The Ultimate Guide to Modernizing Your Shop With Repair Shop Software

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May 22, 2023

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Read time: 3 min

It might sound simple, but it's true: smartphones and digital experiences have revolutionized the way people interact with businesses. We've all come to expect near-instant responses, simplified checkout processes, and visibility into what we're paying for.  

And independent auto repair shops aren't any different. There's a unique opportunity where your business can meet customer's expectations with modern service and modern operations.

How Can You Make Your Auto Repair Shop More Modern? 

We keep saying that word "modern," but what does that really mean for auto repair shops? When we step back and think about the modern independent repair shop, we could sum it up with three core concepts:

  1. The freedom to run your business in a more contemporary way with data, industry knowledge, flexibility and independence to work as in whatever way is best for you and your shop.
  2. The power to simplify your shop's operations can gain complete visibility, control and opportunity to determine the best path forward for every decision.
  3. The best experience for your customers, every time, for every job, whether that's a coolant flush and pad replacement, or a turbo rebuild.

With the right tools in place, your team members won’t have to stress about extra oversight and can feel empowered to take the reins at work. And your customers can have a more active say in the repair process.

One of the best tools for modernizing your business is a modern, cloud-based shop management system.

What Makes Modern Shop Management Software?

The features and capabilities found in modern repair shop software will fall into two main buckets:

  • Features that enable you and your team to work more efficiently 
  • Features that enable you and your team to interact more smoothly with customers 

Ultimately, the modern features we’re about to dive into will free up your time as a shop owner. Instead of stressing over small day-to-day details, you’ll be able to focus more on the high-level aspects of advancing your business. 

1. Cloud-Based Shop Management Software

Cloud-based shop management systems make everything so much better. We really mean that.

Unlike traditional software that needs to be installed directly on your shop computer, which then needs to be maintained by that specific service provider in your shop's physical location, cloud-based software can be used on any device, from any location that has an internet connection.

With cloud software, everything is hosted on the provider's servers, but completely owned by and accessible to your shop.

Technicians can type inspection notes from their smartphones without having to leave their bays, service advisors can check on repair details, and owners can work remotely from anywhere with internet access.

And because all of your data is on the cloud, you’ll have more peace of mind that your shop won’t suffer from data loss if the hardware breaks down, and the platforms are always improving.

2. Real-Time Control with a Streamlined Shop Workflow

Just as a dashboard in a car allows drivers to see what’s going on with their vehicle, auto repair shop software acts as your shop's dashboard with a streamlined workflow. Shop owners gain total control of their business in real-time, while allowing service writers, technicians, and shop owners to see what’s coming in, what vehicle is in the garage, and what’s ready for pickup.

Because shop owners have a granular look at the status of each job at any given moment,  they can gain a strategic view of everything happening in their shops.

Tekmetric also lets shop owners see the dashboard by day, week, month, and year-to-date, opening up a whole new level of forecasting with a complete view of how their business is performing over time.

3. Digital Vehicle Inspections For Enhanced Visibility

Digital vehicle inspections are an absolute game-changer for creating a modern customer experience at your shop.

Instead of handing guests a paper inspection, you can send a digital one straight to their device, where they’ll be able to read all the necessary details about the proposed repair work.

Tekmetric’s digital vehicle inspection feature helps you navigate that issue by bringing another layer of transparency to every interaction. Technicians can attach photos and videos to each DVI, so guests can see for themselves exactly what’s wrong with their cars. As a result, they’ll have peace of mind and trust your recommendations.

4. Simplified Parts and Inventory Management

Modern shop management software gives you an holistic view of everything happening in your shop for the ultimate level of management.

And successful parts management means you need to understand how your inventory is suited to the needs of your customer, the quality of the parts that are kept in the shop, and how to minimize inventory that is not being sold. 

Modern shop management software makes parts and inventory management easy by combining every single aspect of running your shop, managing your inventory, and even ordering new parts into one streamlined workflow.

If you don't have a part in stock while working on a car you can quickly swap the part for a similar one in inventory, or instantly place an order for what you need and let you text the customer all the same system.

