Why Won’t They Pay Me
Over the years shop operators have learned to write estimates with strict adherence to estimating guides and P-pages. In our attempts to play by the rules, we’ve written for every task we perform in order to get paid properly. But what do we do when insurance companies simply refuse to pay for what we know
There’s a Right Way … and There’s a Wrong Way
Paint-shop best practices.
Would I Lie to You
An uneducated consumer is just as likely to make a bad decision as a drunk guy flirting with a statuesque woman who’s got a deep, sexy voice and calls herself Al. But the key to educating consumers is to do it before something bad happens. Trying to explain your estimate after they’ve already questioned it causes distrust – and will likely cost you the job.
Las Vegas or Bust: NACE 2001
NACE 2001 hits the jackpot with a solid line-up of seminars, a new action demonstration arena and entertainment by comedian Jay Leno.
Forget the Decoder Ring: CIECA’s EMS System
Because information providers are no longer considering encryption or licensing agreements to limit access of estimate data as it travels along the Internet from shop to insurer, the goal of CIECA’s EMS standard can finally be achieved: No more re-keying data. No matter what provider you use, the EMS system can format the estimate so when it gets to the insurer, it looks just how they wanted it.
Restyle Your Business: Offering Restyle Products
In 1999, retail sales of specialty equipment products totaled $23.24 billion. You can funnel some of that cash into your own pocket by offering restyle products – from fender flares to floor mats to grille guards – in addition to the collision work you do now.
Can a Three-Day Cycle Time Become Commonplace
Jon McNeill, CEO, Sterling Collision Centers Natick, Mass. Opinion: Yes The average repair has somewhere between 17 and 19 hours on the sheet. If you look at those 17 or 19 hours, there has to be somewhere to cram that into a three-day period – or even 24 hours. What you have to do is
An Ordinary Guy – an Extraordinary Decision
As Clint Arndt examined the Chevy Astro van, he knew almost instantly that it hadn’t hit a deer – though that’s what the driver claimed. Arndt’s years of experience (32 to be exact) and the fact that he repairs 10 to 15 deer hits a month at Wentworth Buick in Eugene, Ore., told Arndt that something was wrong … that someone had placed deer hair into the vehicle’s headlight area to make it look like the van hit a deer.
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.
ycle Time and Punishment: Their Cross-Country Sales Trek had taken a Short Recess
The sign ahead said, “Welcome to Judgment: Population 801.” It was crooked, like the tower in Pisa, and the white background was badly rusted. Weeds, like tangled wires at Christmas, wrapped tightly around the metal stem of the sign. Pete Simpson, who was driving, wondered if the population hadn’t changed at all since the sign