How Automotive Work Order Software Replaces Pen and Paper

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May 22, 2023

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Read time: 3 min

Old habits are hard to break, especially when it comes to the physicality of handwritten notes.

A pen and a piece of paper can provide a better sense of security—they’re tangible and tactile. In our minds, we view paper as something we “own”, which makes it seem more reliable and easily obtainable.

But is pen and paper more reliable than digital tools?

Although the trusty pen and paper method does have perks, there’s a time and a place for everything. Which leads us to paper’s modern day competitor: digital software.

Switching paper out for a modern, digital format will enhance legibility, make archiving far easier than having file cabinets full of papers, and will strengthen collaboration across your team. Not to mention, you don’t run the risk of a fire or flood destroying your shop’s backed up data the way a natural disaster would with paper files and documents.

Now, this isn’t to say that digital software will replace every single piece of paper; however, software can successfully improve the efficiency of projects—especially when it comes to running an auto shop.

Let’s bring it back to the initial question: is automotive work order software a replacement for pen and paper? The rough answer is "yes," although there may be times where you still want to have paper as an option.

But many pen and paper tasks can be replaced, and should, for better productivity and organization. Automotive work order software can astronomically enhance your shop’s productivity and organization in ways that traditional methods cannot.

In your personal life, paper can take precedence in whichever way you wish. But in your shop, opting in for a digital system instead of pen and paper has more pros than cons.

Pen & Paper vs. Software

Let’s look at the data on why software has the ability to replace pen and pen and paper: A study conducted by Deloitte in 2019 found that 85% of all SMBs (small and medium-sized business owners) report that the digital tools they are using have helped their business in some way.

The study gathered 1,000 SMBs to take part in the survey. Here are the key findings:

  • Businesses with advanced use of digital tools are five times more likely to reach new customers than their less digitally advanced counterparts.
  • Tech-savvy businesses are three times more likely to create new products and services and are two times more likely to create jobs than those that don’t rely on technology as much.
  • Businesses that leverage digital tools are three times more likely to experience revenue growth and twice as profitable.

Writing things down on a piece of paper definitely has its benefits, and shouldn’t be ridiculed as a form of notetaking. In fact, many individuals opt into pen and paper when they’re either in a hurry, or need to focus and want to prevent any distractions.

I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself, “Why is a digital software company telling me this? Aren’t they selling software?” Well, you’re not wrong, but our team at Tekmetric believes in highlighting all aspects of auto repair shops—and although modernizing your shop is an ideal way to make strides in the auto repair industry—traditional mediums shouldn’t be completely eradicated.

So, before we get into the benefits of software, let’s take a look at when handwritten notes make for an ideal option.

When the Good Ol’ Pen and Paper Still Comes in Handy

Ask yourself when was the last time you used a pen and a piece of paper to jot something down. There’s a good chance it was because of one of the following scenarios:

  1. You were in a hurry,
  2. You needed to focus, or
  3. You wanted to make a note-to-self.

These reasons for taking handwritten notes can also be applicable in your shop. Whether you’re a technician, service writer, or shop owner, focus and efficiency are key components of your day.

Although you may have your habitual way of jotting down thoughts and reminders, where pen and paper are lacking is filling out work orders (or Repair Orders) in your shop. Manually writing down an RO for a customer, even on a templated piece of paper, will get in the way more than it helps.

That’s why creating room for a more secure, efficient, and clean form, like digital work order  software, will enhance your shop in more ways than one.

6 Ways Digital Software will Enhance your Auto Repair Shop

A huge part of auto shop’s are the work orders created, under way, completed, and archived. Having the ability to not only make the process easier for your team, but also streamlining the work order life cycle is a shop innovation you won’t regret.  

1. Effective Collaboration Across the Board

Think of how many moving parts there are in the work order process: technicians collaborate with the service writers on parts needed, repairs completed, and any additional findings that need to be addressed; service writers collaborate with both the techs on in-progress work orders and customers on where their car is at in the repair process; and customers collaborate with the service writers by having to sign off on repairs.  

With pen and paper, the above steps require quite a bit of juggling. The technician might be trading sticky notes with the service writers, and service writers would need to get customers to sign off on estimates, invoices, and repair orders.

At the end of just one repair, your team might have used four or five sheets of paper and a half-dozen sticky notes! With so many pieces of paper shuffling between hands, there is a lot of room for error and inefficiencies.

With automotive work order software your team can track and collaborate on the same platform.

