State of Heavy-Duty Repair 2020-2021 - Technology and Maintenance ...
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2020-2021 State of Heavy-Duty Repair
2 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Table of
Contents
Introduction & Methodology 3
A MESSAGE FROM TMC 5
Responder demographics 6
Shop demographics 10
Diving into repairs 19
Shop talk 22
COVID-19 impact 30
Inventory Management 37
Technicians 41
Tech hiring and shortage 46
Shop technology and software 50
ABOUT FULLBAY 57
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com
3 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Introduction &
Methodology
Thank you for reading the first-ever State of
Heavy-Duty Repair report, brought to you by Fullbay and TMC.
The goal of this report is to shed light on an This report offers both quantitative and
essential, but often overlooked, industry: heavy- qualitative data and provides what we believe
duty repair. As the leading provider of heavy-duty to be the most comprehensive and accurate
shop management software, we found ourselves overview of the industry available. To gather the
in a unique position to offer insights, trends, and data needed for such a venture, we surveyed
benchmarks for the space. For the purposes of this heavy-duty professionals and used a sample
report, heavy-duty repair refers to the workforce of anonymized shop data from users of the
maintaining fleets of Class 6-8 vehicles, farm Fullbay platform. The more than 340 survey
equipment, emergency vehicles, construction respondents and 250 sampled shops from all
equipment, heavy machinery, and more. across North America allow us to answer high-
level and practical questions based on real
data from real shops and their employees.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com
4 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
All survey and usage data has been fully anonymized, and while
usage data does necessitate the shop to be running on the Fullbay
platform, survey respondents include both users and non-users.
To create a representative cohort to provide shop-level data,
we selected 250 random businesses that had used Fullbay for
at least 12 continuous months. As you read through the report,
you’ll see additional information on how data was collected and
the methodology used for analysis. The data collected was used
to infer trends across the entire industry, but as is the case with
all samples, it may not be representative at an individual level.
We’re excited to also provide expert analysis
on the data and findings within the report, with
contributions from these industry veterans:
• Jacob Findlay, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Fullbay
• Chris O’Brien, Chief Operating Officer, Fullbay
• Robert Braswell, Executive Director, TMC
• Jack Poster, VMRS Services Manager, TMC
• Don Doty, Vice President of Roadside Operations,
Vendor Relations, FleetNet America®, Inc.
• Paul Moszak, Vice President & Heavy Duty
Evangelist, MOTOR Information Systems
• Troy Willich, CEO & Co-Founder, TDI Fleet Services
• Stacy & Ben Conner, Co-Owners, Equipment Experts, Inc.
• Keith McMaster, President, Fireweed Heavy
Truck & Equipment Repairs Ltd.
• Jay Goninen, Founder & President, Find a Wrench
• Aaron Picozzi, President, American Diesel Training Centers
At Fullbay, we take pride in elevating the industry
by providing a never-before-seen level of insight
into the hard work of the men and women of heavy-
duty repair. It’s our privilege to author this report.
We hope you find the data and analysis valuable.
— The Fullbay Team
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com
5 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
A MESSAGE
FROM TMC
For decades, the American Trucking Associations’ Technology
& Maintenance Council (TMC) has provided members
with best practices that address the critical technology
and maintenance issues impacting truck fleets.
Today, it has the largest, most diverse group
of maintenance and equipment experts
available to help you answer whatever technical Become a member of
challenges your company might face. TMC/ATA to take your shop
As a TMC member, that experience and expertise to the next level. Save $50
is at your fingertips. Get reliable answers to the
on membership when using
challenges you face everyday in this industry!
promo code TMCFULLBAY21
Recommended Practices are specifications, the adoption
of which is voluntary, which are used to assist in the JOIN NOW
purchase, design, maintenance, and performance of
equipment. There are two categories: maintenance and
engineering. To access the entire collection click here. tmc.trucking.org (703) 838-1763 tmc@trucking.org
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com
6 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Responder
demographics
The qualitative and quantitative
data used for this report includes
a diverse industry. Get to know
the heavy duty repair community, “The age demographics highlight a glaring
problem throughout the transportation industry:
including everything from the age
The majority of folks are nearing the twilight
range of industry workers to the of their careers. There exists an input problem
number of bays in the shop. within the heavy-duty repair space. In order
for the industry to thrive, we all need to work
Here’s just a fraction of to lower the barriers to education and training,
what we learned: and open the door to the younger generation.”
• Not as many shops know their AARON PICOZZI
net profit as you may think President
American Diesel Training Centers
• A large number of shops have
opened in the last five years
• Heavy-equipment repair appears
as common as truck repair
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com
7 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
AGE RANGE OF SHOP EMPLOYEES
Our data suggests that the most common age range in heavy-
duty repair is between 35–44 years old. The smallest range is
65 and up. A positive trend appears to be a younger segment,
18–34, making up more than a quarter of the space.
18–24 2%
25–34 25%
35–44 33%
45–54 24%
55–64 14%
65+ 2%
GENDER BREAKDOWN
Men make up nearly three-quarters of the industry. Women
aren’t totally left out, however; 27% of repair shops include
women on-staff or are owned/run by women.
72% 27% 1%
Male Female I prefer not
to say
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com
8 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
WHO DOES WHAT IN THE SHOP?
Most responders were owners or service managers.
Selected all that apply
Owner 39%
Service Manager 35%
Parts Manager/Specialist 27%
Office Manager/Accounting 25%
Technician 24%
Operations 24%
Executive (C-Suite, GM) 18%
Sales 13%
Underwriting/Service Writer 13%
Marketing 11%
Other 5%
Truck Driver 5%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com
9 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
DO SHOP ROLES CHANGE
BASED ON GENDER?
There were very few women technicians, which we have
historically seen. However, we can’t wait to see what next year
holds in store because 26% of female respondents are already
owners and we foresee this trend continue to increase.
Top 5 Female Roles: Top 5 Male Roles:
Office Manager/Accounting 49% Owner 45%
Owner 26% Service Manager 42%
Executive 21% Technician 33%
Service Manager 17% Parts Manager/Specialist 32%
Parts Manager/Specialist 14% Operations 29%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com
10 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Shop
demographics
“The shop demographics highlight the
While business can vary greatly highly-fragmented nature of this industry.
across geographic regions, Almost 75% of shops just have one location
we found mostly similarities and bring in less than $2 million in revenue
per year. A full half bring in less than $1
across the United States. million. Most of these are essentially mom-
• Most shops have been operating and-pop businesses. And yet these small
shops repair and maintain the majority of
for more than six years commercial vehicles in North America.”
