(Below is an expert from PartsTech’s 2025 State of General Auto Repair Shops in the U.S. report.) PartsTech surveyed 752 shops and spoke with industry experts to bring you a report with key trends, benchmarks, and free resources to help you uplevel your shop in 2025. Download the report to get insights you can use right away to improve your shop, increase revenue, and stay ahead of common industry challenges.

Prevalence of shop management software in auto repair shops

97% of respondents reported using a shop management system (SMS) — highlighting how these platforms have become essential to modern shop operations. In this year’s survey, 28% of respondents reported relying exclusively on an SMS — a 47% increase from our 2023 survey — highlighting the growing penetration of the robust, all-encompassing capabilities of today’s SMS solutions.

Free resource: Choosing the best shop management software

Shop management systems streamline operations by uniting essential functions — scheduling, inspections, estimates, invoicing, inventory tracking, payments, customer communication, and more — into a single, cohesive platform. And by integrating seamlessly with other key shop software tools like accounting, marketing, and parts ordering solutions, these shop management systems simplify workflows and eliminate the inefficiencies of juggling multiple standalone tools. Selecting the right system depends on your shop’s size, specialty, budget, strategy, and more. Learn more about selecting the best shop management system for your shop.

To learn how to choose the best shop software for your shop, read more here.

Beyond shop management systems in auto repair shops

While shop management systems include features like invoicing, payments, and customer communication, shops with unique needs may still benefit from supplementing their tech stack with other specialized solutions. For shops integrating additional tools into their workflows, accounting software (37%) and parts ordering platforms (34%) are the most commonly used — pointing to a focus on financial management and efficient parts procurement. Other tools, such as payments software (27%), customer communication software (23%), and scheduling software (18%), emphasize the importance of improving customer experience and optimizing operations.

Adopting advanced software solutions can help address key challenges and opportunities, such as streamlining operations, meeting evolving customer expectations, and mitigating staffing shortages. These tools enable your shop to improve efficiency, maintain high service standards, and stay competitive in an increasingly technology-driven market.

For more benchmark data, free resources, and tips, download PartsTech’s full report: 2025 State of General Auto Repair Shops in the U.S.

Topics covered in the report include:

📍 Shop demographics, size, and location

🚙 Daily car count per bay

💲 Average repair order value, labor rates, and parts profit

👥 Technician & service advisor staffing numbers per bay

⚡ EV servicing trends

⚠️ Industry challenges & solutions

🤝 Technician hiring & retention strategies

🖥️ Shop software usage and trends