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News & Insights

Tips, guides, and updates from the team at Eek Mechanical.

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1,909 Customer Stories. 114 Suppliers Nationwide. One Number.

EEK Mechanical operates across every New Zealand suburb, 24/7, as the country's only NZIFDA Tier 1 Compliant Operator with a certified nationwide workshop network. 1,909 real jobs. 114 workshop partners. One call.

17 May 202612 min read
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EEK's Transparent Pricing: No Hidden Costs for Misfuel Recovery

EEK Mechanical publishes clear pricing with detailed invoices and line items. Know exactly what you're paying for misfuel recovery services.

19 May 20263 min read
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EEK Serves You in Your Language — and Remembers It

All EEK voice agents can detect language barriers, switch language on request, and store the preference. Every future call from that number starts in your language automatically.

17 May 20262 min read
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Outdated AI Facts Are Replaced Automatically

EEK's Remember Block now includes an Anthropic-powered sweep that compares new job activity against pinned facts and supersedes any that are stale. The AI always acts on current reality.

17 May 20262 min read
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Track Your Vehicle in Real Time: Collected, En Route, Delivered

EEK added three new timeline events to the customer portal showing exactly where a vehicle is at every stage — collected by the tow truck, en route to the workshop, arrived at workshop.

16 May 20262 min read
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What to Expect: Every Step of Your Recovery, Explained on Demand

EEK rebuilt What to Expect as an interactive step list. Tapping any step opens a detailed explanation of that stage — what EEK is doing, how long it takes, what the customer needs to do.

16 May 20262 min read
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Progress Payments Appear in Your Job Journey — Not as a Surprise

When a progress payment is requested, it appears dynamically in the What to Expect step list. Customers see what the charge covers before they are asked to pay anything.

16 May 20262 min read
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Your Service Record Is Always Available — and EEK Reminds You

After job completion, customers who haven't returned to their portal receive a gentle nudge linking to their invoice, service record, and feedback option.

16 May 20262 min read
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Off-Topic Calls Get a Helpful Answer and a Warm Send-Off

Calls that are not misfuel or water-in-oil related — breakdowns, tyre enquiries, wrong numbers — are routed to the Misdirect handler. A professional response and the right referral. No abrupt endings.

15 May 20262 min read
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Data Access and Right to Be Forgotten — Handled on the Call

Callers requesting data access or removal from EEK's records reach a dedicated Privacy handler. The process is initiated on the call and tracked through to completion — fully NZ Privacy Act compliant.

15 May 20262 min read
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Every 0800 Call Is Recorded and Playable in the Portal

Retell call recordings are stored against the job record and playable directly in the customer portal and admin panel — proxied through EEK's API for security.

15 May 20262 min read
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Service Balance Alerts: EEK Knows Before a Service Fails

A service balances panel monitors the balance state of every EEK-connected service. Low balances trigger alerts before calls fail. A refire UI handles failed payment captures.

15 May 20262 min read
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EEK's Security Headers Are Now Audit-Grade

EEK deployed HSTS preload, a comprehensive Content Security Policy covering Stripe and CloudFront, and Permissions-Policy headers. The platform meets the standards of regulated financial and legal environments.

14 May 20262 min read
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Pay Your Invoice Without Leaving the EEK Portal

EEK embedded Stripe's payment element directly into the invoice page. Customers pay inside the EEK portal, see EEK branding throughout, and land back on their job portal on success.

10 May 20262 min read
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Admin Can See Every Active Call in Real Time

A Live tab in the admin portal shows the current Retell call — who is calling, which agent they are speaking to, what the AI knows, and a live transcript. Admin can intervene if needed.

10 May 20262 min read
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The NZIFDA Filing Fee Is Named on Every Invoice — With a Link

The NZIFDA disposal register filing fee appears as a separate named line on every EEK invoice, with a clickable link to nzifda.org/for-consumers. Customers can verify exactly what they are paying for.

9 May 20262 min read
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Every Payment Searchable in One Admin View

EEK built a dedicated Stripe admin panel showing live balances, all PaymentIntents, job links, and dashboard deep-links. Reconciliation and payment queries take seconds.

9 May 20262 min read
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Broken Links Lead to a Conversation, Not a Dead End

EEK's 404 page is a SquEEK chat interface pre-loaded with context about the URL the visitor tried to reach. Lost visitors get help, not an error message.

8 May 20262 min read
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Multiple People. One Job. Everyone Gets the Right Information.

