Digital Inspection Branding - XOXO Car vs Your Shop

[Auto Repair Coach]

Thanks again for the input.
I will continue to communicate to you and bring your concerns to the powers that be.

[Auto Repair Coach]

Update
Printing the new inspection format is now possible.

The Status of Feature Request #2957 has been changed to Completed - Released

[ricmorin]

Update
Printing the new inspection format is now possible.

The Status of Feature Request #2957 has been changed to Completed - Released

Thanks for that update. I see that the print works, but it doesn't include the pictures taken. The old print version included small versions of the pictures. Are we stuck with that downgrade or will we get that feature back?

[Auto Repair Coach]

I will check into whether pictures will be printed with the rest of the inspection.

[Gerald Martin]

It is now 2 weeks since XOXO Car was rolled out. Would it be possible for Bolt-On to engage in more open dialog with the concerned shop owners here? The branding issue is a big deal to me. I do not plan to continue branding my shop with the XOXO Car brand.

While I wish this poll had more participants, I think that it should give some insight into how professional shops view the hijacking of their company identity.

To any other shop owners following this thread, please cast your vote and join the discussion.

Gerald Martin

[Auto Repair Coach]

I agree that if more shops would participate in this thread that it would better represent the overall response to XOXOcar. Otherwise the general response across all of our media has been positive, but we know some tweak-age is still needed.

The branding concern is noted and being addressed.

We have been asked by many of our shops to have customer facing information and advertising packages. So one of the ideas behind XOXOCar is to build an overall brand for the inspections themselves sending more drivers to shops that use the technology.

I do take the input from this forum seriously and make sure the opinions and ideas here are shared with the right people. Some really good ideas and suggestions have come from here, but ultimately all ideas and suggestions are weighed against many other factors before being considered being developed.

Thanks to all for your consideration and input.

[BenjaminPeterson]

I agree that if more shops would participate in this thread that it would better represent the overall response to XOXOcar. Otherwise the general response across all of our media has been positive, but we know some tweak-age is still needed.

The branding concern is noted and being addressed.

We have been asked by many of our shops to have customer facing information and advertising packages. So one of the ideas behind XOXOCar is to build an overall brand for the inspections themselves sending more drivers to shops that use the technology.

I do take the input from this forum seriously and make sure the opinions and ideas here are shared with the right people. Some really good ideas and suggestions have come from here, but ultimately all ideas and suggestions are weighed against many other factors before being considered being developed.

Thanks to all for your consideration and input.

How about instead of just using the forums why doesn't bolt-on use their other resources and call or email shops and ask their opinions. Most shop owners don't go on forums or even know that bolt-on has a sub section on Mitchell's forums (because bolt-on doesn't seem to want to add their own stand alone forums). I am kinda confused on why we would need to mention on the forums how to engage your customers. Maybe it is time for you guys to read some of your own blogs about communicating with your customers.

[Auto Repair Coach]

Thanks for your input.

I wrote "general response across all of our media has been positive" since we have received this feedback, through not only forums like this and multiple other forums, but being on the road and during Bolt On University(s) we have had similar feedback face to face with our users. Add to this any email, social media and phone calls we get, we listen.

This is not to say all the feedback is positive, there have been a few shops that have mentioned the branding issue and a few others wanting to be able to print the inspections with pictures. We hear this and evaluate the over all demand for these things in reference to what it would take to make these changes happen and in the light of developing new and better options for all the shops to use.

We do our best to keep over 6,000 shops up and seeing success running on Bolt On products while at the same time we do listen to the suggestions, concerns and feedback from those shops that give it to us. Do we do a perfect job in addressing the hundred or so requests we get each month, no. But we do try.


Thanks again for your input and consideration.

[Auto Repair Coach]

The inspection printing option is in the works. Will let you know when ready.

[nickh360]

I feel the same way that many on this board do. I made it a point to stop by the BoltOn booth at Vision Training in KC last week as I had both a few questions on how to better use their system and to express our opinion on the new inspection.

Here are a few thoughts:
* I understand where they were going with the new inspection. While I believe the old inspection was easier to read and understand by our clients, the new inspection is more visually appealing.
* Going live with the new inspection without any notification to their clients (the shops) was the first major mistake. For shops to be in the middle of editing and sending out inspections only to be surprised by a major (complete) revamp, really was inexcusable. We finally received an email a couple of hours after it went live and after we had already been online with tech support trying to work out bugs in the new inspection.
* The XOXO branding is pretty tone-def to their clients (the shops). BoltOn explained it to me that they are building the XOXO brand to promote to car owners. They said that their goal is for when a car owner is shopping for a new repair shop, if they're leaving a shop that has the XOXO inspection, they will have loved it so much that they will only take their car to a new shop that offers the XOXO inspection as well. And that we may lose business if we don't offer the XOXO brand because the car owner will shop around until they find a shop that does offer it. Wow! So many places to start here. First, if a car owner is leaving a shop it's likely because they're unhappy. Which means that the BoltOn XOXO inspection is associated with the shop they now don't like or trust. Why would they go to a new shop that does the same thing as the shop they're unhappy with? Secondly, it's in every shop's best interest to make themselves stand out and be different from the other shops in their area. If car owners think every shop in town is using the same inspection, it makes it harder for a shop to stand out. Obviously there's a lot more to making yourself stand out than what inspection you offer, but we don't need anything working against us.
* XOXO logo: I'll be very blunt here, repair shops are paying BoltOn to provide a service that we can offer to our clients. We're paying BoltOn to help us promote our shops. We are NOT paying BoltOn to promote their own brand for their benefit. The XOXO logo has no place above, next to or in place of a shop's logo. As others have said, the appropriate location would be a 'powered by XOXO' at the bottom of the inspection.
* The Vehicle Conditional Status bar seems be a little off when calculating the color. Before we send any inspection out, we view it as the client would see it. We want to make sure it presents well to the car owner. And it seems like cars with almost all green marks and only a couple of yellow/red are showing far too low on the bar. It's possible for a client to think their car is in too poor of condition to be worth fixing. Again, I realize that the inspection is just one tool in helping us do our jobs. But I think the status bar needs some tweaking.

