Inventory can include items like oil, tools, and large equipment. It also includes stock items, or parts which are sold to the customer during the course of repairs, such as gaskets and timing belts.
Inventory management and parts management go hand in hand, but outside of labor profits, the profit a shop brings in ultimately comes from parts markup at the point of sale. Consequently, there’s very little room for error in managing parts.
Simply put, mismanaged parts means money left on the table and unhappy customers—a combination no shop owner or automotive team wants to experience.
A good auto parts inventory management system should let you:
• Know what parts you have in stock and how many you have
• Track what sells and what sits on the shelf longer than it should
• Help you plan for growth.
With the right auto parts inventory management system, your shop can go from disorganized to a well-oiled machine generating more and more profit.
How to know when it’s time to update your auto parts inventory management system
What are some indicators that your auto parts inventory management could use a tune up? And when should you start looking into shop management systems like Tekmetric? Here are some indicators to look for:
1. Overstocking Parts
It is easy to overestimate the demand for a specific part, especially if you are ordering parts between seasons, ordering specialty parts, or still using pen and paper or a spreadsheet to calculate your inventory.
Whatever the cause, it is important to remember that every part has a carrying cost. You can think of “carrying cost” as the storage cost for a part. Every part that sits on a shelf and occupies space that better selling products could take up costs your business money.
2. Parts Shortage
If you’re constantly running out of supplies, your auto parts inventory management system is failing. Good parts management requires staying ahead of the curve to anticipate the needs of your shop.
If you are always running out of parts and having to order them before you can complete a job, jobs will take longer, you’ll wind up paying more for parts, and you may lose your customers’ trust.
3. You're wasting time finding parts!
Whether the problem is a shortage or overstocking, either way your shop is spending too much time managing inventory ineffectively! If inventory management has become a dreaded task at your shop simply because it takes so long to complete, it is time to upgrade your system.
Inventory management must be a smooth process if you want the rest of your shop to operate efficiently. If regular check ups on your auto parts inventory are taking too long, it is probably a sign of a larger underlying problem—disorganization.
Own Your Parts Inventory With a Cloud-Based Shop Management System
You can’t run a shop without the right parts and tools, and in today’s automotive industry. Cloud-based shop management systems not only simplify your shop's operations, they even make it easier to make more money!
1. Direct Integrations with Parts Vendors
With immediate access to your favorite vendors directly inside Tekmetric, service writers can instantly find what they need.
Even better, because you an integrate multiple vendors, your shop can compare prices to get the best deal, and place an order in a matter of seconds.
2. Complete Inventory Management - From Anywhere
Track the flow of parts in your shop with Tekmetric's Inventory that connects to repair orders, estimates, and more. If you don't have a part in stock while working on a car, quickly swap the part for a similar one in inventory.
And because your shop management system is in the cloud, you can access your shop's parts inventory and do everything you could in your shop right from your phone or tablet. Literally, you can log in from anywhere in the world you have an internet connection to gain complete access to your shop remotely.
3. Create parts matrices to apply the right mark-up every time
By building streamlined process for marking up parts, shops can ensure grow your shop’s profit margin while staying fair to customers.
Fine Tune Inventory Management with Tekmetric
Whether you need to track down a stray steering column or make a decision about how much to invest in A/C repair parts for the summer, Tekmetric is your go-to system for gaining a better understanding of how parts move through your shop.
FAQ
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Selecting the right business name for your auto repair shop can be a challenging task. Your business name will be the first impression your potential customers have of your shop and will determine how memorable your shop will be. Use the ideas below to brainstorm the perfect name for your auto repair business.
Creative auto repair shop names
On The Road Again Repairs
NextGear Auto Service
Check Engine Repairs
Torque of the Town
The Engine Room
Chrome & Steel Auto Care
Axle & Alloy Repair Co.
Peak Performance Garage
Smooth Ride Mechanics
Driven Dynamics
Velocity Auto Shop
ClearPath Automotive
Funny automotive repair shop names
The Brake-Up Shop
Motor Mouth Mechanics
Hit & Run Body Shop
Exhausted Mechanics
Hot Wife Automotive A/C Repair
Don’t Tread On Me Auto
The Laughing Lugnuts Auto Repair
Wheel Be Alright Auto Repairs
Motor Mouth LLC
Rust in Peace Repairs
Tek-Tip: Have you thought about how you will market your new business? We reccomend Shopgenie for all automotive marketing needs including websites, CRM, reviews, and more.
