In SOPs We Trust
Standard operating procedures could offer a body shop owner more freedom and the ability to attract new insurance business by creating ‘verifiable’ trust.
Ask the Expert: Bob Blackshaw
If you’re interested in remodeling or building a shop from the ground up, this article is for you.
Industrializing Your Shop
My article in the November 1999 issue of BodyShop Business discussed the factors involved in the industrialization of our industry. It focused primarily on the evolution of the repair process, the human factors and the breakdown of repair tasks. Going a step further, this article focuses on the "plant" or shop requirements. Keep in mind that plant requirements include products and equipment, since they go hand-in-hand with maximum efficiency.
When the Experts Are Absent: Cross-training Works
Do you dread employees going on vacation or calling in sick because your shop can’t function without them? Do you dread being sick or going on vacation because your shop can’t function without you? If so, cross-train to create substitutes who fill in when the experts aren’t there.
Industrialization of the Industry
You don’t have to manufacture automobiles, guns or hamburgers to take advantage of the industrialized process. Such assembly-line concepts can be applied to vehicle repairs, too. Some shops have gone so far as to specialize in departments — paint, metal, mechanical — but they could go even further.
Resolving Shop/Insurer Conflicts…Peacefully
Many shop owners complain that insurance companies aren’t allowing them to make a living. How is it, then, that so many other shop owners are working with insurers successfully?
The Business of Bedliners
Many shop owners have increased profits by offering sprayed-on bedliners. And because bedliners aren’t collision repair related, this profit center is “insurer free”.
Boosting Booth Production
Don’t let poor production processes suck your bottom line dry. Proper spraybooth placement, setup and maintenance could mean another $500,000 in sales per year.
Finding Your Niche
What’s had the living daylights kicked out of it and smells like a herd of horses? It could be your next job. Repairing horse trailers, offering rental cars or spraying on bed liners are just some insurer-free services that can boost your bottom line.
Wheeling In The Profits: Tire & Wheel Service
Traditionally deemed mechanical work, tire and wheel service could be the edge your shop needs to attract more customers and inflate profits.