As we know, the collision repair industry is ever changing. In the beginning, customers had two options for repair: having the vehicle repaired at their car’s dealership or independent body shops. If the customer opted to take their vehicle to the dealership, they would often find more expensive bodywork, but if they chose to take their car to a body shop, they ran the risk of improper tools and abilities to complete a safe and efficient repair.
To help combat the two options above and give customers peace of mind, shop owners have seen the importance of earning original equipment manufacture (OEM) certifications. By having one or more of these certifications, it shows customers that the team at the shop is properly trained, and they are equipped to work on the customer’s vehicle.
“As the industry has continued to grow and advance, there has been a dire need to obtain more knowledge and information in order to safely complete a repair,” said Dennis O’Mahoney, SVP of operations, Fix Auto USA. “Body shops lean on OEM certifications to not only increase their industry knowledge, but also to show consumers they can trust that quality service will be provided.”
Increased Exposure for Your Location
OEM certifications allow you to market your business as a specialist in that brand. This will attract the interest of your customers and insurance partners. Knowing that your facility can handle the repair will leave your customer at ease and will build credibility in the community.
One of the hardest decisions for a location is deciding on which certifications are beneficial for your store. Fix Auto USA can offer a team of support for your staff to help you determine which OEM certifications are beneficial to your shop based on data of customer in your area. From here, the team will also be able to help you through the certification process.
Specialized Training
Going through the OEM certification process provides you and your team access to specialized training. After acquiring the certification, employees will have access to updated repair and service methods pertaining to the manufacturer’s specifications. Not only will the frequent training provide better service to both the vehicle and customer, but it will also help keep your team at the top of their game.
Fix Auto USA owners also have access to additional training resources through their internal system called Collision University. Owners and their teams can access a wide variety of documents to leverage in partnership with the OEM procedures to provide top quality repairs.
Fix Auto USA remains committed to providing the highest level of collision repair, and OEM certifications are a key part in achieving this. By taking the time to acquire OEM certifications, especially those for vehicle makes and models most prevalent in your area, you are investing in your staff, services, customers, and reputation.
“I am proud to oversee a team that places such value on obtaining OEM certifications and providing the highest level of collision repair,” continued O’Mahoney. “We have seen first-hand the value that these certifications have brought and the eager-to-learn technicians they have attracted to our network of franchisees.”
As mentioned, there are many benefits of adding OEM certifications in terms of attracting customers and bringing in more work, but this also attracts top talent. Attracting, hiring, and retaining talent has been an industry-wide challenge. However, acquiring OEM certifications shows potentially interested technicians that there is an opportunity and emphasis on continuous learning, which is very attractive to technicians who are looking to grow in their career.
With OEM certifications, Fix Auto USA remains a top provider of collision repair and customer service, equipped to meet not only the standards of its customers, but the standards of the collision repair industry.
Interested in learning more about opportunities to grow to grow with Fix Auto USA? Visit FixAutoUSA.com to learn more or complete this form if you would like to learn more about joining Fix Auto USA.
