Summer is a busy time in the auto repair industry, and 2020 was no exception.
But as the seasons change to fall and winter, we notice that fewer people are taking their vehicles in for repairs. Of course, this varies from state to state. Auto repair shops in colder climates may still see a steady flow of customers as drivers winterize their vehicles.
In most places, a slow down in business is to be expected.
While there may be fewer walk-ins, there are several ways shop owners and service writers can stimulate business and maintain a healthy sales funnel.
Looking at Your Sales Funnel
Your sales funnel can tell you a lot about the flow of your business.
Before ramping up marketing and lead gen tactics (strategies to get new business into the sales funnel), it’s important to look at what’s already in the funnel.
If you already have work in the shop or customers to follow up with, those jobs are going to be the easiest to target and move through the sales process because they’re already halfway there.
Also, by focusing on the bottom of the funnel first, you can identify any hold-ups and make room for new work to come in the door, leading to a more efficient workflow and overall sales process.
Work in the Shop Waiting to Be Completed
Before going out of your way to bring new business in the door, look at the current jobs already in the shop.
Are there any holdups? If so, be sure to take care of those so that you can get those vehicles repaired and out the door, and then collect payment on that work.
If there's a bottleneck at the bottom of your funnel, you probably want to address that before bringing a bunch of new work through the door.
Tek-Tip: Use Realtime RO Reporting on the Shop Dashboard
By looking at the “job board view” of Tekmetric’s shop dashboard, shop owners and service writers can see a snapshot of what’s going on in the shop at any given moment.
You can look at the number of dollars you’re sitting on in the “work not started” status.
If an RO has been approved but the work hasn’t been started and you’re not sure why this is a good opportunity to talk to your technicians to see what the holdup is.
If it seems like there are many jobs that are delayed, it might be time to consider hiring more help, provide coaching, or create a more efficient process.
Customers with estimates waiting to be approved
After taking care of work that’s already in the shop, the next easiest target for more work is going to be anyone who you’ve already sent an estimate to that hasn’t approved the work.
Chances are, these guests are shopping around for the best estimate. But in some cases, customers get sidetracked and may have simply forgotten to follow up.
Giving these folks a courtesy call to say, "I just wanted to follow up to personally answer any questions that you may have about the work that we're recommending" is a great way to earn their business because it shows that you care about fixing their problem and that you didn’t forget about them.
Even if your shop isn’t the cheapest by a long shot, customers who are shopping around are likely to see the value in going with the shop that is attentive enough to give them a call back to check-in.
Tek-Tip: Use the Tekmetric Job Board to See the Status of Estimates
Tekmetric’s job board uses icons to show service advisors the status of an estimate.
The paper airplane means that an estimate was sent to a guest, but it hasn’t been opened.
Once the customer opens the estimate, the icon will change into an eyeball. Near the icon, it will also tell you how long ago it has been since the estimate was sent or viewed. Service advisors and shop owners can use this information to start a conversation with their customers.
Tekmetric also has two different views of the job board: column view and list view.
In list view, you can prioritize the order of those estimates to put the people who have viewed it at the top, the people who received it next, and then everyone else who you haven't quite finished up with at the bottom.
So now you have a priority of who you can start calling.
Declined Jobs & ROs Saved for Later
Further up the sales funnel are your declined jobs and ROs saved for later. It’s important to remember that many vehicle owners wait until right before a critical event to get their vehicles repaired.
For instance, if someone brings their truck into the shop to fix their suspension and you notice that their brake pads should be replaced soon, the customer may wait a few weeks or months until they feel like their brakes are just about to scrape the metal.
Depending on the condition of the brakes, a service advisor might put it on the estimate (and in this scenario, the truck owner declines the job to focus on their suspension) or, if it seems like the brakes do in fact have a few months of mileage left, they may save it as an RO for later.
Declined jobs and ROs saved for later are great ways to reconnect with a guest.
A simple courtesy call to check in with an existing customer who may need work soon is an excellent way to remind them that their vehicle needs maintenance before a critical event occurs, and it's also an opportunity to bring more work in the door.
Tek-Tip: Use Tekmetric’s Declined Job Report and Customer History
Tekmetric’s declined job report consolidates all of your shop’s declined jobs in one easy to view list.
