Way.com and ASCCA Launch Partnership to Help Independent Auto Repair Shops Grow
Way.com has announced a new corporate partnership with the Automotive Service Councils of California (ASCCA), bringing its AI-powered Way Repair Tech shop management platform to independent automotive repair businesses across California. The partnership is designed to help repair shop owners streamline day-to-day operations while also addressing one of the industry’s biggest challenges: consistently attracting new customers.
Independent automotive repair shops have traditionally relied on shop management systems primarily to handle administrative and back-office functions. These systems can help businesses manage repair orders, inventory, estimates, customer information, and payments, but many leave customer acquisition and marketing to separate third-party platforms.
Way.com says Way Repair Tech takes a different approach by combining shop management tools with a built-in customer acquisition engine. The platform connects participating repair shops with more than 11 million Way app users who are actively searching for automotive services. Through the partnership, ASCCA members can gain access to these capabilities while benefiting from additional marketing, artificial intelligence, payment, and customer engagement tools.
The announcement represents an effort to give independent repair shops a more integrated technology solution at a time when business owners are looking for ways to operate more efficiently, strengthen customer relationships, and compete for local vehicle owners.
Addressing Customer Acquisition Challenges
For many independent repair shops, attracting customers can be as challenging as managing repairs themselves. Shop owners and technicians must balance vehicle inspections, repairs, parts ordering, employee management, customer communications, and financial administration while also trying to maintain a steady flow of new business.
Way Repair Tech is designed to bring customer acquisition directly into the shop management platform. According to Way.com, its network provides ASCCA member shops with exposure to millions of consumers using the Way app to search for automotive services.
The company says its broader automotive services ecosystem receives significant annual investment in consumer acquisition. The ecosystem includes automotive repair as well as services such as parking, car washing, and electric vehicle charging.
For participating repair businesses, this means customer discovery can become part of the technology platform rather than an entirely separate marketing activity.
The company says shops joining the Way Repair network can gain visibility among local drivers searching for automotive services without separately paying for advertising, lead generation, or agency fees associated with customer acquisition.
This approach could be particularly valuable for smaller independent shops that may not have dedicated marketing teams or the resources to manage multiple digital advertising platforms.
Partnership with ASCCA
The partnership brings Way.com together with ASCCA, an organization representing independent automotive service and repair businesses in California.
ASCCA President Jennifer Barizon said the association’s members are continually looking for innovative tools that can help them build stronger and more successful businesses. She described Way’s technology as bringing new ideas to the independent repair industry and welcomed the company as an ASCCA corporate partner.
The partnership gives ASCCA members access to technology focused not only on operational management but also on business growth.
Independent repair shops play an important role in maintaining vehicles for consumers, particularly as vehicle owners keep their cars and trucks on the road for longer periods. As vehicles become more technologically advanced, repair businesses must also manage increasingly complex customer expectations and operational requirements.
Digital tools that combine shop management, customer communication, marketing, payments, and artificial intelligence could help businesses manage these demands more efficiently.
All-in-One Shop Management
One of the central features of Way Repair Tech is its all-in-one shop management capability.
The platform brings repair orders, inventory management, purchase orders, quoting, customer communication, and QuickBooks integration into a single system. By combining these functions, the company aims to reduce the need for repair shops to rely on multiple disconnected software solutions.
Two-way customer texting is also incorporated into the platform, allowing shops to communicate with vehicle owners during the repair process.
Clear and timely communication can be particularly important in automotive repair because customers often need updates regarding inspection findings, recommended services, repair costs, and vehicle completion times.
Having customer communication tools integrated into the shop management system can help technicians and service advisors maintain a more organized workflow.
Inventory and purchase-order capabilities are another important part of the platform. Managing parts efficiently is essential to keeping repair jobs moving and reducing unnecessary delays. By connecting inventory functions with broader shop management operations, Way Repair Tech seeks to provide shops with a centralized view of their business.
Integrated Payments
Way Repair Tech also includes a payment-integrated point-of-sale system.
The platform allows participating shops to accept payments at the counter through Stripe without requiring a separate payment system. Bringing payment processing into the same technology environment can simplify transactions and reduce the number of systems employees need to manage.
For repair businesses, the payment process is the final stage of the customer experience. A streamlined checkout process can help shops complete transactions efficiently after repairs have been finished.
The integration also means that payment functionality is connected to the broader shop management platform rather than operating as a completely independent tool.
AI-Powered Repair Technology
Artificial intelligence is another major component of Way Repair Tech.