• Almost 90% of businesses
have five or fewer locations JACOB FINDLAY
Founder and
• A fifth of shops don’t know
Chief Executive Officer
what their net profit is Fullbay
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com11 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
NUMBER OF YEARS IN BUSINESS
The average shop in the U.S. has been operating between
6-12 years. Running a repair shop long-term is challenging,
but nearly 23% of the existing shops have been around for 20
years or more. We also see a promising selection of newer
shops; nearly a quarter of the heavy-duty repair businesses
in the country have been around for five years or less. This
indicates growth within the industry – always a good thing!
24% 34% 19% 23%
0–5 6–12 13–20 20+
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS
Since most repair shops are small businesses, it’s no surprise
that half of them operate from a single location. With that
said, just over 40% have expanded to two or more locations
– in some cases, one owner may oversee up to 10 shops.
Right now, the mobile-only field remains small (they
only make up about 4% of shops in the country),
but we look forward to seeing how it grows.
54% 35% 6% 1% 4%
1 2–5 6–10 10+ Mobile only
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com12 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
REPAIR SHOP REVENUE RANGES
Nearly half the repair shops in the country take in between
$500,000 and $2 million gross revenue per year. There are
outliers on either side of that; 9% of shops see gross revenue of
$250,000 or less, whereas 18% took in up to $4 million per year.
$0–$250,000 9%
$250,000–$500,000 14%
$500,000–$1,000,000 26%
$1,000,000–$2,000,000 25%
$2,000,000–$4,000,000 18%
$4,000,000–$6,000,000 6%
$6,000,000+ 2%
INVOICE, INVOICE, INVOICE
On average, each shop creates 33–36
invoices per week, which extrapolates
out to 132–144 invoices per month.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com13 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
REGIONAL DIFFERENCE IN REVENUE
WA
ME
MT ND
VT
OR
MN
NH
ID
SD WI NY MA
RI
CT
WY MI
Shops on the West Coast are largely responsible for
IA PA
NV NE NJ
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS MO
the $4–$6 million gross revenue outliers, while shops
WV
VA
KY
NC
TN
AZ OK
in the Midwest and Northeast regularly bring in gross
NM AR SC
AK
AL GA
MS
TX LA
earnings within the range of $500,000–$2 million.
FL
HI
DISTRIBUTION OF REVENUE BY REGION
West Midwest Northeast Southwest Southeast
WA
WA ME
MT ND
VT ME
OR MT
MN ND
NH
ID VT
OR SD WI NY MA
MN RI
CT NH
WY ID MI
SD WI NY MA
RI
IA PA CT
WY MI
NV NE NJ
WA OH MD
IN DC DE
IA PA
UT IL
NV NE NJ
CA
ME CO OH MD
MT ND IL IN DC DE
KS UT
WA CA MO
VT CO WV
OR VA
MN KS
NH ME MO
ID MT KY WV
ND
SD WI WA NY MA VA
RI VT NC
OR CT
WY TN KY
MI MN
NH ME
MT AZ OK
ID ND NC
IA PA WI NY MA NM AR SC
SD TN
NV NE NJ RI VT
OR CT AZ OK
WY OH MD MI MN AK
IL IN DC DE NH NM AL GA AR SC
UT ID MS
CA PA WI NY MA
CO IA SD AK
NE RI GA
NV NJ CT AL
KS MO WY MD MI TX LA MS
OH
WV IL IN DC DE
UT VA
CA IA PA
CO TX LA
KY NV NE FL
NJ
KS MO OH MD
NC WV IL IN DC DE
UT HI FL
TN CA VA
CO
AZ OK KY
NM AR SC KS MO HI
NC WV
AK VA
TN
AL GA
AZ MS OK KY
NM AR SC
NC
AK TX LA TN
AZ AL GA
MS OK
NM AR SC
FL
AKTX LA
AL GA
HI MS
FL
TX LA
HI
FL
HI
$0– 10% 11% 7% 5% 13%
$250,000
$250,000– 17% 16% 9% 8% 11%
$500,000
$500,000– 20% 29% 31% 23% 33%
$1,000,000
$1,000,000– 11% 22% 33% 31% 28%
$2,000,000
$2,000,000– 20% 20% 9% 28% 11%
$4,000,000
$4,000,000– 17% 1% 9% 3% 2%
$6,000,000
$6,000,000+ 5% 1% 2% 2% 2%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com14 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
SHOP NET PROFIT
The net profit in repair shops across the country falls
between 5-20%. That does, however, leave out the 20%
of shops that aren’t sure what their net profit is.
Net loss 2%
0%–5% 8%
6%–10% 23%
11%–20% 30%
21%–30% 11%
30%+ 6%
I don’t know 20%
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: NET PROFIT
What is your net profit? It’s whatever is left over after covering labor, parts,
and overhead costs. It’s also what keeps you in business; without profit, your
shop will only break even, if that. Without profit, you don’t have a business.
Here’s an easy way to determine your shop’s net profit:
• 20% of sales goes to labor
• 25% of sales goes to parts
• 30% of sales goes to overheard
• That leaves 25% of your earnings as profit
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com15 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
NUMBER OF BAYS IN YOUR SHOP
RP 510A:
The vast majority of shops (67%) has between 2–10 bays
ESTIMATING
on their property. This does not include the biggest shops
NUMBER OF
out there (about 17%) which have more than 10 bays.
SERVICE BAYS
0–2 10% Estimate how many
service bays you’ll need!
3–5 34% Our friends at TMC/ATA
have a methodology
6–10 33% that will help you.
READ MORE
10+ 17%
No bays, mobile only 6%
RP 512A:
TECHNICIAN
STAFFING
NUMBER OF TECHNICIANS PER SHOP DETERMINATION
The vast majority of shops – 73%! – employ between 2–10 techs.
Proper staff-to-bay
ratio is crucial to a
1 8% successful shop.
2–5 37% Our partners at TMC/
ATA have worksheets
to help you determine
6–10 36% your staffing levels.
11–15 12% READ MORE
16–20 4%
Not a TMC member?
20+ 3% Join today with a
special discount
JOIN TODAY
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com16 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
SHOP LOCATIONS BY REGION
The Midwest has the largest presence of
shops throughout North America.