Cool mechanic shop names
The Car Whisperers LLC
RoadReady Mechanics
StreetSmart Garage
GearShift Garage
Velocity Motors
Gearhead Garage
The Repair Authority
PitStop Pros
Full Throttle Repair
Trackside Garage
Unique and catchy names
Car Medic Garage
Nuts & Bolts Car Mechanics
Unleaded Car Repair
Honest Engine Repair
Auto Barn Car Care
Iron Horse Garage
Blue Ridge Auto Works
RevSync Mechanics
The Auto Vault
Summit Auto Haven
Rust & Revive Repair
Simple auto shop name ideas
Car Surgeons
The Car Guys
Engine Experts
Quick Fix Automotive Repairs
The Brake Brothers
One Stop Auto Shop
Auto Solutions Inc.
Pit Stop Garage
Turbo Tires & More
Wrench Wizards
Service-Specific shop names
Brake Check Repairs
Oil Be Back Automotive Repairs
Vivid Vehicle Body Shop
1 Hour Heat and A/C Auto Repairs
Battery Solutions LLC
Actually Discounted Tires
Renew Collision Center
30min Oil Change Shop
Restored Right Auto Body Shop
Mobile mechanic business names
Repair on Wheels
Roaming Automotive Repairs
One Stop Repair Shop
One Call Repairs
Wheels On The Way
(Insert last name) Mobile Mechanic
The Leaky Gasket Mobile Repair
1 Hour Mobile Mechanic
24/7 Mobile Mechanic
How to select the right auto repair shop name
Once you have your list of potential shop names narrowed down, it is time to do a final round of research to make sure your name is legal, optimized and ready to launch. Check out our final 6 tips and tricks below.
1. Legal checks
Before you can launch your new automotive shop name, you should check for Trademarks by visiting the US Patent and Trademark Website. Simply search your pending business name to see if it is taken or if you can proceed.
Search engine optimization for auto repair shops is an important avenue for driving brand awareness and new customers. To maximize your new business name, aim to include common keywords like “automotive”, “repair”, and “shop”. Also, try to use local terms like “Houston” to help search engines know where your services are located. Lastly, check to see if any competitors are using a similar name and determine if your name will be unique enough.
GoDaddy can check if your new automotive repair shop name is available to use. You will also be able to see how much the domain name will cost and whether it would be cheaper to use a variation of your business name.
4. KISS
Keeping your new shop name simple will help you in the long run. Potential customers will find it easier to remember (and share via word of mouth) if you keep it short and simple. Plus, shorter business names are easier to fit on business cards, advertisements, and social media.
5. Marketing
Looking down the road, your new business name should fit within your overall automotive marketing strategy. Are you planning to use a certain logo or color scheme? Make sure your name fits the theme you are aiming for and attracts your target audience. If you plan to use social media marketing, check to see if your business name is available as a social handle.
6. Set the tone
Your name is likely your first impression with your customers. Once you are ready to launch, give it one more review to make sure it conveys the right brand identity and message. Lastly, have a friend or colleague offer feedback on your business name and see how it resonates with them.
Closing Thoughts
Finding the right name for your business is a daunting task and we hope this guide has helped you brainstorm new business name ideas and narrow down your list. We recommend taking the extra time to make the right choice up front so you don’t have to rebrand down the road. As always, there is wisdom to asking for feedback from your community. Select your top 5 names and ask for help picking the best shop name for your business.
Building a startup takes time, effort, and a lot of determination. You and your team have invested in a great idea, and everyone works diligently to bring new team members, investors, and customers on board. However, the process doesn’t end once the product or service has taken off and gained popularity.
A startup can operate on a lean team, with people wearing multiple hats and taking on extra responsibilities. But as the company grows, it will be time to hire more employees and scale the company to meet demand.
How to scale the business is an enormous question that causes hesitation for many leaders. How do you expand your business offerings and your team without losing the heart and inspiration that helped the startup succeed in the first place?
In my own business, Tekmetric, which offers shop management software for auto repair businesses, I have relied on a few tactics that enabled me—and our whole team—to scale sustainably. Here are four of the most vital.
Thought Leadership
Shop Management
You’ve Built a Successful Auto Repair Shop Startup. Now What?
In auto repair, there are many moving parts to keep track of—both the literal parts your shop uses to repair vehicles, and the parts of your business that determine your shop’s efficiency, security, and ability to grow. If you want your shop to flourish, it’s crucial to devote part of your business to keeping track of the parts you order.
Many shops track parts in terms of cost of goods sold. The parts you need for the job are included on every repair order, so it’s easy to see what parts your customers are paying for as long as you have a solid process for building repair orders.
But what about in terms of accounts payable? How does your shop track how much you’re spending for parts from the supplier?
Thought Leadership
Why Match Parts from Repair Orders on Purchase Orders?
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