From reporting to action

Technology was a recurring theme throughout ILC’s repair sector event – ARC360 2026, with discussions ranging from vehicle complexity and repairability to artificial intelligence and future workforce requirements.

On the Showcase Stage, Nick Spiers, Head of Business UK & Ireland at iBodyshop, focused on a more practical question: how can technology help bodyshops reduce administration, improve visibility and spend more time focusing on productive work?

Introducing iBodyshop to the ARC360 audience, Nick explained that the platform has been developed specifically for the collision repair sector and has already established a significant presence in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

“The reason why iBodyshop has come to the UK and Irish market is to change some of the legacy systems that we probably see operating currently,” he told delegates.

Administrative burden

Despite significant investment in technology across the sector, bodyshops often continue to face large administrative workloads, multiple disconnected systems and increasing reporting requirements.

Looking at the UK market from an international perspective, Nick suggested that many repair businesses are carrying a significant administrative burden.

“Bodyshops are under the spotlight more than ever,” he said referencing the requirements often stipulated as part of working relationships.

He also argued that the industry often struggles with visibility and access to meaningful information.

“There’s no real visibility,” he explained. “That’s why there’s many of these companies creating different data centres to extract and produce report upon report upon report.”

According to Nick, the challenge is not necessarily a lack of data. Instead, it is turning that data into useful actions that help businesses make better decisions.

Change

To address this, the presentation explored how cloud-based systems and artificial intelligence are beginning to change the way bodyshops manage workflow, communication and operational performance.

Nick described iBodyshop as a fully cloud-based platform with integrated connections across estimating, accounting and operational systems.

The aim, he explained, is to reduce duplication, improve visibility and simplify processes by ensuring information flows throughout the business without repeated manual intervention.

A significant portion of the presentation focused on the platform’s developing AI capabilities.

While artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly common across many industries, Nick suggested that its value within repair operations extends beyond generating reports.

AI Ask

One of the newest developments is a feature called AI Ask, which allows users to ask questions about their business in natural language and receive immediate responses based on live operational data.

“Think of anything you want to know inside your business and AI will generate you a report for it,” he explained.

Examples could include identifying where work has originated, highlighting vehicles at risk of delay or providing information about daily operational priorities.

To illustrate the concept further, Nick invited Stuart Faid, Chief Commercial Officer from iBodyshop’s Australian parent company, Clear 21, to discuss how the technology is already being used in practice.

According to Stuart, the real value lies not simply in presenting information but helping businesses take action.

“Beyond reporting, lots of people extract data and put it into Power BI and you can run reports and charts and a whole load of visual graphics,” he explained. “But then what do you do with the information?”

Identify, analyse and understand

He described how the system can identify vehicles at risk of delay, analyse the reasons behind those risks and help users understand likely outcomes based on historical data.

One example involved parts availability. The system can assess average supplier lead times and use that information to predict when components are likely to arrive, helping businesses manage workflow and customer communication more effectively.

Stuart suggested that future developments could go even further by automatically updating customers and arranging collection times based on predicted completion dates.

“It’s not spreadsheets and reporting,” he said. “It is literally like a digital Yoda that sits on the end of your desk and then scurries off and executes actions and saves you a whole heap of time.”

Developments

Nick also outlined several other AI-enabled developments currently being refined within the platform.

These include voice-controlled workflow management, where managers can verbally allocate jobs and update schedules, as well as mobile functionality that allows technicians to capture images and send them directly into repair estimates without leaving the workshop floor.

Another area of focus is customer communication.

Nick described how AI-powered reception functionality is being developed to support appointment booking, customer updates, courtesy car management and other routine interactions that can consume significant amounts of administrative time.

Performance

Alongside the technology roadmap, the session also highlighted performance improvements reported by existing users.

According to Nick, businesses using the platform have achieved an average 40% reduction in administration time, a 60% reduction in inbound customer calls and a 25% improvement in workflow efficiency through enhanced job allocation and scheduling processes.

The platform is also reported to reduce invoicing delays through integration between operational and financial systems, helping businesses improve cash flow and reduce manual processing.

While the technology itself formed the centrepiece of the presentation, the underlying message was broader.

As the repair sector continues to evolve, the focus may increasingly move beyond simply collecting data towards using technology to drive decisions, automate routine processes and support more efficient operations.

“We believe this is the future,” Nick concluded. “We’re moving from the Nokia to the iPhone in the bodyshop management world.”

Supported by Corporate Partners Allscreens, BASF, e2e, Exclusive Repair Network, iBodyshop, Mirka, NWVA, Prasco UK, Repairify, S&G, Sherwin-Williams, Solera Audatex and Spire Drive, alongside sponsors Partly, Silverlake Automotive Recycling and Thatcham Research; as well as  Industry Body Partners AutoRaise, MIB, NBRA and Trend Tracker; and Vehicle Manufacturer Partner Stellantis, ARC360 2026 attracted close to 400 key persons of influence from across the UK vehicle repair and motor claims sector.