Implementing a shop management system is a great way to gain an edge on your competition.  They help keep everything organized from a financial, staffing, appointment and inventory perspective. “These days, most shop management systems encompass POS (Point of Sale) functions in addition to creating estimates, repair orders, and invoices. Operations, like ordering parts, scheduling appointments, managing personnel, and payroll, are all daily shop activities that keeps the shop running smoothly.” Here we’ve outlined the key features and benefits associated with a shop management system.

Point Of Sale

Having a point of sale system that is tailored to the auto repair industry is critical in streamlining your customer experience. A system that outlines the work being done and the costs associated with them helps your business become more transparent, which is essential in gaining the trust of your customers.

Creating Estimates

Having a database that automatically matches up the repair being done and associates it with a set cost can make creating estimates much faster and easier. It makes it so anyone in your shop can create one and that they will be consistently accurate.

Invoicing

A system that automatically creates, sends and tracks your invoices will ensure your books are as accurate as possible and that nothing falls through the cracks. The ability to track payments of any type in one system will makes things much easier when tax time rolls around.

Ordering Parts

A system that tracks inventory based on repairs and sales being made is a tremendous asset to those in the auto repair industry. Staying properly stocked will ensure you don’t need to have costly last-minute deliveries of parts and that you don’t overstock unnecessary items.

Appointment Scheduling

Setting appointments is a major part of any auto repair business. Making sure you are able to keep appointments and that you don’t overbook your staff is essential to customer satisfaction. Reducing wait times is an easy way to get a leg up on the competition.

Managing Personnel

Having enough staff on hand to shoulder your workload in a timely fashion will help to reduce wait times and keep your business running efficiently. Basic scheduling and tracking time off requests in the same spot you are scheduling appointments will ensure you are never over, or under staffed.

Payroll

A built-in accounting and payroll solution is a must for any shop management system. Many small businesses fail due to accounting errors. Accounting software helps to greatly reduce this risk and keeps all of your books in one place, which allows for a holistic view of the financial health of your business.

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