What counts as a bench
Benchtop is priced per bench, because a bench is the thing a shop has more or fewer of. Here is exactly what one is.
A bench is a place where work happens at the same time as other work. If two repairs can be in progress at once, that is two benches.
What is not a bench
- A member of staff. Two mechanics sharing one workstand is one bench.
- A counter or a till. Taking work in is free.
- A storage rack or a shelf of finished jobs.
- A second location — that is a separate shop, and there is a group plan for it.
Changing the count
Settings → Billing → Benches. Add one and you are charged the remainder of the month, pro rata. Remove one and the credit lands on the next invoice.
Seasonal shops
Ski rooms and bike shops routinely run four benches in season and one in August. Change the number as the season changes; there is no minimum term and no penalty for going down. Several shops set a calendar reminder to drop it, which is the sort of thing we would rather tell you than quietly collect.