 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Bolt On Technology is an American business-to-business software development company based in Southampton, Pennsylvania that designs, develops and sells add-on software for the automotive aftermarket industry in North America. [1]
Bolt On Technology develops software to equip automotive repair and maintenance aftermarket with tools that improve customer communication and streamlines shops’ day-to-day operations which has proven to increase car counts, productivity and revenue. [2]
Mitchell 1, an affiliate of Snap-On tools, licensed three of Bolt On Technology's software [3] products in 2011, branded them as their own, and began selling them across North America. The following year, Mitchell 1 sold close to 1,000 units of the bundled software package. Today, auto repair shops throughout the U.S., Canada, and Guam use these modules. [4]
In the fall of 2013, they released Mobile Manager Pro, which features digital vehicle inspections, that can photograph, upload and share details of repairs and inspections via text message reports to customers. [5] [6] Mobile Manager Pro went through several updates and was re-launched in the summer of 2014. [7] Welcome Station Kiosk [8] was released in mid-2014. Similar to kiosks used in restaurants, grocery stores, and airports, the check-in tool lets repair shop customers select vehicle services, as well as update their contact and vehicle information. [9]
In 2017, Review Manager was introduced, a tool that lets shops regulate and respond to customer reviews. [10] The company also introduced Bolt On University that same year, a training program that teaches impactful business practices and how to use the company's software to its full potential. [11] The training program teaches automotive shop owners how the software works and why it's essential to driving success for repair shops. The sessions, held in markets around the country, provide shop owners with the opportunity to network with other shops to share best practices and successes. [12] In November 2018, the company announced a milestone of 20 million photos shared through the software. [13]
The software transmits photos, videos, and text messages to communicate automotive repair details. [14] The company's products are used by a growing number of automotive repair shop owners and operators among service centers throughout the United States, serving 6,000 shops as of January 2019.
In 2018, Bolt On Technology partnered with Elite Worldwide, a shop management training and coaching company. [15] The combination of efficiency, technology, and training in business practices will create better opportunities for success for repair shops. [16]
The companies deliver cohosted webinars [17] for shop owners who want to invest in their businesses that focus on topics such as employee management, advantages of digital inspections, finding hidden profits in shops [18] and tips for hiring top talent. [19] They are planning at least six sessions in 2019.
Robert Bosch GmbH, commonly known as Bosch, is a German multinational engineering and technology company headquartered in Gerlingen, Germany. The company was founded by Robert Bosch in Stuttgart in 1886. Bosch is 94% owned by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, a charitable institution. Although the charity is funded by owning the vast majority of shares, it has no voting rights and is involved in health and social causes unrelated to Bosch's business.
AutoZone, Inc. is an American retailer of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories, the largest in the United States. Founded in 1979, AutoZone has 7,140 stores across the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil and the US Virgin Islands. The company is based in Memphis, Tennessee.
Telematics is an interdisciplinary field encompassing telecommunications, vehicular technologies, electrical engineering, and computer science. Telematics can involve any of the following:
An auto mechanic is a mechanic who services and repairs automobiles, sometimes specializing in one or more automobile brands or sometimes working with any brand. In fixing cars, their main role is to diagnose and repair the problem accurately and quickly. Seasoned auto repair shops start with a (Digital) Inspection to determine the vehicle conditions, independent of the customers concern. Based on the concern, the inspection results and preventative maintenance needs, the mechanic/technician returns the findings to the service advisor who then gets approval for any or all of the proposed work. The approved work will be assigned to the mechanic on a work order. Their work may involve the repair of a specific part or the replacement of one or more parts as assemblies. Basic vehicle maintenance is a fundamental part of a mechanic's work in modern industrialized countries, while in others they are only consulted when a vehicle is already showing signs of malfunction.
Edmunds.com Inc. is an American online resource for automotive inventory and information, including expert car reviews based on testing at the company's private facility. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains an office in downtown Detroit, Michigan. After making a minority investment, Carmax purchased the whole company at an enterprise value of $404 million in 2021.
An automobile repair shop is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians. The customer interface is typically a service advisor, traditionally called a service writer.
The Reynolds and Reynolds Company is a private corporation based in Dayton, Ohio. Its primary business is providing business forms, management software and professional services to car dealerships. Its software is used to manage sales logistics at dealerships. It also produces forms used in medicine and insurance.
Ford Sync is a factory-installed, integrated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system that allows users to make hands-free telephone calls, control music and perform other functions with the use of voice commands. The system consists of applications and user interfaces developed by Ford and other third-party developers. The first two generations run on the Windows Embedded Automotive operating system designed by Microsoft, while the third and fourth generations runs on the QNX operating system from BlackBerry Limited. Future versions will run on the Android operating system from Google.
Paragon Software Group is a German software company that develops hard drive management software, low-level file system drivers and storage technologies. The Smart Handheld Device Division (SHDD) offers multilingual dictionaries, multilingual handwriting recognition, weather information, and two-way data synchronization with desktop devices.
The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, sometimes also referred to as Right to Repair, is a name for several related proposed bills in the United States Congress and several state legislatures which would require automobile manufacturers to provide the same information to independent repair shops as they do for dealer shops.
Equipment and Tool Institute (ETI) is a US-based non-profit automotive trade association. Its 70+ member companies supply products to vehicle manufacturers and the after-market industry. ETI is managed by a small staff consisting of an executive manager, technical manager and a marketing manager. Its member company representatives contribute to the various technical groups.
AutoMotion is a data and mobile application management (MAM) platform for the automotive industry headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, United States. The company supplies automotive data and consumer software products for large technology platforms.
OTC Tools is a tool and equipment manufacturer. It was founded in Owatonna, Minnesota, by Godfrey Kaplan, who operated a small machine shop there. Kaplan's son Rueben, invented the "Grip-O-Matic" universal gear puller and received his first patent. The tool remains virtually unchanged to this day.
A connected car is a car that can communicate bidirectionally with other systems outside of the car. This connectivity can be used to provide services to passengers or to support or enhance self-driving functionality. For safety-critical applications, it is anticipated that cars will also be connected using dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) or cellular radios, operating in the FCC-granted 5.9 GHz band with very low latency.
Enterprise Holdings, Inc. is an American private holding company headquartered in Clayton, Missouri, in Greater St. Louis. It is the parent company of car rental agencies Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent a Car and also operates several other transportation services including commercial fleet management, used car sales, carsharing, and commercial truck rental operations.
Carvana Co. is an online used car retailer based in Tempe, Arizona. The company was the fastest growing online used car dealer in the United States and is known for its multi-story glass tower car vending machines. Carvana was named to the 2021 Fortune 500 list, one of the youngest companies to be added to the list.
YourMechanic is an American company that provides mobile automotive repair and maintenance services to vehicle owners at their location, such as their home or office.
CarTrade.com is an Indian online auto classifieds platform serving as a marketplace for users interested in buying and selling new and used vehicles. Headquartered in Mumbai, the company also owns other vehicle trading platforms such as CarWale, BikeWale and CarTradeExchange, the omnichannel vehicle auction company Shriram Automall, the vehicle inspection company Adroit Auto, and the customer relationship management tool AutoBiz.
Delphi Technologies was an independent automotive company from 2017 to 2020, when it was acquired by BorgWarner Inc.
Right to repair is a legal right for owners of devices and equipment to freely modify and repair products such as automobiles, electronics, and farm equipment. Right to repair may also refer to the social movement of citizens putting pressure on their governments to enact laws protecting a right to repair.
