Waterborne/Low-VOC, Lean Among Topics to Be Covered at BodyShop Business Conference
The BodyShop Business Conference – Strategies for Success will be held May 5, and an exciting group of speakers and companies is already coming together to make this year’s event — to be held at the Pheasant Run Resort near Chicago — a must for collision repairers looking to catapult their business to success. The
House Passes Repeal of 1099 Reporting Mandate
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 4, the “Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011,” which repeals the 1099 reporting mandate in the new health care law, by a vote of 314-112. The reporting mandate requires small businesses to file a 1099 form with the Internal Revenue Service for every vendor that
ASA Members to Discuss Industry Issues on Capitol Hill May 11; Registration Ends April 7
Automotive Service Association (ASA) members will head to Capitol Hill May 11 as part of the association’s 2011 annual business meeting in the Washington, D.C., area. “Taking the Hill” Day will allow members to meet face-to-face with policymakers to discuss key industry issues to address the concerns of today’s mechanical and collision repair professionals, ASA
Database Enhancement Gateway Announces New Administrator
The Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) has announced that Arthur Harris has been hired as the new DEG administrator. The DEG Joint Operating Committee (JOC) selected Harris from a large pool of well-qualified applicants. With 23 years experience in the automotive field and a passion for technology, Harris was viewed as an ideal candidate for this
The Fickle Pickle
I would like to start off this month with a quirky and unsettling statement: “Customers are fickle.” There. I said it. To some, that may seem obvious. Others probably haven’t thought much about it. For those of you who know what I’m getting at, you’re on your way to overcoming the problem. For the rest
Addressing Memory Functions in Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX
Today’s complex vehicles are forcing collision repair facilities to address repair issues they never had to address a few years ago. The diagnostic age is upon us, and without the proper tools, training and information to properly assess and repair these vehicles’ complex systems, your shop may be forced to outsource many repairs that you
Writing More Accurate Estimates
In my experience, the No. 1 reason for a vehicle not being delivered on time is usually something related to parts. I’m going to share some helpful websites that you might consider using to write a more accurate estimate.
Vehicle Ignition Interlock Devices: What You Need to Know
An increasing number of vehicles are being equipped with ignition interlock devices to prevent repeat drunk driving, so it’s smart to have a plan in place if one arrives in your shop.
How Cloud Computing Affects Collision Repair
As the use of cloud computing has increased, so too have repairers’ concerns over how their data is being used. So how is it being used? And are repairers’ privacy concerns justified? We try to separate fact from fiction and see if the positives outweigh the negatives.
NCOIL Rejects Motor Vehicle Crash Parts and Repair Model Act
In a hearing on March 6 in Washington, D.C., the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Property & Casualty (P&C) Committee voted to reject the Model Act for Motor Vehicle Crash Parts and Repair. The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) had participated in debates over the model act since it was introduced in July