How Garagisti Transformed Its Customer Experience with Tekmetric
February 10, 2025
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Read time: 3 min
Sam Craven, an automotive enthusiast turned entrepreneur, knew that when he opened his Houston-based automotive shop, Garagisti, customer service would be a key differentiator.
“While fixing the car correctly is fundamentally important, the customer experience is what makes the real difference.”
From his shop’s beginning, Sam strategically leveraged Tekmetric to elevate his customer experience, yielding remarkable results in average repair order, customer feedback and more.
Driven by Customer Service
As a marketing and business development expert with a passion for cars, Sam recognized that exceptional customer service would be the key differentiator in the industry.
He understood that trust and loyalty lie at the heart of a successful shop, and he wanted to target long-term customers by building those relationships from the beginning.
“Most people think we’re just here to fix cars, but that’s not actually the foundation of what we do,” Sam said. “While fixing the car correctly is fundamentally important, the customer experience is what makes the real difference.”
Determined to not just meet, but exceed, customer expectations, Sam set out to find a solution that would elevate Garagisti's performance in delivering a seamless and satisfying customer experience.
Selecting a Customer-Centric System
Tekmetric's digital vehicle inspections (DVIs), customer communication tools and overall streamlined process offered significant value in transforming the shop’s customer experience.
“It was the most advanced system and easiest for our customer,” Sam noted. “I love the numbers side for business management, but the biggest asset I saw was the process – the show and tell process – of the DVIs, and how we could control the entire interaction, starting from the time the customer initiates the purchase decision.”
By integrating Tekmetric into the everyday of shop life and leveraging its key features –, including DVIs and transparent communication tools, – Sam's team quickly gained their customer’s trust and confidence. Tekmetric’s versatile features proved invaluable to the experience they were creating.
“One thing that’s unique about our process: the advisor goes over the DVI on the phone with the customer,” Sam said. “They go line-by-line through the technician’s notes. The advisor makes recommendations he believes are important for the car to function safely. That’s the customer’s first interaction with Tekmetric – and it’s usually what wows people.”
Year Established
Using Tekmetric Since
Average Repair Order ($)
Average Car Count
Number of Employees
Number of Bays
Track Every Step, Identify Gaps and Optimize Your Process
As a customer-centric business owner, Sam is also extremely data-driven. He knew he needed software that would align with the key metrics he wanted to track. From his shop’s launch, he monitored as much data as possible – from gross profit to labor rates.
He knew he would need a solution that could provide accurate, relevant data for himself and his team, while also supporting Garagisti in creating an excellent experience for their customers.
“It means I can go out and have the confidence to get another shop open – there’s room for growth.
After rigorous research and testing, Sam selected Tekmetric as Garagisti's software solution due to its advanced features and customer-centric interface. The decision was driven by concrete data that showcased Tekmetric's potential to revolutionize Garagisti's operations.
The shop’s average repair order (ARO) has consistently exceeded industry standards, averaging $1,600 per repair from the shop’s first few months open. Sam attributes this success to Garagisti's commitment to customer-centricity, effective utilization of Tekmetric's capabilities and his team’s dedication.
“The people we have here are crushing it,” Sam shares. “It means I can go out and have the confidence to get another shop open – there’s room for growth. That type of business comes from three things: hiring really good people, taking care of your customers and consistently monitoring your data.”
Garagisti's commitment to transparency and the seamless integration of Tekmetric have also resulted in numerous positive customer experiences. The shop’s customers consistently share excellent reviews, many of which mention the value of Tekmetric and its features.
I have everything in one place. It makes long-term and short-term decision-making easier.”
One key reviewer noted, “Everyone there is extremely knowledgeable. From customer service to doing the job, I had complete trust. They have a convenient system that lets you pick what you’d like done right away and what you’ll wait on. They truly care about your vehicle.”
Expanding Opportunities for the Future
The success of integrating Tekmetric has enabled Sam to expand Garagisti's footprint.
Recently, Garagisti acquired a second location, and plans are underway to open two additional branches. Leveraging two years' worth of invaluable data from Tekmetric, Sam confidently forecasts staffing requirements, allocates resources effectively and develops growth strategies.
He emphasized, "anytime we need to grow, I can look at the data and make a decision based on Tekmetric. I have everything in one place. It makes long-term and short-term decision-making easier.”
Sam’s experience exemplifies the transformative impact of integrating Tekmetric to enhance the customer experience from the beginning.
Through his unwavering commitment to customer service, and the effective utilization of Tekmetric's key features, Garagisti achieved impressive results in revenue growth, ARO optimization and customer satisfaction.
