Hi, I'm Jerry, and I'm the person behind ACCTimeTracker. I've been involved in tech most of my life, helping develop numerous software programs over the years, and building high performance computers in my spare time. I'm a problem solver - if something doesn't work, I find another way. My brain never shuts off and is always thinking of better ways to do things. Oh, and I just happen to be the head painter at a high-end body shop in Austin, Texas. With over 40 years in the automotive industry, I know the ins and outs of shop life and the struggles and challenges that techs face on a daily basis.
The Problem That Started It All
For years, we used an app called TechTime to track our flat rate hours. It was affordable, it worked, and it had one feature I absolutely loved - the ability to look up jobs you had done in the past using pretty much any search string you could imagine. But then it disappeared off the app store when the developer stopped supporting it.
That left a HUGE gap. We spent 6 to 8 months searching for a solution that could handle our specific needs. Every option we found was either extremely basic or complete overkill - none were designed with the automotive technician in mind.
The Breaking Point
After TechTime disappeared off the app stores, and as we one by one replaced our old phones, we kept losing access to the tool we used to use until one guy in the shop who still had his old phone was doing time for everyone. What a bad situation.
As someone who's been involved in tech most of my life and is always thinking of better ways to do things, I started looking for solutions. After months of searching and trying different options, I discovered something shocking: there was literally nothing on the market that filled the gap left by TechTime.
What We Tried (And Why It Failed)
Generic Time Tracking Apps
- Problem: Designed for office workers, not automotive technicians
- Issues: No GPS verification for field work, no RO number tracking, no restoration vs general labor rates
- Result: Technicians forgot to clock in/out, inaccurate time tracking
Paper Time Cards
- Problem: Easy to lose, hard to calculate, no backup
- Issues: Technicians forgot to fill them out, manual calculations were error-prone
- Result: Lost hours, billing disputes, payroll nightmares
Enterprise Software
- Problem: Expensive, overcomplicated, not designed for our industry
- Issues: $500+/month, required IT support, didn't understand automotive workflows
- Result: Wasted money, frustrated staff, still didn't solve our problems
The Lightbulb Moment
After months of frustration searching for a replacement, I had an epiphany: If nothing exists that fills the gap left by TechTime, I'll architect the solution myself.
I'm not a coder - I'm someone who's been involved in tech most of my life, helping develop numerous software programs over the years. With 40+ years in the automotive industry, I know exactly what technicians need. My background in software development and building high performance computers gave me the perfect foundation to design a solution that actually worked for our industry.
My first couple apps were very basic and worked for the moment, but as time went on I saw a need for something more comprehensive. That's how ACCTimeTracker was born - with all the features we loved about TechTime, plus everything it was missing, designed with the user experience and functionality that technicians actually want to use.
The Development Journey
Phase 1: Understanding the Problem
- Analyzed our daily workflows - How do we actually track time?
- Identified pain points - What's broken with current solutions?
- Studied industry needs - What do other shops struggle with?
- Used my 40+ years of experience - Applied my deep industry knowledge to this challenge
- Applied software design principles - Used my web design and UX background
- Recreated TechTime's best features - Especially that powerful search functionality
Phase 2: Building the Solution
- GPS verification - Technicians clock in from the shop or job site
- RO number tracking - Every job tied to a repair order
- Dual rate structure - Restoration work vs general labor
- Mobile-first design - Works on phones and tablets
- Offline functionality - Works without internet
- Advanced search - Recreated TechTime's powerful search functionality
- User experience design - Applied my web design and UX expertise
Phase 3: Real-World Testing
- Used it in our shop - Daily testing with real work
- Gathered feedback - What worked, what didn't
- Iterated and improved - Fixed bugs, added features
- Perfected the workflow - Made it second nature for our team
The Results in Our Shop
Before ACCTimeTracker:
- Technicians losing track of what they flagged or didn't flag
- Payroll took a couple of hours every two weeks
- Arguing with technicians about how much time they had left on a job
- Repair time being left on a repair order that wasn't being accounted for
After ACCTimeTracker:
- Zero lost hours - GPS verification ensures accuracy
- Payroll takes 30 minutes - Automatic calculations
- No billing disputes - Accurate time tracking with GPS proof
- Happy technicians - Easy to use, works on their phones
Why I Made It Affordable
After seeing the impact in our shop, I realized other shops needed this too. But I also knew that expensive software was part of the problem. So I made a decision: ACCTimeTracker would offer essential features free with affordable premium capabilities.
My Philosophy:
- Affordable subscriptions - Essential features free, premium features at fair prices
- No data mining - Your data stays on your devices
- No hidden costs - What you see is what you get
- Community support - Built by shop owners, for shop owners
The Response from the Industry
What Shop Owners Say:
What Technicians Say:
The Future of ACCTimeTracker
My Vision:
- Every automotive shop using ACCTimeTracker
- Industry standard for time tracking
- Community-driven development and support
- Free essential features - no data mining, affordable premium upgrades
What's Next:
- Analytics dashboard - See productivity trends
- Advanced reporting - Custom reports for different needs
- Integration options - Connect with other shop management systems
- Mobile app - Native apps for iOS and Android
- Premium management version - Advanced features for larger shops
The Bottom Line
ACCTimeTracker wasn't built by a software company looking to make money. It was architected by a solutions architect and web designer with 40+ years in the automotive industry who was tired of losing money due to bad time tracking. It was built by someone who experienced the gap left by TechTime and realized the market had no viable alternatives. It was designed by someone who works in a shop every day and understands the unique challenges of the automotive industry. It was created by someone who believes that good software should be accessible to everyone.
ACCTimeTracker is what TechTime should have been - with all the features we loved, plus everything it was missing, designed with the user experience that technicians actually want to use.
That's why essential features are free. That's why it works. That's why it's different.