The service department has long been a major profit center for dealerships and 2020 was no exception. Throughout the pandemic, Xtime found more ways to drive the industry forward, the company reported. At the virtual NADA 2021 show, Xtime is showcasing new features and integrations that now create a more convenient, transparent and digital experience for customers, which can result in higher revenue and profitability for dealers. 

“Customers expect value, convenience and trust when having their vehicles serviced and we’ve never been in a better position to deliver the ability to offer a world-class service experience to our clients than we are now,” said Tracy Fred, vice president of operations for Cox Automotive brands VinSolutions, Xtime and Dealertrack DMS. “Our latest solutions were created not only to lift dealerships’ level of service to customers, but also to raise service revenue per customer. These truly win-win upgrades will turn what may have been considered a chore for customers into an interactive experience while putting dealerships at the forefront of fixed ops innovation and profitability.”  

The latest additions to Xtime’s end-to-end fixed operations solution include:  

• Intelligent Diagnostic Integration with Hunter Equipment: Helps increase transparency for repair orders by automatically displaying tire and alignment diagnostic data to customers during check-in using the Engage tablet, as well as alongside the Multipoint Inspection report from the Inspect. Presenting relevant tire and alignment conditions during the visit experience boosts transparency and understanding among customers to help service staff sell more complete repair orders.  
• Service Pickup and Delivery with TSD Appointment Sync Integration: Enables more seamless management of vehicle pickup, delivery and loaner services through Xtime’s software to help maximize safety and convenience while taking advantage of the fact that about 90% of customers who used pick-up and delivery services in 2020 were satisfied with their experience.¹ 
• Express Multi-Media Video: Allows service staff to capture and instantly share vehicle inspection videos and photos with customers so they can visualize the details of the service visit and better understand and approve repair order recommendations. This level of increased transparency enhances trust and engagement with the service process to improve the overall experience and drive more revenue.  
• Special Order Parts Marketing: Enables automated email and text communications to customers when previously out of stock parts become available, letting them know it is time to come back the dealership and complete their repair. This add-on feature helps boost appointments and reduces the amount of unnecessary special order parts inventory.  
• FlexPay: Expanded flexible service financing now includes Sunbit in addition to DigniFi and drives additional dollars per repair order by presenting flexible payment options to customers to make maintenance and repairs more affordable over time and offsetting upfront costs that often deter customers from authorizing full-service recommendations.  

“Our service customers and technicians value convenience equally and working with Xtime has allowed us to make every service appointment that much smoother for everyone involved,” said Tully Williams, fixed ops director at Niello Company. “With the ability to instantly display vehicle diagnostic data while engaging the customer throughout the appointment with multi-media, our service department is better armed to deliver what customers have been craving for a long time — more control of the process — making it easier to boost profits per repair order, too. Plus, the added convenience of service pickup and delivery, flexible payment options and automated special order parts marketing keep customers coming back to us.”  

Xtime’s new product integrations and enhancements all work together to create a more modern service experience to meet customer expectations while streamlining operations and creating additional revenue opportunities for staff and the dealership.  

To learn more about these new products and enhancements, visit www.xtime.com.  

1 2020 Cox Automotive COVID-19 Consumer Impact Study