How to Design Repair Workflow Stages That Match Your Shop (Templates)
Most repair tools give you three statuses: Open, In Progress, Done. That doesn't work for a repair shop. Your customers want to know if you're waiting on a part, if they need to approve a quote, or if they can pick it up tomorrow.
Why default repair workflow stages fail
- They're too vague for customers. “In Progress” could mean anything. So they call.
- They miss key decision points. Most repairs have a moment where the customer needs to approve something.
Three principles for designing repair workflow stages
- Each stage should be clear to the customer. “QC Check” means nothing. “Final Testing” does.
- Each stage should trigger an action. The customer needs to do something or know something.
- Keep it under 7 stages. More than that and you'll forget to update them.
Phone repair workflow template (6 stages)
For phone repair shops:
- Received — Device checked in
- Diagnosing — Testing to confirm the issue
- Quote Sent — Customer needs to approve
- Repairing — Active repair in progress
- Testing — Post-repair quality check
- Ready for Pickup
Computer repair workflow template (7 stages)
- Received — Device checked in with symptoms
- Diagnosing — Running diagnostics
- Quote Sent — Awaiting approval
- Parts Ordered — Waiting on components
- Repairing — Hardware or software work
- Final Testing — Burn-in, data verification
- Ready for Pickup
More workflow templates: auto, tailor, and general
Auto/mechanic shop (6 stages): Checked In → Inspecting → Estimate Sent → Parts on Order → In the Bay → Ready for Pickup
Tailor/alteration (5 stages): Received → In Progress → Fitting Scheduled → Final Adjustments → Ready for Pickup
General service (5 stages): Received → Assessing → In Progress → Quality Check → Ready for Pickup
Build your custom workflow in minutes with FixyFlow
Templates are a starting point. FixyFlow lets you create custom workflow stages that match your actual process. Set them up once, and every job follows the same flow. Each stage change sends an SMS and updates the tracking page automatically.
Need help thinking through what to automate beyond status updates? Start with your workflow stages — everything else builds on top.