Torque DMS vs RTC (Real Time Communications): Which is Right for Your Workshop?
Date Published
RTC (Real Time Communications) is a UK aftersales software provider used by dealerships and OEMs, built around electronic vehicle health checks, workshop management, and business intelligence — and it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified for information security, a genuine credential worth noting for any business handling customer data.
What RTC genuinely does well
- Strong integration depth with established automotive players: AutoTrader, HPI, Keyloop, and CitNOW (Insights, Triage, Workshop) are all connected
- Explicit emphasis on customisation — RTC configures each customer's setup individually rather than offering one fixed package, which can suit a dealership with unusual workflows
- eVHC, online service booking, and online check-in cover the full digital-aftersales journey, not just one piece of it
- ISO/IEC 27001 certified — a real, independently audited security standard, not just a marketing claim
Where the comparison actually differs
RTC doesn't publish pricing or customer testimonials on its own site, and it's positioned primarily for dealership and OEM aftersales departments rather than independent workshops or combined dealer-and-service businesses — if you're a smaller independent garage, it may simply not be built with you as the primary customer in mind. Torque DMS is built for both ends of that spectrum: independents and dealers, sales and workshop, in one system.
On cost: RTC's model isn't disclosed, so there's no way to make a fair pricing comparison without contacting them directly. Torque DMS's free-plus-commission model is unusual enough that it's worth asking RTC point-blank what a comparable package would cost for your business size.
Honest bottom line
If you run a dealership aftersales department with complex, specific configuration needs and value an ISO 27001-certified vendor, RTC is a serious option to put in front of your IT/compliance team. If you are an independent workshop, or a dealer who also needs the sales/forecourt side covered in the same system, Torque DMS is likely the closer fit — but the only way to know for certain is to ask RTC for a demo against your own real workflow and compare directly.