“It’s modern, it’s clean, it’s easy to use. It’s made to make your life easier. It helps reduce double-handling and anyone can use it. If you’re thinking about a change, go for it.”
For Simon Cleveland, owner of Stewart Motors, working on cars is a lifelong passion. He started his career the old-fashioned way, with curiosity and a socket set. From souping up Skylines in his younger years to landing a job working at parts supplier BNT, Simon worked his way up from apprentice to owning a busy garage in the heart of Queenstown. Simon’s love for vehicles has always steered him in the right direction.
After nearly seven years of running Stewart Motors, he’s no stranger to the challenges of managing a modern workshop. So, when his current workshop management software, SAM, started to feel a bit dated, he knew it was time to grab the bull by the horns and upgrade to something more modern and efficient, with an exciting development roadmap. Cue, Auxo Workshop!
“SAM worked well, but it was outdated. I always dreaded the end-of-month rollovers especially. It wasn’t ideal for a busy workshop,” he explains.
Simon had used other platforms in the past, including Synergy and MYOB-style accounting setups, but none of them felt like the right fit either. When he heard that Auxo had developed a new platform, Auxo Workshop, he was intrigued.
After investigating a few of the other options out there, Simon decided to stick with the Auxo team and give their new cloud-based software a whirl. “I could see the potential of the online bookings and reminders features. Plus, we knew the new eWOF system was coming soon, and we didn’t want to move to something else that wouldn’t integrate with that.”
Simon and the team made the leap in April 2024, switching from SAM to Auxo Workshop. As expected, there were a few speed bumps at first. “We lost a few customer phone numbers in the data migration, it was a bit of a pain but not a major fix. Once we were into the new system, it was clear we’d made the right move.”
One of the biggest changes was how user-friendly the new software was. “With SAM, it took time to learn, not what you need in a busy shop. Auxo Workshop is way more intuitive. Anyone can jump on and figure out how to book jobs or look up info.”
Even the techs in the workshop, who aren’t the biggest fans of change, were keen to give the new system a go. “The boys saw the potential straight away, especially with how well it worked on iPads. We’re aiming to eventually go paperless and Auxo makes that easy.”
Stewart Motors is now in the process of moving towards a more digital workflow. Rather than printing job cards and handwriting notes, the team is planning to enter everything directly into iPads using the Auxo Workshop app.
“That’s the goal,” says Simon. “Instead of double-handling everything, the mechanics tap in their notes, I check them, and then we send the customer a message to let them know their car’s ready. It’s going to save us so much time.”
They’re also preparing to roll out online bookings, something Simon is confident will make a big difference to both his team and his customers.
“No one wants to ring up anymore or wait till we’re open. Everyone wants to book online on their phone, at night, after work or on the weekend. Auxo Workshop makes that easy.”
Even features like split invoicing, which were clunky in older systems, now take seconds. And once online WOFs roll out, Simon’s looking forward to being able to hand customers neat, typed-up WOF sheets. No more deciphering messy handwriting!
Simon’s also quick to praise the support from the Auxo team. “Maraea’s been great — she checks in regularly to see how we’re going. And James popped in after the Auto Super Shoppe conference to say hi. It’s been a really good experience.”
When we asked him if he would recommend Auxo Workshop to other garage owners?
“Absolutely,” Simon says. “It’s modern, it’s clean, it’s easy to use. It’s made to make your life easier. It helps reduce double-handling and anyone can use it. If you’re thinking about a change, go for it.”
From a garage built on passion to its future-proofed workshop management software, Stewart Motors is proof that when you combine old-school skill with the right modern tools, you’re in for a smooth ride.
