Phoenix Customs

“Honestly, for me it’s every feature. If I lost webSAM my entire business would grind to a halt”

Dave Marks

Becoming your own boss is the quintessential Kiwi dream; along with owning a bach, boat and family home. Dave Marks was lured in by that very dream when he started Phoenix Customs, a Palmerston North-based custom auto shop.

After initially working in Australia, Dave decided to move back to New Zealand and go solo with his workshop. “I’ve been a mechanic since 2004. I first worked at Holden on the Gold Coast but came back home to New Zealand and worked for others for 18 years,” says Dave. “In 2022 I thought it was about time to open up my own workshop.”

About Phoenix Customs

The idea behind Phoenix Customs had been in the back of his mind for years. “I love customising and restoring cars and bikes. We do all your normal servicing and repairs, and we also do custom work, bodywork, engine swaps, tuning etc.”

A unique workshop like Dave’s demands workshop management software (WMS) that fits into his specific needs. Lucky for him, he already had the perfect solution in mind.

Like most mechanics, Dave was already familiar with SAM, having used it previously in his career. His experience was so good that it was a no-brainer to come back to us to find the perfect choice for his own business.

After discussing all his options and trialling a few systems, he picked webSAM as the most user-friendly, powerful, yet affordable choice for his business.

Ease of onboarding

Having worked with SAM previously, Dave was confident enough to set his system up himself. Following our guided onboarding process, and with a little support from our team, he was up and running with webSAM in no time.

Fast, effective, New Zealand-based support

Running a busy workshop means there’s no room for system issues and downtime. If a problem ever does occur, knowing that a dedicated support team is readily available and in the same time zone is a huge positive. “The SAM Support team help me out immediately and reduce my stress immensely,” says Dave.

An ongoing success

When asked about his favourite features of webSAM, it was difficult to pinpoint one specific component over another:

“Honestly for me, it’s every feature. If I lost webSAM my entire business would grind to a halt. I’d have no way of invoicing customers, keeping track of stock, booking in jobs, or archiving customer details.”

The positive impact that webSAM has had on Phoenix Customs is palpable, and Dave has some sage advice for anyone else currently contemplating the best management tool for their workshop:

“Grab webSAM. It’s easy to use, it’s good value, and your customers will love it.”