No Free Groceries: Body Shops Should Operate Like Grocery Stores
If you want something, you pay for it, and if you don’t pay for it, you don’t get it.
Auditing Insurer Estimates
Analyzing insurer-produced estimates versus my own has led me to a better understanding of what body shops should and shouldn’t do during the estimating process.
We’re Talking Dollars, Not Hours: Labor Hours
Labor hours or units are like Vegas gambling chips: They’re easier to throw away than actual dollars. Retraining our brains to think of these hours as dollars, though, will lead to greater profitability
Another Leg to Stand On? Diminished Value
I’m not sure if you paid any attention to a recent story about an Ohio court ruling that an insurer had to pay for the “diminished value” of an insured’s car after a wreck. You probably should have in cased you missed it. Duke and Cheryl Rakich bought a GMC Yukon for $49,000 in 2003.
Don’t Leave Dollars on the Table: Total Losses
Total losses are often regarded as a loss to a body shop. But the fact is the loss is your customers’ and doesn’t have to be borne in any sense by your business.
Unlocking the Mystery of Production: Pre-Repair Management
Pre-repair management isn’t a new way to repair cars faster, better, cheaper and easier. But it’s been proven to ease the production management workload – and give you time
to focus on big ideas.
Damage Analysis for Dollars
Body shops consistently overlook ‘damage analysis’ as a profit center, but this service is definitely not free and should be charged for.
Chalk One Up for the Little Guy
My firsthand account of taking Progressive to small claims court over refinish time…and winning.
Spending Less Can Cost More
Our jobber meant well, but when he said we could save $100 per gallon on a cheaper clear, we actually ended up losing $2 per gallon.
DRPs, Here We Come?
Taking on DRPs will mean making loyal employees fit our new business model. And that doesn’t happen overnight. Part 9 of a series.
Blend vs. Full Paint
“Why is blend time 50 percent of the time as full paint time?”
Shifty Business: Cost Shifting
Not getting paid properly? Cost shifting is not the solution, and is just plain bad busiess.