An independent garage in Dyce, on the edge of Aberdeen, had around two thousand customers whose MOTs fell due over the year, and the service advisor sent reminder texts from the garage software when there was time, which was not often in winter. Customers who forgot booked wherever had a slot the week the certificate ran out, and a good number of them drove past the garage to the fast-fit centre by the retail park.
The businesses in this article are illustrative examples, not named StartAutomate clients.
Key takeaways
- Independent garages lose MOT and service work to customers who forget, and a phone call reaches people a text does not.
- An AI agent can call customers a few weeks before the MOT is due, book the test, and suggest a service at the same visit.
- It fills quiet weeks by calling customers due later in the month, so the workshop stays busy in February as well as March.
Calling before the MOT is due
The agent reads MOT due dates from the garage management system, whether that is Garage Hive, TechMan, MAM or another, and calls customers three to four weeks before the date. It tells them which car is due, when, and offers booking times for the test, reminding them that a car can be tested up to a month minus a day before the due date without losing the old anniversary.
If the car is due a service too, the agent mentions it and offers to book both at once, using the prices the garage has given it.
Filling quiet weeks in the workshop
MOT demand is lumpy, because the due dates follow new car registrations, and March and September plates bring waves six months apart. In a quiet week, the agent can call customers due later in the month and offer an earlier slot, which keeps the ramps busy.
Garages that do this tend to find the service advisor's week changes more than the technicians', because the phone stops being the main thing on the desk.
Results and follow-up calls
After a test, the agent can call to say the car has passed and is ready, or that it failed on a particular item, and put the customer through to the service advisor for a quote on the repair. Advisory items from the MOT can go into a follow-up reminder a few months later.
It does not diagnose, quote for repairs it has not been given prices for, or tell a customer a car is safe to drive after a fail. Those conversations stay with the advisor.
Consent for reminder calls
MOT reminders to existing customers about their own vehicle are service calls rather than marketing, but mentioning offers on tyres or bodywork during the same call can make it marketing. The garage decides what the agent says, and customers who ask not to be called are marked in the system straight away.
Customers who prefer texts can have their reminder that way instead, and the agent notes the preference so nobody rings them next year.
Common questions
Can AI make MOT reminder calls?
Yes. It reads due dates from your garage system, calls customers before the MOT is due, and books the test straight into your diary.
Does it work with Garage Hive or TechMan?
We connect to common garage management systems including Garage Hive, TechMan, and MAM, depending on the access they allow.
Is calling customers about their MOT allowed?
Reminders to existing customers about their own vehicle are service calls. Promotional content in the same call can count as marketing, so we set the script with you.