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.
A Balanced Business Decision: Performing In-House Wheel Balancing & Tire and Rim Service
The vehicles that grace our repair bays have one thing in common: They all have at least four wheels. And more than likely, their balance has been affected by the collision. You know what that means? There’s money to be made by performing in-house wheel balancing and tire and rim service.
Bigger and Better: Increasing Productivity
Since productivity was such a priority to shop owner Leonard Lassak, he really did his homework on it. Lucky for us, he’s letting us borrow his Cliffs Notes
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.
A Reluctant Informer and the Hardest Hit
An Oregon body shop technician’s keen eye and decades of repair experience played a vital role in the apprehension of a driver responsible for the hit-and-run death of a 12-year-old girl. But it was more than knowledge of the job. It was his first-hand knowledge of knowing what it was like to lose a child.
A Learning Experience: Continuing to Learn your Business
What have you done lately to improve your business and management skills? What steps have you taken to learn more about your market and your industry? Let’s not forget about your employees. What efforts have you made to see that your bodymen are proficient and that your painters are well-versed on the latest refinishing techniques?
The Florida Notice on A/M Parts: Bad or Good
When analyzing the whole aftermarket (A/M) crash parts issue, it reminds me of a story I tell in business seminars that goes like this: Two hikers are walking through the woods when they come across a baby bear cub. Both become intrigued because they’ve never been able to get so close to a bear before.
Those Are the Brakes: In House or Out of House?
Since no two brakes jobs are the same, some shops choose to send brake repairs out of house to avoid an extra possible headache. Others choose to tackle the repairs themselves. What’s right for you depends on how much control you want to have over what often becomes a complicated repair.
Should Have Known Betterment
Betterment. Sounds like a new flavor of gum from Wrigley’s. Well, to car owners and collision shop managers and owners, betterment might not be so sweet, and their attitude toward it hasn’t been so carefree.