Field service software should help your garage door company scale — not slow it down.

Ryan Lucia, founder of Aaron Overhead Doors and host of the Torsion Talk podcast, breaks down the exact features garage door business owners need in their software stack. After years of using platforms like ServiceTitan and monday.com, he shares what works, what doesn’t, and what’s non-negotiable for serious operators.

If you don’t have these features, you’re leaving money — and efficiency — on the table.

Why Garage Door Companies Need Better Software

Ryan’s not a tech guy. He’s a door guy. But like most garage door business owners, he’s had to patch together tools to keep up with lead flow and team operations.

“I’ve got four Facebook pages, Instagram, website leads, Legion tools, text alerts, personal email, sales email… I waste hours trying to remember where a lead came in.”

This fragmentation slows down sales, breaks the customer experience, and creates chaos across teams.

It’s why Ryan’s leadership style has always been built on simplicity and systems.

The 10 Most Critical Features for FSM Software

1. Scheduling Based on Skill Set and Location

Forget drag-and-drop gimmicks. Ryan wants:

• Real-time tech tracking
  
• Skill-based availability
  
• Route optimization
  

“Without skill-based scheduling, you’re just guessing — and that’s not scalable.”

2. Mobile App Built for Non-Techs

Your field techs aren’t software developers.

“They’re great with their hands, not devices. Make it stupid simple.”

Key features:

• Offline mode (for poor reception in garages)
  
• GPS check-ins
  
• iPad “present mode” so techs can show customers pricing packages (as ServiceTitan does)
  

3. Unified CRM with Centralized Communication

Ryan lists over 10 communication channels he’s juggling daily. Quotes get lost. Follow-ups fall through the cracks.

“Why wouldn’t all your leads go into one place where CSRs can assign, follow up, and track close rates?”

4. Sales Pipeline Visibility

He’s been using monday.com because ServiceTitan lacks multi-stage deal tracking.

What he needs:

• Status like: New > Quoted > Follow-up > Closed-Won
  
• Forecasting for expected revenue by month
  
• Visibility into average time to close
  

“You can’t run sales without projections. Period.”

5. Inventory + PO Integration

Without real-time inventory tied to work orders, you can’t do accurate job costing.

“Every software should support this. It’s not optional anymore.”

He wants:

• Supplier integrations (for direct ordering)
  
• Auto-replenish
  
• Inventory usage linked to each job
  

6. Built-In Project Management

Even after a sale, there’s plenty to manage:

• Ordering parts
  
• Scheduling install
  
• Customer updates
  

“We shouldn’t have to use monday.com for this. It should be baked in.”

He recommends a stage-based board view — much like sales pipeline — to move projects through fulfillment.

7. Smart Communication Triggers

Ryan likes how ServiceTitan includes:

• Text alerts with photos of techs en route
  
• Appointment reminders
  
• Follow-up emails
  

But this should be table stakes. The best systems do this out of the box — not as expensive add-ons.

8. Fair Payment Processing

“We hit their benchmark and they still refused to lower our rate. And they take a percentage of every transaction.”

This is Ryan’s most direct frustration with ServiceTitan. He wants:

• Flexible billing for commercial jobs (e.g., 50% upfront, 40% on completion, 10% retainage)
  
• Lower fees
  
• Better negotiation for volume pricing
  

9. Workflow Automation + AI

Ryan wants to eliminate human delay in areas like:

• Lead response
  
• Quote follow-up
  
• Technician scheduling
  

“You should get a quote the second you fill out a form — not hours later.”

Related: How Garage Door Businesses Can Use AI to Stay Competitive

10. Customization & Scalability

Can your software handle multiple departments or markets?

“I need different workflows for install vs service — and I shouldn’t have to start over with a new platform.”

He emphasizes:

• Multi-location capability
  
• Custom fields for each service type
  
• Configurable dashboards by department
  

Ryan Lucia’s ServiceTitan Experience: Pros and Cons

Ryan isn’t bitter — he’s honest.

He praises Anna at ServiceTitan for being a standout in customer support. But he believes the software is overpriced for what it delivers:

“There are tools that cost half as much and do more — with better flexibility.”

He’s actively testing alternatives now and documenting that journey.

Questions to Ask Before Picking Your Software

Before you choose any FSM platform, Ryan recommends asking:

• Can I track lead sources and sales pipeline stages?
  
• Will it support multiple departments and billing structures?
  
• Does it auto-send reminders and appointment updates?
  
• Can my techs actually use it in low-signal garages?
  
• Does it play well with QuickBooks or my accounting tool?
  

If the answer is “no” to any of these — keep shopping.

Final Thoughts from Ryan Lucia

Ryan’s not trying to sell software. He’s trying to fix the systems that slow down door companies every day.

“We’ve been duped into thinking big names mean complete features. But that’s not the case anymore.”

He’s looking for platforms that are:

• Built by tradespeople, for tradespeople
  
• Streamlined and cost-effective
  
• Focused on growth, not gimmicks
  

Want to hear how he built a 7-figure garage door company from scratch? Check out how he leads during uncertainty and continues to scale with clarity.

What software is powering your business?

Let us know what tools you’re using and what’s working — or not.
Need help making your stack work for you? Get in touch with the Markinuity team.