5. Instant and Digital Communication

These days, customers expect updates on the services they receive, such as shipping updates on their packages. Repairs are no exception. Customers are busy and want to know when they can expect to pick up their vehicles.

Thanks to true two-way texting, service advisors can give customers updates and even answer any questions that customers might have about their DVIs. Service advisors can update customers on the status of their repairs in seconds. They don’t have to dial a number or try to find customers in person.

6. Built-In Payment Processing

When you can order a pizza online, and pay for it in multiple installments, why shouldn't your shop's customers have that option for their vehicles' repairs?

Text-to-pay is touchless payment—customers can pay invoices directly from their smartphones. They don’t have to physically walk into the shop to hand over cash or a credit card.

Shops can take advantage of alternative payment methods to provide their customers with flexible service and simplify the payment process. Not only does this make it easier for your customers, but Tekmerchant even provides necessary protections to help shops prevent chargeback fraud, so you can have peace of mind knowing you will get paid for the work your shop did.

Running a Modern, Independent Auto Repair Shop

The ability for shops to track financial information, payment, and customer history will affect their success, especially as they take on new types of repairs on new types of vehicles.

As they update their repair offerings in response to new vehicles on the street, shops will need to keep a close eye on their metrics to ensure they are meeting their profit goals.

And of course, shops will have to respond to updates in consumer technology to ensure that they’re keeping their teams and customers happy.

With Tekmetric, you can modernize your shop and give your team and customers the flexibility and autonomy they want.

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

FAQ

More articles

Many mechanics and auto repair shops are finding success by utilizing new apps that can help speed up inspections, car repairs, diagnostic readings and more. These apps can help everyone from dealerships and repair shops to mobile mechanics and DIYers. Here is our selection of the best mobile apps and online resources by use type.

Infographic of the best apps for automotive mechanics.

Diagnostic and code reader apps

Torque Pro: Torque is a vehicle diagnostics tool and scanner that uses an OBD II Bluetooth adapter to connect to your OBD2 engine management. It can use the GPS to provide tracker logs with OBD engine logging so you can see what you were doing at any point in time.

It works on any vehicle that uses the OBD 2 standard (most vehicles built after 2000, but can work for vehicles as far back as 1996). The app needs a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter to work. Torque is currently $4.95 and available in the Google Play Store.

Car Scanner ELM OBD2: Car Scanner offers OBD code scanning, sensor data and more. You can also reset DC fault codes with this app. It uses an OBD 2 Wi-Fi or Bluetooth adapter to connect to your OBD2 engine management.

Car Scanner is currently free and available in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

RepairSolutions2: The Repair Solutions app guides you from diagnosis to fix. It pairs with the newest generation of compatible OBD2 decoders and scanners to deliver the most comprehensive automotive repair database with verified fixes from ASE Master Technicians.

The mobile app requires an OBD2 scanner for most functions. It is currently free in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Digital vehicle inspection apps

Tekmetric Mobile: Tekmetric Mobile is specifically designed for the automotive industry and helps car mechanics be more efficient with tasks like digital vehicle inspections. Technicians can take pictures and videos straight from their mobile phone to show customers where a repair is needed. It also provides auto mechanics with an easy way to manage their time clock.

Tekmetric Mobile is free but an active Tekmetric subscription is required to use this app. Tekmetric Mobile is available for iOS and Android users.

Tek-Tip: Mobile apps can be paired with cloud-based automotive repair software to further boost productivity and effieicncy.

SafetyCulture: SafetyCulture has designed a workflow app that helps teams collaborate and manage tasks. While not specifically designed for the automotive industry, this app can be used for digital vehicle inspections.

This app is free currently for teams with 10 people or less. It is available for iOS and Android users.

Service guide apps

BG Technician App: With access to fluid application guides, tech tips, and service guides, auto repair professionals can harness the power of the BG Tech App in the palm of their hands. The BG Tech App instills the confidence needed for technicians to discuss common car maintenance problems and solutions that prevent those problems. The BG Technician App is free and is available for iOS and Android users.

