Are you looking to become a business owner this year? So are 600,000 other people.

It’s a noble pursuit, but it’s difficult, given the amount of competition you’re going to have. Not all of those businesses are going to be auto shops like your business, but you’re still going to have to compete in a saturated business landscape.

And oftentimes, it’s the simple things, like software for mechanics, that get overlooked when searching for your competitive edge. But the truth is, anything that helps your business run more efficiently, saving both time and money, can help you beat out the competition.

Why? Because you’ll be more organized internally, which helps you complete repair services faster. This improves the customer experience and will encourage them to come back next time.

So how do you go about choosing auto shop management software? Keep reading to learn how to find the right software for your auto repair shop today.

Streamline Customer Interactions

As an auto shop, your goal is to draw as many customers in on a daily basis as possible. But most people don’t like wasting their time, so they’ll schedule an appointment before bringing their vehicle in.

Make sure it’s very easy for your customers to schedule an appointment by using the right software. Customers should be able to look on your website and find the next available appointment without having to hop on the phone. 

Handle Payments and Invoices

You also need software that makes it as easy as possible for your customers to pay you. Good POS software will allow customers to use various types of payments in your shop, or if they are paying online.

Software that can generate and send invoices, to customers and vendors, is also helpful. 

Manage Inventory and Ordering

You can’t provide repairs and replacement parts if you keep running out of inventory. Choose software that makes it a breeze to manage your shop’s inventory.

And a member of your team should be able to use the app to verify current inventory levels. And it’s even better if the software allows you to place orders directly through the platform, rather than having to on online to find and order the products separately. 

Provide Quotes

Creating auto repair work orders is very important. You need to determine accurate pricing for repairs quickly in order to provide good customer service. Repair quotes should be detailed so your customers should know what they are paying for.

Good software will streamline this process and save your mechanics a lot of time. 

Look for an All-In-One Software Solution

In the past, handling these types of tasks meant investing in multiple pieces of software. You have needed to get a CRM to handle incoming customer communication and appointment requests.

Then, you needed separate software to accept payments. You would also need a different piece of software to balance the books, to keep inventory, and so forth.

But today, managing an auto shop is much easier. You can use software, like Tekmetric that handles all of these tasks, and many more, in one platform.

That’s one piece of software to manage every single aspect of your business. And it means only one software payment, and one tool to learn how to use.

With all-in-one shop management software, you can leave behind all of the pencils, clipboards, and filing cabinets. Software that utilizes cloud-based storage will make it much easier to keep track of all the important data your business handles.

And shop management software makes it easy to track customer communication, handle payments, schedule appointments, and send automatic reminders.

All of this creates a more seamless customer experience, making them happy, which improves your bottom line. 

Comparing Prices

You might pay a little bit more to get a monthly subscription to modern shop management software. But it is still much more affordable than having to pay for multiple different pieces of software as you try to string together various applications for your business.

Most shop management has pricing tiers and opportunities to earn discounts. If you only have a handful of employees, it might be cheaper. If you have dozens of employees or more locations, you can expect to pay more. 

Check Out Reviews

Reviews are important, but they aren’t the most important thing. Still, it helps to seek out third-party review sites like Google Reviews and the BBB to see what others are saying about the software.

If they have issues with the software or with the company that provides the software, see if the team responds, which they often do publically. Even if a company gets some bad reviews, it’s usually only bad if the company ignores it and doesn’t try making things right.

Visit Other Auto Shops

One of the best ways to find the best software for your own car mechanics to use is to visit other shops. Maybe that means bringing in your own car for repairs to evaluate the overall customer service, and get a glimpse of what software your competitors are using.

If you do this, make sure to make a list of all the successful shops in your area. What are the shops that are always busy, and have the best online reviews?

With this list in hand, start your reconnaissance. You can do some light scouting by filling out forms and setting up appointments on their website (and canceling them after).

Or you can schedule affordable repairs, like oil changes, to get a first-hand look at how their software impacts their entire business.

And if you’re feeling bold, just ask the people who work in the shop what software they are using.

If other shops in your area are doing things right and earning a constant stream of business, there’s no shame in taking some hints from them to apply to your own auto shop. 

Choosing the Right Software for Mechanics

It’s clear that the right software for mechanics is an all-in-one shop management solution. But quite a few companies have created their own version.

Any quality software will allow you to either test it out for yourself or go through a demo process with representatives from the company. Take your time when making a decision, as choosing software like this will impact every area of your company.

Looking for more tech tips like this? Head over to our blog where you’ll find lots of other helpful articles.