The platform includes AI-powered digital inspections, repair recommendations, and a smart service catalog. Way says these capabilities are designed to help shops identify potential repair opportunities and provide intelligent service recommendations.
Digital vehicle inspections have become increasingly important in automotive service because they can provide customers with clearer information about the condition of their vehicles.
Instead of relying exclusively on verbal explanations, shops can use digital inspection technology to organize information about recommended repairs and communicate findings to customers.
Way’s AI capabilities are intended to add another layer of intelligence to this process. The company says its system can support repair recommendations and intelligent upsell triggers, potentially helping shops identify relevant services while creating additional opportunities to serve customers.
For technicians and shop owners, the objective is not to replace professional expertise but to provide additional technology that can support everyday decision-making and customer service.
Built-In Marketing Automation
Way Repair Tech also incorporates marketing tools directly into the platform.
The system includes automated service reminders, 90-day lapsed-customer reactivation, and local promotional capabilities. Rather than requiring repair shops to purchase separate marketing software, Way says these functions are built directly into its shop management environment.
Customer retention is especially important for independent repair businesses. A customer who has already visited a shop represents an established relationship and may return for routine maintenance or future repairs.
Automated reminders can help shops stay connected with customers when services may be due. Similarly, reactivation campaigns can help businesses reconnect with customers who have not returned for an extended period.
Way says its marketing tools are designed to make these activities easier for shop owners who may not have extensive marketing expertise.
Google and Apple Maps Booking
Another feature available through Way Repair Tech is Google and Apple Maps booking.
Way says its team handles the technical setup required to allow customers to book automotive services directly through search results and mapping platforms.
This capability can help reduce friction between a consumer’s search for a repair service and the actual appointment.
When a driver searches for an automotive service nearby, the ability to move directly from search to booking can make it easier to schedule an appointment. For repair shops, this can create another pathway for turning online searches into actual customers.
Way is positioning this feature as part of its broader effort to combine customer acquisition with shop management.
Way+ Membership Creates Additional Revenue Opportunities
The platform also provides participating shops with access to Way+, a consumer loyalty membership program.
According to Way.com, participating repair businesses can earn recurring passive revenue when Way+ members book services at their locations.
The membership program is intended to strengthen the connection between consumers and participating service providers while creating another potential source of revenue for repair businesses.
For independent shops operating in competitive local markets, customer loyalty can be an important factor in maintaining long-term business. Programs that encourage repeat visits can help turn one-time customers into recurring customers.
Special Offer for ASCCA Members
As part of the partnership, ASCCA members will receive a special introductory offer for Way Repair Tech Elite.
Members can receive a 30-day free trial of the platform, giving repair businesses an opportunity to evaluate its management, marketing, AI, customer acquisition, and payment capabilities before committing.
The offer also includes a prepay advance of up to $2,500 upon onboarding, according to Way.com. The company says there is no long-term contract requirement associated with the offer.
The combination of a free trial and financial advance is intended to lower the barrier for independent shops considering a transition to a new technology platform.
Supporting Independent Repair Businesses
The partnership between Way.com and ASCCA reflects a broader shift in the automotive repair industry toward technology platforms that combine operational management with customer acquisition.
Traditional shop management software has largely focused on helping businesses organize their internal operations. However, repair shops also need effective ways to attract new customers, retain existing ones, communicate with vehicle owners, and generate repeat business.
Way Repair Tech is designed around the idea that these functions should exist within one platform.
Way President Shiva Kumar said ASCCA has represented independent repair shops in California since 1940 and described those businesses as the type of customers Way Repair Tech was designed to serve. He emphasized that many independent shop owners are technicians first and may not want to become marketing specialists.
The company’s approach is therefore centered on allowing repair professionals to focus on vehicle service while the technology handles more of the customer acquisition and marketing process.
As the automotive repair sector continues to evolve, independent shops face growing pressure to combine technical expertise with strong digital customer experiences. Partnerships such as the agreement between Way.com and ASCCA could give smaller businesses access to tools traditionally associated with larger organizations.
By combining shop management, customer acquisition, marketing automation, artificial intelligence, digital inspections, payments, online booking, and loyalty services, Way Repair Tech aims to provide ASCCA members with a broader technology platform for managing and growing their businesses.
The partnership ultimately highlights the increasing importance of integrated technology in the independent automotive service industry. For repair shops, attracting customers is just as important as completing repairs, and platforms that address both needs could become increasingly valuable as competition for vehicle owners continues to grow.
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