The repair delay texts, word for word, for when parts or the insurer hold up the car
Delays turn happy customers into one-star reviews when nobody explains them. Exact texts for supplements, back-ordered parts and a new pickup date.
The car was supposed to be ready Thursday. On Wednesday the tech finds a bent bracket behind the bumper, the supplement goes to the insurer, and now nobody knows when it will be done. The customer finds out when they call you on Thursday morning.
That call is where a lot of bad reviews start. Not with the repair, but with the silence. The fix is simple: tell them first, in plain words, before they have to ask. Below are texts you can copy and adjust.
The rule behind all of them
Every delay text does three things:
- Says what happened, in one sentence a non-car person understands.
- Says what happens next and who is waiting on whom.
- Gives a date for the next update, even if you do not have a date for the car.
That last one matters most. "We will update you Friday by noon" is a promise you can keep. "Should be done early next week" is a guess, and guesses that miss become reviews.
Send these from your shop's business number so the customer can reply to the same thread.
1. Hidden damage found, supplement sent to insurance
"Hi [name], this is [your name] at [shop]. Once we took the bumper off your [car], we found damage behind it that was not visible at the estimate: a bent bracket and a cracked mount. That is common in this kind of hit. We have sent photos and a supplement to [insurer] so they can approve the extra repair. Your new completion date depends on their approval. I will text you by [day, time] with an update either way."
If the customer is paying out of pocket, change the middle:
"We have the photos and the added cost ready for you to look at before we do anything. Can I send them now, or would you rather I call?"
2. Waiting on the insurer to respond
"Hi [name], quick update on your [car]. We are still waiting on [insurer] to approve the supplement we sent [day]. We followed up with the adjuster this morning. Nothing is wrong with the repair itself. If it would help, you can also call your claim number and ask them to review the supplement for your file. I will update you again by [day]."
Some customers will call their insurer, and that sometimes moves things faster. Keep the tone neutral. Do not blame the adjuster in writing.
3. Back-ordered or delayed parts
"Hi [name], the [part] for your [car] is on back order from the supplier. Their current estimate is [date]. We are checking other suppliers today and will tell you if we find one sooner. Your car is safe and stored inside while we wait. Next update by [day]."
If you have a rental coordination step:
"Your rental is covered through [date] on the claim. If the repair goes past that, let me know and I will help you call [insurer] to extend it."
4. New completion date
"Good news, [name]. The [part/approval] came through. Your [car] is back in the schedule and we expect it ready [day] by [time]. We will text you when it is through final inspection and washed."
5. Ready for pickup
"Hi [name], your [car] is ready. We are open until [time] today and [hours] tomorrow. When you get here, [tech name] will walk you through what we fixed and the warranty on the work."
6. The review ask, after a delayed job
Do not skip the review ask just because the job ran long. A customer whose delay was handled well often writes the most convincing review, because it answers the question other drivers worry about. Wait until they have driven the car for a day or two:
"Hi [name], hope the [car] is driving well. I know the parts delay was a hassle and we appreciate your patience. If you have a minute, a Google review helps other drivers know what to expect from us: [link]. Either way, thank you."
Our review guide covers the key-handoff ask and the timing for regular jobs.
Why this shows up in your numbers
Body shops get a lot of reviews compared with most local trades. The median shop in our benchmark report has 54 Google reviews. But only 16.5% hold a perfect 5.0 rating, and 7% sit under 4.0. Read the low reviews on any shop's profile and a pattern shows up: the complaint is rarely the paint match. It is "nobody called me" and "it took two weeks longer than they said."
Clear delay texts will not stop every bad review. They take away the most common reason for one.
Set it up once
Save these as templates in whatever system sends your texts. Assign one person to check every open repair order at the start of the day and send an update to any customer whose date has moved. If you do not have a texting system, our missed calls guide covers what to look for, and the calculator shows what slow replies cost on the front end.
If you want help building the templates and the daily update routine, the free 14-day trial covers any one service, no card. Text or call (385) 213-1580.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, auto body and collision shops among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor