Brushing Up on Paint Basics
Whether your paint technicians have been with you two months or 20 years, a quick refresher course on the foundations of paint mixing and application is always time well spent.
The Name’s Bond… Adhesive Bond
Is adhesive bonding the right procedure for the job at hand? Is it recommended by the OEM? Until you’re sure of the answers to these – and other – vitally important questions, put down the adhesive and step away from the vehicle.
Decked Out in Decals: They Can Provide Added Income
I’m sure you’ve seen them: Decals of every size, shape and color stuck to vehicles you know didn’t roll off the showroom floor looking like that. Where’d they come from? From shops like yours that know the proper techniques for applying these sticky little restyle items.
Dealer Incentives
“Why don’t the OEMs do a better job of supporting the collision repair industry through their dealer body?”
Blowing Smoke: Servicing Exhaust Systems
It’s more than likely you’ve seen your fair share of damaged exhaust systems. But without knowing the critical points of inspection, you may have missed something – which unfortunately revealed itself to the customer later.
More Brains, Less Brawn: Straightening a Vehicle
Brute force isn’t necessary to straighten a vehicle. Still, techs like to flex their muscles rather than use their brains to get the job done.
So … What Else Do You Do? Profit from those Extra Services
Your shop doesn’t exist in a “collision repair” vacuum. There’s more to maintaining and fixing vehicles than pulling dents, straightening sheet metal and painting panels. But you can’t profit from those extra services unless you start offering them.
Do Your Job and Get Paid for It: Estimating
Too many shops aren’t getting compensated for the repair procedures they perform because they fail to itemize them on their estimates. How can you be sure you get paid for all the work you do? Become familiar with your estimating system P-pages.
7 Ways to Save Money on Materials
‘Tis the season to spend money on gifts for family and friends. No money, you say? You need a Christmas miracle? You don’t need a jolly old elf with eight tiny reindeer to reduce your expenditure for paint and materials. In fact, if you follow these seven proven steps, you’ll be stuffing stockings with increased profits.
Blending 201 – The Next Course
Gone are the days of vinyl tops, so quarter panels and roofs must form a continuous panel to blend. This means the clear should be applied over the entire area (if you use the method explained in Blending 101). It also means there’s an area for debate and disagreement between insurers and repairers.
