Peak planning 56 November 2026 ǁǁǁ͘ ĂŌ ĞƌŵĂƌŬĞƚŽŶůŝŶĞ͘ ŶĞƚ Technician skills and equipment availability also matter. As Klipboard points out, having ten free booking slots doesn’t necessarily mean a garage can take on ten more jobs. Some will need particular technicians, equipment or considerably more time than others. And while a diary booked solid for the next few weeks might look good, it can quickly become a problem when an MOT identifies additional repairs or a diagnostic job takes longer than expected. Rhys believes keeping some capacity available can pay dividends. “Workshops that consistently protect a 10% to 15% daily capacity buffer can absorb high-margin emergency walkins, diagnostic overruns, and same-day VHC authorisations without throwing the entire day’s schedule into chaos,” he added. Garage Hive says its data shows a link between protecting capacity and achieving higher average invoice values during busy periods. Without that flexibility, garages risk having to delay additional repairs identified during inspections, potentially losing the work altogether. Greg takes a slightly different view, suggesting flexibility is more important than deliberately leaving gaps. He continued: “The key isn’t necessarily leaving gaps in the diary; it’s having a dynamic system that allows garages to manage those constantly moving parts. Being able to move jobs around, reallocate technician hours and react to changes throughout the day is essential.” This is where a GMS can help, giving service advisors a clearer picture of which technicians are available, how jobs are progressing and where work can be moved around. Real-time technician monitoring can also highlight jobs running behind schedule, allowing adjustments before delays affect other bookings. Klipboard also sees opportunities for artificial intelligence to make this easier, pointing to Autowork’s AIassisted booking capability, which is designed to identify suitable appointments without staff having to manually work through the diary. Bringing work forward Garages can also take some control over when work arrives by encouraging customers to book ahead. MOT and service reminders are obvious examples, but previously advised repairs can provide another opportunity. Garages that record previously advised work can use that information to identify customers who may benefit from a reminder, rather than waiting for them to get back in touch. Greg explained: “Rather than waiting for customers to return with a problem, garages can proactively contact them, explain what was previously identified and encourage them to book before the winter rush.” Garage Hive recommends reviewing outstanding advisories from earlier in the year and contacting customers about work that may need attention. It also suggests sending MOT and service reminders four to six weeks ahead, giving garages the chance to encourage bookings during quieter periods. Bringing some of that work forward could free up valuable workshop time when winter-related repairs start arriving. Automated customer communications can make this easier without adding to the workload at the front desk, allowing service advisors to concentrate on customers and managing the workshop. A representative from Klipboard explained: “If more demand can be identified earlier, there is a better opportunity to spread work across available capacity rather than having everything arrive at the workshop at once.” Planning rather than firefighting Ultimately, the difference between garages that manage busy periods successfully and those that struggle often comes down to how well they use the information available to them. “The biggest difference is that well-run garages manage their workload, rather than allowing their workload to manage them,” said Greg. Garage Hive similarly points to the importance of managing productive technician hours rather than simply counting vehicles, while Klipboard highlights the value of spotting potential problems early enough to do something about them. A garage that regularly reviews its bookings, available hours and previously advised work has more opportunities to adjust its plans than one that only looks at the diary when things get busy. Alongside their everyday role in managing bookings, jobs and workshop administration, modern garage management systems can provide valuable insights into how a business is performing and what lies ahead. As garages head into winter, there is an opportunity to make better use of the information that is already there, whether that’s identifying work that could be brought forward, understanding how many technician hours are genuinely available or spotting problems in the diary before they affect customers. garagehive.co.uk www.techmangms.com www.klipboard.com There is an opportunity to make better use of the information that is already there
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