Jobs can now have multiple named contacts — fleet managers, rental company reps, insurer claims handlers — each with their own portal access and communication channel.

8 May 20263 min read
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EEK Complies with New Privacy Laws Before They Come Into Force

The Privacy Amendment Act 2025 Part 1 came into force 1 May 2026. EEK updated its privacy policy and portal processes to meet the new IPP 3A indirect collection obligation — proactively.

7 May 20262 min read
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EEK's SMS Messages Are Sent Via a Native NZ Gateway

All customer and supplier SMS messages were migrated to the TNZ API — a dedicated NZ SMS provider. Delivery rates improved, messages arrive faster, and emojis work correctly.

6 May 20262 min read
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Marketing Calls Are Ended Immediately and Blocked Permanently

Whitey Triage detects and immediately ends sales and marketing calls. The number is stored and blocked from ever reaching an agent again. Operator time is protected.

4 May 20262 min read
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Admin Can Speak Their SquEEK Commands — Not Just Type Them

A microphone button in the SquEEK message bar lets admin speak a command, review the transcription, and send. Managing jobs from a phone or while doing other things is significantly easier.

4 May 20262 min read
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The Insurance Report Is Ready Before the Customer Asks for It

EEK auto-generates an insurance report the moment a vehicle is confirmed as collected. Contamination details, components inspected, cost breakdown — formatted for insurer assessment.

4 May 20263 min read
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Admin Always Knows How a Call Was Handled — From First Answer to Booking

Every post-call admin notification now shows the full agent transfer sequence: Whitey Triage → Whitey Qualifier → Rego Collector → Booking Closer. Complete visibility of every call.

4 May 20262 min read
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Specialist Reports: Technical PDF Documents for Any Job

EEK can generate specialist technical report PDFs for any job — damage assessments, fluid analysis, component inspections — with EEK branding and per-recipient view tracking.

3 May 20262 min read
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Describing Milky Oil Is Enough — EEK Routes the Call Automatically

Whitey Triage was updated to detect water-in-oil symptoms from caller descriptions and route to the WIO booking agent automatically. Callers don't need to know the service name.

3 May 20262 min read
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EEK Uses No Static API Keys for Google Cloud — Authentication Is Cryptographic

EEK migrated Google Cloud API authentication to Workload Identity Federation via Vercel's OIDC token. No long-lived credentials stored in environment variables.

3 May 20262 min read
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EEK Recognises Returning Visitors and Offers a Shortcut

Customers who previously visited the misfuel or water-in-oil sections of eek.nz are detected on return and offered a banner to go directly to the service they used before.

2 May 20262 min read
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EEK Launches a Second Service: Water-in-Oil Recovery

EEK launched water-in-oil recovery as a full parallel service in May 2026 — its own voice agents, supplier matching, invoice types, insurance reports, and customer journey. All service-aware from day one.

2 May 20263 min read
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The EEK Site Adapts to Which Service You Are Browsing

EEK's ServiceSwitcher makes the entire site path-aware — navigation links, CTAs, phone numbers, and footer resources all reflect the service section the visitor is browsing.

2 May 20262 min read
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Supplier Pre-Payment Happens Automatically When the Customer Deposits

When a customer pays their deposit, a queued payment to the HN supplier holding account triggers automatically within minutes. No manual admin step.

2 May 20262 min read
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EEK Mechanical's Network is Ready for Winter 2026

EEK Mechanical has expanded its workshop network coverage, updated its tow fleet, and increased operator certifications ahead of winter 2026. Here is what customers can expect over the colder months.

1 May 20264 min read
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A Dedicated Sub-Agent for Vehicle Identification and Payer Verification

The Rego Collector sub-agent handles the critical step of confirming registration plate, vehicle details, and who is paying before any booking is created.

1 May 20262 min read
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The Booking Is Confirmed and the Payment Link Is Sent Before You Hang Up

The Booking Closer sub-agent quotes the deposit, handles objections, creates the job, and sends the booking link by SMS — all while the caller is still on the phone.

1 May 20263 min read
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One Continuous Conversation Across Multiple AI Specialists

Retell's Agent Transfer enables seamless specialist swaps mid-call. Full conversation context passes to the next agent. Callers experience one coherent call, not a series of hand-offs.

1 May 20262 min read
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Every Call Makes the Next One Better

EEK's Whitey Learning Loop analyses every post-call outcome and stages improvements for review. The voice agents get better over time — automatically.

