A Guide to Using Multi-Inspection Software

Apr 28, 2021

Technician Carrying Out Multi-Point Inspection

Modern vehicles are extremely complicated, high-end pieces of engineering. Even the most bare-basic, best value models from recent years are packed with computer software, diagnostic equipment, and innovative safety systems. Needless to say, our cars require the appropriate care and maintenance to keep these systems up and running. After all, our own safety and wellbeing is reliant on it!

Multi-point inspections are a valuable and highly recommended way for your customers to ensure their car is safe and fit for purpose. Carrying them out regularly (every 3-5,000 miles is recommended) significantly reduces the chance of a breakdown or a part failing due to negligent care. In fact, in most cases, multi-point inspections enable you to spot areas of concern early on, saving your customers money and hassle further down the line if left unchecked.

In this article, we’ll be looking at how to use multi-point inspection software to engage with customers, and how certain apps for automotive technicians are perfect for this.

Convincing the Customer

The multi-point inspection is something almost all vehicle owners, (and therefore almost all of your customers) are aware of. However, they are also something some customers have come to view as being optional and not required. And whilst it’s true they are not a legal requirement, it’s important to educate customers how essential they are to maintaining their vehicle properly and safely.

Many of your customers for instance, won’t realize just how comprehensive the multi-point inspection is. They provide a complete overview of a vehicle and any potential issues. It doesn’t mean just inspecting belts and hoses, shocks and struts, filters, fluids and oils. It usually means looking at most core aspects in significant detail, including the chassis, transmission, battery, exhaust, steering, axles, and even the seat belts. A multi-point inspection can vary from checks on around 30 items to over 150.

Secondly, many customers don’t realize that many dealers offer multi-point inspections as a courtesy service. Regardless of whether you charge or provide the service for free, one of the best ways you can communicate the benefits is through video.

One of the biggest issues you face is gaining the trust of your customers. Over 70% of vehicle owners feel they will be billed for unnecessary work or services if they take their car to a technician for repair or maintenance. By using video to ‘show, not tell’, you can explain what services you offer and why, making it much more likely they’ll feel at ease. Having such videos featured prominently on your website, social media channels, or available to send to customers quickly and easily will help you alleviate a lot of concerns before you’ve even started.

Using SnapCell as Multi-Point Inspection Software

Not only can SnapCell do all the things we just mentioned, but it is also an industry gamechanger when it comes to digital communication and real-world revenue. This is especially the case when used as part of your multi-point inspection software toolkit. We consider it one of the best apps for automotive technicians, even if we do say so ourselves (it’s not just us though, check out our customer reviews).

When it comes to the multi-point inspection (MPI) and SnapCell, there is simply no better way to show a customer required work or areas of concern on their vehicle. Not only can the video be created quickly and simply, but it also makes the contact call much more personal and relevant to the customer. They can ask questions directly, which can usually be answered there and then by the actual person working on their car. This is because SnapCell can be used as a live chat platform, and also integrates with Messenger. Whether you choose to enable your customers to talk to a technician directly, or with videos being sent via a service adviser, it still adds up to time and money saved for both you and the customer.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, think how many words you won’t have to waste in an email containing a video. You can send SnapCell videos via SMS or email, alongside a breakdown of costs or other documents. This instils trust and is likely to encourage the customer to make an instant decision to go ahead with any additional work. After all, not only is it easier to understand the problem when you can see it for yourself, it’s also much harder to argue against!

We’ve designed SnapCell so that it only creates the most engaging content. Your technicians can stitch together key vehicle snapshots and commentary with seamless ease, simply by holding down the record button and lifting off to stop. It’s probably why SnapCell boasts a 50% higher open rate than other multi-point inspection software. And it’s why dealers who use it are able to drive additional labor hours, see boosted department productivity, and ultimately, growth in parts sales.

Using SnapCell to Create Better Multi-Point Inspection Videos

It’s hard to overstate the value SnapCell offers in just time saving alone. Inside of seven minutes, a video can be created by a service technician, approved by a service adviser, sent to the customer – with an immediate response as to whether to go ahead or not. And why is video important here? Over 90% of customers said a video would help them make a buying decision, and that applies here too!

SnapCell is available to both iOS and Apple smart devices as an interactive app. That means your entire team can have it installed on their phones or tablets. It’s also completely compatible with most leading CRM systems and software.

Once installed, a service technician can create a video of work that needs to be carried out straight from the workshop. Using the easy and intuitive stop-start recording built into SnapCell, they can cut to the chase and put focus on what needs to be said and shown. They can stop recording and move around the vehicle or show further areas of concern simply by lifting their finger. Pressing record again gets the show back on the road, stitching multiple clips together into a single video of up to 90 seconds. On average, putting a typical multi-point inspection video together takes no more than two or three minutes.

Once the video has been created, it can be sent through to senior team members for approval. The SnapCell app creates an alert, telling your team that a video is awaiting approval and needs to be reviewed and sent to the customer. One of the reasons SnapCell is one of the best apps for automotive technicians is because it is just that – an app! Human nature means it’s almost impossible for us to ignore alerts on our smartphones, meaning we’re likely to be quicker to respond! That’s why by the time most videos are approved, they are usually less than five minutes old.

SnapCell and its videos can be integrated into SMS messages, which is another important aspect of its strength as multi-point inspection software. Text messages see open rates of up to 98%, usually instantly or within the first ninety seconds of being received. Comparatively, some email campaigns see open rates as low as a 20%, and may not be responded to for over two hours. That’s why if you send a SnapCell video within Messenger or as an SMS, you’ll usually have a response from the customer within a few minutes. All in all, that’s just seven minutes from the creation of a video to an approval for work that boosts your service department revenue. And inside of eight minutes, the same technician that created the video is back working on the vehicle, if all goes to plan!

What to Look for in Multi-Point Inspection Software

When you are reviewing the best apps for automotive technicians, there are a few key aspects to consider. The first is probably the most important to business owners – whether they are cost-effective and comprehensive. Nothing is more frustrating than finding key elements of your business aren’t provided for, or require separate bolt-on extras at additional cost.

The ability to deliver efficiencies into the business is also important. After all, there’s little point in implementing a new system if it is going to take longer to achieve goals, or is more labor-intensive. The whole point is to make things quicker and easier.

And the third aspect is a simple one – is it a medium that will be embraced by your audience and customers? If it is fiddly to use, interact with, or doesn’t feel user-friendly and intuitive, chances are your customers will vote with their feet and find an alternative channel – or worse, dealer!

We strongly believe that SnapCell delivers all of this and much more. But don’t just take our word for it, talk to a member of the team about how SnapCell Service can boost your engagement and revenue streams from multi-point inspections.

Get An Example Snapcell Video Sent To You Now

Please fill in the form provided to receive your example SnapCell video.

SnapCell Demo - See us in action

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Loading...