In the News

Autoflow Launches New Email Builder

Autoflow announces deferred services reminder feature

Autoflow has integrated with Groove Glove, a handheld, laser-based scanner, the company announced in a release. “Autoflow continues to expand our product offering to help support tire dealers and auto repair shops,” Chris Cloutier, founder of Autoflow and co-owner of multi-shop operation, Golden Rule Auto Care, said in a statement

The tire and alignment data captured by the Groove Glove from Tire Profiles Inc. now integrates with Autoflow, meaning the results are instantly transferred to a customer’s Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI) report.

Autoflow redesigns its Digital Vehicle Inspection’s (DVI) tire section, enabling shops to achieve highly configurable tire inspections for standard four-wheel vehicles, trucks, trailers, tractors, and more. New features include multiple axles and improved mobile and desktop layouts for users.

We continued to shift our car care experience into high gear through a new technology partnership with Autoflow. Now our service teams are able to keep our guests updated throughout the entire repair service process by using a tablet that provides automated text and email updates to guests on their vehicle’s repair status, repair recommendations, estimated completion time, and other critical servicing information.

Autoflow announces its integration with CDK Global, which offers CDK users extended functionality through adding Autoflow’s workflow, communications, MPI (Multi Point Inspections), and quality control.

Due to COVID-19, touchless service has suddenly jumped into focus for auto repair shops all over the country.

Autoflow Offers Text-to-Pay

Autoflow has announced it now offers a Text-to-Pay service, a touchless solution that gives clients the ability to send their customers a text message or email that includes a link to pay their bill remotely and online.

A streamlined version that provides shops with an affordable, no-touch payment solution to further facilitate a touchless process and accommodate customers.

Autoflow overhauls its follow-up feature to give increased functionality and options to both shops and customers

Autoflow announces new, robust enhancements to its follow-up message feature. Autoflow clients can now send their customers a follow-up message that includes a link to a mobile-friendly landing page, which allows them to choose from up to four social review sites that have been preselected by the shop. 

Alliance Service Centers partner with Autoflow

The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc., headquarters for Auto Value, Bumper to Bumper, and Confidence Plus Certified Service Centers, has signed Autoflow as an approved provider for the program group’s Certified Service Center (CSC) program. 

Autoflow Launches DVI Technology

Autoflow has released its new Customer Insights, which provides helpful analytics on customer engagement of its DVI (Digital Vehicle Inspection).

Autoflow Launches DVI Customer Insights

Autoflow Launches DVI Customer Insights technology to help shops determine best practices and improve customer communication.

Christian Bros. experience with customer texts, digital inspections could yield collision industry lessons

Implementing a means of keeping customers in the loop through text messages and educating them with photo evidence might prove as successful for collision repairers as it’s been for a large national mechanical repair franchise.

Christian Brothers Automotive this year will have converted all its 200 locations to the Autoflow system, establishing brand consistency and bringing some locations into a formal texting platform for the first time. A representative offered us a chance to interview technology solutions Vice President David Domine about the conversion, and his perspective might offer some insight for collision repairer owners and managers evaluating software and workflows.

AAA Carolinas Car Care announces its partnership with Autoflow

AAA Carolinas Car Care announces its partnership with Autoflow to provide Digital Vehicle Insight (DVI), which serves to educate customers on a vehicle’s condition so that a confident,informed decision can be made on repair approvals.

“We’re honored to move forward with AAA in contributing towards a transparent automotive service experience and achieving the high standard of service expected from its members.””— Chris Cloutier

Christian Brothers Automotive Offers Real-Time Text-Message Repair Updates

“This new text-message service sets Christian Brothers apart in the industry because it gives customers a rare opportunity – the chance to be in control of the car care process from beginning to end,” said David Domine, VP of technology solutions at Christian Brothers. “We worked closely with our entire franchise system to learn what would have the biggest impact for our customers and it was clear that an interactive, accessible mobile experience people can manage from their cell phones would change the way we’re able to serve them.”

Christian Brothers Automotive Offers Real-Time Text-Message Repair Updates

Via a partnership with Autoflow, Christian Brothers Automotive Corp. is enabling customers to look under the hood alongside a technician from a new vantage point – their phones.

Through a text-messaging tool for the repair industry that sends automated updates on a car’s repair status – including photos, repair recommendations and estimated completion time – Christian Brothers’ partnership with Autoflow offers a unique digital vehicle inspection.

Christian Brothers Automotive Puts Customer in Driver’s Seat with Real-Time Text Message Repair Updates

New Autoflow Partnership Brings Digital Vehicle Inspections to Customers’ Fingertips

Christian Brothers Automotive Corporation continues to shift the car care experience into high gear through a technology partnership with Autoflow that allows customers to look under the hood alongside a technician from a new vantage point – their phones.

