Picture This:
You call your customer to get an approval on a brake job. No answer.
They call back 20 minutes later, but your advisor is tied up with another customer.
They leave a message. You call again. More voicemail.
Sound familiar?
This back-and-forth game of phone tag is more than just frustrating…it’s quietly costing your shop time, money, and trust.
The Bottleneck You Didn’t Know You Had
Every time your team has to wait for a returned phone call, a repair order stalls.
Techs can’t move forward.
Bays can stay clogged.
Cars pile up.
Meanwhile, your staff is spending valuable time leaving voicemails, scribbling notes, and manually tracking customer callbacks.
At scale, it adds up:
- Delayed approvals = longer cycle times
- Longer cycle times = fewer vehicles per day
- Fewer vehicles = lower revenue
Many Customers Prefer Text Messaging
Here’s the thing: your customers aren’t ignoring you to be difficult.
They’re busy. They’re at work. They’re in meetings. And, most importantly, they simply prefer texting.
In fact:
- 89% of consumers say they want to communicate with businesses via text.
- 95% of texts are read within three minutes.
- Missed calls often go unanswered or unreturned.
Why Texting Is Smarter (and Easier Than You Think)
Switching to two-way texting isn’t about being trendy. It’s about building a better customer experience and a more efficient workflow.
With texting, you can:
- Get faster approvals with short, clear messages
- Share photos and videos through Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVIs)
- Avoid miscommunication with written records of every interaction
You get quick feedback. Your customers get transparency. Everybody wins.
Real-World Results
Shops that switch to texting see major improvements:
- 34% reduction in bay idle time
- Higher average repair order (ARO) thanks to visual DVIs
- Faster turnaround times mean more cars serviced each day
One shop owner told us: “Once we started texting, our customers responded almost immediately. We rarely play phone tag anymore.”
Not Sure Where to Start? Here’s a Simple Plan:
You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. Try this phased rollout:
Step 1: Start by sending simple status updates via text (“Your vehicle is being diagnosed.”)
Step 2: Add estimates and DVI links for faster approvals
Step 3: Use texting for requesting reviews and follow-up scheduling
You’ll see immediate results. And, your customers will thank you for making things easier.
Final Thought: Time Is the Real Issue
Phone calls can be inefficient. Texting isn’t just about technology; it’s about time and accommodating your busy customers..
Time for your staff to focus on the vehicles.
Time saved from repeat calls and phone tag..
Time given back to your customers.
If you’re still solely relying on calls, it may be time to hang up.
Try Autoflow’s Two-Way Texting, and see the difference for yourself.
