Alldata is adding labour times to its service data to help UK workshops further.
With more than 400,000 users worldwide, Alldata has spent the last 35 years establishing itself as a trusted partner to garages and bodyshops around the world. For any readers as yet unfamiliar with the service, the company re- publishes original and unedited OEM repair data to aid technicians working in the aftermarket to accurately diagnose and repair vehicles in their care.
With the increasing complexity in vehicle maintenance and repair in the market, the rate of change in the automotive industry is accelerating at a faster rate than at any time in the past. More than ever before, garages need comprehensive and reliable repair and maintenance data. This allows technicians to offer a confident and professional diagnostic and repair service to their customers.
Alldata Repair launched in Europe in 2012. While the brand has gained a loyal following of subscribers in that time, to many garage technicians in the UK and Ireland, it remains a well-guarded secret. Following success in the German market, the UK operation is now scaling up its sales team, appointing a national team to widen the awareness of the product.
Furthermore, it will appoint selected value- added resellers throughout the UK and Ireland to rapidly grow its subscriber numbers.
What data does the software contain?
With more than 12 million English language technical documents, original OEM repair information from 29 vehicle manufacturers is re-published in the software and the company recently added models from Toyota, Lexus and Cupra. The data is available under license from each OEM and brought together in one place – the Alldata website, accessible with one username and password.
Vehicles become more complex with the release of each new model. An annual subscription to Alldata Repair gives instant access to all repair data, as well as Technical Service Bulletins, diagnostic trouble codes and electrical systems/wiring diagrams. The data is offered with an intelligent search engine (offering text string matching technology) to enable the technician to find the data they need in seconds.
The portal offers 89,000 make, model, engine, year vehicle combinations, which equates to 95 per cent of vehicles on the road today. It also offers a library of three million technical drawings and wiring diagrams, with a database that is regularly updated.
It’s not just in the service, maintenance and repair garage environment where the service is instrumental: bodyshops with access can deliver OEM-quality mechanical and collision repairs. This includes body and frame, electrical systems, panel replacement and structural procedures.
Craig Scragg, a Retail Motor Industry Standards and Certification technical trainer gave his verdict on the software: “Alldata has helped me in various ways, from OE wiring diagrams to diagnostic codes, also including manufacturers’ removal and replacement procedures, including body panel procedures.
“I particularly like the wiring diagram aspect, as I know it is OE and comes directly from the manufacturer. I know it is as accurate as it can get.”
Labour times
Launched last month, Alldata Labour Times is designed to enable technicians to confidently make repair estimates regardless of which make and model of vehicle rolls onto the forecourt.
Thanks to the collaboration with TecAlliance, a leading provider of aftermarket data, the software is now able to publish OEM repair times alongside its repair and maintenance data.
The labour times service is available to both garages and bodyshops as an add-on product to the standard subscription.
While this article marks Alldata’s debut in PMM, the brand exhibited at Mechanex in November last year. Product and technical experts travelled from its European headquarters in Cologne to highlight the product’s credentials and offer demonstrations. According to the team, early feedback was encouraging.
Building on that momentum, Alldata’s exhibition trail will continue in 2023 with Automechanika Birmingham. The event will take place at the National Exhibition Centre between the 6th and 8th June.
These events, with more potentially on the horizon, represent fantastic networking opportunities for existing customers and prospects.
