Stupid Me, I Thought Parts Should Fit
Maybe A/M parts vendors would focus more on quality if we started passing the associated costs of having to return poor-fitting parts onto them.
OE Direct: Friend or Foe?
OED discounts OE parts, making them more appealing to the insurance industry and benefiting the repairer, who might have otherwise had to use aftermarket. But the forced vendor relationships, erosion of parts profits and possible insurer involvement are raising repairer eyebrows and concerns.
Just Say “No”
Will shop owners tolerate a reduction of paint-time allowances?
Scaring Off New Recruits
n on their business. Much to my encouragement, I’m seeing a slowly increasing trend toward addressing these issues by some of the best shops in country. And that’s good for this industry because a slowly rising tide lifts all boats. Scott Irwin – the BodyShop Business reader who asked about our industry’s viability – is
Scolded by Grandma
You’re better off assuming your customers are car experts rather than car-ignorant. One shop manager learned this valuable lesson from a little old lady who knew her vehicle all too well.
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Cars to Come
SUVs, sedans, coupes, minivans – sometimes all rolled into one. They look futuristic, but you could be seeing some of them on the road – and in your shop – as early as next year.
Parking Lot Pileup
To avoid an accident on the highway, a driver slammed on her brakes and crashed into seven parked cars instead – leaving a shop with a parking lot full of re-wrecked vehicles and a lot of explaining to do.
Lights! Cameras! Roll ‘Em!
Autobody lobbyist Mike Causey is all about action. Whether working on anti-steering legislation, running for state-wide office or working as an extra in a Disney movie, he’s never bored.
Don’t Be Another Face in the Crowd
“How can I make a higher profit margin in the body shop as the insurance companies are paying less and less?” – John Thompson, shop manager, Fix Auto Mall, Auburn, N.Y. There are only two ways to increase gross profit on a given sales volume. The first is to increase your bottom line, i.e. charge
