Starting Point: How your service lane actually runs

• Tell me briefly how a typical repair order begins at your shop, from customer arrival to advisor write-up.
• Walk me through a recent day where you felt the lane ran well, what made that day stand out?
• In a typical weekday, how many repair orders do you process? Options: 40–60, 61–80, 81–100, More than 100
• Who on your team owns day-to-day decisions about advisor processes and who owns technician standards? Options: Fixed ops director, Service manager, Dealer principal, Shop foreman, IT/Operations, Other
• Describe the tools your advisors use during write-up, including any tablet processes or paper backups.
• Does your leadership require ROI proof before any pilot, and if so what minimum revenue-per-RO improvement would satisfy them? Options: Yes — specific target required, No — open to a pilot, Depends on pilot scope, Unsure

Where revenue slips through the cracks

• If revenue per repair order is the single metric you had to improve, which specific step in your lane is most responsible for leakage?
• Which part of the write-up or inspection process most often leads to missed parts sales or declined recommends? Options: Advisor conversation, Technician inspection completion, Photo/video capture, Parts pricing mismatch, Customer approval flow, Other
• When a technician skips an inspection or fails to attach photos, how often does that become a lost sale? Options: Almost always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely
• Estimate the monthly revenue impact you see from up-sell and cross-sell recovery versus what you track as actually sold.
• What single operational failure would cause you to halt a rollout of a new service-lane tool? Options: Lack of DMS integration, No staff bandwidth for training, Incomplete API access, Executive resistance, Other

Advisor and technician workflows, reality not the SOP

• Tell me about the last time an advisor could not finish a write-up in the lane, what broke and who picked it up?
• Which steps in your on-the-lane write-up require manual rekeying into the DMS? Options: Customer info, VIN capture, Labor hours, Parts lines, RO notes, None / minimal
• Who trains new advisors and technicians on inspections, and how long does initial training typically take? Options: Service manager, Fixed ops director, Vendor/trainer, Shop foreman, Other
• How many inspections does an average technician complete per shift, including multi-point checks? Options: 0–5, 6–10, 11–15, 16+
• Walk me through what happens when a customer declines a recommended repair, from the advisor's conversation to record-keeping.
• Could the absence of a measurable reduction in advisor write-up time within 60 days stop you from proceeding with a new platform? Options: Yes, No, Maybe — depends on other benefits

DMS, data flows, and the integration gates

• List the DMS endpoints your lane depends on and note which currently expose APIs for read and write access.
• Identify the person or role who controls DMS credentials and whether they can provide admin test accounts. Options: Yes, test account available, Yes, but needs approvals, No, account not available, Unsure
• When you synchronize repair orders, which fields must preserve exact values (VIN, RO number, labor hours, parts pricing) and which can tolerate transformation?
• Is your current DMS setup configured with custom fields or non-standard mappings that consistently cause data mismatches? Options: Yes, many custom fields, A few custom fields, No, mostly standard, Unsure
• If a required API endpoint is missing or read-only, what is your fallback plan and who would approve a schedule change?

Can you realistically staff and schedule this rollout?

• What part of your internal capacity or calendar is most likely to push a rollout past your target go-live?
• How many IT or DMS-facing hours can your team allocate to integration and testing over a 60-day window? Options: 0–40 hours, 41–80 hours, 81–160 hours, More than 160 hours
• List the test environments you can provide for integration and staged validation (sandbox DMS, tablet lab, staging network). Options: Sandbox DMS, Tablet lab, Staging network, None available, Other
• Are there legal, compliance, or vendor approvals needed before connecting to your DMS or customer messaging channels? Options: Yes — legal must approve, Yes — OEM/vendor approvals, No approvals required, Unsure
• Would lack of dedicated staff time during our scheduled integration window stop you from proceeding? Options: Yes — would stop the project, No — we can adjust timeline, Maybe — depends on mitigation

Alternatives on the table, what else would you do?

• Name the alternatives you are evaluating right now, including the incumbent vendor and any in-house build proposals. Options: Existing vendor, Build in-house, Other external vendor, Do nothing / keep current, Unsure
• Explain the conditions under which you would retain your current solution instead of changing.
• Has anyone on your team proposed building this capability internally, and if so who would own that project? Options: Yes — IT, Yes — Fixed ops, No one has proposed, Unsure
• Rank the decision criteria that matter most to you, from integration risk to ongoing support. Options: Integration risk, Total cost of ownership, Speed of deployment, User adoption, Reporting capabilities, Training and support
• Would matching commercial terms but requiring double the integration time make you prefer the incumbent? Options: Yes, No, Depends on guarantees

KPIs and concrete success signals

• Select the KPI that, improved 15% in 90 days, would make you commit to a pilot agreement. Options: Revenue per RO, Inspection compliance rate, Parts gross profit percentage, Hours per RO, Advisor sell rate, Customer return rate
• Describe how you currently measure inspection compliance and where that report is stored.
• On a monthly basis, what percent of ROs include a full multi-point inspection with photos? Options: 0–25%, 26–50%, 51–75%, 76–100%
• Name the role that reviews parts gross profit trends and the threshold that triggers an investigation. Options: Fixed ops director, Controller, Service manager, Dealer principal, Other
• Identify the internal approvals and sign-offs required if a pilot proves the target KPI lift within 60 days.

