Bought Out
“If I knew then what I know now …”. Only after promising them anonymity would several former shop owners speak openly about why they sold to consolidators, where it’s gotten them and if they regret it.
I’m Just A Bill: Why Not Get Involved?
On Capitol Hill, a lot of bills await their fate. And many of them — if enacted into law — will affect the profitability of your business. Why, then, aren’t more collision repairers actively involved in legislative activity?
Ending The Blending Debate
The issue isn’t about whether or not you should blend — make it a standard operating policy and just do it! The issue is about blending correctly, meeting vehicle owners expectations and getting paid by insurers.
The Next Generation: So What the Heck Are They Thinking?
If you knew what potential technicians were thinking, you could better encourage them into pursuing collision repair as a career.
Should You Repair Air Bags?
With the right training and tools, air-bag replacement can be done at your shop — bringing you more profits and more control over uncontrollable circumstances.
Boosting Booth Production
Don’t let poor production processes suck your bottom line dry. Proper spraybooth placement, setup and maintenance could mean another $500,000 in sales per year.
Proper Prep Work
It’s impossible to guarantee a flawless finish every time, but if your prep techs are good, they can guarantee you’ll be off to a good start.
Personnel Profile: Technician Shortage
It’s no secret the collision repair industry is suffering from a technician shortage. What’s maybe not quite as well-known is that some of the industry’s current techs are suffering, too.
Purchasing Profile: Aftermarket (A/M) Crash Parts have had One Roller Coaster of a Year
Aftermarket (A/M) crash parts have had one roller coaster of a year: On one hand, the Consumer Reports cover story on A/M parts brought a lot of negative attention to them and opened the eyes of a lot of consumers. On the other hand, at the Collision Industry Conference’s (CIC) recent "fit and finish" demonstration
Plastic-Filler Fundamentals
Shaping plastic filler is considered one of the fundamental skills needed by entry-level collision technicians. Some entry-level technicians grasp this skill quickly, while others struggle. Why is this? Part of the difficulty stems from the inability to see the entire forest for the trees. You see the dent or rust-out repair, so you focus on that one little spot. And you concentrate so hard on fixing that spot you forget that when you’re done, the repair must match the shape of the panel.