By Colby Horton
Shop Site of the Month
Our Garage - Aurora, Colo.
www.ourgarageonline.com
This site offers consistent, easy-to-follow navigation and appealing graphics. An online appointment scheduler and coupon are added incentives to visitors. A career opportunities section lists current open positions in the shop and a link to submit resumes. A published mission statement provides credibility to the shop.
Web Wise
Is There Room in Your Shop for Instant Messaging?
Instant messaging (IM) is a communication tool that enables users to communicate one-on-one in real time over the Internet, pagers, cell phones and PDAs. When IM was first introduced a few years ago, it was widely adopted by teenagers who wanted to communicate with friends over the computer instead of over the phone. But IM has evolved into a communication venue that is no longer for personal use only. Major corporations are incorporating this tool into their communication efforts, and IM is poised to become just as valuable as e-mail in the corporate setting. But, is there a place in an automotive repair facility for instant messaging?
Consider this: It is estimated that 90 percent of online users will be IM users by the end of the year. Many new computers are being packaged with IM programs already installed, and IM programs offered by Yahoo, America Online and MSN are free to download. Implementing instant messaging for your shop could alleviate unnecessary phone calls from customers and vendors alike.
To get started with IM in your shop, download your preferred IM application (see this month's Hot Sites), and sign up for the free services. After the software is installed, you can choose a screen name that is comparable to your shop's name. Because IM programs do not integrate together, it's a good idea to set up screen names in a couple of software platforms. So if one customer uses Yahoo Messenger while another customer uses AOL Messenger, they can both communicate with your shop.
Let your customers know your shop's IM screen name. Tell them they can communicate with you by instant messaging during your normal business hours. Many IM programs allow you to add a button on your Web site to initiate an IM chat. In addition, many IM programs are creating simplified Web versions of their products so no downloads are needed. You can direct your customers to your Web site so they can connect instantly with your shop personnel, without actually downloading software on their computer.
Instant messaging also allows you to transfer files such as photos and Word and Excel documents from your computer to the person you are chatting with. Imagine transferring digital photos of a vehicle and written estimates to insurance companies and customers alike, all in real time. Instant messaging allows for immediate response. Essentially, it's quicker than e-mail, and not as time consuming as a phone call. And with future advancements in the technology, IM is not going away - it's becoming part of the corporate infrastructure.
Net Numbers
The number of "instant messaging" users is increasing at the rate of 55 percent a year.
Source: Jupiter Research
ASA Web Ways
Keeping up with the demands of electronic communication efforts, ASA recently launched an instant messaging platform on its Web site (www.asashop.org) to better serve its members' needs. Within the Members Only area of the ASA Web site, members can now initiate instant messaging technology and chat with a representative from ASA's membership department, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time, with no software download needed. This new system provides one-on-one communication and an immediate response to membership questions.
