Announcing SOC 2 Type II Certification: Reinforcing our Commitment to Security

Josh Schumack

|

May 7, 2024

|

Read time: 3 min

As a digital solution for auto repair shops, Tekmetric understands the importance of maintaining the highest security possible.  Not only do we want to ensure that our customers receive full transparency anytime their vehicle is in the shop, but we also understand the value of keeping customer data protected and secure. 

Last year, Tekmetric took our data security measures to the next level by achieving SOC 2 Type I compliance – and this year, we’ve stepped up our game to achieve SOC 2 Type II compliance. By earning both SOC 2 Type I and Type II compliances, we aim to continue promoting trust, transparency and security throughout the industry. 

As a company that prioritizes innovative, reliable solutions, Tekmetric is proud to be among the first auto repair shop management solutions to receive SOC 2 Type I and II compliance. These certifications are awarded in accordance with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) standards for SOC for Service Organizations (SSAE 18). 

What is SOC 2 Type II Compliance? 

SOC 2 Type II compliance is awarded when a system meets five principles:  

  • Security. SOC 2 Type II protects the system against any unauthorized access, ensuring customer data is only accessible to approved parties. 
  • Availability. This allows for stronger capabilities in monitoring performance, disaster recovery and handling security incidents. For example, Tekmetric has many data centers across the country to promote better disaster recovery. If one center goes down, the others have backup data available, so shops can access their information without missing a beat. 
  • Processing Integrity. This quality revolves around quality assurance and process monitoring. The information you process through the system must be complete, authorized and accurate. 
  • Confidentiality. We recognize that our partner shops obtain many types of personal data from vehicle owners. SOC 2 Type II compliance assures you and the vehicle owners that visit your shop that their data remains confidential within your system. 
  • Privacy. Above all, we want to make sure data is specifically used for its intended purpose. People value dependability, and this certification helps keep your shop’s data private according to the standards specified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA). 

What is SOC 2 Type I vs. Type II?

  • Type I: Describes how security and compliance controls are “designed” based on a specific point in time. For example as of March 31st, the organization conducts background checks and has job descriptions for roles and responsibilities.
  • Type II: Describes the “design and operating effectiveness over a period of time (audit period),” typically 6-12 months. This assessment shows the SOC 2 control implementation and operating effectiveness over that time period. 

What Does It Mean for My Shop? 

Security is a big concern in the modern auto repair industry – and with good reason. No one wants their data available to the whole world. With SOC 2 Type II compliance, we are able to keep any information that you put into Tekmetric secure, from your shop’s data to your customers’ information. 

This happens without you needing to lift a finger. No need to track the last time you backed up your data or review who has access to your system! You can also assure your customers that their sensitive information is safe when they give it to you. They – and you – can sleep easier knowing the data is protected, and your shop management system meets top-tier industry standards to keep it that way.  

Protecting Data in the Long-Term

At Tekmetric, we’re committed to driving positive change in the auto repair industry by promoting accessibility and transparency for both  partner shops and the public. Achieving SOC 2 Type II compliance demonstrates that Tekmetric not only meets, but surpasses industry standards. We are committed to consistently measuring up on behalf of our customers, and data security is no exception to that rule.

By combining our leading shop management solution with top-class data security, we can better support you and your shop in protecting your data and your customers’ data – all without slowing your team down. Here’s to transparency, trust and reliability! 

👉 Ready to grow your automotive business? [Book a personalized Tekmetric Demo Here]

FAQ

More articles

HOUSTON – October 31, 2023 – Tekmetric, industry leading automotive repair shop management system, has released Smart Jobs, the industry’s first smart job building feature that quickly builds jobs in just one click to help streamline the creation of repair orders. In just one click, shops can quickly build an estimate with parts and labor, check on-hand inventory levels and shop at preferred vendors right in Tekmetric. This revolutionary feature enables service advisors to focus on customer service while simultaneously reducing workload.

"When it comes to running an independent auto repair business, efficiency is paramount," said Sunil Patel, CEO of Tekmetric. "With Smart Jobs, shops have the opportunity to respond to customer needs quickly and accurately, saving time and hassle for everyone. This is a game-changer for our industry, and we are confident that it will revolutionize the way shops operate and deliver customer service."

