Toronto, Ontario — Industry professionals are skeptical about the use of artificial intelligence in estimations, the results of a recent survey of Canadian Repair readers shows.
AI-generated estimates face overwhelming resistance in the Canadian market. A striking 93 percent of respondents reported they don’t use AI-generated estimates. While the remaining seven percent noted that customers they did, none reported positive customer reactions to them.
The question of whether respondents use AI chatbots in customer service roles provided a more divided response. Exactly 36 percent would accept AI chatbots as long as any follow-up calls are managed by real people. Another 36 percent believe customers still expect a person. A further 21 percent reported they are “unsure” about whether customers would accept chatbot interactions while seven percent said their customers prefer them.
Personal interaction remains highly valued in the collision repair industry. An overwhelming 86 percent of respondents rated face-to-face interaction as very important and irreplaceable. Only 14 percent felt it was only somewhat important. None considered face-to-face interaction unimportant.
The survey also asked readers to discuss the primary avenues their businesses secured new clients.
Insurance recommendations was the primary source of new customers for 50 percent of collision shops. Personal referrals were cited by 43 percent of respondents, highlighting the continued importance of word-of-mouth marketing and customer satisfaction in building business. Digital discovery is growing, with online searches and reviews mentioned by 21 percent of respondents, indicating that collision shops need to maintain strong online presence and reputation management. Walk-in and drive-by traffic accounts for seven percent of responses, while another seven percent reported using other methods to acquire customers.
Real-time updates are becoming standard practice among progressive shops, with 71 percent of respondents providing proactive status updates during repairs. Text messaging is the preferred method, used by 50 percent of all shops surveyed. Phone calls are utilized by 14 percent of respondents, while app and online portals are used by 21 percent of shops. However, 29 percent of shops still operate on a reactive model, providing updates only when customers ask, with these shops responding “No, we don’t provide updates unless asked.”
Customer inquiry patterns show clear priorities. Repair timeline questions dominate customer conversations, with 79 percent of respondents identifying this as the most common question before repair approval. Repair cost estimate accuracy concerns were cited by 21 percent of respondents, while warranty details were mentioned by only seven percent.
Communication method preferences reveal distinct patterns. When shops do provide proactive updates, 70 percent of those shops use text messaging, 20 percent use phone calls, and 30 percent use apps or online portals. Among the 29 percent of shops that don’t provide proactive updates, all follow the reactive model of responding only when customers inquire.
The survey reveals a significant gap between available technology and industry adoption, particularly with AI-generated estimates where adoption sits at just 7 percent. This may present opportunities for technology providers to better demonstrate value or address industry-specific concerns. While 71 percent of shops now provide proactive updates, the variety of methods suggests the industry is still finding the optimal communication mix for different customer segments.
The overwhelming 86 percent preference for face-to-face interaction and the conditional 36 percent acceptance of AI tools indicates that successful collision shops must balance efficiency-driven technology with relationship-focused service delivery.
The data shows that 50 percent of customer acquisition still comes through insurance partnerships, 43 percent through personal referrals and 21 percent through online channels.
