The Australian automotive repair industry ranges from small family-owned shops to national franchise stores. Despite the differences in size and customer base, automotive companies share the struggle of finding the right IT services for their business.
Rule Technology has experience with both small businesses and franchise run stores as well as the unique IT challenges each business is faced with.
Small business
Small businesses in the Australian automotive repair industry have been quick to see the value in using IT systems. Using different, interconnected systems to track sales, work order management and customer tracking has cut down on the amount of administration business owners must do. However, there are some unique problems that these small businesses have to overcome before they can see the benefits.
- Moving from the traditional, offline pen and paper solution requires employee and employer training – time consuming and expensive
- Finding an IT solution that solves a particular problem and doesn’t have extra functions which can lead to confusion – time consuming and the ‘perfect’ IT solution might not exist
- IT systems can be expensive which can make the ideal system seemingly unobtainable for a small business
For a small business, solving these problems may not be a priority. It may seem wasteful to invest in an IT system when they can still use offline methods but this can overlook the drastic savings in time that can be made.
Problems facing franchises
Franchise stores in the Australian automotive repair industry are often spread broadly throughout the state and country. This helps prevent one store from cannibalising the business of another but it also increases the complexity of the IT systems required.
The main benefit that a franchise store has over an independent is their ability to access stock and inventory information from other stores. This allows them to quickly order a replacement part or book in a repair when they might otherwise have lost business. This requires a very robust IT system that employees across the country can be quickly taught how to use. In addition to these problems, franchises face the following IT challenges:
- All IT systems must be scalable. This means they have to be able to grow as more franchise stores open
- Standardised training across all franchise stores in the use of IT systems
- A robust IT infrastructure is required that minimises downtime and can adequately manage the level of traffic received through everyday use
Rule Technology have helped franchises develop and deliver IT systems that solve these challenges, but the first step is always choosing the right solution.
Choosing the right solution
The first step in choosing the right solution is to gather your requirements. We’ve identified a few challenges faced by small business and franchises but your problem might be outside of those.
Once you have an idea of the problem you need an IT solution for, the next step is looking at existing solutions. These are known as ‘off the shelf’ because they are designed to solve generic problems immediately. However, finding a single ‘off the shelf’ solution that can solve all of the challenges you need can be difficult.
Your next consideration might be a ‘best of breed’ solution. This is one that combines multiple ‘off the shelf’ solutions aimed at solving your specific challenges. The specific challenge with this solution is integration. Getting each piece of software to share information properly can be a challenge and a single update can render the system unusable.
If ‘off the shelf’ and ‘best of breed’ still can’t solve your business challenges, then you need to look at a packaged solution. A packaged solution is specialist software designed to solve specified business challenges. A packaged solution is more expensive but is an ideal way to solve your business challenges.
The process of choosing the right IT solution for your business can be intimidating. Rule Technology are always happy to partner with our clients to make sure they get the best solution that meets their requirements and fits their budget. If you’d like some help getting the right IT fit for your business, contact us today on 1300 823 226.
