Campus Automotive Accelerates Revenue by $300K in 6 Months

October 4, 2024

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Read time: 3 min

About Campus Automotive 

Nestled in the heart of Blacksburg, Virginia, Campus Automotive is where quality car care meets hometown service. Having taken over the shop in 2003, Matt McMurray has grown the business from its roots in towing into a full-service auto repair center. With 9 bays and more on the way, including a brand-new tire service, the shop’s not just bigger—it’s pulling in $300,000 more without needing to handle more vehicles, and that’s just 6 months after implementing Tekmetric.

Key to that success has been Matt’s right-hand man and General Manager, Johnnie Self.  Johnnie has been running the shop’s operations and provides his unique background to ensure the team is always on top of the day-to-day. Combining his experience in the Army, 15-years as a police officer, and a degree in Organizational Management, Johnnie knows how to keep things in check. He learned from the ground up – including taking classes with the Automotive Repair Institute. A jack of all trades, Johnnie quickly understood the importance of a stable foundation, in this case, a shop management system that could keep up with Matt’s ambition and triple revenue without increasing fixed costs. 

The Challenge

Campus Automotive initially relied on R.O. Writer, a point of sale system that, despite its initial appeal, fell short on updates and flexibility. This was particularly true in accounting and business overview capabilities. The limitations in accessing the system across different computers hampered Johnnie's high-level business visibility to track everything and make strategic decisions. To Johnnie, it didn't meet his standards of being user friendly.

Finding a solution

The journey to Tekmetric was a blend of frustration with the old way of doing things and the pursuit of a solution that offered more than just basic functionalities. Always looking for ways to improve, Johnnie was first introduced to Tekmetric at a Service Manager's coaching group in mid-2023. He had a conversation with his technicians and understood that the potential for seamless integration across the shop sounded like the right tool for the job. Johnnie's management style focuses on getting buy-in from his team. He wants them to have a say, and that's why after a technician recommended Tekmetric, he started investigating. It didn't take long before he looped in Shop Owner, Matt.

"Matt took one glance, called me that same night, and told me to make the switch. That was back in May of 2023. In our first 6 months, we’ve netted $300,000 more in revenue with the same amount of vehicles.”

Matt also had a friend who was using Tekmetric after transitioning from R.O. Writer and asked for a walkthrough. Since then, Tekmetric revolutionized the way Campus Automotive operated, with an all-in-one modern experience that Johnnie compared to the convenience of shopping at a superstore like Target or Walmart.

“Tekmetric changed the game for us. It’s like walking into a superstore but for car repairs—everything’s right there when you need it. Customizing work orders, ordering parts without the back-and-forth, and even adding videos to car inspections made everything smoother."

Features like custom RO labels, parts ordering, and Digital Vehicle Inspection Mapping with video additions to inspections significantly enhanced efficiency. The system's organizational capabilities and the option to have everything at one's fingertips stood out as game changers for Johnnie and his team.

Getting to a result

Implementing Tekmetric led to a transformative change in how Campus Automotive approached their business operations. The platform's automation and integrated systems not only facilitated a notable improvement in how appointments were set, but also completely improved transparency throughout the entire repair order process, particularly crucial in a college town where communication with customers—and importantly, their parents—is key. Matt’s goal of tripling revenue without increasing fixed costs became achievable, with the shop already seeing their average RO amount climb up 49% while maintaining their average vehicle count per a week.

“When your customers are college students and their parents are back at home, your shop needs transparency at every step.”

Transitioning to Tekmetric was smooth, with the entire team quickly adapting to the new system within a week. The elimination of paper-based processes and the clarity it brought to job assignments and technician accountability alone were huge for the team. Johnnie now has a “Command Center” setup with a large TV screen to display real-time shop activities that not only appealed to the younger technicians but also symbolized a modern, efficient workflow that Tekmetric enabled.

