Websites, MOT booking and reminders for independent garages
M1 Studio builds websites for independent garages and MOT centres with online booking, reminders that cut empty test slots, and follow-up for repair quotes. It also sets up review requests, so drivers can see what other local customers thought.
By Sammy Morgan, who runs M1 Studio in Chichester. Updated .
- For
- Car garages and MOT centres
- Fixes from
- £800, no VAT
- Problem pages
- 2
- Group
- Motoring
What gets in the way for car garages and mot centres.
- Empty MOT slots
- A booked test that doesn’t turn up is a bay and a tester standing idle. Many drivers book weeks ahead and simply forget.
- The phone rings while you’re under a car
- Your technicians are on the ramps and reception is busy. Calls for bookings and quotes go unanswered at the busiest times of day.
- Repair quotes and advisories that go quiet
- You quote for brakes or list advisories on an MOT, the driver says they’ll think about it, and never comes back. That work often goes to a rival who followed up.
- Reviews that don’t reflect the work
- Happy customers pay and drive off without a thought, while the occasional unhappy one writes a review. Without asking every customer, your rating can look worse than your work.
How your customers choose.
Drivers usually look for a garage when an MOT is due or a warning light comes on. They search “MOT near me” or the garage type and the town, compare star ratings and recent reviews, and want to book a slot quickly, often online in the evening. The DVSA’s own reminder service emails or texts drivers a month before their MOT is due, so many search at that point. For repairs they compare prices and trust: a garage that explains the work, shows its accreditations, such as The Motor Ombudsman, and keeps them updated tends to keep them.
Problems, answered for car garages and mot centres.
What fits car garages and mot centres.
Fixed prices, or a fixed quote before any work starts. No VAT is charged.
- Online Booking & Deposits £1,800
MOT and service slots booked on your website, with reminders before each booking and your cancellation rules shown when people book.
Bookings taken online, with a deposit paid up front.
- Missed-Call Rescue £800
Missed calls get a text back, repair quotes sit in one list with reminders to follow up, and review requests go out after each job.
Missed calls get a text back, automatically.
- Local Search Fix £800
Your Google profile filled in with MOT and repair services, opening hours and photos, and review requests to every customer.
Look right when locals search for what you do.
- Foundation Build from £3,500
A site that shows your services, prices where you publish them, your accreditations and a clear way to book an MOT.
Show up locally, look the part.
Before you decide.
Something else? Ask Sammy on WhatsApp.
Do garages still need their own MOT reminders?
The DVSA runs its own reminder service that texts or emails drivers a month before their MOT is due, but it doesn’t mention your garage. Your own reminder, sent by you, brings the driver back to you. Reminders before a booked slot also cut no-shows. See the no-show cost calculator for what empty slots cost you.
Can drivers book an MOT early without losing time?
Yes. gov.uk says an MOT can be done up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date. Saying that on your booking page helps drivers book early, when you have space.
What should a garage website show?
Your MOT and repair services, opening hours, a clear way to book, your accreditations (such as being an MOT testing station or accredited to The Motor Ombudsman’s code) and recent reviews. The guide to getting more Google reviews covers asking every customer.
Also useful.
Know what to fix. Then decide.
Sammy writes down what’s holding your business back and what to fix first. The Foundation Blueprint is yours within 5 working days of your answers.
From £200No VAT, one payment through Stripe
Not ready yet? Take the free Scorecard, 3 minutes.