Operations Profile
That was then … In the year 1906, Baltimore County Commissioners came up with a sure-fire way to stop speeders: They gave police officer Noah Walker permission to shoot at cars when drivers violated the speed limit. "Slow down, or I’ll shoot!" When Walker fired at Yates Pennington’s car, Pennington filed charges against him –
Purchasing Profile
That was then … The wood vs. steel battle continues. In June 1926, the National Lumber Manufacturers Association charged steel makers with "disseminating propaganda against the use of wooden automobile bodies." "It’s an insidious attack on lumber," they declared. The reason for the association’s angst? An ad, which stated: Automobile Industry Heeds Trend of Progress.
Dealer Incentives
“Why don’t the OEMs do a better job of supporting the collision repair industry through their dealer body?”
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.
Profiting From Plastics
There is money to be made repairing plastics.
Learning to Play Nice: Insurers Adress Five Repairer Complaints
Though this isn’t, by any means, an exhaustive list of complaints repairers have about insurers, these five complaints are the ones we hear most frequently.
Constructing the Ultimate Shop Design
No matter what the scale and scope of your shop, you just may benefit from having another pair of eyes examine your layout and procedures.
Creating a Monster
An efficient shop is like a hungry monster. The more a shop’s cycle times improve, the more vehicles it needs to “feed” its appetite. Where will these extra vehicles come from? From shops that haven’t streamlined their operations
Ask … and You Just Might Receive
Dealing with insurers isn’t always as difficult as you perceive it to be. Sometimes all you need to do is ask – and you’ll receive that extra time or payment to properly repair a vehicle. No way it’s that easy? This shop owner and his satisfied customer are proof that sometimes it is.