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Business Estimating

BSB Undercover: The Estimate Roundup

The BSB staff went undercover, taking a damaged vehicle to several body shops in Northeast Ohio. The difference in the estimates we received, the physical appearances of the shops and the way we were treated as potential cust...

1/13/2012

How to Take Expert Photos of Collision Damage

Think snapping pics of dents is just point-and-shoot? Think again. A good grasp of the camera's features, plus an understanding of framing and lighting, is essential to documenting collision damage properly.

9/30/2011 By By Joseph Struhar, Jr.

Diary of a Bad Collision Repair Part II

It's been almost one year since I exposed some butcher jobs in the North Carolina collision market, and guess what? They're still happening.

8/1/2011 By Danny Wyatt

The Sad Truth About Collision Repair Labor Rates

Collision labor rates are pathetically low because of a variety of factors, including repairers themselves. But there are possible solutions that, if implemented, could result in more equitable compensation.

7/7/2011 By Gregory J. Schneider

Capturing the Job by Closing the Sale

Reader's Choice question: "With the current economy, how would you address the importance of capturing the job during the repair estimate? With volume down and shop efficiency increasing, what are the main issues we need to f...

4/4/2011 1:47:58 PM By Hank Nunn

Getting Paid for Paint and Materials

Reader's Choice question: "Why is paint and materials tied to paint labor rate? It should be invoiced and marked up accordingly. How do we change this? We went from a 35 percent profit on paint and materials to 2 percent in t...

4/4/2011 By Mark Clark

How Cloud Computing Affects Collision Repair

As the use of cloud computing has increased, so too have repairers' concerns over how their data is being used. So how is it being used? And are repairers' privacy concerns justified? We try to separate fact from fiction and ...

3/7/2011 By Jason Stahl

Writing More Accurate Estimates

In my experience, the No. 1 reason for a vehicle not being delivered on time is usually something related to parts. I'm going to share some helpful websites that you might consider using to write a more accurate estimate.

3/7/2011 By Mike Anderson

Negotiations: Educate, NOT Alienate

Quite often, estimators ask me how they should approach insurers to get paid for what they do. I’ve found that by asking these estimators the following four questions, we end up having a much more productive dialogue t...

2/4/2011 11:32:59 AM By Mike Anderson

Estimating Essentials: Weld Burn Damage

As I travel the country conducting seminars and working with shops, I find it disheartening that many are unaware of the items that require refinishing due to weld burn damage. Weld burn damage is a commonly overlooked i...

1/12/2011 3:12:36 PM By Mike Anderson

Back to Basics: Damage Analysis

Supplements are a waste of time. We need to learn how to write a complete repair blueprint to reduce supplements and cycle time.

1/12/2011 By Hank Nunn

Get to Know the DEG

he Database En-hancement Gateway. It sounds a little like a term you might hear in a Star Trek episode, doesn’t it? (Cue Star Trek theme song): "All crew members brace yourselves, we’re putting the ship into...

12/3/2010 10:28:41 AM By Jason Stahl

Back to Basics: Selling

In a collision repair center, the most important activity is selling. Yet many of us don't have a favorable view of salespeople so are reluctant to act like one and sell the job. But sell well and you’ll create your own sales...

12/3/2010 By Hank Nunn

Estimating Essentials

Is there really a difference in preparing an estimate for a high-end vehicle versus a high-production vehicle? The answer is a resounding no! Both require education and training to ensure that proper and safe repairs are outl...

9/1/2010 By Larry Montanez III/Jeff Lange

Diminished Value: Fact or Fiction?

Whether or not you agree with or support the idea that customers' vehicles lose significant portions of their value after they leave your shops, the market has spoken to the issue, and it appears to be an inescapable fact.

6/28/2010 By Charlie Barone

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BodyShop Business is the ultimate information source for the collision repair industry. BodyShop Business is dedicated to empowering shop owners with the knowledge they need to run successful businesses. BSB provides not only business management information and market trend analysis but also technical content, breaking news and the latest products for collision repairers. We're committed to helping collision repair shop owners improve their efficiency, profitability and repair quality.