High Quality
Open the downloaded document, and select print from the file menu (PDF reader required).
24
www.noln.net
2010 Fast Lube Computer Guide
Sponsored by eGenuity
Welcome to our annual guide to ast lube computer systems, a comprehensive guide to the leading computer system vendors available to industry operators. In today’s highly competitive business climate, having a computer to manage your acility and assist with customer transactions (not tomention keep track o the technical specications o new vehicles) is almost a must.But what happens when the system breaks, as computers are wont to do rom time to time? To answer that question,
National Oil & Lube News
has asked each vendor — in addition to describing the system or systems they ofer — to provide eedback on both the tech support and ongoingsupport (i.e. sotware updates, hardware updates, training, etc.) they ofer. Their responses are below.
Auto Data
www.autodatainc.com800.767.7580
For more information, see ad on page 13.
Auto Data oers three main point-o-sale (POS) sotware systems:PosiLube, PosiPlus (or multi-prot centers) and PosiWash. (The companyalso oers a tunnel controller or conveyor-based carwashes.) All o thesotware is built on the Windows Platorm and Auto Data supports XP, Vistaand Windows 7.Auto Data customers can take advantageo cash management on all levels; receiptprinting, estimating and eet managementare among many o the key programunctions available. Security levels arecontrolled via customizable PIN numbersto protect Auto Data customers as well aslube center employees rom unauthorizeduse. From operating multiple cash drawers to detailed sales reporting andinventory control, Auto Data oers all the core unctionality every car carecenter requires.Auto Data also provides a ull oering o hardware enhancements ora lube center location. Solid-state computers, touchscreen technologyand static window sticker printers are among the avorite tools oered. The company’s high-tech VIN Scanner Decoder brings the lube center100 percent accuracy in identiying the year, make, model and engine o customers’ vehicles to look up the parts and lubricants required or service. The company boasts more than eight million scans during the past veyears.When it comes to running multiple locations, Auto Data has a completeback ofce solution called Enterprise Control. When operators combinethis with the sole one-click link to QuickBooks available in the industry,they have a combination o tools that oers complete control over theentire operation.
Auto Data’s tech support process:
All o Auto Data’s technical support is completed rom its home ofcein Atlanta, Georgia. The company does not use answering services andtheir technicians can answer 90 percent o questions on the rst call. Thecompany stas ully qualied support techs who have the latest tools attheir ngertips including Customer Management Sotware, KnowledgeBases and Remote Access Sotware. Average wait times or technicians areunder ve minutes and Auto Data notes they have an emergency buttonavailable i a system is “down,” a eature that puts the call to the top o thelist where it will be answered immediately.
Ongoing support:
Ongoing sotware maintenance and unlimited 800-number technicalsupport is oered and includes remote Internet maintenance. Internet-based sotware updates are available 24-7 via one-button mouse click within the POS sotware. All updates are done via the Internet, eliminatingany need to mail CDs or other types o media storage. Sotware updatingincludes eature enhancements, sotware maintenance, as well as varioustechnical database updates or VIN, Electronic Parts Catalogs, Oil Light ResetIllustrations, Engine and Chassis Graphics, Lubricants and PreventativeMaintenance data. On-site as well as remote Internet-based training isavailable depending on the customer’s specic needs.
What customers like best about Auto Data:
“There are three main things Auto Data customers like best about oursystem: speed, ease o use and reliability. Beore Auto Data introducedthe VIN Scanner and decoder to the lube industry almost six years ago,the POS process or each customer was already ast. The VIN scanner took this to another level and also brought a level o accuracy with it that waspreviously unobtainable. Having all the specications or each vehicle is akey reason why many buy a POS system in the rst place, and with the VINscanner, any guesswork is eliminated.”
Key features of Auto Data system:
4
Reliability.
4
Speed and ease o use.
4
Vehicle data.
4
VIN scanning/decoding.
4
Sales and inventory control.
4
Graphical sales presentations specic to each customer.
4
Customer relationship management (e-mail, reminders, history).
4
Web-based and smartphone reporting.
4
Multi-location management.
4
QuickBooks link (other accounting programs also supported).
