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The world of online booking is nothing new, I mean, we can book movie tickets online, order meals online, so why not be able to book your car service online?

This is an untapped resource for the automotive industry, one that could generate and convert many more leads than imagined, and coupled with the right SEO, can be the difference between you and your competitor.

Imagine clients and potential customers having the ease to book services and repairs online via your website in real time! New and existing clients can have the ease and convenience of booking their car for service/repairs from the comfort of their own home!

Convenience – We all want it!

In a modern world what we want as the consumer is convenience.

Take a look at some of the most successful businesses out there, they all have one thing in common, a strong online presence and the ability to book or purchase online via their website.

With the simple click of a button we can create the convenience we want!

If you’re a mechanic, or run an automotive repair workshop, your business may be suffering by not having an online booking system. Here are some of the benefits your business can achieve by being online!

• Increased Bookings

Many customers, including myself, surf the internet outside of business hours, and are more likely to make a reservation on the spot that trying to remember to call back the next day.

In my experience, most mechanical repair workshops trade between 7.30am – 5.30pm, so having the ability to book online means that customer bookings can be at any time after hours, even weekends.

It has been reported by one of my users that up to 40% of his bookings in one week have been via the online portal, and of those online bookings, a mind blowing 90%, were booked outside of work hours!

• Minimize your workload

Chances are that most of your clients are booking in with a phone call, or visiting the workshop. What this means is you’re devoting a large portion of your time attending to these phone calls and visits, taking you off the tasks that may be generating you a revenue, and costing you time!

Imagine if we add up all the time wasted on the phone!

A good online booking system will handle all the aspects of the booking, minimizing workload. It will aid in the running and job scheduling aspect of the business, minimizing double handling.

• Increased Client Retention and Job Frequency

For an automotive mechanical repair workshop, client retention and job frequency is paramount.

It is important to always be in touch with service reminders, registration reminders, and outstanding repair reminders, meaning a higher job frequency for your workshop, and ensuring your customer keeps coming back!

• Generating Revenue!

Using a good online booking system, which also handles the walk-in, email and phone bookings, is of the up-most importance, as this can help your workshop run smoothly and efficiently, and providing the customer with the most professional service, you will begin to see the increase in revenue!

So what does it all mean?

Well, the automotive industry tends to move so fast, often with trends being set by the manufacturers and dealers, and it can be easy for a small to medium mechanical repair workshop to fall behind.

Looking into areas such as online booking can be a way to direct the flow of work to your doorstep, rather than a competitors. This can certainly be a way to separate your workshop from the rest, and align the workshop with the latest in technology and marketing solely directed to the customer.

Being ahead of the game with a booking system that can email and SMS clients is a sure fire way to become a dealer alternative when it comes to the service, repair, and maintenance of any vehicle.

What’s going to take your business to that next level, well, online booking could just be the start!