Inside an Old-Timer’s Toolbox
In the early days when a bodyman faced a repair problem, he couldn’t just buy what he needed. He had to conceive a tool that would repair the problem- and then forge it himself.
You CAN Create Customers
Shop co-owner Chuck Logan asks whether he can tell DRPs to take a hike and still stay in business.
Sold: Ever Wonder what Happens to Body Shop Owners who Sell their Businesses?
The second part in our five-part series of “Bondo Tales.”
Do You See What I See
Does anyone find it the least bit surprising that the general public doesn’t trust the collision industry?
Why I Drug Test Employees
er hired a private investigator who administered polygraph tests to determine how the pump disappeared and who was responsible. One employee – the most likely perpetrator – promptly quit. During the course of the investigation, however, it was learned that 16 out of 25 employees were regular drug users. And this shop had been suffering
Hearing A Lot From Veteran Techs: How Hard It Is To Work In This Industry Now
They came, they took, they conquered. They sneered at my hard-won skills, took away my individuality and are replacing my surroundings with drab collective armies of smiling Mao men who are receptive to being told what to think, say and do." — a long-time bodyman on the invasion of his body shop "jungle" by business
The Evolution of DRPs
“To every thing – there is a season – and a time – for every purpose – under heaven.” Those lyrics have been repeating in my head since I began outlining this article examining direct-repair agreements. Why? Because to examine DRP agreements without examining their history and evolution would – in my opinion – be
Got Friction? Metal Department vs. Paint Department
One of the longest-running battles within a collision repair facility is the one between the metal department and paint department. And in some of the shops I’ve worked with throughout the world, it had escalated past a battle – it was more like a civil war going on between these two main production departments. Each
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
Breathe Easy: Painters and Asthma
The same characteristics of polyurethanes that make them such good paints also cause isocyanate asthma in some painters. How can you prevent your painters from becoming ill? By understanding the health risks they take each day and insisting they use the proper breathing equipment.