One Man’s Ad Plan
Every year, when my paternal relatives gather for a reunion, Aunt Shirley tells the embarrassing story of when I – just back from gymnastics camp – decided to do a cartwheel on the picnic-table bench. After losing my balance, I knocked a pitcher of fruit punch into my grandmother’s lap and landed bottom-first in a
Get It Straight: Alignments
Customers these days are pickier than ever about the work performed on their vehicles – and alignment isn’t an exception. If customers aren’t satisfied with how their cars ride, steer and handle after driving them out of your shop, you’ll likely see those customers again – for the redo.
Insider Trading
The collision-repair industry is big business.
In 1995, shops averaged an annual gross-sales volume of $415,168.
With shop profits soaring that high – even higher at Dun &
Bradstreet’s "Top 100" facilities – owners are as much
businessmen as they are technicians, estimators and managers.
And just like any other business leaders, shop owners are interested
in efficiency, profits and success.
Mistaken Identity
Attributing the ownership of 17 collision-repair facilities with more than $22 million in annual sales to a mistake is a bit hard to swallow. But for Bruce Mackie, president of Mackie
Enterprises, Inc., it’s the true story of his success.
Industry Bypass: The Three C Body Shop
Situated next to Route 3 – the original highway that ran across the Buckeye State from Cincinnati to Columbus to Cleveland before Interstate 71 was constructed – Three C Body
Shop does anything but go with the flow.
1996 Editorial Index
AIR CONDITIONING AND COOLING “Tips and Trends for Coolant Recycling,” Feb., pg. 60 “A/C Retrofit Update,” May, pg. 36 BUSINESS AND MARKETING “How to Get a Yes from Your Banker,” Feb., pg. 33 “Big Brother Sees All,” March, pg. 28 “Perfectly Prompt Payments,” April, pg. 20 “Don’t Get Roped In with the Rest – Try
Partnering With A Paint Company
With so many paint-company partnership programs in the marketplace, making a decision which – if any – to join can be a confusing and time-consuming decision.
Room to Grow
Name: American Auto Body Location: Akron, Ohio Owner: Joe and Rocky Piscazzi Established: 1976 Square Footage: 20,000 Number of Employees: 10 Repair Volume: 60 cars per month Rocky Piscazzi recently learned that relocating to a new body shop can trigger Murphy’s Law of moving – everything costs more than expected. “Even though I’ve learned that
Loading Up the Truck: Changing Your Location
Have you ever thought of moving your shop? Are you contemplating a move now?
Lining Their Pockets with Profits: Profit Centers
With rising competition and declining profits, many collision-repair shops are adding profit centers to boost their sales.