Steered Clear
Steering comes in many forms – some illegal and some legal.
Examining Insurer-Owned Shops in the UK
Although the phenomenon of insurers owning repair shops is still in its infancy in the States, it’s well-established in the United Kingdom – giving you the rare opportunity to see what could be your future.
Selling Services
Some shops are making it standard practice to bill insurance companies in dollar amounts with no reference to the number of hours spent on a repair. As much as insurers fight this practice, the shops – which could include yours – are within their rights.
Doing the Impossible: Scheduling Labor Effectively
I’ve been in the collision repair industry for 21 years, and one challenge that’s a constant is effectively scheduling production staff. Scheduling in this business is difficult because you have different repair jobs coming in every day and no two jobs are exactly the same – so you can’t follow a standard scheduling method that
Should Shops Drug Test Their Employees?
John Shortell, manager Secor’s Collision Technology New London, Conn. Opinion: No I don’t think body shops should start drug testing employees for several reasons: I am, of course, a shop employee. A manager yes, but still an employee. Personally, I have a shy bladder and have great difficulty producing urine on demand. And once I
Figuring Out Financials
This Month’s Ailing Shops … Shop No. 1 Annual Sales Volume: $449,000 Units Completed: 357 Average Repair: $1,257.70 Organization: Sole Proprietorship Employees: 7 Owner: Steve Accounting Duties: Steve’s wife, Cheryl Shop No. 2: Annual Sales Volume: $2.4 million Units Completed: 1,369 Average Repair: $1,753.10 Organization: Sub Chapter S Corporation Employees: 17 Owner: Mark Accounting Duties:
Damaged Goods
Fact: Consumers won’t pay as much for a vehicle that’s been wrecked and repaired as they will for a vehicle that’s never been in an accident. This market condition – or stigma as some like to call it – diminishes the vehicle in value, regardless of how expertly repaired it may have been.
Inherent DV: One Man’s Disbelief
I truly don’t believe that a properly repaired auto is worth less by virtue of the fact that it’s been repaired. It’s not that black and white. How many times have you repaired a vehicle back to pre-accident condition – and then some – and said to yourself, “That wreck was the best thing that ever happened to that car”?
When the Paint Hits the Fan
What are the common paint-shop screw ups? What mistakes are consistently causing paint failures – and costing you cash? Hint: It’s not all your painter’s fault.
Steering Customers to the Truth
Collision repair and auto glass specialists continue to suffer discrimination at the hands of insurance companies as well as government agencies.