Does Your Shop Measure Up?
Techs working to beat the clock often skip the measuring process. But if you add a separate line to your estimate for the setup of the measuring system in addition to the setup of the vehicle on the frame machine, some of your techs might be more willing to knock the dust off the old measuring system once and awhile.
The Total Story
Why are some cars repaired when they should be totaled, and others totaled when they should be repaired? Because, too often, poorly trained people are estimating damages. If it’s a total, then total it. If it’s a borderline case, communicate with your customer and your tech. But keep in mind that customer safety is your No. 1 priority.
Las Vegas or Bust: NACE 2001
NACE 2001 hits the jackpot with a solid line-up of seminars, a new action demonstration arena and entertainment by comedian Jay Leno.
What to Do With Sagging Sales
In May, we examined how insufficient volume can put you in the red. But volume is only half the problem. Insufficient production also poses a serious threat to your shop’s sales. Luckily, it’s all fixable.
What to Do When Sales Suck, Part I
While there isn’t always a quick fix for sagging sales, examining volume and production will reveal what went wrong – and what needs to be done to pull your shop out of the red.
Custom Cars at the Click of a Mouse
It’s easy to picture a rear spoiler on a Ferrari, but would that same accessory look right on a Ford Taurus? Without seeing for themselves, customers might be leery of handing over their cash – and their cars. How do you convince them which restyle accessories will turn their sedate sedan into a screaming machine?
Oops … I Did It Again: Color Matching
Are you a repeat offender when it comes to color matching mistakes? Color matching doesn’t have to be difficult – or costly – if you follow this simple advice.
Using Computers to Produce and Profit
Just about every aspect of a repair – from the moment a customer makes a decision about which shop to use to the time a car exits the shop – can involve computerization. What’s the point? Besides speeding up cycle time, computers can make your techs better at what they do and your shop easier to manage.
Taking the Despair Out of Door Skin Repair
To make this often-dreaded task more appealing to techs – and more profitable to your shop – re-think door skin replacement during the estimating process. Then after writing an estimate that includes all the necessary procedures, enlist a few special techniques and tools to speed up the actual repair.
Orange You Going to NACE?
Bound for Orlando – the land of oranges and overabundant family fun – NACE promises a jam-packed schedule of seminars and workshops that leaves little time for mousing around.