The biggest challenges facing shops

Parts shortage is the biggest challenge facing automotive repair and service shops going forward, according to a recent survey of shops in the United States.

IMR surveyed independent automotive repair shops in February to get insight into what they believe their biggest challenges will be this year as well as what challenges they expect to face in the future.

When asked what their top challenges would be in 2022, more than a third (36 per cent) picked “finding parts I need/parts shortages” as their top issue. Bringing customers back and providing incentives was selected by 32 per cent of respondents. Finding affordable parts was third at 29 per cent. Respondents could choose multiple responses.

The results are different than when IMR posed the question last year and in 2019 as COVID-19 changed the focus of shops.

Pre-pandemic, in 2019, 43 per cent of shops listed their biggest challenges as finding time for hands-on technician training. Staying up to date with advances in diagnostics was second at 32 per cent. That was followed by keeping up with advances in vehicle technology at 31 per cent.

As the pandemic raged on last year, the top concern was keeping staff and customers safe/social distancing at 55 per cent. That was followed by getting customers/keeping shop running/returning to normal hours (44 per cent) and getting parts on time (34 per cent).

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