Autoflow Launches Kiosk/Scheduler Feature to Expedite Check-in Process

Autoflow has released the Kiosk/Scheduler, the newest product addition to its digital suite. This new feature will allow a shop to attach the Scheduler to their website for customers to schedule appointments, which will go directly into Autoflow, and, soon to come, their Shop Management System (SMS). Alternatively, the Kiosk/Scheduler can be used for customers to check in at a shop and further avoid the counter rush and waiting for an available service advisor.

The Ins and Outs of Digital Inspections

“O’Neal asserts, digital inspections improve the lines of communication during the vehicle repair process. The customer can clearly see the condition of the vehicle and the software also provides visuals for additional items the customer was previously unaware may need attention. The customer can then work with the service advisor to prioritize repairs.”

Autoflow Adds MOTOR Integration

Autoflow recently increased the capabilities of its digital vehicle inspection technology through integration with MOTOR, a provider of vehicle data for nearly 115 years. The new add-on was designed to offer technicians the ability to quickly view scheduled vehicle maintenance charts directly within a digital inspection.

Autoflow Upgrades Digital Vehicle Inspection Tool Through Motor Integration

“We continue to evolve our digital vehicle inspection to be a living, breathing, real-time document,” said Chris Cloutier, Autoflow founder and co-owner of multi-shop operation, Golden Rule Auto Care. “With the technicians in my shops having maintenance information right at their fingertips, they’re saving time and doing their jobs more effectively and efficiently.”

Autoflow enhances its DVI with MOTOR integration

Autoflow takes their digital vehicle inspection to a new level through integration with MOTOR, a provider of trusted automotive data since 1903. The new add-on feature offers technicians the ability to quickly view scheduled vehicle maintenance charts directly within the digital inspection.

autoflow changes its name back to Autoflow

autoflow announces its name is changing back to Autoflow. The company’s founder, Chris Cloutier, explains, “We initially changed our name because we often found it portrayed the wrong perception that all we did was texting. We wanted to ensure awareness that we offer so much more from beginning to end of the vehicle repair process including workflow management, digital vehicle inspections, digital work orders, quality control, and a program for rewarding customer loyalty.

Innovate: The Past, Present and Future of Shop Technology

“Cloutier created his own site to go over this topic, and he walks through the timeline’s three stages, including where your shop is now, and where it can be. The further along on the timeline you are, Cloutier says, the more efficient and productive your shop can be.”

Prepare to Change – O’Neal – Barrett – Cloutier

“Chris Cloutier is co-owner of Golden Rule Auto Care in Dallas, Texas for the last 5 years and is an expert at software development who understands what customers want in a digital sales process. He came from the software industry developing solutions for companies like Southwest Airlines, and Wyndham Intl. Chris worked for companies that understand the marriage of service and software and have applied it in an effective way.”

autoflow Releases New Internal Chat Feature

“autoflow introduces its new internal chat feature, which provides service writers and technicians with a faster means of communication via a simple, easy-to-use interface.”

Customers expect shops to communicate using today’s methods

“When I text my customer updates throughout the day, am I saving conversations that I would have to have with them on the phone about, ‘Hey, what’s going on with my car?’ Something that simple makes your shop more productive and more efficient because you want your guys at the front counter dealing with the customers walking through the door and selling.”

Shop View: Honest Accurate Auto Service

“For about a year and a half, Honest Accurate Auto Service has used a texting program to update staff on the repair process and inform customers. Autoflow, a shop management software, allows the technicians to digitize inspections on their Kindle tablets and to update an online progress board. The progress board in return pings the customer’s cell phone with messages like, “Your vehicle is being inspected” or, “Your vehicle is completed.”

Customer Communication in the Digital Age

“So roughly a year and a half ago, Uhlman signed up for a comprehensive system that included digital inspections and text messaging services in an effort to communicate with customers conveniently on their own terms. Since implementing it, his ARO has gone up $75.”

Entrepreneurial Lessons from a Serial Entrepreneur

“After opening his shop, he founded Autoflow, a workflow and communication solution, specifically to give his shop a competitive advantage. As he talked to more shop owners he realized there was a need for better technology and has since worked toward helping the industry embrace and move forward with it.”

Autoflow Changes its Name to ‘autoflow’

“autoflow is a cloud-based tool delivering digital solutions for workflow, communication, vehicle inspections, work orders, quality control and customer rewards and referrals.”

Automotive Repair Software Provider Changes Name to ‘autoflow’

“Autoflow has outgrown our name,” said Chris Cloutier, founder of autoflow and co-owner of Golden Rule Auto Care in Rowlett, Texas. “We killed it because it no longer symbolizes who we are; we are now autoflow. And now with the release of our new digital work order, shops can further automate their workflow and go paperless in their bays.”