1A Auto Diagnostic & Repair: The 1A repair app helps guide you through various automotive repairs with over 19,000 videos from professional technicians. You can also shop for auto parts used in the videos directly from the app. This app can also benefit mobile mechanics by allowing them to shop for car parts straight from the app.

The 1A mobile app is available for free in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Tek-Tip: Don't forget about "old-school" repair manuals that are now available in digital formats.

VIN scanner apps

Tekmetric Mobile: Tekmetric Mobile can scan VIN codes and license plates to help you start your check-in process sooner and build ROs faster.

Tekmetric Mobile is free but an active Tekmetric subscription is required to use this app. Tekmetric Mobile is available for iOS and Android users.

VIN Check Report: This app will scan your VIN and show you market value, vehicle history, recalls, and more. Typically this type of app is used by those looking to purchase a car but this app also helps mechanics find title and recall information.

This app is available for free to Android users or you can utilize their website.

VIN Report: This app provides an easy way for you to scan a VIN and retrieve important title, recall, theft, and pricing information. It also can estimate depreciation and market value if you are looking to buy or sell a car. Mechanics will appreciate its ability to quickly find vehicle history information and open recalls.

The VIN Report mobile app is available for free in the Google Play Store or you can use their website.

Tire apps

TireScan Advisor: While many other options exist for measuring tire tread, TireScan has created an app to help automate this task by taking pictures from your mobile phone. This app utilizes AI to analyze your tire’s tread, TIN and sidewall.

TireScan is available for free in the Google App Store.

Anyline: If you are looking for a more robust app, Anyline might be the solution for you. They have created an app that reads sidewall, tread, TIN/DOT, sizing, make and model in real-time. However, they do not disclose their pricing and it is safe to assume that it is not a free app. This app seems to be designed for dealerships and large repair shops.

Tek-Tip: Tekmetric Tire Suite provides automated DOT registration, fitment data, ordering, and more.

Service advisor apps

BG Advisor App: The BG Advisor App is developed specifically for automotive service advisors and can help with sales, training and more. This app can help service advisors and shop owners explain repairs to customers and win more work for your shop. This app is available for iPhone and Android smartphones.

Online resources

YouTube

YouTube is a gold mine for car repair veterans and DIYers alike. Some of our favorite channels include:

Free Tekmetric resources

Reddit

Reddit can be another powerful resource for new techniques plus an online community to answer questions you may have. Some of the best subreddits include:

Podcasts

Podcasts can be entertaining and an easy way to learn while working or driving. Some of our favorites include:

Are mobile apps necessary for auto mechanics?

Mobile apps are more of a luxury than a necessity for mechanics, however, they can help speed up repairs and boost efficiency. They can also help reduce time spent on paperwork and simplify workflows. If your shop is looking to stay competitive in this technology-heavy era plus boost productivity, mobile apps might be the answer you are looking for.

Closing thoughts

While all of these mechanic apps and resources can be useful, it is important to find apps that pair well with your needs. Before downloading any apps, make sure to read the reviews and do your own research. Lastly, don’t be afraid to test new apps out in your shop and see what works best for you.

12 Apps Every Auto Repair Mechanic Needs

December 6, 2024

Read time: 3 min

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Should auto repair shops focus on social media marketing?

How many people do you know who spend a substantial amount of time on Facebook? Or hours watching YouTube? How can your business take advantage of how easy it is to get in front of potential customers?

Social media became the leading online activity in 2013 and has grown ever since. According to a Backlinko study, there are 5.24 billion global social media users that average over 2 hours a day on social media platforms. The top three social media platforms are Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp.

Chances are that your potential new customers are spending more time online than anywhere else. Is your auto repair shop doing everything it can to reach them?

Average social media user growth compared year over year.

Source: https://backlinko.com/social-media-users

Social media channels are key for boosting your shop's reputation and make a big difference when it comes to driving referrals and repeat customers. Engaging your local community will keep you top-of-mind as a reliable, trustworthy place for your guests to get their vehicles repaired.

