Launched last year,
RoadTab is gaining speed. The online matchmaking app between auto owners and repair shops began in the Twin Cities, but now offers options for users in Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Seattle.
The service's growth isn't a surprise, notes founder Jacob Phillips. "People are responding to the way the system works, and really liking the way they can get estimates online, instead of taking their vehicles to different shops."
RoadTab allows users to input the type of work they need performed, and to receive estimates via email. Based in Chanhassen, the service got its start when Phillips reflected on his experiences owning a small car dealership. Constantly on the phone to auto repair shops, he sought a tool that would streamline the process. When he couldn't find one, he decided to build his own, with the help of web and mobile development firm
Tiny Mission.
The app is free for users, and mechanics pay a yearly membership fee. Phillips has refined the tool so that requests don't get sent out to every mechanic in the system. For example, if a car owner needs repair on a cracked windshield, only specialists in auto glass repair will get the query.
One sticking point is that it can be difficult for mechanics to give estimates for cars they haven't examined, but despite that challenge, the service seems to be picking up more mechanics and site users on a regular basis.
Phillips anticipates that the service will begin rolling out to more cities in the future. Next up is probably Chicago, he believes. "We can see this being nationwide," he says. "It's picking up momentum as it goes."
Source: Jacob Phillips, RoadTab
Writer: Elizabeth Millard