Tekmetric

Tektonic 2026: Auto Repair Takeaways From Houston

At Tektonic 2026 in Houston, nearly 1,000 auto repair professionals gathered to address industry challenges like technician shortages and rising customer expectations, with Tekmetric CEO Sunil Patel emphasizing the need to stop glorifying burnout, build trust, invest in partnerships, and leverage technology, while key takeaways highlighted the importance of process consistency, speedy communication—such as preappointment calls and rapid inspection result delivery—and prioritizing in-store customers to improve approval rates and operational efficiency.

Almost 1,000 shop owners, service advisors, and technicians gathered in Houston for Tektonic 2026, Tekmetric's first industry conference. Over two days at the Marriott Marquis, attendees packed breakout rooms, traded hard-earned lessons, and heard from operators, coaches, and industry leaders who have built and scaled shops of their own.

The Question That Started It All

Tekmetric CEO and Founder Sunil Patel opened Tektonic 2026 with a question: "Why does it have to be so hard? Why does it have to feel like we're fighting a war on 12 fronts?" He discussed the increasing complexity of running a repair shop, including new vehicle technologies, rising customer expectations, technician shortages, and OEM data restrictions. Patel emphasized four pillars for industry progress:

  • Stop celebrating burnout as a badge of honor
  • Build genuine trust with customers and teams
  • Invest in an ecosystem of great partners and vendors
  • Embrace technology that serves shops rather than extracts from them

He encouraged attendees to be curious, open, generous, and present, aiming for continuous improvement.

Top Takeaways

Process Consistency Wins on the Hard Days

  • Call the day before: Preappointment calls turn intake from reactive to planned and prime customers to say yes.
  • Speed is your biggest sales tool: Every hour between drop-off and estimate delivery costs roughly 10% in approval rates.
  • Set the next promise, not the finish line: Promise the next specific update and deliver it on time.
  • The in-store customer is the highest-priority repair order: Prioritize those in your lobby.
  • Improve one thing at a time: Focus on one process, measure, and build accountability before moving on.

Speed Closes More Jobs Than Salesmanship

  • Get inspection results to customers within 30 minutes of dispatch.
  • In-store customers get findings in 15 minutes or less.
  • Relative priority is your daily compass: Move the car furthest behind in the process.
  • Two daily goals: Every technician runs at least eight billable hours; the shop hits its gross profit target.

You Don't Have a Technician Shortage. You Have a Culture Problem.

  • Rethink flat rate: Hybrid pay models with base and incentives are more attractive.
  • Answer two questions: Why would a technician work here? Why would a customer come back?
  • Recognition is the highest-ROI leadership move.
  • AI won't replace hospitality: Invest in service advisor skills.

Growing to Multiple Locations Takes More Than Money

  • Be profitable and cash-positive before expanding.
  • Your shop should not need you to run: Build your bench before opening another location.
  • Start your exit plan on day one.

Leadership Is the Ceiling on Everything Else

  • Know your triggers.
  • Pause for three seconds before responding.
  • Listen more: Let silence sit after someone speaks.
  • Start hard conversations with the outcome in mind.

Product Announcements at Tektonic 2026

The Tekmetric product team announced new features based on data from over 15,000 shops:

  • Tekmetric Digital Ads: AI-powered advertising on Google Maps and Search, directly connected to Tekmetric for tracking ROI.
  • Smart DVI: Technicians narrate inspections, and Smart DVI builds customer-ready reports automatically.
  • Tekmetric Phones: Customer details and communication history surface instantly on inbound calls, with future real-time transcription and appointment note features.

See You in 2027

Tektonic 2026 delivered on its promise of practical education and community. The key message: winning shops build systems, invest in people, and focus on continuous, incremental improvement.

[Registration for Tektonic 2027 is already open.]

FAQ

Streamline Payments for Your Shop with Tekmetric Payments

Tekmetric Payments (formerly Tekmerchant) now includes:

  • Dedicated payments section
  • Detailed payment and payout information
  • Dispute management and resolution workflow
  • Sunbit as a buy now, pay later option

These enhancements are included at no additional cost for current customers.

See the Evolution of our Mobile App - Time Clock & Enhanced Camera Experience

The Tekmetric Mobile App now includes:

  • Time clock functionality for techs
  • Enhanced camera experience with tap-to-focus and image markup editing

Available for all customers using version 1.7.0.

Join Our Booking Tool Beta Group

Manage scheduling directly from your Tekmetric account, configure appointment settings, and embed on your website for streamlined workflow.

Connect to PartsTech Seamlessly

Connect Tekmetric with PartsTech's parts network directly within Tekmetric Integrations, simplifying the parts ordering process.

Gain Control of Your Pricing Strategy For Oil Changes

Smart Canned Job for oil changes allows for professional pricing and management of service specials and surplus charges.

Get Professional-grade Accountability With PO# on Estimates

Add PO# directly on repair orders for fleet customers, displaying automatically across estimates, invoices, and A/R statements.

Simplify Inventory Management at the Shop Level

A new shop-level inventory feed on the dashboard allows for easier monitoring and editing of inventory.

A Note from Sunil: Why We Built Tektonic 2026

Tektonic was created to provide a place for learning and hands-on Tekmetric training. The event offers practical education, shop-tested playbooks, and product training for owners, advisors, and technicians.

For Owners: Stop Profit from Slipping Through the Cracks

  • Breakout: Unlock Hidden Profits Without Blowing Up What Already Works

    • Run audits to spot hidden losses
    • Identify where profit disappears and plug those holes
    • Automate repetitive tasks

  • Breakout: ADAS & Required Calibrations: Protect Your Shop and Your Customers

    • Understand when calibrations are required
    • Integrate calibrations into SOPs and ROs
    • Educate team and customers on importance

  • Breakout: Scale on Purpose, Not by Accident

    • Learn how to achieve steady growth with proven playbooks

For Managers: Master the Maelstrom

  • Build smarter workflows with dispatch boards, SOPs, and tech scoreboards
  • Use time blocks for RO triage, tech coaching, and margin reviews
  • Create team consistency with huddles, checklists, and incentives

For Service Advisors: Turn Conversations into Trust and Revenue

  • Breakout: Is Your Advisor Making You 100K or Losing You 100K?

    • Hiring funnel, onboarding plan, and scorecard for advisors

  • Breakout: High Impact Sales: The Words That Build Long-Term Customers

    • Techniques for building trust and driving approvals

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

    • Cleaner workflows, better job prioritization, and improved follow-up

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

  • Breakout: How to Run Monster Hours

    • Mindset, systems, and tips for increasing production

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

    • Connect work in the bay to shop performance and pay

  • Breakout: ON-TRACK with DIN Diagrams + VCDS 101

    • Practice with wiring diagrams and VCDS interface for VW/Audi work

  • Additional sessions on Tekmetric Mobile App, DVI, and smarter repairs

Big-Room Moments That Shift How You Lead

  • Keynote: From Mainstreet to Millionaire — Codie Sanchez, Contrarian Thinking
  • Keynote: Entrepreneurship Simplified — Mike Michalowicz

The event featured over 50 breakout sessions and general sessions designed to challenge and inspire attendees to improve their businesses and leadership.