2002 Editions Archives - Page 9 of 13 - BodyShop Business
Dent Fix Brings New Glue Technology to PDR

Let’s face it. The PDR, or Paintless Dent Removal, market is hot and getting hotter every day. Just open any trade magazine and you’re deluged with all the PDR tool offerings that exist. Manufacturers are offering every configuration of tool imaginable in exotic materials, color coded, titanium centers with kryptonite tips. It gets overwhelming when

Don’t Be Another Face in the Crowd

“How can I make a higher profit margin in the body shop as the insurance companies are paying less and less?” – John Thompson, shop manager, Fix Auto Mall, Auburn, N.Y. There are only two ways to increase gross profit on a given sales volume. The first is to increase your bottom line, i.e. charge

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

A shop should never rely on a single source to make a living.

Love (to Undercut) Thy Neighbor

“It seems like shops are more obsessed with competing than with working and sticking together, so how will we ever better the industry for ourselves?” – Dennis Terry, technician, Hilltop Auto, Cabot, Ariz. The fact that insurers work so hard to control the consumer explains one of the reasons why shops don’t “stick” together. Shops

You Choose, You Lose?

“Why don’t insurance companies offer two different policies? If they had an OEM parts policy and an A/M parts policy, consumers could choose which one they wanted and when they wrecked, they couldn’t say anything about using A/M parts since they chose that policy. Wouldn’t this solve a lot of problems for collision repairers?” –

We Have Winners

If an industry expert could answer one question for you, what would that question be? (One catch: The question has to be collision-repair related. This eliminates the chance of our receiving any more questions like, “My wife says the only way to get my attention is to stand in front of the TV set. She

The Case of the Disappearing Tech

The talk about the lack of the human resources in this industry.

Independents: Fighting for Truth, Justice, and a Fair Day’s Pay

“Will non-DRP shops that fight to make insurers pay for everything be ahead in five years?” – Pete Kenney, manager, Black Diamond Auto Body, Las Vegas, Nev. That’s a tough question, one with no obvious answers carved in stone. This industry has changed so much in the last five years that it’s anyone’s guess what

Restyle 101: The Specialty Equipment Market

From trailer hitches to running boards to custom leather interiors, the aftermarket accessories market seems almost endless. And with a little education about this multi-billion-dollar market, you could be sharing in the profits.

Profitable by Popular Demand

Shops upselling their owners on accessories.

Accessorize the Positive

When this shop owner realized making money in the repair business wasn’t getting any easier, he made some changes. Little did he know that adding bedliner installation to his shop’s repertoire would open the door to a brand-new business. Could you do the same?

Are You Certifiable

SEMA is helping accessory installers and techs get national recognition for their know-how and make themselves more marketable through its installer certification program. The tests include electric sunroofs, body exterior components, leather interiors and roof treatments.