While attending AAPEX 2015, PTEN met with Mitchell Major, president of ALLDATA, an AutoZone company. Since 1986, ALLDATA (www.alldata.com) has provided OEM service and repair information to over 300,000 technicians across the nation. “Our history is OEM information and we have, hands-down, the most robust OEM information database out there,” says Major.
Taking mechanical and collision repair info to the vehicle
Across the United States and Canada, shops use ALLDATA Repair and ALLDATA Collision as a source for mechanical and collision repair information. Now that same information can be pulled car-side with ALLDATA Mobile, a tablet-based product that allows techs to look up not only repair information, but also connect to the vehicle, pull diagnostic codes and more. Major says, “What we’ve been focused on is getting on the cloud and closing the gap between OEM repair information and diagnostics.”
Diagnostic support from peers and ASE Master-Certified Technicians
According to Major, OEM data is the best source of repair information; but he says peer-to-peer shortcuts can provide powerful alternatives. To meet that need, ALLDATA created a tech-to-tech peer network called ALLDATA Community which allows users to search for probable causes or submit a question directly from their ALLDATA Repair or Collision product.
For direct help, the ALLDATA Tech-Assist team of ASE Master Certified Technicians will stick with the technician until the vehicle is repaired and out the door, according to the company.
ALLDATA Manage Online shop management system
Most recently, ALLDATA launched Manage Online, a shop management system. A disc-based system has been available for years, but this program offers features that were not possible before. Owners can check on shops from home, email estimates and invoices and integrate with myCARFAX, QuickBooks Online, and marketing programs. The program also allows shop managers and technicians to text or email their customers to save valued time in the bay.
“The cloud-based system is ready for prime-time,” says Major. “We’re putting it out in the marketplace because we feel it’s an economically viable solution for shops of all sizes. It allows you to keep an eye on your business and manage your shop effectively.”
Thinking of the future
“We want to be a single-source software information provider to the shop. We want to ask the shop ‘What information are you using?’ and ‘What software does it take to power your shop?’ Ultimately, we want to provide for all of their needs,” says Major.
What will ALLDATA provide in the future? “Our vision is to provide a complete solution for the shop. Not just the software, but also the workflow in the shop. How does the customer interact with the shop - via phone or internet? How does the shop arrange for the customer to give all the information in the way that the shop needs it? How is the customer engagement at the point where the car pulls into the parking lot? How is the customer alerted throughout the repair process?”
These are all things that ALLDATA has taken into account for current products and something they strive for in future product and service offerings.
