Auto repair shops lose money when cars sit waiting for parts or customers get sick of waiting for an explanation. If you could clear up the logjams that slow down your estimates and hinder your customer service, that leads to a productive shop.
Successful shops have already figured out the processes that take care of these problems. The answers lie in your automotive shop software and how you use it. By tapping into specific features and tools, you can streamline how your shop works and how happy your customers are when they drive home.
Tool #1: Canned jobs by year, make and model
If you regularly fix the same makes and models over and over again, why start from scratch every time. Simply create a template by year, make, model and engine size and pull each one when needed. It will serve up parts options and pricing much faster. As a result, you wow customers as you produce estimates faster.
Tool #2: Past services flagged in auto shop software
Never re-write a service again. If you’ve recommended a service before, Shop-Ware brings that information right up to the top of a repair order. That saves you precious time. This carries across the platform, even if they go to another shop you own.
Tool #3: Expeditor notifications within auto repair software
The name pretty much says it all. This Shop-Ware exclusive dispatch technology tracks workflow and shares notifications in real time – right within our auto shop software. Don’t waste time emailing status updates. Instead, work more quickly without making human errors when you transfer information from one platform to another.
Tool #4: Native Parts Catalog
Yes, you could look up parts from four different suppliers OR use one database that compares them all for fit and price. Shop-Ware’s exclusive Native Parts Catalog prices parts from all industry-leading suppliers so you can update pricing with 1 click.
Tool #5: Messenger with live chat
Customers are busy too so they don’t want to talk at length about what’s wrong with their car. Focus on the expertise you need to provide a solution by sending visuals and notes via a chat bubble on their phones. They already shop for other services this way, so work with the habits they already love. They approve estimates after showing it to a trusted friend or family member, recording a digital record of saying ‘Yes.’ Only Shop-Ware offers this ‘live chat’ option.
Tool #6: Pre-order and track parts
Why wait until you open an RO to order a part you know you’re going to need? Only Shop-Ware allows you to pre-order when you book the appointment so you have what you need – when you need it. While supply chain delays create backlogs, you stay one step ahead of your competitors. Your customers will thank you!
Even better, Shop-Ware’s parts allocation tool tells the Expeditor to alert you when your parts arrive. Now, you can shuffle jobs around based on what’s ready to go. It all shows up on one screen without keeping track of it all in your head.
Tool #7: Remote payments connected to auto shop software
Shop-Ware works with digital partners so customers can not only approve work remotely, but they can pay with their phones as well. Don’t wait around for late-comers to settle up their accounts or worry about chasing them later. Payments flow more quickly and seamlessly, which you track via End of Day Payments.
Tool #8: Advanced analytics
Shop-Ware offers the best-in-class analytics that tune up your business anywhere, anytime. Customize and automate any report on any metric to update you daily and weekly. Keep track of every employee action and parts purchase to inform your management decisions. Give up micromanaging since our shop management software reins in any errant staff behavior.
On top of that, the exclusive AI technology in our Parts GP Optimizer makes sure you hit your monthly parts gross profit targets. Just set a range and our software analyzes more data than any human can, so you hit the bull’s-eye every time.
All these features come together in one package to blow customers away with your expertise. They deliver more transparency within the shop and with your customers. Right away, customers embrace the convenience you add to their day and say “Yes” 89 % of the time you offer them an estimate of recommendation.
Are you ready to transform your shop? Shop-Ware is the automotive repair industry’s premier enterprise-grade SaaS platform for shop management. Features include digital, cloud-based repair orders with native vehicle inspections and customer live chat. Get real-time shop workflow and “Expeditor” dispatch, and parts allocation tracking for each job in progress. Its gross profit “Optimizer” automatically seeks and attains your parts GP target.