10 effective social media strategies for auto repair shops

Social media channels are one of the most powerful forms of word-of-mouth advertising; more and more people go on social media to make purchasing decisions as well as socialize with friends and family members.

By having a strong social media presence, it makes it easier for the people you serve to share information about your shop, whether that be promotions, insightful posts, or even fun photos that your auto shop shares. But there are so many ways to engage the people in your service area on social media that it can be tough to know where to start.

To make things easier, here are ten ways that your auto repair shop can use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter and other channels to interact and socialize with potential customers and loyal guests.

1. Think local

It’s important to remember that social media channels—especially Facebook—are places where people often go to talk about a shared experience. A lot of times, those experiences are local. Whether it’s how the sports teams in town are doing, where people like to go, or upcoming events, the bulk of many online social media conversations is still driven by what’s happening in our own communities.

Businesses are a big part of that conversation. How often have you seen friends or family members post a question on their feed like “Know any good restaurants in town?” People also post public reviews and recommendations of the places they go and the businesses they use on Facebook, Google, Yelp, and other channels.

While it may not be direct marketing, starting a dialogue about what’s going on in your community may be a good way to start some conversations. Are there any new happenings? Are there charitable or uplifting things that people are doing in your community? You can even talk about the local driving experience, highlighting best roads to take during certain times of the week and any ongoing construction projects that drivers may want to be careful when diving past for the sake of their vehicle.

These are just a few of the things that you can address on your Facebook page to get guests talking and make your shop more approachable.

2. Local charities and events

Looking for ways to play a bigger role in your community? Consider using your social media pages to focus on other businesses, events, and charitable activities in your town. While this may seem to take the focus off of your shop and services, it shows your neighbors and guests that you care about the well-being of your community at large.

Example social media post.

For example, Casey’s Automotive in Chantilly, Virginia promotes and partners with the local charity, Ellie’s Hats, an organization that raises funds to support children who have been diagnosed with cancer. Every year, Casey’s and Ellie’s Hats hold an annual Spring Fling car show where the kids get to help hand out prizes for different cars and people get custom-built trophies made out of car parts. By partnering up, Casey’s is not only helping make the world better by living out their values but also engaging the community and gaining potential future referrals.

3. Teach your followers something cool or valuable

Showing guests how to do something is a great way to give them something of value, establish leadership, and build trust. A good auto shop owner can always appreciate guests who take care of their vehicles between visits, so showing guests how to take care of their car may be worth sharing and demonstrate that you truly care about your guests’ vehicles.

Tek-Tip: Use video.

Consider using videos. They are visually engaging, which is good for teaching something, and they have a strong track record of driving web traffic in search engines and on social media. According to Marketingland, 62% of Google universal searches include video; per Hubspot, social video posts garner 48% more views than other kinds of posts. Christian Brothers Automotive posts regular video tips on their Facebook page, like this one about tire safety.

In addition, some guests may find things that are simple for technicians and other experienced vehicle owners, such as performing an oil change or rotating tires, to be difficult or more of a hassle than they want to take on, and will instead bring the job to you.

Tek-Tip: Consider your audience.

If your shop helps the average daily driver, you may be able to teach them something basic like how to refill their wiper fluid or change a tire. But if your shop services clients who already know the basics, you may want to show them something more exciting and sophisticated like:
-How we installed a 10 point roll cage in a Jeep Liberty.
-Lift kit tipsHow to install a winch and/or lightbar to an off road vehicle
How to reset the oil light on particular vehicles

4. Show gratitude and understanding

Guests are the backbone of any auto repair shop. Without them, you wouldn’t be in business. Show your guests that you value them! Sometimes this is better done in person, but if a guest is particularly loyal, or you provided them with some interesting, exciting repair work, you may want to ask them if you can feature them on social media and thank them for coming in.

If someone leaves a 5 star review on Facebook, Google, Yelp or somewhere else, or says something positive about your business, be sure to thank them for taking the time to do so. If the review was not made on a public site, and you got it from a customer by email or text, you should ask them permission to share their review before posting it on social media.

