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Beyond repairs: How technology is reshaping Pakistan’s service economy
Tech-driven platforms are transforming Pakistan’s repair and service industry through automation, efficiency, and customer-centric innovation
- PUBLISHED: Fri 14 Aug 2026, 5:28 PM
Pakistan’s repair and after-sales service sector is undergoing a profound transformation, fueled by a new generation of technology-driven startups that are reshaping industry standards and raising customer expectations, according to industry experts.
Long characterised by fragmentation and a heavy dependence on manual operations, the sector is increasingly embracing digital platforms, automation and data-led decision-making to improve efficiency, transparency and service quality. The shift comes as Pakistan’s broader services sector accounts for more than 50 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product, underscoring its growing role in economic activity.
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The repair and maintenance ecosystem encompasses hundreds of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses operating across mobile phone and electronics repair, automotive workshops, home appliance servicing and IT support services.
Industry observers estimate the sector has the potential to generate billions of dollars in annual revenue, supported by Pakistan’s population of more than 250 million, a rapidly expanding smartphone user base, a growing vehicle fleet and a rising consumer preference for repairing rather than replacing products amid challenging economic conditions.
Companies such as RepairDesk and Torque360 are setting new benchmarks by providing modern management platforms that help repair shops, auto workshops, and service businesses streamline operations, improve customer communication, and increase profitability. Their success reflects a wider shift towards innovation within Pakistan’s startup ecosystem, which has grown rapidly and is now valued at an estimated $7.2 billion, with ecosystem growth exceeding 60 per cent year-over-year according to recent industry rankings.
As cloud-based platforms, AI-powered workflows, and digital payment solutions become more common, Pakistan’s repair and service industry is evolving into a more efficient, transparent, and scalable sector, positioning the country as an emerging hub for service-tech innovation across South Asia, experts said.
Transforming Repair/Service Sectors
Usman Butt, CEO and Founder of RepairDesk, said repair and service is what most people would call an ‘unsexy vertical’ — strip mall repair shops, cluttered workbenches, handwritten receipts. “That's precisely why it's such a massive opportunity. When an industry operates informally, trust is the first casualty. Customers don't know if they're being overcharged, technicians lose track of parts, and owners can't see what's working in their business,” Butt told Khaleej Times.
Platforms like RepairDesk and Torque360 have tackled this head-on by giving repair businesses the same caliber of tools that restaurants and salons have had for years — integrated ticketing, inventory management, POS, CRM, and customer-facing tracking portals. When a customer drops off a cracked iPhone and gets a real-time status update via text, trust is no longer an issue. It's built into the workflow.
RepairDesk is a strong case study here. Founded in Pakistan with a team of 100+ people, the company now serves over 2,000 businesses globally — more than 50 per cent of them in the United States — across cell phone repair, computer repair, electronics, and jewellery. The growth came not from chasing hype but from obsessing over the daily pain points of shop owners in a vertical nobody else wanted to touch.
Salman Sarwar, Founder and CEO of Torque360, said auto repair has never been considered a glamorous technology industry. Greasy workshops, mechanics under cars and handwritten estimates have also come with a long-standing trust gap: Do I really need this repair, and can I trust what I’m being told?
“Technology is changing that. Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVI) allow technicians to document vehicle conditions with photos and findings, giving customers evidence before approving repairs,” Sarwar told Khaleej Times.
Torque360, founded in 2021, is an auto repair shop management software platform built for automotive repair businesses across North America from a Pakistani engineering base. In 2023, we joined Techstars, one of America’s leading startup accelerators, and in 2024, won the FinTech category of the Google Cloud Startup Competition Pakistan.
Tech-driven Repair Business Future
Sarwar said Pakistan’s opportunity extends beyond local service marketplaces to building software that runs repair businesses globally.
“Automotive repair is particularly attractive because of its scale. AAPEX, one of the world’s leading automotive aftermarket industry events, describes the global automotive aftermarket as a $2.3 trillion industry in its 2026 release.”
At Torque360, he said integrated labor guides address a simple but expensive problem: the time service advisors spend researching vehicle-specific repair times. Faster access to this information helps shops prepare estimates more efficiently and consistently. Pakistan can build this specialised vertical SaaS technology locally and export it into trillion-dollar global industries.
Butt said the addressable market is enormous. “Electronics repair alone is a multi-billion dollar global category, and when you layer in home appliances, automobiles, and on-demand home services, the TAM expands dramatically. But the real insight isn't just about fixing things — it's about treating repair as a full-stack business,” he said.
“The smartest operators today are running buyback and refurbishment programs, listing certified pre-owned devices on social media, e-commerce stores, and marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. They're investing in SEO, Google Ads, and local branding. They think like retailers, not just technicians. The ones who resist the race to the bottom on price and instead build a trustworthy, recognisable brand are the ones scaling to multiple locations and healthy margins.”
Promising Outlook
Sarwar said the next five years will move repair software from record-keeping systems toward intelligent operating platforms.
“Repair shops generate significant operational data but still spend valuable staff time on repetitive administrative work. At Torque360, we see AI as a layer across the platform, not simply a standalone feature. Our AI initiatives, including the Torque360 AI Receptionist, are designed to reduce administrative workload, automate routine interactions and help shops operate more efficiently.
He said the future belongs to platforms combining industry-specific workflows, mobile technology, automation and intelligence.
Butt said AI is the inflection point. “Consider a typical repair shop: a customer calls after hours about a repair status, nobody picks up, and that customer moves on. Now imagine AI answering that missed call instantly, pulling the ticket status from the system, and responding accurately. That's not theoretical — it's happening now,” he said.
Beyond phone handling, he said repair businesses will increasingly use AI to talk to their own data — asking questions like "what was my average ticket value last month?" in plain English — and to build automated workflows for inventory reordering, follow-up messages, and marketing campaigns.
“In an industry where hiring skilled staff is difficult and costs keep rising, AI becomes the force multiplier. Startups like RepairDesk and Torque360 that are embedding AI directly into their platforms will define the next era of this category,” he said.
Brand-building Entrepreneurs
Butt said digital platforms are converting informal technicians into brand-building entrepreneurs. “When a shop owner has a proper POS system, tracks every repair with serial numbers, issues digital receipts, and runs loyalty programs, they're no longer an informal operation — they're a legitimate business. Traditional providers who embrace these tools won't be displaced. They'll be elevated into the kind of businesses customers actively seek out and recommend,” he said.
Sarwar agreed that tech startups have been helping formalise Pakistan’s largely informal repair and service industry.
“Yes, and much of that formalisation can happen through technology rather than regulation.”
He said inventory management gives repair businesses visibility into parts, usage and where capital is tied up. FinTech adds another layer: integrated digital payments can simplify transactions while creating better financial records, improving cash-flow visibility and providing faster access to funds.
“For traditional providers, technology does not necessarily mean displacement. It can turn an informal operation into a more transparent, measurable and scalable business, with stronger records and greater potential to serve larger customers and access financial services.”
