From Outdated to Optimized: How TL Auto Repair Scaled with Smarter Operations

How a franchise-first brand drives operational clarity and brand consistency across hundreds of shops with Tekmetric as their partner for growth.

Overview

With more than 315 locations across 30 states, Christian Brothers Automotive (CBA) has become a trusted name in automotive repair and redefined the auto care experience. Their unique franchise model prioritizes owner-operators, consistent guest experiences, and long-term cultural alignment over aggressive growth.

When CBA needed a modern shop management system to support expansion while protecting brand consistency, they turned to Tekmetric.

‍“It was a high-stakes, high-risk bet. And it’s gone even better than expected.” — Josh Eddy, Director of Strategy & Innovation, CBA

The Challenge

By 2018, CBA was operating on an outdated, server-based system. Each franchise managed data in silos, creating inconsistent processes and preventing a unified customer experience.

CBA needed:

• A cloud-based platform that would scale with 20–25 new shops added each year.
• Real-time visibility into financials, shop metrics, and technician performance across the network.
• A true partner, not just a vendor, to co-innovate and adapt to the needs of a fast-growing franchise system.

The Solution

After evaluating more than 30 systems, CBA selected Tekmetric in late 2019. The decision came down to Tekmetric’s cloud-native foundation, cultural alignment, and willingness to act as a collaborative partner.

Highlights of the rollout and ongoing partnership:

• Nationwide rollout in 3 months: ~200 stores migrated in Q4 2019 through a carefully staged, highly supported plan.
• Cloud agility during COVID-19: Remote workflows kept shops open and guests safe during lockdowns.
• Continuous innovation: Tekmetric’s accelerated feature releases – from sublet profitability tracking to custom API capabilities – directly reflect franchisee needs.
• Integrated payments: Merchant services adoption has streamlined reconciliation and improved subscription offerings.

The Results

Today, Tekmetric is the standard across CBA’s 300+ shops, giving every franchisee and corporate leader clarity and consistency in operations.

That consistency has translated into measurable performance gains across the network. Between 2020 and 2024:

• Average sales per shop increased by 72.59%
• Average car count per shop rose by 14.56%
• Average sales per car (ARO) grew by 50.65%

These outcomes were made possible by a platform that brings together shop operations, data visibility, and a true spirit of partnership:

• One universal platform for shop management, payments, and customer engagement.
• Real-time KPIs across every location – down to technician performance and profitability.
• Consistent guest experience across franchises
• Trusted partnership with a vendor that listens, responds, and co-develops solutions.
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‍“It’s an easy, accessible platform to drive insights and value. Any shop owner that transitions to Tekmetric can see the value instantly.” — Josh Eddy, Director of Strategy & Innovation, CBA

What’s Next

CBA continues to expand at a steady pace of 20–25 new shops each year. With Tekmetric, every new franchise can be onboarded quickly, standardized easily, and operated with confidence.

The partnership between CBA and Tekmetric ensures that as the brand grows, its culture, guest experience, and profitability scale right alongside it.

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.”

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.”

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.”

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."

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

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.