January 2025 Northeast Edition

Insurer-Repairer Collaboration Important For Both To Make Customers Happy

By Stacey Phillips Ronak Autobody News

An ongoing challenge in the collision industry is improving customer satisfaction and retention following a vehicle accident. In October, CCC Intelligent Solutions released findings from its Moments of Truth study, identifying the key drivers of customer satisfaction and retention in the auto insurance claims and repair process.

The study examined 47 “Moments of Truth” based on data from 2,400 policyholders who had been in an accident between August 2021 and December 2023 and completed the repair process as a first-party claimant.

The study was co-authored by Maryling Yu, vice president of marketing at CCC Intelligent Solutions, and Dr. Ranjini Vaidyanathan, director of CCC’s data science team.

“The study sought to define the

critical points in time -- or moments of truth -- in which carriers and repairers must perform well to achieve a good outcome for customer satisfaction, and for carriers, customer retention,” explained Yu.

Autobody News talked to Yu about the study and the implications for insurers and repairers. She will provide an in-depth analysis of the findings during a Dec. 5 CIECA Webinar.

What prompted CCC to conduct the Moments of Truth study?

Prior to joining CCC in 2023, I worked in the financial technology (fintech) sector. Over my career, I have enjoyed sharing insight

VIVE Collision Working Toward 150-Location Goal by Focusing on Key Criteria

By Ben Shimkus Autobody News

VIVE Collision is speeding ahead in the world of auto repair. The Northeast-based MSO just inked a deal with its 51st partner shop, a sharp jump from the 46 locations it had on board in July.

VIVE Collision’s latest milestone takes its reach into New Hampshire, adding partnerships in Keene, Manchester and Portsmouth. The MSO now operates across eight states in the Northeast, with shops in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

“It’s a huge milestone for us as a business,” VIVE CEO Vartan Jerian

Jr. told Autobody News, reflecting on the company’s rapid growth with its 50th and 51st store partnerships. Jerian, a veteran of the collision repair space, co-founded VIVE alongside Scott Leffler and Phil Taub to disrupt what they see as an outdated industry model.

On its website, VIVE doesn’t hold back, calling the collision repair industry “broken.” Unlike competitors that plant new flags in fresh markets, VIVE focuses on improving existing operations. Partner shops typically keep their original names, adding a “powered by VIVE Collision” tag to their branding. After the agreement, VIVE partners with the technicians to overhaul the repair

Remedies, Penalties Prescribed for Noncompliant Automakers in Maine Right to Repair Draft

By Brian Bradley Autobody News

Maine’s draft right to repair legislation would allow independent repair shops and car owners to seek $10,000 in civil relief or up to three times the amount of actual compensatory damages if car manufacturers improperly deny them access to vehicles’ diagnostic data.

Under the proposal, owners and shops could claim the greater of

$10,000 or three times the amount of actual damages — known as treble damages — if manufacturers deny access to key diagnostic data necessary to complete repairs.

The Office of the Maine Attorney General released the proposed

NATIONAL

Abby Andrews

Index of Advertisers

Collision Repair Shops Should Leverage AI to Improve Customer Experience, Capture More Jobs 34

Abby Andrews

Employee Benefits No Longer Just ‘Nice to Have’ for Collision Shops .... 50

Abby Andrews

More Accurate Estimates Needed to Control EV Repair Costs .................. 24

Abby Andrews

SEMA Show Attendees Talk About What They Gained to Address Their Shops’ Biggest Challenges 22

Abby Andrews

EV Collision Claims Rise as National Policy Changes Expected................... 4

Brian Bradley

Insurer-Repairer Collaboration Important for Both to Make Customers Happy................................................ 1

Stacey Phillips Ronak

OEM Summit Explores Laser Welding Opportunities in Collision Repair 6

Stacey Phillips Ronak

2025 WIN Conference Registration

55

44

Caliber Appoints Chief CDO 33 Cindy Reeves Joins CIF Board of Trustees 26 Crash Champions Gives $200K 5 Electrified New-Vehicle Sales Drive

REGIONAL

Legal Remedies, Penalties Prescribed for Noncompliant Automakers in Maine Right to Repair Draft ......................... 1

Brian Bradley

COLUMNS

Collision Repairer Shares His Perspective on Negotiating with Insurers .............. 12

Mike Anderson BASF ‘Techs for Tomorrow’ Students Gain Experience, Make Connections at 2024 SEMA Show ............................ 14

Red Carpet Awards Night Honors Those Who Go Above and Beyond 16

Stacey Phillips Ronak

As Fisker Bankruptcy Drives Up Repair Costs, Owners Spark Parts Revolution 8

Ben Shimkus

VIVE Collision Working Toward 150-Location Goal by Focusing on Key Criteria .............................................. 1

Ben Shimkus

CIC: Study to Look at ADAS Trends; Students Share What They Want in a Shop.................................................. 9

John Yoswick

GM’s New Collision Assistance App Contacts Driver at Accident Scene, Helps Them Choose Repair Shop ..... 18

John Yoswick

MSO Symposium Looks At Economic Forecast, Discussion of Customer Satisfaction ..................................... 32

John Yoswick

Shops Say Specialization of Employee Roles Improves Production, Eases Finding Qualified Workers ............... 10

John Yoswick

EV Collision Claims Rise As National Policy Changes Expected

By Brian Bradley Autobody News

Claims frequency for collisiondamaged battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rose year-over-year in the U.S., while claims severity for BEVs decreased during the same timeframe, according to Mitchell’s Q3 2024 “Plugged In: EV Collision Insights” report, released Nov. 13. The report showed claims frequency for BEVs rose to 3.01% in the U.S., an increase of 47% over Q3 2023.

However, claims severity for repairable vehicles in the U.S. fell across the board: BEVs, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEV) and internal combustion engine (ICE) cars all notched a lower claims severity in the U.S. than Q3 2023, reporting year-over-year decreases in repair costs ranging from 2% to 14% for these various types of vehicles.

BEVs logged the highest average repair costs at $5,560 per car in Q3, followed by PHEVs at $5,229 per car, ICE vehicles at $4,741 per car, and MHEVs at $4,426 per car.

BEVs also took longer to repair than their counterparts through the first three quarters of 2024. The U.S. year-to-date average keys-to-keys cycle time for BEV collision repairs was 19.5 days, a full three days and 18% more than ICE cars, according to the report.

Prices are equalizing between BEVs and ICE vehicles, creating more similarity in total loss outcomes. The average total loss market value for BEVs in Q3 2024 was $32,718 in the U.S., only $1,648 more than for ICE vehicles. Further, total loss frequency hit a rate of 9.9% for BEVs and 9.98% for ICE vehicles.

Front-end crash avoidance technologies and potentially fasterthan-expected deceleration in BEVs contributed to a higher rate of rearend impact for those cars compared to ICE vehicles, which more frequently sustained front-end damage. Nearly 36% of BEV repairs were classified as back-end impacts in Q3, versus just over 27.5% for ICE vehicles. But more than 31.5% of ICE automobiles had a front-end point of impact, compared to just 26% for BEVs.

BEVs also significantly outpaced ICE vehicles in terms of OEM parts usage, logging 90.3% compared to only 64.4% for ICE vehicles.

California had a greater repairable claims frequency for BEVs than any other state, hitting 5.86% in Q3, a nearly 0.7% increase from the Q2 2024.

Mitchell also reported that while overall hybrid sales appear to be steadily rising, “headwinds” appear to be boding against widespread PHEV adoption. The report cited an August 2024 J.D. Power study that stated PHEVs score much lower than BEVs in nine of 10 EV categories, particularly for battery range and total ownership cost.

That same study cited consumer concern with public charging infrastructure as another “persistent headwind” on EV sales.

Changing EV Policy

The Mitchell report comes at a time when federal EV policy is expected to shift under the coming Trump administration.

it’s the private sector’s dedication and consistency that can help provide stability going forward.”

EV Recommendations Adopted

The working group passed at least two recommendations related to light-duty EVs — one related to a public education and awareness campaign and one related to managed charging.

Pursuant to the former recommendation, the working group will launch a program to promote the “ease and awareness of EV charging,” targeting the general public, rental car customers and car dealerships.

A federal public-private entity on Nov. 13 expressed a continuing intent to strongly advocate for widening EV adoption even amid expected changes to EV approaches under the next administration.

The federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation established the Electric Vehicle Working Group in June 2022, to make recommendations to the secretaries of energy and transportation regarding the development and adoption of EVs into the U.S. transportation and energy systems.

“Obviously, there was an election last week, and changes in administration may bring changes in priorities, a natural part of our democratic process,” Joint Office of Energy and Transportation Executive Director Gabe Klein said during the working group meeting. “The Joint Office, however, will continue to address these priorities across the departments of Energy and Transportation.”

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 formed the working group.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is not just a name only,” Klein said. “It’s a fundamentally bipartisan effort that’s delivering billions of dollars in investment and good-paying jobs in states and communities across the country, regardless of political affiliation….In times of change like this,

Two good reference points to inform the campaign may include the federal “Click It or Ticket” and Airbag and Seat Belt Safety campaigns, where the private sector joined the federal government to promote seat belt use and recognize the benefits of seat belt and airbag technology, Alliance for Automotive Innovation President and CEO John Bozzella said during the meeting.

“How far does a car go on a charge if it’s an EV, and how and where and when do I charge it?” are a few common concerns that customers share regarding EVs, Bozzella said.

To stimulate charging efficiency, the working group is also considering a recommendation to create a national “EV Charging Station Competition to the Top” program, aimed at incentivizing charging stations to follow consumer-facing minimum National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure standards. The program may be structured similarly to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR rating framework, according to the recommendation.

The ENERGY STAR score rates performance on a percentile basis,

and is expressed as a number on a 1-100 scale. For example, buildings with a score of 50 perform better than 50% of their peers.

Charging efficiency would not be structured in a cut-and-dry format that says “’this is a failure and this is a success,’” Bozzella said. Rather, “there’s ‘good, better, best.’ There’s three, four, five stars.”

The working group did not hold a vote to adopt that recommendation, but members of the working group plan to soon retool the recommendation to include either a generic description of the entity that will rate charging infrastructure or the name of the entity itself.

The working group will next meet Nov. 20.

During the Nov. 13 meeting, the working group also voted to encourage large-scale “managed charging,” which refers to the optimization of EV charging for cost and electric grid benefits. Managed charging can either be scheduled by consumers to charge during the most cost-effective times to use electricity, or it can be done through an electric utility that is permitted direct control to a customer’s EV load to reduce grid stress and/or charge when renewables are abundant.

The working group identified two major challenges associated with managed charging that need to be addressed: lack of signals indicating grid conditions and the need for “flexibility” from EVs; and uncertainty of “dependable response” from EV or EV equipment providers to shift load.

“Successful [managed charging] lower volume demonstrations have occurred; now there is a need to align and scale,” the recommendation said. “Scaling requires standard communications among utilities, auto OEMs, EV equipment, software and service providers (collectively, EV Equipment Providers), as applicable, to receive and use data to adjust consumer charging.”

experience, improving technical skills, strengthening talent pipelines and creating a people-focused work environment.

“Some things have gotten stale,” Jerian said, while touting the brand’s

ensure changes integrate seamlessly into the vehicle’s systems. To pull this off, the company consistently trains its teams with cutting-edge expertise in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and electric vehicle (EV) repair. But updating technicians with the latest information isn’t without its challenges.

“We’re doing acquisition in one state, and everyone thinks they have all of the required equipment and training,” he said. “For us, it’s like, ‘holy gadzooks, we have to send way more money than we thought we did.’ But that’s the investment we make.”

customer quality assurance program. “We want to change the mentality of the business. It’s not just how quickly we process the car, but the quality of repair and making sure all the steps are followed.”

VIVE’s approach to repairs treats every job as a full-on remanufacturing process. Instead of just patching up broken parts, technicians work to

VIVE’s rapid expansion got a serious boost in November 2023, when Greenbriar Equity Group stepped in with a growth recapitalization partnership. With more than $10 billion in capital commitments across industries, Greenbriar helped fuel VIVE’s plans for scaling.

Jerian’s vision includes partnerships with 150 shops, focusing on three key criteria: collision certification, strong positioning with OEM partners, and a scalable presence in new markets.

This strategy has strengthened

VIVE’s relationships with major vehicle manufacturers. The company boasts certifications with Tesla, Porsche, BMW and Audi, among others, although a few niche luxury brands remain outside its network.

Maintaining successful partnerships with individual shops also hinges on a commitment to safety protocols and repairs done right the first time. According to Jerian, VIVE fosters an open, nonpunitive culture with its technicians, emphasizing transparency and collaboration.

“It’s always like a snake eating an elephant — one bite at a time,” he said. “We can’t go in there and demand everybody change. We have to make sure everybody understands the ‘why’ behind everything.”

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Crash Champions Gives $200K

Crash Champions announced a $200,000 contribution to the Collision Engineering program, presented at the Crash Champion’s Charity Golf Outing, Dec. 5 at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point, CA. The presentation marked the capstone of Crash Champions’ 11th annual signature fundraising event, which brings together hundreds of collision repair industry professionals, vendors and partners to raise funds for nonprofit organizations. The 2024 Golf Outing marked the event’s first contribution to the Collision Engineering program as part of Crash Champions’ growing commitment to support the organization. Co-founded by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation and Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, MO, the Collision Engineering program was created in 2020 to proactively address the technician shortage by fostering collaboration between education and industry to develop a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals who are wellequipped to perform proper and safe vehicle repairs.

Bryon’s Auto Body Powered by VIVE in Newington, CT, became VIVE’s 50th location in October

OEM Summit Explores Laser Welding Opportunities in Collision Repair

By Stacey Phillips Ronak Autobody News

With automakers introducing laser welds in the manufacturing environment over the last few years, many collision repairers are recognizing its potential use as an alternative to MIG and TIG welding.

Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), noted examples of laser welds being used on the 2021 Acura TLX and 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer.

As part of this year’s SCRS OEM Summit, held during the November 2024 SEMA Show, information was shared about laser welding opportunities in automotive and aerospace manufacturing.

Presenters included Dean Brennan, North American sales manager at IPG Photonics, the largest fiber laser manufacturer in the world; Rex Alexandre, president and principal engineer at the Handheld Laser Institute and a former senior welding engineer on SpaceX’s Starship program; and Jeff Poole, manager and subject matter expert at I-CAR.

“It’s not every day that we are able to interact and learn directly from former senior welding engineers for SpaceX about everything learned exploring, experimenting and ultimately putting the technology to use on the Starship,” Schulenburg noted.

He said the speakers did an amazing job talking through the evolution of this welding technology, while making it clear to attendees how much work is still being done to better understand perceived future use cases in the repair environment.

“We recognize that utilizing laser welding in a repair environment is still yet to be proven or approved but saw an opportunity to learn directly from individuals who are pioneering the opportunities,” said Schulenburg.

Brennan has been marketing laser systems since their early adoption in the metal fabrication industry in 1990 and is now spearheading the North American launch of Light Weld, a handheld laser welding product.

During the laser welding presentation, Brennan shared information about fiber laser technology, the advantages of laser welding and its applications in automotive repair.

Brennan defined laser welding as the process of transferring a laser beam’s photonic energy into heat to fuse or join parts. He said it’s like using a magnifying glass to capture the sun’s energy.

“This transferred heat melts the materials to form a molten weld pool that subsequently cools and fuses the targeted area together,” Brennan explained.

He said laser welding is a flexible process that can be performed with or without filler material and is used to create seams and joints that are narrow, wide, shallow or deep with a variety of materials including metals, dissimilar and reflective materials, and non-metals.

Although lasers create a relatively small spot on the parts to be welded, Brennan said weld pools that are significantly wider than the spot can

be created by oscillating the beam in customizable patterns.

“For parts and materials that cannot handle excessive thermal input, lasers can be optimized to achieve rapid weld penetration and scanned along the joint to reach speeds as high as several meters per minute,” he noted.

Brennan said handheld laser welding has many advantages. These include high precision, speed and repeatedly, with a low heat input. In addition, minimal maintenance is required.

“Laser welding is an easily automated solution for creating excellent quality welds rapidly and reliably,” he said. “The power control of the laser is extremely consistent and predictable so it can be repeated over and over.”

