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Inspection Video Is the New Standard—Are Your Students Ready?

Inspection Video Is the New Standard—Are Your Students Ready?

Beyond the Wrench May 06, 2026 35 min
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About this episode

Inspection videos are presented as a better way to communicate repair findings, both in the shop and in the classroom. The discussion connects faster customer follow-up with higher acceptance, stronger revenue, and better service outcomes, while also showing how students can learn the same workflow they’ll use on the job. It also covers rollout details like device requirements, school pricing, DMS integrations, and how the software tracks technician performance.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Concept

pre-purchase inspection

"One dealer say that we've been handing the customer sheet music all these years [4.7s] What they really wanted was for the dealership to play them a song [8.6s] And that's really what video allows us to do is to package up everything that has been found during the inspection"

A pre-purchase inspection is a careful check of a car before you buy it. The goal is to find problems early and explain them clearly to the buyer.

Company

true video

"We're really excited to be hosting today's webinar alongside our partner true video. I [51.0s] Know a big part of today's audience is made up of instructors, which is really really awesome to see [56.1s] What you're doing in the classroom and the shop is shaping the next generation of technicians"

True Video is the company partnering on this webinar. They help shops use video to show customers what a technician finds.

Topic

creating inspection videos

"We're going to be talking about creating inspection videos, but not just from a shop standpoint [76.6s] This is something that translates directly into the classroom as well [81.1s] Helping students learn how to clearly explain what they're seeing build confidence in their communication and ultimately create trust with a customer"

They’re talking about making videos of car inspections. The videos help explain problems more clearly to customers and help students learn how to describe them.

Concept

cloud upload

"But at some point you're going to click the upload button and now we're going to upload that video up into the cloud Now the video is going to upload over the course of 30 or 40 seconds pretty quick once it's uploaded"

Cloud upload just means the video gets sent to an online system, not just saved on one computer. Then the shop and customer can open it using a link.

Concept

repair order

"They get a notification that a video has been uploaded against that repair order and all they need to do is just click on that pop-up and They will actually go to the detail screen that has a repair order details customer number and so forth and"

A repair order is the paperwork a repair shop uses to track a job—who the customer is, what work is being done, and the details of the repair. Here, the video gets linked to that job so everyone can find it easily.

Concept

customer experience

"They click send to customer and that sends it through a text message with that link now the customer experience looks like this They get a text message with the link in it"

In this context, “customer experience” means what the customer goes through—like getting a text with a link and being able to watch the video on their phone or tablet. It’s about making the process easy and trackable.

Company

CDK

"But also through our partnerships and so our software is also the platform that's used by CDK [422.7s] So the largest DMS in the industry"

CDK is a company that makes software dealerships use to run their operations. Here, they’re saying CDK uses the same platform for the video/inspection tools.

Term

DMS

"But also through our partnerships and so our software is also the platform that's used by CDK [422.7s] So the largest DMS in the industry"

DMS means Dealer Management System. It’s the computer system a car dealership uses to run service and repair work.

Company

Reynolds and Reynolds

"But we also built the mobile app for Reynolds and Reynolds and we are the video engine for X time and a few others"

Reynolds and Reynolds makes software for car dealerships. The host is saying their video tools are connected to that dealership software through a mobile app.

Company

NADA

"I've presented three out of the last four years at NADA as a workshop and that's about a 10% hit rate"

NADA is a big organization for car dealers. The host is saying they’ve presented their inspection-video training workshops there.

Term

walk-around video

"That you can run through in about 30 minutes and it really kind of talks about how do you install it? [513.6s] Why is it important and and and how do you do a good walk-around video?"

A walk-around video is a recording where you show the car from different sides and point out what you’re seeing. The host is talking about how to make those videos clear and useful.

Concept

quarter time

"“There's a concept called quarter time and quarter time basically says if I'm not getting information to the customer about recommended repairs within a 25% within a quarter of their expected wait time the chances they are going to accept my recommendations just falls off a cliff…”"

“Quarter time” is a rule-of-thumb about timing. If the shop doesn’t tell you what repairs you need soon enough—relative to how long you’re expected to wait—people are much less likely to say yes.

Concept

multi-point inspection sheet

"“Second up is customer experience… about 40 years ago the multi-point inspection sheet was created…”"

A multi-point inspection sheet is a checklist the shop uses to look at a bunch of different parts on your car and write down what they find. It helps the dealer explain what repairs they recommend.

Concept

OEMs

"“Second up is customer experience really important to dealers and to OEMs…”"

OEMs are the car makers themselves—the companies that originally built the vehicles. They often set expectations for how dealerships should handle service and customer communication.

Concept

warranty expired

"“…because 70% of customers defect after their warranty expired…”"

“Warranty expired” means the factory coverage period is over. After that, repairs usually cost the customer, so shops try to identify issues and recommend fixes.