Every person is seeing the same information on their screen, so there is far less room for misinterpretation, error, or lost sheets of paper. Create repair orders, access notes, findings, part orders, and write up the customer with just a few clicks.

Common features include:

  • Built-in DVI’s
  • View employee schedules across the shop
  • Send job statuses to customers via SMS or email estimates/invoices
  • Easily search saved vendors by name, phone, email, or website
  • Give customers the ability to make mobile payments with Tekmerchant
  • View real-time reports of your shop anytime, anywhere you have internet access

‍Tek-Tip: work order software isn’t the only advantage of Tekmetric. Here are additional features that will enhance your shop’s collaboration even more.

2. Clean and Organized Format  

Keeping lists, memos, and notes organized can become a challenge, especially as work orders start to stack up. Organization is vital at any auto repair shop. Just think of how many projects go on in just a day’s time—from the creation of the work order, to the invoice payment.

Digital software eliminates the hassle of keeping paper and file cabinets organized.

Alongside that, it gives your team the ability to cleanly and quickly enter the info they need to, when they need to—whether that’s the service writer entering the customer’s information or the tech entering their findings during the vehicle inspection.

Having work order software will boost the efficiency of your team by keeping everyone on top of tasks and organized throughout the entire process.

A digital “filing” system will make it easier for you to sort, save, share, and find that work order information you’re looking for.

3. Exceedingly More Secure

Digital documents are inherently more secure than paper documents If your shop only uses paper, the risk of information being lost or damaged is inherently higher.

Let’s say an unforeseen natural disaster impacted your shop—whether a fire, flood, tornado, etc.—your data, safely stored, will not be lost. Your shop’s data stream will be backed up with Tekmetric’s secure technology and cloud-based software.

And you already know what would happen if your shop’s document system was managed primarily through physical materials.

Going digital will not only prevent data from getting lost or “stolen”, but will also—quite literally—save your shop’s finances, history, customer information, and team schedules from getting destroyed due to the unexpected.  

Which leads us to another security aspect to highlight: confidentiality. Auto repair software, like Tekmeteric, ensures there is a level of security for all users—whether for your team or your shop’s customers.

And while as a leader you hire trustworthy employees, there are times when team members need to be let go.

If that’s the case, with Tekmetric you can customize permissions to prevent them from taking any personal info from customers and/or the shop.

4. Create Work Orders in Minutes

Think to yourself what all goes into creating a work order: the work order number, the description, the customer’s information, the created/completed dates, the vehicle’s history, customer notes, and so on.

How long would it take you to write down a work order with all of that required information?

Most people on average type faster than they write with a pen.

According to a study comparing typing vs. handwriting, researchers found that those who participated had a typing speed of at least five words per minute faster than writing by hand.

In addition to typing speed, the fact that digital software can pull information from reports and customer notes means a work order that would take 45 minutes to fill out by hand only takes about 10 minutes to fill out with software.

5. Legible No Matter What

One thing that makes hand-written notes so unique is that everyone's handwriting is different.

Now, while your unique handwriting might add a great personal touch to a letter or card, it might not be best suited for situations where legibility is super important—like on an estimate or work memo. And let's face it: not everyone has the cleanest handwriting.

Yes, handwritten notes have situational advantages, but an auto shop is usually not the place for that.

You’ll have to make copies, the technician’s notes might be difficult for people to read, and if any spelling errors or misreading occurs, the possibility of mistakes—whether with a customer’s car, or the shop’s operations—is unfortunately heightened.

What if the service writer was in a hurry writing down a customer’s service issues, and the tech misinterpreted what was jotted down?

Imagine how upset a customer would be if their vehicle started acting up again right after leaving the shop.

With automotive work order software you never have to worry about illegible handwriting or chicken scratch getting in the way of a job well done.

Service writers can type down the customer’s issues, assign the RO to a tech, and the technicians—simply using a smartphone, tablet, or computer—can type out their findings, with detailed photos and videos showing customers exactly what is wrong.

Tek-Tip: Do you have customers or technicians that prefer having physical copies of invoices or inspection reports? With Tekmetric, you can print inspections and repair orders for technicians, or estimates and invoices for customers on-demand. You also have the ability to control what appears on printed estimates, invoices, inspections, and ROs, including your shop’s address, phone number, email, website, and logo.

6. Schedule in Real-Time

Papers take more time to store, find, and recall. Sure, you can just start a new sheet of paper, but then you have duplicate information with various sheets of paper lying around.