During slow months, your service advisors can open the declined jobs report and go down the list, using notes to determine why the customer declined the job and whether or not they might be interested in revisiting the work soon.
To take this one step further, the service advisor can also look at the customer’s history to determine if there are any hold-ups to getting certain repair work.
For instance, if the customer history shows that they come into the shop frequently but tend to spend small amounts at a time, you can make them an offer or throw in a free oil change to sweeten the deal.
Generate New Customers with Marketing
Once you’ve worked your way up the sales funnel to complete any jobs in the queue and catch existing customers who either haven’t responded to your estimate or need work soon, you can start focusing on catching the attention of new customers.
When it comes to generating new business, the initial questions to ask yourself are, “Where are my target customers?” and “Where is my existing business coming from?”
By keeping track of your marketing sources—referrals, promotions, mailers, social media channels, etc.—you can get a better sense of the best place to put your efforts.
Every time a new customer comes in, it’s good practice to ask them, “How did you hear about us?” If it’s an existing customer, you can also ask, “What brings you in today?”
They may just tell you that they need work done, but sometimes they’ll answer with a certain promotion or advertisement, which can help you gauge the effectiveness of certain efforts.
If it seems like a certain tactic works better than others, that may be the first marketing effort to invest more money in when times are slow.
Tek-Tip: Use Tekmetric’s Marketing Source Report to Gauge the Effectiveness of Your Marketing
Tekmetric’s RO Marketing Source report gives shop owners a clear view of how successful each marketing effort is in terms of total sales, new sales, repeat sales, GP dollars, GP percent, and close ratio.
These metrics not only show you where your audience spends the most time but also shows you which segment of your audience is bringing in the most profit.
For instance, you may notice that Facebook brings in a lot of ROs, but you have the highest close ratio with people who read Yelp reviews.
If that’s the case, you may want to solicit more positive Yelp reviews from customers.
Accelerating Your Shop’s Business Takes a Comprehensive Approach
It’s important to consider your entire sales funnel when trying to boost the amount of work and dollars coming through your shop.
While marketing is a great way to get your name out there and bring new vehicles and faces into your shop, it’s just as important to nurture the relationships that you already have.
If it seems like there’s an existing customer that you can help with service, it’s a good idea to reach out and check in on them.
As always, keeping track of your job history, customer preferences, declined jobs, work in progress, and how your customers hear about your business is going to make it a lot easier to make calls and pull the right levers.
While this may seem like a lot to keep track of, a well-organized, easy to use shop management software like Tekmetric can make collecting and reviewing this information feel like second nature.
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.
If you're running an auto repair shop, investing in a car lift is essential. A high-quality vehicle lift makes it easier to work on cars, increases efficiency, and ensures safety. But how much does it actually cost to install a car lift? That depends on the type of lift, installation costs, and other factors such as weight capacity and safety features. Let’s break it all down so you can pick the best automotive lift for your needs.
Do you need a car lift?
Car lifts are essential in auto repair shops because they provide mechanics with better access to a vehicle’s undercarriage, making inspections, repairs, and maintenance tasks safer, more efficient, and more comfortable. Unlike floor jacks, lifts offer a stable and elevated workspace, reducing the risk of injuries and improving workflow.
With a car lift, technicians can quickly perform tasks such as oil changes, brake repairs, exhaust system work, and suspension adjustments without having to crawl under the vehicle. This efficiency leads to faster turnaround times and higher shop productivity.
Additionally, lifts help maximize shop space by allowing vertical storage for vehicles, which is especially useful in high-volume repair shops. Overall, car hoists are a fundamental investment for any auto repair shop looking to enhance efficiency, safety, and the quality of service provided to customers.
Types of car lifts and their costs
Each type of lift has its pros and cons. Some lifts are better for oil change shops and some are better for tire or repair shops. In general, car lifts can cost between $1,000 and $20,000 depending on brand, lift capacity, lift height, and features. Here’s a comprehensive look at the most common lift options for your shop.
Two-Post car lifts
A two-post car lift is one of the most popular choices for auto repair shops. They are popular because they take up less space and can be affordable depending on features. Make sure to plan out your shop layout as these lifts are permanent and cannot be easily moved. These hoists come in asymmetric and symmetric configurations, allowing flexibility based on vehicle type.
Price: $3,000 - $10,000
Best For: General repair shops working on SUVs and smaller cars.
