The Gates Corp. has released version 2.0 of the NaviGates mobile app, an automotive service app that enables users to easily search for belt routing diagrams and Gates OE-quality aftermarket parts by vehicle category, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), keyword and OE/competitor part number interchange.
This 2.0 update features a new look and several new attributes that contribute to a more user-friendly interface, according to Gates. The app now utilizes the phone’s camera to allow the user to scan the VIN barcode on a vehicle. It also features an easy-to-use store locator, a buyer’s guide by part number and multiple product images. NaviGates Mobile 2.0 is the perfect tool for automotive service technicians.
“Gates takes great pride in developing tools that help technicians save time and provide excellent service,” said David Haun, director of product data services. “NaviGates Mobile 2.0 fulfills both of those criteria.”
When compared with the conventional, handwritten way of looking up a VIN, technicians who use NaviGates Mobile 2.0 save an average of five to seven labor hours per month, Gates says. Using the app also helps eliminate human errors such as illegible handwriting or writing down an incorrect number. A technician simply scans the VIN on the vehicle and selects the needed part from the list. NaviGates 2.0 also is available as an online catalog for those technicians without access to a smart phone at http://navigates.gates.com/.
The app was released in the Apple App Store Sept. 1, 2014. It will become available to Android users on Sept. 29.