The reality is that now is a better time than ever to set your auto repair shop up for success, and even start laying the foundation for multi-shop growth. Especially for shop owners willing to take the time to embrace a new toolset: a modern shop management system.
In our latest Auto Repair Industry Index we took a look at recent industry trends across the country, compiled data from industry resources, and compared it to our Tekmetric data. What we found was really promising!
With a cloud-based SMS, shops can leverage amazing features like Default Inspections and Smart Jobs to not only simplify their workflows and smooth out their operations to run like a well-oiled machine but also set their business up for future growth and success.
1. Standardize Your Shops’ Workflow
Auto repair shops standardize their shop’s workflow as much as possible to free up time for your team to focus on the critical aspects of their job, like interacting with customers or completing repairs.
Features like Default Inspections are a simple way to create a uniform experience across your organization’s multiple locations.
In Tekmetric, default inspections automatically apply a standardized inspection template to every repair order service advisors create, letting them spend less time on the computer, and more time talking to customers.
2. Shared Customer History
Tekmetric Multi-Shop Shared Customer History allows users to connect customers across shops and view the history of those customers across all locations within their organization.
By linking customer data so that service writers have access to all past information, you can remind customers of that brake job they declined last time, or double-check on the status of that failing water pump your techs saw last time to create a personalized, yet uniform experience across all your shops.
3. Smart Jobs Will Revolutionize Your Shop
Your typical repair order may have one or more jobs packaged together, requiring a lot of clicking to find the right labor guides, the right parts, and the right markup matrices, over and over again. That's why we built Smart Jobs.
Smart Jobs is so powerful that it’ll revolutionize the speed and efficiency your shop works at.
With just one or two clicks, Smart Jobs will create a proper job, check inventory, pull in the right parts, prompt service advisors to purchase any missing parts, and automatically apply unique parameters to a job like fluid quality and amount based on engine type.
4. Unified Reporting For All Locations
As your shop expands, you’ll want to consistently and accurately track all of your numbers. Having the ability to track how much your shop has grown helps you hone in on the best direction for your business and course-correct to minimize any potential loss.
For example, if you notice that a large portion of your declined jobs are brake pad replacements, you can create a promotional campaign around brake pad replacements at one of your locations to see if the campaign effectively improved said location’s close ratio.
If it works, you can scale it across all locations. If it doesn’t work, you have the data you need to adjust.
5. Integrate With the Best Tools
By linking in other platforms, tools, or systems you're already using with your shop management system, owners and managers can create the ultimate platform that touches every part of their operations, building on top of the organization and core functionalities of managing your business.
For example, you can integrate with common parts vendors to simplify inventory management and parts ordering within one platform.
Or, if you're looking to expand your business, integrations let your shop bring in entirely new tools like all-in-one auto repair shop marketing platforms, or more traditional Customer Relationship Management tools, letting your shop set up automatic emails, reminders, or even offers for customers.
6. Continuous Support For Your Shop
We get that time is a huge reason a lot of shop owners don't want to make the change to a new shop management system. Learning how to use a new shop management system can be overwhelming.
That doesn't mean you should rule out the opportunity to upgrade your shop's tools and set yourself up for future growth. Our onboarding process is much more than just a setup wizard or a series of emails -- we'll get you ready to launch within your shop within 2 weeks!
Even better though, your support doesn't stop there. Not only do we have an industry-leading support team available at a minute's notice to work through any speed bumps you might run into, but Tekmetric is constantly being improved with new features and functions to help your great shop get even better.
Experience the Benefits of Tekmetric’s Automotive Repair Software
Are you a multi-shop owner who wants more visibility and alignment across locations? Are new shop locations in your future vision? Schedule a demo and see why more than 3,000 auto repair shops choose Tekmetric!
If you run an auto repair shop, chances are you have customers that think they know what’s going on with their vehicle as soon as they set foot in your shop. Although customers with preconceived assumptions can be frustrating at times, we have to give drivers credit for doing their research, especially now when we have a wealth of information at our fingertips.
You’re probably thinking to yourself, “Yes, but automotive repair estimates online aren’t always the best source of information.” And you’re right. But let’s think about ourselves for a second. As people who have experienced the world and have naturally developed our own worries, fears, and doubts, we tend to trust our own intuition and symptom-research sometimes more than we trust professionals.
And it’s a well known fact that consumers have a hard time trusting the auto repair industry—or any business that gives customers diagnoses for that matter. Just as people look up their symptoms online, and come to a conclusion on WebMD, they tend to do the same thing when something is wrong with their vehicle.
Whether it’s true or simply a situation where someone is convincing themselves they have said illness, the internet isn’t going anywhere. And let’s face it, we’re all guilty of using the internet for quick and easy answers, which is why it’s important to empathize with customers. Just as they may Google their symptoms, it is likely that they might type into the search bar, “Why is my car making a rattling sound?”
