Melissa McGee, Author at BodyShop Business
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Las Vegas or Bust: NACE 2001

NACE 2001 hits the jackpot with a solid line-up of seminars, a new action demonstration arena and entertainment by comedian Jay Leno.

The Name Game : Protect your Shop Name

For two similarly named body shops in Limerick, Pa., it’s now up to the courts to determine who keeps their name. Want to avoid fighting a similar battle? Learn how to protect your shop name and keep yourself out of court for violating someone else’s trademark.

We’ve Come a Long Way, Buddy

s and other necessities I neatly — I emphasize the word neatly — tuck inside.On this particular occasion, my obsession with folding, organizing, re-folding and re-organizing the contents of my Samsonite was due, in part, to my nervousness. When I get anxious or upset, organization is my sanctuary. (It’s a bizarre ritual, but it works.)

A Big City Small Business

Gold Coast Auto Body, Chicago, IL.

Hey! Didn’t You Used to Work for Me?

Too bad someone out there doesn’t have a collision industry crystal ball – filled with answers about where future technicians are going to come from and the secrets of hiring and retaining them.

Tell It Like It Is

If you lost a diamond, would you want a cubic zirconia without knowing it until you tried to sell it?” asked one 2001 BodyShop Business Industry Profile respondent when asked if the vehicle owner has an unequivocal right to know when aftermarket or used parts are used in repairs.

Shop Owner Profile: What Kind of Men and Women Head the Nation’s Collision Repair Shops?

Are they ready for retirement or taking over the family business? We polled some of our subscribers – maybe even you! – to find out more about the people leading this industry.

Operations Profile: Operating Smoothly

Keeping a collision repair shop operating smoothly takes a lot of work. How do all of you cope with such daily issues as labor rates, insurers wanting discounts and poor fitting replacement crash parts? One day at a time.

Personnel Profile: Benefits Other Shop Owners Offer Their Employees

Curious what benefits other shop owners offer their employees? Curious what other shops in your region pay their employees? We’ve got the answers.

Restyle Your Business: Offering Restyle Products

In 1999, retail sales of specialty equipment products totaled $23.24 billion. You can funnel some of that cash into your own pocket by offering restyle products – from fender flares to floor mats to grille guards – in addition to the collision work you do now.

Custom Cars at the Click of a Mouse

It’s easy to picture a rear spoiler on a Ferrari, but would that same accessory look right on a Ford Taurus? Without seeing for themselves, customers might be leery of handing over their cash – and their cars. How do you convince them which restyle accessories will turn their sedate sedan into a screaming machine?

Decked Out in Decals: They Can Provide Added Income

I’m sure you’ve seen them: Decals of every size, shape and color stuck to vehicles you know didn’t roll off the showroom floor looking like that. Where’d they come from? From shops like yours that know the proper techniques for applying these sticky little restyle items.