Vehicle Recovery Software for UK Breakdown Operators
A stranded motorist on the hard shoulder can't wait while your controller phones round the yard. Smart Strix gives recovery operators instant dispatch to the nearest available truck, condition photos on every vehicle lifted, and trade invoicing that doesn't slip a month behind the work.
What should vehicle recovery software do?
Four things above all: get the right truck to a breakdown fast, prove the condition of every vehicle you touch, keep control of jobs that change by the minute, and bill trade accounts accurately. Most recovery firms patch this together with a radio, a controller's memory and a duplicate book. Smart Strix handles all four in one system that the driver carries in a pocket.
How does urgent dispatch work when a breakdown comes in?
The call comes in, the controller creates the job, and the dispatch board shows the whole fleet's workload at a glance — drag the job onto a driver and it lands on their phone. The assignment optimizer ranks drivers by proximity, experience and backhaul, so "who's nearest with a slide-bed?" gets answered by the system rather than by ringing three drivers. Vehicle capacity records and driver capability tags (spec-lift trained, HGV licence, and so on) keep a 4x4 casualty off a truck that can't take it, and service areas with no-go zones respect the patches your ATA contracts or club work define.
Can I see where my recovery trucks are right now?
Yes — live driver tracking puts every truck and active job on one map, using the driver app's GPS — no black box to fit, no fitment downtime. Breadcrumb history shows the route a driver took to a scene, and a signed, expiring tracking link lets the stranded customer watch the truck approach instead of ringing the office. Live tracking is part of the Advanced plan.
How do condition photos protect a recovery operator?
"That dent wasn't there before you loaded it" is the dispute that eats margins in recovery. Smart Strix lets operators attach photos to the job at every stage — the casualty as found at the roadside, strapped on the bed, and delivered at the garage or the customer's address — each one stored on the job record with its timestamp. Completion is sealed with a customer or garage signature captured in the app as proof of delivery. When an insurer or an owner raises a damage complaint weeks later, the evidence is attached to the job, not lost on a driver's old phone.
Where can I find extra recovery work?
Through the Smart Taurus job marketplace, which is attached to Smart Strix and carries consumer jobs — including vehicle transport and recovery requests — that you browse by radius and quote on. Between club rotations and trade calls, a flatbed sitting in the yard earns nothing; marketplace quoting turns quiet hours into billable lifts. Auto-bid rules can quote for you within a margin strategy, minimum and maximum prices, and time-decay pricing you set.
How does invoicing work for trade and garage customers?
Recovery billing splits two ways: cash jobs paid at the roadside and trade accounts — garages, dealers, fleets — invoiced after the fact. Smart Strix invoicing tracks each invoice from draft through sent, viewed and paid, while reminder schedules, late fees and partial payments handle the credit control recovery firms hate. Invoices export to Xero or QuickBooks, so month-end is an export, not a re-keying session.
What does breakdown recovery software cost?
Starting costs nothing. Starter suits a small operator with a couple of trucks (up to 3 drivers), while Advanced brings unlimited drivers and live GPS. Both run monthly or yearly with no tie-in; see the pricing page. AI pricing help for quotes is an optional add-on from £39/month ex VAT.