Autowork Online (by MAM Software) has been a fixture in UK garage management for over two decades. It started as a desktop application and evolved into a cloud-based system used by thousands of garages across the country. If you've been in the trade for any length of time, you've probably encountered it — or spoken to someone who uses it.
My Garage CRM is newer. It was built from scratch as a cloud-native system with a specific focus on automation: automated payment chasing, automated review requests, automated SMS reminders and campaign tools. The two systems overlap on core features but take fundamentally different approaches to how a garage should run.
This comparison explains the differences honestly, acknowledges where Autowork has strengths, and helps you decide which approach fits your workshop.
The Fundamental Difference: Established vs Automation-First
My Garage CRM — Automation-First
- Built cloud-native from day one. No legacy desktop architecture. Works on any device with a browser.
- Every customer touchpoint is automated. MOT reminders, service reminders, payment chasing, review requests, car-ready notifications — all fire automatically from job card events.
- Marketing tools built in. Customer segmentation, win-back campaigns, seasonal SMS promotions — no third-party tools needed.
- Designed for non-technical owners. Simple interface, minimal configuration, productive within 1–2 days.
Autowork Online — Established & Comprehensive
- Two decades of refinement. Features have been added and polished based on feedback from thousands of UK garages over many years.
- Deep parts catalogue integration. Direct links to major UK parts distributors with pricing, availability and ordering from within the system.
- Comprehensive reporting. Extensive built-in reports covering every aspect of workshop performance, financial analysis and customer history.
- Trusted brand in the trade. Long track record, established support infrastructure, training resources and community.
Feature Comparison — Side by Side
| Feature | My Garage CRM | Autowork Online |
|---|---|---|
| Digital job cards | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Diary / scheduling | ✅ Bay-level | ✅ Included |
| Invoicing with VAT | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Customer management | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Parts / inventory tracking | ✅ Included | ✅ Deep integration |
| Parts catalogue integration | ⚠️ Basic | ✅ Strong — multiple distributors |
| Purchase order management | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| MOT reminder automation | ✅ Multi-stage SMS + Email | ✅ Available |
| Service reminder automation | ✅ Multi-stage | ✅ Available |
| One-tap payment links | ✅ On every invoice | ❌ Not built-in |
| Automated payment chasing | ✅ Multi-stage (Day 3, 7, 14) | ❌ Manual follow-up |
| Google review automation | ✅ Auto post-job SMS | ❌ Not built-in |
| Win-back / SMS campaigns | ✅ Built-in segmentation | ❌ Requires third-party |
| Technician time tracking | ✅ Auto from job cards | ✅ Included |
| Reporting depth | ⚠️ Core reports | ✅ Extensive — 20+ years of refinement |
| Vehicle health check (VHC) | ⚠️ Coming soon | ✅ Included |
| Accounting integration | ✅ Xero, QuickBooks | ✅ Sage, Xero, QuickBooks |
| MOT history lookup (DVSA) | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Free trial (self-serve) | ✅ 28 days, no credit card | ⚠️ Demo available |
| Setup without training | ✅ Same-day, self-serve | ⚠️ Training typically recommended |
Pricing
Where Autowork Online Wins
Parts Catalogue Depth
Autowork Online winsDirect integration with multiple UK parts distributors — search availability, compare prices and order from within the system. Twenty years of distributor relationships make this a genuine strength. My Garage CRM's parts catalogue integration is less mature.
Reporting Breadth
Autowork Online winsDecades of feature requests have produced a comprehensive reporting suite — financial analysis, technician productivity, parts margins, customer retention metrics, MOT pass rates and more. My Garage CRM covers the essentials but doesn't match the depth.
Vehicle Health Checks
Autowork Online winsDigital VHC with customer-facing reports is a mature feature in Autowork Online. My Garage CRM's VHC capability is still in development.
Established Track Record
Autowork Online wins20+ years in the UK market. Thousands of active garages. Proven reliability, established support team and training resources. For garages that prioritise stability and a proven track record, this matters.
