Success is No Clich
One of our primary contributing editors, John Sweigart, recently provided us with some thoughtful input. He said that shops “need to start fixing the business process that fixes cars.” That struck a chord with me. Other contributing editors chimed in on this topic as well, and when you read over the collective diatribe, you find
Know Who You Are to Maximize Profits
Pretty much in every aspect of our economy today, you can find examples of high-volume production services mixed with lower-volume custom services to meet the varying needs of end-users and consumers across the country. When it comes to consumable goods, Wal-Mart sets the standard for high-volume, mass consumerism. Yet, their mega-store, hyper-mart approach is offset
Plan for the New Year: Launching the New Business Plan
Well, it’s the start of another “new” year, and as such, a time for some brief reflection on, or review of, last year’s performance — and then on to launching the new business plan. After all, haste makes waste and, by the time you read this, we’re well into the new year already. So, it’s
Democracy in Action
Back in early November, a series of e-mails began to circulate at a rather hectic pace among several industry people (shop owners, industry advisors, various media types, association and committee representatives, etc.). Typically, when you find yourself among the many who are copied on these e-mail strings, the tendency is to drop out quickly so
A Different View of NACE
A year ago as I prepared for my first NACE show as an overwhelmed publisher of a magazine that reaches just about every collision repair shop across America, I wrote a column about leadership (or lack thereof) in our industry. Now, as I prepare for my second NACE next month in Las Vegas and reflect
DRPs Key Part of Puzzle
Over the past few months, the Research Department here at BodyShop Business has been busy gathering input and data for an upcoming, comprehensive all-industry report that we’ll be publishing soon. In reviewing some of the initial tabulations, we’re noticing some interesting trends out in the market and gaining a better understanding of how shops are
We Want Your Nomination
This month we kick off our annual BodyShop Business Magazine Executive of the Year nomination campaign, a ritual to honor dedicated and successful leaders within the collision repair industry. This year marks the 23rd year we’ve honored a shop owner, manager or top executive/principal. As I reflected upon this process and reviewed the names of
Do the Math: The Importance of Basic Math Skills
My wife is a third grade school teacher. She specializes in math and science. I could go on and on about the ills of our country’s education system, as I watch my wife do battle on the front lines day-by-day. But, when it comes to education, everyone has an opinion and most have no idea
Cast Your Vote, One Repair at a Time
May the Best Parts Supplier Win!
May the Best Parts Supplier Win: “Aftermarket” Parts
As I continue my “learning” curve in this industry, one of the most intriguing debates I’ve heard is the one involving “aftermarket” parts. On the mechanical repair side of the automotive aftermarket, the term “aftermarket” has nowhere near the stigma it does across the collision repair industry. Often, I’ve wondered, “Why?” There was a time
Leading You Through the Storm
It’s no secret our industry is undergoing a phenomenal phase of change. Here at BodyShop Business, we too are changing right along with you. Some changes are obvious, such as new managing editor Jason Stahl joining our staff for this issue. But most others are less obvious, and I’d like to bring a few to
Reaching Out: Bill Laber Has Passed Away
Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed with several mentors, and Bill Laber was such a mentor to me throughout our 14-year friendship. Today, I was shocked to learn that he had passed away over the weekend. I remain dazed, angry, confused, deeply saddened and remorseful that I hadn’t seen him in person in more than