It may be easy to stick with what you know. It’s comfortable, stable, and keeps a fairly steady stream of business walking through your door. But the automotive industry is rapidly changing, and if automotive shops don’t keep adding to their services, then before you know it, they will end up offering services for vehicles of yesteryear while the shop down the street is fixing self-driving cars.
J2534 reprogramming is a great example (read the September issue cover story here). According to our Aftermarket Profile, 37 percent of shops were offering this service in 2018 compared to 42 percent in 2021. This service allows shops to upgrade a vehicle to its most recent software, which fixes a lot of drivability issues. Reprogramming/reflashing was identified in the top four service opportunities for automotive repair shops.
It’s important that your customers not shy away from these highly-technical offerings because that’s simply the future of the industry. If shops claim to not have enough space, they should consider reconfiguring their layout and they might be surprised at the space they find. If cost is an issue, they need to take a hard look at how much money this service can help them bring in to determine if it’s worth the cost upfront. According to Drew Technologies, “A J2534 tool will allow shops to fix cars, grow profits by offering services previously sent to the dealership, and offer the services needed to retain customers.”
Mobile tool dealers can help their customers understand the benefits of adding new services to their lineup and walk them through what tools and equipment they will need. But you can also take this concept to heart yourself, and strive to always be adding new tools and equipment on your trucks. Is there a brand-new line of equipment that is missing from your truck? Do you need more scan tool options instead of just the few you always have on hand? Wayne Liebnitzky, featured in this month’s Show Me Your Truck column, is always trying to find whatever tool or equipment his customers request and isn't afraid of a challenge.
Have you added a new line of tools recently? How has it helped boost your business? Let me know by connecting with me on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear from you.