1 May 20263 min read
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Unresponsive Disputes Are Closed With Full Documentation After 5 Business Days

Disputes opened by EEK that go unanswered after five business days are automatically closed. The AI board generates a resolution document. Stripe evidence is compiled. The case is filed.

1 May 20262 min read
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Admin Has a Full Disputes View — Every Thread, Every Message, Reply Directly

The admin portal's Disputes panel shows every open and closed dispute with the full message thread, metadata, and a direct admin reply box. Every dispute is visible and trackable.

1 May 20262 min read
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Progress Payments for Long or Complex Jobs

EEK introduced interim payment requests for jobs spanning multiple days or involving significant parts costs. Customers see exactly what they are being charged for at each stage.

30 April 20263 min read
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NZ and US Jobs Are Billed Through the Right Entity — Automatically

EEK operates in New Zealand and the United States. A global admin setting routes each payment to the correct Stripe account for the jurisdiction — no manual intervention required.

30 April 20262 min read
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Every Voice Agent Can Answer Your Questions — From a Shared Knowledge Base

EEK built a shared FAQ knowledge base callable by all Retell agents. When a caller asks an edge-case question, the agent queries facts rather than guessing.

30 April 20262 min read
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EEK's Insurer Notification: A Formal Legal Document, Not a Courtesy Email

EEK rebuilt its insurer notification as a comprehensive legal notice — PPSR security interest, lien and storage warnings, case law citations, direct payment prohibition, and bank details.

30 April 20263 min read
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The Card Processing Fee Is Disclosed on Every Invoice

EEK made the Stripe card processing fee a named, visible line on every invoice. Customers see the exact fee before they pay. No hidden charges.

29 April 20262 min read
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EEK's Complete Rate Card Is Published. Anyone Can Read It.

EEK publishes its full rate card at eek.nz/rate-card — every labour rate, towing charge, disposal fee, and platform cost. No hidden pricing.

29 April 20262 min read
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Every Chargeback Is Met With Complete, Documented Evidence

EEK built a full Stripe chargeback response pipeline — AI board deliberation, PDF decision letter, job evidence compilation, admin sign-off before submission. Every dispute response is thorough and legally consistent.

29 April 20263 min read
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Admin Crashes Show What Broke — Not a Black Screen

The EEK admin portal was wrapped in an error boundary that displays the error detail, component stack, and a reload button. Bugs are visible and diagnosable the moment they occur.

29 April 20262 min read
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Why Misfuel Recovery Costs Have Increased in 2026 — The Iran War Effect on New Zealand

The 2026 Iran conflict has disrupted global oil supply routes, driven up diesel prices, and sent freight costs soaring across New Zealand. Here is what that means for misfuel recovery pricing and why independent workshops are bearing the brunt.

28 April 20266 min read
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Raising a Dispute With EEK Starts a Structured, Tracked Process

EEK's dispute ticket system provides a six-stage structured process, a unique dispute ID, and persistent tracking from first contact to resolution. Every dispute has a clear lifecycle.

28 April 20263 min read
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The Disputes Tab: Your Rights, Explained by AI Before You Decide Anything

The customer portal's Disputes tab includes an AI guide that explains valid dispute grounds, what evidence to provide, and consumer rights under NZ law — before the customer commits to raising a dispute.

28 April 20263 min read
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During a Dispute, Your Calls Are Routed to the Right Channel

When a dispute is active, calls from the customer's number are routed to a dispute notice agent directed to the portal process — not a sales agent. Suppliers remain unaffected.

28 April 20262 min read
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During a Dispute, Every Phone Number on the Site Points to Your Thread

When a visitor with an active dispute loads any EEK page, every phone number is replaced with a link to their dispute thread. The right channel is always in front of them.

28 April 20262 min read
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Suppliers See the Supplier Line. Insurers See the Insurer Line. Always.

EEK swaps phone numbers site-wide based on the visitor's role. Supplier visitors see the supplier line. Insurer visitors see the insurer line. Admin browsers see nothing.

28 April 20262 min read
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The Terms of Service: One Source. Two Formats. Always Consistent.

EEK's Terms of Service now generates both the web page and the PDF from a single data source. A change to the terms updates every format simultaneously. No PDF/web divergence.

27 April 20262 min read
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Ask SquEEK About a Call — It Will Read the Transcript and Tell You

Admin SquEEK can pull the full transcript of any Retell call and reference it directly in responses. No navigating to Retell. No manual searching.