Topic

OEM inspection video programs

"Third side of this that the dealers care about his customer experience and we have OEMs like Mazda VW Audi. They are they have programs in place to require an inspection video on every customer facing repair one."

The segment describes OEM programs that push or require inspection videos as part of the repair/inspection workflow. The goal is to standardize how findings are documented and communicated to customers across dealerships.

Brand

Volkswagen

"we have OEMs like Mazda VW Audi. They are they have programs in place to require an inspection video on every customer facing repair one."

Volkswagen is listed among OEMs that have programs requiring inspection videos for customer-facing repairs. In this context, it’s an example of how multiple manufacturers are pushing standardized, video-based communication.

Brand

Audi

"we have OEMs like Mazda VW Audi. They are they have programs in place to require an inspection video on every customer facing repair one."

Audi is mentioned as another car brand that supports using inspection videos so customers can clearly see what the shop found.

Concept

customer-facing repair

"They are they have programs in place to require an inspection video on every customer facing repair one. Mazda put this in place the year before they were the number 11 spot after a year of video."

This means repairs the shop is explaining to you directly—usually with proof of what they found and what they recommend doing next.

Brand

Mazda

"Mazda put this in place the year before they were the number 11 spot after a year of video. They jumped to number three spot in the JD power customer service index study."

Mazda is mentioned as a car brand that started using inspection videos earlier than others, and the host claims it helped their customer satisfaction scores.

Company

JD Power customer service index study

"They jumped to number three spot in the JD power customer service index study. Unheard of to jump that many spots the next year."

JD Power is a company that surveys customers and ranks how satisfied they are. The speaker is using that ranking to show inspection videos may improve customer experience.

Concept

RO's

"In your revenue and then we say, okay, let's multiply that by 750 RO's I've got a 400 or $45,000 improvement in a given month And if I multiply that over 12 months, I've got a $540,000 improvement over that year as revenue"

“RO’s” here means repair orders. It’s the dealership paperwork that tracks each repair job, and more RO’s generally means more work and more money.

Concept

margin is 50% between parts and labor

"And if we say margin is 50% between parts and labor I'm still looking at $270,000 that I wasn't getting last year now You could argue up or down the number of RO's the you know"

“Margin” is the money left over after paying for parts and labor. Saying it’s 50% means they’re assuming half of that revenue turns into profit.

Company

ASC connects

"ASC connects in partnership with wrenchway brings schools and industry together on one easy online platform At no cost for schools At the heart of ASC connects is school assist the online resource that lets you post exactly what your program needs"

ASC connects is a website/platform that helps auto/diesel schools connect with local shops and industry people. It’s meant to make it easier to find help and opportunities for students.

Concept

school assist

"At the heart of ASC connects is school assist the online resource that lets you post exactly what your program needs From guest speakers shop tours tools advisory committee members career fair participants and even student job opportunities"

“School assist” is a tool on the platform where schools can say what they need—like speakers or shop visits. Shops can then see the requests and respond.

Topic

dealerships and a lot of independence

"Next up why schools care and first up is it's a current practice This is what's being used in dealerships and a lot of independence"

They’re talking about how widely the practice is used, including at dealerships and independent repair shops.

Concept

communication chain

"Why do students and technicians care about it? Well, it solves the communication chain Which I'm going to show you what I mean by that..."

The communication chain is how information moves from the mechanic to the person who talks to the customer, and then to the customer. If that message doesn’t land, the customer may not approve the repairs.

Concept

service department

"But it's it's pretty broken if you look at How things are communicated within a service department If I asked a technician..."

A service department is the repair side of a dealership or shop. It’s where problems get diagnosed and repairs get scheduled, usually with help from an advisor who talks to the customer.

Concept

service advisor

"...they come up with a bunch of recommendations The advisor pitches the customer and the customer doesn't accept anything..."

A service advisor (often called an advisor or service writer) is the person who interviews the customer, communicates diagnostic findings, and presents recommended work for approval. In many shops, the advisor’s ability to explain value and manage expectations directly affects whether technicians get the job authorized.

Concept

confidence

"Now in our scenario, we've got a customer and then we also have someone that the customer might Share their information with and ask advice from we call that person the confidence."

Here, “confidence” seems to mean a trusted person the customer asks for advice. It’s another step in the process before repairs get approved.

Part

CV boots

"Maybe they don't know how to describe some of these recommendations about tie rods and CV boots"

CV boots are rubber covers that protect the joints that let the wheels turn while driving. If a boot rips, the joint can wear out faster and start making noise or vibrating.

Part

tie rods

"Maybe they don't know how to describe some of these recommendations about tie rods and CV boots"

Tie rods are parts that help connect your steering to the front wheels. If they’re worn out, the steering can feel loose and tires may wear unevenly.

Concept

sticker shock

"Or maybe they're thinking with their wallet not with the customer's wallet And they don't want to give the customer sticker shock"

“Sticker shock” means the customer is surprised by how expensive the repair estimate is. If it’s not explained well, they may hesitate or say no.

