Paperwork is unavoidable for any auto repair business - creating service estimates, monitoring technician hours, and managing your inventory are just a small part of the paper trail you’ll need to process. Much like your technicians, it’s nearly impossible to successfully manage any automotive service business without modern-day tools necessary to complete the job. You wouldn’t expect your technicians to align a customer’s tires without a modern alignment machine, just like you shouldn’t expect your company to run on pen and paper.
In addition to the functionality of being able to track service hours, create quotes, and monitor inventory, having modern shop software allows you to print out professional automotive repair invoices for your customers, provide suppliers with reliable purchase orders, and track city and federal taxes. You’ll also be able to track a customer’s service history and provide any necessary warranty work. Nothing’s worse than having a disgruntled customer complaining about a service you provided and you can’t find the answer until the bookkeeper comes back to the office next Tuesday.
The good news is that there are a variety of paperless auto repair invoicing options out there that you can use to make your life much easier.
Do I Really Need Automotive Repair Invoice Software?
Yes! If you’re working on weekends or evenings out of your home’s garage, you’ll probably do just fine with pen and paper or even just a hand shake. If you’re running a real business open during normal business hours outside of your garage, you’d do your business best by finding the right software to fit your needs.
As your business grows and you begin growing your client base, the paper and pencil or handshake method can not only become a nuisance, but also becomes inefficient. Auto repair invoice software does more than merely keep your pending bills in one place; specialized tools can address many of the needs with terminology that is specific to the auto repair industry, in an intuitive and precise manner.
Here’s a look into some of the top auto repair invoice software suites available now:
TireShop by FreedomSoft
TireShop is an easy to use and learn Windows-based, point-of-sale software that provides the latest technology to help you do more in less time. It’s designed for a repair shop offering tires, automotive repair, and/or quick lube services. It also works well with single or multi-store retail chains. It’s designed to get quotes back to your customers as quickly as possible. TireShop can also be run directly from your mobile device to include both phones and tablets.
TireShop also allows you to track receivables and assist with payables through Quickbooks or most other accounting systems. TireSoft helps on the back-end with reporting on national account credit tracking, tracking employee hours, and inventory management. TireSoft also helps with your CRM by working closely and integrating with outside marketing partners like BayIQ.
VAST/MAM Software
If you’re feeling the pressure of juggling priorities, MAM Software systems with their comprehensive tire and service capabilities can really make a difference for you and your shop’s every day business. Designed for single and multi-location businesses, MAM Software workshop management systems help to automate every-day tasks, from generating quotes and auto repair invoices to maintaining service records and managing your schedule.
MAM Software offers powerful business-management software that coordinates, organizes and integrates everything from pricing and stock management to accounting and customer database management. Their software can also help manage your tire and parts inventory by tracking, recording, and managing stock movement. Vast/MAM also integrates directly with the BayIQ loyalty rewards system. Your customers will automatically receive service reminders, special promotion notifications, and your special loyalty rewards.
As they say, “It’s the simple way to optimize your time, manpower and resources while giving you the freedom to concentrate on your core revenue-generating tasks.”
Protractor Software
Protractor offers a cloud-based solution that allows you to schedule, educate, inspect, estimate, remind, and monitor all aspects of your automotive shop operation. Developed with best practices in mind, Protractor prides itself in building and connecting software that provides solutions while maintaining a focus on simple efficiency and automation.
Protractor’s scheduling function allows you to see your work load at a glance, adjust jobs by technician, and see which jobs are flagged. Their factory scheduled maintenance function let’s you see which services have yet to be performed for each vehicle in your system. Their easy-to-use vehicle inspection software gives your technicians the tools they need to hunt down additional opportunities. Their business shop monitor allows you to see your profitability at a class. Possibly best of all, Protractor also integrates fully into the BayIQ reminder and loyalty program.
TireGuru
TireGuru’s business center has great tools and features to help automate virtually every day-to-day task associated with running a successful tire and service business. Their complete business management solution includes available fully integrated websites, inventory management, accounts payable features, bench marking, and warranty handling. It also includes parts and labor guides, and a comprehensive reporting module. TireGuru software also offers integrated credit card processing, digital vehicle inspections, and is mobile device ready so you can carry your tickets directly out to the customer’s vehicles. TireGuru is also fully integrated with the BayIQ reminder and loyalty program.
Make Sure Your Customers Keep Coming Back
Now that you have set up your auto repair invoice software, you can focus on retaining your customer base. Get started using BayIQ and increase your customer’s loyalty and satisfaction with every visit. BayIQ is the leading automated marketing software for the independent tire and automotive repair industry.
