Origin Story
In 2016, despite holding over 50% of the market share, the unauthorized car repair workshops relied on manual pen and paper processes. They failed to follow the digital trend, missing out on benefits that the taxis and food delivery industry was gaining. As a consequence, they were unable to provide their customers with an improved and transparent experience, and they also failed to optimize their daily operations by harnessing the power of technology.
My Role
As the sole product manager, I led the complete product lifecycle, beginning with ideation, conducting user research, facilitating design sprints, conducting initial user interaction tests with designs, developing the minimum viable product (MVP), and ultimately overseeing the full-fledged rollout, iterating throughout multiple sprints.
The Product
DearO (Digitally enhanced automotive repair operations system) was ideated to transform the automobile service industry, making day-to-day workshop operations simpler, faster, and smarter than ever before. With its comprehensive suite of features, DearO streamlines workflow, enhances customer communication, and optimizes inventory management, revolutionizing the way a small-medium automotive service businesses operated.
Advantages and Features:
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Mobile-Friendly and Cost-Effective: DearO is a mobile-friendly solution that requires no installation or setup costs, allowing businesses to quickly adopt and integrate the system into their operations.
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Cloud-Based Security: With a cloud-based infrastructure, DearO ensures high-level security for workshop data, protecting sensitive information and providing peace of mind.
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Preemptive Damage and Belongings Management: DearO enables workshops to note and share scratches, damages, and personal belongings in vehicles with customers in advance, minimizing disputes and enhancing transparency.
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GST-Enabled Invoicing: DearO features a smart, GST-ready invoicing system that simplifies and accelerates the billing process, saving time and ensuring compliance.
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Seamless Communication: Share invoices and job cards with customers via WhatsApp or email, providing convenience and flexibility to suit their preferences.
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Swift Digital Job Card Creation: Create digital job cards in a matter of seconds, reducing paperwork and improving efficiency.
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Centralized Dashboard: Monitor all job cards and invoices from a user-friendly dashboard, ensuring streamlined operations and comprehensive oversight.
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Real-Time Customer Updates: DearO enhances customer satisfaction by providing automatic real-time status updates through a personalized web portal, keeping customers informed and engaged.
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Smart Labor and Parts Pricing: Benefit from smart search functionality that suggests labor and parts pricing based on the make and model of cars and bikes, simplifying cost estimation.
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Auto-Suggestion and Service Schedules: DearO offers auto-suggestions for jobs based on vehicle history and inspection, as well as parts item recommendations aligned with manufacturers’ recommended service schedules.
IMPACT
Adopted by 1k paid users within a year of launch. The users found the following benefits from adopting the product
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Increased Business Revenue: Enhance revenue streams with features such as vehicle inspection reports and built-in service schedules that facilitate upselling and efficient service planning.
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Improved Profitability: Avoid time and costs associated with handling customer disputes related to fuel theft, item theft, unwanted jobs, damages, and scratches allegations.
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Elevated Customer Experience: Provide automated real-time service updates, vehicle inventory reports, job card details, and invoice statuses, elevating customer satisfaction and loyalty.
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Enhanced Business Monitoring: Leverage end-of-day reports on job cards and invoicing to gain insights and optimize operations. Manage inventory effortlessly through a simple purchase system and auto-updates on parts invoicing.