Assured Performance Co-Op Network announced that over 750 member body shops nationwide are currently implementing a turnkey brand marketing and customer retention program for independent collision repair businesses. Another 1,500 of the 3,500 member shops are scheduled to launch the brand identity and marketing program through the winter of 2010-11.
The program focuses on leveraging the shop’s name brand and reputation versus discarding it for a national brand like franchise organizations and consolidators use, Assured Performance says.
According to Assured Performance, the program is only available to independently owned collision repair businesses that can meet the “qualifying” shop standards and criteria. The qualifying process and certification is done through Assured Performance Collision Care, a non-profit, consumer advocacy organization established in 2008.
The qualifying criteria include years in business, credit rating, and all of the critical tools, equipment, licenses and more. Shops that can use the program average over 25 years in business, maintain top credit rating and are among the top performers in each market area represented. Participants are at the top of the performance matrix with CSI, production cycle time, cost containment, quality and the preferred use of genuine parts to ensure safety, quality and vehicle value retention. Since their key performance indicators (KPI’s) are arguably better than many of the shops insurers have on their referral programs, the brand promotional program emphasizes these facts. The individual collision repair business uses the program to promote their brand name and unique value proposition to consumers, fleet accounts, dealerships, and insurers.
Another unique aspect of the Assured Performance program is that most of the shops participating have already built up marketing funds through their co-op buying programs and can now use those funds to pay for the cost of their marketing campaigns. Lee Amaradio, owner of Faith Quality Auto Body in Marrietta, Calif., wrote an article in the March issue of BodyShop Business Magazine touting his success using the program.
Scott Biggs, Assured Performance Network founder and CEO, said, “Now, independently owned shops, have an effective response to the franchise and consolidators propaganda. The next frontier beyond the limitations of DRP is working with repairers that do the best job. This program helps consumer, fleet accounts, and insurers identify shops that are most qualified and not continue to suffer from the good ole boy network and the shabby performance of so-called low cost providers.”
Biggs added, “It is said that all politics are local. We believe collision repair marketing is, too. Now qualified independently owned shops have a way to market their brand effectively against all forms of competition.”
The program includes signage, lobby and corporate image makeovers, websites, videos, commercials, direct marketing tools, a consumer pay program, customer loyalty cards, customer retention tools and more. While most of the elements are available in one form or another from various sources, this program integrates all of them and weaves the shop’s brand and individual marketing message throughout the entire program. The package also offers consumers unique services and “white-glove treatment” exclusively delivered by the shop. Combined the program gives the shop a highly competitive positioning.
More information:
Assured Performance Network is the largest network of independently owned shops with approximately 3,500 qualified, collision repair businesses across the US that has delivered nearly$10 million in rebate rewards and marketing funds to Member businesses. The network features both a legal cooperative and the non-profit consumer advocacy organization.
