22 minute read
Kearny Mesa Subaru-Hyundai
Privacy law live, but adjusted CAA: “California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Beginning January 1, 2020, this new law, in part, would grant a consumer the right to request a business to disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information that it collects about the consumer, the categories of sources from which that information is collected, the business purposes for collecting or selling information and the categories of third parties with which the information is shared. (AB 375-2018). Several new laws passed to clarify and to ease CCPA compliance including a narrow opt-out and deletion rights in order to facilitate prompt and effective recalls and warranty work. (AB 1 146, AB 25, AB 874, AB 1355 and AB 1564)”
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, businesses doing $25 million or more in sales are by law in 2020 held to higher standards regarding customer data. (Businesses
SUBARU KEARNY MESA It just makes sense. THE RIGHT PART MAKES THE DIFFERENCE. that don’t make that kind of money but still handle 50,000 consumers a year also would qualify.) The law has been tweaked since passing in 2018, as the CAA noted.
Rules for dealer warranty rates CAA: “This new law, among other things, requires car manufacturers to reimburse franchised new car dealers for warranty repairs based on a specified formula instead of using the existing practice of determining a reasonable rate and recasts other exiting provisions of the relationship between manufacturers and dealerships. (AB 179).” This one is interesting in light of similar debates between insurers and body shops over what amount a carrier ought to reimburse. Among the rules it establishes for dealers and OEMs seeking to hash out fair warranty rates: ( a) A franchisee seeking to establish or modify its retail labor rate, retail parts rate, or both, to determine a reasonable warranty reimbursement schedule shall, no more frequently than once per calendar year, complete the following requirements:
PARTS DEPT. HOURS: M ON -F RI 7-6 / S AT 8-5
• W E HAVE WHOLESALE SPECIALISTS READY TO HELP ADVISE YOU ON ALL YOUR SUBARU GENUINE PARTS NEEDS • OFFERING FREE DELIVERY (M-F) AND COMPETITIVE DISCOUNTS (1) The franchisee shall submit in writing to the franchisor whichever of the following is fewer in number: (A) Any 100 consecutive qualified repair orders completed, including any nonqualified repair orders completed in the same period. (B) All repair orders completed in any 90-consecutive-day period.
( 2) The franchisee shall calculate its retail labor rate by determining the total charges for labor from the qualified repair orders submitted and dividing that amount by the total number of hours that generated those charges.
(3) The franchisee shall calculate its retail parts rate by determining the total charges for parts from the qualified repair orders submitted, dividing that amount by the franchisee’ s total cost of the purchase of those parts, subtracting one, and multiplying by 100 to produce a percentage.
(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), qualified repair orders submitted under this subdivision shall be from a period occurring not more than 180 days before the submission.
HYUNDAI KEARNY MESA YOUR SEARCH ENDS HERE. The Boyd Group Inc. announced that it has opened a repair center in Littleton, Colorado. This location previously operated as a warehouse and office but has been converted to a state-of-theart collision repair facility. Littleton is the county seat ofArapahoe County and includ ed in the Denver metropolitan area with a population approaching three million people. This location is well situated to be accessed by customers traveling State Highway 470 or Highway 85.
“We are eager to provide high-quality service to customers in this region at this brand-new repair center,” said Kevin Bur nett, COO of Gerber Collision & Glass. “The opening of this facility allows us to better serve our insurance partners with their needs in this area of the country .” The Boyd Group is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Repair Center in CO
PARTS DEPT. HOURS: M ON -F RI 7-6 / S AT 8-5
• W E HAVE WHOLESALE SPECIALISTS READY TO HELP ADVISE YOU ON ALL YOUR HYUNDAI GENUINE PARTS NEEDS • OFFERING FREE DELIVERY (M-F) AND COMPETITIVE DISCOUNTS
800.697.6818 PH 858.300.3331 FAX WWW.KEARNYMESASUBARU.COM/PARTS
800.697.6818 PH 858.300.3331 FAX 4797 CONVOY ST., S AN DIEGO, CA 92111 WWW.KEARNYMESAHYUNDAI.COM/PARTS CGUTH@KMHYUNDAISUBARU.COM
It’s time to get real – not that I am not always ‘real’ with my readers, but I need shop leaders to embrace the importance of this message! Collision customers don’ t need an estimate; they need their vehicles repaired properly and without a lot of fuss. The only remaining question is the best way to determine the scope of damage so that we have an accurate repair plan to work from. An estimate in the traditional sense may not be the best solution. The word ‘estimate’ sends shivers up my spine because of the very inaccuracy it suggests. The word might as well be ‘guess-timate.’ Listen, I totally understand why so many shops feel obligated to provide a customer with an estimate so they can determine the best course of action with insurers, financial considerations, etc. Using the word ‘estimate’ has also been used in order to cover the shop’s butt, avoiding legal action from a customer that is unhappy with the infinite succession of supplements. Aside from these reasons… I wish the word would be banned from the collision industry vocabulary!