26
www.noln.net
eGenuity
www.egenuity.com800.296.0177
For more information, see ad on page 25.
eGenuity, LLC is the maker o eLube and ezWash — aordable and robustPOS solutions or both the ast lube and carwash industries. The company’sWindows-based system eatures six modules: Business Operations,Business Management, Inventory Management, Fleet Managementand System Maintenance. Some o the core eatures include Chek-Chartintegration, accounting integration, complete inventory management,100-plus reports, eet management, central ofce in-tegration, two VINscanning solutions, staticlabel printing, credit andgit card processing, andmore.
eGenuity’s tech support process:
The company stas trained proessionals and requires that they exhibitcare toward customers. In the past ew months, eGenuity has made someenhancements by expanding its sta and bringing in a new state-o-the-art telephone system. This upgraded call center has allowed the company to answer morethan 90 percent o incoming calls and responding to all other inquirieswithin a 30-minute timerame.
Ongoing support:
All eGenuity customers receive complete training (remotely or onsite)upon purchase and receive the eLube Users Guide or quick reerencing.eGenuity also eatures automated updates which are included in theannual support contract and can be automatically downloaded at any time. This allows customers immediate access to the latest vehicle inormationinstead o waiting or Chek-Chart CDs to arrive in the mail. The automatedupdates include: sotware updates, parts catalogs, vehicle diagrams, VINdatabase, oil light reset database, preventative maintenance database andUSPS address verication database.
What customers like best about eGenuity:
“Customers have always loved the act that we do not overcharge or oursotware package. We oer an extremely exible and powerul sotwaresolution or a raction o the cost o other sotware vendors. When acustomer decides to purchase our sotware, we believe in allowing them tobuy their own hardware i they choose. Over 80 percent o our customerstake advantage o our extra eatures provided by our outstandingpartnerships, such as: automated credit card processing with PIN-baseddebit and electronic signature capture, ree integrated marketing, customproessional reminder cards, integrated loyalty and git card processing,and integrated ngerprint technology.”
Key features of eGenuity system:
4
Windows-based system that uses the very latest development tools.
4
Service Review provides OEM recommendations or every vehicle.
4
Integrated credit card reader, signature pad, ngerprint scanner andtwo VIN scanning solutions.
4
Time Card Management oers built-in timecard capabilities.
4
Central Ofce Management or multiple locations.
4
Remote Connection to transparently manage a shop rom anywhere.
4
Customizable orms with invoice, work order, service review and more.
4
High-speed credit and debit card processing.
4
Git card processing or git card, loyalty and subscription-basedprograms.
4
Charts and graphs provide critical statistics with custom dashboard.
Integrated Services, Inc. (ISI)
www.ints.com800.922.3099
For more information, see ad on back cover.
ISI is the maker o LubeSot and WashSot POS packages or ast lubesand carwashes. Primary LubeSot system unctions include: point-o-sale unctionality, wireless/Internet reporting, web-based central ofcereporting, web-based real-time data reporting, centralized congurationtools, multi-store management, graphical service review, remote storemanagement, white paper and pre-printed invoices, customer clubloyalty programs, electronic servicemanual, integrated credit card andgit card processing, inventory/purchasing management, eetmanagement, integrated turnkeymarketing solutions, ully integratedwith WashSot carwash managementsotware, wireless handheld greeterwith VIN scanning, A/R unctionality (QuickBooks integration), store databackup, thermal auto sticker printing, lube code generation or carwashes,and gas pump interace.
ISI’s tech support process:
The company’s technical support department is staed with courteous,knowledgeable technicians available over 100 hours a week to assistcustomers. Customers have access to ISI technical support via a toll-ree number, e-mail and ater-hours phone support; 90 to 95 percent o inbound calls are answered by technicians and the remaining 5 to 10percent receive a return call within ve to 30 minutes, while emergencycalls are routed or immediate attention. The majority o calls are handledby Tier 1 technicians, and more complex issues are escalated to Tier 2, 3 orto a supervisor level. Programming and quick lube operations experiencecontribute to the company’s ability to solve issues and train its customers.
Ongoing support:
Included in the technical support service rom ISI, customers receivesotware updates. Beyond the initial training that is provided or newinstalls, advanced training courses geared to managers and owners areavailable, including “train the trainer” classes. Upon request, consulting isavailable or store operations, inventory audit and thet control.
What customers like best about ISI:
“From the beginning, we understood how ISI and LubeSot could benet
February 2010
27
our business. It takes little time or new employees to learn how to useLubeSot, but at the same time it has very valuable management toolsthat we use to improve our business. Most importantly, ISI has been morelike amily than a supplier. They are always responsive to our needs andhelpul with any questions or problems that we have. The support team atISI is second to none, and it shows each time we call. The years o real lubeoperations experience ISI brings to the table cannot be matched by anyother sotware company.”
