National Automotive Service is a member of MTA Queensland from Maroochydore. Charlie Palmer and his wife Karen have owned and operated their mechanical business on the Sunshine Coast for almost 30 years.

Both Charlie and Karen are very hands-on in managing daily operations providing a wide variety of services including Mechanical Repairs, Hybrid & Electric Car Servicing, Log Book Servicing, Brakes & Clutches, Wheels & Tyres, Air Conditioning, Auto Electrical, Batteries, Suspension​, Petrol & Diesel Servicing, Guardian Alcohol Interlock Servicing, Installation & Removal, Car Detailing and Personalised Used Car Sales.

The business is supported by a user-friendly website which enables customers to make an online booking enquiry and they reply within one business day.

In 2017 the business expanded its operations to include a Car Dealer Licence, which is complimented by bank and broker financing options. The Licence enables the business to purchase a vehicle online or in person at vehicle auction houses locally on the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane. National Automotive can provide the following options when purchasing a vehicle:

• Pre-vehicle inspection report
• Roadworthy certification
• Vehicle registration
• Personalised workshop warranty
• Personalised routine servicing and repairs in house
• Nationwide warranty
• Local Breakdown/Towing assistance

Furthermore, Charlie from National Automotive Services has been OEM Bosch trained at the Bosch Headquarters in Melbourne on vehicle diagnostics, has multiple automotive qualifications and is nationally trade certified.

Digital Transformation:

National Automotive has chosen MTA Queensland’s Corporate Partner, Core SME, to digitally transform their paper-based mechanical business as part of the Digital Champions Project. Charlie and Karen are very hands-on in managing daily operations. The aim is to build a solution that frees up their time with the ability to manage, monitor and report on his business activity remotely when needed.

National Automotive will implement a software solution that will support the business operations, moving away from paper to bring the business into the digital age.

National Automotive has approved the following process to be undertaken which will provide:

• a staged strategy that will digitise the business providing workflow efficiencies;
• increased operating capital through smarter payment options;
• greater customer satisfaction;
• increase revenue through his current customer base; and
• increase the sale value of National Automotive.

The project will evaluate the systems and processes that allow Charlie to move away from working IN the business to working ON the business. These steps will then lead to the development of a business development plan and marketing plan to increase growth.

National Automotive will transform digitally using SMART Auto. It incorporates a SMART PA, a virtual assistant and a SMART Business Planner, which is a holistic approach to digital transformation and business independence.

The SMART Auto process to be undertaken by National Automotive includes two stages with a third stage involving the SMART PA and SMART Business Planner.

Stage One is Customer Centric:

Step 1 – Manage customers

• Implement a CRM
• Add the current customer database to the CRM
• Integrate an online booking system for customer ease
• Digitise manual forms on tablets
• Adopt easy online customer approval and online signature
• Adopt easy online payment options
• Install new computers and tablets to make this happen

Step 2 – Engage customer base

• Integrate marketing module to CRM
• Start marketing to your current customers
• Provide a lead magnet to get customers back in the door
• Automated service reminders
• SMS booking reminders

Stage Two is Business Centric:

Once customers are re-engaged and requesting more services, the focus shifts to staff, administration and the workshop management by building on the central CRM system implemented.

Staff operational changes include:

• Online quoting
• Supply chain management and ordering
• Job management
• Automated job cards
• Store Images from jobs when required

Change management initiatives include:

• Accounts & bookkeeping
• Reporting
• KPIs
• HR

Stage Three is Operational Planning using the SMART Business Planner

After completion of the SMART Auto process, the operating plan will be finalised encompassing:

• Business development
• Marketing plan – social media, traditional media etc
• Resource planning
• Capital expenditure
• Outsourcing
  • HR contractor
  • Smart PA

The SMART Auto process will improve business processes by changing operations from paper to digital, improving efficiencies. The processes and automation will free up time for Charlie and Karen and will enable them to manage, monitor and report on business activity remotely. This is to be directly linked to improving a work/life balance for Karen and Charlie while also increasing the saleable value of their business.