Enterprise Rent-A-Car believes the complexity of modern vehicles is prompting bodyshops to refocus on their core function of repairing cars.
It says that while many repairers have diversified services in recent years, the demands of repairing high-tech vehicles safely and efficiently means more and more business owners are stripping back their offerings to focus on a more traditional service.
Nick Sweetman, AVP Vehicle Repair and Service Operations for UK & Ireland at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, said, “Some of the key recent innovations within the vehicle repair sector have seen it return to a more traditional core offering. Historically, many repairers have provided a wider range of services to ensure their place in the claims supply chain. They have therefore tried everything from courtesy cars to vehicle recovery. Now, they’ve gone back to their roots and are focused on their core skill – fixing cars.
“One of the main reasons behind this consolidation is the increasing complexity of vehicles, brought about through the wider use of technology and evident in even the smallest repairs. Even just replacing a broken wing mirror is no longer a simple task if there is a camera, or a sensor, or both, built into it – and other sections of vehicles are far more complex.
“So, it makes sense for bodyshops to focus on repairs if they’re going to be ever more difficult and time-consuming.”
Meanwhile, the continued uptake of electric vehicles is also making bodyshops commit more and more time and investment on repair training and tooling.
Nick said, “Increasing vehicle complexity is also evident as more electric vehicles come onto the market. This is leading many repairers to innovate, offering training and accreditation in EV repair to their technicians.
“The use of green parts is another area of innovation, as repairers facing tightened supply find smarter ways to acquire and re-use the parts from an increasing number of written-off and salvage vehicles.
“We’ve been keen to explore this area with Enterprise’s own repair network, with parts from our cars ring-fenced for our exclusive use by SYNETIQ for 12 weeks before they’re offered to the wider industry.”
Nick added, “All innovation in vehicle repair is about improving the customer journey and that will only increase. Bodyshops and their partners are creating better data pipelines to ensure the supply chain is updated in real time, providing EV repair, or focusing on repairs to provide a more streamlined service. They are investing heavily in ensuring motor claims are managed as efficiently as possible.”
