What if every first-time customer could become a loyal fan who tells everyone about your shop? Bruce Nation, owner of Westlake Independent Automotive in Southern California, says the key is doing digital vehicle inspections right. Done well, a DVI does not just build trust. It creates fans, and fans bring their friends.
With nearly four decades in the industry, Bruce joins Kim Hickey and Jason Patel in episode 125 of Maximum Octane to explain why most shops fail at DVIs, how to hold technicians and advisors accountable, why customers should learn what is right and wrong with their vehicle, how he doubled strut sales through progression reporting, and why his inspections take about 45 minutes.
What You Will Learn
- Why DVIs are a true Blue Ocean strategy for auto shops
- The secret to holding techs and service advisors accountable for complete inspections
- Why pictures alone aren’t enough and how to make your DVI tell a story
- The “How dare you?” test for shop owners who cut corners on inspections
- How customer research time directly drives ARO (average repair order)
- The progression method Bruce used to double strut sales
- What to do when a car comes in needing $7,000 in work
- The number one failure in shops: doing DVIs but not sending them
- The small step Bruce’s techs take at the start of every DVI that prevents major headaches later
- Why DVIs should be used to educate customers, not just cover liability
- How proper DVIs increase pay for everyone in the shop, even the receptionist
DVIs as a Blue Ocean Strategy
Bruce opens by calling DVIs a true “Blue Ocean” strategy for auto shops. The term, from the business book Blue Ocean Strategy, describes competing in uncontested space rather than fighting over the same customers on price. Because so many shops do DVIs poorly or not at all, shops that do them exceptionally well stand apart.
ATI’s The Top Five Reasons to Use Digital Vehicle Inspections outlines the basics.
Competing on price is a race few independent shops can win. Dealerships, chains, and discount operations will always find a way to undercut. A thorough, well-presented inspection competes on something else entirely: clarity and trust. When a customer receives photos, plain language explanations, and a prioritized list of recommendations, they experience a level of transparency many have never seen at a repair shop.
The advantage grows over time. A customer who trusts an inspection is more likely to return, approve recommended work, and refer friends. Those referrals arrive already expecting honesty, which makes every future conversation easier.
Accountability for Complete Inspections
Around the 8 minute mark, Bruce shares the secret to holding technicians and service advisors accountable for complete inspections. Clear standards, consistent review, and shared responsibility between the bay and the counter make sure every vehicle gets a thorough inspection and every result reaches the customer.
Accountability starts with a clear standard. Shops that do this well define exactly what a complete inspection includes: which systems are checked, which measurements are recorded, how many photos are expected, and how each item is rated. Without a written standard, every technician develops their own version, and quality varies from car to car.
Consistent review closes the loop. A manager or lead technician can spot check a handful of inspections each day, looking for missing items, unclear photos, or vague notes. Sharing good examples in a team meeting helps everyone learn what “complete” looks like, and tracking the percentage of inspections completed and sent gives the whole shop a number to improve.
Make Your DVI Tell a Story
Bruce explains why photos alone are not enough. A DVI should tell a story: what was checked, what is in good condition, what needs attention now, and what to watch for later. Notes, measurements, and context help customers understand what they are seeing.
A photo of a dirty air filter means little to a customer without context. A note explaining what the filter does, how its condition affects the vehicle, and whether replacement is urgent turns the photo into useful information. Measurements add credibility: brake pad thickness, tire tread depth, and battery test results give customers concrete evidence instead of a vague recommendation.
Green, yellow, and red ratings help organize the story. Showing the green items is just as important as showing the red ones, because it proves the technician looked at everything and tells the customer what is in good shape. That balance makes the recommendations feel honest rather than sales driven.
The “How Dare You?” Test
Around the 14 minute mark, Bruce introduces the “How dare you?” test for owners who cut corners on inspections. Customers trust shops to look out for their safety. Skipping steps or rushing inspections breaks that trust.
Research Time Drives ARO
Bruce explains how the time customers spend reviewing their inspection directly drives average repair order. When customers can review photos and notes at their own pace, they understand the value and are more likely to approve needed work. ATI’s How to Increase Your Average Repair Order covers related strategies.
Customers rarely make good decisions under pressure. When they receive an inspection by text or email, they can review it at their desk, share it with a spouse, or compare it with what they remember from the last visit. That time to think often leads to more approvals, not fewer, because the customer understands what they are buying and why.
Service advisors can support this process by sending the inspection promptly and following up with a call after the customer has had time to look. Asking “What questions do you have about what the technician found?” invites conversation instead of pushing for a yes.
Doubling Strut Sales With Progression Reporting
Around the 18 minute mark, Bruce shares the progression method he used to double strut sales. By documenting wear over multiple visits, customers can see how components change over time. That history makes recommendations more credible and helps customers plan.
