Nature Vs. Nurture
Highly skilled technicians – Is it all in the genes or does training help?
5 Tips to Make the Money Coat Count: Your Spray Gun
You spend hours trying to achieve the perfect paint job only to face a re-do and an irate customer. But don’t go blaming your paint. The culprit is likely your spray gun not being properly adjusted or as clean as you think.
Profiting From Plastics
There is money to be made repairing plastics.
Suck It Up: Dust Extraction Systems
A dirty shop may discourage customers from giving you their business and techs from wanting to work at your business. One way to keep your shop cleaner is to use a dust extraction system – which sucks away sanding dust and helps create a working environment that doesn’t suck. Got that?
Paint Department Smarts: The Right Tools and Knowledge
It’s not easy for painters to get the training they need. But that doesn’t mean you should settle for “average” techs. Nurture the Einstein in them by equipping them with the right tools and enlightening them with knowledge.
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.
Small, But Formidable: The Smaller Bodyshops
Growing your business doesn’t necessarily mean “growing” your business. Consider Dave Stephenson, who’s built a solid reputation and six-week backlog out of his one-man shop in a small Iowa town.
The Road Ahead
It doesn’t take a fortune teller to predict the future — the challenges awaiting shop owners aren’t a mystery. The mystery is whether or not shop owners will prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.
Consolidators Aren’t The Enemy
With consolidation comes change and a chance to learn new ways to improve your business — or sell your business, if that’s what you’re looking to do.
The Dirt on Dustless Sanding
Will the benefits of purchasing a vacuum system justify the cost? It depends. Do you want cleaner paint work, happier employees and a better working environment?