Build a Better Mousetrap, and the World Will Beat a Path to Your Door
7 strategies for quality-driven shops to maintain profitability in a marketplace fixated on “fast” and “cheap.”
Skinning a Door – Without Using Filler
Remember the physician’s oath: “First, Do No Harm.”
Insurers Don’t Control Pricing
“That’s almost like asking, “How much does a Chevrolet Tahoe cost?”
Your Fearless (ASA) Leader
Geralynn Kottschade has gone through basic training and childbirth. Comparatively speaking, her new role as ASA Chair should be relatively painless.
DRPs: Our Business Skills
Stop the finger pointing. How well we do in this trade has a lot more to do with our business skills than with how “bad” insurers are. In fact, direct-repair programs have, dare I say it, made many shops more efficient and profitable. It was more than 40 years ago, but I still remember sitting
Letters
Addressing Anti-trust Georgina: Nice article on Anti-trust [Editor’s Notes, May, pg. 6]. Just read it while I ate my lunch. If my so-called competitors wouldn’t be so afraid of their own shadow (Puxatawney Phil would be ashamed!), maybe the industry could move forward. Charge what you need to charge; the rest will figure itself out.
Check It Out: Quality-Control Inspection
If you want happier customers (and less headaches), perform a systematic quality-control inspection before
releasing the vehicle.
Letters
Dear Georgina: I enjoyed reading your article on paint judgment times [Editor’s Notes, March, pg. 6]. I see more and more insurance adjusters’ estimates calling for blend within the panels on repaired panels. Allstate and Farmers have been the worst for taking advantage of this. Once Allstate wanted to repair a quarter panel for 12
Write Better Estimates
The estimate is the most important aspect of our business process. If an estimate is poorly written, it can wreak havoc on your shop and cost you a boatload of cash.
Sell your Estimate
If you’re not explaining your estimate to a consumer and preparing him for why your competitor’s estimate may be lower, you might as well not bother writing the estimate.