There are some other notes, but they're probably small compared to the above concerns. Sorry for the negative comments (sorry John from BoltOn), I just believe that they did a disservice to some of their clients.

[nickh360]

The branding issue is a big deal to me. I do not plan to continue branding my shop with the XOXO Car brand. Gerald Martin

(Speaking as a manager, and not the shop owner) I agree with this wholeheartedly. Were it not for some of the reports that BoltOn offers (much better than Mitchell themselves), our decision would be a much easier one. That being said, there were a lot of digital inspection companies at Vision Training that we spoke with.

[Gerald Martin]

Nick, thanks for adding your thoughts to this thread. Well said.

John, I have a question about this:

Thanks for your input.

I wrote "general response across all of our media has been positive" since we have received this feedback, through not only forums like this and multiple other forums, but being on the road and during Bolt On University(s) we have had similar feedback face to face with our users. Add to this any email, social media and phone calls we get, we listen.

This is not to say all the feedback is positive, there have been a few shops that have mentioned the branding issue and a few others wanting to be able to print the inspections with pictures. We hear this and evaluate the over all demand for these things in reference to what it would take to make these changes happen and in the light of developing new and better options for all the shops to use.

We do our best to keep over 6,000 shops up and seeing success running on Bolt On products while at the same time we do listen to the suggestions, concerns and feedback from those shops that give it to us. Do we do a perfect job in addressing the hundred or so requests we get each month, no. But we do try.


Thanks again for your input and consideration.

Can you provide links to the positive feedback you are getting from other "forums like this" - especially where shop owners are happy with the branding of XOXO Car? I tried looking on autoshopowner.com and did not find a thread...a google search did not seem to help either.

It's imperative to me that Bolt-On realizes we are not bluffing about this issue. Unless the branding changes I will be looking at an alternative software.

Gerald Martin
Martins Auto Service
618-833-2528

[nickh360]

One last bit; other than Vision and WP classes I have absolutely no training as marketing professional. But as an automotive repair professional, my personal opinion is that the XOXO Car branding is cheesy, like something that the giant, generic, corporate chains would promote. Those chain stores are what we spend every day striving to be the complete opposite of.

[ricmorin]

* XOXO logo: I'll be very blunt here, repair shops are paying BoltOn to provide a service that we can offer to our clients. We're paying BoltOn to help us promote our shops. We are NOT paying BoltOn to promote their own brand for their benefit. The XOXO logo has no place above, next to or in place of a shop's logo (BoltOn's client logo).

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!

I will be sharing VERY few inspections until this is resolved. When Bolt-On starts repairing cars themselves, then they can promote their own brand. Until then, they should be promoting mine, as I pay the bill.

[Gerald Martin]

* XOXO logo: I'll be very blunt here, repair shops are paying BoltOn to provide a service that we can offer to our clients. We're paying BoltOn to help us promote our shops. We are NOT paying BoltOn to promote their own brand for their benefit. The XOXO logo has no place above, next to or in place of a shop's logo (BoltOn's client logo).

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!

I will be sharing VERY few inspections until this is resolved. When Bolt-On starts repairing cars themselves, then they can promote their own brand. Until then, they should be promoting mine, as I pay the bill.

ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON.

Gerald

[nickh360]

When Bolt-On starts repairing cars themselves, then they can promote their own brand. Until then, they should be promoting mine, as I pay the bill.

Perhaps bolt-on would like to pay shops to promote their XOXO branding.

[brianp87]

Auto vitals offers a program for digital inspections.

[Pauls Automotive]

* XOXO logo: I'll be very blunt here, repair shops are paying BoltOn to provide a service that we can offer to our clients. We're paying BoltOn to help us promote our shops. We are NOT paying BoltOn to promote their own brand for their benefit. The XOXO logo has no place above, next to or in place of a shop's logo (BoltOn's client logo).

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!

I will be sharing VERY few inspections until this is resolved. When Bolt-On starts repairing cars themselves, then they can promote their own brand. Until then, they should be promoting mine, as I pay the bill.

I am with Ric and everyone else here. BTW the logo is cheesy! I really don't care for it nor do any of my customers even know what it is. Looks like you are trying to send them kisses.

[motley06]

100% agree with everyone's statements here! Come on Bolt On, who thought this was a good idea???

[Auto Repair Coach]

Answers and info coming.