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

With this latest update, we want to deep dive into one of the most beneficial features, buy now, pay later, so shop owners can see for themselves.

Tekmerchant was designed to help shop owners, like you, to build trust with customers, close out the day faster, and turbo charge shop’s payment processing by offering them a fully integrated payments solution, all managed by a trusted team. Building off your existing Tekmetric experience, Tekmerchant is another way to supercharge both your shop’s processes and your customer’s experience at the same time.

More specifically, we're really excited to tell you about our new buy now, pay later feature , making it easier for your guests to do business with your shop -- especially on those more expensive repair orders. 

With just the inclusion of Tekmerchant alone, Silver Lake Auto’s shop performance continues to grow. At the organization’s flagship store, average repair order (ARO) has increased by more than $200 a month!

And we’re excited to see how much those AROs grow with buy now, pay later.

Running a repair shop takes more than turning wrenches. It’s booking appointments, reminding customers to show up, following up on declined jobs – all while keeping bays full and the front office running smoothly.

But for most shops, staying connected with customers feels like a second job. Some rely on a patchwork of booking tools, texting apps, and review platforms. Others don’t follow up at all. Either way, things slip through the cracks. The result? Missed appointments, lost revenue, and customers who never return.

That’s why we built Tekmetric Marketing.

Not another system to learn. Not another login to juggle. It’s built right into Tekmetric, the platform you already trust to run your shop. With online booking, reminders, campaigns, follow-ups, reviews, and even a professional website all in one place, Tekmetric Marketing helps you keep customers engaged and loyal automatically – without piling more work on your plate. And it’s designed so anyone on your team can use it. No marketing expertise required.

More Cars. Higher ARO. Steady Repeat Business.

Every repair order holds untapped potential. A declined brake job today can turn into tomorrow’s revenue. A routine oil change can become the start of a long-term relationship.

Tekmetric Marketing makes sure those opportunities don’t slip away. Customers can schedule online 24/7, filling bays while you sleep. Automated reminders cut down on no-shows and keep the calendar steady. Follow-ups on declined jobs and maintenance turn “not today” into approved work. Seasonal campaigns help you bring customers back when business slows.

And if your shop doesn’t have a website, Tekmetric can build one for you, giving customers one more way to find you, book online, and keep your bays full.

As Ryan Froats of Yorktown Auto Care put it:
“As an independently-owned shop, dedicating resources towards outreach and follow-up can be challenging. Tekmetric Marketing allows me to communicate with my customer base in a variety of ways, without tying up hours of my work week.”

That’s the difference between a full schedule and an empty bay. Between a one-time job and a loyal customer.

Turn Great Service Into Lasting Loyalty

Great service doesn’t stop when the car leaves the bay. Tekmetric Marketing makes it really easy to keep the relationship going. Post-visit follow-ups that check in with customers after service, showing you care and helping you catch issues early. Review requests that boost your reputation on Google, making it easier for new customers to find and trust you. Private feedback that gives you valuable insights to improve service and address concerns before they go public

Together, these touchpoints build trust, strengthen relationships, and turn satisfied customers into loyal advocates.

One Platform. No Missed Messages.

Because Tekmetric Marketing lives inside Tekmetric, all customer communication flows through one platform – from estimates and approvals to reminders, follow-ups, and promotions. No more bouncing between systems or wondering what’s been sent. Everything is tied to the customer profile, making communication clear, consistent, and professional.

Tekmetric Marketing also works in sync with your shop’s calendar, repair orders, and payments. Bookings instantly block off availability. Reminders align with scheduled work. Everything just works without syncing headaches or double entry.

And here’s the best part: Tekmetric Marketing is designed for busy shop owners and front office staff. It’s easy to set up, runs automatically in the background, and helps you grow your business without adding more to your to-do list – or requiring a marketing degree.

As Corey Hansen of Hansen Auto Repair shared:
“It’s so convenient having everything in one place, right inside Tekmetric. I already have Tekmetric open for managing the shop and invoicing, so I don’t have to switch tabs or log into something else to engage with my customers. Having it all together just makes things faster—and for me, saving time is huge.”