One way traditional estimates frequently cause trouble is when shops allow customers to drop by any time they choose. This puts the shop in an unprepared and reactive situation. The tendency for many shops in these situations is to write an estimate out in front of the building at the curb, sometimes in the rain, and do it as fast as they possibly can. Sadly, for most shops, this poor attempt at damage analysis also becomes the shop’s ‘plan of repair’ where parts are ordered, and the vehicle eventually becomes introduced to the production flow line. And thus begins its insane comedy of supplemental errors.
A case for insisting on appointments In a recent conversation with my friend Ryan Taylor, the innovator behind the amazing Bodyshop Booster system, he shared some data obtained from important research on the subject: Another interesting fact is that 60% of people who arrive at a shop without an appointment and are either turned away or induced to leave empty-handed due to estimator unavailability, will never return.
There is a pervasive, limiting belief still in our industry that the customer experience is somehow enhanced when we instruct them to drop by whenever they like. Research has shown that this is absolutely untrue, and, in fact, the results are quite the opposite. It’ s time for shops to take back control of their schedule, become proactive and show the professionalism required to create accurate appraisals and a greater customer experience! If the above reasons for scheduling appraisals are not compelling enough, consider the following: vehicle technology is not the same as it was in the old days when estimate writing was invented. Back in the days of the horseless carriage, it was easy to identify one hundred percent of the damage and OEM specified repair methods were hard to come by. These days it is impossible to accurately assess damage to what is essentially a computer on wheels without connecting to a scan tool first and
then incorporating OEM repair methods into the repair plan. With that in mind, I can’t think of many situations where a ten-minute curb written estimate is going to be sufficient. To be successful in today’ s collision repair world, shops must schedule appraisals for at least one hour and, in some cases, much longer .
The ‘Enhanced Appraisal’ This style of detailed appraisal has been around for a while in other countries including the United Kingdom where an accredited ‘Vehicle Damage Assessor’ (VDA) methodically assesses the damage, taking the time required to capture all the damage, even if minor, and a temporary disassembly and reassembly must be performed. There are a handful of shops in both the U.S. and Canada that use similar systems with excellent results. But the shops that do this with excellence are certainly not letting customers drop in whenever they like!
At Elite Body Shop Solutions, we call this approach to appraisal an ‘Enhanced Appraisal.’ We recommend
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starting by setting one-hour appointments with the customers. and then gathering as much up-front vehicle information as possible. This allows the shop to locate applicable repair methods in advance of the appointment.
Or… Just quit writing appraisals! There will be many cases where, through the qualification and triage of a repair job, you determine that it really makes no sense to even attempt writing an enhanced appraisal. Perhaps there is simply too much potential for hidden damage? In these situations, and assuming the vehicle is safe to be on the road, why not just book them a repair appointment when the shop has availability and do a complete, meticulous disassembly and repair plan when it arrives? In our country (the U.S.) parts can usually be obtained within 24 hours. So, instead of placing multiple parts orders generated from multiple supplements, just get it right one time! This is my favorite method and it really cuts down the amount of time needed up front with estimating staff. At Elite we call this method ‘Express Repair’ and have a word track our cli
Triage tips To help a shop determine which method is best, a scheduled Enhanced Appraisal or an Express Repair with no prewritten appraisal, there are a few factors to consider. • Is it a total loss or unwanted type of repair? Avoid it. • Is the vehicle safe to be on the streets? If not, get it towed right away. • Will the shop be able to write an accurate enhanced appraisal in a reasonable amount of time, or should the shop avoid writing it until a permanent and meticulous disassembly can be scheduled (Express Repair)? • What are the insurance company DRP guidelines (if applicable)?
My favorite method for determining the scope of damages is to ask the customer to text photos of the damage to the shop. Our Elite clients love using the Bodyshop Booster app to determine the best course of action in these triage situations. This app helps
Conclusion As I stated earlier, I really want to help shops be successful in a very challenging future, and it’s time to ‘get real’ about eliminating bad old habits, behaviors, and beliefs. A good starting place is taking back control of the business through smarter appraisal habits. The repair plan is the foundation of the repair and old beliefs such as “we don’t have time for this” or “we don’t get paid for this” are not good enough excuses to avoid doing the right things.
