Think about your own day-to-day experience in and around your shop. What’s slowing you down, and what do you wish could be easier?
Maybe it’s showing customers inspection findings, maybe it's just keeping track of all your repair orders as you wait for parts or approval to start work. Or maybe it’s bringing in new business.
No matter what you think could be improved, chances are there might be a better tool for the job of helping you manage your shop.
Look at it this way: Would you want to get rid of your 3D alignment rack to go back to the old-school way of taking angle measurements by hand to dial in toe and camber so your customers don't eat their tires and come back complaining?
Of course not, you're going to keep using that new rack that you paid good money for. And in all honesty, the same is true for running an independent auto repair shop.
Owners may have never really thought of it this way before, but relying on some old-school system to run their shop, manage repairs, order parts, stock inventory, and keep track of all their finances is just making things so much harder.
But shops that invest in the right tool for the job will not only make their shop more efficient but also have the opportunity to make even more money off the work they already do.
Just this time, instead of an expensive alignment rack, it’s a cloud-based shop management system.
On-premise auto repair software, AKA legacy systems, may have been the only way to go at one point, but they left a lot to be desired. If you're still using pen and paper, or something old school, some of these annoyances might ring a bell.
More than likely, you will have to go on-site to boot up your machine to check anything.
If a customer calls you when you stepped out for a moment, or texts you after hours, you can't get them a solid response until you're back in the shop. That’s limiting.
Older tools for managing your shop kind of only let you do things one way.
Generally, shops will need to learn how to create repair orders a certain way or they can only print out inspection findings in one format.
Older, rigid platforms also make it harder to access your shop's data, and they usually have extra menus to dig through or options to click to find exactly what you need.
Most of these older systems just aren't easy to understand. Chances are, you or someone you've worked with has felt like the system you use to run your shop just doesn't make that much sense.
Whether you're coming from a different shop with a different system, bought a shop and have to figure out how to use their existing system, or you're trying to hire new advisors or technicians and it takes time to train them on the systems.
Nothing is more frustrating than having your system go down while your shop is busy, having to call in and see if you can someone to stop by, and then fix whatever old-school pre-2000 computer you have sitting behind the desk.
That's not just a headache, it can completely bring your shop to a halt, and now you're relying on outside support that's not in your control.
Modern shop systems aren't just fancy bells and whistles. They help you run your shop in a way that lets you make more money off of the work you already do.
Cloud-based shop management system lets you build a streamlined workflow throughout the entire repair process: from the moment a customer walks into the moment a payment is sent to your shop, it flows through the shop management system.
This creates a seamless operational process for your shop which makes it easier to keep track of repairs and frees up technician and advisor time to provide better customer service. And, of course, great customer service in turn helps customers feel more comfortable approving repairs and coming back for repeat work.
Because modern shop management systems are cloud-based, nothing lives on your shop's computers, or stuffed in your binders. Why is that a good thing? Because you never have to worry about losing it!
All of your shop's operations, data, customer history, vehicle inspection findings, declined estimates, and everything, is collected and saved remotely. give shop owners the option to check on their shops remotely.
Cloud-based shop management systems are built with your shop in mind. From assigning jobs to tracking progress and prioritizing tasks, Tekmetric ensures that your shop operates like a well-tuned engine.
That means a user-friendly interface designed to make it easy for owners to manage their shop's workflow, service advisors to build and review repair orders, and easy for technicians to complete inspections and track their repair process.
And because modern shop management platforms bring everything that goes into running your shop under one roof, that means you gain access to modern ways for your shop to get paid.
Whether you want to enable your customers to send their payments directly over text for ultimate convivence, or even buy now, pay later plans to help customers cover the cost of a large repair bill, while also helping your shop stay secure from fraudulent chargebacks.
Whether you're looking to increase business at a single-location shop or grow into a multi-shop enterprise, a cloud-based shop management system is the right foundation for your expansion.
Because all of your shop finances, operations, and related data are stored within the platform, shop owners and general managers can see where things are going right, and where things are slipping, and better understand what changes they need to make. If one shop is seeing success, you can compare locations and implement the best practices in your other location.
"Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity—not a threat.” - Steve Jobs
Like any business owner, auto repair shop owners must consider all aspects of their business: operations, marketing, collections, bookkeeping, payroll, profitability, and customer service.
But how do you track, monitor, and gain control over these various business functions and analyze the relationship between them? Many shop owners turn to automotive computer programs as a solution, but there are a lot of options to consider. As you research automotive computer programs, you may be asking yourself:
Is it better to have one program for each business function, or one system that covers various aspects? What is the right mix of programs?
Tekmetric is a cloud-based shop management system; but that doesn’t mean all other software and systems out there align with what our software can do. Some automotive computer programs cover diagnostics, some focus on marketing, some focus on digital inspections, and there are some systems out there that check off most—if not all—the boxes.
There is a lot to consider when determining which automotive computer programs are right for your business, and we want to make sure your shop’s needs are met.
Training service advisors how to properly sell maintenance work can create more loyal customers.
Drivers typically come in with an expectation of what's wrong with their car, which can make it tricky to sell maintenance work. Drivers might think you're trying to squeeze more money out of them, or may simply have a set budget in their mind and don’t plan on spending extra.
In reality, you're simply trying to go above and beyond and provide them the best service possible. So how do you show that, and which tools will help you transform the way you sell maintenance?
Here’s how to build customer trust while staying true to your auto repair shop’s mission of providing optimal maintenance recommendations.
According to a survey conducted by AAA, 76% of U.S. drivers said that recommending unnecessary services was the top reason they do not trust auto repair shops. The survey also points out that ⅔ of U.S. drivers have managed to find an auto repair shop that they trust. Whether it’s an independent auto repair shop, or a chain repair shop, trust needs to be at the forefront of the customer experience.
Service advisors may be hesitant to sell maintenance work and only focus on the problem at hand because they don’t want to come off as pushy. But not recommending maintenance work can be a disservice to customers who deserve to know about any and all issues with their vehicle, not just the ones they’ve noticed themselves.
When it comes to selling routine vehicle maintenance work, it’s important to remember that routine check ups will make a big difference on customer’s cars. Similar to the human body, cars are complex systems. Just like the body has a heart, nervous system, and organs, cars have the engine, the vehicle bus, and the control unit. If one problem is ignored, that could lead to more issues, possibly more serious than the last. For example, if a driver puts off replacing their brakes, it could damage the car’s rotors, which in turn, could lead to loss of braking power. This gets us back to one of the most important benefits of selling maintenance work: it helps your customers stay safe and get as many miles out of their car as possible.
Benefits to Selling Maintenance Work
Shop owners, we recommend training your service advisors to check customer mileage at each visit and tracking it in your shop's auto repair shop customer service notes. By keeping track of customer mileage on each vehicle, you’ll be able to recommend maintenance work based on how many miles it has been since their last visit.
Mileage aside, a thorough digital vehicle inspection of all vehicle’s essential components should be performed regularly.
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Thought Leadership
March 29, 2024
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