Key areas costing independent bodyshops revenue
Independent bodyshops have been encouraged to look closely at the jobs they are turning away or referring to specialists.
Recent data published in LKQ Euro Car Parts’ first Plug In-Dex found that almost 90% of bodyshops admitted they had turned away electric or hybrid work in the last six months.
Diagnostic access was one of the key barriers, but A1 ADAS Group believes the issue extends beyond electric vehicles. It argues that secure gateways, diagnostic coverage, ADAS calibration requirements, unfamiliar vehicle brands, and equipment limitations can all result in bodyshops turning away jobs.
Richard Taylor, managing director of A1 ADAS Group, said: “Every time a workshop has to send a job elsewhere because it can’t access the vehicle, complete a diagnostic function or carry out the next stage of the repair, revenue is walking out the door and key-to-key times are being extended.
“The answer isn’t necessarily to invest in every piece of equipment available. It’s about identifying the work you’re losing, understanding why, and deciding what makes commercial sense to bring in-house and what is better handled by a trusted mobile provider.”
The company will be addressing this issue at Mechanex Sandown Park on 10, 11 November, where it will also carry out live ADAS calibration and equipment demonstrations in the Live Technical Demo Zone.
Jamie Willis, business development director at A1 ADAS Group, said: “We see the sticking points first-hand every day. Our technicians work across different makes and models carrying out ADAS calibrations and diagnostic work, while our equipment team advises garages and bodyshops on what will actually work for their business.
“That gives us a very practical view of where jobs get held up and why. It might be secure gateway access, a function a diagnostic tool won’t perform, an ADAS requirement the technician wasn’t expecting or simply having the wrong equipment for the vehicles coming through the door.
