The Text2Us Story....
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So why weren't we texting in the Service Department? The first thing I discovered was that it wasn't for a lack of texting options. Our DMS system could text, our CRM system could text, we had texting from a service scheduling tool and still another with our RO Write-up program. I also found one advisor was using his personal cell phone to text. Texting was everywhere, yet our advisers were rarely using any of these existing programs.
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As I looked at each one of our existing texting products, I found a common thread: The "texting" part of the solution was an afterthought. The primary purpose of the existing products was some other function(s) and the developer had just added on texting. It turns out that texting is not very difficult technically for a technology company to do. What is difficult is making the business process of effective customer communication work for a car dealership service department. As an example, if an advisor was off for the day, typically incoming customer texts to that advisor sit in an inbox without response until the advisor returns. That is the opposite of better customer service. These products are not delivering business-grade texting, so to avoid complaints the advisors don't use them.
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Next, I looked at dedicated texting solutions. Most of these solutions seemed like a technology looking for a problem meaning they provided every conceivable use of texting with customers without a lot of thought as to who was going to be asked to use them. I call these products Texting Platform solutions. However, what technology developers rarely take in to account is that as the scope of software activity increases, the complexity of the staff user-interface increases exponentially. Service Advisors are busy and in my experience will not use any software that doesn't add more value than the work it takes to operate. That's not a criticism, its just a reality of the job. Like most dealerships, we are cost-sensitive. I felt that to run one the the Texting Platform solutions I would also have to hire a Director of Texting to set up and manage all the various complexities that this type of software would require and make sure all incoming texts were being responded to promptly. I just wanted to get vehicles through the shop more quickly by eliminating voicemail and phone tag delays. It sounded so simple, yet it wasn't available.
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I've been in the automotive business for 25 years both on the software side (Reynolds & Reynolds) and on the dealership side as a General Manager of high volume stores. Since I couldn't find a solution that made sense ... I built my own!
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Text2Us does exactly what it's supposed to do, simply and effectively. Text2Us facilitates texting between advisors and customers and among all staff involved in getting the vehicle through the shop. It provides seamless coverage for advisors ensuring a timely response to ALL customer texts. Advisors work shifts, have days off, absences, and vacations yet the customer communication needs to continue during all operating hours without someone having to manage it. Text2Us stores and retains all texts by Repair Order, not by customer. It works on staff desktops in a browser and in a private, secure, encrypted, dedicated app for mobile phones and tablets. Text2Us sends and receives pictures and videos from advisors, technicians, service managers, and customers. It takes a huge load off of your phones, receptionists, and service call center for all of the communications associated with providing excellent customer service as your dealership repairs vehicles.
Text2Us only takes minutes to set up so you can get your advisors texting with your dealership's customers fast. No Director of Texting is EVER required. All data is the dealership's property. It is also easy to try as there are no contracts or usage fees to worry about and it is pay as you go.
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Text2Us is the texting solution your advisors and customers will ACTUALLY use. Why don't you give us a try?
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