Why No One Wants Smart Kids to Become Repairers
“Why do our best students get pushed to go to college when we know that only 25 percent of all college graduates go on to employment in their field? Meanwhile, trades are overlooked. How can the collision industry compete with white collar, high-tech industries?” – Dan McClellan, autobody instructor, Great Johnstown Vocational Technical School, Johnstown, Pa
Dealer Incentives
“Why don’t the OEMs do a better job of supporting the collision repair industry through their dealer body?”
Pointing Fingers: DRP Agreements Attempt to Shift Liability
Recent concern has developed in the aftermath of Avery v. State Farm that a DRP agreement attempts to shift liability from the insurance company to the shop in the event of a lawsuit brought by an unsatisfied consumer – or, worse yet, an entire class of unsatisfied consumers. Is this concern valid? Are shops becoming scapegoats?
Last Page: You Pride Yourself on the Quality of Repairs Performed in Your Shop
Good for you! You’re confident your technicians are highly skilled and capable of repairing your customers’ cars to pre-accident condition.
Giving Customers the Whole Story: Educate Them
Consumers who’ve been in an accident often only know what they’ve been told by their insurer – and what they’ve been told often puts your shop in a negative light. What can you do? Educate them on the repair process so they have all the information they need.
Cool Route for Creating Profits: A/C Repairs
Repairing air conditioning systems as a profit center can be quite rewarding — provided you’re quite knowledgeable when it comes to systems, environmental concerns and government regulations. Otherwise, you may be cooling your heels in an empty shop.
Market Profile: A Dramatic Drop in the Frequency of Auto Accidents
Does it seem like people aren’t crashing their cars as much as they used to? Ever find yourself wishing for a hailstorm or an overpopulation of deer to create chaos on the highways and bring in some business?
Complain to the Right People
If a CAPA part doesn’t work for whatever reason, sitting around the shop complaining about it won’t solve the problem. Take the time you’d spend griping and fill out a CAPA Part Complaint Form instead
Made in Taiwan
You know that aftermarket parts come from Taiwan, but do you know what specific companies those parts come from? Probably not. But you will. For the next few months, we’ll take a look at several of the key Taiwanese A/M parts manufacturers.
Class Action Re-Action: Snider vs. State Farm Verdict
The Snider vs. State Farm verdict got the attention of repairers, insurers, consumers … and many, many lawyers — who didn’t waste any time filing copycat lawsuits. But with the spotlight now on insurance companies, should shops also be concerned?