Brennan explained that MIG and TIG welding use electrical resistance that can interfere with automotive electronics.

“Laser welding uses photons of light, not electricity,” he said. “This is why EV batteries are manufactured with laser welds.”

Brennan noted that laser welding does not compromise electronics and hand-held laser welding yields superior aesthetics.

He shared research conducted by IPG, which included preparing laser welding samples sent to Sturbridge Metallurgical Services Inc. (SMS) for

third-party evaluation. Butt joints in plates of 0.036 in., 0.075 in., and 0.120 in. were produced and sections were prepared using ASTM standard methodology. A total of 26 cross sections were inspected at 50 times the magnification. In all cases, Brennan said there was no cracking, incomplete fusion, porosity, inclusions or other defects. The weld profiles passed all tests and no underfill was noted.

“Laser welding is an excellent choice for automotive repair, especially considering that many factory welds in vehicles are laser welds,” said Brennan.

Alexandre talked about the adoption of handheld laser welding in the industrial and aerospace industry, which he said is a growing technology. Schulenburg noted that Alexandre helps educate and empower businesses and industries with knowledge and resources to usher in a new era where handheld laser welding can be recognized as an industrially accepted process.

Alexandre has spent most of his career developing laser welding, cladding, cutting and additive manufacturing processes for the aerospace industry. His first introduction to handheld laser welding was in 2020 while working as a senior welding engineer on SpaceX’s Starship program.

That year, Alexandre began laser welding on a device ordered from Amazon that ran on 380 volts. In 2021, he began using IPG’s first light weld unit to laser tag parts. A year later, he purchased a wire feeder IPG released for the laser.

“To me, this was a game changer,” he recalls. “The wire feeder controls your travel speed and makes it really quite simple for almost anyone to make a high-quality weld.”

He was convinced that laser welding had future potential but was unsure how.

Eventually, Alexandre developed a wide range of unique welds for many applications and began laser welding structural joints.

“We’ve made thousands and thousands of handheld laser welds that have not only flown to space on Starship but also come back,” said Alexandre. “That speaks volumes about the capability of this technology when used appropriately.”

Alexandre said he has helped develop bespoke applications that have required considerable development. He also helped build a laser welding training program, standardized procedures and design guidelines for engineers.

“One of the things that can’t be oversold with a handheld laser is how easy it is to pick up,” he said. “It does require some skill to do it on realworld hardware, but nowhere near the amount that it takes to be a good arc welder.”

Although there is growing interest in laser welding, Alexandre acknowledged some people have concerns over safety.

“Any industrial equipment is dangerous when not used properly,” he noted. “It [laser welding] is safe and strong and absolutely can be done to code.”

He currently teaches people across North America how to use handheld laser welding. Some of the early adopters are primarily focused on non-structural and aesthetic purposes.

“It started as a pet project and I didn’t expect it to go anywhere,” said Alexandre. “I just thought it was something neat to do in my limited amount of free time. But before I left SpaceX, I would walk to the office, sit down at lunch and people would talk about using it like it was no big deal, like it was MIG or TIG welding.”

Poole sees the potential for using laser welding in the collision industry and encourages repairers to be openminded.

“As I look at the prospect of being able to repair a vehicle and use the same processes that the vehicle manufacturer uses, it just blows my mind,” said Poole. “I’m excited about this technology.”

However, he forecasts it will be some time before laser welding is an accepted practice.

This is due in part to the huge investment. He also acknowledged that laser welding is a different process than repairers are used to, so there will be a learning curve for those doing MIG welding.

“There is a lot we need to research and learn about the process,” he said.

I-CAR is working with outside third-party organizations that perform testing and validation to better understand laser welding. The organization plans to share its research while working with the industry to identify future opportunities.

“We want to make sure that we do this right for the industry,” he noted. He said gaining confidence to get OEM approval for the process will be paramount.

“When we repair a vehicle, we have to repair it to the OEM recommended or required procedures,” noted Poole. “I’m hopeful to see a day where we start to see this as an accepted process.”

Pictured, left to right, are Aaron Schulenburg, Dean Brennan, Rex Alexandre and Jeff Poole during the third session of the OEM Summit at the 2024 SEMA Show

As Fisker Bankruptcy Drives Up Repair Costs, Owners Spark Parts Revolution

By Ben Shimkus Autobody News

The Fisker Ocean — a Toyota Highlander-sized electric SUV with 350 miles of range and a base price below $40,000 — debuted in American showrooms with massmarket appeal. The vehicle blended a well-appointed design with promises of cutting-edge tech. But after it sold more than 7,000 units in the U.S., things went awry.

Wracked by faulty technical releases, reported financial mismanagement and delivery issues, the brand’s bankruptcy plan received federal approval in October. For collision shops and customers in need of repairs, wading through parts distribution issues after the bankruptcy has been anything but smooth.

“At present, the car is unable to turn on, doors are locked and are unresponsive to the keyfob,” an Ocean driver complained in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA.)

“Since Fisker is bankrupt, there is no way to contact them or any other relevant authorities to fix my car.”

In just over a year of sales, Fisker issued six NHTSA recalls, including a stop-sale for a cabin water pump issue a week after declaring bankruptcy.

Hundreds of complaints filed with the NHTSA, combined with insights from a former Fisker employee, Ocean drivers and technicians at Fisker-certified repair shops, reveal a pattern: Fisker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy has triggered a costly chain reaction across the vehicle repair industry. Some drivers are even facing liability concerns and gaps in their insurance coverage because of the parts prices.

However, interviews with management in the Fisker Owners Association (FOA) and its for-profit Tsunami Automotive parts pipeline show a four-pronged strategy to lessen price shocks across the industry. Executives believe their cost-quelling and parts solutions will go online in four to five months and should ease insurers’ worries.

Fisker didn’t immediately respond to Autobody News’ request for comment.

Fisker’s

Parts Fallout

Ed Rios, Fisker’s former director of service operations, customer experience and parts operations, has extensive knowledge of Ocean parts. He spearheaded the launch of the collision repair network and the body

repair manual. Since the bankruptcy approval, Rios said, Ocean owners seeking basic parts repairs remain in a “state of limbo.”

For example, windshields are virtually unavailable. According to FOA management and technicians, only 36 windshields were released post-Chapter 11 — 18 to the public and 18 to American Lease, a Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) company that bought Fisker’s remaining fleet. One collision shop that spoke to Autobody News has three Oceans awaiting window repairs with no replacement timeline.

“There were over 200 windshields requested by customers before we shut down,” Rios said. “We [didn’t] have any. Something as simple as a windshield is really tough to repair.”

Customers turned to eBay after dealer parts ran out, and scarcity drove prices up. Bumpers are listed for up to $2,800, and hoods for $1,800. Autobody News found a damaged hood for $500 plus a $375 delivery fee.

A Knowledge Gap

Rios alleged Fisker struggled to disseminate critical vehicle maintenance information to certified parts repairers. In some cases, he claimed the maintenance playbook wasn’t completed before the Chapter 11 filing.

“There are some specifications within the body repair manual,” he said. “However, all the actual instructions on how to properly make certain repairs were not finalized. When we went into Chapter 11, a lot of that information never made it out [to the public.]”

Rios noted that current iterations of the body repair manual don’t include specifications for frame and jig machines.

“The cars weren’t built for service,” a technician at one of the FOAappointed shops told Autobody News.

A Tsunami Forms

After spending between $70,000 to $80,000 as early adopters of the Ocean, Fisker owners banded together. Members of the FOA forged Tsunami Automotive, a for-profit company negotiating with suppliers, IP holders and regulators to create a steady pipeline of vehicle parts. According to Sybil Yang, the company’s CEO, many parts will come online in four to five months.

However, Rios said not all parts require full replacement, which could save money for shops and owners.

“The bumpers on this vehicle, the fenders and the rear quarter panels are all made out of plastic,” he said. “If [collision shops] could find a plastic refurbishment company, I would recommend going that route before they look to buy a new one.”

Once the plastic is remolded, ADAS cameras and radars — mostly mounted on bumpers — must be recalibrated using Fisker’s proprietary Fisker After Sales Tool (FAST) for diagnostics, which Rios and the FOA say is also in short supply for now.

Clint Bagley, head of marketing and public relations for FOA, told Autobody News a shop remolded a door panel on his Ocean after a small collision in a parking lot.

“They did a beautiful job repairing it,” Bagley said, but without the FAST tool, the shop didn’t know how to recalibrate his car’s ADAS. “For a few months, there was no way for me to get that done.”

Yang predicts the second prong in the strategy will go live in four months. The third prong will bring products to the U.S. in four to five months. For example, Yang located 77 windshields in an insurance warehouse in Europe.

“Until now, we have literally been scrounging for already-made stock,” she said. Despite initial challenges, she’s optimistic about the Magnamanufactured cars, produced by the same company behind the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Toyota Supra. “When we get over this hump of backlog, there is going to be no work for technicians. Regular stuff doesn’t go wrong mechanically on the car.”

As for the fourth prong, Tsunami believes they should have regulators on their side.

California’s right to repair laws require manufacturers to provide parts, tools and documentation for diagnosing and repairing electronic and appliance products for up to seven years after production. According to Fisker’s website, the company said it would “provide the necessary parts and diagnostic tools at no cost” but added the customer might later be reimbursed for labor costs.

“When Fisker died, things were a mess,” Yang told Autobody News. “Parts were abandoned all over the place.”

Tsunami employs four key strategies to secure parts for Fisker drivers.

First, it salvaged parts from closed Fisker dealerships and U.S. locations. Second, it partners with refurbishing companies to create molds for remanufacturing. Third, it collaborates with original Fisker parts manufacturers, like Magna Steyr and Saint-Gobain. Finally, Tsunami plans to leverage California’s right to repair laws and the NHTSA recall mandates to expand shop access to the FAST tool.

Yang also said the company is in talks with American Lease to build more robust parts supplies. She added the New York-based TLC shreds through bumpers as a yearly consumable.

“They get into a lot of fender benders,” Yang said. “We’ve had discussions with them to start up a supply chain for a lot of different parts.”

Fisker’s remedy to the water pump recall was to improve the “conformal coating coverage on Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) to cover resistor (R11).” Implementation of the new parts may require the car’s FAST tool.

According to Rios, most Ocean deliveries occurred on the West Coast. Four states — California, Arizona, Washington and Nevada — accounted for more than 50% of the Fisker Ocean market share, with California alone representing about 33%.

Rios hopes these customers will continue building supportive networks like the FOA. Otherwise, he recommended filing complaints with the NHTSA, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and loan providers if they encounter more cost-prohibitive parts issues.

Meanwhile, Tsunami and FOA are optimistic their growing pipeline of parts will reinstate insurers’ confidence.

“Thankfully, our small but mighty volunteer team is outrageously tenacious and committed,” Bagley told Autobody News. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

AUTOBODY

CIC: Study To Look At ADAS Trends; Students Share What They Want in a Shop

By John Yoswick Autobody News

AirPro Diagnostics announced it is launching a study into market trends related to ADAS diagnostics and calibrations.

“Recently, we’ve all been exposed to a significant amount of misinformation about diagnostics and ADAS services in our industry,” Michael Quinn of AirPro said in announcing the study at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Las Vegas during SEMA week. “This has included solutions that allegedly simplify the processes, but do not account for the complexities of properly diagnosing and repairing a vehicle equipped with ADAS features. Repairers are being told that critical steps — such as sequential, pre- or in-process scans — are unnecessary, or that automaker recommendations and software are irrelevant, so we are seeking to provide clarity. This type of misinformation jeopardizes both vehicle safety and the integrity of repair practices.”

Quinn said AirPro is seeking collaboration on this effort from all industry stakeholders, inviting anyone to email the company at study@airprodiag.com for more

information or to join the effort.

Aaron Schulenburg of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) applauded the effort, saying the association continues to hear from more repairers about pressure they are seeing against “known, necessary tasks” related to ADAS diagnostics and calibrations.

What are Entry-Level Techs Looking For?

employers.

All the students are attending the College of Lake County in Illinois, one of seven U.S. schools participating in the Collision Engineering Program, in which auto body repair students rotate every eight weeks between school and working in a shop.

The CIC Talent Pool and Education Committee brought together a panel of collision repair students at the meeting in Las Vegas to share what drew them to the industry and what they are looking for from potential

A poll of the CIC audience at the start of the discussion found that about 43% assumed opportunities for growth and development would be the No. 1 thing that would attract students to a shop. About 27% said they thought it would be salary and benefits, about 21% said a positive team culture, and 9% thought work/life balance was the biggest draw for entry-level techs. How did that mesh with what the students said? “What entices me more is an employer that really cares about continuing education, making sure their employees have their certifications,” Hector Gomez said. “A shop that takes pride in what the shop produces, and making sure everything is safe.”

He said he would be less interested in a shop that didn’t offer

some flexible scheduling. “Just have family in mind,” he said. “If I don’t have any time with my family, then I’m not performing as well as I can.”

What Appeals, What Doesn’t Victor Yanez said a dirty or disorganized shop wouldn’t appeal to him, and he’s looking for an employer with a lot of patience. “Because obviously we are just starting out, so we don’t know much.”

Julio Silva agreed. “I would like to say a shop focused on growth and development,” he said. “Going into a body shop, I’ve had a great experience. It’s having a great mentor to teach you step-by-step. It takes time. You cannot be perfect in a week. I’ve been doing this for a year and a half, and compared to last year, I’ve learned a lot.”

Romiro Mireles said low pay would be a challenge for him. “We do need tools, and they’re not free,” Mireles said.

But Silva said he knows the money won’t be great to start. “With salary and benefits, I know later on it will come,” he said. “I’m not chasing the money. I’m more chasing my passion about cars. I want to become a great painter or a great bodyman. I know if I work hard, the money will follow.”

Collision industry students came to Las Vegas to help the industry understand what they are looking for in future employers. Pictured, from left, are Juan Medoza, Salvado Garduna and Hector Gomez

Shops Say Specialization of Employee Roles Improves Production, Eases Finding Qualified Workers

By John Yoswick Autobody News

A panel of collision repair shop owners shared how they’ve moved to more specialized employee roles within their company, during a Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ (SCRS) training class during the 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

The three opened the discussion by first talking about the benefits of such specialization in manufacturing, particularly at another transportation sector company like Boeing, where exacting tasks are handled by specific people who become very skilled and productive at that work.

Barry Dorn of Dorn’s Body & Paint in Mechanicsville, VA, said he believes that just as more shops are specializing in the repair of fewer makes and models, more specialized roles for employees will similarly boost expertise and productivity.

“When you are able to narrow it down as far as the roles and responsibilities of that person, it’s a lot easier to introduce younger people into it.”

KRIS BURTON ROSSLYN AUTO BODY IN ALEXANDRIA, VA

Dorn said with all the duties shops have traditionally given to estimators, for example, how high a priority will it be for them to mirror-match parts or handle parts returns and credits?

“They’ve got to take care of the customer. They’ve got to get the car going. They’ve got to get this supplement approved. They’re not worried about parts,” Dorn said, saying his shop, which repairs about 160 cars a month, has a dedicated parts team.

Similarly, he said, if a technician is also handling supplements, they will likely be focused primarily on body labor hours because in a flatrate system, that’s the basis of their compensation.

“You can’t blame them,” he said. “So that’s why you have to have at least some level of a blueprinter or a repair planner that’s with them who is also focused on parts and focused in on the procedures.”

Having a detailer or someone other than an ADAS specialist do the pre-scanning of a vehicle isn’t likely to ensure the shop has all the information it needs as repairs begin, Dorn said.

“That’s the initialization of you finding out what’s wrong with that

car,” he said. “Yet most of the folks doing it in most shops are literally hitting ‘print’ and hoping that somebody, somewhere, will know what it means, yet it’s often sitting in the file not being read. It has to be somebody who actually knows diagnostics so he can read it, and know what he’s looking for, and more importantly, know when they scan something, depending on if it’s an OEM tool or if it’s an aftermarket tool, how far down into the modules is it going?

can promote from within. I don’t want to say that we don’t face a technician shortage, but it’s not as drastic.”

By segmenting out all the roles the typical estimator handles, Burton has been able to bring in customer service reps who just handle all customer interactions, including explaining the process and selling the job.

