ASSESSOR SUMMER 2025 FULL MAGAZINE v2 - Flipbook - Page 31
JOURNAL
IAEA MEMBER BENEFITS
DATA DRIVEN
DECISIONS
Solera Audatex saw £1.7 million in new data sales (FY25)
re昀氀ecting growing market demand for data. With Solera Audatex
providing IAEA Members with access to the CAP valuation guides
(more on this in news), The Assessors Journal caught up with
Sales Director, Tom Hart, for an update on what has been a busy
year-to-date for Solera Audatex, with 278 new repairers joining
the Audatex network, 57 new vehicle models and 285 updates
added across platforms, and 17 new parts suppliers integrated.
ata analytics, arti昀椀cial
intelligence (AI), and
repair performance
metrics: the team at
Solera Audatex has
been rapid in its response to some
of the ever-evolving environmental
and customer-driven trends that many
repairers in the bodyshop market are
grappling with in 2025.
D
There’s a suite of solutions to directly
address what’s happening “now and
next,” Tom Hart, Sales Director for
Audatex UK said. Plus, a bolstered
Solera Audatex Crash Repair Team
(CRT) to support bodyshop clients with
昀氀uctuating claims volumes, new vehicle
tech and pressure on margins.
Audatex UK provides 99.3% coverage
of passenger and LCV models (up to
10-years-old) and 98.8% EV coverage,
covering more than 700,000 vehicles.
In today’s fast-paced repair industry,
staying competitive means more than
just 昀椀xing cars – it means making
data-driven decisions that optimise
every job, every quote, and every
resource, outlined Tom. Solera
Analytics for Repairers, available via
Audatex UK, is an “all-in-one analytics
solution purpose-built for vehicle
repairers”.
market-wide data: useful for single-site
and group bodyshops, according to
Tom.
Repairers can generate custom
dashboards and reports, and save,
schedule and share reports using 昀椀xed
or dynamic dates.
BENCHMARKING
Bodyshops can benchmark their
business against competitors using
anonymised industry data, track costs
and labour by variant and paint level,
and even see a breakdown of parts
costs by OEM, section, or volume, to
expedite “negotiation opportunities
with suppliers”, said Tom.
“The repairability metrics mean
bodyshops can understand how your
repairability index impacts margins,”
said Tom, “by part, make, and model”
via an Add-On Insights option.
Solera Analytics for Repairers allows
repair professionals to “collaborate
with con昀椀dence using a platform built
for real repairers doing real work,” said
Tom, using a secure, scalable, and
user-friendly format that helps
bodyshops “make smarter decisions”.
with these advanced systems,” said
Tom.
For bodyshops, this means “adapting
to an evolving landscape”.
Traditionally, automotive technicians
honed their skills through hands-on
experience with systems, Tom
explained. However, as vehicles have
evolved, so have the skills required
to repair them. Today’s vehicles often
feature software-driven diagnostics,
AI systems, and electric powertrains
that differ signi昀椀cantly from internal
combustion engines (ICE).
The cost of advanced training is one
of the largest obstacles for small
and independent repair shops.
Programmes designed to teach
technicians how to use AI-powered
tools and advanced diagnostics often
cost thousands of pounds per student,
making them prohibitive for businesses
operating on tight margins. Without
these skills, smaller shops risk falling
behind, unable to compete with larger
chains that can afford to invest in staff
upskilling.
Smart solutions are in demand right
now with margins under pressure and,
Tom said: ”The automotive repair
industry stands at the threshold of
a revolution driven by AI, and those
who adapt quickly will lead the
way.” He explained that repairing
vehicles today requires more than a
deep understanding of mechanical
components; it also demands expertise
in AI-powered technologies that are
now integral to many vehicles. “This
shift presents both opportunities and
challenges for the industry, particularly
as it faces a signi昀椀cant shortage of
skilled technicians equipped to work
Blended learning offers a practical
and cost-effective solution. By
combining in-person training with
online courses, technicians can gain
hands-on experience while leveraging
virtual learning for topics such as
AI diagnostics. This approach is
particularly valuable for those in remote
or rural areas and is where solutions
like Solera’s Autodata play a vital role in
making training accessible. By offering
on-demand access to training materials
and diagnostic tools, technicians can
upskill without leaving their workshops.
Short training videos, step-by-step
repair guides, and interactive content
enable learning to 昀椀t seamlessly into a
technician’s workday.
www.iaea-online.org/news/the-assessor | SUMMER 2025 | THE ASSESSORS JOURNAL
31
“From real-time performance tracking
to market benchmarking, this platform
empowers you to make smarter
decisions, faster,” said Tom.
OPERATIONAL INSIGHTS
This allows instant visibility into key
“metrics that matter”, he explained,
including claims volume, repairability
index, job severity, and cost variances.
Users can customise 昀椀lters by claim,
insurer, vehicle info, or shop, and “dive
deep” into your own data – or
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