BodyShop Business, October 2013 by Babcox Media

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October2013//Vol. 32 No.10

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Training Time The days of getting by without ongoing training are over.

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Inside

October October 2013

Vol. 32 No. 10

ON THE COVER Training Time The days of getting by without ongoing training are over. So what are you going to do?

FEATURES

52 Preparing for Waterborne TECHNICAL

There’s no stopping the waterborne train, so here are the steps you have to take to prepare yourself for the change.

64 Place Your Bets! SHOW COVERAGE

Are you dreaming of the big win in Vegas? Look no further than the SEMA Show.

76 Booth Previews

Take a sneak peek at some of the vendors and their products that will be front-and-center at the SEMA and AAPEX shows.

SHOP TALK Editor’s Notes

8 10 Publisher’s Perspective Viewpoint 16 20 Clark’s Corner 26 Web Presence Management Empathy: The key to life?

Why didn’t I think of that?

We must take a stand and take back control of our businesses. We’ve come a long way with pulling and measuring.

Increase your visibility with Facebook Offers.

BODYSHOP BUSINESS (ISSN 0730-7241) (October 2013, Volume 32, Number 10): Published monthly by Babcox Media, Inc., 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, FAX (330) 670-0874. Copyright 2013 Babcox Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Periodical postage paid at Akron, OH 44333 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BODYSHOP BUSINESS, P.O. Box 13260, Akron, OH 44334-3912. Member, BPA Worldwide

DEPARTMENTS Guess the Car ....................................................................................4 Industry Update ..............................................................................12 Tech Focus ......................................................................................30 NASCAR Performance ......................................................................32 Product Showcase..........................................................................115 The Shop ......................................................................................120

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Guess

the Car

SOLVED!

Reader Contest! Win $50! What vehicle MODEL does this picture represent? Fax your guess to (330) 670-0874. Include name, title, shop name, city, state and phone number. Or submit your guess with our online contest form by visiting bodyshopbusiness.com/guessthecar. The winner will be randomly selected from correct entries and awarded $50. Entries must be received by Oct. 31, 2013.

#126

IQ = (Scion) iQ

*Only one winner will be selected. Chances of winning are dependent upon the number of correct entries received. Employees of Babcox, industry manufacturers and BSB advertisers are not eligible to enter.

#125

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

WINNER

“I’m going for the gold!”

#127

See the November issue for winner of Guess the Car #126.

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Rod Hessler, owner, Al’s Body Shop, Billings, Mont.

Yukon gold = (GMC) Yukon

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Editor’s

Notes

Publisher

S. Scott Shriber, ext. 229 sshriber@babcox.com Editor

Empathy Rules recently attended the PPG MVP Conference in beautiful Amelia Island, Fla., and what a great experience it was. Many of PPG’s valued customers got to take a much-deserved break from the hustle and bustle of their businesses, spend some quality time with their significant others, shop some of the latest and greatest products in the industry, and learn from some of the top motivators in the business world. That’s right, motivators, not “speakers” or “presenters” because they did so much more than just present information.

Scott Deming was one of those motivators. His talk was focused on “perceptual reality” and how everyone’s perception is different based on the experiences in their lives that shaped who they are. One of his points was that your customer’s perception of your shop or the service they were given might be completely different than yours. Actually, not might, but probably is. The thing that really hit home with me, however, was his declaration that empathy is the key to life. Wow! That’s

a pretty strong statement. If you would have asked me what the key to life was, I probably would have listed many things. But there it was, one single, solitary secret to life: empathy. I’ve been told by some industry experts that empathy plays a huge role in the collision industry. Some have gone so far as to say that if shops showed true empathy toward their customers on a daily basis, they could increase sales several times over. Is this proven? I’m not sure, but it makes sense to me. I think most of us would admit we don’t do a good enough job at being empathetic toward customers. I don’t know if it’s in some people’s DNA to be that way; if that’s the case, those people shouldn’t be your estimators or “care agents.” Isn’t that really what they should be called? I don’t think you can teach someone empathy; they either have it or they don’t. Find ones who do and put them on your front lines. Your business will be better off for it.

