Working with Boron Steel
Ultra high-strength steel alloyed with boron is lightweight and hard – really hard! But there are some tradeoffs to its strength and weight savings that repairers need to be aware of.
9 Steps to Protect Your Shop from DV Claims
Post-repair inspectors, on average, see proper repairs one time out of every 100 inspections. Sloppy repairs are on the rise – and due to insurers forcing shops to carry liability insurance policies often exceeding $1 million, so are attorneys looking to hold shops accountable.
Held Hostage by Your Credit
I was flabbergasted the day my local Dodge dealer questioned my ability to lease a new Dodge Dakota for one of my shop employees. Turns out, all sorts of inaccurate, slanderous information can be put on your credit report – all without your knowledge.
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
The “Wheel” World
Suspension alignment is critical to ride, drivability, fuel economy and, ultimately, customer satisfaction. So take the extra time and steps to evaluate a possible problem.
The Return of Competitive Bidding
The time has come to examine the basis on which shops compete. To do this, you must first ask yourself: With whom am I competing? An insurer and its “phantom” shops or other actual shops in my local market?
Get Your Head Out of the Sand
Unless an insurance company chooses the “repair” option in the insurance contract — making it fully liable for its repair choices — it has no legal right to be involved in the repair process.
Kaizen: Break to Make Better
To get you started creating a “lean” organization, we’ll focus on “point” kaizen – looking at a single process inside your business and rebuilding it.
On Your Terms
As of late, insurance companies have staunchly positioned themselves on the offensive, launching all sorts of new “customer-driven” programs to get them in good with the motoring/car-crashing public. Insurers being on the offensive, however, puts the repair industry on the defensive, forcing shops to react to whatever insurers throw their way. Problem is, being reactive
Aluminum Dent Repair – with a Stud Welder
Aluminum is not a new metal to the collision industry. The Model T Ford had an aluminum hood. The 1925 Pierce-Arrow was all aluminum. And many classic cars of the 1930s had aluminum parts on them. Why? Because aluminum allowed low-production automobile manufacturers to hand-form parts without the use of the costly stamping process. The
One Man’s Rust Is Another Man’s Restaurant
Joe Grigas was a man with a dream. He’d purchased a dilapidated 1954 Desoto 2-door coupe and took it to Bob Young at Main Paint and Body in Akron, Ohio, to restore it to its former glory. But as Bob and his crew unraveled the old vehicle, signs of too many years in the rustbelt
Tow the Line: Making a Profit Is Considered Fraud?
When a Progressive adjuster wanted to see the invoice given to me by the towing company (he didn’t want to pay my markup), I asked: “Would you ask a grocery store clerk for the invoice from his wholesaler to see what the store paid for that can of beans you’re about to purchase?” Did you