How Bennings Biler streamlines workshop operations with Autoflows

The world of car repair is fast-paced, and every minute counts in a workshop. Bennings Biler, a workshop in Rødovre, Denmark, understands this well. That’s why they’ve turned to artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline their operations and free up valuable time for their mechanics.

From manual reminders to AI-powered automation

Traditionally, reminding customers about upcoming tyre changes and routine maintenance was a manual process. As Bennings Biler owner Benjamin Benning explains: “We are just mechanics,” he says with a laugh, “We’d rather spend our time fixing cars than sending out emails.”

This not only took up valuable time, but it also meant customers sometimes missed important service intervals.

Autoflows: AI takes the wheel

Autoflows is an AI-powered solution for authorised and independent workshops that uses clever algorithms to automatically identify key terms in the workshop’s invoicing system. “The system isn’t fussy about the exact words used,” says Nicholas Malcolm, CEO of ag analytics, “It can understand ‘wheel change,’ ‘tyre change,’ or ‘summer tyres.’ Mechanics aren’t always careful about what they type in the system, but Autoflows takes care of that.”

When a mechanic completes a seasonal tire change, for example, the system automatically recognizes this from the invoice. It then triggers an email to the customer reminding them about the upcoming winter tire change and suggesting a booking time. “The entire process is completely automatic.”

Benefits all round

The benefits for Bennings Biler are clear. “The system saves us a lot of resources and allows us to plan our time much better.” Benjamin says. “In the past, when the first snow fell, we’d be swamped with calls from car owners who hadn’t gotten their tyres changed yet. Now, it happens automatically, which benefits everyone.”

But Autoflows goes beyond just tire changes. Benjamin explains “We can see a weekly report from the system that shows us what tasks it’s generating the most reminders for. Right now, it’s definitely tire changes, servicing, and inspections. These all have fixed intervals, but we can also add things like AC checks and pollen filter replacements.”

The system is flexible too. “I can specify periods where we don’t want to send out reminders, for example, during holidays.” Benjamin adds.

Customer consent: A key consideration

Of course, customer consent is key. “These automated reminders are considered marketing.” Benjamin says, “So we need to get prior consent.” But according to Benjamin, that hasn’t been an issue. “Among private customers, only a handful have opted out of reminders. That’s out of a customer base of a few thousand.”

The future of AI in car repair

Looking to the future, Nicholas Malcolm sees even greater potential for AI in the workshop environment. “There’s been a lot of hype around AI,” he admits, “but for any technological wave to be valuable, it needs to translate into something that benefits the user. And we believe, in all modesty, that Autoflows does exactly that.”

Bennings Biler’s story is a great example of how AI can be used to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction in a traditional industry. With Autoflows taking care of the routine tasks, Bennings Biler’s mechanics can focus on what they do best – fixing cars. As AI continues to develop, we can expect to see even more innovative applications that transform the way automotive businesses operate.