Repair shops deal with so much on a daily basis. They have to overlook tasks such as fixing devices, booking repairs, ordering parts, paying employees their hourly wages, and so much more. All of this stuff is usually governed by a repair shop software, but most of the time, you’re working the grind manually and keeping track of everything actively.
This is, quite frankly, an inefficient and roughshod way to go about things. Being in the repair industry, you should be familiar with the benefit that technology brings. So it should make sense to let technology take care of the major work for you, right? How else are you going to grow your business in this day and age if you’re not using technology to make life easier for yourself? Well, that’s the entire idea behind automation.
In this article, we’ll be discussing how automation makes your repair shop a more manageable business and can be the key factor that leads to your success.
Defining automation for repair shops
Our first step is going to be explaining what automation is and why there’s a need for it in the repair industry. Automation is the term that we use to describe the use of machines to perform repetitive tasks on their own without supervision. The term “automation” can have many implementations, from something as simple as adding two numbers to more complex acts such as manufacturing.
For repair shops, automation comes in the form of carrying out tasks that are too mundane to require supervision. This could mean sending messages to your customers to pick their devices up, automatically notifying your technicians about new jobs through your repair ticket management software, alerting you to any stock that is dropping low through your POS software, etc. As is clearly evident, the repair shop software that you employ has a great deal to do with automation. So, when we talk about automation for repair shops, we’re basically talking about automation through software.
Benefits of introducing automation
If you want to make your business successful, you’re going to need to automate some of your tasks sooner or later. Introducing automation to your workflow has a host of benefits that, quite frankly, you need to have.
Boost to productivity
The major benefit of automation is that it makes work a whole lot easier. You don’t have to manually go in and do everything in your repair shop software – a lot of the work is done automatically for you. This has the effect of increasing productivity by a fair margin.
Since your computer system is handling part of the work that is needed, you can focus more on other aspects of the business like customer service, business development, and actual repairs. It helps you apply yourself to different areas of your business that need your attention, rather than have your focus diverted to something that is rudimentary. You get to focus more on the things that matter, while the automated system takes care of everything else that you would have had eyes on.
Time saved
Another major benefit is the amount of time that’s saved from performing all those mundane and repetitive tasks that can now be done by your repair shop software. Usually, when you’re doing something repetitive, it eats away at your time spent on the job. By introducing automation, you can save a lot of time and devote it to other endeavors that will help your business grow further.
Time-saving is a benefit that ultimately feeds into increased productivity, so it definitely helps with being more productive on the job and having the necessary time to do everything. It also means that you’re able to use more time to be with your family, friends, or devote it to training or some other means that will benefit you both professionally and personally.
Reduced errors
When people work on a task that is boring, mundane and requires a lot of repetition, they might fall into carelessness and make mistakes. It’s pretty much inevitable, and it doesn’t have to be a knock on the person involved – this is how humans are. By introducing automation, you can cut down on errors at your workplace and have accurate results every time.
Your automated repair shop software isn’t going to screw up a delivery notification or a low-stock alert. It’s going to get those things right every single time, and because of that, employing it at your repair store is a great idea. Ultimately, it helps you benefit and expand your business without the baggage of looking over every task and making sure it’s done right.
Better analytics
Since most of your work is being done automatically and error-free, you’re going to see better results at your business. This is evidenced by the analytics that your repair shop software provides. With an increase in efficiency and productivity, your repair shop will have better stats overall, both in the short and long run.
Reduced costs
Now, with all the benefits of having an automated system as listed above, you’re going to also see some benefit on the monetary side of things. Since your repair shop is running more efficiently, with more productivity, and with fewer errors, your sales will increase and the cost of all your operations will also drop.
Having an automated system will require investment at first, but the payoff will be greater since your workers are not overburdened with tasks and fewer mistakes are happening on the job. Plus, with the analytics you’re getting, you’ll be able to forecast the growth of your business much better, all by introducing one tool into the game.
Conclusion
Automation is a great asset to your repair business and having it as a part of your repair shop software is a necessity. The benefits of automation far outweigh the cost it has to set up – you’ll be more productive, save more time, have fewer errors, and will be able to save a ton of money. For all these reasons, your store needs to have automation as soon as it can get it.