Acceptance, timelines, and next steps

• Pick a firm two-week window in the next three months that would be non-negotiable for go-live. Options: Within 2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 4–8 weeks, 8–12 weeks
• Are you willing to commit named staff for integration, training, and validation tasks on a shared RACI? Options: Yes — committed, Yes — with conditions, No, Need internal approval
• Provide the acceptance criteria that must be met before you consider a staged go-live successful, for example data sync accuracy or advisor adoption rates. Options: Data sync accuracy, Parts pricing accuracy, Advisor adoption threshold, Technician inspection compliance, Customer approval rate
• Explain the cadence and owners for adoption reporting in the 30 and 90 days after go-live.
• Confirm the individual or role with final authority for commercial sign-off and whether they can decide within two weeks of pilot completion. Options: Can decide within 2 weeks, Need longer review, Board-level approval required, Unsure

• Solution Experience Session

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm the demonstrated workflow eliminates the manual write-up rework and meaningfully reduces advisor time per RO.
• Provide DMS test endpoint credentials and one representative sample RO for a sandbox test.
• You confirm the inspection workflow produces consistent technician compliance and improves declined recovery.
• Walk through advisor check-in using your workflow
• Provide a short description or video of your current advisor write-up flow and average time spent per RO.
• Deliver a tailored ROI estimate showing projected revenue per RO lift and advisor time savings based on the validated workflow.
• You confirm the DMS synchronization removes double entry and preserves parts gross profit during ordering.
• Run a technician inspection to customer approval
• Show DMS synchronization and parts pricing sync
• You agree the pilot metrics and remaining evidence required to proceed toward a decision.
• Schedule an integration pilot window and identify the technical owner who will grant access for testing.
• Validate the future state
• Agree remaining evidence and next steps to decision

• Solution Experience Session
• Solution Experience Deck
• Solution Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Deploy online and in-store appointment scheduling
• Install tablet-based vehicle check-in with VIN scanning
• Configure digital multi-point inspection workflows
• Enable photo and video capture for inspections
• Configure customer approval via text and email
• Integrate parts ordering with DMS
• Integrate repair order sync with DMS
• Deploy service menu pricing and attachables
• Configure reporting dashboards and RO metrics
• Train advisors on digital write-up and selling workflows
• Train technicians on inspection process and media capture
• Provide post-launch success management (90 days)

Deploy online and in-store appointment scheduling

• Which appointment sources should route into the scheduler (website booking widget, phone desk, manufacturer portal, walk-in queue)? Options: Website booking widget, Phone/desk entry, Manufacturer portal, Walk-ins/desk
• How many distinct service types will you publish for online booking (express lube, warranty repair, recall, multi-point inspection)? Options: 1-5, 6-15, 16+
• Do you require appointment rules by bay or advisor shift (e.g., advisor A handles warranty only)? Options: Yes, No
• Who on your team will own daily schedule management and overrides?
• What maximum lead time and same-day booking windows should the scheduler expose to customers? Options: Same day only, Up to 7 days, Up to 30 days, Custom
• Specify the appointment confirmation channel and template you want sent (SMS, email, both) and any required fields (RO number, advisor name). Options: SMS, Email, SMS and Email

Install tablet-based vehicle check-in with VIN scanning

• Which tablet provisioning model do you prefer for advisor check-in (shared tablets at bay, assigned tablets per advisor, advisor's mobile device)? Options: Shared tablets, Assigned tablets, Advisor mobile device
• How many VIN scan hardware units will be required per service lane at go-live? Options: 1 per lane, 2+ per lane, Unsure - need assessment
• Do you need offline VIN capture with later synchronization to the DMS when connectivity is restored? Options: Yes, No
• Who is the local IT contact that will provision WiFi and MDM access for the tablets?
• List any custom fields from your current check-in form that must appear on the tablet (loaner indicator, RO notes, sales source).
• What role permissions should be enforced on the tablet for advisors versus managers (ability to change RO, apply discounts)?