“We meet every morning around our command center 15 minutes before we open shop. It keeps us on the same page and lets us look through every single R.O. with advisors and technicians. If any of us are even 1 minute late, we dock a half-pay’s day.  That includes myself.  We go through it all and we address all the questions as a group to stay on the same page.  It makes a difference.”

The takeaway

Campus Automotive’s experience with Tekmetric is a testament to its ease of use and the significant positive impact it has on shop operations. His advice to other shop managers and owners is clear: Tekmetric makes everything "EXTREMELY easy for everyone involved."

“The biggest change that we made last year that got us to this point is Tekmetric.  It allowed us to be more organized on a daily basis – it’s up in front of me all the time, even right now!”

Year Established

Using Tekmetric Since

↑ 45%

Average Repair Order ($)

9

Average Car Count

12

Number of Employees

Number of Bays

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In 2019 Will Rivera returned to his family business, CarTech Auto Center, determined to modernize the five-location operation his father had started in 1986.

“I came in with expectations of using my experience at PwC and being able to plug in new processes and operations, which I had already seen in other industries that have been tested and proven. I quickly learned that auto shop reality is completely different.”

At the time, the company was two years from having to close its doors. Will needed a system that could tighten processes across every bay, motivate technicians, and give him real-time visibility, store by store.

Challenge

“We were losing a lot of money in the small stuff that our old system couldn’t track.”
Street view of auto repair shop

CarTech Auto Center’s legacy software couldn’t keep pace with a multi-location business:

  • No holistic view of the five shops meant Will had to log into each store separately to see sales or inventory.
  • Inefficient quoting and invoicing slowed staff, capping daily car count.
  • Manual parts sourcing required juggling supplier websites.
  • Limited technician tracking blocked the performance-pay plan needed to recruit top talent.
  • No automated reminders left revenue on the table for deferred work and maintenance follow-ups.

Solution

“Tekmetric is the best shop management solution in the industry right now—if you know how to use it, it’ll make you a lot of money.”
Two technicians working on a car battery

CarTech was able to unlock rapid, multi-shop growth:

  • Organization Oversight: One dashboard for every location provides real-time KPIs, easy inventory transfers, and cross-shop scheduling when a store fills up, giving Will total control of five shops in a single view.
  • Faster Quoting: Five-minute digital quotes & invoices, complete with photos, video, and text messaging, cut front-counter time in half and doubled daily car throughout.
  • Time Tracking: Built-in billable-hour tracking enabled a tiered commission plan that “made techs’ pockets fatter and they worked harder,” driving productivity and staff retention.
  • Streamlined Parts Ordering: Quick parts ordering via integrated supplier catalogs eliminates browser-tab juggling and speeds parts arrival.
  • Partnership: In response to feedback from CarTech and other multi-location users, Tekmetric enhanced its inventory transfer feature to better support multi-shop workflows.

Results

“If Tekmetric grows, I grow, because they reinvest in the product and they listen when multi-shop owners need something.”
Technician diagnosing an engine

In just nine months with Tekmetric, CarTech’s five shops grew monthly revenue 48%, from $155K to $230K, and the flagship store doubled sales. Digital quotes now take five minutes instead of ten, allowing the team to move 20+ cars a day without requiring extra staff. Real-time billable-hour tracking allows techs to earn well over the industry standard, making hiring and retention easier.

What’s Next

“We’re expanding, not selling. Tekmetric will scale with us—store by store, bay by bay."
Multiple bays in an auto repair shop

Will plans to:

  • Standardize all five shops on Tekmetric, pushing monthly revenue to $270–$280K.
  • Open a sixth shop and a joint-venture location in the continental US.

Learn directly from Will on how to improve your shop's operations in our upcoming webinar on June 19th @ 2pm ET! Register Here.

Tomi Oliva, owner of SJ Automotive in Chicago, took over his family's auto repair business in 2016 and has transformed it into a thriving shop. He faced typical challenges for many shops, including inefficient workflows, difficulties in tracking key metrics, and the need for better customer communication. Tomi recognized the need for change and embraced Tekmetric, a decision that led to dramatic results.

