Mitchell 1 adds text messaging to shop management system

POWAY, Calif. — Mitchell Repair Information Co. L.L.C. has introduced text messaging features in its Mitchel 1 Manager SE shop management system and SocialCRM shop marketing products.

"We've seen the popularity of text messaging grow in recent years to where it has become a key communication method, so Mitchell 1 responded to our customers' requests to incorporate a text messaging feature into our Manager SE shop management system and SocialCRM products," Ben Johnson, director of product management, said.

"With this new feature, automotive repair shops can easily connect with their customers before, during and after the service or repair."

The new text messaging feature in SocialCRM gives shops the option of using automated text messages to remind customers about upcoming appointments and also to send a thank-you note after the appointment, with an invitation and link to write a review about the shop.

The text messaging feature streamlines customer communication efforts with outgoing texts and email notification of text responses from customers that the shop can respond to directly from the SocialCRM dashboard, the company said.

The latest release of Manager SE (version 7.5) introduces a MessageCenter option with integrated two-way texting. Shops have the choice of building their own text templates for orders, appointments and revisions, or writing "on-the-fly" text messages to customers when needed.

Other enhancements in version 7.5 of Manager SE include:

• Built-in oil change sticker printing: Users can customize and manage the oil change sticker printing process inside Manager SE, from printing the oil change reminder sticker through setting the customer's next appointment.

• Expanded report options: Users can create customer reports of birthdays, or possible customer duplicates ; accounting reports for invoice income distribution, category profit and custom lists; management reports of sub estimates by date range (revisions); Inventory reports of tire physical count, tire sales summary by date range etc.; follow up export recommendations by date range; and tech worksheet with history.

For more information about Mitchell 1, visit www.mitchell1.com or call 888-724-6742.