“Some of the best CSRs that I’ve found have been from restaurants,” he said. “Lately it’s been from even like vet’s offices and doctor’s offices and dentist’s offices. They’ve dealt

“Is your estimator going to know that? Probably not. That’s not what they were trained for,” Dorn continued. “I don’t know that I can, because I was never trained to be a diagnostic service tech. The point is, if you hire folks for that role, they’ll give you the information that you need to know what’s wrong with that car prior to even writing the blueprint, instead of finding out five hours before the customer is supposed to come pick the car up.”

Starting in the Body Department

Kris Burton of Rosslyn Auto Body in Alexandria, VA, said he started the transition to more specialized roles in his shop’s body department, developing assembly and disassembly teams and adding helpers and apprentices -- three of the five are under age 19 -- to help keep structural technicians focused solely on that highly-skilled work on the 78 cars the shop repairs per month on average. That helps make it easier to bring in entry-level technicians to train.

“When you are able to narrow it down as far as the roles and responsibilities of that person, it’s a lot easier to introduce younger people into it,” Burton said. “People always say: ‘There’s not enough techs. We have a shortage. We need to have more people.’ But having a kind of a reduced role makes it a lot easier to bring people in. It’s like we’re creating our own farm system internally, and

planner is usually somebody that’s probably a little nerdy because it’s super technical, and maybe isn’t the best at interacting with the customer. Those two people are rarely the same personality type,” Bradshaw said. “But we wonder why we don’t have success. Why are we missing parts? Why are we not closing on the opportunities that we have? Because we don’t have the right individuals in the right place, and we’re asking one individual to do way too much.”

Bradshaw’s shop has 31 employees, but just one structural technician, with a helper, who does all the welding and frame work — becoming very efficient at it because it’s all he does — while others handle disassembly and reassembly, glass work, scanning and calibrations, etc.

Similarly in the paint shop, Bradshaw said, having one person handling all color matching helps that person become very efficient.

some with insurance companies to a different level, and kind of have an understanding of admin and processes.”

His shop’s 21 employees include a 19-year-old technician who specializes in ADAS and diagnostic work.

“He started with us when he was 16, and flies all around the country for training and loves it,” Burton said. “The reality is that it’s become a specialized role, and it’s something that’s attractive to a lot of young techs.”

Only One Structural Tech Needed

Like Burton, Michael Bradshaw of K&M Collision in Hickory, NC, said few people have all the different skills needed for the tasks many shops have traditionally required of estimators: technical knowledge, customer service and sales abilities, negotiating, collections, etc.

“Is there any one [task] that they’re really going to be able to excel at if they’re trying to manage all these others?” Bradshaw asked. “I know sometimes we look at things from a perspective of ‘I can’t afford to have somebody else to do this task or this role.’ But if you look at the inefficiencies that are created, you really can’t afford not to have somebody alleviate some of that stress.

“Think about it: We want somebody up front who can sell and is pleasant and nice to deal with. But a repair

The parts team at Bradshaw’s shop includes one person who does all the mirror-matching of parts and checking for any damage to those parts; another ensures all the invoices are received, that discounts are correct, that parts price updates are applied to the estimate, and returns and credits happen.

“We’re processing about 100 vehicles a month,” Bradshaw said. “At one time we had one individual doing all those [parts-related] tasks. He worked for us about a year and a half and then resigned. He resigned because he couldn’t deal with the stress. It was hard for him to have the

time to mirror-match because he was handling all the communication with the dealers and follow-up on backordered parts and all that.

“After we hired an individual dedicated to doing all the mirrormatching, I was able to bring back that parts manager, and he’s as happy as can be now,” Bradshaw added. “And he’s really good at the accounting side of things.”

Pictured, from left, shop owners Barry Dorn, Kris Burton and Michael Bradshaw discussed how they’ve moved to more specialized employee roles within their business

Michael Bradshaw said it’s rare to find someone who has all the technical and customer service and sales skills shops have traditionally required of estimators

2025 Series Topics:

End of the Era of Single Store Generalist Shops

Technology Takeover: The Impact of ADAS & Calibration

Talent Shortage & Workforce Development

Sustainability in Collision Repair: Going Green

Evolution of OEM Certifications

And more…

Mike Anderson — From the Desk of Mike Anderson

Collision Repairer Shares His Perspective on Negotiating with Insurers

I had the privilege at SEMA this past November to teach a class on negotiating for collision repairers with my colleague, Sheryl Driggers Autobody News was kind enough to run an article about that class.

A gentleman I know in this industry — who has attended a similar class I taught in the past — read the article, and contacted me to say he that while he’s implemented many of the strategies he’s heard from me over the years, he wanted to respectfully offer his own view on the topic of negotiating with insurers. I always welcome new perspectives, so I contacted Drew Plischke

Plischke is the director of client / insurance reconciliation at Gold Coast Auto Body in Chicago, a company he’s been with for 20 years. In all, he’s spent nearly four decades in the industry, starting as a porter at a shop after leaving college, becoming a technician and then an estimator before taking management and leadership positions.

“In every role, I’ve focused on one central mission: ensuring that our customers feel supported, valued and guided through every aspect of the repair process,” Drew told me.

After we talked about his view of negotiating, I invited him to put his thoughts into writing. He did so, sharing why he believes “negotiating with insurers can be detrimental to collision repairers.” I decided to turn this month’s column over to him.

Drew wrote:

“After our shop severed our last DRP relationship with a major insurance carrier, everything changed. It was from that point on that I began to see the collision repair landscape shift in ways that fundamentally changed how repairers should approach negotiating with insurers. As the insurance industry has evolved, I’ve come to realize that while negotiating with insurers may have been a viable strategy in the past, it may no longer be the best solution for collision repairers today. In fact, in many cases, this kind of negotiation may be counterproductive.

“In the past, it may have seemed that insurers were partners in ensuring that vehicles were repaired safely and correctly. But the reality has always been that insurers have been focused primarily on controlling repair costs. While safety and quality should always be the top priority, it’s

become clear that insurers’ efforts to cut costs have often come at the expense of these essential factors.

“Over time, we’ve seen a shift in the language and tactics used by insurance companies. Terms like ‘prevailing market rates’ and ‘industry standard’ have increasingly replaced concrete standards such as OEM repair procedures, position statements, and owner’s manual guidelines. Rather than relying on clear, evidence-based repair standards, insurers now often use ambiguous language to set limits

made for the full scope of necessary repairs.

“However, as repairers have become more involved in negotiations with insurers over cost, this duty has been complicated. Instead of ensuring that repairs meet documented safety standards, insurers are increasingly focused on managing costs. This shift in focus can sometimes work against the best interests of the vehicle owner and the repair facility, putting safety at risk.

Advocating for the Vehicle Owner

on repair costs. Unfortunately, these terms can be used to justify reducing payments or even denying necessary repairs, which leaves repairers in a difficult position.

“I’ve seen this firsthand in our shop, especially since ending our DRP relationships. What used to be a more predictable process for dealing with insurance claims now often feels like a constant struggle. Insurers have increasingly relied on vague terminology like ‘usual and customary’ or ‘not being charged by others’ to justify reduced payment amounts, and that leaves us with limited leverage to negotiate a fair rate for the repairs needed.

“The challenge is not just the payment amounts but shifting expectations regarding the scope of work. Terms like ‘industry standard’ are so open to interpretation that it becomes nearly impossible to have a productive discussion about what is necessary to restore the vehicle safely and properly.

“It’s also important to remember that insurers aren’t just neutral parties in the repair process. They have a legal obligation to act in good faith on behalf of the policyholder. Insurance companies have fiduciary duties to their clients, which include ensuring that vehicles are repaired properly and safely, with payment

“My role at our shop has always been to advocate for the vehicle owner, ensuring they receive the best possible repair according to OEM repair standards — not to haggle with insurers over labor rates or discount procedures.

“As vehicles have become more complex, with advanced technology such as ADAS and safety features that require specialized knowledge, tools and certification, today’s repairs are not just about returning a car to its previous state; they’re about returning it safely, with every necessary procedure followed to ensure the vehicle’s integrity.

“In this environment, negotiating with insurers over the cost of repairs can be both inefficient and potentially unsafe. The focus should always be on ensuring that the vehicle is repaired correctly, not on what the insurer is willing to pay. Repairers should be empowered to work directly with the vehicle owner to ensure the proper repairs are made — without being constrained by what the insurance company is willing to cover.

Focus on Quality Repairs, Not Negotiating Rates

“Rather than getting bogged down in negotiating with insurers, collision repairers need to shift our focus back to what really matters: providing high-quality, safe repairs for the vehicle owner.

“A simple solution is to begin directly billing the customer for the repairs we perform, while allowing the insurance company to settle the claim separately. This allows repairers to focus solely on the work at hand — performing the repairs

according to the highest safety standards — without the distractions of insurers trying to limit the scope of work or delay payments.

“And here’s the critical part: This method works. It’s been successful for us over a large sample size of both first-party insureds and thirdparty claimants. By focusing on delivering the necessary repairs, providing clear documentation of what’s required, and directly billing

“In this environment, negotiating with insurers over the cost of repairs can be both inefficient and potentially unsafe.”

DREW PLISCHKE

the vehicle owner, we’ve been able to reduce the time spent fighting over arbitrary rates or unnecessary negotiations, and instead focus on the repair. This method of billing directly to the consumer has been a game changer for our shop, allowing us to maintain control over the repair process, prioritize safety, and continue to deliver high-quality work.

Time to Focus on What Matters

“I believe the time has come for the collision repair industry to focus on ensuring that vehicles are repaired correctly and safely, according to OEM standards, without being drawn into constant negotiations with insurers. We should not allow insurers to dictate the terms of repair decisions or payment through vague language that only serves to reduce costs, often at the expense of safety. We should advocate for what is necessary to restore the vehicle to its pre-accident condition and trust that the claims process between the policyholder and the insurance company will unfold as it should.

“It’s time we reclaim control over the repair process, prioritize the safety of the vehicles in our care, and ensure that all parties involved — repairers, vehicle owners and insurers — work together for the greater good.”

I want to thank Drew for taking the time to share his perspective so professionally and respectfully, and for allowing me to share it with you through my column this month.

BASF ‘Techs For Tomorrow’ Students Gain Experience, Make Connections At 2024 SEMA Show

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

BASF and the TechForce Foundation teamed up to grant five $2,500 scholarships and a trip to the 2024 SEMA Show to aspiring collision repair students, as part of the Techs for Tomorrow initiative.

The students selected for the BASF Techs for Tomorrow scholarship and

Mindi Cogdill of UTI Houston in Texas; Jocelyn Pandolfo of the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, PA; and Farren Moody of Fayetteville Technical Community College in North Carolina.

The students’ SEMA experience included three days and two nights of immersive activities at the convention that enhanced their knowledge and industry connections. The students

SEMA experience included Nolan Sousek of WyoTech in Laramie, WY; Dustin Detwiler Jr. of Aims Community College in Greely, CO;

attended industry events, visited exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations, and engaged directly with team members. Additionally,

students had the unique opportunity to meet industry experts and participate in mentoring sessions with leading custom builders, who serve as BASF ambassadors.

During the SEMA experience, students received mentorship from BASF’s Marketing Communications Manager Tina Nelles and Business Development Manager John Shoemaker, who helped the students make industry connections to jumpstart their careers.

“We believe that investing in the education and development of young talent is crucial for the future of our industry,” said Nelles. “This partnership with TechForce Foundation and the opportunity to engage with students at SEMA exemplifies our commitment to nurturing the next generation of skilled technicians.”

Cogdill, 22, originally from Marysville, OH, is a student in the collision repair and refinishing technology program at UTI Houston.

After she graduates in June 2025, Cogdill will intern at a hot rod shop, thanks to the scholarship and connections she made at SEMA.

Cogdill is pursuing a career in customs and restoration, and plans to

intern and learn as much as possible for the next few years to gain the knowledge and experience to one day own a shop.

“My trip to SEMA had a huge impact on the vision I have for my future,” Cogdill said in an email to Autobody News. “I learned about different techniques and new technology for body repair and refinishing that left me speechless. Sometimes I forget how advanced technology is, but I was quickly reminded!”

After meeting with representatives of BETAG to learn about their new paintless dent repair (PDR) technology, Cogdill was offered a free seat in a training program.

“I’ve never had an experience like that, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude,” she said.

Cogdill also admired a 1966 Ford Bronco, built by RMD Garage and nicknamed “Pure,” and talked with Ralph Holguin about his role in the build.

“Every step of the build was incredibly thought out,” Cogdill said. “[Holguin] had an in-depth reason for each part that he assembled, and those reasons are things that most people never think about.”

Cogdill said she has a 1974 Toyota Land Cruiser that she plans to build

Students chosen for this year’s Techs for Tomorrow program received a $2,500 scholarship and a trip to the 2024 SEMA Show.

after she graduates. Her conversation with Holguin gave her “a lot of insight on how I want to proceed with my Land Cruiser and every car I build in the future,” she said.

Cogdill encouraged all eligible students to apply for the BASF Techs for Tomorrow scholarship.

“The amount of people in the industry that attend SEMA is mindblowing. The conversations that come from simply introducing yourself to someone could

and better each and every day. The people I met, the experiences I had, and the builds I saw were so impactful. I am so grateful for this scholarship, TechForce and BASF.”

Moody is pursuing an associate degree in collision repair at Fayetteville Technical Community College. After college, she is aiming to work in a collision center, first as a technician and then an estimator. She plans to also pursue her diesel engine repair certificate to start her own business.

completely alter your future for the better; you just have to take hold of the opportunity,” she said. “I took hold and my future looks bigger

Moody said her experience at SEMA was outstanding, both as a car enthusiast and an aspiring member of the collision repair industry. She

said she learned a lot about new equipment and techniques.

“One thing that struck me the most is learning from everyone we met, [they] all began in the shop,” Moody said. “By building their network, gaining experience and applying for positions they know they will excel at, it shows that there are more opportunities than remaining in an auto body shop.”

Moody also advised all eligible students to apply for a Techs for Tomorrow scholarship. She credited her own instructor, Doug Irish, for pushing her to apply.

“I had the thought there were so many students out there, no way I would have been chosen,” Moody said. “I was beyond the stars excited that I was picked, not only for the SEMA experience but also the scholarship. Don’t hesitate, apply, and have a positive mindset. When you think it won’t happen to you, it will. BASF is an amazing organization and outstanding folks who represent them.”

Also joining the Techs for Tomorrow recipients were three young collision repair industry members who attended SEMA courtesy of Operative Talent: Jesse Simpkins, Austin Shepherd and Aliya Lentowicz Operative Talent is a collaboration between The Petty Family Foundation, Collision Repair Education Foundation

(CREF) and several companies, including BASF, to inspire and direct young people into the automotive industry.

Shepherd is a recent graduate of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial design with a concentration in product design. He is now working as a designer at KTL Restorations in Danville, VA, with a goal to “continue designing in the automotive industry and see where it takes me,” he told Autobody News.

“SEMA was an absolutely incredible experience,” Shepherd said.

Shepherd said a lunch with several custom car builders was among his favorite moments at the show.

“I had the privilege of meeting some truly talented people within the custom automotive industry, such as the Ring Brothers, Jonathan Goolsby, Tyler from Revision Rods & Rides, and many others. I also got the opportunity to meet Chip Foose, which was something I never thought would happen. It was truly amazing,” Shepherd said.

“My advice is to just reach out and build those connections. You never know where they will lead you,” Shepherd said. “I would not have been able to go to SEMA or do anything I’ve talked about if I did not reach out to people.”

Collision Wholesale Parts

The five BASF Techs for Tomorrow recipients, along with three young industry members sent by Operative Talent, at the 2024 SEMA Show.

Red Carpet Awards Night Honors Those Who Go Above and Beyond

By Stacey Phillips Ronak Autobody News

This year’s Red Carpet Awards Night, held Nov. 5 during the SEMA Show, recognized excellence in the collision industry. Nine organizations gave out a total of 20 awards.

“Tonight, we will honor those who go above and beyond, who dedicate their skills and time to elevate our standards, and who serve as role models for their peers,” said Stacey Phillips Ronak, owner of Radiant Writing & Communications and the emcee of the event. “The awards represent more than just accolades; they are a testament to the hard work and determination that drives our industry forward.”

