Lincoln, Neb.—Diagnostics are the specialty at Southside Auto Tech, and factory scan tools are a must, Owner Craig Kinberg said. He said his collection of OE scan tools includes those for GM, Ford, Chrysler, SAAB, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Volkswagen/Audi, Porsche, Jaguar, Mazda and Honda/Acura.
It is an expensive investment, and updates are pricey, averaging $1,200 per tool annually, Kinberg said, but having the factory tool is well worth the cost.
“There is a lot more information on the OE scan tools,” he said. “Factory tools will offer a more specific code, and as you go through the different OE modules, they have some of the TSBs and articles that only dealerships have.”
“The TSBs are right there on the screen, so when you are pulling up information, it is right in front of you on the screen, which helps us out a lot,” he said.
Having OE scan tools also generates business for Southside Auto Tech through configuring and updating modules for other mechanical repair shops that lack the factory tools, Kinberg said.
“We get business from shops that only have generic scan tools, which sometimes give them incorrect information,” he said. “Often, they are chasing their tail on codes that really don’t exist.”
Business also comes from local body shops that need crash sensors and modules configured and programmed to the vehicle, he said.
Each of Kinberg’s three technicians also has a computer at his workstation equipped with online diagnostic resources including, Identifix, AllData, and iATN, Kinberg said.
It is not all diagnostics at the CARQUEST Tech Net shop, however. Since the downturn in the economy, Kinberg said he has seen in increase in maintenance work along with engine and transmission swaps.
“Maintenance is getting better and better, especially in a tougher economy,” he said. “People are saying, ‘Hey, I need to keep my car--those different things that you have recommended before, how important are those?’”
To keep his customers informed of necessary maintenance services, he said he provides them with a maintenance schedule printout that breaks down each service interval.
“We have also been doing more engine and transmission swaps,” he said. “Even though it is costing customers some money to do it, they know the history of their vehicle and the maintenance items that have been done.”
Through LKQ-Midwest, Kinberg said he has even been able to get his customers a warranty on used engines and transmissions.
Keeping the customer informed about their vehicle is key, Kinberg said, adding that he likes to involve his customers as much as possible in the repair process.
“We like to bring customers back in the shop to show them the problems on their car,” he said.
“We also have some customers that like to receive e-mails, so we have started taking pictures of problems on a customer’s car and sending them an e-mail with the picture of what is wrong alongside the estimate.”
Kinberg added that technology such as e-mail has opened up avenues for working with customers beyond the traditional in-store or over-the-phone contact.
“Being more tech savvy is important,” he said, adding that he asks his customers if they want to be contacted by phone, e-mail, text message, or instant message.
“It is important to find out what the best way is to contact a customer. Before cell phones, we even had a dozen pagers that we would give to customers, and we would page them so they could call us back.”
The ability to get in touch with customers quickly is important in speeding up the repair process, as is fast parts delivery, Kinberg said.
Luckily, he said, he is located one block from a CARQUEST jobber. When the CARQUEST store moved in, he said he was able to drop his inventory from $90,000 to $20,000.
As a CARQUEST Technet shop, Kinberg said he works largely with CARQUEST but also orders parts through Factory Motor Parts and WorldPac.
He said he is also involved with installing some aftermarket accessories. Most recently, he said he became the Nebraska distributor and installer for Autonet Mobile, a wireless device that gives customers wi-fi in their car.
The service uses Verizon Wireless cellular towers, costs $29 a month and allows customer to hook up multiple devices at once and receive a connection up to 150 feet from the vehicle, he added.
Installation is quick, Kinberg said, and he charges anywhere from $50 to $150, depending on the vehicle.
“It is fairly small, and it only takes two wires to operate it--a power and ground,” he said. “It goes through Verizon cell towers on the 2.5G and 3G networks, and it transitions from cell tower to cell tower.”
Kinberg said he started installing the Autonet Mobile systems in January and, within a month, he had sold 20 units, mostly to insurance and tool guys, who always need access to the Internet.
Another aftermarket product that Kinberg said he is looking into is an interlock system that is installed in vehicles for drivers that have multiple DUIs. The interlocklock system requires drivers to blow into the unit and register under the legal limit for alcohol before they can start the car.
It all boils down to the customer and the demand for a product, Kinberg said, whether it is Internet for cars, interlock systems, or a new OE scan tool. “If I have enough calls for a particular item, I will make the purchase,” he said.
