6 Critical Changes for Shops Struggling with Vehicle Repair Complexity

Data-driven decisions and workflow-enhanced technology are transforming collision repair profitability. And they have to. 

As Revv CEO Adi Bathla likes to say, “modern vehicles are basically computers on wheels”. 

This makes it all the more important for your shop to adapt to this reality or risk falling behind permanently. 

In a recent episode of the Auto Tech Show, Marc Babin sat down with Adi, who shared his POV and insights into why today’s collision repair environment demands smarter, faster, and more practical solutions.

Here are six takeaways from the conversation that every shop owner should know to stay profitable and competitive.

Takeaway #1: The 10-Year Adaptation Timeline Is Dead

Before, repair shops had a generous learning curve. Adi mentions that “history repeats itself,” signaling that the auto repair industry has gone through two big shifts similar to the one facing it today: the first being mandated airbags and the other being when pre- and post-scans became mandatory. 

With these shifts, collision shops had to pivot to understand how to service and ensure the function of new systems, but it was a long journey. Adi mentions, ”If you look at those two examples, the normalization took about a decade,” he continues, “which is unsustainable today”. 

Back then, there were just a couple of new steps for shops to learn. He explains that while there were permutations of airbags, it was just one component that required a pre-scan and a post-scan. Now, he adds, there are millions of different permutations when it comes to the many different components that are installed on modern vehicles.

As Adi points out, the 10-year ramp-up is gone:

• Then: One component (airbags), limited diagnostic steps, simple pre- and post-scans, OEM procedure did not change frequently
• Now: Literally 500,000+ of part permutations and systems, with new updates weekly

The timeline shops need to work by today isn’t measured in years. In some cases it’s not even months but mere days. Tools, therefore, must adapt to OEM and regulatory shifts at the same speed as the vehicles rolling into your shop.

Takeaway #2: Empathy-Driven Solution Design Beats Feature-Rich Tools

While some software providers try flashy marketing campaigns to convince you of how amazing their new tool is, Adi observed that the most effective solutions are empathetic to actual technician workflows. “Empathy equates to the hardest problems that the repairer is feeling in this changing landscape,” he said. For this reason, Adi wishes to create solutions that meet the repairer at their level and help their workflow from a holistic approach, aiming to make their job easier, not harder.

An empathy-first approach includes:

• Analyzing the workflow from a holistic perspective to see how technicians already work
• Creating solutions that fit into existing routines, not replacing them
• Eliminating uncompensated, repetitive tasks
• Solving end-to-end workflow gaps

New tools need to be helpful, not a pain in the neck. “If you ask a technician to do more unpaid work, they won’t use the tool,” says Adi. “Solutions need to reduce friction, not add to it.”

Tools that your shop needs to avoid have features that include:

• Requiring entirely new processes
• Adding steps to existing workflows
• Only solve one piece of the puzzle
• Unclear training estimations, which may reduce revenue due to headaches with time-consuming integration

When evaluating potential partners, prioritize tools that meet you in your workflow and make your work easier and quicker.

Takeaway #3: ‘Smart’ Technology Isn’t Always Useful

Some “smart” tools might be deceptive in earning that label. Adi mentioned that while some tools may seem beneficial, they may not be useful. To be useful, Adi said that the tools must be “actually used in the day-to-day, truly integrated into the operational core of the business”. 

“Smart” often means high-tech, but if it doesn’t integrate into your shop’s operations, it’s just adding complexity. Adding complexity means more steps, more wasted time, and less revenue.

Here are the key differences between smart and useful tools:

Smart Tech Traits:

• Feature-heavy interfaces
• Impressive technical capabilities
• Isolated innovation
• Designed for demos, not the floor

Useful Tech Traits:

• Reduces manual errors and wasted time
• Improves end-to-end workflows, seamless integration
• Is intuitive to technicians
• Solves more than one issue, not an isolated one
  
  

To decide if a tool is correct for you, you must ask yourself if you are seeing improvements while using a specific platform. When reviewing the performance of your current tools, look for real, actionable data on:

• Job cycle time
• Insurance claim turnaround
• Documentation accuracy
• Technician productivity
  
  

Takeaway #4: Choose Software Partners, Not Just Software Products

One of the more compelling moments in the episode is Adi’s reflection on how fast the industry is evolving. Regulations are changing weekly, OEMs are shipping software-driven vehicles, and the traditional repair playbook is becoming obsolete.

Yet most repair shops are not structured to keep up with these changes on their own. They’re focused on throughput, customer service, and technician management—not real-time regulatory adaptation.

Shops don’t just need software. Instead, they need software partners that keep pace with the market and act as an extension of their operational brain. Revv is well-equipped to handle this task. Adi advises repair shops to choose software partners that “will continue to innovate and solve your problems for the long haul”.

Key traits of a software partner:

• Commits to continuous innovation
• Rapidly adapts to new OEM or regulatory requirements
• Proactively solves industry challenges
• Seamlessly integrates with your current systems

Red flags:

• One-and-done implementation models
• Slow update cycles
• Siloed functionality
• No roadmap for growth or scaling

You want partners who will look to solve your problems, not just try to sell you products. You also want to stay on top of constantly changing requirements. and features. Questions that you should ask before partnering with a business include, but are not limited to:

• How often do you push updates?
• How quickly do you reflect OEM changes?
• How do you reduce workflow disruptions?
• Can you scale as our shop grows?

Takeaway #5: Future-Proofing Requires Integrated, Workflow-Native Solutions

The best tools connect your entire repair process. Revv, for instance, integrates research, documentation, insurance claim preparation, OEM updates, and more into a single interface.

These integrations eliminate the wasted time that shops often absorb, such as unpaid research, repetitive data entry, or failed insurance claims.

“Revv is always looking to be the ‘connective tissue’”, as Adi puts it, “that bridges the gap between constantly changing OEMs, repairers, and insurers, no matter how evolved the industry becomes”.

Why this matters now

• Regulations are accelerating, not slowing down
• Software-heavy vehicles are already a large portion of the market
• Shops that are quick to act will capture market share
• The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to catch up

The collision repair inflection point is now and has been for a while.

There are two choices at the point we’re at.  Either stick with previous approaches because it’s “just the way we’ve always done things,” or embrace integrated tech solutions that ensure your shop’s success for generations to come.

It can feel overwhelming to think on those terms, so keep changes small and manageable at first. 

Your next steps should include auditing your current workflow to see where the most time is wasted, evaluating your platforms and systems to see if they’re adapting quickly enough, and assessing current business relationships to see if they are solving problems or simply trying to sell features. 

Revv was built to meet your shop where it is and take it where it needs to go. With seamless integrations, intelligent automation, and real-time OEM updates, Revv delivers the tools you need without trying to upsell you products that distract you from your current workflow.

Book a demo with Revv today to learn more about staying ahead and taking back your time.

Listen to the full episode of the Auto Tech Show featuring Revv CEO Adi Bathla to hear more on how technology, transparency, and empathy are redefining modern repair.