Where My Garage CRM Wins
Automated Payment Chasing
My Garage CRM winsMulti-stage automated reminders (Day 3, 7, 14) with one-tap payment links. Average days-to-payment drops from 22 to 9. Autowork Online doesn't offer automated payment chasing — overdue invoices require manual follow-up.
One-Tap Payment Links
My Garage CRM winsEvery invoice includes a payment link the customer taps on their phone. No bank details to type, no reference numbers to copy. 38% of customers pay the same day. This is a core feature, not an add-on.
Google Review Automation
My Garage CRM winsAutomated post-job SMS with a direct Google review link, sent 24 hours after job completion with complaint filtering. 23% conversion rate. Autowork Online doesn't include review automation as a built-in feature.
SMS Marketing & Campaigns
My Garage CRM winsBuilt-in customer segmentation, win-back campaigns for lapsed customers, seasonal promotions — all from within the CRM. Filter by last visit, vehicle age, service type. No third-party SMS platform needed.
Simplicity & Learning Curve
My Garage CRM winsIntentionally simpler interface with fewer screens and less configuration. Most garages are productive in 1–2 days without training. Autowork Online's feature depth comes with a steeper learning curve — training is typically recommended.
Self-Serve Trial
My Garage CRM winsSign up, start using it immediately. No sales call, no demo, no contract commitment. 28 days with full access to every feature. If you want to evaluate without a sales process, My Garage CRM lets you.
The Key Question: Features or Automation?
The difference between these two systems comes down to a philosophical question: do you want the most features or the most automation?
Autowork Online has more features. More reports. Deeper parts catalogue integration. More configuration options. If you're the type of garage owner who wants to customise every aspect of the system and use detailed reports to make decisions, Autowork gives you the tools to do that.
My Garage CRM has more automation. Payments chase themselves. Reviews request themselves. Lapsed customers get contacted without anyone remembering to do it. Stock alerts fire without anyone checking levels. If you're the type of garage owner who wants the system to handle the admin so you can focus on fixing cars, My Garage CRM does more of the work for you.
Who Should Choose Which
Choose My Garage CRM if...
- Cash flow is your biggest problem. You need invoices paid faster — automated chasing and payment links are transformational.
- You want customers to come back without manually chasing them. Automated reminders, win-back campaigns and review requests handle retention.
- You're a 1–4 bay independent where the owner or receptionist handles admin alongside other responsibilities.
- You want to try before committing. Self-serve trial, no contract, transparent pricing.
- You're migrating from paper or spreadsheets and want the easiest possible transition.
- Marketing matters to you. You want SMS campaigns, Google review building, and customer segmentation without third-party tools.
Consider Autowork Online if...
- Parts catalogue integration is critical. You order frequently from multiple UK distributors and want real-time pricing and availability in-system.
- You need deep, detailed reporting. Financial analysis, technician efficiency breakdowns, MOT pass rate trends — the data depth matters to you.
- You already use Autowork and it's working. Switching costs include data migration, team retraining and workflow adjustment.
- You want VHC now, not later. Digital vehicle health checks with customer-facing approval are available in Autowork today.
- You're a larger workshop (5+ bays) with a dedicated administrator who can leverage the system's full feature set.
- You value a long track record. 20+ years of continuous development, proven stability and established support.
Switching from Autowork Online to My Garage CRM
If you're currently on Autowork Online and considering a switch, here's what's involved:
- Customer data: Export your customer list as a CSV from Autowork. Import into My Garage CRM — names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and vehicle registrations map directly.
- Vehicle history: Historical job records don't migrate between systems. Your Autowork data remains accessible in your Autowork account. New jobs are recorded in My Garage CRM from the switch date.
- MOT dates: Import with the customer/vehicle data. Automated reminders resume from the imported dates immediately.
- Parts catalogue: If you rely heavily on Autowork's distributor integrations, check whether My Garage CRM's parts features meet your needs during the trial before switching.
- Timeline: 1–2 days to set up and go live. The 28-day trial allows parallel running if you want to compare both systems side by side.