Bullying the Bully: Insurers Trying to Strong-Arm Consumers
When it comes to trying to strong-arm consumers into having their car repaired at a direct-repair shop, insurers have no shame. If you survived the accident, you’re fair game. Forget the long arm of the law. It’s the strong arm of the insurance industry that no one can seem to outrun. It’s no surprise that
Ode to the Unreasonable Man
“Great spritis have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” – Albert Einstein
Paint the Town Red: Aaron Clark
As a child, Aaron Clark wanted to paint everything in sight – and he did. That determination to fulfill his dreams has helped him to overcome adversity and to achieve his goals. Aaron Clark began his body shop career in his mother’s and step- father’s shop at the age of 8, literally growing up in
Don’t Compromise Safety
Because the insurance industry is focused on dollars rather than quality repairs, it’s up to us to know the proper repair techniques and to stand our ground.
Car Quarter Panel Installation
There are instances when using a used quarter makes sense – but only when we’re getting paid for all the necessary prep time involved.
Itemizing Estimates: Where Do We STOP?
If you’ve been involved in this industry as long as (or longer than) I have, you may still remember the days when handwritten estimates were a way of life and computers and computerized estimating systems were still just Buck Rogers science fiction. Since estimates were handwritten back then, they were often as few lines as
Out to Bid: Why to Shop Around for Shop Insurance
I saved $40,000 in annual premiums – yes, $40,000! – by going with a different insurer for my shop’s insurance. Not to mention the thousands more I saved in my personal lines.
Skinning a Door – Without Using Filler
Remember the physician’s oath: “First, Do No Harm.”
Legislating Quality? A Bill to Declare Aftermarket Crash Parts Equivalent To OE Crash Parts
If common sense is so common, then why do so few people have it? I see examples every day that common sense is going the way of LPs and dinosaurs, and this latest only confirms my suspicions: California legislators are actually considering Assembly Bill 1163 – a bill to declare aftermarket crash parts equivalent to
Stupid Me, I Thought Parts Should Fit
Maybe A/M parts vendors would focus more on quality if we started passing the associated costs of having to return poor-fitting parts onto them.
Denise’s Page: Against the Wind
“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Legislation and Intrigue in Illinois
It’s not easy getting laws passed that help consumers (and collision repairers) – especially when people in your own industry set out to sabotage your efforts.