A repair-order portal for status updates and approvals
Most of your inbound calls are some version of “is my car ready?”, and every bay waiting on an approval callback is a bay not earning. This portal moves both onto the customer's phone.
This example is a custom portal because the team signs into it to run a role-based, end-to-end workflow. Compare both solution types.
“Half our calls are customers asking if the car is ready, and a bay sits idle whenever we cannot reach someone to approve extra work.”
→
After
Customers get status updates and approve extra work from their phone, while advisors see every repair order, bay, and pending approval on one board.
Service lane operations
The bay keeps moving while the approval is out
Sample data
Service lane
Good morning, Terrence
Sample data
My repair orders4
Status calls today3
Bays blocked1
Today's repair orders
Vehicle list
2021 Toyota RAV4Bianca Ortiz · Bay 1
Promised 10:15 AM
Timing cover leak foundQuoted $1,180
Awaiting approval
Customer has not answered — bay idle
2019 Honda CR-VNadia Feldman · Bay 2
Promised 11:00 AM
Brake pads and rotorsApproved $640
In repair
Finish and road test
2016 Ford F-150Owen Marsh · Bay 4
Promised 1:30 PM
AC not coolingDiagnostic $129
Diagnosing
Complete diagnosis, quote repair
2018 Subaru OutbackPriya Nandan · Bay 5
Promised 4:00 PM
Scheduled maintenanceApproved $310
Checked in
Move to bay when free
Switch to approvals, send a decision through, and watch a blocked bay free up.
Who this is for
Built for the way your industry actually works
Independent repair shops, service departments, tire and collision shops running multiple bays.
Independent repair shopsOne board for every repair order, bay, and pending approval.
Tire & quick-service shopsHigh volume, short jobs, and status updates that send themselves.
Collision & body shopsLong repairs where customers need progress without calling.
Dealership service departmentsAdvisor workload spread across many concurrent repair orders.
Fleet maintenanceApprovals routed to a fleet manager instead of an individual owner.
Mobile mechanicsApprove work and update customers from the roadside.
How it runs
The workflow, end to end
Fits: Independent repair shops, service departments, tire and collision shops running multiple bays.
A vehicle checks in and becomes a repair order with customer, complaint, and assigned bay
The technician logs findings, and additional work is sent to the customer as a priced approval request
The customer approves or declines from a text link, and the bay keeps moving without phone tag
Status changes push updates automatically, so 'is my car ready' calls stop arriving
Smallest useful first version: Start with two roles, one bay board, the approval request flow, and automatic status texts.
Under the hood
Technical approach and how success is measured
Role-based portal separating service advisor and technician permissions
Repair-order records tied to vehicle, customer, bay, and labor operations
Approval requests delivered by text with a timestamped decision trail
Automated status notifications driven by repair-order state changes
Shop-management and accounting integrations added after the core flow is proven
Measured by: Inbound status calls per day · Time from approval request to customer decision · Bay hours lost waiting on approvals
Common Questions
How does approving extra work by text actually work?
The advisor sends a priced request; the customer opens a link, sees the recommended work, and approves or declines. The decision is timestamped and attached to the repair order, which also protects you in a dispute.
Will this stop the constant status calls?
That is the point. Status changes trigger updates automatically, so customers hear from you before they think to call. Shops that do this consistently report a real drop in inbound call volume.
Does it replace our shop management system?
No. Your existing shop management and accounting software stays authoritative. The portal handles the customer communication and approval workflow those tools handle poorly.
Start here
See this built with your tools and rules
The free AI Workflow Audit maps your version of this and finds the smallest build that proves value.