“The accepted knowledge is that 11% of vehicles on the road have the check engine light on,” says Jim Fish, chief marketing officer of Opus IVS, the intelligent vehicle support division of Opus Group.
Fish says that when it comes to engine and other diagnostics, customers are more likely to put off bringing their vehicles into tire dealerships than when confronted with other service problems.
Dealers need to educate consumers about the perils of deferred diagnostics and maintenance, he adds.
“Ignoring the check engine light could mean ignoring things that are doing way more damage to your vehicle than you realize.”
For example, he says that a faulty oxygen sensor can cause excessive gas consumption.
“Another classic is if your brakes start to go and you wait, you often have to replace not just the brake pads, but also the rotors, which is a way more expensive job.”
By deferring maintenance, customers cause more damage and create additional expenses.
Fortunately, tire dealers have a great platform for encouraging drivers to use diagnostic services, according to Fish.
“When vehicles are brought in for a tire repair or new tires, it’s the perfect opportunity for dealers to do a full inspection and advise customers that there is more to their vehicles' roadworthiness than the conditions of their tires,” he explains.
Helpful tools
Fish says that the most important things for dealers to keep in mind when it comes to diagnostic services is that they should try to keep all work in-house.
“It’s important for dealers to invest and equip themselves with the tools and talent to be able to complete the work they identify as necessary,” he says.
That is where tools from companies like Autel U.S.A., Opus IVS and TEXA USA come into play.
Daniel Bemiss, senior marketing manager for TEXA USA, agrees that it’s important to keep service in-house.
“The TEXA IDC5 diagnostic software provides OE-level coverage and support for cars, trucks, off-highway equipment, powersports and marine vehicles,” he says.
Features of the IDC5 include guided diagnosis; technical bulletins that technicians can access; access to TEXA USA’s iSupport call center, a guided fault-finding service with technical support; interactive data sheets; and more.
“TEXA dealers provide an extensive explanation of the OE-level coverage value and they provide a shop with a demo unit to test out for themselves for a period of time,” says Bemiss.
This is another way tire dealers can provide themselves with the knowledge and tools to keep work in house, he says.
More vehicles are coming with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
“Everyone is talking about electric vehicles and hybrids, but what is actually making a bigger impact in repair shops is the presence of cameras (and) things like lane departure warnings or adapter cruise control,” says Fish.
These ADAS systems can be “quite difficult” and allow only “a few shops to be able to tackle them,” Fish continues.
Opus IVS offers two tools to help with this issue: the LivePro and the DrivePro Unlimited.
“Both these tools have a help function that allows them to connect to Opus IVS dealership master technicians remotely to help them troubleshoot a difficult problem,” says Fish.
The main difference between the two is pricing. The DrivePro Unlimited has unlimited live support from technicians and the LivePro charges per every use.
Addressing ADAS, TEXA offers the RCCS3 ADAS Calibration frame, which has three axis lasers that measure and confirm the precise vehicle centering and squaring.
“The basic ADAS package includes the RCCS3 Bluetooth calibration frame, a 75-inch display monitor, Bluetooth distance measures and self-centering wheel clamps,” says Bemiss. “The Advanced ADAS package comes with all of that and blind spot cone support kit and more.”
According to Bemiss, a big trend is relying on “a diagnostic tool that provides remote diagnostics” or “the ability for the shop to pay a higher premium for each project, for an outside team to complete the diagnostic service.
“When you rely on a higher-quality diagnostic provider, the step-by-step diagnostic instructions and advanced vehicle coverage allows you to keep more of that repair profit margin,” says Bemiss.
Autel U.S. offers its Autel MaxiTPMS ITS600 tool and the electric vehicle diagnostic upgrade kit for diagnostic services and says it has had the most success with digital platforms when highlighting these tools.
The MaxiTPMS ITS600 is a sleek, lightweight touchscreen Android tablet that performs every aspect of TPMS service, including activation of all-known sensors, system diagnostics and one-sensor programming — providing 99% vehicle coverage.
It also displays vehicle-specific position relearn instructions.
Having the right tools is just the start when it comes to diagnostics. In order for customers to be educated, it is important for tire technicians to be educated first.
“Our technical training webinars have been effective marketing tools for us,” says Allison Whitney, content manager, Autel.
“Not only are we sharing our expertise by demonstrating diagnostic and repair techniques, but we are also able to utilize our products' advanced features.”
Autel also uses its AutelTools YouTube channel to release product information and announcements. It allows the customer to “see products being used in a professional environment,” according to Whitney.
She adds that advancements in technology highlight the need for factory product training. Autel has created a training facility at its headquarters in Port Washington, N.Y. for this reason.
"Training our distribution network has always been a priority at Autel,” says Whitney.
“A sales force equipped with product knowledge and the ability to have an informed conversation about the needs of the customer is crucial. Salespeople are then able to recommend the ideal Autel product for their needs. This has been a winning strategy for us.”
