Selecting the right shop management software that fits your business doesn’t need to be a daunting task.

By Joan Koebernick, Contributing Editor

Many shop owners are accepting substandard automotive management software, mostly because they don’t have the time to think through their needs and ask the questions to bring about change. The major purpose of automotive management software is to improve productivity. It should keep track of any “paper” function, remind us of any information it needs to complete this function and eliminate any wasted steps in the process. A desirable software vendor keeps up with technology, offers service and support and provides continuous, well-running updates.

In my own software search, I asked vendors for specific features that are important in running my business. The refrain I commonly hear is, “We haven’t had any (or many) other requests for this.” I can’t imagine that the features needed for our shop are totally unnecessary in other automotive repair businesses. Yes, I have found some relatively good software programs, but I haven’t found one that doesn’t have some major holes. Overall, shop owners need a better understanding of what is out there and why we should use it. But more importantly, let’s examine what should be available in management software, what questions to ask vendors, the problems you can try to circumvent and the features you should be asking your present vendor to incorporate.

My own search
We have had some form of software in our business since 1983, when we purchased our first system. Since that time, we have used three different programs. In ’83, there wasn’t much out there in the way of automotive shop management software. Our first program was generic. It covered invoicing, inventory, payroll and accounting. It didn’t handle vehicle records; therefore, we continued to keep track of our vehicle history on large index cards. 

The second software program was made for automotive repair and tire stores, and it was my favorite. It handled all sides of the business. We had been using matrix pricing, which consisted of a chart on the wall and a calculator. This program had the function built-in – not only for one matrix, but for as many as we could use. It allowed for even and odd pricing, specials during a defined period and six levels of discounting, as well as all of the inventory, sales and cost of sales general ledger accounts I could wish for. 

It sported the ability to give us the reporting we needed to run our business, with the flexibility to do it “our” way. Unfortunately, the company was sold, and the new owners discontinued the program. One of their tech support people bought the rights to continue supporting the program, but there would be no updates. 

With that experience, we learned our first important lesson: When looking at software, ask the vendor about the continuation of the program and if the company has planned for succession and/or a future sale of the product. Does the company have a plan to protect our investment in its program for the features we value and future service and updates?

The program we presently use is DOS-based. The Windows update version does not yet run stably on our multiple-user system. We gave it a trial run a couple years ago, and found it totally inappropriate for our situation. As much as we wanted the new features this system offered, updating would have meant a huge loss in productivity, as well as the constant irritation of program lock-ups and reboots. During that test, we learned our second important lesson: Always test a potential software system over a period of time in your shop environment, before switching to it.

Selecting a vendor
Choosing the right vendor is just as important as selecting the right type of program for your business. What should you look for in a software vendor? Here are some questions you should ask:

How long has the company been in business?

Does the company provide service, support and continuous, well-running updates? Do updates come on a regular basis?

How are software updates tested? 

How are beta-testing sites chosen for the updates?

Do they provide training?

Does the vendor produce a monthly newsletter that points out new, as well as old, features and how to use them? Generally, we begin only using certain parts of a program, depending on our needs. Once we’ve learned to use those adequately, we need to be reminded of the other available features and the advantage of using them. 

Can the company repair problems with your system via modem connection or Internet connection? If you must return the program to them for repair, you could be faced with re-entering any business that has transpired during the repair.

How is their support system organized? How do they handle system failure problems? What is their average response to operational problems from software glitches? How long are you expected to wait for a response from their support team?

There are two types of support calls. The first and most urgent is related to the software programming function; the second is related to the “How do I do...” questions. As customers, it is our job to read the manual provided and use it to try to answer our “how-to” questions. The time to call is only when we absolutely can’t figure out how to accomplish something in the program. 

The exception is when you have paid extra for that type of support. If the vendor’s phone lines are clogged with “how-to” questions, it makes it extremely difficult for them to help in more urgent situations. When you do contact them with the “how-to” questions, use your fax or e-mail. It forces you to think through your need and allows your vendor to answer your question, in writing or even online if time allows.

Other considerations
Moving your information to the new system is a big job. Can this company convert your data, such as inventory, customer information and vehicle histories, to the new program?

Does the program import and export data? The software should provide an export utility to get all of your information out of this product to load on to another, if that time comes. It is impossible to know if your vendor will be in business as long as you need or like them, and this is a long-term solution.

Also, the export utility should be able to send data to your favorite accounting package and spreadsheet or allow you to package information for outsourcing, such as follow-up reminders.

An import utility that updates your product line information and pricing would be a real benefit. Have you ever changed product lines and had to enter in all the information? This is a service that some of our vendors would like to offer.

Will this product continue to function, even if you no longer wish to pay for support? This is a crucial question. I can understand that these companies need the income for continued updates and support staff, but my fear is that it gives them the ability to charge a lot more than we may want to pay.

What sort of return on investment can you expect? Depending on the features of your new software – both in improved pricing capabilities and productivity – and on the cost of your new system, you should expect see it return your investment in a reasonable period of time. 

Flexibility is key
Please assist me in spreading the word on the importance of flexibility in these systems. In some respects, the future is now. If we don’t choose a company that is capable of and interested in taking advantage of new technologies, we’ll lose out. Wireless technology is here. Barcode scanners are available to help eliminate inventory errors. Again, if we don’t keep pushing these important factors and ideas, it will take even longer to see these improvements made.