Perhaps more so than many types of businesses, an auto repair shop can run into major problems with projects are not managed properly. Lost tickets, mismanaged receipts – all can lead to extreme dissatisfaction with customers. Yet mechanics are specialists in repairing cars, not office management, and hiring a full-time project manager is often not in the budget. Fortunately, there are lots of short cuts you can take to ensure the business end of your shop gets as much love as the garage. From auto repair POS software to simple shop changes, here are ways you can improve your workflow.
Auto Repair POS Software
This can be a hard sell for some traditional garages. Fortunately, modern auto repair software suites are extremely user-friendly, with intuitive dashboards that make tasks like managing tickets and billing super easy. Invest in a POS software suite, and you’ll quickly see an improvement to your workflow, not to mention profits.
Hire a Project Manager – Part-Time
It’s true; a shop owner may lack finances to have an employee there strictly to manage projects. So improvise: Consider bringing someone on part-time to handle things like scheduling, ordering parts, shop finances and all of the other little parts that, if neglected, can really slow your business down. Or consider designating an existing employee to hold this role for a few hours a week.
Provide Office Training
Again, it’s easy to think that the focus of a successful automotive shop should be in the garage. But the biggest piece of the puzzle often involves customer service, and customer-facing duties increasingly involve entering and managing data. Consider bringing in a consultant for a short training on things like word processing software and spreadsheets.
There’s no reason for your shop not to take off. Often, the only hurdle is getting your staff modernized and streamlined. Weigh the benefits of tools like auto repair POS software and get ready to see your business take off.
