Bought Out
“If I knew then what I know now …”. Only after promising them anonymity would several former shop owners speak openly about why they sold to consolidators, where it’s gotten them and if they regret it.
Plastic Fasteners, Clips, and Auto Body Rivets
Items such as fasteners, clips and rivets may be small, but their impact on profits can be huge. Invest in too many, and you’ll end up with stuff you’ll never use. Invest in too few, and you’ll end up not having stuff on hand that you need.
Market Profile: Is the Industry that Bad?
It’s not uncommon to hear shop owners complaining about how awful the collision repair industry is. In fact, when a group of such shop owners get together, it’s worse than a group of old ladies sitting around discussing all their health problems. I know because I speak with a lot of collision repairers and I’m related to a lot of old Italian women (my mother, for one). And, although I have no desire to hear my family discussing bladder control, a group of collision repairers complaining is still worse — especially since most of their problems are fixable.
If You Build It…Remodeling Tips for Best Results
If you remodel your shop – and do it right – the return on your investment will be improved efficiency, increased profits and more motivated employees. Take it from these guys …
Working Designs: Bodyshop Layouts
More equipment and more space won’t automatically yield more profit. Productivity and profitability are just as much functions of managment as they are physical capacity.
Building Basics
Should you build a new facility? Before donning a hard hat and diving into construction, put on your thinking cap to determine if building new is for you.
The Road Ahead
It doesn’t take a fortune teller to predict the future — the challenges awaiting shop owners aren’t a mystery. The mystery is whether or not shop owners will prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.
Going Head to Head: Changing your Thinking
If single-shop operators want to compete with consolidators and multiple-shop entities, they’re going to have to change their Mom-and-Pop mentality.
Going Multiple
If you add facilities for the wrong reasons or without thoroughly understanding what you’re getting into, you may end up with multiple headaches instead of multiplied success.
Wanted: Bigger Phone Booth
Look, above the shop, it’s a franchiser … it’s a consolidator … no, it’s something in between. It’s a … what exactly is that thing?