Xtime: Transforming Automotive Service Operations


 

In today’s automotive retail world, fixed operations the service lane is the engine of profitability. Xtime, part of the Cox Automotive Retail360 platform, offers a fully integrated service experience platform that empowers dealerships to service more vehicles faster, increase customer satisfaction, and drive fixed‑ops revenue to new heights.

A Single Platform for the Entire Service Journey

Xtime is the only end-to-end service lane solution that centralizes appointment scheduling, inspections, customer engagement, and marketing all within one platform. By removing tech handoffs, double-entry, and disconnected communication, it creates a seamless experience for both staff and customers.

The Four Core Modules of Xtime

Schedule

Provides 24/7 online and mobile appointment booking, offering real-time availability, dealership-specific menus, and dynamic shop-loading tools. Scheduling is no longer a bottleneck but a growth driver.

Engage

Enables personalized, digital check-in/out using tablets. Through texting, diagnostics tied to videos/photos, and online payments, Engage builds trust and accelerates dealer workflow.

Inspect

Offers digital multipoint inspections with embedded messaging, parts look‑up, and real-time status updates via the “Service Tracker.” Picture or video-enhanced service recommendations (ASRs) can get customer approvals in under 7 minutes, boosting transparency and upsell success.

Invite

A powerful marketing engine that targets declined services and lost customers with multichannel campaigns via text, email, and BDC outreach filling unsold capacity and recapturing revenue.

Quantifiable Business Outcomes

Dealers leveraging Xtime see strong results:

  • Up to 46% more dollars per repair order through faster ASR approvals and enhanced communication tools.

  • Average increases of $110 per RO and improved retention metrics.

  • Streamlined operations with unified reporting across modules.

Latest Enhancements

Recent updates (early 2025) include:

  • A centralized Messaging Center for streamlined texting workflows.

  • Enhanced video and image capture support, including OEM-branded videos, noise‑cancellation, and subtitles.

  • Reimagined real-time dashboards and scoring systems to guide ASR efficiency and revenue growth.

Dealer Feedback: Pros and Cons

What Dealers Love

“Once you figure out Xtime, it’s pretty damn good. FANTASTIC for communicating with Advisors and Techs.”
“XTime as a customer facing tool is fantastic. It's clean, crisp, and user friendly. Customers love it.”

Users highlight improved internal communication, enhanced documentation (CYA), and a polished customer interface.

Common Pain Points

  • DMS integrations—especially with CDK—often require duplicate quoting or manual workarounds, frustrating parts staff.

  • Interface glitches: slow performance, unexpected UI jumps, and photo upload failures.

  • A frequent critique: unless everyone across roles adopts it consistently, efficiencies are lost and redundancies emerge.

Strategies for Successful Adoption

To unlock the full value of Xtime, dealerships should:

  • Invest in comprehensive onboarding and training, tailored by role. Many report a steep ramp-up period during implementation.

  • Align workflows—especially for parts and service—so everyone uses the same system rather than dual-entering data.

  • Leverage enhanced multimedia features and messaging, which drive approval rates and customer trust.

  • Regularly review dashboard metrics, focusing on approval times, declined service recovery, and RO growth.

Why Xtime Is a Strategic Asset

Fixed operations now contribute nearly 49% of dealership gross profit making service efficiency vital. Xtime empowers dealers to optimize every customer interaction, minimize manual errors, and maximize upsell potential.

Its integrated platform approach aligns with changing consumer expectations: transparency, convenience, and interaction-free workflows—from mobile scheduling to digital inspections and online payments.

Summary

Xtime stands out as a cohesive service experience platform that:

  • Centralizes online scheduling, digital inspections, check-in/out, communication, and marketing.

  • Boosts fixed-ops revenue and increases dollars per RO, often adding $110 or more per job.

  • Enhances customer loyalty through transparency, video-enabled ASRs, and real-time updates.

  • Integrates with CRM, DMS, and OEM systems via Cox Automotive Retail360.

  • Continually evolves, with recent upgrades to messaging, video, dashboards, and reporting.

  • Requires disciplined adoption, team training, and workflow alignment for maximum impact.

When implemented thoughtfully, Xtime can transform a dealership’s service lane into a growth engine—delivering faster throughput, higher profit, and stronger customer relationships.

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