Jason Stahl, Editor Email comments to jstahl@babcox.com

Jason Stahl, ext. 226 jstahl@babcox.com Associate Editor

Gina Kuzmick, ext. 244 gkuzmick@babcox.com Contributing Editors

Charlie Barone, Mitch Becker, Mark Clark, Mark Claypool, Erica Eversman, Tom Ferry, Curt Harler, John D. Lyman Sr., Hank Nunn, Carl Wilson Graphic Designer

Lisa DiPaolo, ext. 281 ldipaolo@babcox.com Advertising Services

Kelly McAleese, ext. 284 kmcaleese@babcox.com Director of Circulation

Pat Robinson, ext. 276 probinson@babcox.com Director of eMedia & Audience Development

Brad Mitchell, ext. 277 bmitchell@babcox.com Subscription Services

Ellen Mays, ext. 275 emays@babcox.com Tel: (330) 670-1234 Fax: (330) 670-0874 Website: bodyshopbusiness.com Corporate

Bill Babcox, President Gregory Cira, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Stankard, Vice President Beth Scheetz, Controller A limited number of complimentary subscriptions are available to those who qualify. Call (330) 670-1234, ext. 288, or fax us at (330) 6705335. Paid subscriptions are available for nonqualified subscribers at: U.S.: $69 for one year. Canada/Mexico: $89 for one year. Canadian rates include GST. Ohio residents add current county sales tax. Other foreign rates/via air mail: $129 for one year. Payable in advance in U.S. funds. Mail payment to BodyShop Business, P.O. Box 75692, Cleveland, OH 44101-4755. VISA, MasterCard or American Express accepted.

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Publisher’s

Perspective Why Didn’t I Think of That? wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve said that to myself. The other frustrating thing is when I see some great idea that I had previously thought of but didn’t do anything about. I’m sure you’ve all been in one or both of these situations.

Earlier this week, I had such a moment. From time to time, people send products in hopes that they’ll spark some interest and we’ll publish them in our Product Showcase section. Typically, we run them if appropriate for your review, and that’s the end of it. The market decides quickly if the product has merit. That’s the beauty of our free market system. Occasionally, I see something that’s really clever or useful and grabs my attention. Rarely will I write about it, but there are those rare instances. This product pictured to the right is one of them. Last week, a product called VaccUFlex came in the mail. Most probably would have thought that it was fairly mundane, but to me, it was sheer genius. As many of you know, I’m an avid car guy and all-around tool junkie. You can see from the picture what this thing does. If not, you won’t use it anyway. How many times have you looked at an area and said, “I sure wish I could get my vacuum in there.” Well, ask no more. This thing gets you right un-

der that fridge and cleans those dust bunnies off the coils. Or, what about between those seats in a console-equipped vehicle? If you work on stuff, your mind already has many more uses than I can rattle off here. Just seeing the product should have been enough, but I needed to talk to the guy who came up with this, partly because I was jealous and partly because I’m somewhat entrepreneurial. His name is Joe, and as with most of these kinds of items, he came upon it out of necessity. Joe’s wife fell in love with a new light fixture for the front porch and it turned out to be very difficult to clean. Joe tried to use his vacuum, but it just didn’t get in there. And there you have it! Several iterations later, his problem and ours were solved. I guess my point here is this: the next time you’re faced with a situation that requires some ingenuity, stop and ask yourself, “Can I solve this?” If so, do it and then ask, “Does anyone else have this problem?” If so, look into getting it made. What the heck, it might just be the next big thing. And hurry up! I’m probably struggling with the same problem and not clever enough to solve it.