If the review was not made on a public site, and you got it from a customer by email or text, you should ask them permission to share their review before posting it on social media.

Either way, it’s like a trophy; show it off!

Example social media post.

Here’s an example of Excluservice in Rockville, Maryland showing off a five-star review on their Facebook page.

5. Respond appropriately to poor reviews

The best way to handle negative reviews (and chargebacks, for that matter) is to prevent them from happening in the first place by providing excellent customer service and communicating clearly with your customers. That said, there is always the chance that something will slip through the cracks or that someone will post something because they’re having a bad day. Not all negative reviews are within your control.

Most channels allow you to respond to guests. Talk to your service advisors and technicians to find the specific circumstances of the complaint being made so you have all the facts before responding.

Then, respond in a timely manner; you don’t want to let a review linger for days before responding.

When you do respond, stay courteous and professional, no matter how rude or out-of-line the customer’s review is. If you are able to encourage them to take the conversation offline by calling you, do so. Sometimes, a little attention will encourage the customer to remove their negative review.

If not, at least the public can see that you paid attention and took every possible step to meet their needs. If the review is entirely fabricated, you may be able to challenge it through an official appeal process on the site; Yelp, for example, allows you to flag a review for removal.

It’s also helpful to be proactive about gathering positive reviews so they drown out the negative ones and lessen their impact on both your potential customers’ shopping experience and your overall average business rating on the review site.

6. Highlight seasonal holidays & events

The holidays are a natural part of the yearly newscycle. They’re also fun for a lot of people, and a time when families and friends come together to celebrate something important. By highlighting holidays and using proper hashtags, your shop can gain more attention, inspire action, and be a part of the community's seasonal activities.

Don't forget to use the proper hashtags for seasons and events in your posts. These can help gain attention, but only if you use hashtags that show up in news feeds!

Some holidays move around on the calendar, but here are some dates and hashtags to use for certain holidays and events that take place over the course of the year:

January

  • 1st, #NewYearsDay
  • 16th, #GetToKnowYourCustomersDay
  • 20th, #MLKDay
  • 25th, #ChineseNewYear (1/25 - 2/8)

February

  • 4th, #WorldCancerDay
  • 14th, #ValentinesDay
  • 17th, #KindnessDay (Random Acts of Kindness Day)
  • 22nd, #NationalMargaritaDay (Don’t drink and drive!)
  • 25th, #MardiGras (Same as above)
  • 27th, #NationalRetroDay

March

  • 6th, #EmployeeAppreciationDay
  • 8th, #InternationalWomensDay
  • 17th, #StPatricksDay
  • 23rd, #NationalPuppyDay
  • 25th, #WaffleDay
  • 28th, #EarthHour
  • 30th, #NationalDoctorsDay

April

  • 1st, #AprilFools
  • 15th, #TaxDay
  • 16th, #HighFiveDay
  • 22nd, #EarthDay

May

  • 4th, #MayThe4thBeWithYou (National Star Wars day)
  • 5th, #ThankATeacher (National Teacher’s Day)
  • 10th, #MothersDay
  • 12th, #NursesDay
  • 15th, #ChocolateChipDay
  • 21st, #AccessibilityAwarenessDay
  • 25th, #MemorialDay

June

  • 5th, #DonutDay
  • 6th, #HigherEducationDay
  • 8th, #BestFriendsDay
  • 12th, #NationalAutomotiveServiceProfessionalsDay
  • 14th, #FlagDay
  • 15th, #NativeAmericanCitizenship
  • 21st, #FathersDay
  • 30th, #SMDay (Social Media Day)

July

  • 1st, #TellAJoke (International Joke Day)
  • 4th, #IndependenceDay
  • 7th, #WorldChocolateDay
  • 14th, #BastilleDay
  • 17th, #WorldEmojiDay
  • 19th, #NationalIceCreamDay
  • 26th, #ParentsDay
  • 30th, #InternationalDayOfFriendship