– Ray Keating, vice president o OperationsLubePro’s
Key features of ISI system:
4
WebCentral — exible, web-based reporting tools that utilize awarehouse o LubeSot data on a centrally located website.
4
Graphical service review, presented in “red/yellow/green” based onmanuacturers recommendations, that improves ticket average.
4
DashBoard, a graphical heads-up display o near real-time storeperormance; target numbers to actual numbers and allows or store-to-store comparison.
4
VIP Customer Club Program allows operators to use “nth” service reward,coupons and discounts to build customer loyalty programs.
4
Cost-eective marketing programs like DriverSide Online Garage andCarFax Service Link integrate with LubeSot to provide direct marketingtools ocused on acquiring new customers and increasing revenues.
4
Wireless handheld greeter with scanner or VIN explosion and inventorycounts.
4
Business and sotware controls allow audit tracking or cash andinventory control and management, security protections or employeemanagement and systemic security schemes.
4
Plain paper invoices or pre-printed.
4
Full eatured point-o-sale eaturing shared customer data, eetmanagement, inventory, invoicing, employee management, marketing,estimating, and integrated Chek-Chart and vehicle data.
4
Centralized conguration tools (OIL Central) provides or back ofceconguration o key setups.
Inter-Link
www.pcilube.com866.724.5823
For more information, see ad on page 46.
Inter-Link oers a complete POS system (I-lube) including, i required,hardware, sotware, static sticker and invoice printers, VIN scanners,inventory scanners, bay command modules and biometric ngerprintscanners.I-lube’s bay command module can display vehicle inormation as wellas critical uid capacities/recommendations or the bay technician onan easily readable back-lit LCD display. The system can be connected tothe company’s back-ofce solution, called Cortex, which allows operatorsto access reports across multiple I-lube systems all in one location romanywhere in the world. In addition, with store sharing I-lube has the abilityto transer customer/vehicle data and service history between locations.I-lube incorporates the ability to scan/receive purchase orders/receivables as well as inventory control/management all rom a handheldwireless scanner. I-lube has the ability to manage all inventory, includingthe ability to e-mail purchase orders. The system’s VIN scanning claims an unmatched ability to decode 99.6percent o VINs.I-lube can e-mail purchase orders/receivables as well as transerinventory between locations using the company’s proprietary e-mailsystem. The system is also capable o learning the pattern o a vehicle’sservice history and generating remindersbased on that pattern. The I-lube system can be linked directlyto many accounting packages and iscurrently capable o generating 60-plusreports. In addition, I-Lube has the abilityto access its SQL database remotelyallowing bigger corporations the ability toprocess data/generate custom reports.Finally, I-lube has the ability to print static reminder labels specic tocustomer’s requirements.
Inter-Link’s tech support process:
The company oers 24/7 live technical support on all products. Inter-Link claims that I-lube has one o the industry’s lowest rates o technicalsupport issues per customer per year. As such, the company is able torespond immediately to any technical support issues and can usually xany issues within a ew minutes. Even in situations where a customer has acomplete hardware ailure, such as the hard-drive on their main server, thecompany claims it can re-install I-lube within an hour.
Ongoing support:
The company oers its customers a ull range o 24/7 sotware andhardware support or the I-lube system. Company servers are updatedweekly with new VIN scanning data and monthly with Chek-Chart updates,as well as vehicle catalog data. When newer versions o I-lube are available,they are placed on the server as well. Customers need only run an auto-updater and download all o the latest data to ensure their system is up todate. Inter-Link does not charge or new eatures or add support ees ordierent modules. The company’s sotware and support is one price andincludes the newest eatures that become available.
What customers like best about Inter-Link:
“Probably the biggest compliment we receive is on our ability andwillingness to customize I-lube or our customers. No matter what ourcustomers want, we’re willing to add it to our system. In act, we provide anonline users orum/community exclusively or all o our customers to makesuggestions, read eedback and talk with one another. Many suggestionsthat have been posted on our orum have been incorporated into I-lube.Our reasonable tech support, eatures and system stability no doubtimpress our customers.”
Key features of I-lube:
4
Bay Command Module, a proprietary LCD device designed to providelter catalog/vehicle inormation or the lower technician.
Add a Comment
zealouspatchwor4428left a comment