Behind the Blend
It takes more than technical know-how to create an invisible blend. Communication between customers, technicians and other shop staff is also an important ingredient. Mix them all together, and you’ve got the makings of a flawless repair.
Ignorance Isn’t Bliss: Training is Cheap
Think you don’t have the time or money to train your administrative and management employees? When you see what training does for your office’s productivity, training is cheap compared to what ignorance costs you.
Custom Cars at the Click of a Mouse
It’s easy to picture a rear spoiler on a Ferrari, but would that same accessory look right on a Ford Taurus? Without seeing for themselves, customers might be leery of handing over their cash – and their cars. How do you convince them which restyle accessories will turn their sedate sedan into a screaming machine?
It’s Getting Easier Being Green
“What’s the future hold for VOC compliance? With all the new regulations and the trouble it took to become compliant and to learn new techniques for materials, will it all have to be done again in the next two to five years? What’s next?“ – Sterling Wayne Stirewalt, shop manager, Mr. Dent, West Plains, Mo.
Market Profile: Shop Sales Increased 12.9 Percent from Last Year
That was then … When word got around in early 1901 that millionaire William K. Vanderbilt would pay handsomely for horses his car hit and killed, local Long Island farmers turned entrepreneurs. When they spotted Vanderbilt out for a drive, they tipped off their friends, who then led their old nags into the road. The
Purchasing Profile
That was then … The wood vs. steel battle continues. In June 1926, the National Lumber Manufacturers Association charged steel makers with "disseminating propaganda against the use of wooden automobile bodies." "It’s an insidious attack on lumber," they declared. The reason for the association’s angst? An ad, which stated: Automobile Industry Heeds Trend of Progress.
Dealer Incentives
“Why don’t the OEMs do a better job of supporting the collision repair industry through their dealer body?”
Building a Case for Industrialization
When your competition industrializes their operations, their production efficiency will improve dramatically – possibly 37 to 50 percent in a single shift. With such fierce competition, can you afford to continue doing something because “that’s the way we’ve always done it”?
Constructing the Ultimate Shop Design
No matter what the scale and scope of your shop, you just may benefit from having another pair of eyes examine your layout and procedures.
Creating a Monster
An efficient shop is like a hungry monster. The more a shop’s cycle times improve, the more vehicles it needs to “feed” its appetite. Where will these extra vehicles come from? From shops that haven’t streamlined their operations