August

  • 15th, #NationalRelaxationDay
  • 19th, #WorldPhotoDay
  • 26th, #NationalDogDay

September

  • 5th, #InternationalDayOfCharity
  • 6th, #ReadABookDay
  • 7th, #LaborDay
  • 21st, #DayOfPeace
  • 29th, #NationalCoffeeDay
  • 30th, #InternationalPodcastDay

October

  • 4th, #NationalTacoDay
  • 16th, #NationalBossDay
  • 31st, #Halloween

November

  • 3rd, #ElectionDay (2020)
  • 11th, #VeteransDay
  • 13th, #WKD (World Kindness Day)
  • 26th, #Thanksgiving (2020)
  • 27th, #BlackFriday (2020)
  • 28th, #ShopSmall (Small Business Saturday, 2020)
  • 30th, #CyberMonday (2020)

December

  • 1st, #GivingTuesday (2020)
  • 3rd, #IDPD (International Day of Persons with Disabilities)
  • 9th, #ChildrensDay
  • 10th, #HumanRightsDay
  • 25th, #Christmas
  • 31st, #NewYearsEve

Tek-Tip: Stay ahead of the calendar.

Since holidays come at the same time every year, you can work them into your social media marketing and your marketing calendar as a whole. Planning out your holiday tactics in advance gives you the time to study consumer trends and behavior as well as outline your campaigns so you don’t have to think on the fly. Map the holiday calendar in advance for less stress, more insights, and stronger returns.

Tek-Tip: Don’t forget to include local events!

If your service area has a local festival or event (like the Bluebonnet Festival in Burnet, Texas or the Art Car Parade in Houston), don’t forget to highlight them with the proper hashtag, too! You may even consider reaching out to the event organizers to help sponsor the event.

7. Social media contests

Everyone loves a raffle, and everyone loves a gift card. Gift card lotteries are a simple way to encourage people to like your posts, share your posts, and provide you with a good review.

We often see auto shops use monthly gift card drawings as a way to continually drum up engagement. It’s also a good way to work in some general education for your customers.

For example, you can make the gift card amount match the exact amount of an oil change to remind customers that they need to get that done to take the best possible care of their vehicle.

Photo contests are another way to get more exposure and traffic to your social media page. You can pick a topic and encourage guests to post or submit their photos on social media and tag your auto shop. Create an award, like a service certificate or gift card, and pick a winner!

8. Like, share, and comment

It’s not enough to just post content and hope people engage with it. Remember to like, share, and comment on your own posts and on other people’s, too, when it’s appropriate.

Sometimes reminding page visitors to like, share, and comment on your own posts is all that’s needed to encourage them to engage.

Here are some example posts that you can try on your own feed:

  • "Like us and share your experience on social media and get $5 off!"
  • "First 5 people to share and comment get 15% off their next visit."
  • “We’re proud to support first responders. Share this post if you are, too.”
  • “We’re always trying to improve our guest experience. What can we do to improve our service to you and our community? Tell us in the comments.”

9. Diversify your channels

Between Google My Business, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and even your shop’s website, there are a lot of places where potential guests may go for information. Posting on all platforms may seem complicated at first, but you can always reshare content. For example, if you post a blog or new service page on your site, be sure to share it on Facebook and Twitter. Did someone leave a good Google review? Post about it on Facebook and thank them! Just upload a YouTube video? Share it on Facebook!

Tek-Tip: Use online marketing management tools like Hubspot, Shopgenie, or Hootsuite.

Sometimes when you’re using multiple social media channels, it is best to view them all in one dashboard. Tools like Hubspot help you schedule posts, view post engagement, see analytics, and manage conversations all from a single dashboard. Some tools also help manage reviews, which can be beneficial as its own process for you and your shop. Different tools have varying capabilities and vary in complexity and pricing, so find the one that is right for you.

Some social media sites, like Facebook, have built-in scheduling tools that could make it easier to schedule posts without using an outside platform.

