Import Auto Shop is Living Up to Their Potential as a Shop Owner

Austin Blanton is a U.S. Navy veteran and family man who started his auto repair career at just 21. In only five years, he went from being an employee at Import Auto to becoming the owner when he purchased the shop from the original owner. Since then, he’s built a unified team, modernized daily tasks, and taken big steps as a business owner. We recently caught up with Austin to learn how he’s grown as a shop owner, and how he transformed Import Auto Shop into the thriving business it is today.

October 4, 2024

|

Read time: 3 min

Speeding Up My Business

When I became the owner of Import Auto, I wanted to make it more modern. One of the main ways I did this was by using Digital Vehicle Inspections. The first tool I used got the job done, but I realized that I needed a more robust tool that operated on the cloud.

That’s when I heard about Tekmetric, which I started using in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tekmetric has made life easier for my team and guests—and it’s also boosted our productivity and revenue.

Thanks to Tekmetric, we’ve gone fully paperless. We send every DVI, estimate, and invoice via text or email. It doesn’t take us twenty minutes to write a quote anymore, so we have no problem writing up a quote anytime there’s an opportunity to do so. We don’t put it off. And when we order parts, we can track them all in one place; we don’t have to bounce through multiple tabs.

Staying in Tune With My Guests Via User Profiles

Tekmetric has improved how we communicate with guests across the board.

Creating ROs takes just a few clicks, and guests can approve services over text or email. If they decline a service, we can quickly document it in the RO. If they come back a few months later and ask how much we’d quoted them for the service they’d declined, all we have to do is pull up the exact amount from our records and confidently tell them. And of course, once a job is done, we use Tekmetric’s text-to-pay feature to quickly deliver tickets and collect payment.

service writers on computers

Tekmetric also makes it easier to keep track of guest data. Tekmetric’s integration with Kukui enabled me to seamlessly transfer all of our guests’ contact information.

Because Tekmetric is cloud-based, I don't have to worry about losing years' worth of customer data if a piece of hardware breaks.

The cloud-based nature of Tekmetric has another benefit, too. While I try not to work in the evenings once I’m home, it’s comforting to know that I can check on appointments and order parts from my couch if I need to.

Taking Bigger Steps as a Business Owner

The COVID-19 pandemic has gotten me out of my comfort zone as a business owner. I realized that many people just weren’t on the road anymore. But my shop still had to make money. So, I got to work securing more fleet accounts. We’d handled some fleet accounts prior to the pandemic, but I wanted to drive more business in that area because it’s guaranteed income. We had a lot of success with it. We built great relationships with nearby companies by doing things we hadn’t done before, like picking up and dropping off their cars. It made a world of difference to those customers, and it made Import Auto more competitive.

Financial security, along with the time Tekmetric has freed up for us, has created the space for us to give back to our community.

When you’re worried about money and busy dealing with operations stuff, you can lose sight of paying it forward. For example, one of the things we did last year was get involved with Brakes for Breasts. We also began a lifelong discount program for public workers like teachers and firefighters.

Additionally, we have more room to continue the restoration work we do on classic cars, mainly for a classic car company up the street. It’s gratifying to work on getting cars like a 1964 Land Rover or a 1934 Chevy pickup truck back on the road.

This all ties back to something I advise shop owners—battle complacency. Look into the training and technology that will modernize your shop, so you can spend less time on operations and more time on fulfilling projects.

For more information about Import Auto, visit importautorepairs.com.

Year Established

Using Tekmetric Since

$520

Average Repair Order ($)

170

Average Car Count

5

Number of Employees

Number of Bays

Recommended stories

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.

In late 2020, Jim Kellas bought TL Auto Repair, in Union City, California. The location was strong, but the shop’s systems were holding it back—outdated software, lack of key integrations, and inefficient processes all contributed to a poor customer experience. 

Determined to find a solution, Jim explored various shop management systems before switching to Tekmetric. After making the switch, the impact was transformative for TL Auto Repair.

“Stop looking at the other ones. You're done searching.”  

Challenge

Before switching systems, TL Auto Repair faced:

  • Frequent software downtime disrupting operations
  • Lack of integrations with key tools, creating manual work
  • Limited visibility into performance metrics

Solution

After exploring several options, Jim chose Tekmetric for its seamless integrations, reliable performance, and features that made it easier to connect with customers. With Tekmetric, TL Auto Repair streamlined operations, improved communication, and set the foundation for future growth.

Results

Service Advisors at their desks

Streamlined Operations That Drive Revenue

Integrations with tools like Affirm through Tekmetric’s Payments and adding Marketing solutions helped TL Auto Repair simplify workflows and boost sales. Offering financing made higher-ticket repairs more accessible for customers, leading to over $2 million in revenue.

“I was able to integrate with so many other programs. I'm able to know revenue-wise it's been a boom because I'm able to tie everything together.”

More Efficiency, Less Overhead

Running on a reliable, browser-based system saved time and cut hardware costs. Staff work faster, from anywhere, using devices like Chromebooks. 

"The time savings have been substantial, allowing for increased efficiency"

A Better Experience for Every Customer

Text message updates, digital vehicle inspections, and contactless invoicing and payments create a more transparent and convenient experience for their customers. This has earned them trust, repeat business, and a 4.7-star rating on Google. 

"Customers love getting text message updates, online inspection reports, and the option for contactless service - it keeps them coming back." 

What’s Next

Cars on lifts getting worked on

With a proven model and the right technology support in place, Jim plans to expand and is in the process of acquiring new shops. He is applying the same focus on operational efficiency and customer experience that turned TL Auto Repair into a thriving business.