And with pen and paper, you can only look at one at a time, which isn’t very manageable in the auto repair industry.

With digital software, you can look at everything, all at once.

Whether it’s pulling up one specific work order, populating all current work orders, or viewing your shop’s whole month calendar.

Having the ability to quickly and instantaneously pencil in appointments is a scheduling must when you have five work orders going on at any one time.  

Service writers: let’s say you have a walk-in at the shop.

Having the ability to quickly enter their info—or if they were a customer in the past, Tekmetric will automatically populate it in the future—is the ideal scenario for both you and the customer.

Work order software will ramp up that efficiency and help you grow your business exponentially.

No Papers Lost, No Time Wasted

Think of how you’re viewing this blog: you’re either reading it from your phone, laptop, or tablet. The benefit of this being online rather than handwritten or face-to-face is that it’s 1) easy to find, 2) takes up no space, and 3) can be easily shared with other shop owners.

Accessing it digitally enhances the experience.

Just as you might be clicking one of the links embedded in the article, you can also click from one Tekmetric feature to the next. From the Job Board, to the shop’s inventory, to the BG canned jobs integration—it’s all just a click away.

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

FAQ

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As a shop owner, you aren't just selling a car repair; you are selling expertise, specialized equipment, and peace of mind. If your rates are too low, you’ll struggle to keep the lights on. If they’re too high without the value to back them up, customers may opt for a competitor.

In this guide, we’ll walk through exactly how to find that "sweet spot" for your labor rate so you can build a sustainable, profitable shop.

How much should a mechanic charge per hour?

Mechanic shops should charge a labor rate that is competitive in their area, covers their overhead costs (rent, utilities, employees, etc.), and allows them to maintain a healthy profit margin (40-70%) to run the shop. Whether you are an independent shop or a large dealership, your labor rate and parts markup are your primary vehicles for maintaining profitability.

Key terms to know

Before we dive into the math, we need to understand these concepts.

  • Loaded labor rate: is the true cost of an employee, including their hourly wage, taxes, benefits, and insurance.
  • Hourly labor rate pricing: is the "posted" rate—the number your customers see on the repair estimate. It is the flat dollar amount you charge per billable hour.
  • Flat-Rate pricing: is a system where a specific repair is assigned a predetermined amount of time (e.g., a water pump replacement is "booked" at 3.4 hours). The customer pays for 3.4 hours regardless of whether the auto mechanic finishes in two hours or five.
  • Effective labor rate (ELR): is the real-world number that matters. It’s calculated by taking your total labor sales and dividing them by the actual hours your technicians worked.

How to set your automotive shop labor rate (step by step)

Setting your rate shouldn't be a guessing game based on what the guy down the street is charging. It should be a data-driven decision. Here is a step-by-step approach to finding your labor rate.

How to set your mechanic labor rate.

Step 1: Calculate your "loaded" labor cost

First, determine exactly what it costs you to pay an employee. This isn't just their hourly wage. You should include:

  • Wages and overtime.
  • Payroll taxes.
  • Benefits (Health insurance, 401k).
  • Workers' comp and liability insurance.
  • Training and certifications.
  • Any other benefits you provide employees.

Divide this total annual cost by the number of billable hours that the employee produces in a year. This is your "loaded" cost and does not include any profit margin.

Step 2: Account for overhead

Your labor revenue needs to cover more than just the employee. It must also cover the overhead costs of running an auto repair business:

  • Rent.
  • Utilities and shop supplies.

Step 3: Determine your desired profit margin

In the automotive industry, labor profit margins vary greatly, but most shops aim for 40-70%. If your loaded cost for a technician is $45 per hour and you want a 65% profit margin, your base mechanic labor rate should be at least $128 per hour.

Step 4: Benchmark against your competition

While your internal numbers should be your primary focus, you shouldn’t ignore the local market. If your labor rate is $128 per hour but every other independent shop in your town is at $100, you need to either justify your value through superior service or find ways to reduce your overhead. Make sure you benchmark against competitors of similar size, services offered, and geographically nearby.

Step 5: Implement a labor matrix

Not every repair order is the same. Many successful shops use a labor guide combined with a labor matrix that slightly increases the rate for more complex jobs or diagnostic work. Shops that perform more specialized repairs or focus on specialty vehicles should heavily consider implementing a labor matrix.

Which factors impact labor rates?

Your rate shouldn't be static. Several external and internal factors will influence how much you can—and should—charge for car repair services.

