How this Import-Focused Pro Increased His Auto Shop Profits

Dominic Lydon worked for a repair shop in Ireland  then for a local Massachusetts dealership after he moved to the United States.

In 2004, he founded Autobahn Service, specializing in European and import vehicle repair. Once he found the right shop management software with Shop-Ware, he saw his auto shop profits skyrocket.

Meet Autobahn Service

Known as New England’s “VW, Audi, and BMW guy,” Dominic loves the challenge of automotive diagnostics and takes pride in providing a best-in-class service for Autobahn customers. The small-town shop boasts five service bays and three skilled technicians.

The Challenge

Prior to discovering Shop-Ware, Autobahn Service suffered through its fair share of SMS-induced pain points. With the busy day-to-day bustle of shop operations, it wasn’t always easy to send and receive approval for high-yielding estimates. Not only were staff stuck in a cycle of low AROs, but they were also losing business to competitors. Autobahn Service needed a way to efficiently convert small-ticket oil change customers into a steady stream of  jobs generating more auto shop profits.

The Results – Higher Auto Shop Profits

Autobahn Service was considering another SMS before completing a Shop-Ware demo. The platform’s exclusive tools such as the GP Optimizer (which makes calculating a parts gross profit easier than ever before) as well as having the ability to integrate their Bosch Car Service dashboard, made selecting Shop-Ware a no-brainer for the Autobahn crew.

Following his gut paid off for Dominic. Just a few months after going live with Shop-Ware, the shop became so busy with new jobs that it lowered its car count. This provided them to be more selective with the services they took on and profits soared.

Additionally, by tapping into Shop-Ware’s digital estimating capabilities, Autobahn Service has noticed an 89% average approval rate from customers. They also increased their Average RO by 66%.

The Takeaway

Autobahn Service had struggled with time management and profitability. Shop-Ware has allowed them to streamline shop operations and work from a central database. The ease in communication has granted them more productivity, the ability to service higher ticket jobs, and an opportunity to showcase their value to customers.

* All photos courtesy of Autobahn Service

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