‘I Ran to Fight for the Little Guy’
Richard “Rick” Impallaria of the Maryland House of Delegates.
What’s Diminished Value Mean To You
As contentious an issue as diminished value (DV) has become in the insurance and repair industries, there’s a quiet revolution taking place in the claims business. Once limited to the owners of exotic cars, DV is now a phrase on the lips of ordinary people with damaged grocery-go-getters. And this flood of inquiries to claims
Why I Drug Test Employees
er hired a private investigator who administered polygraph tests to determine how the pump disappeared and who was responsible. One employee – the most likely perpetrator – promptly quit. During the course of the investigation, however, it was learned that 16 out of 25 employees were regular drug users. And this shop had been suffering
Unauthorized Practice of the Law: Are You Guilty?
Watch out when negotiating with insurance companies and appraisers.
Repairs that Pay
Most collision repair professionals – the frame guy and the painter all the way through to the manager and the owner – take pride in repairing automobiles correctly for their customers. Not many people in any business are so cold and callused that they can sell a product or service they believe is
No Problem: This is How We Deal with Tough Adjusters in My Shop
By David M. Rowe I recently had a customer, who also happens to be a part-time employee in our service department, who was in need of a quarter window for her Ford Focus. This customer is insured with the "Good Hands People" at Allstate Insurance Company. My shop is also an Allstate PRO DRP. You’d
He’s No Johnny Come Lately: Padula’s Body Shop
A shop owner since the age of 17, John Padula runs his shop on his terms Shop Name:Padula’s Body Shop , Inc. Location: Tallmadge, Ohio Established: 1947 Square Footage: Main shop 4,000 square feet; detailing building 2,500 square feet President: John Padula No. of Employees: 8 – 1 body tech, 1 body tech helper, 2
Going Head-To-Head with DRPs
If you’re of the opinion that you can “beat ’em and don’t want to join ’em”, you need to market your shop
aggressively to consumers and offer them something they can’t get at a preferred provider shop.
DRPs: Strictly A Business Decision
In 1984, direct-repair program (DRP) – the original Allstate PRO System – was virtually unheard of. Although the concept had been tested on the East Coast and in some of the big cities, most body shops had never been introduced to the idea. One spring day, two people – known as “inspectors” – from Allstate
The Evolution of DRPs
“To every thing – there is a season – and a time – for every purpose – under heaven.” Those lyrics have been repeating in my head since I began outlining this article examining direct-repair agreements. Why? Because to examine DRP agreements without examining their history and evolution would – in my opinion – be