How to Tune-Up Your Auto Repair Business

The Auto Repair Industry is experiencing significant changes, from larger economic shifts to a growing technician shortage. It's now more crucial than ever to set your shop up for growth. Often, moments of chaos present windows of opportunity. After every economic decline—whether the housing crisis, the dot-com bust, or even the Great Depression—the world has managed to recover. Times of economic downturn are difficult, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Economists are even speaking of a “V” curve, meaning the economy may pick up as quickly as it slowed down.

In other words, have hope. There are opportunities during slow periods to adjust how you operate and how you service your guests. These opportunities can help you navigate a tricky economy and prepare your shop for when business picks up again. This may be an unprecedented time, but it’s also an open window for innovation.

What you do now will have a big impact on the future of your business.

If fewer cars than usual are rolling into your shop, you now have time to work on streamlining your process, being more efficient, eliminating waste (of both time and materials), and improving your marketing and guest experience. Shop owners should approach this situation by finding ways to innovate and improve.

The Balance Between Caution and Innovation

If you’re interested in how some businesses have adapted and come out of economic downturns stronger, the article Roaring out of Recession by the Harvard Business Review is worth a look. The authors studied 4,700 public companies, breaking down the data into three periods: the three years before a recession, the three years after, and the recession years themselves.

They found that maintaining growth is difficult during a recession, but not impossible. Patterns emerged that companies leveraged to improve their odds of performing better during a downturn.

For some shop owners, the gut reaction to a slowdown might be to cut hours, workers, or even entire programs such as marketing. However, research shows that this actually makes it more difficult to hit the ground running when the economy bounces back:

Most enterprises implement aggressive cost-reduction plans to survive a recession. But companies that attend to improving operational efficiency fare better than those that focus on reducing the number of employees. — Roaring out of Recession, Harvard Business Review

On the other hand, shops that are too aggressive with new investments may have a hard time recouping costs in the short-term. For example, opening new shops or launching expensive marketing campaigns may not yield returns quickly enough to justify the costs. The key is to strike a balance between saving costs and investing in operational efficiencies.

Balance Investments in Operational Efficiencies While Reducing Expenses

Before making decisions about cuts or new investments, review your balance sheet and monthly budget. Examine your profit and loss statement for opportunities to cut costs or become more efficient. Sometimes business owners pay recurring monthly charges for services they no longer need.

If you’re paying for unused services like a digital fax or a social media scheduling tool, that’s money you could free up. You may also notice that certain forms of advertising work better than others. Now is a good time to move money from mailers and print ads into digital pay-per-click campaigns, which may be cheaper and more effective at bringing in customers.

The CEOs of pragmatic companies recognize that cost cutting is necessary to survive a recession, that investment is equally essential to spur growth, and that they must manage both at the same time if their companies are to emerge as postrecession leaders. — Roaring out of Recession, Harvard Business Review

Consolidate Services

Consolidating the services you pay for is another way to save money. Shop owners often realize they’re overpaying for multiple systems that make managing their shop a hassle and prevent efficiency.

For example, shops with a legacy management system require owners to be on-site, which is inconvenient and may not be possible during social distancing. One shop owner cut costs and optimized by switching to Tekmetric:

We were originally running our shop with two systems; one was for digital inspection and the other was our shop management system. They were both reliant on a server, so I also had an IT team as well. When I added it all up, I was spending $1,000 a month between the software companies and the IT support. And if the internet connection blipped for a split second, my digital inspection went down for about an hour.

Now I’m paying a fraction of what I was before switching to Tekmetric, and I don’t have to worry about downtime or maintenance. We saved a bunch of money, and the estimate writing process is much faster because the labor guide is built into the system. — Excluservice Shop Owner Stephane Grabina

Switching not only prepared Excluservice for the downturn by freeing up cash and providing a faster, more reliable system, but also gave them touchless tools to keep providing safe, quality service during social distancing.