Configure digital multi-point inspection workflows

• Which inspection template categories will you use at go-live (courtesy inspection, safety inspection, manufacturer checklist)? Options: Courtesy inspection, Safety inspection, Manufacturer checklist, Custom templates
• How many required inspection checkpoints must be enforced for compliance per template? Options: No minimum, 5-15 required checkpoints, 16+ required checkpoints
• Do you want conditional branching in the inspection flow (show additional checkpoints when a fault is found)? Options: Yes, No
• Who will maintain the master inspection templates at the dealership after handoff?
• Specify the technician identifier to map inspection submissions to the repair order (tech ID, employee number, badge). Options: Tech ID, Employee number, Badge ID, Other
• What threshold of inspection completion compliance do you require for a successful deployment phase (percentage of ROs with completed inspections)? Options: 70%, 80%, 90%, Custom

Enable photo and video capture for inspections

• Which media types do you want enabled in inspections at go-live (photos only, photos plus short video clips)? Options: Photos only, Photos and short videos
• How should captured media be named or tagged for traceability on the RO (timestamp_vendor, techID_RO#)?
• Do you require automatic image optimization or watermarking before customer delivery? Options: Yes, No
• Where should media be stored for compliance and retention (platform storage, dealer S3 endpoint, hybrid)? Options: Platform storage, Dealer cloud endpoint, Hybrid
• Identify any file-size or resolution limits your network or DMS imposes for media attached to an RO.
• Which technician roles are permitted to capture and upload video for inspections? Options: All technicians, Certified techs only, Lead technicians only

Configure customer approval via text and email

• Which approval channels should be offered to customers at go-live (SMS, email, both) for labor and parts approvals? Options: SMS, Email, SMS and Email
• Do you require two-step authentication for approvals above a set dollar threshold? Options: Yes, No
• What is the dollar threshold that triggers manager override or advisor confirmation on customer approvals? Options: $0-$199, $200-$499, $500+, Custom
• Who on your team verifies customer contact data before sending approval links (advisor, service writer, front desk)? Options: Advisor, Service writer, Front desk, Other
• Specify the approval timeout window that will auto-decline or escalate unapproved work (hours or days). Options: 2 hours, 4 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, Custom
• Are you required to log customer approval evidence to the DMS in a specific format (audit trail entry, PDF receipt)? Options: Yes, No

Integrate parts ordering with DMS

• Which parts workflows do you need integrated at go-live (real-time availability lookup, one-click ordering, PO creation)? Options: Availability lookup, One-click ordering, PO creation, None
• How should parts pricing be synchronized between the parts catalog and the service menu (overwrite, reference only, nightly sync)? Options: Overwrite, Reference only, Nightly sync
• Do you require parts markup rules to apply automatically on order creation? Options: Yes, No
• Who will be the parts manager or contact to approve API access and validate catalog mappings?
• List the parts catalog identifiers that must map to your system (manufacturer part number, dealer part number, OEM code). Options: Manufacturer part number, Dealer part number, OEM code, Other
• What tolerance for price or part-code mismatch is acceptable during initial sync (number of mismatched SKUs or percentage)? Options: 0%, 0-1%, 1-5%, Custom

Integrate repair order sync with DMS

• Which RO objects must flow bidirectionally at go-live (RO header, labor lines, parts lines, status codes)? Options: RO header, Labor lines, Parts lines, Status codes
• How many DMS endpoints must be supported during rollout (single DMS instance, multiple franchise DMS instances)? Options: Single DMS instance, Multiple DMS instances
• Identify the RO status codes in your DMS that indicate 'ready for customer communication' and 'ready for invoicing'.
• Who will provide API credentials and an integration test account for the DMS?
• What is the acceptable data accuracy threshold for field-level RO sync (percentage of matching VIN, labor, and parts fields)? Options: 100%, 99%, 95%, Custom
• What defines go-live acceptance for repair order sync (matching RO count between systems, field accuracy threshold, and sync latency)?

Deploy service menu pricing and attachables

• Which service categories will be published in the menu at go-live (scheduled maintenance, wear items, diagnostics)? Options: Scheduled maintenance, Wear items, Diagnostics, Other
• How should attachable items be presented (bundled recommendations, optional add-ons, mandatory items)? Options: Bundled, Optional add-ons, Mandatory
• Do you require price tiers by customer type or loyalty level to display in the menu? Options: Yes, No
• Who will own ongoing service menu edits and seasonal price updates after deployment?
• Specify any manufacturer-mandated pricing rules that must be enforced in the service menu.
• What acceptance criteria will confirm service menu prices and attachables are correct at go-live (price match percentage, sample RO verification)?

