Life in the Fast Lane
The latest industry buzzwords — speed lanes, cycle times, process efficiency — all focus on repairing cars faster. Fast is hot; slow is not. As we ring in the new millennium, we may also be ringing in the era of rapid repairs.
Guilty! State Farm to Pay $1.19 Billion
When the jury for the aftermarket parts trial against State Farm awarded the plaintiffs $456 million and the judge ruled the insurance giant committed fraud and awarded the plaintiffs an additional $730 million, some people cheered, some people jeered and others shed tears. But how will all this ultimately affect consumers — and repairers?
Repairing the Crash-Parts Market
The situation with replacement crash parts may be a bit of a wreck, but it’s not a total loss. What’s considered a pile of unwanted sheet metal and plastic by many repairers could be turned into a more favorable and profitable alternative to OE parts — if the industry can quit complaining and learn to communicate.
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
Are You Guilty Of Fraud?
Before shop owners condemn the practices of insurers, they need to take a long, hard look at themselves. Committing fraud is dishonest, immoral and illegal – yet many continue to do it.
Call Me! Turning Callers into Customers
When potential customers call in, are you impressing them or annoying them? If you’re not sure, consider these nine tips for turning callers into customers.
When OSHA Comes A Knockin’
An OSHA inspection is something nightmares are made of. And for one New Jersey shop owner, the nightmare was reoccurring because OSHA kept coming back, and back, and back …
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.
Streamlining the Industry
Collision repair has been a fragmented and inefficient industry for years — but consolidators are hoping to change all that.
Insurers: Cowboys At Heart?
Some insurers are rounding up consumers and steering them out of shops like herds of cattle – leaving many shop owners to ask: “Where’s the beef?”