Challenge

“I started noticing that my shop management system was really, really bad.”

SJ Automotive relied on a cumbersome system that slowed operations and hindered growth, resulting in:

  • Time-consuming quote generation
  • Difficulties in tracking technician productivity
  • Limited visibility into shop performance metrics
  • Slower customer communication

Solution

Tomi chose Tekmetric for its ability to provide real-time data, streamline shop operations, and enhance customer communication. The platform automated processes, improved financial tracking, and facilitated a transparent repair process.

Results

Auto workers in a repair shop

Doubling Car Count and Revenue

"Tekmetric is a tool in my tool bag that's helped me become profitable.”

Tomi has driven significant growth across key metrics at SJ Automotive:

  • Revenue: Monthly revenue has doubled, growing from ~$20–25K to ~$40–50K.
  • Average Repair Order (ARO): Increased by approximately $200 per vehicle.
  • Efficiency: Estimate creation time reduced from 40 minutes to about 10 minutes.
  • Car Count: SJ Automotive’s car count has doubled since switching to Tekmetric. 

Data-Driven Decision Making

"I didn't even know some of these metrics before, and now they're in front of my face every time I open it."

With Tekmetric’s real-time reporting and data insights, Tomi now has a clear view of key metrics like technician hours, employee productivity, and profitability. This visibility helps identify areas for improvement and optimize overall performance. In addition, integration with SEO tools enables SJ Automotive to track marketing ROI and fine-tune campaigns for greater effectiveness.

Improved Customer Communication

"I really love the ease of communication and authorization."

SJ Automotive has improved their customer communication by streamlining estimate and authorization processes. As a result, estimates, approvals, and payments happen faster, creating a more efficient and transparent repair process and improving overall customer satisfaction.

What’s Next

Tomi is focused on continued growth. SJ Automotive's future goals include doubling their car count, opening another location, and implementing new growth strategies.

For nearly a decade, Tony Perez, owner of Euro Car Doctors in Orange County, California, has been committed to delivering premium auto care. But as business grew, outdated software made it harder to keep up, and customers started to feel the impact. 

Challenge

"We'd have 10 appointments for the day, and by 11 a.m., only two quotes were out. We still had eight to go.”

Tony’s team was bogged down by:

  • Estimates that took 4-5 hours to complete
  • Inefficient workflows between techs and service writers
  • A backlog of appointments that led to delays and customer frustrations 

Solution

“We needed something that could keep up with our intake and let us grow without being bottlenecked.”

Tony knew his customers deserved better - faster service, clearer communication, and less time waiting. After exploring his options, he chose Tekmetric for its ability to streamline operations and deliver a more efficient, transparent experience from check-in to estimate.

Learn about Euro Car Doctors' customer experience:

Results

Car at a bay in a repair shop and technician working on the trunk

Increased Efficiency and Productivity:

Creating estimates now takes less than 90 minutes, down from 4–5 hours. That means more vehicles in the shop and more satisfied customers driving away.

Increase in Average Repair Order (ARO):

Faster quoting and comprehensive digital vehicle inspections means customers see everything their car needs right away. The result? An increase in average repair order to $900 and more confident decisions from customers. 

"Our numbers were through the roof because I was able to quote more items on those tickets that the car needed."  

Improved Customer Satisfaction:

Each customer receives a detailed quote informing them about the services needed and associated costs, empowering them to make confident decisions. Transparent, timely communication has built trust with customers and it shows in the reviews with a 4.8 star rating on Google.

"We tell the customer what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Everything we see gets quoted to be fully honest and transparent with our customers."  

Expansion to a Second Location:

Improved operations allowed Tony to open a second shop, without sacrificing quality.

“As we grow, we won’t open the next store until the last one runs on autopilot.”

What’s Next

Auto repair shop owner with a happy customer

Euro Car Doctors isn’t slowing down. As each shop reaches capacity, Tony plans to expand, driven by his commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience, with Tekmetric helping power the growth behind the scenes.