Embracing Digital Transformation in Heavy-Duty Service Shops: Why It Matters

Author: John Cowan

Title: Senior Vice President of Business Solutions

Organization: Karmak, Inc.

The Heavy-Duty Service Industry’s Growing Challenges

Heavy-duty service providers across the U.S. and Canada are facing mounting pressures that strain productivity and profitability. A key factor is the ongoing diesel technician shortage, with an estimated 80,000 mechanic positions unfilled and another 28,000 new openings projected each year through 2030 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Over 50% of heavy-duty shops now report hiring technicians as their top operational challenge, and 65% struggle to find qualified techs.

Compounding the issue, many shops still rely on outdated paper-based processes for repair orders and inspections. These manual methods create inefficiencies, increase errors, and delay repairs. For example, TCI Transportation, a multi-location truck leasing and service company, reported that paper forms left “so much up to interpretation,” resulting in frequent customer disputes over service work.

Meanwhile, rising customer demands for uptime are intensifying pressure on shops. With vehicle downtime costing fleets an average of $448–$760 per truck, per day (Fleet Maintenance and Element Fleet report), shops need solutions that improve efficiency and accuracy to get vehicles back on the road faster.

How Mobile Solutions are Changing the Game

The shift toward digital, mobile-enabled workflows is gaining traction in the heavy-duty service industry. Today, more than 80% of heavy-duty shops perform mobile or field repairs in addition to in-shop work. With field service becoming commonplace, the demand for digital solutions that enable remote work has skyrocketed.

Solutions like Karmak Mobile Service directly address these challenges by providing an integrated mobile repair order solution that syncs with the Karmak Fusion business system. The app empowers technicians and service advisors to create, edit, and manage repair orders from anywhere—whether in the shop bay or out in the field—using an iOS or Android device. This eliminates the need for technicians to return to a computer terminal, reducing wasted trips and improving wrench time.

Proven Results: TCI Transportation’s Success Story

By adopting Karmak Mobile Service, TCI Transportation overcame the inefficiencies that paper-based processes created. Since implementation:

• TCI achieved a 201% ROI with a six-month payback period
• The company saved over $420,000 annually by reducing admin work.
• Repair assignments were completed 89% faster, minimizing downtime and improving customer satisfaction. This led to an additional $125,000 in annual labor cost savings.

Source: (Nucleus Research ROI case study: Karmak Mobile Service at TCI Transportation)

By allowing technicians to update repair orders in real time instead of waiting until the end of their shift, TCI improved data accuracy, streamlined communication, and eliminated costly documentation errors.

The Key Benefits of Digital Transformation in Service Shops

By adopting digital solutions, service shops can unlock several key benefits that directly improve operations and profitability.

• Increased Technician Productivity: A digital repair order process eliminates back-and-forth trips to the office, giving technicians more time to focus on completing repairs.
• Improved Data Accuracy: Recording service details in real-time eliminates guesswork, ensuring accurate documentation and minimizing errors.
• Faster Repair Assignments: Mobile solutions like Karmak Mobile Service help reduce assignment delays by 89%, keeping work flowing smoothly.
• Enhanced Customer Service: Faster repairs and improved accuracy mean fewer disputes and happier customers.
• Stronger Financial Results: By reducing manual data entry with Karmak Mobile Service, shops processing 1,000 repair orders monthly can reclaim over 80 hours—improving efficiency and increasing revenue.

By embracing mobile technology, shops can improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and deliver better customer experiences—all while driving stronger financial results.

To learn more about how your shop can unlock these benefits, contact us.

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