How To Choose The Right Truck Repair Shop Software

“Choose Fullbay.” Thanks for reading, everyone!

…Okay, we should probably go into more detail than that. 

The fact is, truck repair isn’t always the easiest industry to work in—especially if you’re responsible for running a shop. In that position, you can expect to deal with everything from trouble communicating with your customers to organizational problems to time-consuming paperwork.

Investing in truck repair shop software is a great way to handle these issues, but even that’s easier said than done. Nowadays, this field is more competitive than ever—along with Fullbay, some of the most popular software options out there include [NAMES OF COMPETING PROGRAMS REDACTED]. 

So let’s break down why you need a heavy-duty repair program and what features and capabilities you should look out for.

Fullbay truck shop software increases revenue per tech by 20%. This chart shows the increase in the first three months.

Benefits of Using Truck Repair Shop Software

So, why bother with truck repair shop software in the first place? When you start using the right program for your heavy-duty shop (that is, Fullbay), you can expect to see perks like:

Increased Efficiency

Imagine the technicians in your shop are billing 35 hours per week with a labor rate of $140. Based on these numbers, you can determine that each of your techs brings in $4,900 in weekly revenue (or about $21,070 monthly).

With the increased efficiency and streamlined processes that (some) truck shop programs bring to the table, your techs will be able to bill 42 hours per week or $25,280 per month. That means this software can boost your per-tech revenue by 20 percent. 

Now imagine what that would mean for a shop with 5 technicians. They would increase monthly revenue from $105,350 to $126,420! Over a year that is more than a quarter of a million dollars ($252,840) in additional revenue just from increasing efficiency of the technicians that are already there. 

Improved Organization

Tracking your shop’s inventory can be a nightmare—when you’re trying to accomplish this task by hand, anyway. But software solutions can help you keep an eye on the parts entering and leaving your business, simplify your ordering procedures, and even allow you to keep track of inventory across different locations or vehicles in a mobile repair fleet.

Of course, those aren’t the only organizational benefits that come with finding the right truck repair shop software. These programs can also make it easier to control costs and keep track of customer data, just to name a few perks.

Enhanced Customer Service

Despite what it might feel like when you’re waiting and waiting and waiting for a customer to approve a work order, your clients do appreciate it when you keep them in the loop. Still, customer communication can be trickier than you might think. That’s especially true when your shop uses outdated software—or you’re trying to do things the old-fashioned (read: hard) way.

On the other hand, truck shop software can help you take your customer service offerings to the next level. Depending on the program you choose, you can send text and email updates to customers about their ongoing repairs, let them take care of invoices online with integrated payments, and do it all faster than ever before.

Accurate Financial Tracking and Reporting

Occasionally, every truck shop has to make tough choices about its service offerings, marketing campaigns, and internal procedures. It’s best to look at hard data before making these decisions—otherwise, you might as well be throwing darts at a dartboard. (Not the worst place to throw darts, admittedly, but the point still stands.)

The trick to running a successful shop in the 21st century is to pay attention to your Key Performance Indicators (AKA “KPIs”). Common KPIs include mean time to repair, work order hours, and callbacks percentage. You can track these KPIs and many more with good truck repair shop software.

Key Features of Truck Repair Shop Software

To enjoy the benefits listed above, you’ll need a program that can help you fully utilize your shop’s repair bays while making it easier to keep said bays full. That’s why your software of choice should include these features:

• Inventory management and parts tracking. When you know precisely how many parts you have in stock at all times, you’ll effectively eliminate a major source of stress around your truck shop.
• Scheduling and appointment management. Simplifying your scheduling process won’t just make life easier for you and your techs. It’ll keep your customers happy, too.
• Work order management and tracking. Tracking work orders shouldn’t involve physical stacks of paper—not when you can use software to manage them, anyway.
• Vehicle maintenance history and documentation. When you know what the trucks in your shop have gone through in the past, you’ll find it easier to understand what they need right now.
• Billing and invoicing capabilities. High-quality truck repair shop software can significantly cut down on the time you’ll spend dealing with paperwork.
• Reporting and analytics tools. You’ll have no trouble making smart, data-driven decisions about your business’ future when you have access to info on your shop’s present-day operations.

Selecting the Right Truck Repair Shop Software

When choosing truck repair shop software for your business, it’s also in your best interest to consider factors like:

• Flexibility in terms of system integration. If your shop already has other programs in place, your new software should be ready to work alongside them.
• User-friendliness. To help your techs hit the ground running, look for web-based programs that come with full-fledged training, onboarding, and support services.
• Low prices (in the present and the future). Looking for a great value is always wise. Just be sure this value will stay great by finding shop software that can scale alongside your business.
• Lots of customization options. Generic programs can replicate some—but not all—of the tasks truck repair shop software excels at.

Bay—sorry, by—keeping these factors in mind, you’ll be on track to find the best program for your shop’s needs!

Implementation and Best Practices

Whether you choose Fullbay or another program for your truck shop, putting some thought into how you’ll implement your new software is crucial. To make sure this process goes off without a hitch, follow these best practices:

1. Give your staff a chance to get used to the new program. Your technicians and other employees will ultimately be responsible for using your software. Going through a full training and onboarding process may take some time, but it will be more than worth it in the long run. (And if your software of choice provides training, even better)
2. Adjust your software’s default settings. Spend a few minutes to look at your new program’s settings and make adjustments as necessary—you won’t regret it.
3. Prioritize software maintenance. Even the best truck repair shop software needs regular updates to reach its full potential.
4. Take security and data safety seriously. While bringing your shop into the digital age can be exciting, you need to know how to protect your employee and customer data beforehand.
5. Keep an eye on how your software implementation is going. If your new program has reporting features, use them to track your shop’s efficiency and performance over the first few months.

Please Buy Our Product

While many companies provide truck repair shop software today, we don’t need painstakingly-hidden subliminal messages to convince you why Fullbay is the perfect choice for fleets and independent heavy-duty repair shops.

Our truck repair shop software includes a robust lineup of features that make your shop more profitable and efficient, from receiving repair requests to invoicing customers and everything in between.  Along with our unmatched customer support, Fullbay has what you need to streamline shop operations, get your work done, and get back to your friends and families.

Are you ready to learn more about what Fullbay can do for your shop? Get in touch to set up a free demo today!