The Doctor is In

Delphi's DS800 is part of the DS series of aftermarket diagnostic and training products specifically designed to help meet a repair facility's biggest challenges.

"Repair facilities are concerned about consumer confidence in the ability to repair their complicated, high-tech vehicles," said Michael Simon, Delphi sales manager for national accounts. "Shops are challenged with employee training and retention, as well as the complexity of simply running the business from day to day. Just like a doctor's office or hospital, these are big issues. That's why we help address them with our Delphi Smart Service System and the DS800."

Delphi Smart Service System in Action
Mary brings her vehicle to XYZ Repairs, a Delphi Smart Service Center. (Smart Service Centers are aftermarket repair facilities equipped with Delphi's diagnostic and training technologies.) The XYZ service advisor brings a wireless DS800 laptop or tablet PC out to Mary's car to check her in. The advisor asks Mary about her car's "symptoms" and records them on the computer.

By scanning Mary's car's vehicle identification number (VIN), the service advisor pulls up the car's make, model, year, and engine size along with the name of any previous vehicle owner who might have been an XYZ customer.

With the DS800 vehicle interface, the advisor also plugs into the vehicle's on-board computer (OBD II) to ask the car what it thinks is wrong. This Service Bay Quality Control (SBQC™) test is a "health check" on the OBD II systems.

"This on-board computer check is similar to going to the doctor's office," said Simon. "Before you get to see the doctor, a nurse or assistant takes your blood pressure and temperature and weighs you. That way, the doctor has all of that good information up front, which makes the most of his or her time and expertise. The SBQC doesn't provide a diagnosis-we need the service technician to do that. But it gets the process started and gives the customer some idea of what the problem might be."

The check-in process also allows the service advisor to walk around Mary's car, noting any body damage to the car. If Mary has been to XYZ before, the service advisor can also review the maintenance history on the shop management system. In addition to her primary concern, the service advisor can make maintenance suggestions-like an oil change or transmission service-which could be completed all in a single visit.

If the SBQC shows that an oxygen sensor, for example, might be needed for the repair, the service advisor can show a video clip to Mary to explain what the part is, what it takes to repair it, and why her car needs it. Called Auto IQ, this capability can help inform the customer and ease any worries.

The service advisor can print out technical service bulletins on the car and gather as much information as possible-clearing the path for the technician to take over.

"The bottom line is that we are changing that customer's perception of the repair shop's capabilities to accurately repair their high-tech vehicle," said Simon. "The customer feels like the diagnostic process has already started. The process doesn't take long-approximately five minutes with the car-similar to any other check-in process. But the information for the technician and the impact on the customer are far greater."

The Diagnosis
Using Delphi's web servers and wireless technology, the service advisor, technician, and shop owner can easily share information on the vehicle and repair order. At the service bay, the technician works with a wireless tablet PC and looks at the collected preliminary information and SBQC data.

Like a portable clipboard, the DS800 tablet displays online access to service information, schematics, wiring diagrams, and Delphi-specific diagnostic information-all at the vehicle, where the technician needs it most.

"The technician also has access to Delphi Tech Tips-information that has been learned over the years," said Simon. "A sample Tech Tip might note that, on a 1998 model of the car the technician is working on, you should always check a specific electrical connection because it's a common issue."

The icon-based DS800 software helps the technician walk through the diagnostic process. Delphi provides its patented Tables of Known Good™ database for a clear diagnostic path. The DS800 also provides a process for any type of driveability repair the technician needs to do on the vehicle.

At any point, if the technician wants more information or assistance, Delphi's DirecTech™ is always available. An Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) master-certified technician at Delphi is ready to help answer the technician's questions, right from the tablet, using state-of-the-art voiceover IP technology! Using the tablet with headphones and noise-canceling microphone, the technician can talk with the Delphi support right at the vehicle and share information on the display.

"For just about any problem, this box has a response," said Simon. "With the SBQC, the technician doesn't have to start from point zero. Our goal is to cut diagnostic time down, by helping the technician go from the vehicle's symptom, down to the system, down to the component or wiring fault in 30 minutes or less."

As an added bonus, if the XYZ shop's parts distribution network has online ordering available, the technician (or other shop personnel) can order parts directly from the distributor or consult the go.delphi.com online parts catalog.

After the Procedure
When the repair is complete, the technician runs a final SBQC test on Mary's vehicle. This is the final step in quality control to help ensure that everything is fixed properly.

Up front, the service advisor has access to the final SBQC and can print the results. Mary receives the printouts, which are green (meaning everything is good). Any remaining problems would be shown in red and circled.

Continuous Training
The Delphi Learning Management System is another key feature of the DS800 system.

"Ten years ago, there were a lot of training centers and ways for technicians to get additional training," said Simon. "Today, finding the time and availability for training to keep up with the technology in the aftermarket is very challenging."

With the Delphi Learning Management System, the shop owner provides employees with individual login IDs. Employees start their Delphi training by logging in and taking an assessment. From this assessment, the system would recommend courses. If the assessment indicated a low score on ABS brake systems, the program would recommend a course in that area. There are courses for service management and technicians-covering topics from how to treat customers to how to fix the vehicles. Employees can take these online courses at home, at the library, or at work-wherever it is convenient. After passing the course, Delphi sends a certificate of completion.

Version 5.0
The newest version of the DS800 system includes software and hardware that help move a customer's vehicle through the repair facility even more efficiently-from first contact through invoicing.

"The biggest difference is the new look and feel for the product," said Simon. "Icons replace many of the words in the previous versions. Because we have added additional languages, the new icons will be beneficial to all users." Version 5.0 of the DS800 system is available in English, Spanish, and Canadian French.

The new version also uses "dot-net architecture." This new Internet technology allows the product to work faster, be more robust, and work better with multiple languages. Delphi customers will notice the speed primarily, but the changes also increase the reliability of the mobile wireless devices and add another level of security. By streamlining the process with the DS800 system, navigation is easier, too.

"We've added guided diagnostics to help the technician work through diagnostic issues more easily," said Simon.

Delphi also upgraded the vehicle interface, used to connect the vehicle's OBD II with the DS800 computer. The new vehicle interface is also able to communicate with a new technology on vehicles called CAN (controller area network). The new DS800 vehicle interface adds optional features for Delphi customers: enhanced OBD II information, bidirectional communication, and flash reprogramming capabilities.

Delphi in a Box
"The DS800 and Smart Service System are just like having Delphi in a box," said Simon. "We've made a huge commitment to supporting our aftermarket customers and helping make them successful. This isn't just a tool. This is really something that helps a business be more efficient and improve relationships with their customers. Our customers always have access to Delphi people for support.

"Nothing like this has ever been tried before for the aftermarket, but we recognized the need and met it," he said. "And we've seen the success of the DS800 since its introduction in 2001. A shop owner recently told me that putting the Delphi system in was a life-altering experience, and it really is. We help shops grow their business, increase the number of customers, increase repair order dollar values, and increase customer satisfaction."