Compare
DFS vs. spreadsheets and WhatsApp groups
Most DSP fleets track repairs in a spreadsheet and a group chat. Here is what changes when you coordinate the same work in Nova Fora with DFS.
Side by side
A driver reports a problem
Spreadsheet and group chat
The report lands in a group chat. Someone copies the van, mileage, and photos into a spreadsheet—if they see it.
DFS with Nova Fora
Drivers report in Slack. Roger asks for missing details, like the fleet ID, and files a repair record with the original report, mileage, and photos. (Nova Basic)
Deciding what to repair
Spreadsheet and group chat
The shop looks at the van and tells you what it will fix.
DFS with Nova Fora
You select the specific defects needed for your target condition grade before any shop quotes.
Getting quotes
Spreadsheet and group chat
You call shops one by one. Each quote can cover different work, so the prices are hard to compare.
DFS with Nova Fora
Your current shop and a Nova network shop quote the same repair list. You compare price, repair methods, and timing side by side, and the quote shows the total, including fees, before you accept.
Getting the van in
Spreadsheet and group chat
Calls and texts to find out whether the shop can take the van and when.
DFS with Nova Fora
Shops accept the work before the van moves. Proposed pickup, confirmed pickup, arrival, and expected return are recorded on the job.
Knowing where every van is
Spreadsheet and group chat
A status column someone has to keep updating by hand.
DFS with Nova Fora
Accepted, in-progress, and completed work have clear statuses, and RUSH priority stays visible for route-critical repairs.
When the shop finds more work
Spreadsheet and group chat
A phone call, and a verbal yes that nobody wrote down.
DFS with Nova Fora
The shop sends the added work for your approval, and the approved change becomes part of the job record.
After the repair
Spreadsheet and group chat
Photos and invoices are scattered across chat threads and email.
DFS with Nova Fora
The shop adds completion details and photos for your approval. The finished record keeps photos, invoice, and history together—the evidence you need when Amazon or your lessor questions a damage charge.
Choosing shops next time
Spreadsheet and group chat
Memory and gut feel.
DFS with Nova Fora
Shop scorecards track each shop’s completion performance, including the share of mechanical repairs completed within 96 hours—a tracked measure, not a promise.
What it costs
Spreadsheet and group chat
Nothing to sign up for. The cost is the time your fleet manager spends chasing updates.
DFS with Nova Fora
Nova Body is $0 per month; Nova Basic is $199 per month after a 30-day trial. Repair charges and platform fees apply, depending on the shop you choose.
Questions fleets ask
Do I have to switch body shops?
No. Invite your current body shop to quote through Nova Fora. The platform fee with your own shop is 1% on Nova Body and 0% on Nova Basic.
Do my drivers need to learn a new tool?
Not to report problems. With Nova Basic, drivers keep reporting in Slack and Roger turns those reports into repair records.
When is a spreadsheet enough?
A spreadsheet and a group chat cost nothing, and your team already knows them. If you have a few vans, few repairs, and one shop you trust, they may be all you need. DFS is for when you want to compare quotes for the same work and keep a complete record of every repair.
Savings, timing, and availability depend on the job, shop, and market and are not guaranteed.