Many people cast a wary eye on auto mechanics when they are working on their cars. Now AutoWatch in Brighton lets them keep close tabs on their precious wheels when they are in the shop, and is making a mint while doing it.
David Henderson started the Internet firm in 2000 while working as a body technician at Art Moran and playing around with some websites in his spare time. He thought by letting customers see their cars as they were fixed at local repair shops, via the Internet, the money raised would pay for a new boat. Unexpectedly, it's turned into a multi-million dollar business for him.
"Basically it was me, my car and my laptop when I started," says Henderson, the president of AutoWatch. "I had no idea where this would take me."
And oh the places he is going. AutoWatch went from being in 20 repair shops to 3,000 today. It has 18 employees and expects to add another two or three within a year. It's revenues for last year were $1.3 million, and are expected to reach $2 million this year and double that next year.
The body shops pay a monthly fee to simulcast vehicle repairs. Major insurance companies such as Esurance are also signing up. The service has cut calls to check on cars by 30 to 40 percent and greatly increased customer satisfaction.
"One guy told me I basically took the roof off his garage and let his customers look inside," Henderson says.
Inspired by his success, Henderson is branching out. SeeProgress, the umbrella corporation that owns AutoWatch, is also doing the same thing for home builders, allowing buyers to see the construction of their new home. However, that end of the business has slackened as the housing sector has stumbled.
But AutoWatch is still going strong and Henderson is laughing all the way to the bank.
"They were laughing at me, saying this is crazy when I started this," Henderson says.
Source: Dave Henderson, president of AutoWatch
Writer: Jon Zemke
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