BodyShop Business

BodyShop Business presented two Executive of the Year Awards.

Barry Dorn, owner of Dorn’s Paint & Body in Mechanicsville, VA, received the Single-Shop Award. “There are so many other folks who should be up here besides me,” said Dorn. “I’m incredibly honored and truly shocked.”

Wendy Patrick, chief administrative officer of Joe Hudson’s Collision Center in Pike Road, AL, won the MultiShop Award. Jason Stahl, editor of BodyShop Business, said Patrick’s peers look up to her for guidance because her energy is unparalleled.

Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA)

Three individuals received an award from CIECA for Outstanding Contribution.

Chris Martinez, lead integrations developer at Nexsyis Collision, was the first. Since joining CIECA’s Architecture Committee in April 2024, Martinez has contributed technical expertise from the collision repair industry perspective.

“Being part of CIECA helps reduce the challenges of sharing the digital information you need to communicate,” said Martinez. “Having an industry standard facilitates business communication, ensuring a smooth flow of information

between all stakeholders, benefiting the industry and its customers.”

Gaurav “Rav” Mendiratta, CEO of SocioSquares and chief product officer at Propel, also received an Outstanding Contribution award for his volunteer efforts. Mendiratta said he learned about the collision industry after his wife was in a car accident and the vehicle was repaired at an Oakland, CA, body shop.

The third recipient, Stacey Simmons, sales operations director at Enterprise Mobility, has volunteered for CIECA for the past few years, including at the CIECA CONNEX Conference.

“I never expected this,” Simmons shared. “I’m very proud to be part of Enterprise and part of joining CIECA and partnering together in the industry for what we do.”

Ken Eagleson, OEC’s vice president of insurance solutions, was the recipient of the Chairperson’s Award. Eagleson, CIECA’s secretary on the Executive Board, is an active CIECA member who volunteers on several CIECA Committees.

“CIECA’s commitment to open standards is something that benefits, I would say, most everybody in this room,” said Eagleson. “I am grateful to be a part of an organization that facilitates electronic commerce across all segments of our industry ecosystem, allowing us all to be more efficient and profitable in our endeavors.”

CCC Intelligent Solutions, a CIECA founding member, was named Electronic Commerce Company of the Year. “CIECA truly does power e-commerce in this industry,” said Mark Fincher, vice president of product management at CCC Intelligent Solutions. “We’re thankful for the work that so many of the volunteers do every single day to create these standards to facilitate this open commerce.”

Collision Industry Conference (CIC)

This is the second year the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) has given out a Volunteer of the Year Award.

This year’s recipient was Aaron

Schulenburg, executive director of SCRS. In presenting the award, Darrell Amberson said Schulenburg is one of CIC’s hardest-working committee chairs and is “exceedingly dependable, willing to take on tough topics.”

“This is very cool and very unexpected and I’m super grateful,” said Schulenburg. He said his first CIC was more than 20 years ago, when March Taylor told him that that more young people needed to attend the meetings, stand up and be vocal, write articles and “say the stuff that matters.”

Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF)

CREF presented three Fueling the Future Awards.

The first was given to Josh Kent, executive director of the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA). Amber Ritter, of CREF, said under Kent’s leadership, CCA has brought 32 regional schools into its network and has raised nearly $13,000 over the past three years for student scholarships and uniforms.

Greg Brink, a retired instructor and advisory committee member of Rock Valley College, and Julie Lombardo, executive director of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Illinois (AASPI), were the other two recipients. They worked together to help open a new collision repair program at Rock Valley College.

FenderBender

FenderBender and ABRN magazines gave out two awards.

The Best Repair Planner/Estimator

Award was presented to Anthony McNee from Ultimate Collision Repair in Edison, NJ.

“I would like to thank everybody who put this event together; it means a lot to me,” said McNee.

The FenderBender Award, which recognizes outstanding owners and operators whose businesses represent quality, service, culture and community involvement, was given to Amber Alley, general manager of Barsotti’s Body & Fender in San Rafael, CA, for fostering a team-based work structure, OEM certifications, quality repairs and OEM training.

“I reflect back over the last 10 years, coming to these meetings and the mentorship that I’ve received from so many people in this room, and I don’t think I’d be here without it,” Alley said. “I think it is very important to surround yourself with people who you look up to and respect and want to see you … do the right thing.”

Hall of Eagles

A legacy industry award added this year was the Collision Industry Hall of Eagles, the industry’s hall of fame. The award was presented by two inductees: Chuck Sulkala, inducted in 1989, and Stacy Bartnik, inducted in 2010.

Sulkala announced Janet Chaney as this year’s Hall of Eagles inductee.

“I’ve always had such great respect for our industry and our people and the Hall of Eagles,” said Chaney. “I never ever dreamed I would be getting to share the stage with these champions of our world.”

I-CAR

The Jeff Silver Memorial Award for Platinum Individuals was presented to Jared Nicholson of Collision Leaders in Lee’s Summit, MO. The award honors an individual who has been a champion of the Platinum credential — I-CAR’s highest recognition for individuals — and has held their Platinum status for a minimum of five consecutive years.

Barry Dorn, left, and Jason Stahl, right.

Aaron Schulenburg, third from right, accepts the award from CIECA

Chris Martinez, left, Ashley Denison, center, and Paul Barry, right.

Julie Lombardo, left, Amber Ritter, center, and Greg Brink, right.

Andrew Johnson, left, Amber Alley, center, and Jay Sicht, right.

GM’s New Collision Assistance App Contacts Driver At Accident Scene, Helps Them Choose

By John Yoswick Autobody News

When the number of automakers offering collision shop certification programs began to grow more than a decade ago, shops foresaw automakers playing a much larger role in a driver’s decision where to have their vehicle repaired after a crash. After all, automakers had access to vehicle telematics data that could detect a collision and enable the automaker to contact the driver ahead of that customer even contacting their insurance company.

That’s been happening on a limited basis with some automakers, but it took a big step forward in recent weeks. A new General Motors mobile app can now contact drivers after an accident to assist them at the scene and help guide them to a GMcertified collision repair facility.

Launched in October but announced just this month during the 2024 SEMA Show, the GM Collision Assistance app differs from OnStar, which will still contact subscribers through the vehicle immediately after a crash is detected. The new app sends a pop-up notification to the

“We help guide [the driver] to the Certified Repair Network facilities that we have in our program to choose from.”

JOHN ECK GENERAL MOTORS

driver’s phone about 10 minutes later.

“We don’t want to interrupt what’s already going on with OnStar,” John Eck, who leads the GM Collison Assistance program, said during the second session of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ (SCRS) OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit in Las Vegas.

The app can then guide the customer through the process of documenting what occurred and obtaining the other driver’s information.

“And then we help guide [the driver] to the Certified Repair Network facilities that we have in our program to choose from,” Eck said, noting he’d met shop owners at SEMA who had already received customer referrals through the app. “We actually put a note in there saying, ‘Hey, it’s your choice of where you go to get your vehicle repaired.’ But we identify the certified network. And then we also provide the customer with the opportunity to download a report

or all the information that they’ve collected at the scene to use as they see fit.”

Limited Use of the Data

While the app, which is branded differently for each GM line of vehicles, receives vehicle telematics data that indicated an accident occurred, that’s as far as that data goes, Eck said, clearly cognizant of

Ryan McMahon of Cambridge Mobile Telematics said insurers are increasingly benefiting from crash detection by improving the claims process from the start, but other companies could benefit from the information as well

the lawsuits filed earlier this year related to GM’s collection and sale of vehicle telematics data.

“I want to make it very clear: General Motors is not doing anything internally with this data,” Eck said. “I only see aggregate numbers, the total number of events. But I don’t see any customer data. Nobody does. Nobody gets to use it for any purpose. It’s not sold, it’s not utilized for any other purpose. The customer would have to download the report themselves [through the app] as a PDF and then they could email it off to their insurance company.”

Eck said because GM will know how many customers are choosing a certified shop through the app, that information can help those shops see their return on investment from the GM certification program.

“Our purpose is to guide them to a repair professional that’s in our network for a safe and proper repair,” Eck said, “but also to be there in the moment that…if your car is totaled, how do we help you get into your next vehicle?”

He said earlier in November he received a photo of a wrecked vehicle from a GM executive, whose daughter had been driving when the accident occurred. No one was injured, but the executive wanted Eck to know he had been contacted at the time of his daughter’s accident -- the app notifies the vehicle owner -- and he wanted Eck to know “your product works.”

“He was grateful that we were

there to help,” Eck said.

Accident Detection Could Be Used by Others

But insurers are using vehicle telematics to track driver’s behavior if they’ve signed up for usage-based insurance, so it may be more than just automakers reaching drivers at the accident scene.

During the same session in which GM announced its new app, Ryan McMahon of Cambridge Mobile Telematics said his company’s vehicle telematics system — running through an app on the driver’s cellphone, which much of the insurance industry already uses — also can detect crashes and help start the claims and repair processes.

“Because data is available, we are moving into a world where you can be proactive versus reactive,” McMahon said. “For the insurance company, it means a significant savings. The insurers are going to continue to push in this direction because for them, time is money, whether that’s in storage costs or rental costs.”

In addition to reducing those direct costs, McMahon said, capturing vehicle telematics data to help with the claims process can also reduce indirect costs, by reducing the

number of adjusters needed, for example.

But McMahon said it isn’t just insurance companies that can benefit from crash detection.

“This crash assistance process and environment is really opening up the doors to providing relationships with customers that otherwise wouldn’t be there, whether that’s from an insurance company, from an automaker, from another trusted brand,” McMahon said. “So why couldn’t this happen from SCRS? Why couldn’t this happen from a body shop themselves? It just has happened that the insurance industry got this started, but it doesn’t necessarily have to stay there, because this technology is really democratizing the information.”

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through proprietary research on outcomes that customers care about.

CCC worked with Magid Research, a prominent market research firm, to collect the data used in the study. Our goal was to examine the connected claims and repair journey.

How would you describe a ‘Moment of Truth?’

A moment of truth is a concept that comes from the service industry. It’s a critical point in time during the customer journey that significantly impacts customer satisfaction and retention.

The outcomes we were studying were the satisfaction scores that consumers give their insurer or repairer after a claim. Typically, they will tell you everything is important, so you need to use statistics and regression analysis to learn what really drives that score.

Some of the moments studied included how consumers perceived communications, the empathy received, and the time it took to repair the vehicle.

What did the research reveal and what were the key takeaways?

Our research showed that during the claims experience, consumer satisfaction with insurers and repairers is closely linked and their collaboration plays a pivotal role in each other’s satisfaction scores.

For example, respondents were more satisfied with carriers when they perceived overall vehicle repair quality to be high; they were more satisfied with repairers when they received clear communications about how the claims process would work. This suggests that the entire post-accident journey from “crash to keys” is one unified experience in which the providers are, in some instances, indistinguishable from one another.

The top moment of truth for consumers going through the collision repair process was a detailed explanation of repair needs. The top moment on the insurance side was clear communication about the claims process. Both of those speak to transparency.

What is truly impactful about this is the industry has long been focused on speed with repairers measuring themselves on cycle times. We found things have shifted. If consumers felt they received a transparent and detailed explanation

of repair needs, that was the single biggest impact on the overall score that the consumer gave the repairer at the end of the journey.

The second impactful takeaway is that insurers’ actions help repairers score points. If an insurer clearly communicates about the claims process to the consumer and he or she has a satisfying first contact with the insurance company, those two moments of truth help the repairers score points on the repair satisfaction side.

We also found this to be true when we looked at insurer satisfaction. When high-quality repairs were performed or a consumer was able to get a loaner vehicle from a repair facility, insurers scored points.

This suggests that the process is very intertwined and connected and consumers view the entire process as one experience.

These findings have implications for how insurers and repairers work together to put policyholders at the center of the experience.

What was CCC’s reaction to the findings?

Certain findings were very revealing. The research casts doubt on a long-held belief by insurance claims professionals that customer satisfaction, a metric by which claims teams measure their performance, helps predict customer retention.

We found that most of the moments of truth that helped carriers achieve a positive customer satisfaction score were relatively insignificant in helping to determine carrier defection.

Three moments were the most powerful predictors of switching behavior. In a total loss, the policyholder was upside down in their outstanding loan and was able to cover the gap, the presence of an injury in the accident, and being a first-time claim filer. When all three are present, there is greater than a 3x increase in the likelihood of the policyholder leaving the carrier.

When we presented the findings to the industry and our customers, we found they were surprised. As a technology company that connects 35,000 entities in this industry, we have a unique lens and perspective on what’s going on. We want to offer insight to benefit the industry and help our customers achieve better outcomes.

How can repairers and insurers use the findings to improve customer satisfaction and retention?

We suggest insurers and repairers work more seamlessly together and that, in doing so, they focus on

transparency. The goal is to find how to provide transparency and speed to customers and utilize technology to achieve this.

On the insurers’ side, we found that repair satisfaction is really important to insurer satisfaction. The more an insurer can ensure a customer has a satisfying repair experience, the happier that customer will be and the higher their satisfaction rating will be. Therefore, my top piece of advice for insurers is to work more closely with repair partners.

I also recommend repairers and insurers understand the three moments of truth that help predict when a customer is likely to defect.

Are there plans to conduct additional studies?

Yes, we’d like to delve further into the moments of truth that are causing technicians the greatest frustrations and potentially conduct future studies focused on the employee experience.

Is there anything additional you would like to share about the study?

If there was anything that I wanted to leave in the minds of a repairer, it would be how to inject transparency if the insurer is not communicating clearly about the claims process.

I think the other moments in the study are also worth exploring. For example, the No. 2 moment of truth was having a satisfying dropoff experience. Repairers need to determine how they want to serve customers and how that translates into the drop-off experience. Do they want to offer a waiting room and refreshments while an estimate is being prepared for the customer, or do they want to offer a loaner vehicle right away?

Overall, the study highlights the importance of interconnectedness and the shared responsibility of carriers and repairers in customers’ minds to get them back on the road, regardless of who is responsible. This underscores the need for a unified, customer-centric approach focusing on configurability, personalization and retention management.

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SEMA Show Attendees Talk About What They Gained To Address Their Shops’ Biggest Challenges

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

The 2024 SEMA Show drew more than 2,400 exhibitors and tens of thousands of attendees, many of whom work in the collision repair industry.

Autobody News spoke to several shop owners and employees throughout the week to get their thoughts on the state of their business and why a trip to the SEMA Show was worth their time, whether it was their first or 20th.

Building Body Shop Staff

Brad Kickert is the shop manager at Auto Palace in South Holland, IL. A first-time attendee, Kickert said he came to the SEMA Show to learn about new technology and materials being used in auto production.

“We wanted to make sure we’re staying on top of the game,” Kickert said.

Staffing is the biggest issue at Auto Palace, he said.

“It’s very hard to find a qualified individual,” Kickert said. “A lot of our employees now are getting up there in age, and getting young employees is proving difficult. We’ve been lucky so far, but that’s our biggest thing that we struggle with.”

Kickert had just attended Mike Anderson’s presentation on negotiating with insurance companies, part of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ Repairer Driven Education series.

“I learned how to communicate to attain what you need to give customers that come into my shop the proper repair,” he said. “Our customers are very loyal.”

Kicker said his business doesn’t do a lot of custom work, but he was excited to see the builds other people brought to the show.

“The level of professionalism and fabrication is amazing, just seeing what people can accomplish with their hands,” he said.

Decreasing Cycle Time

Doug Bowman has owned Superior Auto Body in Ranson, WV, for 35 years. He has been attending the SEMA Show for 20 years.

Three estimators from his shop, and his daughter and shop manager, Marissa Bowman, also came to the show.

“I wanted everyone to see it, what goes on and to get some education,” Doug said.

Efficiency and cycle time are the biggest issues at Superior Auto Body.

“There’s a lot of delays that can

occur,” Marissa said. “We are trying to avoid them and make everything move as efficiently as possible.”

The Bowmans had also just listened to Anderson’s presentation on negotiations, and they planned to attend more classes to learn how to improve customer experience, to “help customers understand the process, why it takes so long, and everything that goes into repairing your vehicle back to the way it should be,” Marissa said.

“There’s always something new [at SEMA],” Doug said. “That’s why we come every year, just to try to stay ahead of the curve.”

