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So you are about to enter the implementation phase of ReconPro.  But how do you know if it is performing as expected?  Pilot testing is the final step before your complete go-live implementation.  If you are not sure what pilot testing is, or how to do it, read on.

Let’s take a look at why pilot testing is important to begin with.  If you do not perform this important step you run the risk of –

• Misquoting estimates – You could lose business by quoting estimates too high, or put yourself in a bind by quoting your services too low.
• Inaccurate invoices – Imagine the frustration your clients will feel if you invoice them too much, conversely you may legally be stuck with too low of an amount on an invoice.
• Paying out the wrong commissions – Technicians don’t like to work for free.
• Erroneous QuickBooks postings – This can jeopardize your whole bottom line.

These are just a few examples of what could go wrong, but hopefully it stresses to you the importance of this part of the system execution.  These errors can threaten customer confidence, hinder negotiations, and generally paint a negative image of your business.

Now before we fill you with thoughts of doom and despair – rest assured that a proper testing plan should eliminate all these possibilities.  The process of testing is pretty straight forward – the outcomes of your online processes should equate to your paper processes as you run them simultaneously.  Yes, this means that you will need to do both for a short while, but a short investment of time now will save you time and headaches later down the road.  Plus, most often, with adequate planning and data entry, testing will go smoothly and just reinforce that the system is working well.

Proper pilot testing is an important part of implementing your new system.  The time spent will give you peace of mind and confidence for the switch over and years to come.

You process a lot of cars, all day long, every day.  You like cars and you are good at working with them, that’s why you are in this business.  And while cars are your business, the administrative work is what gets you paid and that starts on the front end.  Collecting accurate vehicle information upfront will save you time and headaches down the road.

This starts with the VIN, Stock, and or Tag Number.  The VIN contains specific information about each car – make, model, year, features and provides a positive identification for the car you are working on.  But this information is useless if those 17 digits are not written down or transposed correctly.

Photos are another important part of your documentation.  Before and after photos are more than a testimony to the quality of your work, they are a requirement of invoicing in many cases.  Organizing these photos, in the right order, for easy reference later can be difficult and time consuming.  The same thing is true with written text.  If the note gets put in the wrong file you end up with egg on your face at the least, and it could cost you financially as well.

ReconPro can provide solutions to theses obstacles.  It digitally captures the VIN and can attach photos and notes to the file so it is all stored together.  Can you talk faster than you type?  I do.  Capture your thoughts in a voice note and attach it to the inspection or work order.  It can even warn you if a work order has already been created for that VIN.

ReconPro gives you the peace of mind that your customers’ information is captured and stored correctly from the start, and this allows you to focus on cars.  Click here to see other ways ReconPro can help keep you organized and enhance your professional image.

Image Credit http://www.parking-net.com