ONYX VIDEO WALKAROUNDS ENSURE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY
Story by Kim Carpenter // Photography by Bill Sitzmann
Most drivers know the basics when it comes to their vehicles—how to fill the tank, check fluids, and maybe check tire pressure. Other than that, car maintenance involves bringing the car to the dealer or a mechanic—but trust is always a concern. Do I really need the new tires? Is there truly an antifreeze leak? ONYX Automotive solves that with visualization via technology.
Rob Ramsey, service and parts director at ONYX, handles a variety of responsibilities, ranging from training to ordering specialized equipment, for the luxury car dealer. Now in his fifth year with the company, he said, “I love working at ONYX—they treat people so well!”
That treatment naturally extends to ONYX clients, where service is always a main priority. For that reason, the luxury car company offers video walkarounds for understanding the maintenance and repair of BMWS, MINIs, Land Rovers, and Jaguars.
“We’re constantly evolving, and the walkarounds are a process that we do for our clients,” Ramsey explained. “A technician does a video during multi-point inspections of every vehicle. It’s like an annual check-up for your car—just like when you have a physical, we have a ‘car doctor.’ It’s all about safety and reliability on the road.”
Videos provide information on other basics, such as the condition of brakes, tires, filters, and fluids. If a client has a particular concern—for example, if the alignment feels off—they can flag that ahead of time for a technician to record. “If a check engine light comes on or if a car feels like it’s running rough, we can show the results in a video,” Ramsey explained. “It helps with transparency between the customers and us because they can see what we see.”
ONYX technicians use a tool to measure tires and brakes, and then present that information to clients in a way that’s easy to understand. Tread depth or brake pad thickness, for example, might register as “green,” “yellow,” or “red.” Customers can see measurements rather than just take a mechanic’s word or read a print-out.
While most mechanics and dealers just provide a sheet of paper with these details, at ONYX, clients receive a text to their phones and can then visit their client portals—much like they can do with patient portals through their healthcare providers—and it’s all easily accessible via a simple app. Most videos run an average of one minute and 56 seconds, so they are quick to view and easy to follow.
“People can go to their portal at any time. They can view current inspections and compare them to previous ones,” Ramsey said. “They can see that the technicians are consistent in their evaluations, and they can view their vehicle’s condition and see that this item is due, this is past due, or this is urgent.”
How have ONYX clients responded to this vehicle maintenance perk?
“They love it and expect it now,” Ramsey affirmed. “It’s about trust and transparency. This is what we do at ONYX. We have the means, the technology, and the tools. Above all, we want customers to be and feel safe.”
For more information, visit onyxautomotive.com.