Progression reporting works because it removes guesswork. A customer who sees the same component photographed across several visits can judge the change for themselves. The recommendation becomes a shared observation rather than the shop’s opinion. This approach applies well beyond struts: tires, brakes, belts, hoses, and fluid condition all show wear patterns that customers can track.
To make progression reporting work, technicians need to photograph components consistently, from similar angles, and record measurements each time. Advisors then reference the history: “Last spring this measured here, and today it measures here.”
When a Car Needs $7,000 in Work
Bruce discusses what to do when a vehicle comes in needing $7,000 in work. Rather than overwhelming the customer, a well-organized DVI helps prioritize safety, reliability, and maintenance items so the customer can make informed decisions and plan over time.
A large estimate can feel overwhelming, and an overwhelmed customer often says no to everything. Breaking the work into phases helps. Safety items come first, followed by items that prevent further damage, then maintenance and comfort items. Presenting a plan over several visits respects the customer’s budget and keeps them coming back rather than sending them elsewhere for a second opinion.
The DVI makes these conversations easier because the customer can see each item and its rating. The advisor’s role is to guide, not to pressure.
The Number One Failure: Not Sending DVIs
Around the 24 minute mark, Bruce names the most common failure: doing DVIs but not sending them to customers. An inspection the customer never sees cannot build trust or drive sales.
Inspections often go unsent because of time pressure. Advisors are busy, the phone is ringing, and sending the DVI feels like an extra step. Fixing this usually means building the send into the workflow: the inspection is not complete until it reaches the customer, and the shop management system or DVI platform tracks the send rate. ATI’s How to Increase Your Average Repair Order connects this habit to sales.
Education, Not Just Liability
Bruce explains that DVIs should educate customers, not just protect the shop from liability. He also describes a small step his techs take at the start of every inspection that prevents headaches later. And he closes by showing how proper DVIs increase pay for everyone in the shop, from technicians to the receptionist.
What This Looks Like for Service Advisors
Service advisors are the bridge between a thorough inspection and a customer who understands it. A strong advisor reviews every inspection before sending it, checks that photos are clear and notes are written in plain language, and adds a short personal message that summarizes the most important findings. That review step catches errors and makes sure the customer receives a consistent experience regardless of which technician did the work.
Advisors also set expectations at drop off. Letting customers know they will receive a digital inspection with photos, and asking how they prefer to be contacted, increases the chance they will open it. During the follow-up call, the advisor walks through red items first, then yellow, and closes by noting what is in good condition. Notes about deferred work should be saved so the next advisor can reference them at the following visit. Over time, this process builds a vehicle history that makes every recommendation more credible.
DVI Improvement Checklist
- Is every vehicle receiving a complete inspection?
- Does every DVI include notes, not just photos?
- Is every DVI sent to the customer, every time?
- Are you tracking component wear across visits?
Jodi and Darren Knepper discuss presenting DVIs in Hire the Right Service Advisor and Level Up Your Auto Repair Shop. Travis Bickham explains how DVIs close the trust gap in Close the Trust Gap.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a digital vehicle inspection?
A digital vehicle inspection, or DVI, is a vehicle inspection recorded with photos, videos, measurements, and notes in software, then sent to the customer by text or email. Instead of hearing a list of recommendations over the phone, customers can see the condition of their vehicle for themselves. DVIs typically rate items by urgency, often using green, yellow, and red, to help customers prioritize.
How long should a digital vehicle inspection take?
Time varies by shop, vehicle, and how thorough the inspection standard is. Quick checks may take only a few minutes, while comprehensive inspections that include measurements, photos of every major system, and detailed notes can take considerably longer. Many shops find that investing more time in a complete inspection pays off through customer trust, higher approval rates, and fewer missed problems.
Do digital vehicle inspections increase average repair order?
Many shops report that well-executed DVIs help increase average repair order because customers can see the need for work and review it at their own pace. The key is execution: inspections must be complete, include clear photos and notes, and actually be sent to the customer. A DVI that sits in the system unsent provides no benefit.
How do I get technicians to complete full inspections?
Create a written standard for what a complete inspection includes, train everyone on it, and review a sample of inspections regularly. Share good examples with the team and give specific feedback on gaps. Tracking completion and send rates makes the expectation visible. Explaining how thorough inspections affect the customer’s safety and the shop’s sales, including pay where applicable, also helps technicians see the value.
Should I show customers items that are in good condition?
Yes. Showing green items proves the technician inspected the whole vehicle and gives the customer peace of mind. It also makes recommendations for yellow and red items more credible, because the inspection is clearly balanced rather than focused only on selling work. Customers who see the full picture are more likely to trust the shop and return for future service.
Resources and Links From This Episode
Connect With the Guests
- Bruce Nation: LinkedIn, Westlake Independent, Follow Westlake Independent on Instagram
