Klipboard Launches New AI-Powered Autowork Platform for Independent Garages

Independent garages are being offered a new AI-enabled way to manage their workshops following the launch of Klipboard’s new Autowork garage management platform.

The cloud-based system brings bookings, jobs, customers, vehicles, technicians, parts, stock, tyres and invoicing together within a single platform, with artificial intelligence being introduced to automate some of the everyday administrative work involved in running a garage.

Klipboard unveiled the new Autowork platform on 1 October, positioning it as a ground-up redevelopment of its garage management technology for independent garages, repair workshops, service centres, tyre businesses and growing multi-site operators.

One of the first practical applications of AI within the system is designed to help garages find suitable workshop booking opportunities without staff having to manually search through the diary.

It provides an interesting example of how AI is beginning to move beyond consumer applications and into the day-to-day operation of independent garages.

AI designed to tackle everyday garage tasks

While artificial intelligence has become one of the technology industry’s most heavily promoted terms, Klipboard says its approach is focused on practical workshop applications.

Rather than attempting to replace existing garage processes, AI is being incorporated into tasks where automation could save staff time.

The company’s AI-assisted booking functionality, for example, can help users identify suitable spaces in the workshop schedule.

James Mitchell, CEO Europe at Klipboard, said garages need technology that makes running their businesses easier rather than simply adding more technology.

He said AI represented an opportunity to reduce administration and simplify repetitive tasks within the working day.

For busy independent garages, where service advisors and owners can spend considerable amounts of time juggling bookings, technicians, parts availability, customer calls and invoicing, even relatively small reductions in administration could be significant.

One system from booking to payment

The wider Autowork platform is intended to connect more of those processes.

Garages can manage customer and vehicle records alongside workshop schedules, jobs, technician allocation and invoicing.

Parts functionality is also integrated into the platform, allowing users to check parts, supplier prices and availability, place orders, receive goods and manage stock.

Tyre businesses can similarly handle tyre information, stock, quotations and fitted pricing alongside general service and repair work.

Technical information including repair times and service schedules can also be accessed as part of the workshop process.

The principle is relatively straightforward: reduce the number of separate systems and processes garage staff have to move between during the working day.

Garage no-shows illustrate the cost of inefficient diaries

The potential value of better workshop scheduling was highlighted by separate research released by Klipboard earlier this year.

An analysis of more than 1.8 million bookings across 2,794 UK and Irish garages using its existing Autowork Online system found that around 12% resulted in customers failing to attend.

That equated to more than 200,000 missed bookings during the five-month period examined.

For an independent garage completing around 100 jobs each month, Klipboard calculated that the rate could equate to approximately 12 empty workshop slots every month.

The company estimated that missed appointments could cost an average independent garage more than £40,000 in lost annual revenue.

The research underlines why seemingly mundane areas such as booking management and workshop capacity can have a significant effect on garage profitability.

AI is moving into the independent workshop

Artificial intelligence within the automotive sector is often discussed in terms of autonomous vehicles, advanced diagnostics or vehicle manufacturing.

But applications such as Autowork point towards a potentially more immediate impact for independent garages.

Administrative tasks are particularly obvious candidates.

Booking vehicles into appropriate workshop slots, finding information, checking stock, locating parts, communicating with customers and managing invoices all consume staff time without actually repairing a vehicle.

Used effectively, AI and automation could reduce some of that burden.

The important distinction for garage owners will be whether these systems genuinely save time rather than simply introducing another layer of technology into an already complicated workshop.

Connected systems becoming increasingly important

Modern independent garages already depend on considerably more software than their predecessors.

Workshop management systems can handle MOT reminders, service histories, online bookings, electronic job cards, parts ordering, customer communications and payments.

At the same time, technicians increasingly rely on digital service information, diagnostic platforms and manufacturer-controlled systems to repair newer vehicles.

That makes the ability of different systems to communicate increasingly important.

Klipboard’s strategy with Autowork is to allow businesses to begin with the core garage-management platform before adding other connected services as required.

That includes payments and e-commerce functionality, while the company’s wider automotive software portfolio caters for larger and multi-site operations.

Could AI make independent garages more productive?

The arrival of AI-assisted garage management is unlikely to transform workshop productivity overnight.

The more significant development may be the gradual automation of dozens of small administrative tasks.

A few minutes saved finding a booking slot, ordering a part or locating customer information may appear insignificant in isolation.

Repeated across hundreds of jobs during the year, however, those savings can become meaningful.

For independent garages facing rising employment costs, technician shortages and increasingly complex vehicles, improving the productivity of the staff already within the business is becoming increasingly important.

The real test for AI-powered garage software will therefore be relatively simple: does it allow garage owners and technicians to spend less time managing administration and more time running a productive workshop?

Autowork provides one indication of how automotive software providers believe that process is likely to develop.

External sources

Klipboard – Autowork product page

Klipboard – Why the Future of Garage Management Is Connected and Intelligent

Independent trade coverage of the Autowork launch