WA
ME
MT ND
VT
OR
MN
NH
ID
SD WI NY MA
RI
CT
WY MI
IA PA
NV NE NJ
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS MO
WV
VA
KY
NC
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC
AK
AL GA
MS
TX LA
FL
HI
14% 29% 17% 12% 19% 9%
West Midwest Northeast Southwest Southeast Canada
WA
WA ME
MT ND
VT ME
OR MT
MN ND
NH
ID VT
OR SD WI NY MA
MN RI
CT NH
WY ID MI
SD WI NY MA
RI
IA PA CT
WY MI
NV NE NJ
WA OH MD
IN DC DE
IA PA
UT IL
NV NE NJ
CA
ME CO OH MD
MT ND IL IN DC DE
KS UT
WA CA MO
VT CO WV
OR VA
MN KS
NH ME MO
ID MT KY WV
ND
SD WI WA NY MA VA
RI VT NC
OR CT
WY TN KY
MI MN
NH ME
MT AZ OK
ID ND NC
IA PA WI NY MA NM AR SC
SD TN
NV NE NJ RI VT
OR CT AZ OK
WY OH MD MI MN AK
IL IN DC DE NH NM AL GA AR SC
UT ID MS
CA PA WI NY MA
CO IA SD AK
NE RI GA
NV NJ CT AL
KS MO WY MD MI TX LA MS
OH
WV IL IN DC DE
UT VA
CA IA PA
CO TX LA
KY NV NE FL
NJ
KS MO OH MD
NC WV IL IN DC DE
UT HI FL
TN CA VA
CO
AZ OK KY
NM AR SC KS MO HI
NC WV
AK VA
TN
AL GA
AZ MS OK KY
NM AR SC
NC
AK TX LA TN
AZ AL GA
MS OK
NM AR SC
FL
AKTX LA
AL GA
HI MS
FL
TX LA
HI
FL
HI
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com17 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
WHICH INDUSTRIES DO YOU REPAIR FOR?
While 75% of repair shops primarily focus on trucks, a sizable portion see
vehicles from other industries. These include heavy equipment like forklifts
(52%), as well as agricultural vehicles like harvesters and tractors (34%).
Nearly 30% work on fire/emergency vehicles, with smaller percentages taking
care of municipal vehicles, military equipment, and even marine vessels.
Selected all that apply
Truck 75%
Private Fleet 54%
Heavy Equipment (Forklifts, etc) 52%
Moving 36%
Agriculture 34%
Municipal 32%
Fire/Emergency 29%
Grocery 28%
Oil & Gas 24%
Military 12%
Marine 9%
Dealership 9%
Other 8%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com18 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
TOP 5 INDUSTRIES BY REGION
Every region has an emphasis on truck repair, private
fleets, and repair of heavy equipment. The Midwest, saw
a bigger presence in agriculture than other territories as
that’s where a lot of the U.S. food supply comes from.
West Midwest Northeast Southwest Southeast Canada
WA
WA ME
MT ND
VT ME
OR MT
MN ND
NH
ID VT
OR SD WI NY MA
MN RI
CT NH
WY ID MI
SD WI NY MA
RI
IA PA CT
WY MI
NV NE NJ
WA OH MD
IN DC DE
IA PA
UT IL
NV NE NJ
CA
ME CO OH MD
MT ND IL IN DC DE
KS UT
WA CA MO
VT CO WV
OR VA
MN KS
NH ME MO
ID MT KY WV
ND
SD WI WA NY MA VA
RI VT NC
OR CT
WY TN KY
MI MN
NH ME
MT AZ OK
ID ND NC
IA PA WI NY MA NM AR SC
SD TN
NV NE NJ RI VT
OR CT AZ OK
WY OH MD MI MN AK
IL IN DC DE NH NM AL GA AR SC
UT ID MS
CA PA WI NY MA
CO IA SD AK
NE RI GA
NV NJ CT AL
KS MO WY MD MI TX LA MS
OH
WV IL IN DC DE
UT VA
CA IA PA
CO TX LA
KY NV NE FL
NJ
KS MO OH MD
NC WV IL IN DC DE
UT HI FL
TN CA VA
CO
AZ OK KY
NM AR SC KS MO HI
NC WV
AK VA
TN
AL GA
AZ MS OK KY
NM AR SC
NC
AK TX LA TN
AZ AL GA
MS OK
NM AR SC
FL
AKTX LA
AL GA
HI MS
FL
TX LA
1. Trucking 1. Trucking 1. Trucking 1. Trucking 1. Trucking 1. Trucking
HI
FL
HI
2. Private 2. Private 2. Heavy 2. Private 2. Private 2. Heavy
Fleet Fleet Equipment Fleet Fleet Equipment
3. Heavy 3. Heavy 3. Private 3. Heavy 3. Heavy 3. Private
Equipment Equipment Fleet Equipment Equipment Fleet
4. Moving 4. Agriculture 4. Municipal 4. Moving 4. Moving 4. Agriculture
5. Oil & Gas 5. Moving 5. Fire & 5. Fire & 5. Fire & 5. Municipal
Emergency Emergency Emergency
WA
ME
MT ND
VT
OR
MN
NH
ID
SD WI NY MA
RI
CT
WY MI
IA PA
NV NE NJ
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS MO
WV
VA
KY
NC
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC
AK
AL GA
MS
TX LA
FL
HI
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com19 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Diving into
repairs
“In response to datapoint on 16% of repair
requests being emergency-related: Unplanned
repairs are historically more costly to the end
Shops repair many types of
user than scheduled repairs, making solid
units and offer a wide variety of preventative programs critical to effective
services across the industry. fleet management. FleetNet’s TMcare
program has proven to reduce unscheduled
• Half of shops provide 24/7 repair repairs, and, thus, overall fleet maintenance
• Body work looks to be a costs. Fully engaged service providers are
also key to influencing these programs.”
specialty repair service
• A surprising number of shops DON DOTY
also repair Class 1-3 vehicles Vice President of
Roadside Operations,
Vendor Relations
FleetNet America®, Inc.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com20 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
SERVICES REPAIR SHOPS PROVIDE TODAY
Over 80% of shops perform mobile repairs for their customers in
addition to 54% of shops providing repair work 24/7. This signifies huge
growth in the mobile tech field; many shops at least have a mobile truck
they can dispatch, even if mobile-only techs are still relatively rare.
