Write Better Estimates
The estimate is the most important aspect of our business process. If an estimate is poorly written, it can wreak havoc on your shop and cost you a boatload of cash.
What’s Diminished Value Mean To You
As contentious an issue as diminished value (DV) has become in the insurance and repair industries, there’s a quiet revolution taking place in the claims business. Once limited to the owners of exotic cars, DV is now a phrase on the lips of ordinary people with damaged grocery-go-getters. And this flood of inquiries to claims
The Incredible Shrinking Industry
After a buying spree in the late ’90s and a struggle to integrate acquired shops into a “corporate” culture, consolidators are getting back on track and preparing to grow again. But this isn’t a death sentence for all independents.
Don’t Be Another Face in the Crowd
“How can I make a higher profit margin in the body shop as the insurance companies are paying less and less?” – John Thompson, shop manager, Fix Auto Mall, Auburn, N.Y. There are only two ways to increase gross profit on a given sales volume. The first is to increase your bottom line, i.e. charge
Clean Up your Act
That tiny spec of dirt in your paint job costs you a lot more time and money to remove than it would have to prevent it. In The Big Book of Painting, page 2,344, paragraph 6, the author explains “The Rule of Dirt”: “All dirt comes to you. But from where? you sayeth. I sayeth,
Is That Your Idea of Window Shopping?
For one collision repair shop owner, the scenic view out his front window was significantly altered when a Lexus, a daydreaming doctor and a little too much pressure on the gas pedal came together to “shatter” his afternoon.
Dealer Incentives
“Why don’t the OEMs do a better job of supporting the collision repair industry through their dealer body?”
Oops … I Did It Again: Color Matching
Are you a repeat offender when it comes to color matching mistakes? Color matching doesn’t have to be difficult – or costly – if you follow this simple advice.
Can a Three-Day Cycle Time Become Commonplace
Jon McNeill, CEO, Sterling Collision Centers Natick, Mass. Opinion: Yes The average repair has somewhere between 17 and 19 hours on the sheet. If you look at those 17 or 19 hours, there has to be somewhere to cram that into a three-day period – or even 24 hours. What you have to do is
Blending 201 – The Next Course
Gone are the days of vinyl tops, so quarter panels and roofs must form a continuous panel to blend. This means the clear should be applied over the entire area (if you use the method explained in Blending 101). It also means there’s an area for debate and disagreement between insurers and repairers.
