Based on the West Coast of the US, in Eugene, Oregon, Vintage Underground is a proven and renowned destination shop for prized restorations, distinctive bespoke projects and bleeding-edge, re-envisioned EV's. With a dedicated team of nearly 30 automotive artisans, VU has decades of experience as coach builders, technicians, body & paint specialists, electrical engineers, upholsterers, and project managers focused on turning your dreams into reality.

Our Shop Manager, Trent, saw Retropower's YouTube video titled "Tool Time Episode One: GlobalWorkshop".

We were juggling multiple systems for; client communication, record keeping and documentation, photo storage and sharing, tracking parts, etc. Frankly, none of them were ideal for their own purpose, and coordinating information across these systems for multiple purposes was extremely inefficient at best and ineffective at worst.

The extent to which we relied on individual people's memories, whether that be to keep track of things or to remember to take actions was constantly increasing. We found ourselves using most of our systems retroactively rather than proactively - merely trying to capture what had been done, rather than using those systems to chart our course forward and keep the whole team moving forward together. It began to feel like we were serving the systems we had in place rather than those systems serving us. It became abundantly clear that this dynamic would limit our continued growth rather than fueling it.

In addition, despite keeping detailed technician's notes and amassing a plethora of photos on each project, our documentation, especially as we presented it to our clients, was not what we knew it could be. Our ability to connect photos taken in the shop with the relevant write-ups from our technicians was particularly lacking. This lack of context left each component feeling incomplete. Our technicians also had limited access to each other's notes, requiring redundant communication efforts.

After speaking with Rowan, it became clear that GlobalWorkshop understands what we are working to achieve and is eager to make GlobalWorkshop the best tool possible to accomplish the larger goals of our business and our industry. It was also clear that we share the same passion and appreciation for the machines we have the pleasure of working on and want our clients to enjoy the restoration process as much as we do.

While we have received numerous compliments from clients and their guests on the platform, the more impactful change is what we don't hear. Questions from clients regarding what they are being billed for have dropped dramatically. The change has been so substantial that when we do receive such a question, we know immediately that they simply need a quick tutorial on the platform. After a few minutes walking them through their project on GlobalWorkshop, we rarely hear another question about their bill. What we could have spent, and indeed used to spend hours explaining, they are able to see and understand for themselves in seconds. The level of transparency GlobalWorkshop offers our clients creates a relationship of trust and confidence that takes years to develop relying on completed and delivered projects alone.

Context.
Transparency.
Clarity.

If a photo is worth a thousand words, what are dozens of photos and videos with written explanations for every step of a complex project worth?

Our clients are able to see exactly what we are doing when we do it, no matter where they are in the world at the time. They are also able to follow how that step fits in chronological order with the rest of their project. What could have been vague lines on an invoice, leaving our clients to search through disconnected photos in a folder become a cohesive, logical story that they are a part of every step of the way.

Our technicians are able to quickly refer back to the same documentation to quickly understand the exact state of a project, as well as understand the reasoning behind the decisions that have been made along the way. This enables our team to operate in a far more dynamic way. This is vital for a team as large and diverse as ours.

If you are meticulous about documentation and are looking to leverage that documentation to become more efficient, more proactive, and more capable than ever before, you just found the right tool for the job.

If you are seeking a comprehensive system to keep your clients informed, take them with you every step of the way, and would even like to answer their questions before they can ask them... Your answer has arrived, and it is GlobalWorkshop.

Your project management software should propel you forward to achieve greater and greater feats. Do not burden yourself trying force other software to do something it was never meant to do. Get the purpose-built solution.

We are excited to learn more about the new Constructors edition GlobalWorkshop has coming. Given the broad variety of vehicles we work on, a traditional rigid ERP system would be more trouble than it would be worth. Considering how engaged GlobalWorkshop is with our industry, and how responsive they have been to the unique needs of our business, I have no doubt that it will blow the competition away.