Starting a repair shop can be a very exciting venture if you have passion for technology. You can make enough money to make a legacy for your upcoming generations and make a huge brand. However, relying just on manual processes and procedures to manage the ongoing operations is not worth it. You need automation to manage and streamline every ongoing operation such as ticketing, inventory, employee commissions, etc.
Therefore, you need to use an all-in-one point-of-sale software. It will help you organize your repair store like never before and save 1000-plus hours every year. Let us discuss in detail how manual processes are hindering your growth. Also, we will let you know how this system can give your shop a stress-free experience.
1. Inventory Management
Managing inventory is by far one of the most challenging operations at a repair shop. You have also experienced that too. For instance, a customer steps into your shop and wants you to fix their devices. This can include computers, smartphones, watches, jewelry, small engines, etc.
You accept the job and start opening the device. But the moment you step into your warehouse, you realize that you don’t have the required stock. What then? You tell your customers about the situation, but they can’t wait for you to order the parts. Surely, they will look for another repair service provider.
In the same way, if you manage your inventory using manual methods like paperwork, there are high chances of errors. Or you can say that there are high chances of missing entries.
So, you need to use point-of-sale software, as it will help you manage inventory. It will also inform you through a notification whenever an item or part is getting low in the stock. This way, you won’t lose any chances of making sales due to shortage of inventory. Moreover, you can reorder parts and accessories from your desired vendors too. Thus, you don’t have to look for suppliers every time you need to order something for your store.
2. Payments
Here comes another difficult task for repair business owners. We all know that it happens that a customer visits you to get their electronic devices fixed. You do the job perfectly, and right on time. But, when you hand it over to the owners, they realize that they don’t have enough bucks to pay you. To make them your loyal customers, you do a favor and ask them to clear dues some other time.
However, even after several days, you don’t get payments from them. Furthermore, that’s not only the case with just one customer. It can happen with a lot of them. Also, if you don’t receive payments on time, how are you supposed to pay your rent? Or how will you pay your technicians, and clear payments from your suppliers.
Also, you may forget about recalling or reminding them regarding the payments. So, you need POS software for your shop. It will send automatic reminders, and notifications to the customers to remind them about the remaining dues. Additionally, it offers a range of payment methods (credit, debit cards, partial payments). This way, your customers can pay you back according to their convenience. Also, look for how to pick the right POS system for your repair shop. It will brief you about what you need to look for while choosing software for your venture.
3. Repair Job Management and Customer Communication
Last but not least, tracking repair jobs can be tricky. Specifically, when you rely on word of mouth or direct communications with your employees, and technicians.
Let’s take another example. You assign the repair job to your technician and ask the customer to revisit right after 4 hours. But, in the meantime, your repairman gets busy fixing another device, as it requires more time. Your customer revisits you but steps out of your shop disappointed because their gadget is not fixed yet. There is a high chance that they will never visit you again because you have not fulfilled your commitment.
In addition, most customers can even get you irritated. They keep on asking about whether the repair job is completed or not. Also, you cannot get back to every one of them as you are busy dealing with other customers. But you cannot deny the importance of customer communication. Better client communication will benefit your business and help you build their trust in your repair service.
When you use a point-of-sale system for your repair shop, you can eliminate miscommunication and inefficiencies. After accepting the repair job, you can create a repair ticket against the device. Then you can assign the ticket to your technician, mentioning every detail like delivery time, issue, etc. This way, they will perform repair jobs according to priority.
Moreover, when the job is completed, the software will send a notification to the customer. So, they can revisit your shop and collect their items.
Final Words
Relying on manual methods is not the only way to run a repair business. Instead, you should adapt to automation, as it is more reliable, efficient, and hassle-free, and can help you grow. Hopefully, you will find the best pick for your shop and benefit your business.