Improving Insurance-Shop Relations

Dan Biggs, owner of Rick’s Auto Body Shop, which has two locations in South Bend and Mishawaka, IN, was attending his fourth SEMA Show.

Biggs said he took over the business from his father, who brought him to SEMA. Biggs now has five children who have joined the business, all of whom came to SEMA with him this year.

“This is the future,” Biggs said of SEMA. “I hope [my children] get out of this what they can. This is where the future comes to get the best ideas they can to rise to the better level.”

His daughter, Marina Biggs, a detailer, was attending her first SEMA Show.

“I came because my dad invited me and I thought it’d be a cool experience to see what it’s all about,” she said.

Dan said the biggest issue at his shops, which do not participate in DRPs, is relationships with insurers.

“It’s at an all-time low,” he said. “They just decided they don’t want to pay for things they’ve paid for for 20 years. It’s a constant argument. We have the best proof, all the data they need, but they went down the road to not pay for things now.”

Dan said he believes in the power of networking, and SEMA is a great place to do it. He attended the Collision Industry Conference on Nov. 5 to connect with other industry leaders, to find out what they’re seeing.

“It’s pretty uniform what we’re all going through,” Dan said. “I believe in the power of relationships, and it’s here.”

Dan said custom cars aren’t his thing, but he likes to come to Las Vegas and the SEMA Show because it brings back memories of his dad, who has passed, and makes new memories with his children.

“The biggest thing is having my kids with me; that’s the thing I treasure the most,” he said.

Marina, a movie buff, said the coolest thing she had seen so far was DeloreanRental.com’s Delorean Time Machine, a recreation of the car featured in “Back to the Future.”

Training Techs for the Future

Gerald Rosenbarker, general manager of Mohawk Collision Center in Schenectady, NY, said he tries to come to SEMA every other year. This was his seventh or eighth time at the show

Mohawk has 20 OEM certifications, so Rosenbarker comes to SEMA to make deals on new equipment, which the shop upgrades constantly.

Rosenbarker said he also enjoys the educational opportunities. He had just attended an SCRS RDE class on AI tools that can enhance customer service.

“These [classes] get you started, get you an idea of what you’re looking to do,” he said. “Then you can deep dive into it later, look other avenues to help you grow your collision business.”

He said his shop is looking to grow its staff for long-term success, and training is key to reaching that goal.

“We have grown quickly over the last few years,” Rosenbarker said. “Developing them, training them, bringing them here and seeing what other learning opportunities there are after SEMA is a great option for us to grow our staff into the technicians we need for the future.”

Rosenbarker said he’s “not that much of a car guy,” but he always enjoys the technological innovations on display at SEMA.

“Anyone in this industry needs to come out here, if you haven’t been,” he said. “I think people often think of it as a car show, but it’s so much more.”

Streamlining Operations

Nicolas Quiambao, an estimator at Oka’s Auto Body in Waipahu, HI, said the company is planning on expanding. He was sent to SEMA for the first time to learn more about the industry and specifically look for a system or company that can help Oka’s streamline operations.

“Admin work is heavy and being able to bring in more customers, be more efficient, will help us grow,” Quiambao said.

He was looking for an all-inclusive system or company to help speed up processes like making first contact with customers, keeping them updated throughout the repair process, accounting and ordering and receiving parts.

“There are a lot of really nice cars and trucks to see out here, but what gets me excited is seeing all the tools and systems that are being created to help companies become more efficient and effective,” Quiambao said.

Attracting More Customers

Ryan Timmons, owner of Ryan’s Rod Service in Florence, CO, was at his 15th SEMA Show. He said he comes to SEMA every year to make more connections.

Timmons said his shop, which does not do insurance work, has run into a “slight slowdown” in jobs and a problem getting some customers to pay.

“It’s been minimal,” he said. “We’re surviving and making it happen.”

This year, Timmons said, he was also at SEMA to look for new equipment and vendors to appeal to more potential customers.

He said the coolest thing he saw was the Golden Sahara II in Goodyear’s booth. The custom car was built in 1954 by George Barris using a wrecked 1953 Lincoln Capri. Barris equipped it with voice commands, sensorbased automatic emergency braking, futuristic styling and other amenities like a built-in TV and refrigerator.

Expanding Business By Upgrading Technology

Tracy Kroon, owner of Krown Restoration LTD, in Wilsall, MT, was at his first SEMA Show.

“We have a major project we’re working on that requires newer technology, and we thought this was the perfect place to come to view it,” Kroon said.

Finding qualified staff is Krown Restoration’s biggest challenge, Kroon said.

He had a tough time picking his favorite part of the show. “We’re just kind of overwhelmed with the whole thing,” Kroon said.

Dan Biggs

Ryan Timmons

More Accurate Estimates Needed To Control EV Repair Costs

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

SCA Claim Services is working to address the gap in average costs to repair an EV compared to a traditional ICE vehicle — estimated at 47% in CCC’s latest Crash Course Report — by helping repairers write more accurate estimates.

Over the summer, the appraisal company appointed Ron Trozzo — formerly of Tesla Collision and Tesla Insurance — its new nationwide ADP director for its Auto Operations division, who said at the time his “immediate goal is to streamline processes and foster innovation, while my long-term vision includes setting new industry standards in EV claims and collision management.”

SCA also developed a dedicated EV repair estimation program to eliminate wasteful spending on repairs due to missed damages and unnecessary charges, and has a dedicated team training and supporting its EV appraisers to ensure damage appraisals are done correctly the first time.

Autobody News spoke to Trozzo about the new EV repair estimation program and some of the misconceptions auto repairers may harbor that are contributing to unnecessary increased costs.

Unnecessary Charges

Trozzo said many of the unnecessary charges on EV repair estimates are related to calibrations: “When it’s actually needed or necessary versus when it’s a ‘nice to have,’” he said. If a calibration is truly needed, there will be an OEM repair procedure supporting it, he said.

When shops charge for unnecessary calibrations, it’s usually due to being “a little bit overzealous,” Trozzo said, and “not going through the blueprinting methodology that they should implement in order to read those OEM repair procedures.”

However, it also on the insurance carriers to not blindly accept those estimate lines without documentation.

High-voltage EV battery removals are also related to unnecessary charges, Trozzo said.

“What we see a lot of times is the battery being removed off the car to complete standard repairs,” he said. “It’s pretty rare the battery should be removed from the vehicle.”

He said most repair procedures only require the battery to be isolated. While Trozzo said all repairs should be researched, procedures like repairing outer rocker, dog leg or quarter panels, or those involving the

floor or rear of the vehicle typically do not require it.

“An inner rocker panel may require that HV battery to be removed and isolated. However, that should be a very rare occurrence in the process,” Trozzo said.

“I don’t think there’s any malice involved,” Trozzo said of the unnecessary battery removals. “I just think that there’s a misconception that the battery needs additional kid gloves in order to protect it, where

their pre-accident condition.

“We should look at applying the higher degree of sophistication that EV brings down to ICE cars, which would ensure success for both vehicle types,” he said.

Trozzo worked for both Tesla Collision and Tesla Insurance for about four years, which gave him an appreciation for the increased time, expertise and technical knowledge needed to successfully repair an EV compared to an ICE vehicle.

the repairs that were produced had the battery in mind already.”

Trozzo said that comes from a lack of knowledge about EVs, and perhaps a bit of fear of the longburning — though rare — fires that have been caused by EV batteries. “Nobody would like their shops to burn down,” he said.

Repairers need to stay up to date on training for new technology, and remember to always refer to OEM procedures — which can change frequently.

Missed Damages

On the other hand, some EV repair estimates miss procedures because repairers assume they aren’t as complex as they are.

“We may think that a bumper repair is simple, and we may forget that there’s a radar behind it and therefore we don’t do a calibration, and the customer shows up six months to a year later with reported issues,” Trozzo said. “We may forget that certain sensors must be reset and depending on the vehicle manufacturer, the process may be as simple as going into their vehicle and selecting the right option when it’s in the service menu, or it’s complex as staging the right environment for those sensors to work correctly. “

Trozzo again emphasized the importance of researching repair procedures, for both EV and ICE vehicles, to drive consumer confidence in the industry’s ability to return their highly technical cars to

SCA’s New Product

“We want to provide a quality product to our client where all — customer, shops and client — are satisfied with the results,” Trozzo said of SCA’s EV

repair estimation program. “I am currently less concerned about the cost of the repair, but instead the quality of the estimate.”

The fact most EVs require all OEM replacement parts, rather than any of the alternative parts that may be allowed in an ICE vehicle, is partly driving the higher costs to repair them.

Calibrations and scans also drive up repair costs for EVs, as some OEMs require conditions like “clean rooms” to complete, which can be costly to implement.

“I think total costs to repair [EVs] as an industry will start to go [down] once we simplify some of these procedures and there alternative parts available,” Trozzo said.

“The industry is going through a transformation, and I think the victors on the other side are those that can embrace the change and implement some best practices,” Trozzo said. “Therefore, I’m really proud in terms of SCA how fast it’s coming around to be one of the first ones in the EV market space, working alongside manufacturers and clients to bring a change that the system needs, in order to make sure that the cost of repair is actually what it should be and not a dollar more.”

Bistagne Bros. in California hosted the Tesla Owners Club of Los Angeles so they could learn about the collision repair process.

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legislation on its website before the most recent meeting of the Maine Automotive Right to Repair Working Group, held Dec. 2.

In addition to legal remedies, the draft legislation also states the attorney general may pursue a civil penalty and injunctive relief through any of Maine’s county superior courts, if the attorney general believes a manufacturer is improperly withholding diagnostic data.

Section 2 of an August-enacted law requires the right to repair working group, overseen by the state attorney general’s office, to recommend legislation to establish an entity to ensure cyber-secure access to vehicle-generated data for car owners and independent repair shops for maintenance, diagnostic and repair purposes.

The draft legislation envisions that entity will be dubbed the Motor Vehicle Right to Repair Commission, though meeting participants agreed to decide on the exact name sometime before the working group’s final recommendations are due to the state legislature in February.

A Nov. 22 draft report by the working group noted that, starting

Jan. 5, 2025, vehicles sold in Maine that use telematics systems must have an interoperable, standardized and owner-authorized “access platform” across all makes and models.

That report language refers to a November 2023 law that 84% of Maine voters approved via ballot initiative.

That law also states that no later than Jan. 5, 2025, car owners must be able to directly access the above mentioned platforms through a mobile-based application. Upon owner authorization, independent repair shops and licensed dealers must be able to access “all mechanical data,” limited to the time to complete the repair or for a period allowed by the vehicle owner for the purposes of maintaining, diagnosing, and repairing the car.

“I think automakers will make on a case-by-case basis decisions about what to do with telematics heading into January,” Elizabeth Frazier, an attorney for Pierce Atwood and lobbyist for the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said during the Dec. 2 meeting.

Some working group members have interpreted the August-enacted law as requiring vehicle manufacturers to provide access to telematics data only when the right to repair commission is established, according to the report, which also noted that

some members recommended the telematic requirements be postponed for a year.

Working group members did not flag any particular provisions for delayed implementation; however, Maine Chief Deputy Attorney General Christopher Taub during the meeting requested that Tesla Director of Service Engineering Brian Boggs develop draft language to cover deferred enforcement and implementation of certain unspecified provisions prior to the group’s next meeting.

Taub asked working group members to submit suggested changes to the proposed legislation and draft report by close of business Dec. 5. Taub envisioned new drafts of both documents will be posted online by Dec. 6. The working group expects to hold a public hearing Dec. 20 to collect input on the proposed legislation and draft report.

“I think that we’re really close on everything at this point. But if for some reason there’s some big snafu, and we realize we need to make some real substantial changes, we can always talk about whether it makes sense to have [another] public comment period at that point,” Taub said. “I don’t think that’s going to happen, but we can always decide to do that if we think it’s appropriate.”

Cindy Reeves Joins CIF Board of Trustees

The Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) announced the election of Cindy Reeves, vice president of the Replacement & Leisure Division at Enterprise Mobility, to the CIF Board of Trustees.

CIF provides emergency relief by securing and distributing donations to collision repair professionals who have experienced significant losses due to natural disasters or other catastrophic events.

Reeves has a long history of philanthropic involvement, including volunteering for Cochlear Americas for the past 15 years and serving on several DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) committees at Enterprise Mobility.

CIF is looking forward to Reeves’ participation in advancing CIF’s efforts, including its Annual Donor program, which was designed to provide consistent financial resources for the CIF Disaster Relief Fund.

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Jerry’s Body Shop of Mankato, MN, received the Russ Verona Memorial Award for Gold Class Shops. The recognition honors a collision repair center that has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to excellence, upholding the Gold Class Standard and actively promoting training. The family-owned shop has held its Gold Class designation since 1991.

National Auto Body Council (NABC)

NABC’s Changing and Saving Lives Award was presented to Henry Arroyo, owner of Fix Auto Cathedral City, Indio, Palm Desert, Palm Desert South and Palm Springs in California. The award recognizes individuals in the collision repair industry who have delivered exemplary service to their

community.

“Henry Arroyo has participated in National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides programs for a decade through Fix Auto USA and has gifted a number of vehicles to families in need and veterans over the years,” said presenter Debbie Teter. “I’m totally moved by his passion for giving back

to the community. He’s an amazing example of those in our industry.” Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS)

SCRS gave out three awards this year.

The 2024 Collision Industry Non-Individual Service Award was presented to the Enterprise Mobility Foundation for its contributions to developing the Collision Engineering Program and resources to attract and build up a new generation of skilled professionals equipped to

serve the collision repair industry.

Mary Mahoney, who accepted the award on behalf of the Enterprise Mobility Foundation, stressed the importance of industry, education and community coming together. “Nobody can do this on their own. It’s an honor to work with every one of you,” she said.

The 2024 National Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Ron Reichen, owner of Precision Body & Paint in Oregon. A past SCRS chairman, Reichen has been involved in several industry organizations, including CIC, CIECA and I-CAR.

Mike Anderson, owner of Collision Advice, received the 2024 March Taylor Kīnā ‘Ole Award. Kina’ole, a Hawaiian belief sometimes interpreted as flawlessness, was embodied by March Taylor, who owned Auto Body Hawaii and served on the SCRS Board of Directors. It represents doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, for the right individual, for the right reason, with the right feeling, the first time.

Anderson said when you’re growing up, there are people you want to be proud of you. “When I first heard about the man March Taylor, he was someone I wanted to

be proud of me,” said Anderson.

SCRS also recognized Jeff Hendler for his role in influencing the generations of people who followed him, working on the industry through CIC, SCRS and everything in between, and the energy and passion he has invested over the years to make the industry better.

“It’s hard to not think of a lot of

some of you as kids, and yet you’re full-grown, full-functioning adults that are taking this industry to another level that some of us wish that we’d get to,” said Hendler. “I thank each and every one of you, and I thank the society [SCRS] and I-CAR and CIECA and NABC and all the people who work together in this industry to make us what we are. We need each and every one of us.”

Doug Schlueter, left, Henry Arroyo, center, and Debbie Teter, right.

Pictured, left to right, are Aaron Schulenburg, Mike Anderson, Michael Bradshaw and Barry Dorn.

Janet Chaney

MSO Symposium Looks At Economic Forecast, Discussion of Customer Satisfaction

By John Yoswick Autobody News

The MSO Symposium, an annual one-day conference created by and for multi-shop owners and operators, was among the events kicking off SEMA week in Las Vegas in early November. About 400 people attended the event, the most in its 13year history.

With consolidation continuing in the industry, David Roberts of Focus Advisors provided a market update, saying he sees no decline in private equity firm’s involvement in the industry.

“It’s clear there is really continued strong interest from private equity firms,” Roberts said. “There’s going to be money to help you grow or to exit when you feel it’s time. We don’t see any slowdown in this.”

In a presentation titled, “Where the Economy is Headed in 2025 and Beyond,” Nasdaq chief economist Phil Mackintosh said the U.S. is in what he called a “Goldilocks” economy.

“We’re not too hot, we’re not too cold,” he said, noting that inflation is essentially back to the Federal Reserve target level, and the unemployment rate is “close to multi-

decade lows.”

