Acting Outside the Box

by Burl Richards, ABAT President

Auto body shops are auto body shops, right? Well, maybe that used to be the way that most of us operated, but with claims down, many shops are struggling to fill their bays…and that means we may need to not only think outside the box but take action to escape the box altogether!

Now, I realize that some shops are adjusting to the downturn by getting certified in specific OEMs, making themselves more palatable to insurers through DRP relationships or expanding their marketing efforts. And that may (or may not) work for your shop, but that’s not really what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about true diversification in your operations.

We’ve been trying to figure out how to increase traffic and drive more sales at my shop in Lindale. I recently was chatting with my buddy, Robert, who had a very successful tire business I used to deal with. He sold it but still has great connections, so we’re exploring the possibility of partnering up to add tire sales at my shop.

With the right personnel, a shop could expand into mechanical work. I hear that mechanical work is projected to grow tremendously in the coming years since people are hanging onto their cars longer, so bringing some of that mechanical work in-house could lead to increased profits.

Maybe offering glasswork is the right niche for you; that can be a very profitable venture and a huge opportunity. Some shops are adding more paintless dent repair (PDR), detailing/cosmetic work or restorations to their repertoire or focusing on advanced technology by exploring EV repair or ADAS calibrations.

But no matter what additional operations you consider bringing in-house, be sure to do your research to determine what training, tools and equipment will be needed. If you’re going to do something new, make sure you’re qualified to do it and that you’re doing it correctly so you don’t run into liability issues down the road. Diversification is a great option for expanding your business, but we should always treat everything we add with the same level of professionalism and concern for our customers as we would with our current operations.

Take a look at your ROs to be certain that you are currently subletting enough of that work to make it worthwhile. No one wants to make an investment with no ROI! That means that you need to be billing properly – research OEM repair procedures, document everything, and don’t forget those non-included operations.

Sounds like too much work for an unclear ROI? There are other options. When it comes to creating a great customer service experience, we all recognize the value of relationships, but what about developing relationships with like-minded businesses? If you’re going to continue subletting your work, make sure you’re connecting with those business owners to find out how the relationship can be mutually beneficial. You’re already sending work their way, but maybe they’d be willing to refer you to their clients who need body work.

Or maybe none of this sounds appealing to you…or you’re not having workload issues at all. Perhaps you’ve found a niche that I haven’t considered. We’ve already got the first month of 2026 under our belts, but it’s valuable to learn from others’ perspectives, and I’d love to hear what other shops are doing to diversify and keep the business rolling along. Please reach out and let me know what ideas your shop has implemented and how it’s going!

Want more? Check out the February 2026 issue of Texas Automotive!