Of course, it is highly possible that the results that populate aren’t necessarily what an auto repair pro would point out to them. But whatever they find online still gives them some peace of mind, knowing they are informed before stepping foot into an auto repair shop that they may or may not trust.
It’s inevitable: people feel more protected if they understand—or even slightly understand—the issue at hand first.
Now, take a step back and think to yourself where your customers are getting their car repair information from. If you answered “auto repair estimate online tools,” you’re exactly right.
Mechanic interviews are challenging for both the employer and candidate because the right candidate has to be a fit in personality and technical ability. Plus, the numerous certification types, manufacturer nuances, and shop needs make it even more challenging to become a mechanic.
This guide can be used to help repair shops/dealerships ask the right questions and also help technicians be prepared for questions they will likely encounter. Below you will find the most common car mechanic interview questions broken down by mechanic and service advisor level plus tips to ace your next interview.
Top mechanic job interview questions
While every auto repair shop differs in how they run their job interview process, these are some of the most common questions you can expect. Ranging from technical questions to customer service, be prepared to answer these common questions before your next interview.
General interview questions for car mechanics
These common questions cover basic automotive repair experience and relevant work history.
Tell me about yourself and your experience as an automotive technician.
Why do you want to work for our company/shop?
How do you stay up to date with new automotive technologies and repair techniques?
What certifications do you currently hold (ASE, manufacturer-specific, etc.)?
Are you comfortable working weekends, evenings, or overtime if needed?
Technical interview questions for mechanics
These technical interview questions cover more specific hand-on experience and tools/equipment.
Which repairs are you best at?
How much would you estimate your tool inventory to be worth?
What steps do you take when diagnosing a check engine light?
What tools and diagnostic equipment are you most familiar with?
Have you worked with hybrid or electric vehicles?
Do you believe in factory recommended vehicle maintenance intervals?
How comfortable are you with OEM scan/diagnostic tools?
Experience & situational questions for mechanics
These questions help employers understand how you would handle various shop situations and also helps them understand your communication skills.
Can you describe a time when you had to work under a tight deadline?
How do you deal with angry customers?
How do you prioritize tasks when you have multiple vehicles to work on?
What would you do if you made a mistake on a repair? How do you handle accountability?
What do you do if you encounter a vehicle with an issue you've never seen before?
Additional questions to expect
Are you comfortable serving those in need once a month?
Are you comfortable doing a DVI on the majority of vehicles you touch?
How do you handle a high-pressure environment when the shop is busy?
How do you handle a situation where you're unsure about how to fix a problem?
Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer?
Top interview questions for service advisors
While the interview questions for service advisors will be similar to mechanics, there will be small differences. Typically, service advisors will be more customer facing and shops will tailor their questions to focus more on customer service and communication style.
General interview questions for service advisors
Are you comfortable selling repair services?
Are you comfortable working on a commission based salary structure?
Who do you believe has the best after market products?
How do you deal with a customer saying that you are more expensive than their last shop?
How do you win back angry customers?
How do you handle over the phone quotes?
Technical interview questions for service advisors
What are your greatest strengths as a service advisor?
Who do you trust for moving electrical parts?
How do you handle working in a fast-paced environment?
Are you comfortable meeting sales goals and upselling services?
How do you stay up to date with new automotive technology and service trends?
How do you handle stress during busy hours?
Experience & situational questions for service advisors
How do you explain complex vehicle repairs to a customer who doesn’t understand cars?
What steps do you take to build trust with customers?
Have you ever had to deal with a miscommunication between a technician and a customer? How did you resolve it?
Can you describe a time when you turned a dissatisfied customer into a repeat customer?
How do you handle multiple customers needing assistance at the same time?
Additional questions to expect
How do you explain the importance of routine maintenance to a customer?
What experience do you have with automotive service software or point-of-sale systems?
How do you prioritize repair orders and schedule work efficiently?
How do you explain repair estimates to customers?
How would you respond to 1-star reviews?
Job interview tips for mechanics
Research: Not all shops are created equal so make sure to research before applying to make sure they are a good fit. You can also look at online reviews to see what their customers are saying.
Preparation: Use the commonly used questions above to help you prepare for the interview. Practice how you would answer each question and ways you can present yourself well.
Attire: You have 7 seconds to make your first impression and attire is a big part of that. Dress to showcase your professionalism and experience.
Highlight your experience/certifications: Showcasing your certifications and experience can go a long way to in making sure you land the job.
Ask thoughtful questions: Some interviewers will allow you to ask questions during the conversation. Make sure you have a few questions to ask that help you learn more about the shop.
Follow up: if you haven’t heard back from the shop and you are still interested, give them a call and remind them of your interest in the position.
Final thoughts
Interviews are challenging in any industry but mechanic interviews can be even more challenging with the shortage of talent available. This guide will help you either prepare for your next interview or provide you with common questions to ask your next hire. Lastly, always hire for culture fit and talent second. Culture problems are a lot harder to correct than technical car knowledge.
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