A Nottinghamshire-based independent garage has seen a staggering 228 per cent increase in turnover since implementing Garage Hive in 2020. PW Auto Repairs credits its remarkable transformation to Garage Hive’s powerful organisational tools and its supportive user community.
Founded in 2015 by Paul Whetton, PW Auto Repairs has grown to employ seven staff members. Paul, with over 23 years of industry experience, is joined by his wife, Diana, who transitioned from a different career to help manage the garage.
“Business was busy, but chaotic,” said Diana. “In 2019, we were still inundated with work but not making profits and couldn’t understand how to fix it. Having worked in different industries, I was used to organisation and clear management.”
After seeking advice, Diana was introduced to Garage Hive, a decision that marked a turning point for the business. PW Auto Repairs started using the community-led garage management system in April 2020.
“Our business has completely transformed,” said Diana. “There is no way we would have been able to manage the business and progress without Garage Hive.”
The workshop quickly embraced Garage Hive’s many features, from job tracking and invoicing to online customer authorisations. “When I look back at how we started with a paper diary and a cloud accounting system, I can’t believe we managed to function at all,” said Diana. “Now, I can track every job’s status, see notes, parts ordered, and technician requirements, all in one place.”
Garage Hive training and its highly acclaimed support team played a critical role in the transition. “We had remote training with Tom during the lockdown, and when restrictions lifted, he came in to train our technicians and help us improve our operations,” said Diana. “The ongoing support has been vital, and we continue to keep up with new developments.”
Diana also emphasised the importance of the Garage Hive community. “We have loved being on the journey with so many other garages to continually improve. Taking inspiration from others, picking up new ideas, best practices and rolling them out through Garage Hive is awesome.”
Reflecting on the past four years, Paul and Diana are optimistic about the future. “Garage Hive and the extended community has helped us completely transform our business and we still have scope to go much further. We know we’ve only just scratched the surface of what Garage Hive can do for us.”
“PW Auto Repairs is another fantastic example of how our system can transform operations, improving garage efficiency and profitability,” said Ray Dilsons, Managing Director of Garage Hive. “It’s been a pleasure supporting Paul and Diana on their journey, and we’re excited to see where they take their business next.”
For more information on how Garage Hive can help independent garages improve their efficiency and profitability, visit www.garagehive.co.uk.