Have you ever thought about your customers and their expectations from your shop? Just think for a second, what comes to your mind?
Um… they want fast and quality repairs. right!
Quick deliveries? Absolutely!
Easy checkouts? More often than you might think.
Transparency in estimates? Everytime!
If you focus on giving these important things to your automotive customers as a result, you will be able to gain a competitive edge and increase profitability. And no one will ever beat you if you stay consistent with all of them.
Now you might be wondering, How can I do that? This might be making you uncomfortable. But let me tell you there is nothing to be distressed about.
The right auto repair estimate software for your auto repair shop is essential. It will definitely help you give top notch services to your customers.
Read to find out more!
Why Auto Repair Estimate Software is Important?
Shop invoice software can automate many of the monotonous tasks. This software can speed up repetitive tasks such as appointment scheduling, job tracking, vehicle diagnostics and repair estimating.
Auto shop management software also allows for parts ordering. It will also streamline work orders, billing, payment processing, and viewing the past history of your customers.
In your automotive shops, you have to keep juggling with many pesky tasks. You have to keep track of all repair orders (ROs), customer records, vehicle/customer records and parts and inventory.
That's why shop owners are always overwhelmed. However, with the right software you can manage everything well.
Invoices, prospect lists and technician schedules are just some examples. Software-based solutions can make it easier to do this all with greater efficiency.
You can also save space by clearing out clutter. A laptop takes up less space than a filing cabinet.
The best automotive repair software will have all the features that technicians and shop managers require to do their job. You should have a "all-in" solution that addresses the following areas.
1. Scheduling an Appointment
When you start using an auto repair scheduling software it takes you more than a few clicks to schedule an appointment.
Your techs will be able see their assigned jobs right away, this saves their time and they can easily see their jobs through their own technician portal.
With an auto shop management software you can easily see your appointments for the day, without checking into your calendars you can tap and the whole dashboard appears in front of you.
Moreover, with the help of automotive shop invoicing software you can send automated reminders via email and text. Which eventually helps reduce "no shows" and save time.
You can finally take a breath of sigh, because now you don’t have to be receiving phone calls all the time.
2. Estimates & Invoicing
Shop invoice software can accurate estimates by reducing human error in terms of labor ratio, parts used and so on.
The best auto repair shop software can also speed up approvals and rejections of recommended services via text messages or through email.
This eliminates uncertainty that comes with calling clients to get an estimate. While people don't answer their phones all the time, text messages have a 90% open-rate.
Your team won't have to spend hours explaining the services recommended. The same goes for your vehicle. You won't leave it unattended while you wait for the owner or to call you back.
After approval of the estimate, it will be automatically updated into an invoice. You can send instantly to your customer.
3. Payments
With auto repair estimate software you can easily make payments, it allows your customers to pay you from multiple ways.
They can pay you anytime, anywhere simply using automotive repair billing software. Moreover, you can easily track your payments. You can simply track which customer has you paid and which invoice is still unpaid.
You can create flexible payments through a card swipe or in cash.
4. Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVIs),
Vehicle inspections (DVIs)are necessary whenever a customer comes into your shop for getting all the repairs. You have to fully inspect their vehicle and give them fair estimates.
However digital vehicle inspection allows you to upload photos and videos showing the car's problem areas. It builds transparency in your auto repair shop.
DVIs, unlike manual diagnosis that can take hours to complete, are fast and easy to use. DVIs can be used to quickly explain all details to customers.
It builds trust and increases the likelihood of them approving recommended services.
5. Work Order Management
The best software for automotive repair shops makes it simple to use canned services. It allows you to create quick estimates.
Auto repair estimate software helps shop owners and managers identify the highest-demand jobs from which they have generated the most revenue by simply looking from your past services.
To increase profitability, you can then concentrate on improving the service surrounding those jobs.
The right mechanic shop software makes it easy to assign work orders and update customers about their job status.
6. Inventory Management and Parts Ordering
How many times have you been in a situation where you failed to meet your delivery deadline because of the missing part?
To avoid such a situation, auto repair software is amust-have.
Shop management software that is top-of-the-line allows for real time inventory monitoring. The shop can be connected to their preferred vendor catalogs online.
This allows for easy ordering of aftermarket parts as well as original equipment manufacturer (OEM)items.
Now start your auto repair shop smoothly without getting low on your inventories again.
7. VIN Decoder and Plate Lookup
Now when a new vehicle enters your shop, you don’t have to stand with your notepad, to write down its long 16 digits VINs. instead you simply scan through the VIN decoder.
It will automatically fetch the vehicle details and update it in your software. There is no chance of mistakes again.
8. Performance tracking
You will be able to analyze your progress more effectively if you invest in automotive repair software that displays pertinent KPIs (Key Performance indicators) on a dashboard.
These KPIs can be tracked (cost per hour. parts margin. labor margin. billable labor rates. gross margin. labor productivity - hours worked and billed).
This will allow you to see where your shop is losing money as well as which services are making more profit.
Ending Note
Are you a shop owner who feels that you must be in complete control of all aspects of your business?
For that an auto repair estimate software is must have because it allows you to manage everything from your appointments schedules to managing your inventory. You can deal with everything easily.
Moreover, you can create quick estimates, invoices, and manage your pesky tasks with the help of software. This is time saving for your shop and for your customers.
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