Apathy
A massive segment of repairers – wallowing in yesteryear’s thinking and uninterested in learning anything new – are driving themselves out of business. Do you fit this description?
Insurer-Owned Shops: Anomaly or Trend
er relationships?”– Johnny Reyes, operations specialist, Pacific Collision Center, Inc., Placentia, Calif. Question answered by: Charlie Barone Among the greatest concerns of body shop owners in the United States is the possibility of a developing trend toward insurance company ownership of body shops. While the advancement of the Sterling/Allstate venture appears to be rapid in
DRPs: Don’t Go Away Mad, Just Go Away
Since so many changes are taking place on the repairer-insurer-consumer horizon, all anyone can do is speculate about the future. Not being a betting man (I’ve never even bought a lotto ticket), I’d venture that the answers to Bill O’Keefe’s questions might be “yes” and “no”–but not necessarily in that order. At a recent NACE,
Plastic Filler: a Good Product in Bad Hands
When plastic filler first hit the market, no depth of filler was too great and manufacturer’s instructions were just there to make the can look good. Even today, decades later, plastic filler is still misunderstood and misused. Why? Because repairers try to use it as a substitute for skill.
Which Is Better: Flat-Rate or Salary
David Rowe, Shop Manager Johnson Ford, Inc. Kingston, N.Y. We chose the flat-rate pay system because it has a built-in incentive program for technicians. It seems to work the best. We’ve tried a “team pay” plan. The idea was to get the cars in and out more quickly. We’d put three or four technicians on
Independents: Fighting for Truth, Justice, and a Fair Day’s Pay
“Will non-DRP shops that fight to make insurers pay for everything be ahead in five years?” – Pete Kenney, manager, Black Diamond Auto Body, Las Vegas, Nev. That’s a tough question, one with no obvious answers carved in stone. This industry has changed so much in the last five years that it’s anyone’s guess what
Move It – Or Lose It
Decreasing cycle times have become a reality.
Resolving Shop/Insurer Conflicts…Peacefully
Many shop owners complain that insurance companies aren’t allowing them to make a living. How is it, then, that so many other shop owners are working with insurers successfully?
What’s the Deal with Dealer Body Shops
Most dealership owners consider their businesses sales organizations and service a necessary evil. Though this attitude is the greatest saving factor for independents, it’s slowly changing to a cradle-to-grave strategy — pitting independents against a competitor like none before Have you been paying attention to how many dealerships have elected to close their collision repair