With one click in Tekmetric, service advisors can now build a job based on the vehicle selected, and Tekmetric will automatically:

● Create a job title

● Add the relevant labor line and apply a labor matrix

● Add the necessary parts, filters and fluids and apply a parts matrix

● Check inventory for all parts, then fetch them from your favorite vendors if not in stock

● Apply a locked package price to the entire job

● Apply any necessary fees

In addition to building repair orders more efficiently, Smart Jobs also accelerates the parts ordering process. Not only can the feature automatically apply the correct quantity of parts, filters and fluids to the repair, but it also shops for out-of-stock items and prepares an order within Tekmetric. For quick jobs, like cabin air filters, Smart Jobs has been able to save approximately one minute per job, adding up quickly throughout the day. Smart Jobs can also help new employees to begin building jobs faster. This can lead to improved productivity and reduced errors, helping employees to produce high-quality work earlier in their training.

Smart Jobs will be available to Tekmetric customers in 2024. To request pricing or schedule a demo visit https://www.tekmetric.com/feature/smart-jobs.

About Tekmetric

Tekmetric, a Houston-based auto repair technology company, offers a cloud-based platform that enables auto repair shop owners to enhance productivity and increase profitability through its streamlined workflow management processes. Designed by a former shop owner, Tekmetric’s platform drives shop efficiency through real-time data, a customizable user interface and customer-centric communication tools. Since its launch in 2016, Tekmetric has disrupted the industry with its robust fully-integrated system, developed with an emphasis on customer transparency and user collaboration. For more information, visit www.tekmetric.com.

If you take away anything this month, it's that the Tekmetric Mobile app is now yours! We’re thrilled to have launched this across iOS and Android to make your techs’ lives easier, cutting their inspection time in half. As well, it delivers increased customer trust, ultimately driving up your bottom line. 

Other top release highlights include improving the efficiency of Smart Jobs, adding fresh permission settings for increased financial control, speeding up the process of finding parts across your inventory, and making the 10DLC registration process simpler.

If you’re using Tekmessage, please complete your 10DLC registration ASAP.

Starting December 1st, this requirement will be enforced. 

Save Time and Drive More Revenue With The Tekmetric Mobile App 

Perform inspections from any mobile device, complete with photos and videos, building customer trust and increasing job approval. Tekmetric customers using it today have seen their inspection times cut in half. As well, shops that share digital vehicle inspections (DVIs) with their customers, see an average increase of $15k in revenue per month.  With real-time synchronization your team stays coordinated, whether they're under a vehicle or discussing repairs with customers at the front desk.

 

 

Who’s this for?: All customers

Download Today!

App Store   Google Play Store

Learn more about the Tekmetric Mobile App

Reduce Manual Tasks with Smart Jobs 

Minimize the impact of time consuming tasks with these enhancements to our Smart Jobs feature. 

Have you ever built a job using Smart Jobs, only to realize you accidentally selected the wrong part? Now you can instantly search PartsTech again without leaving your current job screen - ensuring you always quote the right part at the right price for your customer. 

Oil changes are a necessary maintenance to keep any car running. So, it’s no wonder that repair shops offer oil change promotions to get new customers in the door. These promotions are usually for the standard 5 quarts, but what happens when a customer’s car requires extra oil? Smart Jobs will automatically calculate the adjusted price for the extra oil and add it to the estimate. This means no more hassling with a calculator to calculate the additional price tag. Smart jobs will simply provide clear and accurate estimates every time. 

Who’s this for?: All Customers  

Learn more about Charging for extra oil    Learn more about recalling PartsTech on a Smart Job

Register Your Tekmessage Number With 10DLC ASAP 

Starting December 1st, 10DLC registration will be required for all businesses using 10 digit phone numbers for application-to-person (A2P) messaging. This requirement will impact all customers using Tekmessage. So, we’ve made it easy for you to complete this registration in-platform. This process should take no more than 10 minutes and can be done from the Tekmessage Integration Card on the integrations page. 

To ensure your service is not interrupted, please be sure to check your status and complete your enrollment ASAP. The approval process typically takes 2 to 3 weeks. Learn more about 10DLC and how to do this here.

Who’s this for?: All customers using Tekmessage.  

