{"id":5791,"date":"2019-06-06T23:49:55","date_gmt":"2019-06-07T06:49:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mitchell11.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/shopconnection\/information-makes-the-best-repair\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T09:03:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T17:03:24","slug":"information-makes-the-best-repair","status":"publish","type":"shopconnection","link":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/shopconnection\/information-makes-the-best-repair\/","title":{"rendered":"Information Makes the Best Repair"},"content":{"rendered":"

The following article was published by Ratchet<\/em> & Wrench magazine<\/a> recently. It’s such a GREAT story from a very successful auto shop owner in Illinois — we just have to share here on the blog. Enjoy!<\/p>\n

Information Makes the Best Repair<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

By today\u2019s digital repair standards, the past is laughable.<\/p>\n

\"Chuck<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started out with books!\u201d says Chuck Hartogh, president and co-founder of C & M Auto Care Inc., in Glenview, Ill. \u201cWe had a wall of Mitchell manuals, and every six months or so, a salesperson would stop in and say, \u2018Hey, time to update the books.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

Luckily, those days are behind him. Now, Hartogh and his team get all the data they need for any repair using the online and digital resources of Mitchell 1.<\/p>\n

Mitchell 1 ProDemand & SureTrack<\/h2>\n

With each repair, the Mitchell 1 system is able to more effectively help C & M Auto Care.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey know what their shops are fixing,\u201d Hartogh says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey go through the system, identify the makes and marques, the frequency of work. That info is worth a lot to me not to throw parts at something.\u201d<\/p>\n

To Hartogh, the value is clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cInformation fixes cars, and the more info we have, the better. The easier it is to access that info, the more efficient we are,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Mitchell 1 ProDemand\u00a0auto repair software<\/a>\u00a0provides near real-time OEM information via technical service bulletins (TSBs) and other important details, while\u00a0SureTrack\u00a0<\/a>features what thousands of other shops have found successful regarding certain repairs. Hartogh is particularly adamant about the speed, efficiency, and sheer volume of data he receives for every car that comes through his shop.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe never had all that info before,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Having access to current TSBs is also critical to his operation. TSBs from the manufacturer are uploaded and available soon after they\u2019re issued. He cites a 2004 Honda Accord, for example, with a check engine light and two codes stored. Now, he can look those codes up instantly, see what TSBs address the issue, and also check for a sound, real-world possibility of the exact repair needed. Service writers can order the part while the technician begins working on the car.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt creates an efficiency and a reasonable jumping-off point,\u201d Hartogh says.<\/p>\n

Hartogh describes bringing up the TSB info on the invoice for easy customer transparency about how and why something had to be fixed or may have to be addressed in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing all that info, you can offer a complete diagnosis and foster return customers,\u201d he says, \u201cand it\u2019s enabled us to be more self-reliant.\u201d<\/p>\n

SureTrack also features a comprehensive forum of technicians, owners and manufacturers who can offer even more help about certain fixes and maintenance. ProDemand also integrated seamlessly with Hartogh\u2019s existing management software.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful,\u201d he says, \u201cand really easy. Other manuals involve copy-and-pasting VIN numbers, for example. Not with Mitchell 1. It\u2019s easier for technicians, and the easier it is, the more we\u2019ll use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

1Search Plus & Eliminating \u201cThe Look\u201d<\/h2>\n

\u201cWith car repair, some customers get that \u2018deer in the headlights\u2019 look, and you need to be able to explain why you\u2019re doing something and what the cost is,\u201d Hartogh says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last thing you want is someone walking away not knowing what just happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hartogh describes the believability threshold all shop owners seek to achieve with their clients. Modern tools allow you to reach that threshold so much faster, he says, \u201cand that builds trust, and in our business, trust is everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mitchell 1 products have enabled Hartogh to empower his technicians, increase clarity with his customers, and enjoy a more robust bottom line while working smarter, not harder.<\/p>\n

In his shop, each bay has a computer, and he trusts his technicians to use them. In the shop, using the\u00a01Search Plus\u00a0feature in ProDemand is a breeze.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an estimating guide,\u201d Hartogh says.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can type in a service code and it will give you the search results from their database for what could be the problem with the car. It\u2019s a digital filter for whatever may come through your door, and which types of fixes were successful, and how many times.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hartogh knows OEMs have their own websites for repair, but to Hartogh, that\u2019s an inefficiency.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey also say OEM repair info is accessible via mobile, but I don\u2019t want to look for repair info on that screen. We\u2019ve laid out our shop and bays with computers to make it easy,\u201d he says. \u201cWe want to empower the technicians to make money, and repair information is a big tool. We can\u2019t do it without it.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information on Mitchell 1 shop tools, visit\u00a0the associated links below:<\/p>\n

ProDemand<\/a><\/p>\n

ProDemand Blog<\/a><\/p>\n

SureTrack real-world diagnostic info in ProDemand<\/a><\/p>\n

Manager SE<\/a>\u00a0shop management<\/a><\/p>\n

Read the full article in Ratchet & Wrench<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

Want to learn more about ProDemand?
\nRequest a FREE DEMO!<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>We just had to share this great story from Ratchet + Wrench Mmagazine about one of our most valued ProDemand customers:\u00a0Chuck Hartogh, president and co-founder of C & M Auto Care Inc., in Glenview, Ill.\u00a0 Hartogh describes the believability threshold all shop owners seek to achieve with their clients. Modern tools allow you to reach that threshold so much faster, he says, \u201cand that builds trust, and in our business, trust is everything.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8475,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"shopconnection-category":[1725],"shopconnection-tag":[1090],"class_list":{"0":"post-5791","1":"shopconnection","2":"type-shopconnection","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"shopconnection-category-uncategorized","7":"shopconnection-tag-auto-repair-informationmitchell-1prodemandrepair-information","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/shopconnection\/5791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/shopconnection"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/shopconnection"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"shopconnection-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/shopconnection-category?post=5791"},{"taxonomy":"shopconnection-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mitchell1.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/shopconnection-tag?post=5791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}