Concept

prevents information loss in translation

"And that's what we're trying to paint here is All of this information that's gathered the front end gets lost lost in translation if you will When we incorporate video the technician records one video with all the recommendations goes to the advisor"

They’re talking about how inspection problems can get lost or misunderstood when the info moves from the mechanic to the service writer to the customer. Video is used to make sure the customer sees the same details the technician saw.

Concept

labor hours

"Now when we look at uh dollars and cents, I'm going to roll this into in just one second We talk about the average hour labor hours. And so"

Labor hours are how long the shop expects a repair to take. That time estimate is used to calculate the labor cost.

Term

delta

"The difference between those two numbers is 0.93. We call that the delta ... when I'm recording videos and the customer watches the video."

“Delta” just means the difference between two results. They’re using it to show how much more time (and money) happens when video is included.

Term

video dashboard

"You are using the true video dashboard ... run this report and it's going to show delta hours."

A “video dashboard” is a screen/report that shows how the video feature is performing. Here it’s used to generate the numbers they compare (like labor and parts).

Term

labor dollars

"it's going to show delta hours. It's going to show delta, um labor dollars and parts dollars"

“Labor dollars” means the money charged for the technician’s work. They’re saying the report can show how video changes that billed amount.

Term

parts dollars

"It's going to show delta, um labor dollars and parts dollars and"

“Parts dollars” means the money charged for the replacement parts. They’re saying video can affect both labor and parts billing.

Term

per technician

"It actually tracks per technician ... you're going to see down here that james is at 1.97 and we've got ryan at 0.47"

“Per technician” means the results are broken down by individual workers, not just the dealership overall. They use it to compare how different techs are doing.

Term

wi-fi

"Um [1281.5s] Not a very heavy lift here. Um [1283.9s] Going to have good wi-fi in the shop [1286.6s] And a lot of schools already do have good wi-fi just in general"

Wi‑Fi is the wireless internet connection. They’re saying the shop needs it so students can use the training software and video tools.

Term

diagnostic programs

"Going to have good wi-fi in the shop [1286.6s] And a lot of schools already do have good wi-fi just in general but also for diagnostic programs and other third party [1293.8s] services that you might use"

Diagnostic programs are computer tools that help mechanics figure out what’s wrong with a car. They walk you through checks and show the results so you can find the problem faster.

Term

gauge

"Gages are important [1298.7s] So we recommend that you get your hands on a gauge or two just in terms of being able to display what the gauge says [1305.0s] Most technicians have stick gauges, but it's really hard to focus on a stick gauge"

A gauge is a tool that measures something on the car and shows a number or reading. They’re saying students should practice reading gauges because it’s easy to miss details on some types.

Term

analog

"[1309.2s] So either go digital or we go analog like this [1311.8s] And then when you get into the brake fueler gauges nice to have a couple of new pairs on hand."

Analog means the gauge uses a needle/pointer and a scale. You read it by where the needle lands, not by looking at a digital number.

Term

digital

"[1309.2s] So either go digital or we go analog like this [1311.8s] And then when you get into the brake fueler gauges nice to have a couple of new pairs on hand."

Here, “digital” means the gauge shows the measurement on a screen instead of using a needle. That usually makes it easier to read accurately.

Term

work order

"And that creates the ro or the work order in our tool So a little bit of extra data entry just shows up automatically on on the the device itself so they can attach a video to it"

A work order is the shop’s written “to-do list” for a vehicle. It records what needs to be done and links the job details to the inspection.

Term

MPI project

"Uh next one is I am an instructor and I'm having my students do a video mpi project Are you able to share that checklist you had shown us earlier to use as a type of grading rubric?"

MPI is a multi-area vehicle inspection. Students use it as a practice project to check different parts and document what they find.

Term

grading rubric

"Are you able to share that checklist you had shown us earlier to use as a type of grading rubric? Yeah, I can share that if you wanted to just send me an email"

A grading rubric is a checklist of what you’re being graded on, plus how the scoring works. It makes grading more consistent between students.

Term

online portal

"Reach back out if you have not heard from me because I've responded to anybody who's who's communicated to me through the wrenchway online portal You know the the timing is is helpful to understand"

An online portal is a website login area where you can access information. In this case, it’s where they handle messages and program details.

Company

wrenchway

"You can also watch the video interviews on wrenchways youtube channel... Speaking of wrenchway beyond the wrench is managed and produced by the wrenchway team..."

Wrenchway is the organization that runs this podcast and the related interviews. They focus on helping people build careers in automotive and collision repair.

Company

ase connects

"...In partnership with ase we run the ase connects community which empowers shops and dealerships with reliable data school connections and industry insights while helping grow the future technician workforce..."

ASE Connects is a community program for shops and dealerships. It’s meant to share useful information and connect schools so more future technicians can be trained.

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