by Mitchell 1

As technology moves forward, cars become more and more complex. Auto repair businesses are also evolving, and new auto repair software and shop management technology improve upon the processes of the past. Customers want things fast and easy, and often digitally.

You can take advantage of technology to save time, organize your business, make diagnosing, estimating and repairing cars easier, and create better communication with customers. This all leads to a better customer experience and increased loyalty that can help you grow your business.

Below are six ways that an auto shop management system can benefit your business:

1. Save time and space:
   With auto repair shop management software such as Manager™ SE, you can reduce the time it takes for many daily shop operations, including diagnosing, estimating, ordering parts, repairing vehicles, scheduling appointments, accounting, managing personnel and payroll, processing payments and back office operations. Software-based solutions can also help you save space by removing clutter from your auto repair shop – a computer takes up a lot less space than a filing cabinet.

2. Track your shop’s performance:
   The only way to attain your business objectives for your auto repair shop is to measure performance and understand the areas that are performing well and those that need attention to improve. The robust reporting in Manager SE gives you over 180 integrated reports; overall business snapshots, as well as visibility into sales, average RO value, profits, parts orders, service writer and technician productivity, and much more. There is no better way to get a 360-degree view of your business and track all the moving parts.

3. Organize your auto repair shop:
   You have a lot to keep track of — repair orders, parts and inventory, customer and vehicle records, prospect lists, invoices, customer appointments, technician schedules and more. Having these written down and stuffed in filing cabinets is inefficient, and trying to come up with an organizational system for your shop by yourself can be time consuming and expensive. Manager SE is designed specifically to help auto care professionals run their businesses.Using auto shop management software will help you organize your records efficiently, from accounting reports to customer receipts to vehicle history – all in one easy-to-use application. Instead of flipping through files or sorting through sticky notes, you can just type in a customer’s name and find all their account and vehicle information quickly. Organize your shop and reduce hassle with dedicated auto repair management software.

4. Simplify estimates and repairs:
   Reducing the time it takes to write accurate estimates can be a huge help in completing the repair reliably and quickly, and providing a first-class customer experience that will bring your customers back to your shop. Our ProDemand Estimator is integrated with the Manager™ SE shop management system, helping you fast track estimating, diagnostic and repair processes. ProDemand delivers complete OEM information and procedures, and features like SureTrack® RealFixes, 1Search and the Top 10 Repairs List, which deliver real world experience from auto repair professionals who have made similar repairs.

5. Create better communication and improve access to information:
   By using software to manage your shop, you make it easy to share information across your business quickly and easily. Mobile ManagerPro™ gives you remote access to your shop management system on a tablet device. You can perform inspections at the vehicle, access information from the repair bays, and input data from the front lines that is automatically synchronized with Manager SE on the computers in the office. Real-time information sharing helps keep everyone informed, on the same page, not duplicating work, and improving your customers’ experience.

6. Engage customers: Having customer information at your fingertips when they walk in your door allows you to make a personal connection that makes your customer feel welcome. At a glance in Manager SE, you can see all of your customer’s account and vehicle history. With the SocialCRM marketing service integration, a user-friendly customer details dashboard displays their previous reviews of your shop and details like lifetime spend and communications they have received from you. SocialCRM also helps you stay connected once the customer leaves your shop, with automated thank-you notes, service and appointment reminders and special promotions you’re running.More and more customers prefer digital services – they want everything to be fast, easy, and accessible from their mobile device. XCharge, an optional add-on service to Manager SE, gives you the ability to take payments online and send digital receipts. Taking advantage of software to improve your customer experience can be the difference between getting many repeat customers, and falling behind.

• Read more about Manager SE shop management software
• Read more about ProDemand automotive repair estimating software