S. Scott Shriber, Publisher Email comments to sshriber@babcox.com

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Industry

Update

Attendees of PPG MVP Conference Get Sun, Surf and Inspiration in Amelia Island, Fla. Hundreds of PPG’s valued customers got to frolick in the surf and the sun at the PPG MVP Conference in Amelia Island, Fla., Sept. 8-10. A fun-filled golf outing, the “MVP Randy Dewing Memorial Golf Tournament,” kicked things off, followed by several educational sessions where expert speakers from inside and outside the collision repair industry discussed a mix of topics. Prominent keynote speakers included Scott Deming, David Horsager and Michael Hoffman. Deming, a customer service and emotional brand building guru, discussed “perceptual reality.” Horsager focused on trust and how it has the ability to accelerate or destroy any business, while Hoffman pumped up the crowd with his talk on “Igniting Performance in the Tornado of Business.” Breakout sessions covered such topics as succession planning, paint shop throughput, and paint and materials. Attendees walked away refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to bring new ideas and enthusiasm to their businesses!

21st Century Insurance Sued Again by Florida Repairer for Short-Pays Eddie Quintela, owner and president of Collision Concepts of Delray Beach, Fla., has once again filed a lawsuit against 21st Century Insurance on behalf of a customer who made a claim under their policy with the carrier. In 2012, Quintela, on behalf of his customers, filed three separate lawsuits 12

against 21st Century, which the company agreed to pay before the trial dates. In addition to the disputed amounts, the insurer paid all of Quintela’s legal fees and costs. The new lawsuit stems from 21st Century claims representatives electing to again deny payments for his posted labor rates,

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

processes and procedures deemed reasonable and necessary to restore his customer’s vehicle. “As in the past with this company, they pay us only after we file suit but before they go before a judge and/or jury,” said Quintela. “Thereafter, they pay in full for every needed material, process and rates

for awhile, then abruptly change back to their old ways. I’m puzzled, and I’m confident their company shareholders would be as well since the insurer has often paid 20 times the amounts in dispute, often paying upwards of $2,500 in legal fees and costs for a dispute that may be under $100.”

»| Industry Update |«

SCRS Issues Position Statement on Insurer Mandates he Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has issued a position statement regarding insurer mandates. It reads as follows: In representation of collision repair businesses across the United States, The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) takes exception to business mandates that property and casualty insurers im-

pose upon collision repair businesses; particularly those that specify required vendors, business platforms or internal processes that must be followed in order to be included in, or avoid being excluded from, certain lines of work. As an example, insurer mandates surrounding parts procurement platforms may inhibit independent collision repair businesses from utilizing parts vendors with

whom they have an existing relationship, providing insurers with greater influence and control over the parts supply chain. SCRS believes this control falls outside of the scope of the insurance business. Some insurers are stipulating agreement to these terms, as a condition of being recognized in Direct Repair Programs (DRP). SCRS supports efforts that rightfully seek to eliminate such

intrusion into the collision repair business, and enforcement of existing laws, regulations and codes that currently prohibit such actions. It is the opinion of SCRS that voluntary agreements cannot include stipulations which violate existing laws, rules and regulations. SCRS believes that collision businesses are capable of establishing successful vendor relationships and internal processes that will best accommodate the needs of the consumer, and that service providers will continue to respond to the market with increasingly creative solutions that drive performance for their customers and the respective market entities. We Continued on pg. 80

Panel members (left to right) Colette Bruce; Ron Reichen; Darrell Amberson; Randy Hansen; Rick Tuuri; Janet Chaney; and moderator Steve Regan.

