Auto Repair Shop CRM: How 30/60/90-Day Text Reminders Keep Your Bays Full
Why Customer Retention Starts After the First Visit
The easiest customer to book is one who has already visited your shop. They know your quality. They trust your team. But they are busy. They forget when they are due for service. A CRM, which stands for Customer Relationship Management system, solves this by sending automated text messages at 30, 60, and 90 days after their last visit. You stay top of mind without any manual effort from your staff between visits.
What are 30/60/90-day text reminders in auto repair shop CRM?
These are automated text messages sent to customers at set intervals after their last service visit. A 30-day message checks satisfaction and flags upcoming service. A 60-day message highlights seasonal or interval-based maintenance needs. A 90-day message sends a direct service reminder with a booking link. Together they keep your shop visible to past customers before they search for a competitor.
What to Include at Each Reminder Interval
- 30-day message: Thank the customer, confirm satisfaction, note any follow-up service due
- 60-day message: Highlight seasonal maintenance relevant to their vehicle or local climate
- 90-day message: Direct service reminder with a clear call to action and booking link
- All messages: Personalize with the customer name and vehicle year, make, and model
- All messages: Keep SMS under 160 characters when possible for clean delivery
- Optional: Include a time-sensitive offer to encourage faster booking
- Always: Include a clear opt-out option to comply with messaging regulations
Why Text Outperforms Email for Auto Repair Service Reminders
Text messages have open rates above 90 percent. Email open rates for auto repair shops average between 20 and 30 percent. Customers read texts within minutes. Emails sit in cluttered inboxes for hours or days. For time-sensitive service reminders, text is the more effective channel. Email still has value for longer content like service summaries and seasonal tips, but for reminders that drive action, text wins.
Setting Up CRM Automation in Your Shop
Most modern shop management platforms include built-in CRM automation. Tekmetric, Shop-Ware, AutoLeap, and Mitchell 1 allow you to configure automated message sequences tied to service intervals. If your current software lacks this capability, third-party tools like Podium or Kenect add a messaging layer on top of your existing system. Map your service intervals to trigger dates and test each message before activating any sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What CRM tools work best for auto repair shops?
Popular options include Tekmetric, Shop-Ware, AutoLeap, and Mitchell 1. Each includes some level of automated customer messaging. Third-party tools like Podium and Kenect add enhanced messaging and customer segmentation on top of your existing shop management software.
How do I avoid annoying customers with too many messages?
Three messages over 90 days is not excessive when each message is relevant and personalized. Always include an opt-out option in every text. Using the customer name and vehicle details makes each message feel like a useful reminder rather than bulk marketing.
Can I segment CRM reminders by service type or vehicle?
Yes. Good shop CRM tools allow segmentation by last service performed, vehicle make and model, mileage, or customer value tier. A customer who just had brake work gets different reminders than one due for an oil change or tire rotation.
Do automated text reminders actually increase shop revenue?
Yes. Shops using automated text reminder sequences typically see 15 to 25 percent improvement in customer return rates. Even modest improvements in retention produce significant increases in annual revenue per customer when compounded over a full year.
Turn First-Time Visitors into Long-Term Loyal Customers
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