In-shop Repair 92%
Mobile Repair 84% RP 803A:
PRE-SERVICE
VEHICLE INSPECTION
24/7 Repair 54%
Make sure your pre-service
inspection includes
Body Work 28% standard equipment.
Tires 39% Check in with TMC/ATA
to see their useful list.
Other 6% READ MORE
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: EMERGENCY BREAKDOWN REVENUE
When a truck breaks down on the side of the road, time is of the
essence. That driver still has to deliver the freight, which means they
need to get back on the road ASAP. Whoever they’re driving for is
likely willing to pay a premium to get that truck moving again.
Signing up for an emergency breakdown notification service means
you’re on the list of shops that get called when a truck needs immediate
help. If you develop that particular service – perhaps by developing a
mobile repair section – you can create an additional revenue stream.
Not a TMC member?
Join today with a special discount
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com21 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
TYPES OF VEHICLES SERVICED
Half of all the shops across the country work on all
classes of vehicle from 1–8. More than half (57%) also
work on trailers. An additional 43% work on off-road
vehicles, while 28% repair agricultural equipment.
Selected all that apply
Class 6–8 85%
Class 4–5 72%
Class 1–3 55%
Off road 43%
Agricultural equipment 28%
Trailers 57%
None of the above .4%
Other 8%
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF SHOPS
REPAIR ALL CLASS TYPES?
About 56% of all shops repair Class 1–3
vehicles on top of the heavier classes.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com22 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Shop talk
“The poll results all have one commonality:
technicians. Technicians are both the
boon and the bane of our industry. A good
technician can bring a shop with poor
Let’s take a moment to recognize business practices into the green and a bad
technician can take a company with good/
how shop owners are feeling. Are
great business practices and drive it into the
they meeting their goals? Do they ground. It doesn’t surprise me that they are
have trouble hiring technicians? the top of the lists and that keeping the good
ones happy with recognition tops out as well.
• Individual recognition may be Good people/techs care about the company.
the key to technician motivation They don’t need to be showered with gifts;
• Hiring technicians isn’t the only individual recognition goes a long way. Good
technicians are the heart and soul of our
challenge shops are facing industry. They make getting up in the morning
• Repair software is key and coming to work all that much easier.”
to shop growth
KEITH MCMASTER
President
Fireweed Heavy Truck &
Equipment Repairs Ltd.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com23 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
TOP 3 SHOP CHALLENGES
We’ve talked a lot about the tech shortage, and not surprisingly,
hiring techs is the #1 challenge faced by 60% of all shops.
From there, 45% deal with inefficiencies in repairs, while 30%
face trouble with inventory management. Other problems
shops run into include customer communication, internal
communication, and managing repairs, among other things.
Selected all that apply
Hiring techs 60%
Inefficiencies in repairs 45%
Inventory management 30%
Customer communication 27%
Internal communication 26%
Managing repairs 17%
Enough work to keep techs busy 16%
Generating invoices 13%
Managing paper invoices and records 11%
Other 8%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com24 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: THREE TIPS FOR GREAT TECHS
It’s an employee’s market out there; the current shortage means techs can pick
and choose which shops (if any) are right for them. That means your shop
has a lot of competition; if you make an offer, you can assume most decent
techs will have at least a dozen additional offers by the end of the week.
That means you need to make your shop an appealing place to work.
Here are three best practices that will help you do just that:
1. Write clear, straightforward job posts that explain what your shop is
and what you expect of a potential hire.
2. Communicate with your techs. Let them know, regularly,
what they’re doing well and where they can improve.
3. Create the kind of workplace techs will be happy to call their own.
Do you keep snacks on hand? Is your shop air conditioned? Do
you provide bonuses? Think of the things that would make you
want to go into work each day and apply them to your shop.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com25 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR GOALS?
Only about half of the nation’s repair shops are fully satisfied with
their financial goals. Twenty-two percent are “Not totally sure.”
This is likely related to a large percentage of shops not knowing
their net profit and thus not being able to set proper goals.
52% 26% 22%
Yes No Not totally sure
PRIORITIZING SHOP GROWTH
RP 538A:
Not surprisingly, the vast majority of shops ranked “More technicians”
QUALITY SHOP
as the #1 most critical component to expanding their business.
PROCESS
Next up was using repair software, followed by expanding into
IMPROVEMENT
mobile repair (or expanding their existing mobile arm).
Create processes that
More technicians #1 help you measure shop
efficiency and productivity.
Repair software #2 You can find outlines,
worksheets, and more with
Mobile repair #3 our friends at TMC/ATA.
READ MORE
More tools #4
Larger parts inventory #5
More locations #6 Not a TMC member?
Join today with a
special discount
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com26 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
KEEPING TECHNICIANS MOTIVATED
RP 519:
Just over half of all shops (53%) focus intently on
RECOMMENDATIONS
individual recognition (Employee of the Week, etc).
FOR EMPLOYEE
Another 47% throw efficiency bonuses into the mix.
PERFORMANCE
Other ways shops motivate their techs include providing lunches, EVALUATION
gifts, annual group bonuses, and extra vacation days. PROGRAM
Regularly assess your
Selected all that apply
staff to ensure the right
people are in the roles
Individual recognition 53%
you’ve assigned them.
Efficiency bonuses 47% You can learn more
about evaluating
your crew from TMC/ATA.
Lunch provided 42%
READ MORE
Gifts 30%
Annual group bonus 26%
Extra vacation days 21%
Technician lounge 21%
Other 13%
Nothing additional 8%
Not a TMC member?
Join today with a special discount
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com27 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: TECH MOTIVATION
Getting jobs done and keeping customers happy both rely on efficient,
productive techs. Buying cutting-edge equipment, automating, and
putting procedures in place so your shop can run like a well-oiled
machine is important, but don’t forget the human element.
Here are our top five ways to motivate your technicians (beyond just money):
1. Make them comfortable. When they’re at ease in their
environment, they can focus completely on a job.
2. Show gratitude. This seems small, but two short words can go a long way
to motivate people. Say “Thank you,” and get in the habit of doing it a lot.
3. Keep an open-door policy. If your techs know they can come
to you with problems (and that you’ll help them solve those
problems), they’ll be all the more driven to do good work.
4. Expect them to deliver. Set the bar high from the get-go. This
lets your techs know you expect great things from them –
and you believe they can deliver those great things.
