Don’t Be a Jackass
Writer John Shortell’s opinion on the industry’s left-wing, defeatist attitude and the insurance industry
Ignorance Is Expensive
Both the autobody and insurance industries are throwing away money by relying on the estimating software companies to manage data.
Supply & Demand: A Misunderstood Concept
Insurers offer volume in return for lower prices. But volume discounts do NOT apply to labor.
The Jury’s In: An Epiphany
After getting out of jury duty, I had a epiphany: I’m an idiot. Reasonable people like me and you) should serve on juries. If insurers didn’t pay out millions to attorneys and “victims,” maybe – just maybe – they wouldn’t nickel and dime shops so much. Every now and then, all the bits and pieces
In a State Over Allstate
ermarket parts as possible, and if there’s any question or disagreement, “See us in court!” I have a database of more than 50 insurers that I dealt with last year. We’re near a naval base and get people with insurance companies from every corner of the country. Without a doubt, Allstate is the most difficult
My Girlfriend’s Gonna Kill Me: “I’m Ben Affleck”
It was a cold, wintry day in December 1997 – that awful week between Christmas and New Years. (You know how it is. Tons of work to get through the shop in a short week.) It was about 4:30 on a Friday afternoon, and we were having one heck of a snowstorm. In fact, this
Prevailing Rates And My Survey Says
Like the prevailing winds blowing over one of our local dairy farms, the term conjures up images of decomposing and festering crap.
Flat-Out Fair: Break Up Labor and Pay Everyone Fairly
How do you break up labor and pay everyone fairly? While converting his shop from all combination techs to a departmentalized metal shop and paint shop (a process he refers to as “Armageddon”), this shop manager developed a system to pay techs what they deserve while motivating them to work as efficiently as possible. It
Dealing With Mr. “I-Can’t-Pay-My-Deductible”
It may be tempting to do your customers a favor when they threaten to take their business elsewhere. But when you see how this adversely affects the industry and your own shop, you’ll realize that you’re a moron if you allow some whiner with a eductible problem to peer pressure you.
Shift This: Dealing with Cost Shifting
Fed up with the games people play, a Connecticut body shop manager has developed a way to keep himself out of trouble when insurance companies cost shift.