Also remember it’s okay to start small; you don’t have to use every single social media channel. If you find a channel does not drive leads by engaging customers or driving search traffic to your website or social media pages, don’t use it.

You are not obligated to use every social media network and may find that it’s only worth using one or two for your business.

10. Have fun!

Probably the most important tip of them all: have fun. Remember, social media is typically a place where people go to engage with socially engaging content. Content that is too serious may make your feed look stale, and make it difficult for potential customers to relate to your brand.

Example social media post.

If you can capture your technicians, service advisors, and even yourself having a good time, it breaks the ice and may entice people to do more business at your shop. We’ve seen shops post pictures of team building events as well as pictures that show off their goofy side; the team at Casey’s Automotive has done a good job of posting lighthearted content and photos of their team having a good time, and it has helped them gain more than 2,000 followers.

On May 4th, you can have your team pose for a lightsaber battle. October 16th is National High Five day, so be sure to post some good high-five pictures and emojis on your Facebook page. 🙏 👏

Example social media post.

Social media post ideas for auto repair shops

Customer-Centric Content

  • “Car of the Week” Feature – Showcase an interesting repair job or classic vehicle that came through the shop.
  • Customer Spotlight – Share a short story or testimonial from a happy customer (with permission).
  • Before & After Visuals – Post transformation photos of a repair or detailing job.
  • Behind-the-Scenes Tours – Give a video or photo tour of your shop and introduce your team.

Educational & Helpful Tips

  • Seasonal Maintenance Reminders – Inform customers about what their vehicle needs in winter, summer, etc.
  • “Tech Tip Tuesday” – A weekly snippet of car care advice from your technicians.
  • Warning Signs 101 – Teach customers how to spot common issues (noises, leaks, dashboard lights).
  • Myth-Busting Posts – Tackle popular car care misconceptions.
  • Checklist Downloads – Share helpful PDFs or graphics (e.g. "Maintenance reminder checklist").

Interactive & Engaging Posts

  • “Guess the Problem” Game – Post a photo or video clip and have followers guess the issue.
  • Vote for your favorite car - Create a poll asking followers to pick their favorite car.
  • Customer Q&A Sessions – Invite followers to drop questions in comments for your techs to answer.
  • Throwback Posts – Share old shop photos or stories from the early days.

Trust & Transparency Builders

  • Meet the Team Posts – Personal bios, favorite tools, or “a day in the life” of a tech.
  • Explainer Videos – Short clips that walk through common repairs or shop processes.
  • Tool Spotlight – Show off unique or advanced tools you use and why they matter.
  • Customer Review Highlights – Turn your Google or Yelp reviews into branded quote graphics.

Fun, Culture & Promotions

  • Shop Culture Moments – Celebrations, birthdays, pets in the shop, or Friday playlists.
  • Contests & Giveaways – Oil change giveaways, “Tag a friend who needs a tune-up” style promos.
  • Local Business Shoutouts – Cross-promote other small businesses in your area.
  • Milestone Celebrations – Anniversaries, number of vehicles serviced, or team achievements.

Final thoughts

Remember, engaging guests on social media is just one way to improve your auto repair shop. There are other important marketing strategies to utilize such as search engine optimization, Google Ads, email marketing, and more. Lastly, always focus on creating an amazing customer experience to encourage customers to share their experience with others.

Social Media for Auto Repair Shops: The Complete Guide

April 1, 2024

Read time: 3 min

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Digital vehicle inspections software is one of the best way to show your customer exactly what's wrong with their vehicle. Instead of an old-school paper approach, Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVIS) are a core component of your shop's workflow, and let technicians quickly highlight existing and potential future issues, with evidence!

If a technician notices that the brakes are okay now but will need to be repaired in about three months, they can note that in the DVI report, or even attach a picture for the customer to see.

Even better, because digital vehicle inspection software let you send pictures and videos, track declined repairs, and even let your shop text findings directly to customers, you can help customers feel comfortable that they're making the right decision in approving that costly repair they may have otherwise put off.

With the right DIV features creating such a modern, seamless experience, you'll be the first shop they think of next time they need something fixed!