How We Built Service Buddy — An AI Tool That Protects Shoppers from Getting Ripped Off
A behind-the-scenes look at our new AI-powered quote checker — and how your organization could build something just as useful (with our help).
At PSFK, we’ve been thinking a lot about the most useful role AI can play — not just in generating content, but in turning data into knowledge people can actually use. You've seen us build platforms like Broadmind, Eventmind, and Trend God to explore that idea.
But this time, we wanted to solve a real problem for real people. So we built Service Buddy — a free tool that helps drivers (and soon, pet owners, patients, and more) figure out if they’re being overcharged (aka, ripped off).
It’s simple: upload a quote from your mechanic, and Service Buddy will tell you if the price is fair, what you could do yourself, and who else in your area can do the job — all powered by AI agents and real-time local search.
Do you have a quote from the last time you took your car in? Try Service Buddy now at servicebuddy.help
How Service Buddy Works
Service Buddy is a layered system of AI workflows (or “agents”) that takes in a repair quote and returns a smart, user-friendly breakdown. Here’s how it works:
1. Multi-format Quote Intake
Users can upload quotes in nearly any format — photos, PDFs, text, or even handwriting. We use OCR and computer vision to extract line items from printed invoices, typed forms, and handwritten estimates. (And yes, we’re thinking ahead to doctor’s notes.)
2. Quote Understanding & Task Categorization
An AI agent parses the quote to identify:
What’s being serviced
Cost of parts and labor
Service type and urgency
Then each task is classified into:
DIY Fixes — air filters, wipers, fluids
Independent Mechanic Repairs — general labor and part installs
Branded Dealer Tasks — warranty-sensitive or complex diagnostics
3. Agent-Led Research & Real-Time Benchmarks
We spin up three agents — each tuned for a service tier — to fetch relevant pricing and shop details based on the user’s ZIP code:
DIY Agent → Looks up parts from trusted retailers and make & model specific how-to videos on YouTube
Independent Mechanic Agent → Pulls real-time pricing and reviews from local shops
Dealer Agent → Benchmarks what branded service centers charge for that task
All agent research is placed in a shared “working table” — a memory layer where results can be reused or refined by other agents.
4. Smart Output Formatting & Personal Delivery
Once results are in, we format a standardized, structured output:
A clean, public webpage (indexable by AI & Google)
A personal email summary tailored to the driver
We massage the AI’s raw output to avoid hallucinations and ensure layout consistency across cases.
5. SEO & AI Search Optimization
After delivery, we refine the content further for discoverability in:
Google Search / SGE
ChatGPT & Perplexity
Bing Copilot
This includes adding structured repair data, embedded FAQs, and links to local shop listings.
6. Future-Proofed Data Infrastructure
Every quote we process becomes part of a growing dataset — giving us insight into:
What repairs actually cost
Which shops are overcharging
How pricing differs by region, brand, or repair type
This turns Service Buddy into a living pricing index, and potentially a much larger platform.
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Why We Built It
You might know PSFK as a source of solid insights. But to do that well, we’ve invested in building AI knowledge systems — tools that turn raw information into useful decision-making support.
Service Buddy isn’t just a product — it’s a proof of concept for a bigger belief:
The most powerful thing a brand can build with AI isn’t another chatbot — it’s a tool that actually helps people with real problems.
With Service Buddy, we're putting that belief into practice.
Who Should Reach Out
We’re actively exploring partnerships with:
Auto part retailers and service centers
Retailers looking to build loyalty through useful AI
Agencies who want to showcase AI capabilities
Any brand thinking about turning consumer pain into brand equity
Let’s Build Something Together
Try Service Buddy now at servicebuddy.help
Or reach out if you're exploring how to launch an AI-powered utility of your own.
Let’s make AI more useful — and more human.
—
Piers & the PSFK Team
📫 hello@psfk.com