An AI Powered CRM for Auto Repair? with Kieran O'Brien

Brian and Kim talk with Kieran O’Brien, founder of ShopGenie, an AI powered CRM for auto repair. Thank you to our friends at RepairPal for providing this episode. RepairPal’s Certified Network of shops are trusted by millions of customers each month. Learn more at RepairPal.com/shops.Introduction and Sponsorship (00:00:01 - 00:00:39) The speakers introduce the podcast and thank the sponsor, Repair Pal.Kieran's Background (00:00:58 - 00:02:00) Kieran shares his story of starting his first business at 16, working in the automotive industry, and building a CRM with technology that established companies are not integrating.Opportunity in CRM (00:02:55) Kieran discusses the opportunity he sees in the CRM side of the auto repair industry.Starting a business at a young age (00:03:33) Kieran talks about how he started his first business at the age of 16 and how he found mentors in the automotive industry.Alternative paths to success (00:05:21) The hosts and Kieran discuss the idea that college is not the only path to success and how apprenticeships are viewed differently in Europe.Raising an entrepreneur (00:06:27) Kim talks about how her son grew up with two entrepreneur parents and how they have had discussions about his future and whether or not he needs to go to college.Parents' reaction to Kieran's success (00:08:49) Kieran talks about the contention between him and his parents regarding his decision not to go to college and how his success in business changed their relationship.The need to promote trade schools (00:09:24) Kieran discusses the need to change the narrative around college and promote trade schools to solve the problem of student loan debt and the technician shortage in the auto repair industry.Sponsorship message from Repair Pal (00:10:11) The hosts thank Repair Pal for sponsoring the episode and encourage auto repair shops to become Repair Pal certified to attract tech-savvy customers.Tenacity and Authenticity (00:11:06) Kieran's approach to promoting her product with authenticity and tenacity, without being pushy.Importance of Customer Experience (00:11:42) Kieran emphasizes the importance of building an incredible product, brand, and customer experience to attract and retain customers.Obsessive Customer Service (00:13:25) Kieran talks about the importance of obsessive customer service and recommends the book "Unreasonable Hospitality" for auto repair shop owners.The Ideal Auto Repair Shop (00:14:57-00:16:41) Kieran O'Brien discusses the ideal auto repair shop, which would be a specialty shop with a focus on customer service and the latest technology. The hosts compare it to the Ritz Carlton and Chick-fil-A.Shop Genie's Customer Experience Platform (00:16:54-00:17:44) Kieran O'Brien talks about Shop Genie's customer experience platform, which is an AI-powered platform for auto repair shops that handles marketing automation, reviews, online scheduling, and more. The platform aims to put everything under one roof and provide the best customer experience in the market.Dealing with Outdated CRM and Marketing Technology (00:17:44-00:18:19) Kieran O'Brien discusses how the CRM and marketing technology in the auto repair industry has been outdated for a while, and how Shop Genie aims to build a customer experience platform that integrates everything in one place, instead of having to deal with multiple software vendors.AI and Blue Collar Jobs (00:18:35) Discusses how AI is not taking over blue collar jobs, but rather replacing desk jobs. Talks about how technicians are getting paid more and how AI is useful for communication.Jasmine: AI Assistant for Auto Repair (00:19:19) Introduces Jasmine, an AI assistant built and traine