5. Handle mistakes gracefully. Rather than losing your temper over
the mishap and shaming the responsible tech, make it a teachable
moment. Analyze what went wrong and why it happened.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com28 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
GREATEST TECHNICIAN CHALLENGES
The toughest problem shop owners have with techs is the one
we’ve talked about for years – finding them! Seventy-two percent
of shops state that locating techs is their biggest problem – but
right behind it, at 59%, is finding techs with the correct skills.
This backs our belief that training schools are not equipping what
upcoming diesel techs they have with the skills shops want.
Other tough spots with techs include salary
demands and undependability.
Selected all that apply
Difficult to find technicians 72%
Lack of skills 59%
Undependable 37%
Salary demands 31%
Do not fit into company culture 18%
Lack of work to keep them satisfied 7%
Other 7%
None 6%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com29 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
MONTHLY REVENUE GENERATED PER TECH
Just over half of all techs can generate anywhere between
$10,000-$20,000 per month in revenue for their shop. A
further 12% are bringing in $30,000+ per month.
$0–$5,000 7%
$6,000–$10,000 10%
$11,000–$15,000 26%
$16,000–$20,000 19%
$21,000–$25,000 13%
$26,000–$30,000 14%
$30,000+ 12%
DO YOU PROVIDE TOOLS FOR NEW TECHS?
Just under half of the country’s repair shops provide tools for
new hires. We can get a little more granular; 32% provide some
tools, whereas 18% provide everything a tech will need. Over
50% of shops require technicians to provide their own tools.
51% 32% 18%
Technicians Technicians are Technicians are
provide their provided with provided with
own tools limited tools all the tools
they need
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com30 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
COVID-19
impact
Heavy-duty truck repair felt the “COVID for us was a wake-up call to do the
hard things we needed to do and had been
impact from COVID-19, but not
avoiding. We had a brief dip in revenue, and
everyone was impacted equally. afterward our numbers actually climbed
above pre-COVID numbers. During the dip
• Generally, heavy-duty truck
in revenue, we restructured, trained, added
repair saw a decrease in procedures, and opened our school. Our team
revenue across shops members could feel what we were doing and
contributed at never before seen levels in our
• Shops in the Southwest organization. We are coming out of COVID
fared worse than other with a strong, dedicated, and heroic team.
There are a lot of heroes in this building.”
regions during COVID-19
• Shops that specialize in STACY & BEN
military vehicle repair saw Co-Owners
Equipment Experts, Inc
the biggest drop in revenue
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com31 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
HOW DID COVID-19 IMPACT YOUR REVENUE?
More than half of shops reported a decrease in revenue from the WA
ME
MT
pandemic, but perhaps more surprising was the 43% that saw
ND
VT
OR
MN
NH
ID
SD WI NY MA
RI
CT
WY MI
flat or increased revenue.
IA PA
NV NE NJ
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS MO
WV
VA
KY
NC
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC
AK
AL GA
MS
TX LA
FL
HI
54% 28% 15% 3% *All of our findings
are based on
revenue earned
Decrease in About the Increase in I’m not sure in 2019.
revenue same revenue
YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUE GAINS AND LOSSES
Overall, shops across the country saw an early decline between
March and May. By June, however, revenue began to pick up.
30% *All of our findings
are based on
20% revenue earned
10% in 2019.
0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
-40%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
5% -1% -10% -17% -22% -4% -3% -7% 1% -2% -2% 7%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com32 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUE GAINS AND LOSSES West
IN THE WEST
WA
ME
MT ND
VT
OR
MN
NH
ID
SD WI NY MA
RI
CT
WY MI
IA PA
Shops in the Western United States registered a steep drop-off in March,
NV NE NJ
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS MO
WV
VA
KY
but had bypassed 2019’s earnings by the end of December.
NC
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC
AK
AL GA
MS
TX LA
FL
HI
30% *All of our findings
are based on
20% revenue earned
10% in 2019.
0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
-40%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2% 3% 6% -15% -15% -5% -7% -18% -3% 2% -3% 4%
YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUE GAINS AND LOSSES Midwest
IN THE MIDWEST OR
WA
MT ND
MN
VT
NH
ME
ID
SD WI NY MA
Midwestern shops began seeing trouble as early as January,
RI
CT
WY MI
IA PA
NV NE NJ
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS
though that may not be entirely related to COVID-19. By June
MO
WV
VA
KY
NC
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC
they were meeting or exceeding 2019’s revenue totals.
AK
AL GA
MS
TX LA
FL
HI
30% *All of our findings
are based on
20% revenue earned
10% in 2019.
0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
-40%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
13% -4% -15% -16% -21% 3% 4% 0% 7% -1% 7% 12%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com33 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUE GAINS AND LOSSES Northeast
IN THE NORTHEAST WA
ME
MT ND
Northeastern shops reported business steadying out by mid-
VT
OR
MN
NH
ID
SD WI NY MA
RI
CT
WY MI
IA PA
NV NE NJ
summer. Most saw steady increases through December.
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS MO
WV
VA
KY
NC
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC
AK
AL GA
MS
30%
TX LA
*All of our findings
FL
HI
are based on
20% revenue earned
10% in 2019.
0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
-40%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
24% 1% 8% -12% -25% -14% -13% -1% -11% -4% -15% 4%
YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUE GAINS AND LOSSES Southwest
WA
ME
MT ND
VT
OR
MN
NH
ID
SD WI NY MA
RI
CT
WY
IN THE SOUTHWEST
MI
IA PA
NV NE NJ
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS MO
WV
VA
KY
NC
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC
The Southwest was hit especially hard during the pandemic, with
AK
AL GA
MS
TX LA
FL
revenue dropping by 34% in May. It took the rest of the year to return to
HI
2019’s revenue, though by December they were exceeding it.
30% *All of our findings
are based on
20% revenue earned
10% in 2019.
0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
-40%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
-3% -9% -25% -30% -34% -10% -15% -18% -4% -7% -17% 3%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com34 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUE GAINS AND LOSSES OR
WA
ID
MT ND
Southeast
MN
VT
NH
ME
IN THE SOUTHEAST
SD WI NY MA
RI
CT
WY MI
IA PA
NV NE NJ
OH MD
IL IN DC DE
UT
CA
CO
KS MO
WV
VA
KY
NC
Shops in the Southeast saw their hardest hit come in April, where
TN
AZ OK
NM AR SC
AK
AL GA
MS
TX LA
revenue dipped 21%. Business picked up again after that, though like
FL
HI
the Southwest it took the rest of the year to reach 2019 levels.
