Play It Safe: “Culture of Safety”
Establish a “culture of safety” in your shop and insist your techs wear
(and properly use) safety equipment. Their families will thank you.
Assembly-Line Processing:Coming Soon to a Shop Near You
As repair dollars shrink and competition grows, we need to change the way we process vehicles to stay competitive and profitable.
Pump Up the Volume
Can you increase volume by 35 percent without compromising quality while still working within insurance companies’ guidelines? This shop manager says, “Yes.”
Pump Up the Volume
Can you increase volume by 35 percent without compromising quality while still working within insurance companies’ guidelines? This shop manager says, “Yes.”
Who’s Really In Control?
Painter Thomas Ferry questions why autobody shop rates are so low compared to other trades
Shattered Market: The Body Shop Glass Business
NAGS list price discounts are increasing, labor payments aredecreasing and deals made behind our backs are eroding profitability. Still, you might want to consider performing your own glass installations since, ultimately, you’re the one shouldering the liability.
Examining Materials and Paint Profitability
Why do some shops boast high paint and materials gross-profit percentages, while others just hope to break even? So often I meet with clients and shop owners and the discussion quickly turns to paint and materials costs and then their profitability (or lack of it). Sometimes, the “first liar never has a chance,” and sometimes
Getting Noticed: Choosing the Best Marketing Strategy to Attract More Cars
ng local relationships and keeping their name in front of insurance claims management. When I was an Allstate adjuster, a body shop that was out of my territory had a reputation for dishonesty and tough negotiations. Management and field staff joked about how this guy was always looking to be an Allstate DRP shop and
Smart Strategies to Boost Production
Well, Alison, this is a loaded question. We can approach this from so many different directions, and I believe most of them would be a matter of opinion. We could address different types of production setups – like inline, fast repair and assembly line, technician combination work bays and team cells, to use a few
Smart Start: Strategies for Opening a Shop
Once upon a time in the body shop industry, all you needed to start a shop was a garage, a couple pieces of used equipment and a good work ethic. These days, however, that formula no longer adds up to success. The advent of direct-repair programs (DRPs), the increased influence of insurance companies in determining