Keeping in touch with Auto Shop Writer has never been easier – and its absolutely FREE !  A few minutes now will help you keep in touch with your clients automatically, and that will encourage them to keep bringing their cars in for service.  Does it work ?  ABSOLUTELY !

In the previous bulletin we described how to setup your email system.  Most of our clients have had this in place for years, but some still don’t have it.  All along you have been able to send out PDF copies of anything you can print … reports, estimates, workorders … anything.  The only exception were people who had email accounts (SMTP) that required SSL Authentication.  The new email option has resolved that problem  Of course, if you only have a webmail account, that won’t work.  However, even GMAIL has an option for SMTP that will work with our new settings … as does Hotmail and those other so called free systems.  ( Remember, there is a cost … use a free service and they own your data and can use it anyway they want … and they tell you that quite clearly in their licensing agreement ).

So now you want to setup the AutoEmail.  There are three steps:

1)  Under the Client menu, select the Text Editor option.  You will want to setup 5 new emails.  You can give them any code you want ( How about TY, D30, D60, D90, and D120 ? ).  Make sure you use type E for each one.  Now, in the text box you will want to put the content of the email.  The first one is a Thank You note, and it goes out the night when the workorder was closed.  The others follow at 30 day intervals.

2)  The other step is to select Tools – Setup – Auto Emails from the menu system.  Check the box for Auto Email On ?, put S in the Method, and then add ( or look up ) the codes for each of the reminders.  Don’t leave any blank.  Then Save & Exit.

3)  The final step is a bit trickier.  You will want to go to your Server.  First, on the bottom right corner you will see a little ^ symbol.  Click on it and you will see some task icons.  Find the one with the ASW seascape.  Right click on it and select the last option to Exit the program.  Now, go to the lower left corner and point at Start button, and press the right mouse button.  Select Windows Explorer.  Click the plus sign next to the ASW9s folder, then click on the MLS folder.  You will see a list of files.  Point to the MLS9aus.exe file and click on the right mouse button.  Select Copy.  Then point to the ASW9s folder label.  Right click on it ( make sure its highlighted ) and click Paste.  Yes, you want to overwrite the existing file.  Finally, click on the Windows Start button, select the All Programs button, look for the Startup folder, and then click on the ASWUpdate program.  This will start the new version of the updater.

Now, anytime you perform a service for a client where you have entered an email address on their account, they will automatically receive this series of emails.  You never have to do anything else … it just happens.  However, you may want to refine the text of your emails from time to time.  Its always nice to get something that might be a bit different.

This is the first of 3 bulletins on the new features in Auto Shop Writer which can enhance your business, and do it very easily.  Two of these have to do with the email system.  Please read this bulletin carefully.

First, if your Auto Shop Writer email is working fine, STOP !  You do not need to do anything discussed below.  Just leave your system alone and it will continue to work even with the new features !

If you have not been able to get your email to work, then the alternative implementation we have added may resolve that problem.  Essentially, some of the email services now require SSL Authentication.  Please try the following steps only if your email system is properly setup but does not send out the emails.  This means you have the right SMTP server address, username, and password installed. 

Enter the email Setup under Tools, Setup on the main menu, and you will see a box that says Use CDO ?  Check this box.  Also check the box that says Authentication ?  Finally, make sure you know the proper Port your email host requires for SSL traffic.  Once you have made these simple changes, save the results.

Finally, go to the Help menu, click on Email Tech Support.  In the Subject area put your shop name, and in the text area, put “Testing CDO”.  If we receive the email, we will reply to you confirming that it did go through.

Why do this ?  The next bulletin will explain how to setup your Auto Emails.  What’s this ?  You set it up once, and then anytime you service a car for a client who has an email address, the next day they will receive a Thank You note, and then reminders at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after the service.  What else do you need to do after you set this up ?  Absolutely nothing !  It is all automatic !

How difficult is the setup ?  Its actually quite easy … and should take you about 15 minutes total – ONCE !