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Two Very Different Pennsylvania Collision Associations Serving the Keystone State by David M. Brown Special to Autobody News
Two associations are serving the collision-repair industry in Pennsylvania. They are The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Pennsylvania, (AASP-PA) based in Harrisburg, and, in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Collision Trade Guild (PCTG). The PCTG, led by Executive Director Ross DiBono, says it represents approximately 700 automotive-industry businesses, including collision shops, in its mission to achieve proper compliance and enforcement of legis-
lation such as The Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Physical Damage Appraiser Act and The Pennsylvania Unfair Insurance Practices Act, as well as other consumer-protection laws. As part of its educating mission, the Guild publicizes consumers’ rights to choose collision repair facilities. “The decision of where the vehicle is to be repaired is the vehicle owner’s, not an insurance company’s,” the organization stresses on its web site. In addition, “It is the Guild’s purpose to bring accountability to the process of consumer claim handling and settleSee PA Associations, Page 25
Allstate to Open Electronic Communication with Non-DRP Shops by John Yoswick
Allstate Insurance will soon roll-out technology that will enable shops that are not part of the insurer’s direct repair program to communicate electronically with the insurer, much as its DRP shops do. Dan Risley, a project manager for Allstate at the company’s Illinois home office, said this new “Transactional Non-DRP” system will enable any shop to upload estimates and digital images to Allstate, receive insurerwritten estimates from Allstate, etc. “We realize not all customers use a network shop, and we want to make it easier to do business for those shops
and for our customers,” Risley said. Risley’s discussion of the forthcoming change was just one of recent news items related to insurance companies that will likely be of interest to shops. Here’s a wrap-up of some of this news. Insureds are shopping. Consumers shopped Dan Risley and switched auto insurers more aggressively in 2010 than they have for 14 years, according to preliminary survey findings from McKinsey & Co. See Allstate, Page 40
VOL. 1 ISSUE 4 JULY 2011
ASA Testifies Against Right to Repair Proposal at Pennsylvania State Hearing ASA continues to oppose Right to Repair legislation, saying that automotive service information is already available to independent repairers and consumers. A joint committee hearing was held by the Consumer Affairs and Transportation committees of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on “Right to Repair” on June 6. Testifying at the Philadelphia hearing were three panels of witnesses, including automobile maintenance and repair shop owners who expressed concern with “Right to Repair” legislation that has been introduced previously in the US Congress and several states. Neither the Congress nor any state has ever passed “Right to Repair” legislation. John Francis III of Francis Au-
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tomotive in West Chester, Pa., testified that “At Francis Automotive, we use several third-party service information providers—ALLDATA, Identifix and an online service that includes technicians from all over the world, iATN—on a daily basis. As needed, our technicians will use automotive manufacturer websites. We have several aftermarket scan tools that we use and two auto manufacturer scan tools. Tools to perform reflashing are available for all makes of vehicles. It’s a business decision regarding which tools to purchase. We have made a business choice not to purchase equipment to reflash BMWs and Mercedes. It is not because the tools and information are not available—they are available. But for our business model, See Right to Repair, Page 12
The New Laser Technology: A Game Changer for OEMs that Might Impact Shops p. 48
REGIONAL STORIES in this issue...
Annual AASP NJ Golf Outing Raises Scholarship Funds . . . . . .p. 4 Delaware Cracks Down on Seat Belt Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 6 CCAR Announces ‘GreenLink Shop’ Awards for NY Facilities . .p. 11 AASP-PA Holds 10th Annual Central Golf Classic . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 12 NYC Taxi Has Its Day at Pocono Raceway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 14 SCRS Comments on Farmers New COD DRP Controversy . . . . .p. 42
COLUMNS in this issue...
Insurance Insider — The “Neutral Information Provider” . . . . . .p. 22 Williams — Apathy in the Wholesale Parts Business . . . . . . . . . .p. 24 Sisk — NY’s Cross Island Collision: Training is a Tradition . . . .p. 26 Weaver — A Homemade Air Bag Light—Brilliant Stupidity . . . . .p. 31 Danalevich — Business Financial Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 32 Attanasio — Body Shops and Yelp: A Love-Hate Relationship . .p. 34 Sisk — Nigro’s in PA Exemplifies the Brotherly Love Motto . . . .p. 36 Amaradio — Learning to Face the “Big Hill” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 38 Franklin — How to Survive a Summer Slump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 41 Chaney — Auto Recyclers Host Collision Repairers in Panel . . .p. 46
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