Running With the Big Dogs
“Things have changed with the way smaller body shops are treated by jobbers and product companies.Ten years ago, we saw more product support and received more attention from reps. How can we smaller shops get the same customer service and savings on products as the bigger guys? – GiGi Walker, owner, Walker’s Auto Body, Concord, Calif.
Labor Guides Aren’t Your Boss!
Who performs, oversees and approves the labor time standards? Why are they done on clean, undamaged? Who replaces clean and undamaged? When will labor time standards reflect life and not a sterile lab?” – Tom Ferguson, body shop manager, Thoroughbred Ford, Kansas City, Mo.
Market Profile: Shop Sales Increased 12.9 Percent from Last Year
That was then … When word got around in early 1901 that millionaire William K. Vanderbilt would pay handsomely for horses his car hit and killed, local Long Island farmers turned entrepreneurs. When they spotted Vanderbilt out for a drive, they tipped off their friends, who then led their old nags into the road. The
So … What Else Do You Do? Profit from those Extra Services
Your shop doesn’t exist in a “collision repair” vacuum. There’s more to maintaining and fixing vehicles than pulling dents, straightening sheet metal and painting panels. But you can’t profit from those extra services unless you start offering them.
A Reluctant Informer and the Hardest Hit
An Oregon body shop technician’s keen eye and decades of repair experience played a vital role in the apprehension of a driver responsible for the hit-and-run death of a 12-year-old girl. But it was more than knowledge of the job. It was his first-hand knowledge of knowing what it was like to lose a child.
The Florida Notice on A/M Parts: Bad or Good
When analyzing the whole aftermarket (A/M) crash parts issue, it reminds me of a story I tell in business seminars that goes like this: Two hikers are walking through the woods when they come across a baby bear cub. Both become intrigued because they’ve never been able to get so close to a bear before.
Start with a Good Foundation
The vehicle may “look” pretty good, but that’s no excuse to move forward without measuring — hoping for the best. Before repair work begins, you need to ensure a true foundation with respect to datum, length and sway.
Bedlining Your Pockets
As pickup trucks continue to grow more popular, so does consumer demand for bedliners. In fact, the spray-on bedliner aftermarket hit $90 million ’98. But how much of that $90 mil went into your bank account?
Powertrain Considerations
It’s easy to spot a dented fender, a cracked headlight or a crumpled rear decklid. But since there’s more to a collision-damaged vehicle than meets the eye, powertrain damage should be a top consideration –– if you want to ensure your customers’ vehicles get thoroughly repaired
What’s the Deal with Dealer Body Shops
Most dealership owners consider their businesses sales organizations and service a necessary evil. Though this attitude is the greatest saving factor for independents, it’s slowly changing to a cradle-to-grave strategy — pitting independents against a competitor like none before Have you been paying attention to how many dealerships have elected to close their collision repair