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

Josh Schumack

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May 7, 2024

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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

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In today’s auto repair industry, data can play a key role in a shop’s ability to repair a vehicle more efficiently and accurately. Traditionally, repair information was documented informally, often by hand on paper. Today, this information can be captured and processed electronically, leading to a significant acceleration of the repair process – and a more positive customer experience. 

The transformative power of data extends beyond streamlining individual repairs. In fact, by strategically analyzing your shop’s data over time, you can also use the information to grow your shop. However, to maximize the impact of data, it’s important to know what kind of data is most effective to use in your shop. Some of the more evergreen data – performance over time – is useful in your long-term strategy, while others, such as real-time performance metrics, are more helpful in making short-term tweaks to promote better performance. In this blog, we’ll discuss how you can distinguish between evergreen and real-time data and where you can use both to grow your shop.

Understanding Real-Time vs. Evergreen Data

Before you can decide how to use data, it’s important to understand the difference between evergreen data and real-time data. Real-time data is live data that is available as soon as it is generated. It allows you to manage your shop and respond to situations instantaneously as they happen. On the other hand, evergreen data is used in hindsight, after a timeframe has ended. Most shops use this type of data to reflect after the repairs are complete.

Both forms of data have their uses. Real-time data allows you to respond to situations as they happen in a way that helps support your business. Evergreen data helps you track long-term trends and their effects on your shop. With Tekmetric, you can leverage both types to keep your shop running smoothly. When you leverage data strategically in all forms, you can optimize your shop’s operations and processes, create an excellent customer experience and prime your business for growth.

Stay Ahead of the Curve with Real-Time Data

Real-time data enables immediate visibility into what is happening with your shop at any given time. From inventory to customer communication to repair progress, you can review different buckets within your shop and respond as the day progresses. This capability allows you to make decisions on the fly without having to wait until the end of the day, week or month to know which parts need to be ordered or how many repairs you have completed. Strategically, real-time data can be used for short-term decisions that have long-term effects, ultimately becoming an integral piece to growing the shop’s bottom line.

Examples of how you can use real-time data might include:

  • Track daily progress with the shop dashboard:  Reviewing this in real-time allows you to respond to potential bottlenecks or problems that arise throughout the day. For example, if you see $15,000 in work pending approval before lunchtime, you can encourage your service writers to conduct follow-up calls to get approval and begin the work.
  • Send out rainy-day coupons: Business tends to slow down on rainy days. However, if you experience this, you can respond in real-time by sending a rainy-day coupon incentivizing customers to come in for quick-turn work, like oil changes. 
  • Monitor multiple shop locations with Tekmetric Multi-Shop: Multi-Shop can show you the performance of each shop at any time, from any location – so you can make decisions that support the strengths of all your locations. For example, you might move a car from a very busy, overrun location to another, slower location. Make sure you return the vehicle to the original location for easy customer pickup to maintain your customer experience. This maximizes workflow between high and low volume locations.

Analyze, Determine and Predict Trends with Evergreen Data

In addition to real-time data, you can leverage evergreen data by analyzing trends and your shop’s data for predictive forecasting. One of evergreen data’s biggest advantages is that it captures a period of time without the need for constant refreshing. This can help you review your shop’s performance over longer periods – year-over-year, month-to-month or quarterly – so you can implement long-term solutions to promote growth.

Examples of using evergreen data include:

  • Create more business with declined jobs: When you want to influence cash flow for the coming weeks or months, you can follow up on previously declined jobs, such as an oil change or tire rotation. This customer-centric approach can not only build your customer relationships, but also drive business during a slow month.
  • Create value with Shared Customer History: You can share your customer’s history across multiple locations, bringing extra value through this evergreen data. For example, if a customer asks when they had their last oil change, your service advisor will be able to pull that information within seconds – no matter which location the customer last visited.
  • Create custom financial reports to track shop performance: Tekmetric’s financial reports give you the power and flexibility to create a report that tracks what’s important to you, without any extra noise, and make decisions based on past performance. For example, you can utilize the Time Period Configuration feature to compare data from the previous year or another custom time period, identifying bottlenecks and adjusting your strategy accordingly.
  • Track month-over-month trends with comparative reporting: Pay attention to the trends that occur each month in comparison to the same time frame in previous years. This will allow you to spot trends and respond accordingly, such as preparing for a particularly busy season or implementing strategies to create more work in a slower season.

The Price of Ignoring Data

Time is money. Evergreen and real-time data allow you to manage your shop’s time and resources in the most efficient manner to generate profit while providing an excellent customer experience. To grow your shop, ensure you are using both forms of data to your advantage. Combining evergreen data’s longevity with real-time data can lead you to a multi-faceted business strategy, creating a customer-centric approach that ultimately generates more cash flow, profit and growth.

How to Use Real-Time and Evergreen Data to Grow Your Shop

July 25, 2024

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No matter what your auto repair shop specializes in, chances are you're facing similar challenges.

  1. New customers are hard to come by
  2. It can be difficult to keep even the most loyal customers coming back
  3. Repair work is frequently declined or pushed off

The reality is, people don't want to have to pay for an expensive fix when they don't directly see or understand the value or necessity behind the repair. We've become very used to simple solutions to complex problems, and more often than not customers wish their cars were like that too.

Auto repair shops can also be intimidating: they're loud, usually covered in oil, and they can feel like a trap.

That's why transparency is so critical in the auto repair industry, and why digital vehicle inspections have become such an important tool for shops. Customers want to know that they're only being charged for necessary work, and digital vehicle inspections help your shop show them that.

Digital vehicle inspections are just one aspect of your entire shop's workflow, but are an incredibly powerful foundation that go a long way in making your shop more money.

5 Benefits of Digital Vehicle Inspections For Your Shop

March 15, 2024

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The Tekmetric Mobile App now does more than fast digital vehicle inspections.

The newest update introduces Mobile Check-In, giving you or your service advisors the ability to greet customers in the parking lot, scan a VIN or license plate, and instantly start or pull up a repair order, all from a phone. It’s a faster, easier way to begin every job and keep things moving.

Speed Starts at the Curb

Check-in is one of the most visible — and often most frustrating — parts of a shop’s day. Whether it’s a walk-in with a flat tire or a scheduled customer with missing info, time is lost bouncing between the lot and the desk, retyping data, and waiting to begin.

Mobile Check-In simplifies all of that.
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Now, you can confirm arrivals, start new ROs, and begin helping customers the second they pull into the lot — without delays or extra steps.

A Mobile App That Does More Than You Might Think

The Tekmetric Mobile App isn’t just a tool for inspections — and it’s not just for technicians.

Technicians can use the app to:

  • Find their assigned repair orders
  • Complete DVIs with photos, videos, and markups
  • Track time and stay on top of work in progress

Service advisors can use it to:

  • Greet customers in the parking lot
  • Scan VINs or plates
  • Start repair orders right from their phone

All without logging into a desktop.

A Real Mobile App — Not Just a Website Shrunk Down

Tekmetric Mobile is a fully native app, designed from the ground up for iOS and Android. It’s fast, reliable, and optimized for real-world use in the shop — whether you’re in the bay or out in the lot.

While it doesn’t include every desktop feature, it makes the most important ones faster and easier when you’re on the go — like:

  • Starting repair orders
  • Performing inspections
  • Reducing back-and-forth between workstations and customers

And this is just the beginning. Future updates will continue to bring more mobile workflows into the palm of your hand.

Ready to see what Mobile Check-In can do?

Download the Tekmetric Mobile App today on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

The Tekmetric Mobile App Just Got a Major Upgrade!

May 20, 2025

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