  • Location: A higher cost of living in cities like California or New York necessitates higher labor rates compared to rural towns. Your technicians need to earn enough to live nearby.
  • Shop type: A general auto repair shop usually has lower rates than a specialty Euro shop or a heavy-duty diesel facility. Specialization requires more expensive tools and higher-paid talent.
  • Certifications: If your team holds advanced ASE certifications or factory training, you provide more value. Customers are often willing to pay more for a repair estimate from a shop they trust to do it right the first time.
  • Warranty: If you offer a service warranty, you are taking on more risk and can charge more for the peace of mind.

5 Ways Tekmetric can help your shop be more profitable

Tekmetric can help you be more profitable by providing the features and reporting you need to make better business decisions. Tekmetric shops average a 65% labor profit margin by utilizing modern features that help you build trust with your customers and keep them coming back year after year.

  1. Custom labor matrix: Tekmetric allows you to set up labor matrices that automatically adjust your mechanic labor rate. This ensures you don’t undercharge for difficult work.
  2. Real-Time reports: Stop waiting until the end of the month to see if you made money. Tekmetric gives shop owners a real-time look at their gross profit, plus many other helpful metrics.
  3. Measuring effective labor rate: As we discussed, your posted rate isn't always what you take home. Tekmetric tracks your ELR automatically, showing you exactly where "leaks" (like excessive discounting or slow techs) are happening.
  4. Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVI): Higher rates are easier to justify when you can show the customer exactly why they need the work. Tekmetric’s DVIs build trust and increase customer satisfaction, making the price conversation much smoother.
  5. Technician efficiency: By tracking technician efficiency and productivity within the platform, you can see which members of your team are hitting their goals and which employees might need more coaching.

Final thoughts

Setting your labor rate requires constant attention to your local market, your internal costs, and the evolving complexity of car repair. By following these steps, you’ll ensure that your shop doesn't just keep cars running—it keeps your business thriving. If you have questions about Tekmetric or how we can help your shop be more profitable, book your free demo today.

Setting Your Automotive Repair Labor Rate (5-Step Guide)

March 19, 2026

Read time: 3 min

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Today, online reputation management is a key tactic top shops use to attract more customers. Online presence is often the first—and sometimes only—impression a customer has of your business. This guide will dive deep into why automotive reputation management is no longer optional, how it impacts your SEO search rankings, and the specific strategies you can use to attract more 5-star reviews.

The importance of online reviews for auto repair shops

Why do online reviews matter so much in the auto repair world? The answer is that most customers check online reviews from Google and other search engines as part of their decision-making process. In addition, online reviews impact your SEO rankings and can help you differentiate your shop from the competition. Here are some other top reasons to keep track of your reviews:

Build trust

High-quality testimonials help build trust before the customer even sets foot in your lobby. Research consistently shows that the majority of customers read online reviews before feeling they can trust a local business. For auto repair shops, positive reviews act as social proof that your shop provides quality services.

Local SEO

When a prospect searches for "oil change near me", the results they see are heavily influenced by SEO strategies. Google prioritizes businesses with a high volume of new reviews, high star ratings, and a complete, active profile. If your competitors have 200 reviews and a 4.8-star average, while you have 120 3-star reviews from 2019, Google will rank your competiton higher. Review management directly impacts your rankings, rankings impact your visibility, and visibility impacts how many customers show up to your shop.

Beating the competition

Go ahead and Google your competition. How many reviews do they have? Do they average 2-star or 5-star reviews? By focusing on auto repair reputation management, you can position your shop as the best in your area. New customers are often hesitant to try a new shop; seeing a consistent stream of positive feedback from satisfied customers lowers that risk and encourages them to stop by.

Another way to move past your competition is to leverage Google Ads. Search ads can help you boost your visibility in more competitive markets and keep your business top of mind.

Best practices for managing your shop's online reputation

Successful auto repair reputation management is a continuous project. Top performing shops have software and employees dedicated to monitoring online reviews. To stay ahead, shops need to follow best practices to maximize their online visibility.

Best practices for online review management for automotive businesses.

Claim and optimize your profiles

Claim your listings in Google Business, Yelp, and Facebook. Once claimed, you can optimize your profiles by making sure your business name, address, and phone number are consistent across the web. Upload high-resolution photos of your shop, your front-desk staff, and your comfortable waiting area. A professional-looking profile sets the stage for a 5-star experience.

Use the right tools

Many shop owners utilize reputation management software to aggregate reviews into a single dashboard. This allows you to ask for reviews and respond to them in the same platform.

