Welcome Station

[Bernhausen]

Can anybody shed some light? I see an option for "welcome station" but for the life of me I can't find the actual welcome station for customers to sign in on...

[ricmorin]

The Welcome Station is a separate service that uses a tablet as a kiosk to check in customers, update their information and offer upsells based on location and weather. It's actually very cool.

See http://boltontechnology.com/auto-repair ... ion-kiosk/

And here is a youtube demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeNvoy874TA

[Auto Repair Coach]

Thanks for checking in,

Welcome station is a Kiosk that allows customers to check in and even up sell themselves past recommendations, seasonal and weather related items, in addition for any issue they may have. Feel free to contact me if you would like to set up a demo.

[ricmorin]

We added Welcome Station to our arsenal this week. So far it's pretty cool.

Customers self check-in using the tablet. They enter their phone number and that links them to your database. If they are a new customer and they enter a phone number, the device checks online directories to query, 'Are you Mr. Doe'?. Nice personal touch.

They then have opportunities to see and add popular jobs, seasonal specials and most importantly, previously recommended services. We are hesitant to ask for these as a rule but having them come up automatically is a real win IMO.

I'll be reporting on the pros and cons as we go on.

20171003_114415.jpg (97.48 KiB) Viewed 18603 times

[Pauls Automotive]

Ric where did you get that stand? I would like to get one for ours.

[ricmorin]

Ric where did you get that stand? I would like to get one for ours.

Thanks to my trusted SA for that find. It's actually a kitchen style stand with 2 different mounts. Very sturdy made from aluminum. We got it from Amazon for 25 bucks. Made by KTA Digital, model PAD-KMS. You won't be disappointed for the price.

[Auto Repair Coach]

Thanks again Ric for you input and ideas.

Any other questions please feel free to reach out to me.

[Pauls Automotive]

Ric where did you get that stand? I would like to get one for ours.

Thanks to my trusted SA for that find. It's actually a kitchen style stand with 2 different mounts. Very sturdy made from aluminum. We got it from Amazon for 25 bucks. Made by KTA Digital, model PAD-KMS. You won't be disappointed for the price.

Thanks Ric . I will check it out. Thank your SA to.

[motley06]

Two things:

1.) Ric, I would love to hear your experience with the welcome station a few months after using the welcome kiosk

2.) https://www.instantpromotionusa.com has some really neat tablet stands that you could probably get to use for the welcome station. They have some that have slots for promotional flyers, etc. I have no clue what the cost is, but I think that's what we would end up getting if we went with the welcome kiosk

[ricmorin]

Two things:

1.) Ric, I would love to hear your experience with the welcome station a few months after using the welcome kiosk

2.) https://www.instantpromotionusa.com has some really neat tablet stands that you could probably get to use for the welcome station. They have some that have slots for promotional flyers, etc. I have no clue what the cost is, but I think that's what we would end up getting if we went with the welcome kiosk

I plan on sharing my experiences here and some suggestions. Right now the product is focused on customer data and upsells. I think it can do so much more.

Thanks for the link. I'll definitely check them out!

[Auto Repair Coach]

I, too, definitely see that the Welcome Station needs a bit of tweaking to do its job better. So I am interested in getting feedback to go to development with. I'll be watching.

[ricmorin]

So we're a couple of month's in on this and so far I still like the product. It makes a good presentation for upsells, but falls short in the paperless interaction area. While it can connect to an order and the customer can sign an authorization, they never see that existing order or the cost prior to any upsells; a big problem if you ask me. Additionally, if any changes are made to the original order and price, their electronic signature remains; another big problem. Some enhancements are needed to make this a true customer gateway to our management systems.

1. The customer MUST see the existing order and price before signing.
2. Any upsells made by the customer should be added to the existing order automatically. This updates pricing so customer signs accurate order.
3. I suggest the signature be dropped if the order price increases by 10% or whatever is allowed by law for your state (make this user adjustable).
4. Utilize the device in a similar manner when checking OUT. Display the order and price and sign if needed.

Again, in the current configuration the device works well. Used consistently, it'll likely pay for itself and then some.

[Auto Repair Coach]

Thanks again Ric for the shared insights. I think it better coming from a user, especially a power user like you!

I will input all of the suggestions listed because I too feel these items need some addressing.

[ricmorin]

Sadly we have cancelled our subscription to Welcome Station. After having it for years with absolutely NO development or additions, we let it go. I've said before that this had great potential. Too bad.

[Auto Repair Coach]

Sorry to hear that Ric. I'll be sure to let you know when it is updated.
Stay well.