6 Steps to Turn That Frown Upside Down
There are times when you must fire a customer.
When Every Day is Deja Vu
This Month’s Ailing Shop …
Pinchweld Flanges: The Weakest Link
Because glass installation has become a specialty area in the collision industry, it’s often handled by an outside installer or a specialist inside the shop. And it seems natural to separate this operation from other steps in the repair.
Less Pay for More Work
I’ve always felt that a top collision technician has more knowledge and responsibility than any mechanic, so why do insurance companies pay dealer mechanic shops $75 and up per hour? What’s a collision technician? He’s a painter, a sculptor (body work), a welder (three different types: arc, MIG, gas), a fabricator, an upholster, an electrician,
Glass Work: Profitability
Because of the complications involved – hiring, organizing production, insurer involvement and discounts, etc. – most shops opt to outsource glass work. But is this willingness to give it away a detriment to profitability and to achieving a competitive edge?
You Want a Piece of Me: Sectioning
The term sectioning makes some of us regress into our memories to a time when we lived to cut and splice automobile bodies to such an extent that they became unrecognizable as to their original make or model. Come on, admit it, at least half of you are looking back, somewhat reverently, thinking about the
Becoming the Mask Master
When I started in this business, I couldn’t wait to pull the masking paper off that “flawless” paint job that I’d so meticulously laid down on that well-massaged custom. In fact, you’d often find me tugging on the tape and ripping paper before even cleaning my gun. What I lacked in sense I made up
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:
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.
Maintain Profits: A Regular Maintenance Schedule
You can lose thousands of dollars a day if even one piece of equipment goes down. Prevent such costly breakdowns by committing to a regular maintenance schedule.