As you have heard me say many times, “Right now is the greatest time in history to be in the body shop business; but only for those with the right mindset!” Are you willing to challenge your thinking, update your beliefs and succeed? Or do you want to stick to your old habits at your own peril?
If you want the help of an Elite Mentor to set-up an Express Repair Program in your shop, email us at info@elitebodyshopsolutions.com! Jim Powell's son Jamie became his partner 10 years ago and the father-and-son team has delivered year-over-year sales increases the last eight years, while achieving Maaco Diamond Certification sta tus. Diamond certification is the premier level within the Maaco system, meaning that the center has all the equipment and training necessary to repair the complex vehicles that are on the road to day. Diamond certification also means the center and its technicians are I-CAR ® Gold Certified and are qualified to participate in an insurance company DRP (Direct Repair Program) as well as Maaco’ s national fleet program. The Powell’ s commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, as demonstrated by their Diamond certification, is one of the reasons that they were selected as a Maaco Cup Winner. “Becoming Diamond Cer tified was very important to us and our objectives for continued growth,” said Jim and Jamie Powell. Father and Son Win Maaco Cup Award
by Ed Attanasio G & C Auto Body, the Crozat Family Foundation, and Allstate Insurance recently teamed up to help two survivors of domestic abuse by presenting each of them with keys to two newly refurbished vehicles. Technicians at G & C Auto Body in Santa Rosa, and Petaluma volunteered personal time to restore the vehicles to help these families get back on the road of life. The first recipient Angie is a single mother of two who is striving to make a better life for her family while her abuser is in prison. In addition to caring for her children and working, Angie is attending classes, and has earned her certificate in Children in the Justice System. She has one class remaining for her certificatetobecomeaChildDevelopment Associate Teacher, and has one class to go before completing hercertificateinADOS Counseling. The gift of reliable transportation will now enable Angie to be fully independent as she continues her journey of rebuilding her life, according to G & C.
The other recipient Lisa escaped from her abuser in the midst of a lengthy child custody battle. She spent 20 days in a shelter for battered women, lived in her car and turned to The Living Room Center to help her regain her footing at creating a better future for her family. She has been able to find a job and subsidized housing. The gift of a vehicle will allow her to keep her job and custody of her child.
The Living Room Center in Santa Rosa, CAis a nonprofit or ganization that serves 70 to 100 women and children daily by providing mental health services, parenting skills, two meals a day, new-parent needs like diapers and has a play area for kids. It is also a much-needed respite from the streets during daytime hours, Cheryl Parkinson, executive director of The Living Room said.
“Being homeless is hard enough, but many of the women also have disabilities and problems with trauma in their background,” she said. Our services offer on-site help provide stability so women can address underlying problems and health complications. More than 60 percent of women served have experienced post-traumatic stress and more than 90 percent were exposed to domestic violence as children or adults.” G&C Auto Body has sponsored 151 car giveaways through the Crozat Family Foundation to date, and Allstate Insurance has been donating vehicles through the Recycled Rides program since 2010. The late Gene Crozat started the Crozat Family Foundation in 2004 and it’s still going strong. He used to like to say that “it is our responsibility to help our fellow men.” Crozat’s philanthropy all started as a ‘Car-A-Month Giveaway’ on various local radio stations and has grown into a foundation that provides support to the individuals and families they encounter when they meet through the company’s various car giveaways, according to the foundation’ s web site. In the early 1960s, Gene Crozat G & C Auto Body, the Crozat Family Foundation, and Allstate Insurance recently teamed up to help two survivors of domestic abuse by giving them two newly refurbished vehicles
was painting cars for generals in the U.S. Military. He made $191 a month in the Air Force. Gene had two children before he was 20 and he passionately remembers hard times. He would work
Recipients Angie and Lisa received the gift of transportation from G & C Auto Body in conjunction with Crozat Family Foundation and Allstate Insurance
all day at the base and work the evening shift at a gas station. His passion for auto body work grew and grew, so he opened G&C Auto Body in 1972, a small shop in Santa Rosa, CA. “I moved back to Santa Rosa in 1968 a pack of cigarettes for $1.70,” he said. When new customers believed in him, Crozat was thrilled and went out of his way to do exemplary job on their cars,
with a lot of all-nighters along the way. Gene’s philosophy was that making money just to have money wasn’t enough. That’s when he decided to take a portion from each shop to create the Crozat Family Foundation. Atfirst, the Foundation gave one car away every month in conjunction with a local radio station. But it grew to two or three cars every month, so Gene realized there was a real need for more cars to be given to deserving families. Today, the Foundation gives purpose to growing the business. “We focus on getting people back on their feet, so that they can overcome current obstacles and provide for themselves,” Gene said in his Foundation’s mission statement. “We help families with transportation, but may extend help for short-term medical bills, gas, groceries, clothing, etc. Our family believes that we have a responsibility to our fellow men. Our family considers it a great opportunity to help those in need and we strive to make our Foundation as successful as G & C Auto Body.”