Now is Better Than Ever to Boost Your Shop’s Efficiency

Tekmetric was built and is continually updated with efficiency in mind. Features are added based on shop owner feedback to help shops adapt and grow during challenging times. Here are some features a proper shop management software should have and the benefits it can bring to your repair shop:

Cloud-based

• ​Access anytime, anywhere
• ​99.99% uptime
• ​Easy switch and fast transition
• ​No physical space required
• ​More secure than on-premise systems
• ​Use on any device with a Google Chrome browser

Customer Profiles

• ​Provide a better-than-the-dealership experience
• ​Faster service with quick access to guest information and preferences

Built-in DVI (Digital Vehicle Inspection)

• ​No need to pay for a separate DVI
• ​Use DVI to build trust with clients before estimates
• ​Build larger repair orders by identifying all repair opportunities

Schedule Customer Appointments

• ​Efficiently track every job
• ​Eliminate double-booking
• ​Keep guests informed

Upload Photos

• ​Build client trust
• ​Keep a record of all repair work
• ​Send photos to guests remotely

Build Repair Orders with Built-In Labor Guides

• ​Create repair orders quickly
• ​Save costs by not paying for a separate labor guide

Manage Inventory

• ​Know what’s in stock to avoid unnecessary orders
• ​Manage and retrieve parts from other shops (for MSOs)

Track Parts

• ​Set better expectations by knowing when parts will arrive

Monitor Job Workflows

• ​Identify ways to help staff work more efficiently

Set Custom Labor Rates, Shop Fees, and Taxes

• ​Ensure clarity in your bottom line
• ​Set minimum gross profit dollars for service writers

Send Texts and Emails to Customers

• ​More flexibility for guests
• ​Improves communication
• ​Builds trust and protects guest health

Measure Job Profitability, Gross Sales, Technician Hours, and More

• ​Enhance visibility into shop performance
• ​Reveal insights related to operational efficiency
• ​Identify opportunities for improvement

Tekmetric also integrates with many tools that shop owners already use, allowing access without leaving the system and saving even more time.

Switch Now With Lower Risk

Slower business presents opportunities to research new strategies. If you can cut costs with a more efficient, consolidated system, switching to a cloud-based shop management system like Tekmetric is a good solution.

If you’re concerned about downtime during the switch, Tekmetric offers remote migration and a roll-out plan to ensure little-to-no downtime. Transitions have been completed smoothly for both single shops and franchise-level companies. For example, Tekmetric worked with Christian Brothers Automotive to switch over more than 200 shops without missing a beat.

I’ve never seen anything this quick and this smooth. I don’t know what you (Christian Brothers) and the guys at Tekmetric did, but it went super well—way better than we expected or anticipated from our end as a vendor.

Work Together, Not Alone

The best way to get through tough times is by working together. Tekmetric sees itself as more than just a vendor, but as a partner to shop owners. Through user groups and direct communication, Tekmetric stays in close contact with the shops that rely on them. Just as you strive to provide the highest level of customer experience to your guests, Tekmetric aims to do the same for you.

Ready to grow your automotive business? Book a personalized Tekmetric Demo Here

FAQ

A Note from Sunil: Why We Built Tektonic 2026

Over the years, I’ve had thousands of conversations with shop owners, advisors, and technicians across the country. No matter the size of the shop or how long you’ve been using Tekmetric, I keep hearing the same two things:

You want a place to learn from each other.

And you want deeper, hands-on Tekmetric training.

That’s exactly why we built Tektonic 2026. Three days in Houston, April 9-11, built for owners, advisors, and technicians from every kind of shop and every kind of system. Tektonic is about helping you get better results, faster, with practical education, shop-tested playbooks, and product training you can actually use.

For Owners: Stop Profit from Slipping Through the Cracks

You already work hard. The question is whether every hour and every repair order is actually paying you back.

Breakout: Unlock Hidden Profits Without Blowing Up What Already Works — Alex Saladna, CEO, WickedFile

Even well-run shops leak profit in the back office: unclaimed credits, fees that never get billed, vendor mistakes that never get caught. This session is about tightening all of that up without burning everything down and starting over.

You’ll walk away with:

• ​Simple audits you can run regularly to spot hidden losses
• ​A clear view of where profit usually disappears — and how to plug those holes
• ​Ways to automate repetitive tasks so more dollars stay in the business

Breakout: ADAS & Required Calibrations: Protect Your Shop and Your Customers — Joel Adcock, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Revv

Late-model vehicles roll in, ADAS is everywhere, and the liability is real. Missed calibrations aren’t just a line item you forgot to bill — they’re a safety issue and a trust issue.