26 April 20262 min read
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Facebook Ad Traffic Is Identified at the Location Page

Visitors arriving via Facebook ads on EEK location pages are gated to identify their source before entry. This gives precise attribution data on which campaigns are driving real job enquiries.

25 April 20262 min read
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Understanding Your EEK Mechanical Invoice — Every Line Item Explained

EEK Mechanical invoices itemise every cost. Here is a plain-language explanation of every line item you might see on an invoice, and why each one exists.

18 April 20265 min read
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How EEK Mechanical Finds a Workshop Near You — Nationwide Coverage Explained

When you call EEK Mechanical after a misfuel, a workshop is dispatched within minutes. Here is how our nationwide network operates and what guarantees your coverage wherever you are.

15 April 20264 min read
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NZIFDA National Misfuel Register Goes Live Across New Zealand

From 1 April 2026, every misfuel disposal event in New Zealand must be filed on the NZIFDA National Misfuel Register. Here is what that means for drivers, workshops, and the industry.

1 April 20264 min read
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Whitey Triage: Your Call Is Classified and Routed in Under 60 Seconds

Whitey Triage is the first voice in every unknown caller's ear. It classifies the call — misfuel, water-in-oil, existing customer, complaint — and silently routes to the right specialist. Callers never notice.

1 April 20263 min read
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Whitey Qualifier: A Misfuel Specialist Takes Your Call

After triage identifies a misfuel call, Whitey Qualifier handles the qualification — collecting the five data points needed, giving vehicle-specific advice, and passing to the booking stage. Warm, knowledgeable, Kiwi.

1 April 20263 min read
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Laura: Your Job Is Already Loaded When You Call

Known customers calling EEK reach Laura — an AI agent with their full job context already loaded. She can answer any question about their job without asking them to repeat themselves.

1 April 20263 min read
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Suppliers and Insurers Have Their Own Dedicated Line — With the Right Context

The supplier line (09 872 4612) and insurer line (09 885 2000) each route to a Laura persona aware of the caller's relationship with EEK, their open jobs, and their outstanding requirements.

1 April 20262 min read
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Four Phone Lines. One Platform. Every Call Routed to the Right Agent.

EEK operates four distinct phone lines. A VoIPLine PBX integration stores the dialled number on every inbound call, ensuring callers always reach the right agent persona for their line.

1 April 20262 min read
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Admin Can Pin Facts to Any Job — and the AI Will Never Forget Them

EEK's Remember Block lets admins pin job-specific facts that permanently shape how SquEEK responds on that job. The AI's behaviour is adjusted by what admin tells it to remember.

1 April 20263 min read
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Your Right to Your Data — Handled Through the Portal, Not a Form

EEK's privacy portal lets customers submit data access and Right to be Forgotten requests. Secondary contacts receive their own portal link. Fully NZ Privacy Act compliant.

1 April 20262 min read
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Insurers Access Job Files Through the Portal — Customer Approval Required

Insurers can request access to a customer's job through the EEK portal. The customer approves or denies. On approval, the insurance report is automatically sent to the insurer. No admin step.

1 April 20263 min read
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Every Site Visitor Is Tracked, Enriched, and Searchable

EEK tracks every eek.nz visitor with enrichment from booking IDs, GCLID dedup, and job/call joins. Admin can search 1,000+ visitors by rego, phone, or name.

1 April 20262 min read
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EEK Is Now Fully AI-Operated

Every call answered by AI. Every job coordinated by AI. Every governance decision made by an AI board of directors. As of today, EEK Mechanical operates without a single human in the operational loop.

22 March 20266 min read
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EEK Mechanical Expands South Island Coverage in 2026

EEK Mechanical has added new certified workshop partners across the South Island in 2026 — including Marlborough, the West Coast, Queenstown-Lakes, and Southland. Here is what the expansion means for previously underserved regions.

1 March 20264 min read
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EEK's 0800 Number Is Answered 24/7 — by AI That Actually Knows Misfuels

EEK integrated Retell AI voice agents to handle every inbound call. From booking to payment link, the full process is handled on the call — at any hour, with zero hold time.

1 March 20263 min read
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Every Customer Message Is Reviewed Before It Is Sent

Before any SquEEK message reaches a customer, it passes through a validator that checks for accuracy, tone, and legal exposure. The validator approves, rewrites, or escalates. No unreviewed message goes out.