CIC Panel Discusses Effectiveness of Collision Repair Legislation By Jason Stahl at the July Collision Industry Conference (CIC), a panel of collision industry professionals was asked, “Are the laws and regulations governing the collision industry working?” The panel was moderated by Steve Regan of Regan Strategies. Panel members included: 䡲 Rick Tuuri, Audatex 䡲 Randy Hansen, Allstate 䡲 Darrell Amberson, Lamettry’s Collision

䡲 Ron Reichen, Precision Auto Body & Paint 䡲 Colette Bruce, Team Safety 䡲 Janet Chaney, Montana Collision Repair Specialists

The general consensus was that success in the collision legislative realm was a mixed bag. “Yes and no” seemed to be the most common answer, including the one

given by Amberson. “Some of the laws are working, but conditions continue to change and we need to monitor what’s going on,” said Continued on pg. 84

USA Today Puts National Spotlight on Advanced Materials in Vehicles n an article titled, “Lighter Cars Add Weight to Repair Costs,” USA Today has put a national spotlight on advanced materials in vehicles, informing consumers about how their cars may have specific requirements when it comes to repairing them. The article explains the huge pressure automakers are under to both save weight for gas mileage and meet stricter crash test standards. It also details the various materials coming into play: aluminum, carbon fiber and high-strength steel. It also quotes well-known collision industry professional Darrell Amberson, vice president of LaMettry’s Collision, a seven-store operation in greater Minneapolis. “[Having specialized equipment] is something that’s going to differentiate our industry,” he told USA Today.

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Viewpoint A Call to Arms s many in our industry are now on. The fact that some parties to this lawsuit aware, the Mississippi Collision currently participate in DRP programs cerRepair Association has initiated an tainly doesn’t justify the verbal assault attempt to legally block against an issue that so urgently PartsTrader from entering our needs to be addressed – and it cermarket, viewing it as an untainly doesn’t negate the fact that precedented and illegal intrusion PartsTrader has to be stopped. into the collision repair industry. The shop owners who have Root of All Evil? » It’s simplistic signed their names to this camto believe that the DRPs that have paign, or may in the future, are pervaded our industry are the holding themselves up for the root of all the evil and that their world to see and are taking risks abolishment would solve all our many have been unwilling to problems. DRPs are just one of a By Bill Fowler take – not just to benefit themlong line of control mechanisms selves, but for the general welfare of our in- that have been inflicted upon us by the industry. The road we have before us surance industry for decades and are not promises to be a long one with lots of the sole cause of all our current problems. twists, turns and obstacles along the way. Our industry had profound problems long before DRP controls were put in place. ReEveryone’s a Critic » It has been disapmember the 1963 Consent Decree? There pointing, to say the least, that news of this were no DRPs then, but insurer intrusion effort has been met with criticism by some and illegal business practices that had gone in our industry who hide protected in the on for decades became so egregious that the U.S. attorney general had to step in and recloset of anonymity that screen names prostore order. That didn’t just happen; brave vide and hurl insults and unfounded accusations through the crack in the door. Those men and women set that in motion, too. who engage in this behavior should conMany shop owners initially adopted the sider doing one of three things: DRP approach to doing business, not out 1. Take credit for their remarks, using their of greed but as an alternative to the delays real names, and list all the contributions they in the repair process due to insurer meddling and incompetence in establishing a have made that have benefitted the industry streamlined approach to repairs. It was a so that we understand the credentials that short-sighted way to get insurance compaqualify them to insult and vilify others. 2. Publicly pledge, once again using their nies out of our day-to-day business. Without having to face delay after delay and real names, to never take advantage of any benefits to our industry that may be realwaiting for the insurers to approve the ized as a result of the hard work and risks addition of parts or procedures to the seritaken by those joining this effort. ously deficient repair estimates (many 3. Stand down and allow others to try to times prepared by them), cycle times imslay this dragon without helping the dragproved dramatically and we were able to

The views expressed in this editorial do not necessarily reflect those of BodyShop Business magazine.

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

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»| Viewpoint |« process more repairs because we had more control of the process. “We don’t pay for that,” “It’s included” and “You’re the only one” were already facts of life. In retrospect, we can see that the DRP business model has morphed by design into what we now have: just another way to take us to the edge of the

precipice, where we currently find ourselves. There is little question that the DRP business model should be abandoned, but we’re now facing a much more pressing issue in the form of a mandated parts procurement program that threatens our very existence as independent small businesses.