You’ll walk away with:

• ​Clarity on when calibrations are required and how to identify them
• ​How to bake calibrations into your SOPs and repair orders so they don’t get missed
• ​Practical ways to educate your team and your customers on why this matters

Breakout: Scale on Purpose, Not by Accident — Jesse Jackson & Brian Walden, Mango Automotive

If you’ve ever wondered how some shops jump to eight figures while you’re fighting for steady month-over-month growth, Jesse and Brian are going to walk you through the playbook they actually used.

For Managers: Master the Maelstrom — Aaron Blair, Director of Operations, Alloy Automotive Partners

In the fast lane of auto service, chaos is inevitable—but profit isn’t. Aaron Blair shows how to turn daily disorder into precision workflow with tactical frameworks to control every moving part, from dispatching repair orders to winning buy-in from techs and advisors.

You’ll learn how to:

• ​Use systems to get ahead: Build smarter workflows with dispatch boards, SOPs, and tech scoreboards to spot bottlenecks early.
• ​Maximize your day: Treat your calendar as a tool with time blocks for repair order triage, tech coaching, and margin reviews.
• ​Create team consistency: Rely on huddles, checklists, and incentives so every team member stays aligned and executes to standard.

Also in the owner-focused track at Tektonic:

• ​Reporting Deep Dive: Making Sense of Tekmetric’s Dashboards
• ​From Invoice to Insights: Using Tekmetric to Master Shop Financials
• ​Love the Shop Again: Mindset Shifts to Lead, Inspire, and Grow
• ​Build It and They Will Come: How to Open a Shop That Stands Out, Attracts Talent, and Builds Loyalty Fast
• ​Powering Growth with Tekmetric Payments: From Faster Cash Flow to Customer Financing
• ​Running MSOs: Tools and Best Practices

For Service Advisors: Turn Conversations into Trust and Revenue

Advisors are the heartbeat of the shop. When they’re trained, supported, and set up well in the system, everything feels smoother for you and your customers.

Breakout: Is Your Advisor Making You 100K or Losing You 100K? — Greg Bunch, Chief Officer, Transformers Institute

Owners and advisors will both get a lot out of this one. Greg walks through how a single advisor can swing six figures either way — and what to do about it.

You’ll walk away with:

• ​A ready-to-use hiring funnel with a job ad, screening script, and one-hour audition plan
• ​A 90-day onboarding and training plan with daily drills and talk tracks
• ​A simple scorecard to track call conversion, average repair order, and appointment close ratio

Breakout: High Impact Sales: The Words That Build Long-Term Customers — Sabrina Wilkerson, Business Performance Analyst, Elite Worldwide

Advisors, this one is built for you. Customers don’t just buy the work — they buy the way you explain it. Sabrina breaks down what to say, how to say it, and how to stay ethical and honest while still driving approvals.

You’ll walk away with:

• ​Practical ways to generate higher profits through better conversations at the counter
• ​Tools to build long-term trust so people come back and send their friends
• ​Confidence to show up as the credible expert instead of “just another shop”

Breakout Bundle: Tekmetric Tools That Make Every Day at the Counter Less Chaotic

On top of the coaching and hiring sessions, there are deep dives on the actual tools advisors use daily. The focus is on fewer dropped balls, clearer priorities, better follow-up, and a system that supports advisors instead of slowing them down.

You’ll walk away with:

• ​Cleaner workflows from first call to follow-up
• ​Better visibility into which jobs to prioritize and when
• ​Fewer “I thought you had it” moments between the front counter and the bay

Advisor-focused Tekmetric sessions include:

• ​Tekmetric Service Workflow Deep Dive
• ​Advisor Dashboard Training: Prioritizing the Right Jobs, Every Time
• ​Advisor Toolkit Jam: Quotes, Smart Jobs, Templates & Follow-Up
• ​Shaping the Future of Service Advisor Tools in Tekmetric

For Technicians: Build Skills, Confidence, and a Real Path Forward

Great techs want two things: the right tools and a future.