Learn More 

Manage Fees Across Multiple Locations

Ensuring shop fees are consistent across all of your locations is critical, especially for maintaining customer trust. This process is now easier than ever to manage using the Multi-Shop dashboard. You can create new fees, edit existing fees, and delete fees across all of your locations. Need to maintain shop-specific pricing? No problem. Individual shops can manage their unique pricing details without impacting universal pricing. 

Who’s this for?: All customers with the Multi-Shop add-on. 

Learn More Here  

Control Permissions for Accounts Receivable 

We heard you when it comes to wanting more control over your finances in Tekmetric, especially for those with lots of employees accessing the platform. Within the payments permission, there’s a new sub-permission for engaging with accounts receivable. By checking this box, the employee will have the ability to send repair orders to accounts receivable. 

Tip: This will default to “on” for newly created shop owners and shop admins. If you had employees with the payments permission “on” at the time of the release (10/28/24), this sub-permission was defaulted to “on”. 

Who’s this for?: All customers. 

Learn More Here

View Inventory Across All Your Locations From One Place 

Locating parts across your network can be extremely cumbersome, especially if you have to hop in and out of shop views. Your Multi-Shop account now brings inventory from all your locations into a single view, saving you time & getting your team back to work quickly. Filter by shop, status, and part type to find what you need in a snap. 

Who’s this for?: All customers who have the Multi-Shop add on.

Learn More Here

Tekmetric's October 2024 Product Rundown

November 8, 2024

Read time: 3 min

read more

In the automotive repair industry, efficiency and organization are key to keeping customers happy and maximizing productivity. While traditional tools have always been the foundation of a mechanic’s work, modern software solutions like parts inventory management software are revolutionizing the way shops operate. By integrating software with traditional tools, mechanics can streamline repairs, reduce downtime, and focus on delivering exceptional service.

Here are four ways auto parts inventory software can transform your shop into a well-oiled machine.

1. More efficient repairs

One of the biggest challenges mechanics face is delays caused by missing or misplaced parts. With inventory management software, you can always have a clear view of your inventory, ensuring the parts you need are in stock and ready to use. This eliminates the frustration of searching for or reordering parts mid-repair, expediting the entire process.

Tekmetric’s inventory management software gives you real-time updates on stock levels, so your team can quickly locate and retrieve parts when needed. By integrating this system with traditional tools, you can keep your repairs moving faster, improving turnaround times and customer satisfaction.

4 Reasons your shop needs auto parts inventory software.

2. Clear organization

A disorganized shop can lead to wasted time, miscommunication, and errors. With car parts inventory software, you can create a digital inventory catalog, ensuring every part is accounted for and can be easily located. This streamlined organization makes it simple to track high-use items and plan for reordering.

Traditional tools like diagnostic equipment and repair manuals can be paired seamlessly with software features like Tekmetric’s parts ordering system, which ensures your shop has the tools and parts needed to tackle every repair. Combining digital and physical resources helps mechanics stay organized, reduce clutter, and maintain a professional work environment.

3. Less administrative work

Manual inventory management takes valuable time away from what technicians do best: repairing vehicles. By adopting auto parts inventory management software, you can significantly reduce the time spent on administrative tasks. Tekmetric automates inventory tracking, reordering, and reporting, freeing up mechanics and shop owners to focus on delivering quality service.

Automation also reduces errors in inventory counts, minimizing costly mistakes and ensuring your team always has the parts they need. With less time spent on paperwork, your shop can prioritize what matters most: getting customers back on the road quickly and safely.

4. Better customer experience

Auto parts inventory management software is designed to make your shop more efficient, organized, and customer-focused. By providing real-time updates, automated tracking, and seamless integration with traditional tools, Tekmetric helps shops stay ahead of the competition.

Closing Thoughts

For mechanics and shop owners, integrating modern tools like car parts inventory software with traditional equipment isn’t just an upgrade—it’s essential for staying competitive. By streamlining repairs, improving organization, and reducing administrative work, inventory software enables your shop to operate more efficiently and deliver better service to your customers. Invest in the tools that make a difference and see the results for yourself.

Auto Parts Inventory Software: 4 Reasons Your Shop Needs It

December 13, 2024

Read time: 3 min

read more