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
I’ve Got Something You Want: the Barter System
Shop owners are using the barter system to turn their down time into a way to accumulate trade dollars and attract new business. Just because you’re short on cash doesn’t mean you have to go without. More and more body shop owners are turning to bartering – and finding that it can be good for
You Asked for It: Our 4th-Annual Readers Choice Issue
If an industry expert offered to answer one question for you, what would your question be? (The question must be collision-repair related.) “Are there any topless female techs out there?”asked one shop owner. I’ll be the first to admit, putting together our annual April Readers Choice issue can be challenging. But it’s also a lot
Insurer-Owned Shops: Anomaly or Trend
er relationships?”– Johnny Reyes, operations specialist, Pacific Collision Center, Inc., Placentia, Calif. Question answered by: Charlie Barone Among the greatest concerns of body shop owners in the United States is the possibility of a developing trend toward insurance company ownership of body shops. While the advancement of the Sterling/Allstate venture appears to be rapid in
“We Pay Up To $350 per RO for Paint, Period”
What is paint capping? Paint capping is a practice instituted by an insurance company that arbitrarily limits the amount of money they reimburse a repair facility for paint and materials on a specific repair order. To fully understand paint capping, you must first understand how paint and materials are calculated on an estimate. The standard
DRPs: Don’t Go Away Mad, Just Go Away
Since so many changes are taking place on the repairer-insurer-consumer horizon, all anyone can do is speculate about the future. Not being a betting man (I’ve never even bought a lotto ticket), I’d venture that the answers to Bill O’Keefe’s questions might be “yes” and “no”–but not necessarily in that order. At a recent NACE,
Trade Secrets
Unusual, everyday tools commonly used in the collision repair industry.
PCers Run Amuck
Re-repairs vs. ongoing repairs.
Attention LazyBoy Armchair Couch Potatoes!
This may be the best news since remote control! You no longer have to lounge around motionless to spend the whole day in your favorite armchair. Instead, you can cruise around on your favorite driveable, street-legal furniture.
The Not-So-Lazy Boy
Attention couch potatoes: This may be the best news since remote control! You no longer have to lounge around motionless to spend the whole day in your favorite armchair. Instead, you can cruise around on your favorite driveable, street-legal furniture.