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OEM (i.e., “if the BMW part has a BMW logo on it, then this part will have the BMW logo on it”), or “Tier 1 with Branding Differences,” such as one lacking the automaker logo. Schulenburg’s subcommittee took much of the same approach in terms of determining different part attributes (who makes the part, how it is packaged, who distributes it, who backs it with a warranty), but concluded that only a two-pronged way to classify the parts is needed. An “OEM part,” the subcommittee said, is one manufactured by or for the automaker, sold in the automaker’s packaging and within the automaker’s authorized supply chain, and warranted by the vehicle manufacturer. Any part not meeting all four of those attributes, Schulenburg said his subcommittee decided, is a “non-OEM part.” “W e really tried to approach it like: Here’s ‘OEM.’ Anything that doesn’t meet that definition is ‘nonOEM,’” Schulenburg said. “That’s super clear for a consumer to understand. It doesn’t make [non-OEM] bad or wrong or an unacceptable option. There are thousands and thousands of non-OEM parts that are legitimately chosen every single year. But we first defined ‘OEM,’ and anything that doesn’t meet that definition from our vantage point is a ‘non-OEM part.’” W eiss said he’s not necessarily opposed to the other work group’s proposal, but said he thinks those making parts decisions would need more information about all the different parts designated as “non-OEM,” such as who manufactured a particular part, not just the supplier. Tier 1 suppliers to the automakers, such as Denso and Bosch, he said, produce quality parts that consumers on the mechanical side of the industry reg
ularly choose. “There are companies out there that have a well-respected name, and it can mean more to you to know you’re getting it from that manufacturer as opposed to a company that may not use the same quality and may not have the same reputation,” Weiss said. W eiss also noted that the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), which has said terms like “optOE” and “alt-OE” cannot be used, has said an OEM part not purchased from a dealer can be called “OEM.” “We have one very large state that has decided that warranty has nothing to do with the part [designation],” Weiss said. Schulenburg acknowledged that Weiss is correct about the BAR’s decision but added, “Just because California got that one attribute wrong isn’t reason enough for us not to try to define it correctly for the other 49 states. Then California might rethink their position.” He said that currently a part may get dubbed by the seller as “OEM surplus” when it wasn’t made for the automaker and isn’t in the automaker’s packaging. When there’s no matching line for “OEM surplus” in the parts platform where the part is listed, it gets described as “opt-OE,” and then if sold in California, it is switched to “OEM.” “What ends up on the estimate to the consumer is not at all reflective of the part that comes in the box or what goes on their vehicle, and that’s what we’re trying to get away from,” Schulenburg said. But given that “opt-OE” has been a “catch-all bucket” for multiple types of parts, wouldn’t lumping in all parts not meeting the subcommittee’s definition of “OEM” result in a variety of types of parts under the “non-OEM” label, Schulenburg was asked.
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“I think there are ways for us as an industry to figure that business-to-business piece, and to differentiate them [within the parts platforms],” Schulenburg said. “But I think what is more important is the consumer understanding.”
The six labels the other subcommittee proposes for the parts, he said, won’ t be clear to consumers. “I think they serve to validate parts that a consumer should understand aren’t OEM,” Schulenburg said. He said the two subcommittee’s proposals remind him a little of the 2017 internet meme in which different people, looking at the same photo of a pair of shoes, see them as either pink and white or mint and gray. “The way we are each wired to perceive it is going to be how our brain determines what color that shoe actually is,” Schulenburg said. The parts debate, he said, is a challenge because everyone approaches it from their own vantage point and their own business objectives. Instead, he suggested, the industry might want to think of it more from the perspective of Marcia and Matthew Seebachan, the Texas couple who earlier in the CIC meeting in Las Vegas had shared what the impact of a poorly-repaired vehicle had on their lives.