Configure reporting dashboards and RO metrics

• Which KPIs must be available on day one (revenue per RO, effective labor rate, hours per RO, inspection compliance)? Options: Revenue per RO, Effective labor rate, Hours per RO, Inspection compliance, Custom
• How frequently should RO metrics update in dashboards (real-time, hourly, nightly)? Options: Real-time, Hourly, Daily/nightly
• Who needs role-based dashboards (fixed operations director, service manager, advisor)? Options: Fixed operations director, Service manager, Advisor, Technician
• Do you require drill-down capability from dashboard KPI to individual RO details? Options: Yes, No
• Specify any DMS fields that must be included in RO-level reports for reconciliation (RO creation timestamp, invoiced total, parts GP).
• Are there any reporting export formats required for your finance team (CSV, Excel, PDF)? Options: CSV, Excel, PDF, Other

Train advisors on digital write-up and selling workflows

• Which advisor cohorts require training at go-live (all advisors, senior advisors only, new hires)? Options: All advisors, Senior advisors only, New hires only
• What training format do you prefer for advisors (live onsite workshop, virtual instructor-led, recorded videos)? Options: Onsite workshop, Virtual instructor-led, Recorded videos
• How many shadow sessions of advisor write-up do you want scheduled during rollout per advisor? Options: 0, 1-2, 3-5, 5+
• Who will approve advisor competency for go-live (service manager, fixed operations director)? Options: Service manager, Fixed operations director, Other
• Describe any seller-provided cheat sheets or scripts you require advisors to use when presenting inspections to customers.
• Will you require concurrent role-based access during training (train in production or train in a sandbox/test environment)? Options: Production, Sandbox/test environment

• Order Form / Subscription Agreement
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Integration & API Addendum
• Training & Enablement Schedule
• Go-Live Acceptance Certificate
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Change Order Agreement

• Go-live Health Check (weeks 1-4)
• First Outcomes Review (weeks 4-10)
• Acceptance Gate Decision (around day 90)
• Quarterly Success Review (ongoing)

• Provide verification evidence for all remediation items marked complete before the next quarterly review.
• Schedule targeted advisor or technician micro-training sessions addressing the top two workflow errors identified.
• Restate acceptance criteria and targets
• Produce a documented acceptance decision against the Solution Scope numeric targets, recorded with the buyer signatory or designated buying owner.
• For any failed criteria, publish a remediation plan with deadlines that will be tracked in the ongoing cadence.
• Confirm the data extracts and evidence that validate the acceptance decision are archived in the shared workspace.
• Publish the formal acceptance record showing pass/fail per criterion and capture the buyer signatory or designated buying owner decision.
• If applicable, publish remediation plans for failed criteria with explicit verification steps and deadlines.
• Archive the metric exports and test evidence used to support the acceptance decision in the shared workspace.
• Schedule the first Quarterly Success Review on the agreed cadence and share the invite and agenda.
• Trend review for primary metrics
• Confirm whether revenue per repair order and inspection compliance rate remain on track to meet Solution Scope targets and surface corrective needs.
• Prioritize the enhancement and issue backlog so the top items have target delivery windows and verification plans.
• Ensure prior remediation actions are closed with evidence or converted into a new remediation plan with dates.
• Update the shared issue channel with the prioritized backlog and publish target delivery windows for top-priority items.
• If revenue per RO is below target, schedule advisor refresher training and define the success measure and date.
• Adjust parts pricing sync rules or mappings if parts GP variance persists and document the change and test results.
• Reconfirm acceptance criteria and owners
• All integration endpoints report passing test results or have clear remediation actions with target dates.
• Advisor and technician user accounts and tablets are provisioned and able to perform core workflows.
• A prioritized list of open issues with owners and resolution deadlines is agreed and published.
• Publish the open-issue list with owners and target resolution dates in the shared workspace.
• Provide a test-run log showing API syncs, VIN/RO mappings, and DMS transaction success for the last 48 hours.
• Complete provisioning of remaining tablets and confirm connectivity to the platform.
• If an incumbent system exists, publish the decommission or retention plan and data-archival confirmation.
• Present first outcome data
• Establish whether revenue per repair order and inspection compliance rate are moving toward the targets recorded in Solution Scope or require remediation.
• Agree a prioritized set of corrective actions with explicit completion dates and delivery checkpoints before the acceptance gate.
• Confirm the data sources and exports that will be used at the acceptance gate to verify outcomes.
• Deliver a time-bound remediation plan for each identified root cause, including verification steps and target completion dates.
• Provide the raw metric exports for revenue per RO and inspection compliance rate for the measurement window used in this review.
• Implement urgent integration fixes to parts pricing or RO sync rules in the test environment and report test results.
• Deployment and integration validation
• Present outcome data against each criterion
• Root-cause diagnosis for gaps
• Parts gross profit and declined-recovery review
• User onboarding and provisioning status
• Adoption and workflow fidelity review
• Document pass or fail per criterion and capture decision
• Enhancement and issue backlog triage
• Early adoption signals
• Integration and data quality checks
• Validate prior action-item closure
• Remediation plan for any failed criteria
• Agree corrective actions and timeline to acceptance gate
• Open issues and immediate remediation
• Confirm transition to ongoing success cadence
• Agree next-quarter operational focuses
• Incumbent system wind-down status (if applicable)