Success is No Clich
One of our primary contributing editors, John Sweigart, recently provided us with some thoughtful input. He said that shops “need to start fixing the business process that fixes cars.” That struck a chord with me. Other contributing editors chimed in on this topic as well, and when you read over the collective diatribe, you find
Small Steps Toward ‘Better’
Relentless, incremental, small improvements to the way you work are more effective than occasional big changes. It’s about gradual, daily movement toward a better way. It’s about continuous improvement.
Shifty Business: Cost Shifting
Not getting paid properly? Cost shifting is not the solution, and is just plain bad busiess.
DRPs, Here We Come?
Having systems in place is key to being able to offer guaranteed delivery dates. And that could be our key to making a DRP relationship a profitable one. Part 8 of a series.
Measuring from the Inside Out
Thorough measuring inside the vehicle as well as outside leads to easier assembly and better quality repairs – with less last-minute emergency adjustments.
Stand Out from the Competition – Gates Auto Body
Gates Auto Body believes that standard operating practices allow companies to do what their competition doesn’t – turn their employees into top performers and maximize results.
Avoiding Dodge Charger Rear Deck Lid Problems
Your shop has just repaired a 2006 Dodge Charger LX that was damaged in the rear. The repairs included replacing the rear body panel, deck lid and rear fascia. Everything looks great, and the fit and finish are to OEM standards. You’ve taken all the right steps, and your customer has happily picked up the
Do Something
“We’re losing our collective asses at the front door because we’ve quietly accepted our current situation as being beyond our control,” says a Mississippi shop owner, summing up perfectly the state of the industry and the mentality of many in it. His point? Doing something is always better than doing nothing. Take the recent change
Think Tortoise, Not Hare
Many who attempt to implement ‘lean’ become frustrated when, initially, the business seems more chaotic than before. The key is to create operational stability and organizational discipline – and to be patient.
Quest for Metallic Control
Though most painters don’t like to admit it, they struggle with metallics. But if we slow down a little and anticipate problems before they arise, those redos will be few and
far between.
Busy But Broke
Repairing cars is only a part of what we do. Ultimately, we run a collision repair buisness – which means we need to make a profit on the cars wedo fix.
Are You Throwing Away Money?
Every day, shops across the country donate their labor and product free of charge. Are you one of them? If you’re relying on a computer and the P-pages to do all your thinking for you, you’re losing revenue – and lots of it.