After two years of innovating in the car repair industry,
the Kiwi marketplace business My Auto Shop has just launched
another new service to bring mechanics to the homes of
Kiwis.
“You’ll
soon see our Remote Technicians, in bright yellow, black
& white vans, bringing car repairs to customers’ homes
and offices,” says co-founder Andy Bowie. “Covid has
made Kiwis want more than just clothes and groceries
delivered to their doorstep, so we’re adapting part of our
business to cater to that need.”
Since launching
early in 2020, the business, which took on investment from
Trade Me early last year, has had to adjust its model a few
times as Covid impacted the industry. Currently My Auto Shop
has over 300 workshop partners and automotive maintenance
providers onboard the platform, all easily bookable for
customers through an online tool, “similar to AirBnB, but
for your car”, says Bowie.
“Our
new Remote Technician service beautifully compliments our
existing booking platform. We’ll be able to complete basic
repairs, servicing and inspections at customer’s homes,
while more complex work, that either takes longer or needs
specialist tools, will continue to go into our
workshops.”
Bowie says that the rapidly changing
demands of customers in these unprecedented times has driven
the introduction of the service. “With Covid looking like
it’s going to be with us for the foreseeable future, many
Kiwis don’t want to put themselves unnecessarily at risk.
We’re already seeing them avoiding supermarkets,
restaurants and retail, so we want to ensure they have a
safe option while keeping their car safe to drive.” This
service will also help people who are required to isolate
themselves.
Naturally, the My Auto Shop team has
paired the service with even more tech, such as the ability
to track your mechanic like you would an Uber, and provide
interactive, online job reports delivered straight to your
inbox. This would complement the existing upfront pricing
algorithm and online booking app.
Overseas, similar
services are becoming more common, with the likes of Tesla
and Rivian offering mobile servicing options and paving the
way. “We know the future of car maintenance looks quite
different to what it is today. Cars are needing different
work completed, more electronic diagnostics and of course,
customers are demanding more convenience. We believe our
Remote Technicians make this future more accessible for all
Kiwi car owners.”
Already, customers are seeing the
new offer solve a real logistics problem. Hundreds of
pre-purchase inspections are already flooding in for the
remote technicians, removing the cumbersome need to
coordinate with a seller to get a prospective vehicle to a
testing station, especially when they are located in another
city.
The experienced technicians at My Auto Shop are
armed with comprehensive PPE, as well as misting machines to
disinfect vehicles before and after the job. Standard social
distancing and contact tracing protocols are also in place
to ensure customer and mechanic safety.
Unfortunately
My Auto Shop Remote Technicians won’t be completing any
warrant of fitnesses. “Due to some rather out-dated
legislation that requires all WoFs to be completed at a
registered location, we’re not permitted to complete
warrants at home. Despite us having the ability to bring
equivalent equipment to complete the check, and having
qualified, experienced inspectors readily available. This
means customers are still forced to navigate the
unpredictable lines at testing stations.”
The My
Auto Shop Remote Technicians are currently operating in
Auckland, and the team have plans to have the service in
Wellington and Christchurch soon. However, they are also
struggling with the industry-wide skill shortage and the
ability to find staff, which Bowie says is slowing down the
ability to expand to meet
demand.
© Scoop Media
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