PartsTrader » To believe that simply removing one’s business from a DRP list will result in PartsTrader withering and dying from lack of interest is incredibly naïve. Pay attention to what our friends in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand, where PartsTrader has been in place for several years, are saying. Like the cancer it is, PartsTrader will be much easier to stop before it spreads any further. Pay attention to what the businesses in the “test” markets are telling us. The program provides none of the benefits claimed and is an administrative nightmare. Reports are already coming in that other insurance companies are adopting their own parts procurement programs and imposing the prices and sources for parts procured through the use of such a program on those who have no DRP agreements. In short, it’s coming to you, whether you want it or not. Doing nothing to stop it ensures that it will eventually be just another part of the way we’re forced to conduct business.

Take a Stand » Have the courage to stand with those who realize they must fight back, and at least make an attempt to take back control of your business. Insurance executives in boardrooms across the country must be laughing, comforted in what has become an all too predictable reaction from the collision repair industry. When they attack us, we respond by attacking each other. Think about disappointing them this time by taking a stand against an industry that has had their foot on our neck for far too long. This could be your last chance. BSB Bill Fowler has owned Bill Fowler’s Bodyworks in Southaven, Miss., since 1997. His collision career began in 1968 building funny cars and repairing Corvettes. He can be reached at bll.fowler@gmail.com. Circle 18 for Reader Service

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Clark’s

Corner

By Mark Clark

Faster Than

an Oak Tree oday, we joke about shops that pulled out collision damage using a tree stump and log chains. As a PBE jobber with customers in rural Iowa in the 1970s, I knew some of those guys. When cars were built with perimeter frames and conventional steel, a talented tech could actually get the car square enough to line up the front end (with a box of shims) by using a frame dimension book that listed the specifications for most American cars (in inches) and a tape measure. A good guy could heat and tug until the rails came close to spec.

on the ram moved metal. In those early days, only the biggest shops could afford a huge frame rack built into a floor pit, but boy could they unwind some hard hit stuff. Using floor pots and portable pulling towers or free standing racks with built-in towers, we pulled and tugged our way to repair and alignment for many years. And then…the gas crunch of 1973 happened. In a country where bigger was always better, we became miles-per-gallon conscious overnight. It took Detroit until 1979 to mass produce the first of the new frame-less cars, the X-Body General Motors Citation.

Stumped » What were those hardy pio-

Welcome to the New Style » During

neers using to tug with? Once the frame was anchored to the tree stump with unhardened log chains (what breakage problem?), they pulled out the damage using a come-along, a Porta Power ram or the shop truck. Really! In the ’70s, I sold floor pots and 10-ton pulling towers to lots of those shade tree guys. Not only were 18 or 20 pots easier to use than one oak tree, they laid flush to the floor and didn’t impede other collision work when not in use. Without a rigid mount, the first few extensions of the 10ton ram were just to pull the slack out of the anchor chains. Jamming jack stands under the chains until they were tighter saved lots of time and moved metal sooner.

those intervening years, the first casualty of expensive and scarce gasoline was big V8 engines. The second was the bridge-girder heavy perimeter frame, and the third was the thick, heavy gauge sheet metal. Smaller four-cylinder engines, the three-box unicoupe body construction and the high tensile strength thinner metals hit the industry like a bomb. Older folks will recall that the InterIndustry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) was formed to teach our techs how to safely repair these new-style autos. You couldn’t heat the metal with a torch because it ruined the strength. You couldn’t pull on the sheet metal box with 20 tons of hydraulic force because it tore the car apart; and without a perimeter frame, it was difficult to anchor the car rigidly. In those confusing days of the early ’80s, many shops went shopping for a better

Rack ’Em » Anchoring the vehicle frame directly to rigid clamps on a frame rack was even faster yet because the first inch of travel 20

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»| Clark’s Corner |« method to repair the new unibody vehicles. The choices to hold the frameless car steady, pull the sheet metal in several directions at once and measure the boxes back to exact factory spec fell into three basic styles, all costing about $25,000 in 1980 – a huge blow in an industry where the previous most expensive thing was the $10,000 fireproof box they painted cars in!

