The job card is your workshop's contract
When a customer hands over the keys, the job card is the only record of what they asked for and what condition the vehicle was in. If it is vague, every later conversation becomes an argument: what was promised, what was found, and why the bill is higher than expected.
A good job card protects both sides. The customer knows what will be done, and your team knows exactly what to work on.
What to record at drop-off
- Vehicle number, make, model and fuel type
- Customer name and mobile number
- Odometer reading
- Fuel level, noted roughly
- Visible scratches or dents, ideally with photos
- Items left in the vehicle
- Promised delivery time
Write the complaint in the customer's words
Customers describe symptoms, not faults. 'Noise from the front when braking' is more useful than 'brake problem'. Write down what they said, when it happens, and how long it has been happening. If you guess the fault at the counter and write that instead, you may miss the real issue.
Ask a few follow-up questions: does it happen when the engine is cold, at speed, or when turning? These details save diagnosis time later.
Separate diagnosis from work
After inspection, the mechanic adds findings to the card. Keep these separate from the original complaint. Then list the work needed, with parts and labour for each item. This becomes the base of your estimate.
If the mechanic finds extra problems, add them as separate lines and mark them as needing the customer's approval. Never start extra work without a clear okay.
Track parts and labour line by line
Every part fitted should go on the card with quantity. Every labour item should be a separate line. This makes the final bill easy to explain and keeps your parts stock correct.
When old parts are replaced, note whether the customer wants them back. Some customers ask, and it builds trust.
Assign the work clearly
Write which mechanic is responsible for which task. When there is a comeback or a question later, you know who did the work. It also helps you see whether work is spread fairly across your team.
Close the card properly
- Mark each task as done
- Note a road test if one was done
- Record the next service date or reading
- Check the final bill matches the approved estimate plus approved extras
- Get the customer's acknowledgement at delivery
Common job card mistakes
- Writing only 'service' with no details
- Not noting existing scratches, leading to damage disputes
- Adding parts to the bill that were never on the card
- Starting extra work after a phone call nobody recorded
- Not recording the odometer reading
Use photos to settle questions
Taking four or five photos of the vehicle at drop-off takes less than a minute. Front, back, both sides and any visible damage are enough. If a customer later says a scratch appeared at your workshop, the photo answers the question without an argument. Store the photos with the job so anyone at the front desk can find them.
For expensive repairs, photos of the damaged part before replacement also help the customer understand why the work was needed.
Keep the card visible on the floor
A job card that sits in a drawer at the front desk is not much use to a mechanic in the bay. Either print it and keep it on the vehicle, or make sure mechanics can see it on a phone or tablet. When the card travels with the vehicle, mechanics do not have to walk back and forth asking what the customer wanted.
Review a few cards each week
Pick five closed job cards at random every week and read them as if you were the customer. Is the complaint clear? Does the bill match the approved work? Is the next service date filled in? This short habit shows you quickly where the front desk or mechanics need help, long before a customer complains.
How Chakrasetu helps
Chakrasetu gives every vehicle a digital job card with the complaint, work and parts used. Parts added to the card come off spare parts stock, and each task can be assigned to a mechanic so you can see progress.
The finished card turns into the invoice, and the next service date you set drives a WhatsApp reminder later. Past cards stay in the vehicle history. For a demo, message +91 95116 38160.
See Chakrasetu on a free demo
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