AAPEX Closing Keynote Discusses Industry’s Changing Landscape

“The keynote, “Grease, Code and Customers: You’re Entirely Right About All The Wrong Stuff,” featured a panel of experts that shared their insights on how to adapt to the ever-evolving technological advancements in order to best serve customers and attract talent to the automotive repair industry.”

Autoflow Launches New Loyalty Rewards Program

“Rewards and Referrals enables shops to quickly track and map referrals to customers via a visual referral tree. The program is fully customizable, giving shops the ability to create their own point structure for customer referrals and visits and define rewards. Reporting is also included on referrals, earned points, and redeemed rewards. The program also allows shops to identify their top customers.Shops are further able to determine the actual value of their customers and identify top customers.”

Autoflow Launches New Rewards, Referral Program

“Many Loyalty and rewards programs are executed backwards. Why burden customers with another card to carry or app to download? Why can’t businesses keep track of that for them?” says Chris Cloutier, founder of Autoflow and co-owner of Golden Rule Auto Care.”

Autoflow Launches Quality Control 2.0

“With shops now utilizing digital vehicle inspections at check-in, a digital quality control inspection at checkout ensures a confident, closed-loop process where residual mistakes are caught and corrected. Statistics show that it costs seven times more to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing customer. Ideally, Quality Control implementation builds customer retention, increases add-on sales, and safeguards shop credibility.”

Quality Controls – Why it Matters for Retention & Reputation

“QC is all about the customer. You cannot manage what you cannot measure. A good QC process brings accountability to your overall processes. Your business culture needs to be right to be sure everyone find deficiencies in your processes. Invest in your reputation against any negative online review. As Toyota does they celebrate when they find deficiencies. It is not about trusting your technicians it is about catching us humans making mistakes and that is OK. There is always time to do QC.”

Autoflow Launches Quality Control 2.0 With New Reporting And Design

“Autoflow has released its improved quality control add-on feature, which gives shops the confidence of delivering vehicles to customers in the condition they expected and paid for with no residual issues such as left-behind grease, fluids that weren’t filled up, forgotten oil change stickers and tools mistakenly left in vehicles.”

Autoflow Has Update for Digital Vehicle Inspection Software

“Autoflow integrates variety of shop management systems and focuses on streamlining and simplifying everyday processes to provide shops with greater productivity, a stronger competitive advantage, and an enhanced customer experience.”

Autoflow Releases Software Update for Digital Vehicle Inspection

“Dallas, Texas-based Autoflow, a provider of shop management and digital customer service technology, has released Digital Vehicle Inspection (DVI) 2.0. The company says the software update provides stronger performance and stability along with a sleeker, more intuitive design, including a visual tire inspection section.”

Autoflow Releases Digital Vehicle Inspection 2.0

“The new release is 100 percent configurable to suit a shop’s individual needs and gives shops the ability to complete multiple digital inspections for a single vehicle. Autoflow’s new DVI enables shops to further automate their customer communication with more mobile-friendly, streamlined reports, which are directly accessible from a browser with no app required.”

Autoflow Releases Digital Vehicle Inspection 2.0

“Autoflow has launched its new and improved digital visual inspection (DVI) add-on release, which provides stronger performance and stability along with a sleeker, more intuitive design, including a visual tire inspection section. The company says this new release is 100 percent configurable to suit a shop’s individual needs and gives shops the ability to complete multiple digital inspections for a single vehicle.”

Autoflow enhances software

“DVI 2.0 is customizable to suit a shop’s individual needs and gives shops the ability to complete multiple digital inspections on a single vehicle, Autoflow said.”

Autoflow releases new & improved DVI

“Autoflow launches its new and improved DVI add on release, which provides stronger performance and stability along with a sleeker, more intuitive design, including a visual tire inspection section. The new release is 100% configurable to suit a shop’s individual needs and gives shops the ability to complete multiple digital inspections for a single vehicle.”

Autoflow adds video

“Autoflow now allows technicians to attach video to the inspection report and send it straight to their customers. Once the report has been sent, customers can view the video straight from their phone.”

Automotive Service Councils of California Proudly Announces New Corporate Sponsorship with Autoflow

“Autoflow now allows technicians to attach video to the inspection report and send it straight to their customers. Once the report has been sent, customers can view the video straight from their phone. “

Technology and Talent: Now Is the Time to Get Ahead of the Learning Curve

“If you don’t know where to start technology-wise, there is a great visual tool from Autoflow creator and Rowlett, Texas, shop owner Chris Cloutier called the Shop Technology Timeline.”

Understanding + Trust = Loyal Customers

“Chris met Jeremy O’Neal more than three years ago at a conference as a vendor for his own shop workflow management software he’s developed, Autoflow. Because he’s a big believer in continuing education, they spend quite a bit of time talking each year.”

