When you have the right car mechanic software in your auto repair shop, everything should sing. That means your systems are working smoothly and you may even hear happy sounds from happy techs in your bays.

Profitable shops use shop management software to manage their workflow but also their staff. If you want to take the guesswork out of what people do, get a system that keeps track across multiple devices.

By creating a digital “paper” trail, you never lose a document or an attached set of keys again. Even better, it creates a history of every keystroke. That way, you never have to get caught between a customer and your tech’s version of events.

That transparency builds trust within your team and everyone wins!

Stop guessing – get working!

When Eric Gibson at 5th Gear Auto wondered if a tech had really ordered a part, he had no way of knowing for sure. Once he upgraded to Shop-Ware, he solved those mysterious questions, every parts order became easy to trace within his car mechanic software.

You and your managers have better things to do than look over techs’ and service advisors’ shoulders. By using a cloud-based system, you have time to take care of your priorities and check the system if you have questions.

By reining in missteps early, you build a culture for success. If you have an employee who is less confident about a certain process, you find out early and fix the problem. Not only does that get your shop back on track, it clears up clogs in your workflow.

A smart system gives you the details you need to see what works and what doesn’t. Then you can decide how to move forward with the right intel at your fingertips.

This insight also allows you to answer customer questions quickly and accurately. Rather than leaving them on hold, you can see where their car is and when they can collect it. That clarity boosts their trust in your shop in their eyes.

Coach with your car mechanic software

Virtually every employee wants to get better at their job. Likewise, you want them to work quicker and more accurately so everything clicks. Did you know your shop management software can serve as one of your best allies on this mission?

Shop-Ware tracks every individual member so you can see and compare each person’s statistics. If you have a service advisor who is a rock star, you can find out why – based on data. Next, you can celebrate their good work and share their tips so others can learn from them.

When the Automotive Management Network surveyed techs about what they want in a shop, they discovered the following priorities:

• Appreciation (60%)
• Enough cars to service (57%)
• Easy-to-access service information (42%)
• Well-managed operation (47%)

In other words, staff like when you notice their success. They may not know they have a higher ARO or upsell rate than other staff members. Or they may be too shy to point it out. However, if you highlight when someone hits at or above their targets, they will appreciate it.

On the flip side, you can also notice weak points and turn people around. By using numbers to make your case, you don’t make any critique personal.

With all data feeding to your analytics, you can see:

• • When staff clock in, clock out or and work extra hours
  • Stats of top-performing staff – tech efficiency, productivity, billed hours, recommendation approval rate, sell-through sales, sell-through %
  • Delays when ordering parts so you can resolve the bottleneck
  • So much more

Don’t be surprised if your engaged team members start giving ideas on how to make you all better as well.