Dedicated Benches » Dedicated benches used a jig system similar to the fixtures the bodies were built on at the factory. Each unique body style required a specific set of arms and clamps to locate all the various measuring points. While unarguably accurate, they were time consuming. The suspension, engine and drivetrain often had to come out of their cradles because those same mounting holes were

where the fixture pins went. Some large dealership shops could afford to buy the measuring fixtures for their own models, but most everybody else rented fixtures from the equipment manufacturers. Many times, there was a delay as the fixtures were already rented to another shop and they were slow to return them. Also, if the prior shop misused the fixtures, they could arrive bent and out of spec.

Laser Systems » Laser systems were desirable because they could be used to repair anything, even full frame cars and trucks. In 1980, only about 2 percent of the cars on the road were unicoupes. The shop owned the hanging targets and the laser, so there was no waiting for another source to begin repairs. I sold several laser measuring systems in the early ’80s and was

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impressed with their versatility. My customers who did the best with them employed smart technicians. I’ve discovered over the years that not everyone repairing cars is good at math. Using an early laser system required that the tech be able to calculate distances and angles without a specific set of directions. As the systems evolved, the math effort was significantly reduced by exact directions on where to hang targets and where to locate the lasers.

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

Universal Benches » Universal benches used a box full of pipes and pins and braces much like Tinker Toys, which were stuck together to build a measuring framework. They had the advantage of locating most structural points without removing drive train or suspension components; they were all on-hand so there was

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»| Clark’s Corner |« no waiting, and the best ones came with exact instructions on how to build the fixtures for each model car. They were quick to use, it was easy to diagnose the damage and they could be used by ordinary technicians. Clearly I’m still a fan, even though the $25,000 cost is more like $75,000 these days.

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Measure, Pull and Hold » All three styles – dedicated, universal and laser measuring systems – have a rigid base with pinchweld clamps to hold the unibody completely still and multiple pulling arms to reverse the collision damage in several directions at once. The common wisdom in those early days was that a shop could not repair a hard hit unicoupe car without the three key elements: measure, pull and hold (MPH). I’ve found that talented body techs can do anything, and a skilled guy with the floor pots and a tape measure could get the three-box car straight again. It just took a really long time. They had to pull, cross measure, pull, measure, pull, measure, etc., until they reached spec. Part of the 25 grand entrance fee was quickly recovered because, with any of the three styles, once the pin hit the hole or the laser hit the target, you were done pulling and could move on. Labor time was and is the most expensive thing in collision repair. A rigid hold on the damage, pulling in several directions at once and a go/no go measuring system is much faster than an oak tree and logging chains. Safer, too! BSB Mark R. Clark is the owner of Professional PBE Systems in Waterloo, Iowa; he is a wellknown industry speaker and consultant. He is celebrating his 25th year as a contributing editor to BodyShop Business.

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Web Presence

Management

By Mark Claypool

Increase Your Visibility

With Facebook Offers f you’re on Facebook a lot, you’ve likely seen “offers” of discounts, coupons and specials for certain businesses’ products and services showing up in your newsfeed. Most of these come from major brands, but Facebook Offers are not exclusive to these big name brands. You, too, can use them.