Auto Repair. Done Right.

Tekmetric has always been the all-in-one platform that helps shops run better — from managing repairs to taking payments. Now, with Tekmetric Marketing, it’s also the platform that helps you grow faster, keep customers loyal, and deliver a better experience at every turn.

Turn every visit into the next one. With Tekmetric Marketing, it happens automatically.

In today’s competitive auto repair landscape, service advisors play a crucial role in customer satisfaction and shop success. Managing customer inquiries, collaborating with technicians for repair estimates and maintaining the shop’s schedule are all keys to successful service writing. However, there is one secret weapon that can take your work to the next level: data. 

Understanding the importance of data can take your customer service from good to excellent, allowing you to serve more customers in less time – without sacrificing quality. By harnessing data, you’ll be better equipped to enhance your customer experience, optimize your workflow and ultimately elevate your expertise as a data-driven service writer.

1. Leverage Your Shop Dashboard to Enhance Customer Experience 

By strategically leveraging digital tools, service writers can use data and analytics to provide a better customer experience. Service writers can shape a customer’s entire experience with the shop simply by monitoring and adjusting to accessible data on their shop dashboard through Tekmetric. Using the shop dashboard, you can control the customer’s repair experience, serving as an intermediary between the technician and the vehicle owner, as well as ensuring the work is completed efficiently and effectively.

For example, you can push repair orders (ROs) forward for your customer by ordering parts in the “parts needed” category. Or, you can build stronger customer relationships while creating opportunities for additional work by checking in with vehicle owners who previously declined jobs, but may need them now. By using the data at your fingertips, you can make decisions in real-time that support your customers and ensure their happiness with the repair. Happier customers lead to more money for the shop – and for your commission.

2. Optimize Your Workflow with Data-Driven Tools

Like waiters in a restaurant, service writers are the “face” of the shop, and often they are the first experience a customer has with the business. Because of this, it’s crucial you have a smooth workflow that keeps you open for customer interaction rather than stuck behind a computer screen. Fortunately, there are tools you can leverage to reduce your manual tasks and keep you free to focus on the more complex, relationship-driven parts of your job.

For example, Tekmetric’s Smart Jobs feature can automate job creation, allowing you to focus less on manual data entry and more on customer interactions. Within one or two clicks, Smart Jobs allows you to build the order, find parts and finalize the estimate without ever leaving Tekmetric. By automating the job creation process, you free yourself up to spend more time speaking to the customer about their needs, concerns and questions without compromising the RO’s accuracy.

3. Utilize Digital Tools to Elevate Your Expertise as a Data-Driven Service Writer

When you learn how to leverage data in your day-to-day role, not only can you better serve your customers and optimize your workflow, but you can become a stronger service writer overall. Data is not just a set of numbers on a screen – it is a tool that can elevate your expertise, setting you up for success both within the shop and throughout your career.

One tool that supports your development as a service writer in addition to the shop dashboard and Smart Jobs is the digital vehicle inspection (DVI). Because only 25% of shops use DVIs, leveraging this digital tool correctly can truly differentiate your shop from others around you. The DVI is more than just a list of repairs; it provides information that can help you provide better service. For example, your interactions with customers might prove that including several images and videos of necessary repairs can help customers better understand what’s happening with their vehicle. If you see on a DVI that images were not included, you can connect with the technician to add them before sending the DVI to the vehicle owner.

You can also go the extra mile to anticipate customer questions and clarify any confusing details with the technician before sending the DVI to the customer. This helps you prepare for customer interactions while gaining more expertise from your technicians. As you grow more in your role, you can utilize different tools like the DVI to perform at a higher level, making you better at advising and growing in your expertise as the shop’s “voice.”

Your Secret Weapon to Successful Service Writing

In a customer-facing role, one of the best ways to elevate your role as a service writer is to use data and analytics. As technology continues to improve, you can leverage your shop’s reports through Tekmetric or its integration to gain a greater pulse of shop dynamics. By using data to drive your role as a service writer, you can improve the customer experience, contribute to a more efficient workflow and grow professionally in your role as a service writer.