In the highly competitive automotive repair industry, building a successful auto repair business requires efficiency, adaptability and determination. As the industry continues to grow, it brings a new advantage with cutting-edge technology.
That’s why when Joe Rush was looking to propel his Austin-based shops, Rush Automotive, to new heights and he knew he needed the right tools for the job. As a seasoned shop owner and entrepreneur, Joe quickly recognized the value of implementing a robust software solution. By leveraging Tekmetric, Joe and his team were able to enhance performance and delight customers with a modern experience.
Joe’s auto repair experience extends back to his years as a teenager, when he applied to be a lot porter at a shop in Austin, Texas. That job would be the first of many, and after nearly two decades in the industry, he took on the entrepreneurial challenge of opening his own auto repair shop: Rush Automotive.
The shop became wildly successful over the next 12 years, growing from three to 48 employees across five locations. As Rush Automotive expanded, Joe began to see that he was outgrowing his previous shop management system. After a long search for a new system, Joe met the team from Tekmetric and tested the platform. Impressed by how Tekmetric’s fluidity outshined his server-based systems, he decided to make the transition to the cloud-based, all-in-one software.
For Joe, it was worth the investment: Tekmetric completely transformed the way he managed his shop. With real-time data analysis of the entire organization, and tools to enhance productivity, it was easier than ever for Rush Automotive to offer a seamless, modern customer experience.
“Everything came down to my realization that Tekmetric is better than everything else I had used before. I feel like I finally have a shop management system that’s on the same level as my service,” he said.
Seamless Coordination and Immediate Savings
The impact of implementing Tekmetric was immediate, and Joe experienced significant improvements with each new shop he onboarded. In just his first month alone, with Tekmetric fully operating across all five locations, Joe saw his revenue increase by $9,000 overall – approximately $1,800 for each location. This success came from multiple features Joe accessed through the platform, including real-time reporting, streamlined operations and effective billing adjustments.
Tekmetric’s real-time reporting specifically has proven invaluable to Joe as a shop owner by providing updated data for Joe to review anytime. Additionally, Multi-Shop, Tekmetric’s feature for multi-location shops, supports his efforts to understand what’s happening in real-time at any of his locations. This offers him greater ability to make strategic business decisions and support customers – from anywhere.
In fact, Joe has a mobile office set up in his truck with a tablet and his phone, so he can view data from any of his locations and make calls as needed.
“As an owner, I like the ability to look at the entire organization,” he said. “So, what I really enjoy about Tekmetric is the fluidity of being able to log on, go to reports and have all five locations reported together, in real-time. I can even make changes with the press of a button, and they are reflected across the company.”
Tekmetric also offered Joe a myriad of features that transformed Rush Automotive's daily operations. With Tekmetric, he and his team could effortlessly manage appointments, streamline workflows and even track inventory. In fact, just by monitoring his parts through Tekmetric, Joe quickly realized he could save significant costs.
“I have thousands of dollars of inventory on my shelf,” he said. “With Tekmetric, I’m able to pull reports on my inventory at each shop. Then, I can easily make adjustments by reducing or cleaning up the parts I have to save on costs.”
A Paradigm Shift in Customer Support
Tekmetric also empowered Joe to seamlessly coordinate the repair process and efficiently manage his customers’ needs, even from on the road. Through intuitive features and accessibility, he can effortlessly oversee every aspect of the repair process, from diagnosing the issue to ensuring timely completion.
In one recent example, Joe recalled getting a call from a customer while he was at the airport preparing to board a flight. Through Tekmetric’s mobile app, he was able to coordinate vehicle pickup, initiate the repair process and secure necessary approvals – all before his plane departed.
Tekmetric made this level of immediate assistance possible, Joe said. “This would never have happened before. She would have had to wait for me to land, then get somewhere to remote into the old system.”
Streamlined Efficiency for a Multi-Shop Organization
Joe's experience with Tekmetric highlights the transformative power of an effective shop management system in a shop with multiple locations. From providing exceptional customer support from anywhere to streamlining operations and unlocking new levels of efficiency, Tekmetric revolutionized how Joe operates his business.
Joe can provide exceptional customer support remotely, addressing customer needs to ensure seamless support even while on the go. Moreover, the system's robust features and intuitive interface empowered Joe and his team to manage operations more effectively, from scheduling and inventory management to invoicing and reporting.
The result? A well-orchestrated and synchronized network of shops, delivering consistent, quality service to customers. With Tekmetric as the backbone of its operations, Joe gained the tools and insights he needed to optimize performance, identify areas of improvement and drive growth.
“Tekmetric saves you in ways you couldn’t even imagine,” he said. “You can’t afford not to have it.”
