The Best Time to Be Independent is Now

Don’t Just Survive When You Can Thrive! 

How many years have we heard the same prediction, “Consolidators will take over everything, independents don’t stand a chance?” I disagree with this statement. 

Yes, our industry is changing dramatically.  

• Technology is advancing rapidly 
• OEMs are exerting more control 
• Insurance pressures aren’t letting up 
• More work than ever is moving toward customer-pay 

But here’s the truth:  

This future does not eliminate independent collision repairers. In many ways, it gives them new, unfair advantages. 

If you’re an independent shop owner who is willing to think strategically, lead courageously, and build something special, this next decade may prove to be the best opportunity you’ve ever had. So, let’s talk about why! 

Your advantages – Your "Edge" as an independent shop 

1. Trust is the most valuable currency – and independents own it.  

People today are confused, and they’re unsure who to trust. They’re worried about premiums, deductibles, resale value, technology, and safety. In that environment, trust becomes everything. 

Large MSOs are built for scale and throughput, but independent shops are built on relationships, reputation, and integrity. 

You’ve spent years, maybe decades, earning credibility in your community. People know you, they know your values, they’ve shaken your hand, and that matters more now than ever before. 

When a customer asks: 

• Should I even file a claim? 
• Is this safe? 
• Who’s really looking out for me? 

They want a human being they trust, and that is your advantage. 

2 . Independents can pivot faster than any consolidator ever will.  

Consolidators are enormous organizations, and with size comes bureaucracy, committees, approvals, and slow movement. 

Meanwhile, independents can: 

• Decide in a morning meeting 
• Implement tomorrow 
• Refine next week 

When the market shifts with EVs, ADAS, calibration needs, rising self-pay work, and growing fleet demand, independents can adapt in weeks while big companies take years. 

Speed is a strategic weapon, and independents own it. 

3. Differentiation beats being “just another shop.”  

A lot of industry talk encourages “specialization only,” but let’s face it: many independents, especially in smaller markets and rural communities, don’t have the option to specialize exclusively. Their communities rely on them to do a wide variety of work. 

And that’s not a weakness. 

You can still build an incredible competitive advantage without being narrow. Your advantage may come from: 

• Superior customer service 
• Exceptional communication and transparency 
• Craftsmanship and pride 
• Your advisory approach 
• Turnaround reliability 
• Community reputation 
• Genuinely memorable customer experience 

Some shops will choose to specialize deeply in EV, ADAS, fleet, cosmetic, or OEM-certified repair, and they will win doing that. Others will remain strong, capable, trusted generalists in their communities and they will win too… 

IF they build a clear identity and a compelling reason for customers to choose them. 

Your unique selling proposition doesn’t have to be “we only do ________.” It can just as powerfully be: 

• We take better care of people than anyone else. 
• We make the repair experience easier. 
• We are the shop you can genuinely feel safe with. 

Differentiation isn’t only about what you do; it’s about how you do it and how people feel when they do business with you. 

4. Independents are embedded in their communities.  

You are not just a shop; you are part of the local ecosystem. 

You know: 

• The insurance agents 
• The mechanical shops 
• The dealers 
• The business leaders 
• The families you serve 

You don’t just participate in the community: you contribute to it. That creates something powerful: referral gravity. People send work to the businesses they believe in, and that is extremely difficult for consolidators to replicate. 

When triage grows and customers increasingly need help deciding what to do, the “local trusted advisor” becomes one of the most influential roles in the collision repair world. 

That role belongs to independents. 

5. Quality, craftsmanship, and ethical repair jobs still matter, and they will always matter.  

There is a right way to repair a vehicle. There always has been, and there always will be. As vehicle age extends, as technology increases, and as safety systems become more sensitive, the consequences of poor repair practices grow exponentially. 

This is where many independents shine: 

• Craftsmanship 
• Pride in work 
• OEM procedure discipline 
• Documentation integrity 
• Doing what is right even when nobody is watching 

That’s not just moral ground; that is a strategic position in the new life cycle economy. 

So, how should independents position themselves? 

Stop thinking like “the little guy fighting giants.” Start thinking like trusted guardians of the modern vehicle lifecycle. 

Here’s how to position yourself effectively: 

1. Adopt a bigger mission. You don’t just fix wrecks; you protect your customers’ safety, financial well-being, and vehicle value over years of ownership. 
2. Lead with expertise and trust. Your marketing shouldn’t scream “cheap and fast”; it should communicate confidence, competence, and care.
3. Define what makes you special. Whether you choose a niche or remain a high-performing generalist, build an identity that customers can clearly understand and emotionally connect to. Give people a reason to proudly say, “That’s my shop.” 

Build real customer relationships - develop follow-ups, stay connected, and be their collision repair advisor for life. 

That is how independents win. 

A Word of Caution 

Being independent is only an advantage if you act like a leader. 

You cannot: 

• Run your business sloppily 
• Rely on “how we’ve always done it” 
• Stay generic 
• Ignore financial discipline 
• Avoid strategic decisions 

The future belongs to capable, disciplined, forward-thinking independents. Not the accidental survivors, but the intentional builders. 

Final Thoughts 

The industry is absolutely changing, but don’t believe for one second that small means weak and big means unbeatable. 

Consolidators will continue to control volume, scale, and corporate contracts. 

Independent shops will control: 

• Trust 
• Loyalty 
• Agility 
• Community influence 
• Human connection 
• Craftsmanship 
• Heart 

And in the world we are heading into, those might just be the most powerful assets of all. 

The future is not something to fear. For independents who are willing to lead, the future is an opportunity. Let’s go build it.

This column first appeared on the Elite Body Shop Solutions website. To read it and others by Dave Luehr, click here.