Mmm, Ice Cream » An offer from an ice cream shop that I’ve been going to since I was a kid (yes, they had ice cream back then!) recently caught my eye on Facebook. The offer was a free small sundae with the purchase of any size sundae. Awesome! I could get my usual large, plus a small too! I clicked on it. Moments later, Facebook emailed me with two choices: I could print the offer or show it to them on my phone. Not known for being patient when it comes to ice cream, I arranged a trip to the shop that day. I got my sundaes and ate them both up moments later. Life was good for both me and the business. I checked in with Facebook from the shop, mentioned the offer and at least three friends did the same thing. Let’s consider this from a body shop perspective. While you certainly don’t have anything as tasty as my favorite ice cream, you do have services I need. How about offering a percentage off a detailing job, gas cards for a certain amount spent on a repair, etc.? Use your imagination! Brainstorm with your staff. These offers will then show up on your Facebook fans’ newsfeeds, potentially reaching a large number of them. If they take you up on your offer, it shows up on the newsfeeds of their friends, too.

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

Why Try It? » Any business with at least 100 fans can create a Facebook Offer. Since Facebook has gone public, they need to charge for things like this, but fret not, it’s very cheap for the impressions you get compared to print advertising, radio or TV. Here are the top three reasons to try Facebook Offers: Word of mouth promotion…Facebook style. When someone claims your offer, it shows up on their newsfeed. Their friends see that and there will be a certain amount of monkey see, monkey do. Performance metrics. Facebook makes it easy to track the success of your offers. In Facebook’s Insights, you can see all kinds of analytics, including how many people claimed your offer and how many times your offer showed up on someone’s computer screen (impressions). Have these offers link to a coupon and track the number of claimed offers that actually come in the door. All the person has to do is click on “Get Offer” and follow the instructions from there. Online shopping accounted for more than $200 billion in sales last year. People are clearly comfortable claiming offers and shopping online.

Making an Offer

Step 1: In your status update box, you have a few options. Click “Offer” and the “In Store Only” option.

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»| Web Presence |«

Step 2: Upload a simple image demonstrating your offer. Your logo works if you don’t have anything else. Then add the Offer Title above the picture. Tip: To gain more claims, make it feel limited or scarce. Example: “The First 200 Claims Get a Free $25 Gas Card With Repair.”

Step 3: Set up the expiration date, your Terms and Conditions, and a reminder time. Also, set a limit on how many people can claim the offer, plus include a redemption code to be used when showing the offer to your receptionist/CSR. Step 4: Set up your budget and target audiences. You can set your target options by gender, age and location. Narrow it down to reach more people likely to be interested. Keep it close to your location. Target your town and a few surrounding towns near you. The potential reach and price are based on your target area and your existing fan base. Your fans will have the chance to see your offer without it costing you anything.

Real-Life Example » As mentioned above, when describing performance metrics, Facebook gives a tremendous amount of insights on an offer. Let’s take a look at a real life example from

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October 2013 | BodyShop Business

A+ Auto Body in Kentucky. A+ Auto Body’s offer reached more than 12,000 people! Facebook also allows you to see how many people were engaged, i.e. how many people actually clicked on the offer and opened it up. You can also get a really close look at how many people interacted with your Offer – the number of people who actually claimed it, liked it and shared it. This is all represented in the graphic above.

Be Soft » A soft sell works best; people aren’t on Facebook thinking body shop offers. Test a few things and see what works best. Send a link to your offer to your email database, too, and share the offer on your personal page. Let us know how it works for you! BSB BSB Contributing Editor Mark Claypool has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of workforce development, business/education partnerships, apprenticeships and Web presence management. He is the CEO of Optima Automotive (www. optimaautomotive.com), which provides website design, development, search engine optimization (SEO) services and social media management services. Claypool’s work history includes stints at Metro Paint Supplies, VeriFacts Automotive, the National Auto Body Council (NABC), the I-CAR Education Foundation and SkillsUSA. He is the founder of Mentors At Work and co-founder of the Collision Industry Foundation. He served, on a volunteer basis, as the SkillsUSA World Team Leader for the WorldSkills Championships from 2003 to 2011.