Tek-Tip: Overwhelmed? Tekmetric offers auto repair reputation management software that makes it easier to attract new reviews and respond to exisiting review in one platform.

Diversify your review sources

While Google reviews are often the focus of local SEO, don't ignore other platforms. Some customers prefer Yelp, while others might find you through social media. Directing a small percentage of your review requests to different platforms ensures a well-rounded online presence.

Make it a team effort

Your service advisors are the faces of your automotive brand. Train your staff on the importance of the customer experience. If your technician or service advisor is mentioned in a 5-star review, encourage that behavior by rewarding them accordingly. Make it a competition to see who can earn the most 5-star reviews in a month.

Quality control

Use customer feedback internally to improve your operations. If you notice a trend in negative feedback regarding long wait times, don't just ignore it. Use those insights to refine your workflows and teach employees.

How to respond to customer reviews

Responding to online reviews is perhaps the most critical part of review monitoring. It shows potential customers that you are attentive and care about your customers.

Responding to positive reviews

Don't just "like" a 5-star review. Take a moment to write a personalized response.

  • Acknowledge them by name: "Hi Sarah, thank you for the kind words!"
  • Highlight a specific service: "We’re glad we could get that oil change done quickly for you."
  • Invite them back: "We look forward to seeing you at your next service!"

These responses reinforce customer trust and encourage them to come back to your shop for service in the future.

Handling negative reviews

Negative reviews are inevitable in the any business. Parts fail, delays happen, and sometimes there are misunderstandings about pricing. The key is how you handle the negative feedback.

  1. Stay professional: Never get defensive or angry. Remember, your response is for the future customers reading the review, not just the upset one.
  2. Acknowledge and apologize: "We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn't meet our standards."
  3. Move it offline: Provide a name and a phone number for them to contact directly. "We would like to make this right. Please call our manager, Jim, at [Number]."
  4. Keep it brief: Don't get into a "he-said, she-said" battle on public forums.

Tekmetric offers a feature called private feedback where you can engage with upset customers before it goes public.

Benefits of responding

Regularly responding to reviews tells search engines and prospects that your business is active. This can provide a slight boost to your search rankings. In addition, if you successfully resolve a customer's issue mentioned in a negative review, you can ask them to go back and edit their star ratings or delete the negative feedback entirely.

How to attract more 5-Star reviews for your automotive business

Reviews can come in naturally but customers often need to be prompted to leave a review. While unhappy customers are often highly motivated to vent, satisfied customers frequently forget to share their experiences. The best performing shops have an automated way to ask for, collect, and respond to reviews.

Ask consistently

The simplest way to get more positive reviews is to ask for them. However, timing is everything. The best time to ask for a review is within 24 hours of service before customers move on and forget. A simple, "We're so glad we could get you back on the road! If you're happy with the service, would you mind leaving us a quick review?" goes a long way. Make it easy for the customer by providing a Google review button or link with your completed invoices.

Don’t forget that physical signage can be effective as well. Add a QR code or sign in your lobby asking for customers to leave a 5-star review which will enter them into a drawing for a free oil change.

Leverage SMS and automation

In the automotive industry, convenience is king. Using SMS for review requests has a significantly higher open rate than email. By integrating automation with your Shop Management System (SMS), you can trigger a text message to be sent automatically after a work order is closed. This message should include a direct link to your Google or Yelp profile, making the review process frictionless for the user.

Go the extra mile

One of the best ways to earn a 5-star automotive review is through transparency. Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVIs) allow you to send photos and videos of the needed repairs directly to the customer's phone. When a customer sees the worn-out brake pad, they feel more confident in the repair services. This transparency naturally leads to higher customer satisfaction and better reviews.

Final thoughts

Reputation management creates a natural cycle where great service leads to positive reviews, which improves your local SEO, which attracts new customers, who then leave more reviews. If managing all of this feels overwhelming, Tekmetric can help with online review management software specifically tailored for the automotive industry.

By implementing a clear reputation management strategy, utilizing automation for review collection, and staying active on social media and review sites, you ensure that your auto shop remains the top choice in your community. Remember, every satisfied customer is a potential spokesperson for your brand.

Auto Repair Reputation Management: The 5-Star Guide

March 4, 2026

Read time: 3 min

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Scaling your auto repair business requires moving beyond simple spreadsheets and paper repair orders. You need a robust shop management software that has enterprise-level features, centralized real-time reporting, and helps you provide a consistent customer experience across locations.