“Most of the developed economies in the world have avoided recession but kind of ‘just’ avoided,” Mackintosh said. “They’re not growing that strongly. The U.S. is a little bit of an exception. It’s growing much stronger than most of the other markets. So we’re doing really well.

“But the reality is there’s not too much heat in the global economy anymore. So it makes total sense that interest rates are coming down from the highs that they got to as

central banks started to tackle the inflation problem. I could argue that maybe the U.S. should have followed Canada’s lead and started a bit earlier

and gone a bit further by now,” he said, adding he thinks the current 5% interest rates should be closer to 3% “sooner rather than later.”

The Fed cut rates by a quarterpoint three days after Mackintosh spoke.

He shared data showing that wage increases have outpaced inflation at all income levels by 3.3% or more.

“I know it’s hard to believe because people seem to think inflation has been much higher than wage growth,” he said. “But across the board, wages gone up more than inflation.”

He said the recent uptick in unemployment is different from the past in that it’s not being caused by layoffs.

“We are pretty close to 20-year lows in terms of layoffs,” he said. “So what’s interesting is what is causing the uptick in unemployment is prime age workers coming back into the workforce. There’s a lot more people looking for work. It’s totally different from a consumption perspective because when they get a job, they’ll start spending, rather than it being people losing their job and stopping spending. So that’s really kind of good news that the unemployment rates are coming up because people want jobs, not the opposite. Good

news for companies, too, because it takes a bit of pressure off wages.”

At one point during the “Great Resignation,” there were two advertised job openings in the U.S. for every person looking for work. “That’s now come back down pretty close to one-to-one,” Mackintosh said. “So for a company thinking about labor shortages, things look a lot better now than they did two years ago, three years ago. So again, not too hot, not too cold, right?”

Impact of Election Outcome

Speaking the day before the U.S. presidential election, Mackintosh was asked what effect the outcome might have on the economy next year. He shared a chart showing data back to the Nixon administration, with periods of growth and recession during both Democratic and Republican presidencies.

“So I have some good news: The reality it, it doesn’t really matter in terms of the stock market who wins,” he said. “For anyone who’s got an investment portfolio, it doesn’t matter who wins.”

Beyond that, he said, either candidate is likely “to increase the deficit and that could keep interest rates higher for longer, so that’s not great.”

Trump’s proposed tariffs will likely raise prices, he said.

“I guess the expectation is everyone’s taxes will go down at the same time, so incomes go up again, but that’s inflationary,” Mackintosh said. “So I think if there was an inflation risk on either side, it would be Trump winning. But then Harris wants to increase corporate taxes, and I’m guessing none of you guys want that either, right? So is that a

“So if there’s anything that you take away from this today, there is a real opportunity to ensure that transparency and the efficiency of supplement review and supplement approvals.”

good diplomatic answer?”

Key Moments Impacting Customer Satisfaction

CCC Intelligent Solutions generally offers a look at the latest industry data at the MSO Symposium, and this year was no exception, with CCC’s Kyle Krumlauf providing

context to industry stats and trends his company is seeing.

Krumlauf highlighted a couple key points from a recent CCC study into the “moments of truth” in the claims and repair process, the focal points that have the most impact on customer satisfaction.

“The top driver is transparent, detailed explanation of repair needs,” Krumlauf said. “One thing I would call out here is having a good translator -- or being a good translator — on the repair side when you’re talking to a customer and helping them understand. They may not be familiar with the technologies in a vehicle, what it requires to do the repair. Making sure that someone is able to speak a language that they can understand. That seems to be the No. 1 driver in satisfaction with consumers.”

He said customers want “consistent frequency of contact with a shop throughout the process,” and “they expect a timeline and the work to be done within that timeline.” In fact, the length of time to get the vehicle repaired and back can have the biggest negative impact on customer satisfaction.

Krumlauf noted the one element of this are supplements. On claims that included a supplement, he said, the average number of supplements

per claim has risen from about 1.7 as recently as mid-2021 to 2.1 this year. The average dollar amount of those supplements has risen from about $1,001 in early 2020 to $1,574 this year.

“Of course carriers want to be very, very careful in reviewing those and being sure that they’re approving what is necessary,” Krumlauf said. “But CRASH Network in their quarterly surveys consistently report that one of the major causes for backlog is carrier responsiveness on [supplement] approvals. So if there’s anything that you take away from this today, there is a real opportunity to ensure that transparency and the efficiency of supplement review and supplement approvals.”

He said he’s watching corporate return-to-office policies as that, too, affects the industry because of when and how much people are driving.

“Amazon changed their policy and starting in January, they are requiring everyone to return to office full time,” Krumlauf said. “In my mind, there could be a domino effect, with other major corporations. You could see a lot more people driving during rush hour, Monday through Friday every week.”

Caliber Appoints Chief CDO

The Caliber family of automotive repair and service brands has appointed Shawn Hezar, its current chief client officer, to the newly formed position of chief corporate development officer. In his new role, Hezar will be responsible for evaluating opportunistic acquisitions, supporting Caliber’s efforts to diversify its offerings, and building strategic partnerships.

Hezar brings 39 years of experience in the automotive collision industry to his new role, including a decade with Caliber, where his efforts have significantly contributed to Caliber’s unprecedented growth. As chief corporate development officer, he will focus on business opportunities that will create new possibilities for Caliber teammates and support the company’s vision of improving the automotive service experience.

Under his leadership as chief client officer, Hezar has helped Caliber maintain excellent and growing client relationships while ensuring the company anticipates industry trends.

Collision Repair Shops Should Leverage AI To Improve Customer Experience, Capture More Jobs

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way many industries do business – including collision repair – and Ryan Taylor, founder and CEO of BodyShop Booster, knows how body shop operators can use it to gain an advantage.

Taylor presented “AI is Here: How Others are Leveraging AI Interactions with Automotive Consumers” during the 2024 SEMA Show, with tips on how AI can help shops capture more business, reduce staff’s administrative burden and improve the customer experience to increase repeats and referrals.

Taylor quoted Rupert Murdoch, who said, “The world is changing very fast. Big will not beat small anymore. It will be the fast beating the slow.”

“Nothing is faster than AI,” Taylor said. “I have never seen anything move this quickly, proliferate into different industries quicker or allow companies to speed up faster.”

Taylor, who previously owned a network of eight body shops and a mobile hail damage repair business, told the story of a customer who

claimed one of Taylor’s shops had incorrectly repaired the front passenger seat belt in her car, and her 11-year-old daughter went through the windshield when the customer had to hit the brakes suddenly.

When Taylor saw the car, the windshield wasn’t even cracked, and the seat belt was only twisted.

Relieved, Taylor asked the customer what was going on. She told him she’d had a terrible experience with his shop, which her insurance company had directed her to use. She felt like the staff

didn’t care and didn’t communicate. She said Taylor’s shop would never touch her car again and she was going to switch insurance companies.

“What if 5%, 15%, 50% or God forbid, 100% of our customers are also being asked for their claim number, not their name? This is the silent killer of business right here,” Taylor said.

Getting repeat business and referrals is key, Taylor said. In 2011, when that customer vowed to never use Taylor’s shop again, his average severity was $3,300, meaning that customer had only brought in $3,300 to his business. But if the shop had been able to get repeat jobs or referrals, the customer’s “lifetime value” would have been $147,000.

With average severity significantly higher now, a single customer’s potential “lifetime value” is now also much higher.

“If we unlock this, things will change for us in a big way,” Taylor said. “I’m going to show you three secrets of how AI is going to help you unlock these areas better than ever before.”

“Everything we’re talking about today, in AI world, is the worst it will ever be,” Taylor said. “It’s only getting better.” “To the Door”

The first secret is to use AI to bring customers to a shop’s door.

Taylor said there is a national dropoff in shops’ backlogs, and several are coming to his business asking for marketing help.

“You need to fix this first,” he said. Taylor said for every 100 customers who make contact with a shop after a crash, on average, only 57% get an estimate. The other 43% drop off.

The “tip of the spear” at the shop are the service advisors or customer service representatives who answer that first phone call, Taylor said. If they are doing their job effectively, there shouldn’t be any drop off.

He said whoever first speaks to the customer needs to get their personal information and vehicle information – which can be used to leverage any relevant shop certifications – while using a tone of voice that shows empathy for what the customer is going through.

AI is currently moving from the “innovator” stage, as new tools and technology are developed, to the “early adopter” stage. Taylor encouraged the audience be one of those early adopters, as customer experience is going to be the “major differentiator” in capturing business.

“The drop off is cut in half if you get that info [in the first call],” Taylor said. Taylor said he once worked with an

Ryan Taylor, CEO of BodyShop Booster, said AI can address several issues shops should look at before spending more money on marketing.

OEM to call its certified shops, posing as a potential customer, to rate their first contact. He played one of those calls, in which the employee who answered the phone only asked what insurance company the customer was with.

Taylor then called a New York body shop’s existing AI assistant, which answers the phone if an employee is unavailable. The AI assistant expressed empathy for Taylor’s made-up accident in a 2022 Toyota Corolla, told him the shop was certified by Toyota, got his name and phone number and then sent him a link so he could upload images of the damage to get an estimate started.

“It gets better on a weekly basis,” Taylor said. “Every conversation it has, it gets smarter.”

AI can also help streamline communication between employees within the shop, and between the shop and the customer, which saves everyone time and makes the customer feel better because the repair process is happening faster.

Dealerships can use AI to scan vehicles in their service lane that have some degree of damage – which, on average, is 41% and generate a simple estimate, to get the customer into the collision repair center’s system.

AI is now at a point where shops can grab an assignment from an insurance company via its estimating system and make first contact with the customer via

email, text or voicemail, providing them with the next steps to file a claim.

“We know that when a customer is dealt with quickly, their consideration set shrinks,” Taylor said. “It doesn’t take any people. AI can do all that for you.”

“Through the Door”

Once the customer is through the door, AI can reduce the administrative burden on shop staff.

Taylor said in a survey, 63% of employees said they were afraid to ask their superiors for help or advice, but they love to chat with AI because they don’t feel judgement.

He said AI can be used by loading shop procedures and letting staff ask it questions.

On average, shops capture about 56% of estimates they write. AI can be used to “tighten that gap” before spending on money on marketing, Taylor said.

He gave a hypothetical example of a shop that writes 100 estimates and gets 56 jobs. If management spends money on marketing and gets 200 estimates, it increases the workload on staff. Typically, their work would suffer, and the shop’s capture rate would shrink – say to 40%, which would be 80 jobs.

If that shop instead increased its capture rate on those 100 estimates to 80%, it would get 80 jobs without stressing out staff.

There are two ways AI can help sell more estimates, Taylor said.

The first is to sell to the “second buyer.” For example, a married couple may both be on an insurance policy, but only one person speaks with the shop about a claim. They then decide with their spouse which shop to choose. If all they have is estimates, they typically just pick the cheapest option.

Taylor said AI can be used to create a video explaining to the “second buyer” why a shop is the right one. One shop that implemented that practice found it increased capture rate by 5%.

The second is estimate follow-up. Taylor said 91% of shops reported they don’t do any estimate follow-up because it’s time consuming. AI can be used instead to send emails and texts to those potential customers.

AI can also let customers schedule their repairs, reserve a rental car and sign documentation.

“Out the Door”

It’s 70 times more expensive to get a new customer compared to getting repeat business or a referral from a current one, Taylor said. However, a survey by an insurance company showed only 1.56% of customers who’d had a car repaired had referred someone else to the body shop they used.

Taylor said in most customers’ minds, body shops are all the same.

The best way to stand out – to make your customer remember you when they see someone else who needs your services – is to be efficient and responsive.

“When you [quickly] take that pain away for your customer…they will never forget you,” Taylor said. “When they understand you’re different, they will remember and refer you.”

Use AI to reinforce that behavior, he said.

Mark Probst, a shop owner in Illinois, is doing just that, Taylor said. When a customer leaves his shop after a repair, they get recorded a pre-recorded voicemail from Probst, thanking them for choosing his shop and checking on how the drive home went. They then get a text asking for feedback in a Google review.

Thirty days later, the customer gets another pre-recorded voicemail from the shop’s painter, letting them know the paint is 100% cured and they can now wax or polish it. That voicemail also thanks them for choosing the shop.

“When you add value to your customer, they will add value to you through repeats and referrals,” Taylor said.

“When we look at AI and all the automation, think about all the tasks you’re doing manually,” Taylor said. “It’s about four hours per customer, but when you use AI, it’s 30 seconds.”

Electrified New-Vehicle Sales Drive Overall Gains For Automakers in November

Automakers on Dec. 3 began releasing sales results for November, reporting strong results for light trucks and electrified models, including plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles.

Honda

American Honda sold 121,419 units in November, a 14.5% increase year-over-year, driven by strong sales of light truck and electrified models for both the Honda and Acura brands.

The Honda brand sold 110,020 units, up 15.9% over November 2023, keeping the brand on course for a 10% annual increase.

The Honda brand also set an all-time monthly sales record for electrified models with more than 38,000 units, led by strong demand for hybrids and a new monthly sales record for the Prologue, which sold 6,823 units.

Honda light truck sales are up 15.7% so far in 2024, with 79,982 units sold in November. Pilot sales of 12,652 and Odyssey sales of 6,644 kept both models at the top of their respective segments.

CR-V sales are on track for an alltime annual sales record, topping

34,300 units in November. More than half — 54% — were hybrid models.

The Acura brand sold 11,399 units in November with strong demand despite supply issues due to retooling of both the Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants in Ohio in preparation for EV production in late 2025.

2024, an increase of 8.2% compared with November 2023, when it sold 53,327. Subaru also reported year-to-date sales of 605,854, a 5.5% increase compared with the same period in 2023.

Crosstrek achieved its best November ever with 16,948 vehicles sold, a 13% increase compared to November 2023, and its fifth month in a row as the top performer by volume.

Acura sold 9,031 SUVs in November, a 16.3% increase yearover-year. The All-electric ZDX posted its best sales month since its launch with 1,317 units; more than a quarter of those sales were the ZDX Type S.

Subaru

Subaru of America, Inc. reported 57,690 vehicle sales for November

Forester was the secondhighest selling carline in November with 14,843 vehicles sold, and Outback sales increased to 14,004 vehicles sold. Solterra also continued to see sales growth, achieving its best November ever, up 13% over the previous year.

Hyundai

Hyundai Motor America reported record-breaking total November sales of 76,008 units, an 8% increase compared with November 2023.

Hyundai set total sales records in November for Santa Fe HEV (+64%), Tucson PHEV (+23%), Tucson HEV (+227%), IONIQ 5

(+110%) and Elantra N (+140%).

Hybrid vehicle total sales jumped 114%, while total EV sales grew 70%. This was the best-ever month for Santa Fe HEV, Tucson PHEV, Tucson HEV and IONIQ 5.

Retail sales for November 2024 set new records, climbing 15%. EV retail sales increased 77% year-over-year, hybrid retail sales grew by 104% and electrified (EV, hybrid, plug-in hybrid) retail sales jumped 92%.

Mazda

Mazda North American Operations reported total November sales of 33,422 vehicles, an increase of 20.6% year-over-year and the automaker’s best November sales in history. Year-to-date sales totaled 384,181 vehicles sold, an increase of 18.6% compared to the same time last year. With 26 selling days in November, compared to 25 the year prior, the company posted an increase of 16% on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis.

Certified pre-owned sales totaled 6,451 vehicles in November, an increase of 38% compared to November 2023.

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ROCKLAND CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE

60 Route 304

Nanuet, NY 10954 (845) 623-1367

Fax: (845) 623-0903

Maaco Honors Top Franchisees At Annual Convention

Maaco celebrated its top-performing franchisees Nov. 14 during its annual convention held in Hollywood, FL. The event, attended by nearly 300 franchisees, vendor partners and corporate team members, highlighted achievements in sales growth, operational excellence and leadership within the Maaco network.

“This year’s winners exemplify the dedication and resilience that define the Maaco brand,” said Dave Gross, senior vice president of franchise services and strategic integration. “We are proud to celebrate their hard work and commitment, which drive our success every day.”

