What Is the Best Automotive Management Software?

Readers frequently come to the Automotive Management network because they have a specific question in mind: What is the best automotive management software? There is no simple answer to that question, of course. It depends on what a specific auto shop needs. Because we want to help our members answer that question for themselves, we’ve created a number of valuable resources to walk them through the process of choosing from the large selection of software on the market. 

Choosing the Best Automotive Management Software

The first step in choosing the best automotive management software for your shop is to decide which features you need it to have. We have created a list of 100 must-have features for shop management software that will make you aware of which features are most in demand and remind you of ones that you might otherwise overlook but actually need. Once you determine what features are essential, you can begin to evaluate the different products.

As an aid we compiled a list of the top software companies offering automotive and truck repair shop management systems. This list includes a wide variety of software systems, some cloud based and others requiring a CD. We sent surveys to these companies, inviting them to answer questions about how their software performed on the following:

Advertiser / Sponsor

• Appointments
• Communication
• Inspections
• Job kits
• Labor operations
• Parts and inventory
• Repair orders
• Recommendations
• Scheduled maintenance
• Service history
• Tires
• Training
• Vehicle information
• Other software features

Not all companies returned the surveys, but we received responses with detailed information from many. Click on the individual links for more information. 

From those surveys we created a comparison chart that lists the pertinent information for different software features. This chart lets you know how dozens of products perform. You can make a short list of which would best do what you need them to do for your auto shop.

If you would like to see software demonstrated, we have links to software demos available as well. Take a look so see if what sounds good on our chart works like you would want it to when used. This is valuable information to have before making a decision because not all software is intuitive or easy to use. There are two sections in our “demo room”: one for software that allows immediate access and one for software that requires you to submit a request to gain access. You can contact specific software companies and arrange for a demo once you know which ones look promising.

In our forums we also have a forum dedicated to software reviews where you can read about other shops’ experiences with software, ask other shop managers specific questions about software, and add your own experience with the software you have tried or purchased before. This is a very valuable resource because it offers information from the perspective of others who are not vested in selling you a management system. It also continuously updates every time another member has a question or posts new information. 

It can be very challenging and time consuming to find the best automotive management software for your auto repair shop. Even when you make a choice, you may wonder if you choose correctly. By following the above steps and taking advantage of the resources that we have put together for our members, you should be able to find a good product and feel confident about your choice. 

Do you have an experience with management software that you would like to share with other shop owners or managers? We always encourage you to share your opinions and the knowledge you’ve gained. Please leave your comments and feedback either here on this post or in our forums to make our resources even more helpful to others in our industry.