Auto repair shops have a lot of moving parts, both figuratively and literally. To help owners and their teams keep track of all that goes on, many rely on business management software. With its integrated approach, it’s the perfect solution for those who want to oversee every aspect of their business using a single software platform.
To understand why you might need this type of auto repair software, it’s a good idea to take a big-picture look at the biggest challenges you face as a business. For a repair shop, this would likely include things like:
- Parts ordering
- Inventory management
- Scheduling and workflow
- Customer service and follow-up
- Product warranties
As you can see, there are many different facets to consider. Yet, business management software is capable of managing them all. Let’s take a closer look.
Keep Customers Coming Back
Your customer base is your bread and butter. Keep them happy and you’ll enjoy plenty of repeat business, as well as some free word-of-mouth advertising.
Most auto repair software works from a central database, and the first thing you want to do is input every new customer’s data into it. Every time they walk through your shop door after that, you’ll instantly know:
- Who they are
- What vehicles they own
- What work you’ve done for them in the past
- Which scheduled maintenance items are due next
This shows them that you’re on the ball and eager to retain their business. Furthermore, you can use this software to keep your business fresh in their minds by scheduling automated email follow-ups reminding them of:
- Their next scheduled service appointment
- Seasonal events like winter tire changeover
- In-house sales promotions
For more on this, read: 3 Ways Customer Relationship Management Software Helps Auto Repair Shops.
Parts Ordering Made Easy
Most integrated business management systems contain a small business inventory software module. Using this, you’ll have the ability to track an order status from the time you place it to the time you add it to a customer’s invoice to take final payment.
In addition to establishing automated inventory restocking to control stock levels, small business inventory software also handles:
- Special orders
- Warranty tracking
- Serial number tracking
- Product returns
- Work order-to-invoice conversions
Single Shop or Multiple Locations?
For growing businesses, there’s usually a concern that their current repair software might not keep up with their needs. With the right business management software, there’s no need to worry because it’s fully scalable for small-to-medium-sized businesses.
It can easily be optimized to work for a single shop, or for a business with multiple locations. Using centralized data, you can support each of your branches from one location. It also allows you to incorporate standardized operating procedures throughout your company.
For business management software that allows you to control every aspect of your operation from a single platform, call Windward Software. With a series of industry-specific soft switches for companies like auto repair shops, we can tailor our software to meet your exact needs.
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