Independent garages are benefitting from an increasing AI dividend, with businesses reporting that tools powered by artificial intelligence are boosting efficiency by around 30% across the board. Workshops are then using the flexibility gained to continue to increase market share, offering customers convenience that franchised dealers struggle to match.
The launch of ChatGPT in 2022 was arguably the official kick off point for the artificial intelligence era, and garages were quick to recognise the opportunity: “One of the biggest impacts has been in customer communication, “explained Reaz Mojumder from QCD Autocentre in Brackley, Northamptonshire. “Using AI-supported systems to manage emails, quotes, and updates has resulted in an estimated 25–35% reduction in inbound calls for progress updates.”
Greater efficiency means businesses like QCD can play to their strengths: “With main dealer lead times often reaching four to six weeks,” explained Mojumder, “both retail and fleet customers are increasingly turning to independents to reduce vehicle-off-road (VOR) time. Rather than competing directly with franchised dealers, we focus on what independents do best: speed, flexibility, and customer service.”
Customer engagement
He continued: “Internally, AI helps organise bookings, enquiries, and accounting processes, freeing up valuable time. As a result, our front-of-house team now has 20–30% more capacity to focus on bookings, sales pipeline, and customer engagement. This contributes directly to business growth.”
Having seen the admin advantages offered, AI is being rolled out across the business. “AI is also supporting our diagnostic processes,” said Mojumder, “helping us produce clear, structured explanations of faults, along with defined test plans and next steps. This can be integrated into quotes or shared directly with customers, improving transparency while reducing the need for repeated explanations.”
While the business is clearly making the most of the tech, it has eschewed AI-driven telephone systems. “Many customers find automated phone services frustrating, particularly when trying to resolve issues with banks or mobile providers, and prefer speaking to a real person,” noted Mojumder. “Maintaining that human connection remains a key part of our service.”
Intelligent technology
Stourbridge Automotive is also using AI tools to enhance communication. Director Kay Fellows (pictured below) said: “With part of our management team having worked previously in the dealer world, we recently adopted Auto3iii. This uses AI to enhance communication between us and our customer about their onsite vehicle health checks. This ensures every vehicle is checked, reported, and followed up in a consistent manner.
“The intelligent technology generates reports from our workshop technical team through to our customers, so they kept informed on previous and current work with future advisories or when work becomes urgent.”
On the impact on customers, Fellows revealed: “Our net promoter score (NPS) increased from 85 in November to 91 for December with December being the very first month of use. It has continued to rise and in February we achieved a high score of 94.”
Real work
EAC Telford has been using AI call handling platform Reception Mate for since September 2025. EAC helped to trial the 24/7 call handling service before it was integrated into Garage Hive.
“The system helps make sure no calls are missed, “said Director Mark Kettle (pictured below), “and customers are still able to get support. It converts more enquiries into confirmed bookings and captures revenue that would otherwise be lost. The calls actually turn into real work too, driving revenue. Just last week 86 calls were received. That would have been 86 missed calls previously.”
Looking more broadly, Kettle concluded: “From October to December– there were 1,468 calls answered at the centre. 158 of these became bookings. Revenue generated from this, including any other sold items, was almost £29,000. That’s money they wouldn’t have otherwise made.”
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