Revenue increases to be had with TechMan Garage Management System, garage owner claims
The owner of Auto Service and Tuning in Hitchin, who’s business prides itself on offering a dealer-level of service to its customers, says TechMan’s extensive list of powerful features has enabled him to “take a little step back” for the first time in more than 30-years.
Claudio said: “The garage can run without me, that’s how good TechMan has proven to be. It keeps you informed as to how your business is performing and, if anything changes from where it normally is, TechMan clearly shows where the issue is and what needs to be improved. I can see everything from my phone, so I don’t even need to be here now.”
The German-car specialist switched to TechMan three years ago having previously used a generic system supplied by its accountancy.
“I’ve always invested in equipment and training. We’ve got dealer-level diagnostics for a lot of the German brands and we recently invested in ADAS calibration equipment but we didn’t have a good Garage Management System,” Claudio explained. “I kept hearing good things about TechMan so thought it was worth taking a look. Like anything else, you have to get used to it but now it’s an essential part of the business – I wouldn’t want to not use it now.”
Each of the technicians in the workshop now has their own tablet which they use to log-on and off of each job, helping Claudio manage timings and review efficiencies.
Claudio said: “I tend to look at it on a weekly basis and we have a target that we try and hit by the end of every month. Since using to TechMan our turnover and profitability has risen greatly and that’s because we’re now able to keep an accurate record of how long we spend on each vehicle and charge for the time accordingly. This aspect was previously guesswork.
“It’s all incredibly well-linked too, a far cry from what we were using before. A technician can be working on a car and might spot a broken coil spring – with TechMan, they’re able to take a picture with their tablet and send it straight to the customer with advice and a quote for repair. It’s good for the customer because it gives them even more confidence in our work and it’s good for us because we’re now much more efficient at what we do.”
MOT, service and booking reminders have also contributed to the revenue increase for the Hitchin-based independent. TechMan sends an automated confirmation to customers via text and email as soon as a booking is made, with a follow-up reminder sent 24-hours prior to the scheduled appointment. It’s a feature that has significantly reduced the number of no-shows, according to Claudio.
“Most garage owners are aware of the benefits associated with equipment and training investment but it’s easy to overlook garage management and they’d be surprised at the gains they’ll get with a good Garage Management System. TechMan is so good, I can’t recommend it enough.”
First published on GarageWire – 5 August 2021.
Published: August 5, 2021