Garagisti’s success and growth in the last two years highlight the importance of customer-centricity, operational efficiency and the right technological partner in driving business growth and success.
In late 2020, Jim Kellas bought TL Auto Repair, in Union City, California. The location was strong, but the shop’s systems were holding it back—outdated software, lack of key integrations, and inefficient processes all contributed to a poor customer experience.
Determined to find a solution, Jim explored various shop management systems before switching to Tekmetric. After making the switch, the impact was transformative for TL Auto Repair.
“Stop looking at the other ones. You're done searching.”
Challenge
Before switching systems, TL Auto Repair faced:
Frequent software downtime disrupting operations
Lack of integrations with key tools, creating manual work
Limited visibility into performance metrics
Solution
After exploring several options, Jim chose Tekmetric for its seamless integrations, reliable performance, and features that made it easier to connect with customers. With Tekmetric, TL Auto Repair streamlined operations, improved communication, and set the foundation for future growth.
Results
Streamlined Operations That Drive Revenue
Integrations with tools like Affirm through Tekmetric’s Payments and adding Marketing solutions helped TL Auto Repair simplify workflows and boost sales. Offering financing made higher-ticket repairs more accessible for customers, leading to over $2 million in revenue.
“I was able to integrate with so many other programs. I'm able to know revenue-wise it's been a boom because I'm able to tie everything together.”
More Efficiency, Less Overhead
Running on a reliable, browser-based system saved time and cut hardware costs. Staff work faster, from anywhere, using devices like Chromebooks.
"The time savings have been substantial, allowing for increased efficiency"
A Better Experience for Every Customer
Text message updates, digital vehicle inspections, and contactless invoicing and payments create a more transparent and convenient experience for their customers. This has earned them trust, repeat business, and a 4.7-star rating on Google.
"Customers love getting text message updates, online inspection reports, and the option for contactless service - it keeps them coming back."
What’s Next
With a proven model and the right technology support in place, Jim plans to expand and is in the process of acquiring new shops. He is applying the same focus on operational efficiency and customer experience that turned TL Auto Repair into a thriving business.
In 2020, Jeremy and Holly Hansen purchased Mission Auto KC, an old-school shop with no desire to grow or adapt to new customers. From day one, they faced operational challenges—outdated systems, manual processes and a lack of visibility into key business metrics. Most importantly, they struggled to deliver the level of customer service they envisioned.
Determined to find a solution, Holly researched various shop management systems and after careful evaluation, made the switch to Tekmetric in July 2021. The impact was immediate and transformative.
Challenge
Before Tekmetric, Mission Auto KC relied on outdated methods—pen-and-paper invoicing, limited reporting, and inefficient customer communication. This led to:
Slow invoicing and difficulty tracking finances
Inconsistent customer updates, causing frustration and lost business
Limited reporting capabilities, making it hard to identify areas for growth
Revenue stagnation, with monthly sales hovering around $40,000 to $50,000
Solution
After evaluating multiple options, Holly chose Tekmetric because it provided real-time shop insights, streamlined operations, and better customer engagement. With Tekmetric, Mission Auto KC automated processes, improved financial tracking, and provided customers with a transparent repair experience—all essential to driving growth.
Results
Revenue Growth: Doubling Monthly Sales
With Tekmetric optimizing operations, Mission Auto KC experienced a dramatic financial transformation, doubling its monthly revenue from $40,000–$50,000 to $90,000. By streamlining workflows, improving job tracking, and enabling faster repair approvals, the shop significantly increased productivity, allowing them to complete more jobs per day. These improvements not only boosted revenue but also led to a 20% increase in gross profit, as better pricing accuracy and operational efficiency maximized profitability.
“Our typical [revenue before Tekmetric] was $40,000 to $50,000. Then $90,000 became our norm right away. So the top number did double.”
Data-Driven Financial Management
With automated reporting and real-time financial tracking, Holly gained complete visibility into the shop’s performance, allowing for daily revenue tracking, expense management, and more accurate accounting.
“QuickBooks is what I use for our accounting, and it’s up to date every day because I come in the following morning, enter my end-of-day report, enter all my expenses, and I know where I'm at.”
Faster Turnaround and Improved Customer Experience
Tekmetric’s text and photo-sharing features allowed for faster, clearer communication with customers, improving trust and increasing repeat business. Customers could see photos of repairs in progress, eliminating doubts and streamlining approvals.
“Customers love it. They love transparency. I'm not just saying your filter is dirty—you see a picture of your filter.”