This guide breaks down the top enterprise software solutions for auto repair shops with 2+ locations.

Top 5 Enterprise Solutions for Shops With Multiple Locations

Finding the right software partner for your expanding shop is critical to your success. Below you will find our top overall picks for multi-shop operators (MSOs).

1. Tekmetric

Multi-shop owners love Tekmetric because they can run their entire business, across all locations, from one platform. Featuring an all-in-one shop management solution with centralized real-time reporting, marketing, payments, and 70+ integrations, Tekmetric makes it easier for you to manage multiple locations.
Why we picked Tekmetric:

  • Unified inventory & part management: See your entire inventory availability, order parts, and transfer parts across locations as needed.
  • All-in-one solution: Instead of switching between platforms, Tekmetric offers shop management, POS, and CRM in one place.
  • Company history: Built by a former shop owner, Tekmetric is often praised for ease of use, simple onboarding, reliable support, and listening to customer feedback.
  • Pricing: Starts at $179/mo (billed annually).

2. Shop-Ware

Shop-Ware is designed to help you maintain consistency across multiple locations with unified customer history, reporting, and employee management features.

Why we picked Shop-Ware:

  • Reporting: Find the metrics that matter the most to your business.
  • Customer experience: Standardize your customer experience across locations.
  • Employee management: Easily compare employee productivity and manage permission levels.
  • Pricing: Starts at $224/mo (billed annually).

3. Protractor

Protractor is a popular shop management system for shops with multiple locations or franchises. Protractor offers advanced reporting features and shop management features so you can run your shop confidently.

Why we picked Protractor:

  • Reporting: Performance tracking, insights, and employee productivity monitoring.
  • Accounting: Built-in accounting tools.
  • Integrations: Multiple integration partners.
  • Pricing: Starts at $359/mo (billed annually).

4. Fullbay

Fullbay specializes in heavy-duty truck and trailer repair shops. Most standard shop software struggles with the complexity of fleet maintenance, but Fullbay was built for it.

Why we picked Fullbay:

  • Centralized inventory: Track parts and inventory across all locations.
  • Integrations: Fullbay has plenty of industry interrogations to keep your shop running.
  • Cloud-based: Manage your shop from anywhere.
  • Pricing: Starting at $188/mo.

5. Garage360

If you are looking for a lighter software solution, Garage360 might be a good option for your shop. Supporting quick-lube, body/collision, and fleet, Garage360 can be used in a variety of shops.

Why we picked Garage360:

  • Versatile: Can be used in multiple shop types.
  • Permission control: Manage your employee permissions across locations.
  • Reporting: Pull the data you need to make informed decisions.
  • Pricing: Starting at $79/mo (billed annually).

Which software features should I look for when I manage multiple shops?

If you are comparing software options for your chain operations, these are the modern features to look for:

Centralized real-time reporting: Tired of trying to guess how each shop location is performing? Pick a software that can pull the data you need from any location or aggregate it across shop locations within a user-friendly dashboard.

Inventory/parts management: Tracking parts can be difficult as you expand. Find a solution that can track inventory levels and transfer parts as needed across locations.

Standardized workflows: Having standard workflows streamlines your shop operations. Select a software that can standardize your operations, prices, and procedures.

Employee permissions: Managing employee permissions is critical to ensuring the safety of your company data and holding employees accountable. Pick a software that keeps your business secure.

Customer communication: Modern customers expect a higher level of communication than they did 10 years ago. Find a shop management solution that provides online scheduling, DVIs, two-way texting, and other modern customer experience tools.

Single vs. Multi-Location Management: What are the differences?

Why can’t you just use a single-shop system? The difference lies in automation and control.

  • Standardization: In a multi-location setup, you need to ensure that technicians at every shop are following the same workflow and procedures so your customer experience is consistent.
  • Visibility: Single shop software may have reporting, but you need to be able to compare metrics between shops to make informed business decisions.
  • Security: Multi-shop software provides employee permission settings and typically comes with advanced data protection.
  • Pricing: Most single-shop software options will charge you per user or limit repair orders. Enterprise software will grow with you and charge based on the number of locations.

Final Thoughts

Choosing an enterprise-level auto repair shop software isn't just about features; it's about finding a partner that helps you maintain a consistent customer experience as you grow. Whether you prioritize inventory management, deep metrics, or standard procedures, ensure you find a solution that can grow with you.

Best Auto Repair Software for Multiple Locations (Full Guide)

January 9, 2026

Read time: 3 min

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