30% *All of our findings
are based on
20% revenue earned
10% in 2019.
0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
-40%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
1% -1% -7% -21% -18% -6% -4% -7% 8% -1% -1% 7%
YEAR-OVER-YEAR REVENUE GAINS AND LOSSES Canada
IN CANADA
Canada saw a sharp uptick in repair revenue in February, only to steadily slide
below 2019’s revenue level through May. By summer they had recovered, and
revenue remained largely at or above 2019’s baseline through the end of 2020.
30% *All of our findings
are based on
20% revenue earned
10% in 2019.
0%
-10%
-20%
-30%
-40%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
-8% 13% -4% -5% -22% -1% 13% 5% -7% -8% 0% 6%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com35 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
WHAT INDUSTRIES SAW THE BIGGEST
INCREASE/DECREASE IN REVENUE?
The industries that were hit hardest by COVID-19 included
the moving, military, and oil/gas industries.
Grocery Moving Heavy Equipment Marine Municipal Military
(forklifts, etc)
Increase 18% Increase 9% Increase 13% Increase 26% Increase 16% Increase 20%
Decrease 52% Decrease 66% Decrease 56% Decrease 55% Decrease 53% Decrease 71%
No 30% No 25% No 31% No 19% No 31% No 9%
Impact Impact Impact Impact Impact Impact
Agriculture Fire/Emergency Trucking Private Fleet Oil & Gas Dealership
Increase 16% Increase 23% Increase 15% Increase 14% Increase 11% Increase 20%
Decrease 53% Decrease 52% Decrease 56% Decrease 55% Decrease 62% Decrease 48%
No 31% No 25% No 29% No 28% No 27% No 32%
Impact Impact Impact Impact Impact Impact
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com36 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
COVID-19 BROUGHT NEW
SHOP REQUIREMENTS
Almost half of all shops (about 49%) now require masks in their shop. An
increase in sanitation for tools and in the office has become the norm for
many, with 61% of shops focusing on creating a more sanitized environment.
Technician rotation groups have become popular. If one tech gets
ill, the entire shop doesn’t close down. Instead, that particular
group is quarantined while the others continue to work.
Increased sanitation on tools and in office 61%
Required masks 49%
Required gloves 32%
Required temperature checks 22%
None 24%
I am not sure 2%
Other 6%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com37 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Inventory
Management
Inventory management is an art
and a science. From managing “It is surprising to me how many shops
cores to cycle counting, shops never count their inventories or do their
seem to be on top of it. counts so infrequently that problems
become difficult to track down.”
• Ordering parts as needed
remains key instead of TROY WILLICH
CEO & Co-Founder
risking carrying costs
TDI Fleet Services
• Most shops perform
inventory counts regularly
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com38 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
PERFORMING INVENTORY COUNTS
The good news is more than half of all shops are
performing inventory counts. The bad news is only
one-fifth are performing them annually.
Monthly 24%
Annually 20%
Weekly 18%
Quarterly 17%
Never 16%
Daily 5%
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: INVENTORY COUNTS
Have you ever sold a part to a customer and gone to fetch it, only to
realize you don’t actually have it? Or worse, have you ever realized you
paid a vendor for parts that you forgot to enter into your inventory?
You want to know what’s in your inventory at any given
time. Here are three ways to make sure of that:
• Use purchase orders to make sure the contents on
the vendor’s bill match what was ordered.
• Regularly reconcile your inventory to stay updated on
what you have in stock and what you need to get.
• Perform a three-way match by ensuring your purchase order, the
vendor’s invoice, and the parts themselves match what you ordered.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com39 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
ACTIVELY MANAGING YOUR CORES
We’re very pleased that over a quarter of the nation’s shops
are regularly managing cores. About 12% manage them
occasionally, and only 11% leave that revenue on the table.
77% 11% 12%
Yes No Occasionally
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: CORE MANAGEMENT
Tracking core parts and returning them to manufacturers for refurbishing is an excellent
way to secure more revenue. Manufacturers will often pay a sizable bounty for returned
parts; if you ignore this type of business, you’re leaving revenue on the floor (literally).
If you’re part of the 11% who aren’t tracking their cores, here are five easy steps to get started:
1. Determine which parts you want to track 4. Return them on time
Certain parts will be of greater value The longer you keep the dirty cores just
to you than others, based on the lying around, the more their value may
bounty they fetch, how frequently drop, and besides, that’s just money
you see them, and what you pay your sitting in your parts room. Set up a regular
technicians, among other things. schedule for returning parts and stick to it.
2. Determine how to track them 5. Remind your employees there’s money in it
You can do this the old-fashioned If your techs don’t immediately recognize
way with pen and paper, or jump into old cores as potential income, it’s up
some spreadsheets, or find some to you to change their thinking. A lot of
software that will do it for you. this new line of business is up to them;
they’re the ones taking out the core parts
3. Find a place for them and storing them/logging them in.
Cores need their own visible, secured
area. This is often in the parts room,
where the parts manager can count and
control them. In the parts room they
enjoy the same physical protections
against theft as the rest of the parts.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com40 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
PERCENTAGE OF PARTS
ORDERED VS. INVENTORY
Many shops rely on parts ordering vs. storing parts. Only
about one-fifth of shops keep more than 50% of necessary
inventory on-hand at all times; over three-quarters of
shops keep less than 50% of their parts on hand.
0%–25% of the parts needed are in inventory 42%
25%–50% of the parts needed are in inventory 35%
50%–75% of the parts needed are in inventory 20%
75%–100% of the parts needed are in inventory 3%
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: WHAT ARE YOUR CARRYING COSTS?
If you’re keeping stock on hand, it’s costing you more than what
you paid for it. Generally, inventory carrying costs tend to run about
20% of the value. That may seem a little high, but consider all the
factors that affect how much it costs to keep parts on hand:
• Space. The space those parts sit in costs money. Plus, you might be
keeping parts in a space that could make money, like adding another bay.
• Cash Flow. Buying inventory takes money out of your bank account,
so you have fewer liquid funds to cover expenses and emergencies.
• Damage, Obsolescence, Shrinkage, Theft. Parts get damaged,
become outdated, misplaced, and outright disappear.
