Interview: Faster diagnostics, fewer unnecessary part replacements
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Our recent interview with the German aftermarket magazine krafthand has just been published. In the interview, Isabel Meeus, Commercial Director Europe Central, shares her thoughts on data quality, workshop efficiency, AI, and the future of the independent automotive aftermarket.
Read the full interview here (in German)
As vehicles become more connected, complex and diverse, workshops need fast access to reliable information more than ever. Whether it's identifying the right part, diagnosing a difficult fault or navigating new vehicle technologies, high-quality data has become essential. In the interview, Isabel explains how we're continuously evolving our solutions to help workshops work faster, more accurately and with greater confidence.
Key takeaways
Better vehicle and parts data helps workshops avoid costly mistakes and identify the right part faster.
TecRMI Verified Repairs combines OEM information with real-world workshop experience to speed up diagnostics.
AI can support technicians, but only when it's built on reliable, structured data.
Close collaboration with customers remains a key driver behind our product development.
Open standards and connected data will play a crucial role in the future of the aftermarket.
More precision, fewer mistakes
One of our key priorities is making parts identification as precise as possible.
Our clear focus with TecDoc data is to reduce ambiguities and significantly increase precision in day-to-day workshop operations.
To achieve this, we're continuously enhancing vehicle and parts data with more detailed attributes, helping users identify the correct part more reliably and reducing the risk of costly returns or vehicle downtime.
As vehicle technology evolves, maintaining data quality becomes increasingly important. That's why we continue to invest heavily in validation and quality assurance processes to ensure workshops can rely on accurate information, regardless of the vehicle type or drivetrain.
Combining manufacturer information with real workshop experience
When technicians face a difficult diagnosis, theoretical repair instructions alone are not always enough. TecRMI Verified Repairs complements manufacturer-based repair information with proven solutions from real workshop cases. Each case is reviewed and validated by our experts, helping technicians understand not only how a repair should be carried out according to the manufacturer, but also how a similar issue was successfully solved in practice.
The result is a faster path to the root cause, fewer unnecessary parts replacements and a higher chance of fixing the problem right the first time.
Staying close to our customers
Another topic Isabel highlights in the interview is the importance of listening to customers:
What really matters to me is staying close to our customers.
Whether through customer meetings, industry events or conversations at trade fairs such as Automechanika, direct feedback helps us understand the challenges workshops, distributors and manufacturers face every day.
These insights directly influence how we develop and improve our products, ensuring that new features address real-world needs rather than theoretical requirements.
AI needs great data
Artificial intelligence is generating a lot of excitement across the industry, but Isabel believes its success depends on one critical factor: data quality.
AI delivers real value only when the underlying data is standardised and of high quality.
In solutions such as TecRMI Verified Repairs, AI can help analyse historical repair cases and suggest the most likely diagnostic paths. This helps technicians focus on the most probable causes first instead of spending valuable time on trial-and-error troubleshooting.
At the same time, the goal remains practical value, not technology for technology's sake.
AI is not an end in itself. It must help make workshop operations more efficient, accelerate diagnostics and improve repair quality.
Want the full story?
In the interview, Isabel shares more insights on data quality, AI, workshop efficiency and the future of the aftermarket.