Custom software for independent auto repair shops, repair chains, and tyre service centres who need job management, parts tracking, and customer communication built around how their workshop actually operates.
Generic job management tools cover the basics. We build the full system -- digital job cards linked to VIN history, parts ordering consolidated across suppliers, and customer status updates that stop the phone from ringing.
Digital job cards and repair orders linked to vehicle history by VIN
Parts ordering consolidated across suppliers with real-time inventory tracking
Automated customer SMS and email updates at each stage of the repair
Bay scheduling, technician assignment, and workshop capacity management
Summary
RaftLabs builds custom software for independent auto repair shops, multi-location repair chains, and tyre service centres. We develop job card systems, repair order tracking, vehicle inspection apps with photo and video capture, parts ordering and inventory management, customer SMS and email status updates, bay scheduling, invoice generation, and service history databases by VIN.
100+Products shipped
·24+Industries served
·FixedCost delivery
·12-14Week delivery cycles
Auto repair software built around the workshop floor, not a generic service desk
Auto repair shops deal with a specific operational problem that generic CRM and job management tools don't solve: a vehicle moves through multiple stages -- intake, inspection, estimate approval, parts ordering, repair, quality check, and customer handover -- and information needs to follow it accurately at every step. When that information lives on paper or across disconnected tools, service advisors spend their day chasing updates rather than managing customers.
The parts problem compounds this. Most shops order from three to six suppliers. Without a consolidated view of what's ordered, what's arrived, and what's on backorder, technicians wait on parts with no visibility into when the job can move forward.
We build software that connects the workshop floor to the service desk to the customer -- without the phone tag.
What we build
Job card and repair order management
Digital job cards created at vehicle intake and linked to the customer record and vehicle VIN. Technician assignment with job status tracking through each workshop stage -- received, in inspection, estimate sent, approved, parts ordered, in repair, quality check, ready for collection. Service advisor dashboard showing all open jobs with current status and time in current stage. Mobile-friendly technician view so the workshop floor doesn't require a desktop. Job notes and technician comments captured against each repair order. Integration with your invoicing workflow so billing happens directly from the completed job card.
Vehicle inspection apps
Digital vehicle inspection with photo and video capture against each inspection point. Condition ratings for tyres, brakes, lights, fluids, and visual checks -- with photos attached to the specific item flagged. Inspection report generated automatically and sent to the customer for estimate approval. Customer approval or rejection tracked in the system with a timestamped record. Upsell workflow for additional items found during inspection -- presented as a clear list of recommended work with costs, not a phone conversation the customer can't review later. Inspection history stored against the vehicle VIN for reference on future visits.
Parts ordering and inventory
Parts ordering consolidated across your suppliers in one interface rather than separate logins or phone calls. Parts request raised from the job card so the link between the part and the repair is never lost. Stock level management for fast-moving parts with reorder point alerts. Parts arrival tracking linked back to the job card so the service advisor knows when all parts for a job are in and the technician can start. Supplier comparison for pricing and availability where multiple suppliers carry the same part. Backorder tracking with expected arrival dates updated against the job record. Parts cost captured automatically against the repair order for accurate job costing.
Customer communication
Automated SMS and email updates sent to the customer at each key stage -- vehicle received, inspection complete, estimate ready for approval, parts ordered, repair complete, ready for collection. Estimate approval handled via a link in the message: the customer reviews the inspection report and approves or declines without calling the shop. Two-way SMS for customers who want to respond to updates. Customer communication history stored against the job record. Configurable notification triggers so you control which events send automatic messages. No customer should need to call the shop to find out what is happening with their vehicle.
Bay scheduling and workshop management
Bay-level scheduling with visual workshop calendar showing each bay, assigned technician, and job duration. Capacity management so the service desk knows before booking a job whether there is a bay and technician available on the requested date. Job time estimates by repair type used to block the right amount of time per bay. Technician skill and certification tracking for jobs that require a specialist. Workshop throughput reporting -- jobs completed per day, average job duration, bay utilisation, and technician productivity. End-of-day status report showing all open jobs with expected completion dates.
Service history and fleet accounts
Full service history stored against each vehicle by VIN -- every job card, inspection report, parts fitted, and technician note from every visit. Service due reminders triggered automatically based on mileage intervals or time since last service. Fleet account management for businesses sending multiple vehicles -- single account with billing consolidated across all vehicles, fleet reporting, and service schedule tracking per vehicle. Customer portal for fleet managers to view job status and service history across their fleet. Recall and campaign tracking for vehicles subject to manufacturer recalls flagged at intake.
Frequently asked questions
Off-the-shelf workshop management platforms work well for straightforward repair shop operations. Custom software makes sense when your workflow has specific steps those platforms don't support -- for example, a multi-brand repair group that needs consolidated reporting across locations with different service types; a tyre centre with a high-volume inspection and fitment workflow that doesn't map to a general repair order; or a business building a software product for other repair operators. The wrong answer is building custom when a platform configuration would handle the requirement -- platform subscriptions carry lower ongoing cost than custom software maintenance.
Yes. Automated customer notifications triggered by job status changes are one of the highest-value features we build for repair shops. The system monitors each job card and sends the configured message -- SMS, email, or both -- when the status changes to a trigger point. Estimate approval links sent with the inspection report allow the customer to approve or decline via the message without calling the shop. The service advisor sees the approval in the system in real time. No manual message sending, no tracking who has been called, no customers falling through the gap because a staff member forgot.
Yes. Integrating with parts supplier APIs or ordering portals to present consolidated parts availability and pricing in one interface is a common requirement for repair shop software projects. The technical complexity depends on what integrations each supplier exposes -- some have well-documented APIs, others require screen scraping or EDI integration. We scope supplier integrations during discovery, because the available integration method for each supplier determines how much time that part of the project takes. The result is a single parts ordering interface linked directly to the job card, with arrival tracking updating the job record automatically.
A focused job card and customer communication system typically runs $25,000--$50,000. A full platform with digital job cards, vehicle inspection app, parts ordering integration, customer notifications, bay scheduling, VIN-based service history, and fleet account management typically runs $65,000--$120,000. Cost depends on the number of supplier integrations, the complexity of your multi-location setup, and how much of an existing system needs to be replaced versus extended. We scope every project before pricing -- fixed cost, agreed before development starts.
