A 3-bay independent repair shop with 2 full-time mechanics and a part-time receptionist. They were losing customers to dealerships with 24/7 booking systems and dealing with constant phone interruptions during busy repair work.
Lost Revenue from Missed Calls
The shop missed 40% of incoming calls during busy periods, typically 10am to 3pm. Each missed call was a potential $200-800 service booking.
Roughly 15 missed calls per week, adding up to $12,000-20,000 in lost monthly revenue.
No-Show Appointments
25% of booked appointments resulted in no-shows, wasting valuable bay time.
Each no-show cost roughly $150-250 in lost revenue plus staff time.
After-Hours Inquiries
Customers calling after 5pm or on weekends went straight to voicemail. Most booked with competitors who answered first.
An estimated 30% of potential customers lost to faster-responding competitors.
Manual Scheduling Conflicts
The part-time receptionist juggled phone calls, walk-ins, and paperwork. Double-bookings and frustrated customers were common.
Customer satisfaction issues and inefficient use of receptionist time.
We built an AI voice and SMS system that runs 24/7, handling all incoming calls and bookings automatically.
Discovery & Setup
- Mapped the most common service types (WOF, oil change, brake service, diagnostics)
- Recorded typical customer questions and shop responses
- Set up bay availability rules (30 min for quick services, 2-4 hours for major work)
- Integrated with the existing calendar system
AI Training & Testing
- Trained the AI on shop-specific info: pricing, service times, mechanic specialties
- Set up intelligent routing so urgent repairs get flagged for immediate callback while routine services book automatically
- Configured SMS reminder sequences with easy confirm and reschedule options
- Created recall campaigns for regular customers (e.g. "Due for 6-month service")
Soft Launch
- Diverted 50% of calls to the AI system
- Monitored conversations for accuracy
- Made adjustments to improve natural conversation flow
Full Launch & Optimization
- All after-hours and overflow calls handled by AI
- Receptionist focused on in-person service and complex inquiries
- Weekly performance reviews to optimise booking rates
After 90 Days
AI answered 100% of calls, capturing all after-hours inquiries
Previously missed calls now converted to bookings
Automated reminders with easy reschedule options kept customers accountable
Receptionist freed from constant phone interruptions
Customers appreciated instant booking and convenient SMS confirmations
“I called at 8pm on a Sunday night and had my WOF booked in 2 minutes via text. So much easier than waiting until Monday.”