The brake job they said no to is still out there
Puffly keeps every estimate, approval and "maybe next month" in one place, and Puff tells you who to call so a warning light does not turn into another shop's customer.
Where auto repair shop leads come from
Maps searches after a warning light
Someone sees a check engine light or hears a grind and searches for a shop nearby. Reviews and a quick answer on the phone decide who gets the drop off.
Oil change and inspection regulars
The sticker on the windshield is a built in reason to call. These customers are the steadiest part of a shop's week if someone reaches out at the right time.
Small business fleets
Landscapers, florists and delivery drivers with a few work vans need someone they can text about a tire or a brake light. One good fleet owner sends steady work.
Referrals from neighbors and coworkers
Car trouble is a common thing to ask a friend about. A customer who felt the estimate was fair will pass your name along without being asked.
What slow follow up costs a auto repair shop
An estimate that sits for a few days often gets a second opinion from the shop down the road. Work the tech flagged but the customer put off, like a seeping gasket or worn pads, fades from memory until the car gets towed in somewhere else. Slow follow up turns a maybe into a lost repair.
A pipeline that fits a auto repair shop
Puffly’s pipeline is yours to name. Here is one way a auto repair shop could lay it out.
- Dropped off or called inThe car is on the lot, or the customer described the symptom over the phone.
- Estimate sentThe tech has inspected the car and the write up is with the customer.
- Approved, parts on orderYou have the go ahead and are waiting on a delivery from the parts store.
- Ready for pickupThe work is done and the customer needs a text, not a voicemail they will never play.
- Next service dueAn oil change, an inspection or the repair they put off comes around again, and the customer is worth a call.
Follow up moments worth a reminder
Brake estimate sent yesterday morning, no reply
"Hi, just checking on the brake estimate we sent over. Happy to answer questions or work in a day that suits you. The pads are getting thin, so I would not wait too long."
Tech noted a weeping valve cover gasket last month and the customer said not now
"Hi, it has been a few weeks since your oil change. That gasket we mentioned is worth another look before it gets worse. Want me to hold a slot Thursday?"
Oil change sticker runs out next week
"Hi, your oil change is coming due next week. Want me to put you down for Tuesday or Wednesday morning?"
Puff, your AI teammate, can draft these messages and line up who to call next. Outreach waits for your approval unless you choose otherwise.
The shape of the year
The first cold snap fills the bays with dead batteries and heater complaints, and the first hot week brings A/C calls. Spring and the weeks before summer road trips are a good time to reach out about brakes and tires. January is often slower, so use it to work through every estimate that was declined in the fall.
Questions from auto repair shops
Can I track work customers said no to?
Yes. Keep the estimate as a deal with a note of what the tech recommended, and add a task for when to check back. Puff will bring it up when the timing fits and draft the message for you to approve.
Does this replace my shop management software?
No. Puffly is for leads, quotes and follow up, not repair orders, parts ordering or invoicing. If you already run a system for those, keep it and use Puffly alongside it for the customer conversation.
Will it text my customers by itself?
Not by default. Puff drafts the message and you approve it before it goes out. The missed call text back is an opt in automation that you turn on yourself if you want it.
Puffly for related trades
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Leads, contacts, deals, tasks and your own branded lead form cost nothing. No card to start. Bring your leads in from a Google Sheet or add them by hand.
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