“My personal opinion is at the end of the day, we need to look back at that presentation and think about that rather than our own personal vantage points,” Schulenburg said. “What do we do to make all of this clear to [consumers like them], so they never have to sit in that seat and tell that kind of story.” Several CIC participants in Las Vegas voiced heated condemnations of one or both of the subcommittees’ approaches. Schulenburg said those exchanges demonstrated the dilemma the committee faces, “where we each have defined our perspectives but haven’t found a middle ground, or a roadmap to get to it.” He said the committee has “experienced professionals within the industry who just vehemently disagree with one another,” trying to determine where to go next. “I don’t think we have an answer,” Schulenburg said. “I think the point here was to establish where we are today. I think we’ve done that.”
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L I M C O ® SUPREME
AutoNation Honda Costa Mesa 866-411-4759 714-434-5270 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 kleines@autonation.com
AutoNation Honda Roseville Roseville 800-262-3201 916-783-5628 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5:30 autonationhondaparts@hotmail.com
Barber Honda Bakersfield 661-396-4235 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30 bestchoice@barberhonda.com
Galpin Honda Mission Hills 800-GO GALPIN 818-778-2005 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-2 mteeman@galpin.com
Honda Cars of Corona Corona 800-557-3652 951-734-9045 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-5 terry.love@pscauto.com
Honda of Hollywood Hollywood 800-371-3719 323-466-3205 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6 parts@hondaofhollywood.com
ACURA
CALIFORNIA
Acura of Fremont Fremont 888-435-0504 510-431-2560 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 mike.ohare@acuraoffremont.com
Acura of Pleasanton Pleasanton 888-985-6342 925-251-7126 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-6 mitch.cash@hendrickauto.com
Honda of Oakland Oakland 510-547-8047 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-8; Sat 7-6
Honda of the Desert Cathedral City 760-770-0828 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-5 mpartridge@honda111.com
Larry Hopkins Honda Sunnyvale 408-720-0221 408-736-2608 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-5 parts1@hopkinsdirect.com
Metro Honda Montclair 800-446-5697 909-625-8960 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 7:30-4 wholesaleparts@metrohonda.com
Ocean Honda Santa Cruz 831-464-1800 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4:30 mickw@oceanhondasantacruz.com
Pacific Honda San Diego 858-565-9402 jgardiner@pacifichonda.com
San Francisco Honda San Francisco 415-913-5125 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5 partsws@sfhonda.com
Scott Robinson Honda Torrance 310-371-8320 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6:30; Sat 7-5 mluna@scottrobinson.com
Selma Honda Selma 800-717-3562 559-891-5111 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-4:30 hondapartsmgr@selmaautomall.com
Sierra Honda Monrovia 800-322-8540 626-932-5614 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 parts@sierracars.com
IDAHO
Larry H. Miller Honda Boise 888-941-2218 208-947-6060 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5
NEVADA
Findlay Honda Las Vegas 702-982-4260 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-5 fsanchez@findlayauto.com
Findlay Honda Henderson Henderson 888-234-4498 702-568-3531 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 fhhparts@findlayauto.com NEVADA
OREGON
Lithia Honda of Medford Medford 888-471-7445 541-770-3763 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7:30-6; Sun 10-5 medfordhondaparts@lithia.com
WASHINGTON
Hinshaw’s Honda Auburn 253-288-1069 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-4:30 rickb@hinshaws.com
McCurley Integrity Honda Richland 800-456-6257 509-547-7924 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-4 hondaparts@mccurley.net
South Tacoma Honda Tacoma 888-497-2410 253-474-7541 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 bgregory@southtacomahonda.com
CALIFORNIA HAWAII
Bakersfield Acura Bakersfield 661-381-2600 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 bakersfieldacuraservice@yahoo.com Marin Acura Corte Madera 800-77-Acura 415-927-5350 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@marinacura.com Metro Acura Montclair 800-446-5697 909-625-8960 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 wholesaleparts@metrohonda.com
Acura of Honolulu Honolulu 866-931-9086 808-942-4557 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 Johara@lithia.com Tokuda@lithia.com RayleenGarcia@lithia.com
Lyle Pearson Acura Boise 800-621-1775 208-377-3900 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6 acuraparts@lylepearson.com IDAHO NEVADA
Findlay Acura Henderson 877-770-5873 702-982-4160 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 jmoore@findlayauto.com
Hinshaw’s Acura Fife 253-926-3331 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 johnny@hinshaws.com WASHINGTON