Chris Cloutier on Shop Technology

“Chris also developed shoptechnologytimeline.com. This was in response to a need he felt to position technology strategies on a mind map and create an implementation flow. As Chris says in the interview this is his first iteration of this chart and it will change as technology changes and improves, but it allows the service professional to determine where he/she is and look to the opportunities to make technology improvements to their business.”

Four Areas To Address When Digitizing Your Shop

“Digital customer service offerings like inspections, updates and service history documentation are all made relatively easy with digital resources like those from Bolt On Technology, AutoServe1, AutoVitals and Autoflow”

The digital sales process with Jeremy O’Neal & Chris Cloutier

“Independent Automotive Repair Shops need to understand that right now is the time to capitalize on the golden age of our industry. Meaning, it’s too easy now for customers to neglect maintenance and repairs. By using a digital sales process, shops will be able to properly educate their customer without the customer feeling like they are being sold.”

Autoflow Quality Control Press Release

“The feature was created after Autoflow founder and shop owner, Chris Cloutier, conducted a two-day case study at his own shop, Golden Rule Auto Care of Rowlett, Texas, and found residual issues with 80 percent of serviced vehicles after they had undergone quality control inspections.”

Autoflow adds Quality Control feature

“Autoflow has announced its digital quality control inspection add-on, which will help shop personnel and customers ensure vehicle are delivered in the condition expected and with no residual issues.”

Autoflow’s own Darryl Fraley featured in MTD’s On the Rise.

“Young men and women are at the forefront of the industry, and they’re helping to lead the way as our business continues to evolve at the lightning-speed pace typical of the 21st century.”

Autoflow Digital Vehicle Inspection Add-on Feature

“The Digital Vehicle Inspection add-on feature is a customizable checklist that allows users to go through and take pictures and notes while performing an estimate.”

Autoflow Launches Digital Vehicle Inspection Add-On Feature

“This new feature enables shops to go paperless and further automate their communication by providing customers with mobile-friendly DVI reports, which can include pictures with descriptions.”

Autoflow launches digital vehicle inspection add-on feature

“Autoflow’s DVI promotes trust with customers because they’re given a better understanding as to why their vehicle is in need of repairs, which additionally facilitates sales”

Golden Rule Auto Care (Rowlett, TX) & Autoflow Creation

“…Autoflow, a shop workflow and communication tool. The online system works like a simple flow chart with different buttons corresponding to stages of the repair process.”

Autoflow adds Digital Vehicle Inspection Add-On Feature

“The new feature allows shops to go paperless and further automate their communication with mobile-friendly DVI reports, which include pictures with descriptions, that can be shared with customers.”

Tool Review: Autoflow communication solution

“Keeter says one of the benefits is that the customers appreciate this form of communication. “You’re not calling and interrupting them. They’re still able to go about their own life, it’s just a quick text.”

Pickering’s Auto Service Committed To Improving Quality

“…text customers throughout their service experience to ask questions or give updates, reducing unnecessary phone calls and allowing the customer to get back to us at their convenience,”

Six ways to use technology for customer engagement

“…now her staff uses the capabilities of vehicle text update program Autoflow to send photos, text messages or emails to keep customers updated about the status of their repairs.”

Do-It-Yourself Digital Display Board for your shop

“…At his shop, Cloutier chose to display the shop’s website, the “read only” view of Autoflow (a customer communication and visual workflow program)”

Jasper Engines/Transmissions & Autoflow

“…As Angela C., customer of Golden Rule Auto Care, shares, ‘I love Autoflow because it actually allows me to stay informed and plan my day better when I have my car in the shop'”

The art of purchasing – Software Solutions

“…help with customer management is by keeping customers informed of repair progress through text messaging. ‘If you keep that customer updated, that will prevent unnecessary phone calls to your shop.”

Case Studies – Following the Golden Rule

“Cloutier used his software engineering background to build a visual workflow and texting tool that has automated his shop’s communication by allowing them to keep customers informed with text updates.”

Autoflow automates communication and saves time

“Autoflow automates communication and saves time for everyone, from service writers whose time can be utilized more efficiently, to customers who are kept informed and can better plan their day.”

CBA upgrades its customer experience with Autoflow

“…recently being named as the top automotive franchise in Franchise Business Review, Autoflow is proud to obtain its endorsement and become a contributor to its success.”

Christian Brothers Automotive implements Autoflow

“Christian Brothers Automotive is implementing Autoflow, a vehicle updates text messaging tool for the repair industry, into participating Christian Brothers Automotive locations.”

Interview with Repair Pal’s “Modern Shop Owner”

“Autoflow is a great help for auto shop owners to interact in a timely manner in a form of communication that is comfortable and natural with today’s consumer.”

Christian Brothers Automotive & Autoflow

“Autoflow will serve to promote a more connected customer experience and improve all-around communication and productivity.”