DRW Performance

DRW Performance are BMW M car specialists based in the UK, focused on servicing, repairing, and building big power M cars. With a skilled team of four technicians and a strong reputation in the performance scene, they've built their name working on some of the most demanding vehicles in the automotive world.

From routine servicing to full performance builds, DRW Performance caters to enthusiasts who expect nothing less than perfection. Their workshop demand was growing steadily, driven by word-of-mouth recommendations and a loyal customer base in the high-performance BMW community.

But as their reputation grew, so did the operational pressure. What worked when they were smaller—managing everything through a single mobile phone and social media messages—was quickly becoming unsustainable. They needed a better way to manage their growing workload without losing the personal touch that made them successful in the first place.

Before implementing Autopilot, DRW Performance managed its business primarily through a single mobile phone and social media messages. Customer enquiries came in through Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Job details were manually tracked, often scribbled down or stored in a mix of notes and message threads.

While this informal approach worked in the early stages, it created several serious operational problems as the business grew:

• Customer conversations buried in social media messages – Finding previous discussions about a specific vehicle or build meant scrolling back through hundreds of messages across multiple platforms
• No structured diary system – Workshop bookings were kept in their heads or scribbled on a whiteboard, making it difficult to plan ahead or manage multiple jobs simultaneously
• Limited team visibility – With four technicians working on different vehicles, there was no clear way for everyone to see what each car was in for or track progress on ongoing work

Time was lost chasing information instead of doing what they do best—building and maintaining exceptional M cars. As demand increased, so did the risk of missed messages, scheduling conflicts, and inefficiencies. They needed structure, without adding unnecessary complexity or losing their workshop's character.

Autopilot provided DRW Performance with a centralised platform that brought everything together in one place. The workshop moved from scattered social media messages to a properly organised system built for garage operations.

The core features that made the biggest difference were Jobs Management and Client Management. The visual workshop diary gave the entire team clarity on what was coming in and what was being worked on. Instead of relying on memory or a whiteboard, they could now see the full schedule at a glance, drag and drop jobs to reschedule when needed, and track each vehicle from booking through to completion.

Customer and vehicle information moved into the Client Management system, creating a proper database with full vehicle history. Every M car they worked on now had a complete record—previous jobs, parts used, ongoing projects—accessible to the whole team in seconds rather than requiring a search through old messages.

Onboarding was smooth and hands-on. After the initial setup, Luke from the Autopilot team visited DRW Performance in person to walk them through the platform, inputting their initial data and tailoring the setup to their specific workshop workflow. The goal wasn't just to hand over software—it was to make sure the system actually worked for their business from day one.

Since implementing Autopilot, DRW Performance has experienced measurable operational improvements that have transformed how they run their workshop.

Admin time has been reduced by approximately 60%. By removing the need to scroll through social media messages and manually track information, the team can spend more time on billable workshop work and less time hunting for customer details or job notes.

Workshop efficiency has increased significantly. With structured scheduling through the Jobs Management system, DRW Performance can now plan workloads more effectively and increase job capacity without needing to hire additional staff. The entire team has clarity on what's in the workshop, what's coming next, and where each build or service job stands.

Communication gaps have virtually disappeared. Centralised customer management has eliminated missed messages and booking confusion, directly improving the customer experience. For a business working in the high-performance M car market—where builds can involve significant investment—this professional approach enhances customer trust and confidence.

What started as a workshop managing jobs through a single phone has evolved into a streamlined, organised operation with the infrastructure to support continued growth. DRW Performance can now focus on what they do best while Autopilot handles the operational backbone of the business.