Top Awards Highlight Exceptional Performance

The ceremony honored franchisees across various categories, including sales, growth and customer service:

• Rookie of the Year (NUG): Jaren Kirkland, Campbell Martens, Larry Langston and Gary Schneider from Martinsburg, WV

• Rookie of the Year (Resale): Bilal Bhatti from West Deptford, NJ

• Top Sales Growth: Shane Hollas from Rockwall, TX

• MSO of the Year: Rizwan Afzal, MSO in the Northeast

• Maaco Cup: David Martin from Tyler, TX

• Top Sales Third: Helmuth Mayer, Texas MSO

• Top Sales Second: Shane Hollas from Rockwall, TX

• Top Car Count Third: The Mirante family from Edmonton, AB

• Top Car Count Second: Gary Zanoni, Jeff Chipman and Peter Doedens from New Berlin, WI

• Top Sales and Top Car Count: Ron Raio from Delran, NJ

• Terry Taylor Award: David Co from Hayward, CA

• Tony Martino Hall of Fame Award: Joe Houghton from West Springfield, MA

Regional Cup Award Winners

Maaco also recognized franchisees regionally who achieve outstanding performance in car count, sales and operational excellence with Regional Cup Awards.

• Regional Cup Midwest: The Matthews family from Dolton, IL

• Regional Cup Northwest: Mark Goulding from Portland, OR

• Regional Cup South Central: Syed and Abbas Hussain from Houston and Pearland, TX

• Regional Cup Southwest: Praveen Sharma from Whittier, CA

• Regional Cup South: Keith Carlisle from Oakland Park, FL

• Regional Cup Northeast: Muhammad Kashif from Swedesboro, NJ

• Regional Cup Southeast: Phil Collins, Carolinas MSO

• Regional Cup Canada: The Mirante family from Edmonton, AB

These winners exemplify the highest standards of Maaco franchisees, embodying core values such as customer satisfaction and operational excellence.

The Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) announced nominations are open for the first-ever AACF Humanitarian Award, sponsored by NEXUS North America.

This prestigious award aims to recognize and honor outstanding individuals, companies, associations or groups within the automotive aftermarket industry who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to improving the lives of others through humanitarian efforts. Nominees for this award should exemplify compassion, selflessness and a strong sense of social responsibility. Their actions should have made a significant and positive impact on communities locally, nationally, or globally.

Nominations for the AACF Humanitarian Award can be submittedatwww.aftermarketcharity. org/humanitarianhero through Jan. 31. Nominations will be reviewed by a committee consisting of AACF Board and Executive Committee members as well as a NEXUS executive.

Rizwan Afzal won MSO of the Year.

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington Wilmington 302-995-5030

302-995-5033 Fax

M-F 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 2pm parts@mbofwilmington.com www.mbofwilmington.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Mercedes-Benz of Burlington Burlington 833-768-5924

617-275-2182 Direct 781-229-1600 Main

M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm parts@mbob.com www.mbob.com

Mercedes-Benz of Hanover Hanover 781-924-4210

M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm mbhanoverparts@gp1auto.com

Smith Motor Sales of Haverhill, Inc Haverhill 877-764-8462 Direct

877-SMITH MB 978-702-5020 Fax M-F 8am-5pm

PENNSYLVANIA

Mercedes-Benz of Goldens Bridge Goldens Bridge 914-232-8146

914-232-4770 Fax

M-F 8am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 2pm achristiano@mercedesbenzgb.com www.mercedesbenzgb.com

Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown St. James 631-265-5339

631-265-8146 Fax

M-F 8am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4:30pm mlevantino@mbofsmithtown.com www.mbofsmithtown.com

609-272-1535 Fax

M-F 8am - 6pm Sat 8am - 4pm bmorey@mbofatlanticcity.com

Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington Conshohocken 267-419-4099

M-F 7am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4pm mbfwwholesaleparts@mileone.com www.Mercedes-Benz-Fort-Washington.com

Mercedes-Benz of West Chester West Chester 484-313-1110

484-313-1002 Fax

M-F 7:30am - 6pm Sat 7:30am - 5pm parts@mbofwestchester.com

Viti Mercedes-Benz Tiverton

800-544-5580

401-624-6181

401-624-4817 Fax

M-F 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 9am - 5pm eric@viti.com www.viti.com

NEW JERSEY

RHODE ISLAND

Connecticut

BMW of Darien Darien

203-328-1325

203-978-0043 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm wholesale@bmwdarien.com

BMW of Ridgefield Ridgefield

203-438-0413

203-894-8956 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm parts@bmwofridgefield.com

BMW of Waterbury Waterbury

844-895-6839

860-274-5471

860-274-0617 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-4pm John.musco@hoffmanauto.com

Maryland

BMW of Catonsville Catonsville

855-996-2906

410-818-2600 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm www.bmwofcatonsville.com

BMW of Silver Spring Silver Spring

301-890-3015

800-288-6982

301-890-3748 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm wholesaless@mileone.com www.bmwofsilverspring.com

New

Hampshire

BMW of Stratham Stratham

800-989-5200 vfollansbee@group1auto.com www.bmwofstratham.com

New Jersey

BMW of Bloomfield Bloomfield 888-261-6471

973-748-8373

M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4:30pm bryancorreia@bmwofbloomfield.com

BMW of Morristown Morristown

973-796-3145

973-796-3146 Fax

M-F 8am-6pm wholesaleparts.bmw@openroad.com www.bmwofmorristown.com

BMW of Newton

Newton

973-579-6020

973-579-6702 Fax M-F 8am-5:30pm www.bmwnewton.com

Circle BMW Eatontown

732-440-1238

732-440-1239 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm Sat 8am-3pm Wholesale@circlebmw.com www.circlebmw.com

Park Ave. BMW South Hackensack 888-349-5168

201-291-2376 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm al@parkavebmw.com www.parkavebmw.com

New York

BMW of Bayside Bayside

516-304-3733

516-570-4268 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm bmwparts@bmwbayside.com www.bmwbayside.com

Competition BMW St. James 631-724-3322 631-265-0501 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4:30pm asolla@competitionbmw.com www.competitionbmw.com

Habberstad BMW

Huntington Station

631-271-7488

631-271-7931 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm parts@habberstadbmw.com

Keeler BMW Latham 877-553-3909

518-785-4197

518-785-4710 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 8am-4pm bmwparts@keeler.com www.keelerbmw.com

Pennsylvania

BMW of York York

717-849-6597

717-843-2948 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-12pm bmwpartsmanagers@cioccaauto.com www.bmwofyork.com

Rhode Island

BMW of Newport Middletown 401-847-9600

401-841-0680 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm gromani@metromotorgroup.com wwwbmwofnewport.com

Allstate Sues Hyundai, Kia Over Fire Risk and Recalls

Allstate and several subsidiaries have filed a federal lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia, claiming the automakers knowingly failed to address defects in millions of vehicles, resulting in severe fire risks.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, accuses Hyundai and Kia of “purposefully and knowingly” neglecting to recall defective vehicles, thereby putting lives and property at risk. The issue dates back to at least 2006 and has reportedly led to numerous incidents of cars spontaneously erupting in flames, even when parked.

The suit highlights consumer complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) beginning in 2011. One complaint involved a Hyundai vehicle that caught fire while parked in a driveway. A forensic engineer attributed the fire to moisture in the braking system,

MASSACHUSETTS

Cityside Subaru Belmont (617) 826-5013 (617) 489-0733 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:30 parts@citysidesubaru.com

Long Automotive Group Framingham (800) 982-2298 (508) 879-1212 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 tschube@longauto.com

Metrowest Subaru LLC Natick (888) 456-2200 (508) 745-2004 (508) 647-1539 Fax Mon.-Sat. 7-9 parts@metrowestsubaru.com

Liberty Subaru Emerson (888) 782-9493 (201) 261-3261 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6 parts@libertysubaru.com www.libertysubaru.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Ciocca Subaru of Allentown Allentown (844) 210-1314 (610) 395-6530 (610) 398-2066 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5 subaruparts@cioccadealerships.com

Belknap Subaru Tilton (800) 358-4029 (603) 729-1300 (603) 729-1301 Fax Mon., Wed., Fri. 7:30-5 Tue., Thu. 7:30-7; Sat. 9-3 awright@belknapsubaru.com

NEW JERSEY

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Audi Part Professionals are experts on collision parts, replacement components and mechanical items.

Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers.

MARYLAND

Audi Silver Spring Silver Spring

301.890.3015

800.288.6982

301.890.3748 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm wholesaless@mileone.com www.audisilverspring.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Audi Shrewsbury Shrewsbury

888.751.7214

508.581.5880

508.845.1642 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5pm audiwholesaleparts@mcgovernauto.com

NEW JERSEY

Bell Audi

Edison

732.396.9630

732.396.9090 Fax

M-F 8am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm dmcsorley@bellaudi.com

Paul Miller Audi

Parsippany

862.277.0009

973.575.5911 Fax

M-F 8am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm www.paulmilleraudi.com Audiparts@paulmiller.com

NEW YORK

Audi Southampton Southampton

631.204.2565

Tue-Sat 8am-5pm parts@audisouthampton.com www.audisouthampton.com

Biener Audi Great Neck

516.487.0127

516.829.4821 Fax

M-F 8am-4:30pm Sat 8am-4pm www.bieneraudi.com alutchman@biener.com rfeyjoo@biener.com parts@biener.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Audi Devon Devon

610.263.7026

610.263.7027

610.688.1742 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm Sat 9am-4pm www.audidevon.com bnawn@audidevon.com wmohler@audidevon.com

Regardless of the age of your customer’s Audi, Audi dealers have access to over 200,000 part numbers and are supported by a nationwide network of distribution centers to help ensure non-stocked parts are delivered the next day.

Returning EV Lease Volume Set To Spike 230% by 2026

All those hefty incentives that have made leasing a centerpiece of the EV sales strategy may create some complications for the used-vehicle market during the next two years. According to recent J.D. Power data, a glut of used EVs will be coming off lease throughout 2026 and beyond, while, at the same time, there is likely to be a significant slow-down in returning lease volumes for gas-powered vehicles. That lopsided dynamic in supply, combined with changes in EV pricing, uncertainty about the future of tax credits and incentives and concerns about long-term battery health will create some new complexities for consumers.

Wave of Used EVs Coming

Due in large part to a provision in the federal Clean Vehicle Tax Credit, which allows auto dealers to pass along a $7,500 tax credit to all EV lessees, nearly half (46%) of all franchise EV sales and 21% of total EV sales — including Tesla — in 2023 were leases. That trend continued throughout the first nine months of 2024, with the lease share of total franchise and Tesla EV volume reaching 30%.

Meanwhile, lease volumes for gaspowered vehicles have been lower than pre-pandemic levels. Industry-

wide, just 2.4 million gas-powered vehicles were leased in 2023. While that represents a 17% increase from 2022, it is still considerably lower than the pre-pandemic average of more than 3 million leases annually, which will likely create a shortage in usedvehicle availability in 2025 and 2026.

As a result, returning EV lease volumes are projected to decrease 2% in 2025 before surging 230% in 2026, when a total of 215,000 EVs will come off lease.

Meanwhile, overall returning lease volumes, including both gas-powered vehicles and EVs, have been on a sharp decline, falling 37% since 2020. That trend is expected to continue through 2025 when roughly 2 million total vehicles will come off lease, down from 4 million in 2020. That means that, by 2026, the total share of EVs in the returning lease mix will be 5.3%, up from just 1.6% today.

Cycle of New EV Leasing Likely to Continue

Another trend influencing the dynamics of the used EV market is the steady decrease in EV prices during the past two years.

For example, in the compact SUV segment, the average transaction price

for a new vehicle is currently $35,900, down $12,700 from $48,500 in 2022. Driven by a combination of increased sales incentives and increased supply of new models, the steady decline in EV prices has created a scenario where lease buyouts, which had been a popular option for the past few years during supply constraints, no longer make economic sense.

The average returning lessee in the compact SUV segment is paying $583 per month for their vehicle, and the average residual value of their vehicle is $29,645. Importantly, that means the buyout price of the majority of compact SUV EVs is higher than the $25,000 threshold that would qualify for the used EV tax credit. Accordingly, it would cost the average returning lessee in the compact SUV EV segment $477 per month to buyout the lease. Meanwhile, the average lease payment on new vehicles in the same category is just $457 per month.

Add to these stats the facts that it would be significantly more expensive to lease or buy a comparable gaspowered vehicle, and that 94% of current EV owners say they are likely to consider an EV for their next vehicle purchase or lease, and it becomes clear that — under current cost and

incentive structures — returning EV lessees are likely to lease new EVs.

Uncertainty Abounds

Of course, all these projections assume that current federal tax incentives and manufacturer incentives on EVs continue to be offered at the same rates, neither of which is a certainty. The results of the U.S. presidential election, consumer demand for new EV models, and continued improvements in EV range will all weigh heavily on the future dynamics of the used vehicle marketplace.

Long term battery health will also be a factor in this equation. With federal regulations requiring minimum EV battery warranties covering owners for eight years or 100,000 miles, this potentially costly maintenance item will start to become a much bigger factor in the consumer calculus of used vs. new vehicle purchases.

Together, this new mix of variables, which has not previously affected used-vehicle valuations, will now become a big part of the consumer value equation. With 279,300 EVs set to come off lease in the next two years, the results will tell a lot about the future of the used-vehicle marketplace.

Maryland

Ourisman Chevrolet MARLOW HEIGHTS

800-358-7788

301-899-6990 Direct

301-899-9375 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am - 4 pm

wholesale@ourisman.com www.ourismanchevrolet.com

Ourisman Chevrolet of Rockville ROCKVILLE

800-345-4640

301-424-5332 Local

301-294-6381 Fax

M-F 7 - 5:30

Massachusetts

Balise Chevrolet Buick GMC Business Elite

SPRINGFIELD

413-233-2185

413-733-8617 Fax

M-F 8 - 5 lvazquez@baliseauto.com

Nucar Chevrolet of Norwood NORWOOD

800-559-9210

781-762-9210

800-991-1009 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5 rlindner@nucar.com

Long Cadillac SOUTHBOROUGH

508-820-9322

800-982-2258

508-879-1212 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5 tschube@longauto.com

INSIST ON GM GENUINE PARTS

Massachusetts

Mastria Buick Cadillac GMC RAYNHAM

888-572-1045

508-822-4074 Fax

M-Th 7:30 - 7:30; F 7:30 - 6 Sat 7:30 - 5 wholesale@mastria.com

New Jersey

Barlow Chevrolet DELRAN

800-220-1452

856-461-8417

856-764-1498 Fax

M-F 7 - 6; Sat 8 - 4 pseay@barlowautogroup.com

Cadillac of Mahwah MAHWAH

201-579-6497

201-579-6506 Fax

M-F 7 - 5

Malouf Buick GMC

NORTH BRUNSWICK

800-669-6256

732-821-5410

732-821-7549 Fax

M-F 8 - 4:30; Sat 8 - 12 kreimann@malouf.com

Malouf Chevrolet Cadillac NORTH BRUNSWICK

800-769-6256

732-821-1517 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5 kdiperi@malouf.com

Nielsen Chevrolet DOVER

973-366-1730

973-366-5867 Fax

M-F 7 - 4:30; Sat 8 - 4:30 parts@nielsenchevy.com

New Jersey

Open Road Cadillac FLORHAM PARK

973-845-3014

973-538-6978 Fax

M-F 7 - 5

Christopher.salgado@openroad.com

Open Road Chevrolet UNION 800-981-9451

908-686-2727

908-687-4267 Fax

M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8 - 4

Christopher.salgado@openroad.com

New York

DePaula Chevrolet ALBANY

800-727-8357

518-489-0184 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 6; Sat 8 - 5 parts@depaula.com

East Syracuse Chevy EAST SYRACUSE

315-437-5464

315-437-0878 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5; Sat 8 - 3 partsdept@esyrchevy.com

West Herr Chevrolet ORCHARD PARK

716-662-7707

716-688-5519 Fax

M-F 7:30 - 5; Sat 8 - 4 sgraham@westherr.com

Pennsylvania

Greencastle Chevrolet

GREENCASTLE

717-597-2131

717-597-6932 Fax

M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8-3 jsnyder@greencastlechevy.com bmoats@greencastlechevy.com

Tom Hesser Chevrolet SCRANTON

800-435-9586

570-558-3677

570-342-8645 Fax

M-F 8 - 5; Sat 8 - 2 mhanson@tomhesser.com

Extensive Wholesale Parts Inventory

• Competitive Pricing and Discounts

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375 Route 23, Sussex, NJ 07461

Professionally Trained Toyota Wholesale Parts Specialists on Staff

Competitive Discounts and Pricing on All our Genuine Toyota Parts

Parts Hours: MON-THU 7:30AM-7PM FRI 7:30AM-6PM; SAT 7:30AM-5PM toyotaparts@griecocars.com www.griecotoyota.com

415 Taunton Avenue East Providence, RI 02914

Porsche Genuine Parts and Service, only at your local authorized Porsche dealer.