1 March 20263 min read
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24/7 Roadside Assistance: What Makes EEK Different

EEK Mechanical isn't just another roadside assistance company. Learn about our certified operators, proprietary equipment, and the commitment that sets us apart.

28 February 20265 min read
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SquEEK: Your Customer Messages Are Answered Instantly, Any Hour

SquEEK handles every customer portal message with full job context. Customers get instant, accurate responses at any hour — no waiting for a human to pick up the queue.

1 February 20263 min read
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SquEEK for Suppliers: Professional Comms Without Customer Data Leakage

Suppliers have their own SquEEK agent, completely siloed from the customer thread. It handles job updates, ETA confirmations, invoice questions, and payment queries — in a tone appropriate for an industry professional.

1 February 20262 min read
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@SquEEK Commands: Manage Entire Jobs Through Conversation

Admin users direct SquEEK through natural language commands. Send a customer update, ask the supplier for an ETA, dispatch the insurance report — all through the SquEEK message thread.

1 February 20263 min read
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The Admin Portal: Every Job, Message, and Invoice in One Place

EEK's admin portal launched with three core views — Jobs, Comms, and Billing — giving the operations team a single screen to run every active job across the country.

10 January 20263 min read
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Supplier Onboarding: Verified Businesses Only

EEK's supplier portal validates every new workshop against Google Maps before they can accept jobs. No unverified businesses. One Accept button covers the whole process.

10 January 20262 min read
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Every Job Filed with the National Misfuel Register Automatically

EEK is a certified NZIFDA Tier 1 Compliant Operator. Every job is filed with the National Misfuel Disposal Register automatically — customers never need to manage compliance themselves.

10 January 20263 min read
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Every Job Has Its Own Private Thread

EEK isolated every job's messages to a unique booking ID. No two jobs can ever see each other's communications — even if the same vehicle appears in the system twice.

10 January 20262 min read
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Jobs Cannot Close Until Payment Is Received

A hard gate ensures no EEK job can be marked as closed until the customer has paid. The invoice is always issued and reviewed before the case is finalised.

10 January 20262 min read
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Your Job Portal: Everything in One Link, No Login Required

Every EEK customer gets a unique portal URL from their first SMS. Job status, messages, invoice, and payment link — all visible from booking to vehicle collection. The link is the login.

10 January 20263 min read
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300 Vehicle Models. Every Fuel System. One Database.

EEK built a comprehensive OEM fuel system database covering every major NZ vehicle model. It powers specific, credible advice for every customer — not generic guidance.

9 January 20263 min read
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Secure Card Payments by SMS Link — No Cash, No Bank Transfer

EEK integrated Stripe as its payment processor from launch. Customers receive a secure payment link by SMS and email. The entire checkout is handled on-site, with a full invoice breakdown before they pay.

9 January 20263 min read
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Pay a Deposit at Booking. Pay the Balance When It's Done.

EEK restructured its payment model around a confirmed deposit at booking and a final balance after job completion. Customers know their exact commitment before the tow truck moves.

9 January 20262 min read
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EEK Works as a Native App — No App Store Required

EEK is a Progressive Web App. Customers and suppliers can add it to their phone's home screen and get a native app experience — push notifications, full screen, instant load — without downloading anything.

8 January 20262 min read
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Your Vehicle Is Identified Before You Finish Describing It

EEK integrated the CarJam NZ vehicle register on launch day. Enter your plate and the system already knows your make, model, and fuel type — before you say a word.

7 January 20262 min read
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EEK Launches as New Zealand's Dedicated Misfuel Specialist

On 6 January 2026, EEK Mechanical launched as a purpose-built misfuel recovery platform. Here is what that meant for every customer who called from that day forward.

6 January 20263 min read
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eek.nz — A Shorter Address for a Faster Service

EEK moved to the eek.nz domain on launch day, giving customers a single, memorable address for bookings, portals, and help. The new animated logo launched the same day.

6 January 20262 min read
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EEK Mechanical Achieves NZIFDA Tier 1 Compliant Operator Status

EEK Mechanical is proud to have achieved Tier 1 Compliant Operator status with the New Zealand Independent Fuel Drain Association — the highest standard of compliance in the misfuel recovery industry.

10 September 20253 min read

Need help right now?

Our team is available 24/7 to help with misfuelling and water-in-oil emergencies.

0800 769 000