Auto Owners, few questions

My car happens to be in the shop right now. The only thing I'd want to know is when it's done. You could have different levels of notification. So someone who is really fanatical could get more frequent updates. Or maybe if it's something that's going to take a long time. You could also start it from when you book the job, and have a notification for when the parts arrive at the shop. I would also want to know if something went wrong and there was going to be a delay.

As for notification, it would be good to have an option for that as well. Like I want the shop to call me when (x happens), I want to recieve an email when (y happens). I would definitely not want to have to call the shop to find out if it's done. They should give me an estimate of when it will be done. I expect it to be done by then and should recieve notification from the shop either by phone or email. I should not have to call them at all. They should also call me if there is going to be a delay.

I think this is something that computer nerds and non-computer nerds would all appreciate. It doesn't matter who you are really - the key is that for email notifications to be helpful you need to be on your computer quite a lot (or have a blackberry). Most office workers would fit in that category. I'd rather get an email than a phone call interrupting my work, so that's a great option to have. I would not want to have to log in to an online interface, just because I am expecting the shop to take care of everything and I shouldn't have to worry about it. People who are more fanatical about their cars might like that though.

Actually, come to think of it, it would be kind of neat to know what's happening with my car right now. If it was available I might go in and check to see what's up.

To be real you wouldn't be able to have up to the minute status on repairs (unless they were automated), no matter want 'shop' this stretchs to, mechanic or body repair.
If the person working on your car has to stop every ten minutes to update the progress expect your bill to double, if the office person as to do it, expect your bill to increase.

When you take your car for a service you get a print out of what was done (or should of been done), this is just an automated printout - press A for full service, B for partial service ... and in some cases does not apply at all.

A lot of people may not want to give email addresses out (because of spam), how about a sms (txt) message once the job is done or delayed? But really office workers etc wont be able to go pick up their car during the day and would have to wait until they finish work anyways.
Most mechanics do not stock a lot of parts, they are ordered in, so the only real delay would be parts not avaliable and if this happens the mechanic would phone the owner to explain and ask if the owner would rather bring the car back when the parts come in or leave the car with them ...

I think it maybe something good for the future but I don't think it would be to incredibly used right now at this exact moment so don't be discouraged if it's slow taking off (considering you do go threw with it) but I think as blackberry use increases so will the use of services like you're speaking of. Right now I would probably use such a system soley because most of my day I'm in meetings where I can not answer my phone but I can check email.

It would be a good idea only if there wasn't SMS, here in our area, the mechanic SMS' you if theres any other trouble or if they need to replace things that they need your approval. Once your car is ready for pick-up, the secretary SMS' again to inform you the best time to get it. So practically, there are better ways.

Even doctors appointment, dentists, etc... have SMS' notification services. If you could include SMS notification in your site service, lets be partners... LOL!

Quote: To be real you wouldn't be able to have up to the minute status on repairs (unless they were automated), no matter want 'shop' this stretchs to, mechanic or body repair.
If the person working on your car has to stop every ten minutes to update the progress expect your bill to double, if the office person as to do it, expect your bill to increase.

Each shop could update the listing at their own time, one shop might have lots of secretaires who could be able to do it hourly, or maybe a shop with only a few employees could update it once a day. Don't a lot of repairs take a few days?

Quote: A lot of people may not want to give email addresses out (because of spam), how about a sms (txt) message once the job is done or delayed?

That's not a bad idea. I'd have to figure out how to send those though, can't be too hard can it?

Quote: But really office workers etc wont be able to go pick up their car during the day and would have to wait until they finish work anyways.

Yeah, but wouldn't it be nice to know before you get off work so you can make arrangements with someone to drive you there?

Thanks for the feedback so far! Any other thoughts?

Quote: Don't a lot of repairs take a few days?

Most servicing only takes an hour or two but doesn't always happen in the same hour or two.

Heres what could happen:
8am you drop your car off
9am mechanic looks at the job sheet and orders the parts - depending on the job some of it could be done at this point
1pm parts arrive and service is done
1:30pm car is done but mechanic busy on other job
5pm you pick it up and pay lots of money lol

I know mechanics in big and small shops, including dealerships, none have "lots of secretaires", some don't have any. Most shops work on a BS sheet (is called job sheet, but in the trade it's BS sheet because most of it's just made up ...), these can be stored in a computer but are exact if they are as they'd use a basic set up, like A = basic service, B = general service, C = full service ... so even if you had part of a service it could be put down as A.

Ususally you arrange with the shop when you drop it off when it can be picked up, and if any problems for them to call you

I'd like to have a web-cam view of my car available. There could be a camera showing it waiting to be serviced. And then also some service cams that I could have access to that would show my car being serviced.

As the technology evolves there should be more cameras, and better mounting positions should evolve e.g. eventually small cameras could be attached to the mechanics' heads so we see what they see. I'd like to hear them swearing away as they work (as I assume some mechanics do).

That would take all the BS out of the industry. :santa:

Of course I'd need to be able to view the cams on my mobile phone.