For example, if you have $100,000 of parts on your shelves,
it’s costing you $20,000 each year to carry it.
If you’re looking at numbers like these, you might want to reduce your
overall inventory and focus on ordering what you need, when you need it.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com41 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Technicians
Finding technicians and helping
them reach the top of their
“Technicians are the lifeblood of your shop.
game can be challenging It’s essential that you track their efficiency to
• More than 50% of shops agree make sure you’re maximizing profits. Being
transparent with tech efficiencies is also a
on a technician hourly rate
great way to encourage healthy competition.”
• Some techs don’t know how
CHRIS O’BRIEN
efficient their colleagues are
Chief Operating Officer
• A sizable number of shops Fullbay
don’t believe techs should
know their numbers
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com42 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TECH EFFICIENCY IS?
About 75% of repair shops know how efficient their
technicians are. That leaves 25% who don’t know.
75% 11% 14%
Yes No Not sure
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: HOW TO MEASURE
& BOOST TECH EFFICIENCY
You measure efficiency by comparing the number of hours your techs work to
the number of hours you bill customers. In any given week, let’s say you pay a
tech to work 40 hours, but you’re only billing customers for 30 hours of work.
Divide those numbers – 30 by 40 – and you’ll see that your
tech is only 75 percent efficient. That’s, what, about a C
average? Not awful, not great. There’s room to improve.
If you’re paying a tech to work 40 hours, you should absolutely be
billing for 40 hours on customer invoices. But that’s just your break-
even. Maximizing efficiency looks like billing 60 hours or more for 40
hours of work, which calculates out to 150 percent efficiency.
Most of the time, it’s about getting more jobs done in a short space of time.
Techs should have multiple jobs going at once, like dropping the oil on one
truck while replacing the starter on another. Clocking in on two jobs at once
allows you to invoice two jobs for the same one or two hours worked.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com43 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
DO YOUR TECHNICIANS KNOW
WHAT THEIR EFFICIENCIES ARE?
Fully 66% of technicians know their efficiency.
That leaves 34% who don’t know.
We do wonder why some techs may not be aware of
how they’re doing. Generally, we’ve found that when
techs know their own numbers, they tend to contribute
to a more productive and profitable shop.
66% 24% 10%
Yes No Not sure
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com44 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
DO TECHNICIANS KNOW EACH
OTHER’S EFFICIENCIES?
Nearly half of all technicians did not know each other’s efficiencies.
Still, a good 41% were aware of their fellow techs’ numbers.
41% 44% 15%
Yes No Not sure
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: BOOST EFFICIENCY
WITH FRIENDLY COMPETITION
Techs tend to pick up their game when someone is keeping score.
When you track your techs’ efficiencies, you can show them in real-
time how they’re doing and how they stack up to their cohorts.
You can do this by setting up a leaderboard – yes, just like you see at
sports events – that shows how many jobs a tech has worked that
day, week, or month, along with how efficient they are. From there, you
distribute work based on how much work they get done. If the tech in first
place is scoring all the high-dollar jobs, the tech in third place will want
a piece of that and will look for ways to improve their own output.
Just remember to keep it friendly. There’s no need to
get cutthroat; there is plenty of work for all!
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com45 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
TECHNICIAN HOURLY RATES
More than half of technicians (54%) make between $20–$30 per
hour. A small subsection (3%) makes $50+ per hour, while an even
smaller subsection (just over 1%) brings in $15 or less per hour.
$0–$15 1%
$16–$20 13%
$21–$30 54%
$31–$40 25%
$41–$50 4%
$50+ 3%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com46 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Tech hiring
and shortage
The technician shortage continues “Based on the results from the survey, it’s
evident that finding technicians in the coming
to be a problem across the
years is not going to get easier. There needs
industry; it doesn’t seem to be to be a paradigm shift from assuming that
going away anytime soon. techs want to work for your shop to a mindset
that you will need to market to techs as you
• Most shops think it’s getting would a customer. The current market for
harder to hire technicians technicians gives every tech multiple options
for jobs. It makes the market extremely
• Word of mouth seems to be the competitive and even more important that
most effective way to hire techs you understand the need to appeal to techs.”
• Despite the struggles, JAY GONINEN
shops are aggressively Founder and President
Find A Wrench
trying to hire technicians
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com47 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
THE TROUBLE WITH FINDING TECHS
It is getting more difficult overall to find new techs. Forty
percent of shops are finding it much, much more difficult
to locate new techs now as opposed to five years ago.
At least a handful of shops have found it easier to hire
techs in the last few years, although they remain in
the minority; only 15% seem to have no trouble.
Much more difficult 40%
Slightly more difficult 19%
Neutral 26%
Somewhat easier 15%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com48 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
TECHNICIAN HIRING METHODS
RP 516A:
Most shops locate new techs via word of mouth (74%) or by posting
TECHNICIAN
on job boards (58%). From there, it’s a steep drop to grabbing techs
TRAINING
fresh out of trade schools (33%) and apprenticeships (31%).
Providing additional
Selected all that apply training to your staff
makes them more
Referrals/Word of mouth 74% productive and valuable
to your shop.
Job board posts 58%
Review guidelines and
tips regarding this
Trade schools 33% extra education from
the experts at
Apprenticeship (limited knowledge) 31% TMC/ATA.
READ MORE
In-shop training 26%
Family 19%
Other 9%
Not a TMC member?
Join today with a special discount
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com49 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
NUMBER OF TECHNICIANS
YOU PLAN ON HIRING
Almost every shop out there plans to hire at least
one person in 2021. Over 60% want to hire 1–3 techs;
just over 20% will be looking to hire 4–5.
0 9%
1–3 61%
4–5 20%
6–10 7%
10+ 3%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com50 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
Shop
technology
and software
Software can make or break “As the survey results denote, having an All-
Makes Labor Time Guide provides key benefits
a shop. From labor guides to for shops. Here are a few: a) you may measure
accounting, discover the software your technicians against an industry standard
needs of heavy-duty repair. to develop performance-based pay or b)
provide customers consistent Labor Times
• QuickBooks is popular applied to job estimates to avoid variations
accounting software for servicing customers and c) having labor
operations derived from vehicle manufacturer
throughout the industry repair procedures and not based on OE
• The emergency repair industry warranty, which may not be ‘real world.’”
uses several types of software
• More and more technicians are PAUL MOSZAK
Vice President &
using technology like tablets, Heavy Duty Evangelist
MOTOR Information Systems
phones, and diagnostic software
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com51 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
LABOR GUIDES POWERING SHOPS
RP 804A:
Nearly 34% of shops are using Mitchell 1. About
LABOR
25% are using FleetCross by MOTOR. Twenty-
PRODUCTIVITY
one percent of shops aren’t using anything.
