BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, SiriusXM partnership gives shops opportunity to increase customer loyalty

LAS VEGAS — At AAPEX 2019, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY announced a new collaboration with SiriusXM, the world's largest audio entertainment company, that gives repair shops using BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s digital communication software an opportunity to enhance customer service and relationships with customers.

Repair shops using BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s software can enroll in the SiriusXM Service Lane for Shops program and offer their eligible customers a complimentary three-month SiriusXM All Access subscription.

Gail Berger, Vice President and General Manager, Automotive Remarketing at SiriusXM, spoke to the companies’ partnership. “There was a natural opportunity to work together. BOLT ON’s already providing a lot of value for shops through technology and services, and SiriusXM can become part of that package to give shops yet another tool to offer their customers.”

Mike Risich, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY’s founder and CEO, shares, “The program allows repair shops to have a perk—something they can offer vehicle owners that they’re not getting anywhere else. The program was just launched this morning [November 6], and an hour later we had multiple shops that had signed up. It’s a very exciting opportunity.”

BOLT ON has been focused on the vehicle owner experience since 2014. While workflow automation technology is still the backbone of what BOLT ON offers, the company altered its marketing angle to be more vehicle owner-specific.

This change in focus is helping to improve the public’s negative perception of repair shops and automotive service, which has been a consistent challenge for the industry. Risich states that offers like the new SiriusXM program can help build trust between customers and repair shops. He explains, “How do we help change the popular opinion of automotive repair—that we’re all being taken for a ride? Vehicle owners put a lot of trust in the transaction with repair shops and technicians. A lot of times technicians don’t get the credit they deserve from customers and the general public. That’s where BOLT ON is really trying to help with that vehicle owner experience. Repair shop customers can fully understand the value that’s exchanged with their dollars.”

Gail Berger (L) and Mike Risich (R)

Berger added, “SiriusXM can be something that the repair shop offers as a thank you to customers and to help increase customer allegiance and retention. In addition, new customers may come to the shops offering this program after learning about it through friends or family.”

BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY and SiriusXM are also giving AAPEX attendees the chance to win a guitar autographed by a music legend, a Marshall amp fridge, or a $2,000 Apple Vacation to a destination of the winner’s choice. AAPEX attendees can enroll to win at the booths of BOLT ON (#31001) and SiriusXM (#33008).