6 Ways Cloud-Based DVI Software Benefits Auto Repair Shops
The move away from handwritten vehicle check-ins to digital vehicle inspections is well underway. Today, digital vehicle inspection solutions facilitate the entire inspection process at many shops, from checklist management to estimates, to the easy sharing of image-enriched reports with customers through SMS or email.
Digital vehicle inspections make shops more efficient and customer-friendly and can even increase the Average Repair Order by helping customers have a clear, trustworthy view of exactly what repairs and maintenance their vehicle may require.
Hosting a DVI solution on local computers has allowed auto repair businesses to unlock the benefits of digital inspections, but it comes with the added responsibility of keeping the bulk of the DVI system on local machines. To alleviate this burden and make DVI more accessible, top solutions are increasingly available through the cloud, so shop owners can experience new levels of reliability, flexibility, and security.
Are you considering a move to the cloud for DVI? Read on to discover six reasons why a cloud-based approach to digital vehicle inspection may be the right approach for your shop:
1) Security
Small businesses, like auto repair shops, do not usually have on-site IT and cybersecurity specialists to help protect them from malware and ransomware attacks.
This can make them appealing targets for hackers. In fact, three-quarters of cyber incidents now involve small and medium businesses. The results of such an attack are painful. In fact, the average cost of a cyber-attack on a small business is now over 46,000 dollars.
By moving some of your business activities, like digital vehicle inspection, to the cloud you can benefit from a wide range of security features and cybersecurity expertise, built right into the product.
In conjunction with other security practices, like training your employees to recognize cyber-attacks, patching local software regularly, and using a firewall, cloud software can help keep your shop’s data secure.
2) Flexibility
The auto repair business has quiet periods, and very busy times as well. When selecting software, like a digital vehicle inspection solution, you will want to be sure that the tool can accommodate your fluctuating business needs.
Software flexibility is also important if you elect to grow your business by adding service bays, or even a second shop. No shop owner wants to start from scratch with a new software solution or kick off a big project to install and implement on-premises software just as they scale up their business!
Thankfully, modern cloud-based DVI solutions are built to be flexible, as you can bring more devices online seamlessly to support an increased number of employees.
3) Predictable Cost Structure
When you own your own shop, you must keep a close eye on your books. Running software locally means keeping servers and other hardware up to date, and budgeting for their eventual replacement. Unexpected IT costs can wreak havoc on your shop’s budget.
Moving to the cloud for business-critical software like your digital vehicle inspection suite makes your costs more predictable.
You know what your monthly bill will be, well in advance, and the IT costs are rolled right in, as are patches and upgrades. In the unpredictable world of small business, every bit of cost certainty matters.
4) Insight
Digital vehicle inspection software, like R.O. Writer’s DVI Suite, provides rich insights to the customer about exactly what is happening inside their vehicle, and what needs to be done to maintain it.
These details can be shared with the customer via email or text, and can include all the pictures, videos, and other detailed information they need to make informed decisions about their repair.
But did you know the same software can provide you with insights about how your inspection process is functioning, so you can run a more efficient shop?
Integrated reports within digital vehicle inspection software can provide information like how many inspections each technician is completing, so you can reward top performers and coach slower staff members towards success.
5) Quality Control
At many shops, vehicle inspections start out very detailed, but can become more cursory and briefer as things get busier or the end of the day nears. Using cloud based DVI software with integrated checklists based on industry best practices, you can ensure that every inspection is conducted in the same thorough manner, and properly documented throughout.
The same checklists also help you make sure that even your most junior technicians understand and complete every step of the inspection process, so your shop’s quality control is always top notch.
And since the results of a digital vehicle inspection are stored for you in the cloud, you will have the information you need on hand to answer any customer questions about the state of their vehicle, improving the customer experience.
6) Disaster Recovery
In the unlikely event of a natural or human-caused disaster, you will have your hands full getting your shop up and running and supporting your customers, who may also have been impacted.
If you are using cloud-based shop software, like R.O. Writer DVI Suite, you can be sure that your inspection data and checklists are safely stored in geographically dispersed data centers, ready for you to access. If your data has been stored on local servers in your shop or office, you may not be so lucky.
Discover R.O. Writer DVI Cloud Suite
Are you ready to start moving your shop to the cloud? Our DVI solution might be a logical first step.
R.O. Writer’s cloud based DVI suite allows you to replace clipboards and paper inspections with tablets and smartphones. Simply send your technician’s inspection results and suggestions, along with photos and videos, to your customers via text. This helps customers make informed decisions promptly.