Measure productivity to
Mitchell1 34% ensure your techs continue
to be high performers.
FleetCross by MOTOR 25%
TMC and ATA
share some
None 21% guidelines here.
READ MORE
Other 19%
Not a TMC member?
Join today with a special discount
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com52 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
FULLBAY BEST PRACTICE: SET YOUR LABOR RATE
Choosing the right labor rate can make or break your business in the
long run. Whether you set your own or follow the suggested rates from
your favorite labor guide, having consistent rates instills confidence
in your customers and makes it easy for you to create estimates.
If you opt to set your own rates, keep the following in mind:
1. Good customers are looking for quality, speed, and little hassle.
Price is also in the mix, but it’s usually not the main driver.
Ultimately these customers want to eliminate unscheduled
downtime. Going for the cheapest rate usually will not get them
there, and they understand that. Don’t sell yourself short.
2. Never give something for nothing.
If someone doesn’t want to pay the full rate but you want to maintain
them as a customer, offer up options that will give you value in return.
One example is to give a lower labor rate in exchange for the customer
allowing you to proactively track a list of PMs they will pre-authorize you
to do. They are exchanging a lower price for trust in you to do their PMs.
3. Back into the rates you need.
Add up your total cost of labor and back into your minimum labor rate. For
example, if your technicians earn $20/hour and as a group bill 200 hours/
week, your wages for the week will be $4,000. Add in the yearly cost of
your service manager and parts manager at $52,000 each, and you’re
up to $6,000. Finally, add in taxes and benefits (let’s assume 20%) and
you land at $7,200 a week. That’s a total cost of $36/hour. To get a 50%
profit on labor, you would need to charge customers at least $72/hour.
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com53 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
TECHNOLOGY TECHNICIANS
LEVERAGE “IN-BAY”
Over 70% of shops have their techs using phones, tablets, laptops, and
diagnostic software to help them complete their repairs. Desktops,
perhaps not surprisingly, have fallen out of favor as smaller, more
portable machines have improved; only 44% mentioned them at all.
Anecdotally we’ve seen the industry lag behind in migrating
from pen and paper to digital — and there’s still a long
way to go, but this data suggests progress.
Selected all that apply
Phones 73%
Laptops 72%
Tablets 72%
Diagnostic software 70%
Desktops 44%
Mobile card reader 15%
None 1%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com54 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
CHOOSE YOUR ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE
Eighty percent of our respondents are using QuickBooks – not
surprising, considering its reputation and market presence. Other
choices included Microsoft Dynamics and SAP (both at about
2%); Sage (5%); and Simply Accounting (less than 1%).
QuickBooks 78.4%
Microsoft Dynamics (Great Plains) 2%
Sage 5%
SAP 2%
Oracle .4%
Simply Accounting .8%
AccPac .4%
Mas90 0%
Peachtree 0%
DacEasy 0%
I don’t use any accounting software 5%
Other 6%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com55 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
SHOPS LEVERAGE EMERGENCY
BREAKDOWN SERVICES
About 38% of shops are using FleetNet America for their emergency
breakdown service. Somewhat surprisingly, nearly 36% aren’t
using a service at all – potentially missing out on a lot of revenue.
Conversely, a number of shops are using multiple services.
From there, 33% of respondents are using ARI Fleet, 30%
National Truck & Trailer, and 28% Truck Down.
Selected all that apply
FleetNet America® 38%
We’re not using any 36%
ARI Fleet 33%
National Truck & Trailer Services (NTTS) 30%
Truck Down 28%
Donlen 13%
USA Breakdown 11%
Decisiv 11%
4 Road Service 8%
Other 7%
Find Truck Service 4%
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com56 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
“Fullbay is in a unique position to give an unprecedented
look at the state of the heavy-duty repair industry.
Our innovative platform holds the largest collection
of real-time repair information in North America. We
hope this report becomes an annual tradition that
JACOB FINDLAY
benefits not only repair shops with higher profits and Founder and
fleets with lower costs, but also the general public, who Chief Executive Officer
share the roads with the equipment we’re entrusted Fullbay
with. At Fullbay, we believe the better we all maintain
and operate this equipment, the safer the roads will
be for the most precious cargo of all: our families.”
A special thank
you to our partner
To access the ENTIRE TMC Recommended
Practices Manual Collection, click here and log
in with your TMC Single Sign-On Credentials.
Thank you to our contributors
Heavy-duty repair shop software fullbay.com57 | Fullbay: State of Heavy-Duty Repair
ABOUT FULLBAY
Fullbay is a heavy-duty repair shop management platform that enables shops to
receive repair requests, invoice customers, and everything in between. Fullbay
lets owners and employees get into the shop, get their work done, and get back
to their friends and families. Purpose-built for commercial repair, Fullbay offers
solutions for every type of shop, from independent repair to private fleets.
Its powerful features, combined with our own extensive
knowledge of the industry, can help your shop:
• Get visibility across the business by having a pulse on everything
from technician performance to parts inventory.
• Invoice and get paid faster with an integrated customer portal that
captures authorization and receives payments electronically.
• Increase revenue and fix your leaky bucket by identifying gaps in your inventory
management, monitoring efficiency levels, and optimizing margins.
• Boost shop efficiency with tools like labor time guides, reporting,
and diagnostics, and reduced back office work.
Whether you oversee multiple shops, manage the maintenance of your
own fleet, or operate solo out of the back of a truck, Fullbay can scale to
help you succeed. Learn more and get started today at fullbay.com.
DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this report is general in nature and should not be considered to be legal, tax, accounting,
consulting, or any other professional advice. In all cases you should consult with professional advisors familiar
with your particular factual situation for advice concerning specific matters before making any decisions.
Fullbay does not accept any liability for any loss or damage, howsoever caused, arising from any
errors, omissions or reliance on any information or views contained in this document.
All trademarks and copyrights remain the sole ownership of their rightful owners/licensees.
Copyright © 2021 Fullbay. All rights reserved.
Reproduction, redistribution, or dissemination of this document without written permission is completely forbidden.
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