Real-time parts price comparisons, top-tier reporting, and tools to boost customer satisfaction are just some of the reasons the pros at Dickerson Automotive chose our all-in-one solution. Other auto shop management solutions, like Tekmetric and Mitchell 1, couldn’t match the benefits this community-oriented shop is experiencing with R.O. Writer.
Todd Dickerson is the President and General Manager at Dickerson Automotive, a local one-stop shop for automotive repairs and service needs in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Running Dickerson Automotive means more than fixing cars; it means showing up for the community every day. From donating to the local food pantry to giving vehicles to families in need during the holidays, the family-owned and operated shop is deeply engaged with the Spanish Fork area. That’s why knowing their customers by name, and by vehicle, matters.
Dickerson Automotive only uses the best equipment in the industry to provide top quality repairs. The shop has been proudly serving its community for over 25 years but only recently made the switch to R.O. Writer to efficiently document work orders and, ultimately, offer a better overall customer experience.
In a given week, the shop sees between 100 and 130 vehicles, but that doesn’t mean they let customer service slide. Todd explained that repair shop staff can use R.O. Writer’s Notes feature to easily access detailed information about customers, helping them build faster connections with new and returning clients.
Real-Time Price Comparison from R.O. Writer Leave Competitors in the Dust
As a self-described numbers guy, Todd said that investing in management software with powerful reporting features was a top priority. Fortunately, the Dickerson Automotive team now uses R.O. Writer’s comprehensive Reporting module to review completed transactions and access reports useful in managing all aspects of the shop.
Before making the switch to R.O. Writer, Todd’s team used Mitchell 1 and Tekmetric but couldn’t perform live parts price comparisons without having to switch between vendors. Now, real-time price comparisons are one click away with R.O. Writer’s Smart eCat direct catalog integrations. The Dickerson Automotive team can also quickly locate parts they need from supplier catalogs and post parts to each repair order.
For comparison, Todd says it would take him twice as long to crunch the numbers manually and get the insights he needed without R.O. Writer.
R.O. Writer Digital Vehicle Inspection – Now Cloud-based
R.O. Writer’s Digital Vehicle Inspection (“DVI”) app allows you to replace clipboards and paper inspections with tablets and smartphones. Text your technician’s inspection findings and recommendations alongside pictures and videos directly to your customers, so your customers feel empowered to make educated decisions quickly.
Learn MoreDVI Gives Customers the Inside Scoop on Recommended Services
With R.O. Writer’s DVI Suite, shop owners have a tool that helps them communicate with customers in a way that builds trust and doesn’t make them feel pressured. We asked Todd how he and his team use DVI Suite. Here’s what he had to say:
“It's a really great sales tool. You're able to do an inspection on customers' vehicles and take pictures and videos. It puts everything into a really nice report. We do courtesy inspections on every vehicle that comes through our shop, so [with DVI], we can email the report to the customer along with an estimate. Customers like it because they don’t feel like they’re being sold; it’s more of a menu they can look through.”
At this point, Todd and his team can pick up the phone to call each customer, answer their questions, and talk them through the decision-making process. Todd also appreciates that he can use the R.O. Writer DVI Suite to view how many tickets were written and how much work the shop sold and completed.
Keeping technicians up to date on the latest best practices in the industry is a top priority so that Dickerson Automotive can continue to run profitably and deliver the best experience for customers. When asked to describe what R.O. Writer means to Dickerson Automotive in one sentence, Todd said it was his shop’s “all-in-one point of sale solution.”
With the right shop management software and a willingness to adapt in an evolving industry, the Dickerson Automotive team are on track to stay ahead of the curve and continue to provide exceptional service to their community.
