Structured Process Analysis - Jack

 A structured process is defined by its repeatability and consistency. At Frank’s Auto Repair, the sales process meets this criteria. Here is a flow chart showing the main steps:

The information systems involved with the sales process are Podium and R.O. Writer. Podium is used to generate leads, contact customers, request service approvals, and send follow-up communications. R.O. Writer handles the creation of repair orders, estimates, appointments, and ultimately payment. Here are screenshots of the main pages in each program:

R.O. Writer

Podium

Beyond these pieces of software and the computers that they run on, there is also a point-of-sale system that allows for quick payments. Frank’s Auto also accepts cash and checks, which gives customers options. There are a few critical procedures during the sales process. If a bill is over $200, the customer must give approval and their credit card has to be entered manually along with their address for greater verification at check out. 

There are a few inefficiencies with the current system, but due to the size of the shop they do not compound into a larger problem that needs immediate attention. Silos are not a problem because everyone in the shop, including the technicians, have access to R.O. Writer to track repair orders themselves and update information as needed. Podium is used by the office workers for final payment and the other uses mentioned earlier. Updating the computers that these programs run on would be beneficial as they are becoming slow, especially as the database of customers and repairs increases.