The collision repair industry lost a great citizen recently with the death of March Taylor. I never had a chance to really get to know him like many others did, but I felt his presence and benefited from his contributions. As a contributor to BodyShop Business, March clearly played a key role in our success. And for that we’re forever indebted.
March was a technical guru. The nuances of every single repair were deliberated at length inside his brain. He brought a passion for his craft and a love of industry service to every encounter he had with anyone in
the industry. I wish I had the opportunity to know him better and learn
more from him. But God had a different plan.
While March can never be replaced, the opportunity to help fill the void left in our industry exists for each and every one of you out there (myself included). March wanted the entire industry to benefit from his knowledge and hands-on experience. So, he dedicated himself to traveling and writing and preparing and presenting. All of these things require time, effort and energy. All of these things were additional chores loaded on top of his duties as a successful business operator, shop owner, technician and father. Thus, filling this void won’t be easy.
So many of you have goals and aspirations for this industry. Opinions (loud and clear) about how things should be done, and frustrations (also loud and clear) with how things are currently being handled. I encourage each of you to reflect upon what March did and how he helped this industry and dedicated himself to its betterment. And then I challenge you to get involved.
It will require your personal time. It will require travel. It will require using your own resources, and it will require sacrifice. Being heard over the airwaves is one thing, but being heard in person is entirely another. That’s just some of what March gave to us. He knew that you must be present in order to make an impact, but you don’t need “presence” in order to be effective. March was present and had “presence,” and that made him unique.
This industry will move on without March – no one person is greater than the whole. But it will not move on
without dedicated individuals who unselfishly pursue what’s best for all. Many people are actively involved in so many ways throughout this industry. But the industry (any industry) can always use the content of a new contributor, the voice of a different reason and the perspective of a new and unheard view. So, I urge you to “jump” in!
May the next criticism you make, the next judgment you pass, the next operational secret you share, the next technical piece of advice you give or the next honest appraisal you offer be the first you do in person, in front of or among an audience or gathering of industry individuals, so that all can benefit from your wisdom and knowledge – exactly the way March would have done it.
In that way, we’ll all begin to slowly but surely fill the void that’s left, and keep the industry moving forward and benefiting all who participate in it.