Lift capacity: 5,000 - 10,000 lbs.
Popular brands: BendPak, Rotary, Tuxedo.
Advantages: High lifting capacity while saving space for smaller shops.
Four-Post lifts
A four-post lift provides greater stability and weight capacity, making it ideal for heavier vehicles. If your shop works on a lot of trucks or heavy-duty vehicles, the four-post lift might be the best lift for you. Tire and brake shops should avoid these lifts as the tires sit on the lift making it difficult to work on these areas.
Price: $5,000 - $25,000
Best For: Dealerships and professional shops.
Lift capacity: 7,000 - 14,000 lbs.
Popular brands: BendPak, Titan, Tuxedo, Rotary.
Advantages: Heavier lifting capacity for larger vehicles.
Scissor lifts
If saving space is your top priority, the scissor lift may be your best option. They are almost invisible when not in use and lie flat on the ground to optimize garage space. Double check the lift capacity and height to make sure it can accommodate the types of vehicles you work on.
Price: $1,500 - $10,000
Best For: Quick repair shops where space is limited.
Lift capacity: 5,000 - 15,000 lbs.
Brands: QuickJack, BendPak, MaxJax
Advantages: Compact and cheaper.
In-Ground lifts
In-ground car lifts are a great choice for shops that work on heavier vehicles and want to save space. These lifts are the perfect balance of the space saving capabilities of a scissor lift while also providing optimal strength for large vehicles.
Price: $10,000 - $25,000
Best For: Repair shops and dealerships.
Lift capacity: 5,000 - 20,000 lbs.
Brands: BendPak, Rotary, Atlas
Advantages: Compact while also offering enough muscle.
Portable car lifts
If your shop layout frequently changes or you are a mobile mechanic, a portable lift may be the best option. These lifts can be easily moved around a garage or taken to a job site and are often the cheapest option. However, they can be less reliable and don’t provide the same level of strength as a stationary lift.
Price: $500 - $5,000
Best For: Home garages, mobile mechanics, DIY enthusiasts.
Lift capacity: 5,000 - 10,000 lbs.
Brands: QuickJack, MaxJax
Advantages: Affordable, compact, mobile.
Installation prices for car lifts
Installing a vehicle lift is not just about purchasing the unit. You also need to consider the installation costs, which can vary depending on the type of lift and garage setup. Here are the main factors affecting installation costs:
1. Concrete requirements
Most lifts, especially two-post car lifts and four-post lifts, require a thick concrete base. If your floor isn’t thick enough, you may need reinforcement, which adds to the cost.
2. Electrical setup
Lifts need power, and if your garage isn’t wired for it, you’ll need an electrician.
3. Air compressors & accessories
Some lifts require compressors and additional balancer tools for operation.
4. Professional installation
Hiring a pro ensures the lift is ALI-certified and meets safety regulations.
Choosing the right car lift for your auto repair shop
Each type of lift comes with its own advantages, making it important to choose the right one based on your needs. Here are some things to consider when making your decision:
How big is your shop?
Which repair services do you offer?
What is your budget?
Does the lift offer a warranty?
Will you garage layout change over time?
How important is a car lift warranty to you?
How heavy will the vehicles you work on be?
What is the average review rating of the lift?
How easy or hard is the lift to install?
How much will the maintenance cost?
Final thoughts
Installing a vehicle lift in your auto repair shop is a smart investment. Whether you choose a two-post car lift, scissor lifts, or portable lift, knowing the lift cost and installation costs upfront can help you budget wisely. Whatever you choose, ensure it’s ALI-certified for safety and performance. Lastly, don’t forget about regular maintenance and safety inspections to ensure your lift continues to run for many years.
One of the most challenging parts of being a service advisor is building trust with drivers. Many drivers already feel apprehensive about spending money on repairs, but you’re still tasked with letting them know exactly what’s wrong with their car. And sometimes, that means identifying more issues than they were expecting.
At Tekmetric, we’ve heard a lot of great tricks of the trade from service advisors like you. And we’ve designed Tekmetric with many of these insights in mind. By leveraging Tekmetric’s capabilities, you can more effectively upsell, cross-sell, and reach more customers—and see your shop’s ARO and gross profits rise.
Here are the best auto repair shop software features within Tekmetric to help you flourish in your role.
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