Breakout: How to Run Monster Hours — Ryan Blair, CEO and Co-Founder, Alloy Automotive Partners

Ryan Blair averaged 500 hours a month in production. This session covers the mindset, systems, tips, and tricks to increase your production no matter what kind of shop you are working in.

Takeaways:

• ​Maximizing the relationship with the front of house
• ​The surprising math behind what holds back production
• ​Master the mindsets and beliefs to become the top producer in your shop

Breakout: Profit in the Bay: How Techs Win with DVIs and Efficiency Tracking

Being a great technician isn’t just about fixing cars. It’s about seeing the payoff from the work you do. This session connects the dots between the work in the bay and the numbers on the screen.

You’ll walk away with:

• ​How solid DVIs drive higher approval rates
• ​How photos, notes, and videos make it easy for customers to say “yes”
• ​How efficiency tracking shows your impact — on the shop and on your paycheck

Breakout: ON-TRACK with DIN Diagrams + VCDS 101 — Travis Ruiz, Technical Support Consultant, German Car Support

If VW/Audi work feels like it takes twice as long as it should, these sessions are for you.

You’ll walk away with:

• ​Practice finding the correct wiring diagrams and navigating service info
• ​A walkthrough of the VCDS interface: scans, fault codes, live data, and basic functions
• ​Real-world tips for using VCDS to diagnose and fix problems faster

For techs who want even more time in the tools:

• ​Tekmetric Mobile App Deep Dive: Workflow at Your Fingertips
• ​DVI + Mobile App End-to-End Training: Photos, Video, Notes & Approvals
• ​Unlocking Smarter Repairs in Tekmetric

Big-Room Moments That Shift How You Lead

On top of 50+ breakout sessions, Tektonic’s general sessions are designed to stretch how you think about your business and your role in it:

• ​Keynote: From Mainstreet to Millionaire — Codie Sanchez, Contrarian Thinking: Why “boring” businesses like auto repair can be the foundation of serious wealth if you build them right.
• ​Keynote: Entrepreneurship Simplified — Mike Michalowicz, Profit First: Practical frameworks for building a healthier business: profit baked in from the start, cleaner cash flow, and systems that don’t fall apart when you step away.
• ​Keynote: Effort Matters, Character Counts — General Robert Neller, USMC (Ret.): What effort and character look like on high-trust teams — and how those principles apply when leading a crew through daily challenges.
• ​Coaching Power Hour Panel: The Great Shop Coaching Showdown: Leaders from top coaching groups tackle real shop challenges, offering different approaches in one fast-paced session.
• ​Shop Owner Panel: What It Really Takes to Win: Real strategies from leaders who are living it every day, covering hiring, training, navigating chaos, and keeping teams and customers thriving.

Three days in those rooms can change how you lead for the rest of the year.

Bring Your Whole Shop to Houston

Tektonic is built for your whole team:

• ​Owners: clarity on growth, profit, and business direction
• ​Advisors: sharpening conversations that build trust and drive revenue
• ​Technicians: building skills, confidence, and a real path forward in their careers

It’s every shop, every role, under one roof, with zero gatekeeping. Wherever your shop is today — overwhelmed, growing, rebuilding, thriving — Tektonic delivers clarity, community, and practical tools to get to your next result.

Learn more about Tektonic 2026 and register your team HERE.

In partnership with Advance Professional, Tekmetric now seamlessly integrates with MotoVisuals. This collaboration aims to elevate the customer experience, streamline shop processes, and empower automotive businesses. MotoVisuals offers simple-to-follow animated videos, simplifying customer education. Shops report their close rate increases from an industry average of 55% to over 90% when MotoVisuals is integrated into their workflow.

Central to this integration is a dedication to saving Service Advisors’ time, improving customer communication, and ultimately boosting your shop’s profitability. Leveraging MotoVisuals within Tekmetric’s Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVIs) is poised to transform your shop.

Have you submitted your taxes yet, or are you struggling to get your records in order and submit everything on time? Wherever you are in your tax prep process, you need to pull together a plan and act fast or you may have to pay penalties. Auto repair shop Tax Day is the same as everyone else’s, and things get more complicated if you don’t file on time. The clock is running out on your time to file without an extension this year, and even filing for an extension comes with its own deadline.