What’s Next
Fueled by their commitment to exceptional service and operational excellence, Mission Auto KC is setting ambitious goals for the future. As demand continues to grow, they plan to expand their team, increase efficiency, and strengthen customer relationships to reach $2 million in annual revenue. By prioritizing transparency, quality work, and trust, they are building a loyal customer base that keeps coming back. What started as a struggling shop has now become a thriving, data-driven business, poised for long-term success and continued expansion.
Business picked up over the years, and Karl was able to assemble a small team and build his own on-premise shop management system. In 2010, he decided to move Ultimate Auto Repair to a larger space two miles from his house. He was able to employ more people but eventually hit a growth cap.
After switching to Tekmetric, Karl was able to accelerate over the hump and more than double his business. Today, they’re still growing every month.
Ripping the Band-Aid Off
With my old system, I was stuck. Each technician would have five or six clipboards, and they'd have to shuffle and figure out what was authorized and what wasn't. To find out anything, I had to do it manually. It's no fun at the end of the month trying to count how many cars and work orders we did.
There was no way that we were going to make it any further without a lot of changes.
I was afraid to make the change. I thought, "Tekmetric has a lot of good stuff going, but I'm not sure". And then everything came to a head. My laptop crashed. I couldn't get into the old program. We had been talking about making the change, so I grabbed my service writer and said, "We're making the change right now". It was like ripping off the band-aid.
By day three, I said to my team "Hey guys. I'm sorry about the stress". And they said, "Stress? Are you kidding me? This is way better! We don't have to look for a work order on the wall!" They took to it right away.
The immediate result was that everybody could instantly see with a click what everyone else was talking about. The technician could put his notes in there: what he saw and what he didn't see. It's so nice for the service writer to be able to see the customer's notes and the technician’s notes. The customer came in with this complaint. We addressed it. This is the problem. The technician also found this. And everybody can see that live, instantly.
Ticket to Freedom
I was welded to the place without Tekmetric. If I wasn't there, nobody knew what to do. Now, they know.
You can't run a million dollar shop off of one guy having to be there. At the end of the day, the world runs on math. If you don't know what the math is, you don't know what you're doing; you have no clue whether you made money or you lost money. You're just throwing quotes out there and hoping things are there.
But with Tekmetric, I can see in realtime what my markup is, what it's going to be, and what it should be. I can give my service writers a bottom dollar: what they need to sell it for. I can tell them how much they need to discount for, and they can quickly see all that right in Tekmetric. I can set up matrices, even labor matrixes now, which is crazy to me!
I call it their 'guard rail'. They know how high they can go and how low they can go to make a sale. At some point, if you don't have a technician working, and that's their job for the day, and if you don't sell that job, they’re not going to be working. That service writer needs to know how low they can go to make that sale.
Tekmetric gives me the freedom to leave for days at a time and everything keeps running. It has basically allowed me to duplicate myself, to show the guys: this is the system, and these are the steps you need to take. I can show the guys what to do, and they can replicate it.
Before, vacations were almost impossible. Now, I can leave, and I know the shop will keep running. With Tekmetric, it's all right there. My team has everything they need.
Realizing the Potential
As a business owner, Tekmetric helps me make quick decisions, which is what it's all about. I have to be able to know where I’m at and where I’m going to project it. And then we need to be able to operate with consistency, too. Because when the customer comes back the second time, we need to be able to quote it the same. There's so much background information in there that I don't know how I'd run anything over $500,000 without Tekmetric.
We're moving into commercial diesel. In Jackson, there are a lot of general contractors, plumbers, and electricians. I'm cleaning out the spare building on my property and putting in four bays, so we can concentrate on commercial diesel customers over there and get their trucks in and out quickly. It's awesome because I can set that up in Tekmetric as its own repair shop. I can track the efficiency of service writers and technicians in each building.
Growing my business allows me to get people good jobs - jobs that weren't necessarily available to me. The possibilities are limitless.
Making the Dean's List
My daughters have been helping around the shop, too. My 21-year-old comes in after hours and spends three to five hours a week cleaning the shop and does interior details. She started her own cleaning business, and she cleans houses.
My youngest is our Quality Control. She QCs all the cars when we're done. And she wants to be a service writer, so we're training her to be a service writer. She works with me every day. It's pretty awesome. She likes accounting, and she actually does our end-of-day reporting, so she loves Tekmetric. She can jump in there and go through and close out all the cars and make sure they're all paid for. She gives me the final count.
I'm happy that I can teach her a trade where she can make some money, whether she’s working at Ultimate Auto Repair or another shop.
And both kids made the dean’s list this semester! So I’m proud of that, too.
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