Eight Trucks - Free Same Day Delivery to RI, MA & CTNationwide Shipping

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MARYLAND

Porsche Silver Spring Silver Spring, MD

800-288-6982

301-890-3748 Fax wholesales@mileone.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Porsche Norwell Norwell, MA

781-261-5230

781-261-5274 Fax porschenorwell.com

NEW JERSEY

Porsche Monmouth West Long Branch, NJ

732-483-8560 M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4:30 avacchiano@penskeautomotive.com

NEW YORK

.nielsenf nfford c .com i l

Porsche Huntington Huntington Station, NY

631-424-1310

631-272-1805 Fax

M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 parts@porschehuntington.com

Porsche Manhattan New York, NY

347-226-3913

212-208-0916 Fax parts@manhattanmotorcars.com

Porsche of Southampton Southampton, NY

631-204-2565

631-204-2559 Fax gspano@porscheofsouthampton.com

Porsche South Shore Freeport, NY

516-277-0542

516-277-0543

M-Sat 8-5:30 mtotaram@mcgovernauto.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Porsche Main Line

Newtown Square, PA

610-886-1010

610-886-1020 Fax M-Sat 8-5 jprice@potml.com

Delivery designed to hit the mark

CONNECTICUT

Lia Volkswagen Enfield

860-698-6890

Fax: 860-265-7840

M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-12pm aguimaraes@liacars.com

MARYLAND

Ourisman VW of Rockville Rockville

855-417-4511

Fax: 240-499-2488

M-F 8am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-5pm rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com www.rockvillevolkswagen.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Nucar VW of Norwood Norwood

781-725-8505

Fax: 800-991-1009

M-F 7am-5pm Not-allusers@nucar.com www.nucar.com

Volkswagen of North Attleboro North Attleboro

508-695-7131

Fax: 508-695-0321

M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-2pm kenr@driveavw.com www.driveavw.com

NEW JERSEY

Open Road Volkswagen of Bridgewater Bridgewater

908-685-1068

Fax: 908-685-1547

M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-3pm vwb.parts@openroad.com www.openroadvwparts.com

Paul Miller Volkswagen Bernardsville

908-360-1162

Fax: 908-766-6171

M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm aaitchison@paulmiller.com www.paulmillervw.com

NEW YORK

Hudson Valley Volkswagen Wappingers Falls

845-298-2365

Fax: 845-224-3686

M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-5pm billsantoro@thepremiercollection.com

Platinum Volkswagen Hicksville

516-822-4800

Fax: 516-822-4831

M-F 7:30am-5:30pm parts@platinumvw.com www.platinumvw.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Ciocca Volkswagen Allentown

610-791-4177

Fax: 610-289-7016

M-F 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-4pm cioccavwparts@cioccadealerships.com

Piazza Volkswagen of Langhorne Langhorne 215-741-4100

Fax: 215-752-6621

M-F 7:30am-5pm; Sat 8am-5pm www.piazzavw.com langwholesale@piazzavw.com

Employee Benefits No Longer Just ‘Nice to Have’ for Collision Shops

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

Offering comprehensive benefits can have a tremendous impact on a collision shop’s employees’ well-being, which in turn positively affects the business.

Richie Seaberry, vice president of business development and enterprise portfolio manager at Decisely, was the first guest in the “Safety First: Prioritizing Health in the Workplace” series on The Collision Vision podcast, hosted by Cole Strandberg and driven by Autobody News.

He spoke about the connection between employee health, workplace performance, recruiting and retention, and why investing in benefits can be a game changer for collision repair businesses.

Buying Power in Numbers

Decisely is a national technology and brokerage insurance firm that can give individual shops the benefits buying power of a much larger group.

“We built this model that allows us to service these small- to mediumsized businesses and allow them to offer an employee benefits package that is more comprehensive, richer and more affordable than what they’re able to do out there on their

own,” Seaberry said.

Decisely has partnered with the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), which collectively represents about 60,000 collision repair employees at shops of all sizes across the country. The collaboration allows SCRS to build a custom benefits solution, which is passed to its members and ultimately ends up in the hands of those shops’ employees.

“The whole goal, once again, is to allow independent collision centers the ability to compete with these

just wanted more hours and more pay. Health insurance, paid time off and retirement savings plans weren’t offered. Today, most technicians -- or potential ones, coming out of high school and looking at career options — want paid time off, benefits and a 401(k).

“Not only are you trying to compete for talent against MSOs and other independent collision centers, you’re competing for talent from construction, hospitality, restaurants, all those different types of industries that have a similar core makeup of the

large MSOs for talent,” Seaberry said.

Twenty years ago, collision shop owners would’ve said their employees

retain talent, and it’s mandated by the Affordable Care Act for any business with more than 50 employees.

But it also ties into what a lot of collision shop owners say they want to do: “’I want to take care of my guys. I want to give my guys the best possible health insurance solution that they can get,’” Seaberry said he hears frequently. But that is often limited by the owner’s budget.

“The importance of offering health insurance to your employees has gone from ‘nice to have’ to ‘have to have,’” Seaberry said, but at the same time, the cost to offer it has increased.

Decisely’s scale makes it more affordable for small business owners, and its technology makes it easier for shops to join SCRS’ plan and get employees enrolled.

The Business Benefits of Offering Health Insurance

When an employee is dealing with a health issue – whether their own or that of a child or spouse – it’s not something they just can “set down” when they’re on the clock.

type of workers that they’re looking to attract,” Seaberry said.

Offering benefits helps attract and

“When they’re showing up to work…that is going to be going through their mind. And a lot of the times it’s, well, how do I get this better?” Seaberry said.

• Over 1/2 Million Dollar inventory of OEM Parts

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EASTCHESTER

The employee will look at what their employer is offering to help them through a likely expensive issue.

“So they’re looking at their health care in a lens: this is what my employer is providing me. This is how my employer, whether it’s true or not, feels about me,” Seaberry said. “Your employee benefits package is a cultural cornerstone that can be used for or against [you in] the employees’ court of opinion.”

The partnership between Decisely and SCRS takes the onus off a repair shop owner to become an “expert” on how to offer the best benefits package possible.

“We want independent collision centers to be able to offer something better than they’re able to do out there on their own right now. And we want to make it easy, and we want to make it straightforward,” Seaberry said. “And that was really how the SCRS employee benefits program was born.”

Who is Offering Benefits Within the Collision Repair Industry?

In a survey last year, Decisely found about 15% to 20% of independent collision centers nationwide are offering an employee benefits package. Seaberry said that number is expected to grow to 30% to 35% over the next five years.

At a typical shop that does offer

a benefits package, about 40% of employees are enrolled. Seaberry said enrolled employees, on average, stay with the same employer twice as long as those who are not.

Seaberry said one business owner said he had an employee of 25 years who told him he was being forced to to take a new job because it offered health benefits that covered specialized care for his son, who had autism. The owner had just started offering Decisely’s package, which covered the treatment, but the employee wasn’t yet aware.

“That employee was able to stay with the company, and they were able to access the $0 co-pay” for mental health care, which includes occupational therapy often used to treat autism, Seaberry said.

Seaberry said mental health care services are an oft-overlooked benefit in Decisely’s package.

“When everyone thinks about health insurance, they think broken limbs, urgent care, emergency room surgeries, medications,” Seaberry said.

Mental health care is just as important, he said. Decisely’s package fully covers substance abuse counseling, which can be prohibitively expensive even with other health care packages. Employees have been able to use that benefit to address a mental health issue they couldn’t

afford to before.

“That’s been a big deal,” Seaberry said. “That’s been one of my favorite things that I’ve seen, that this program has made available to folks.”

Without health insurance, most people can’t afford treatment for major medical events, Seaberry said. They often use credit cards or don’t pay the bill at all, which negatively impacts their credit. This frequently leads to bankruptcy.

“A huge portion of the reason why Americans are going bankrupt today is because of health care costs and going through something that they can’t afford,” Seaberry said.

A lot of what makes a health care plan “good” or “bad” is expected out-of-pocket costs. By choosing a good plan, employers are “not only protecting [employees’] health and their ability to show up to work, but you’re protecting their ability to feed their families,” Seaberry said.

How to Participate in Decisely’s Plan

Employers need to first figure out how much they can afford to contribute toward offering benefits. “You have to take care of yourself and your business before you can begin to help your employees,” Seaberry said.

The Employee Benefits Program offered to SCRS members has “multiple products to choose from to fit the needs of the very diverse group

of collision center owners that we have in this country,” Seaberry said.

The primary products focus on $0 co-pays for urgent care visits, mental health care, doctor’s appointments and generic drugs.

Cost per employee can vary greatly based on which state a shop is in. California and Texas are among the most expensive, while Georgia and the Carolinas are among the least.

“A lot of this has to do with demographics — the healthiness of a population and also what the local and regional hospitals are charging,” Seaberry said. Decisely does a comprehensive underwriting process for all groups, to make sure they’re priced appropriately.

Decisely has a team dedicated to answering enrolled employees’ questions by phone, email and chat, in multiple languages. It also has an online benefits administration platform that integrates into a company’s payroll platform.

To explore options to offer Decisely’s benefits to your employees, visit scrsbenefitscenter.decisely.com to get a quote with no obligation to join.

“Fourth quarter is here,” Seaberry said. “This is the time when people are thinking about this the most. So if you’re ever looking to help improve your benefits package, get some relief on your overhead, come check us out.”

DARTMOUTH NISSAN

Dartmouth

BOB BELL NISSAN

Baltimore

800-638-4967 (410) 282-2432 (410) 285-1376 Fax

M-F 7-7, Sat. 8-5 smelson@bobbell.com

MASSACHUSETTS

NUCAR NISSAN OF NORWOOD Norwood 781-619-7270 (781) 619-7280 Fax

M-F 7-5, Sat. 7-4 rlindner@nucar.com

508-996-3200 (508) 994-1997 Fax

M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 7:30-4 parts@dartmouthnissan.com

NISSAN 24

Brockton

508-513-1816 (508) 513-1858 Fax

M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 7:30-4 parts@nissan24auto.com

ROUTE 9 NISSAN

West Westboro

508-389-4300 parts@route9nissanauto.com

NEW YORK

ROCKLAND NISSAN

Blauvelt

845-358-3670 (845) 358-6049 Fax

M-F 7:30-5:30, Sat. 8-4 ldesir@rocklandnissan.com www.rocklandnissan.com

RHODE ISLAND

STATELINE NISSAN

East Providence

401-572-3445

(401) 572-3665 Fax

M-F 7:30-6, Sat. 7:30-4 parts@statelinenissanauto.com

Volvo Cars Bridgewater SOMERVILLE 908-253-0540 877-70-VOLVO

908-429-9220 Fax

Hours: M-F 8-5 schoeppe@volvocountry.com Volvo Cars

609-882-5140 877-66-VOLVO

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Hours: M-F 8-5 gerlachd@volvocountry.com

VOLVO GENUINE PARTS

Sat 7:30am-5pm toyotaparts@griecocars�com www griecotoyota com

318 South Broad St.

203-935-0896

203-935-0895

203-440-9969 Fax

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4pm parts@meridenhyundai.com

7:30am - 5pm rlindner@nucar.com

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Serving Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher.

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Revv Secures $20M Investment To Continue Roll Out of Award-Winning AI Platform

Revv announced it has secured more than $20 million in funding, led by Left Lane Capital, with continued participation from Soma Capital, 1984 and Agalé Ventures.

Revv developed its platform to help the auto repair industry adapt to the sophisticated needs of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which are now standard in 92% of new vehicles.

The platform leverages advanced large language models to condense hours of diagnostic research into seconds, aggregating data from more than 60 sources to provide clear, actionable repair packages for complex ADAS systems like automatic braking, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warnings.

The hardware-agnostic system integrates with all shop equipment and the full estimation software suite, ensuring immediate access to diagnostic information. Additionally, the embedded feedback loop from technicians enables continuous selflearning and improvement.

Revv ADAS Plus recently won the New Product Award in the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) Product category at the 2024 SEMA Show. Revv ADAS Mechanical was also a finalist in the category.

Revv was born in an auto repair

shop, where founder Adi Bathla, an early product leader at Misfits Market, observed the difficulties technicians faced with increasingly softwaredependent vehicles. Together with Rashmi Sinha, an engineer with a shared passion for modernizing offline industries, they developed a platform that not only tackled the technical demands, but also captured the invaluable, intricate OEM data sitting in the brains of the most experienced technicians.

This foundation enabled their initial product to rapidly gain traction, servicing more than 30 auto repair shops prior to taking on any funding.

“Every day, skilled technicians struggled with the myriad of repair procedures and the dense rulesets that vary by make, model and trim,” said Bathla, now CEO of Revv. “These challenges weren’t just technical; they directly undermined business efficiency and profitability. Recognizing the need for a change, we devised a system that exponentially cut down the research time for ADAS repairs.”

In just 16 months, Revv has expanded to 2,100+ repair locations and, in under seven months, surpassed seven figures in annual recurring revenue, with continued double- to triple-digit quarter-over-quarter growth since.

The platform’s ability to identify ADAS repair opportunities at the beginning of repair workflows has enabled shops to capitalize on these opportunities and boost revenue for vehicles already on site. Shops of all specializations and sizes, including body; collision; paint, dent and repair (PD&R); and calibration and mechanical, report dramatic results.

For example, one early adopter expanded from one location to 37 shops in four months, while another increased revenue by 75% in nine months by making ADAS repairs a core part of their business model with the platform’s support.

“Whether you are a small shop or a large MSO, whether you are an ADAS specialist, static or mobile, you have to through a lot of changes,” Bathla told Autobody News after winning the award at SEMA. “We’re here to support wherever you are, whatever type of business you are, whatever you have in your tech stack.”

“RevvADAS has quickly become an indispensable tool for us,” said Mike Stuver, COO of Complete Collision Solutions, a Texas-based repair services company. “The whole experience has been positive, from ease of setup to ease of use. It’s rare to see such quick adoption with new technology, but that

has been the case for us.”

“After an extensive market analysis of AI applications that genuinely solve problems and add value to end customers, Revv is among the strongest we’ve seen,” said Dan Ahrens, managing partner at Left Lane Capital. “They’ve built a solution that demonstrates a deep understanding of industry needs, positioning them as an essential platform for modern vehicle repairs. Their team is exceptional, and we are excited to partner with them long term.”

Revv is expanding its capabilities with the recent introduction of autoquoting and advanced documentation tools. Additionally, following successful trials in the mechanical repair space, the company has secured distribution agreements to supercharge its presence in this new market segment.

But Bathla has no plans of stopping there. “Our vision extends beyond diagnostics,” said Bathla. “We are committed to building a comprehensive 360-degree repair solution that serves shops of all sizes globally. By maximizing value at each location, we aim to help the entire repair industry navigate the increasing complexity of modern vehicles, ensuring safer cars and supporting repair shops to thrive in this new era.”

2025 WIN Conference Registration Open

The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) has opened registration for its 2025 Annual WIN Conference, set to take place May 5–7, 2025, at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista –Disney Springs Area in Lake Buena Vista, FL.

This year’s theme, “Create Your Own Magic,” emphasizes innovation, empowerment and professional growth within the collision repair industry.

The conference aims to inspire attendees to refocus on their career paths and reignite their passion for the industry, while also providing a space for reflection and growth.

Early-bird rates of $600 for WIN members are available until March 1. Afterward, member rates increase to $700, and non-member tickets are $750. WIN membership, which costs $95 annually, offers discounted registration rates.

For additional details, visit thewomensindustrynetwork. site-ym.com/page/Conference

Wishing You a Happy & Prosperous 2025 from the Team at

AUT OBODY