Dealers & Garages
Still Using A Spreadsheet Or Diary For Your Garage? Do This Instead
4 min read
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CarVerified Team
A paper diary and a spreadsheet work until they do not. Here is what goes wrong with garage bookings, customer records and invoices on paper, and a simple free alternative.
Plenty of good garages run on a paper diary, a spreadsheet and a lot of memory. It works for the owner who built it. It is harder when you get busy, take on a second pair of hands or just want a day off.
What goes wrong
Double bookings and missed bookings. Two people write in the same slot, or a phone message never reaches the diary.
Customer details scattered about. Phone numbers on the back of an invoice, a car’s details in one book and its last service in another. When a regular rings, you are searching.
No reminders. Customers forget their next MOT or service, and you only find out they went elsewhere.
Invoices are slow. Writing out or re-typing an invoice for every job eats into the evening.
Nothing to show new customers. If your reputation is only word of mouth, anyone who does not already know you cannot find you.
FOR GARAGES - FREE TO JOIN
Garage owner with no website?
Get a free garage page with online booking built in - live in minutes, no card needed.
Free public garage page - services, hours and contact details
Online booking - customers book into your dashboard
Customer records in one place - no diary or spreadsheet
No card needed. Paid plans only if you need more.
What to do instead
You do not need to throw out how you work. You need one place that holds:
•
Bookings
•
Customers and their cars
•
Invoices
•
Reviews
How CarVerified helps
The Free garage plan covers the basics, with no card needed:
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A public garage page with your services, opening hours and contact details
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Online booking, with appointments landing in your dashboard, up to 5 a month
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Basic customer management
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Reviews
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Up to 5 invoices a month
If your volume grows, paid plans raise the booking limit and add automated service reminders, multiple staff accounts and an analytics dashboard. See the garage plans.
Making the switch
1.
Pick a quiet week to start. Do not switch in your busiest week.
2.
Add your regular customers first. You do not need to import everyone.
3.
Keep the diary for a short while as a back-up, and stop once you trust the new system.
4.
Tell customers they can book online. Add the link to receipts, invoices and your social media.
Try it free
It takes a few minutes to register. See what garages get or join free.
FOR GARAGES - FREE TO JOIN
Still using a spreadsheet or diary for your records?
Stop using spreadsheets: keep customers, bookings and invoices in one free place.
Customer records in one place - no diary or spreadsheet
Online booking - customers book into your dashboard
Free public garage page - services, hours and contact details
Customer reviews on your page
Invoices included (up to 5 a month free)
No card needed. Paid plans only if you need more.
Related Guides
Table of Contents
1.
What goes wrong
2.
What to do instead
3.
How CarVerified helps
4.
Making the switch
5.
Try it free
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