lemanpublicrelations.com
847-840-0784