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Technology

Focus Pivoting Action

Frame Machines and Measuring Systems Multipoint Pulling and Measuring Chief Automotive Technologies’ frame racks like the Chief impulse-E/VHT, Goliath and Titan-360 provide multiple, simultaneous pulls with equalized pressure. This technique applies the same amount of pressure across multiple points of the damaged area at the exact same time to prevent ripping, tearing, bending or rolling of high-strength steel. These pulling systems also supply 10 tons of pulling power at the hook. All of Chief’s laser measuring systems constantly measure multiple points simultaneously, even during pulls, so technicians are less likely to miss damage or to put more damage into the vehicle while pulling. They’re also far more efficient than those who have to stop and re-measure after every pull.

Wedge Clamp Systems offers a 3-D pivot measuring system designed to give you maximum performance in restoring total vehicle symmetry in the fastest possible time. Attached to a Wedge Clamp system or to most other frame equipment with adapters, the Pivot system measures from under the front bumper to under the rear bumper. Because of the pivoting action, measuring any point from front to back is much quicker than other systems. Not only does the pivot measuring make upper body measuring easy, points inside the vehicle such as door latches can be measured, too. So whether it’s for damage analysis or simply to have accurate targets to pull to, the system does it all. It works with any standard 3-D vehicle measuring specification. Combine it with the Wedge Clamp Eclipse electronic measuring system #E1000 for full upper and lower body measuring.

Body Shop-Influenced Design Spanesi’s approach to structural repairs is unique because, since 1969, Orazio Spanesi has operated his own body shop. His insight into the struggles technicians have making repairs has inspired him to design and incorporate features to enhance the operations of all the equipment Spanesi designs. The features include a high adjustable lifting heights, removable and adjustable drive on platforms, and a universal fixturing system that was designed more than 20 years ago and still maintains the original components with no upgrades or changes, still working efficiently on today’s vehicle platforms and suitable for future models based on what OEMs have shared. Also, the universal jig has a rack

gear system that, using the fixture, allows you to pull up and down directly. Because of the tower designs, all systems come with “true” 10-ton pulling power. Spanesi manufactures benches that are portable in operation to permanent above ground or flush floor installations with sizes for unibody and full frame vehicles. In addition, the popular Multibench 12 turns every work area into a highly productive efficient work environment, again helping to reduce cycle times. It combines lifting and pulling so the system is used for every repair in the shop.

No Towers in the Way Blackjack’s Multiple Vector Pull gives you total access to the bottom of a car without having to push big, bulky pull towers out of the way. Being able to put multiple pulls close together on one rail makes pulling safer by evenly distributing the pull load. 30

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Track Talk Where There’s a Weld, There’s a Way NASCAR racecars require hundreds of welds – and every single one of them has to be perfect. At 200 miles per hour and around every corner, racecars are pushed to their very limits. They have to be strong for safety, but light for performance. The cars built at Stewart Haas Racing are no exception. Back at the shop, master fabricators like Daniel Smith spend hours making sure every weld is just right. For Smith, simply put, it’s his passion. “I’ve always wanted to weld,” said Smith, a native of Concord, N.C., born and raised in the heart of motorsports country. After graduating from NASCAR Technical Institute

and 5 Off 5 On Pit Crew U in 2004, 19-year old Smith landed a full-time position at what was then Haas CNC Racing. Being a typical adventurous teen, Smith quickly earned the nickname “Danger” among his peers at the shop, but that didn’t stop him from putting in long hours of hard work and sacrifice to perfect his craft. “In the beginning, I spent a lot of time in the shop,” Smith reminisced. “I would stay after work on my own time to pick up pointers from other welders. I was welding anything and everything I could get my hands on in the shop.” Smith began his racing career in the teardown department, but soon earned a promotion to the fab shop. Today, the 29-year-old veteran juggles both pit crew and shop duties. “On Sundays, I go over-the-wall as the rear tire changer on the No. 14,” explained Smith. “On Monday mornings at 7 a.m. sharp, I’m back at the shop, welding and building suspension pieces, upper control arms, oil tanks, spindles, and exhaust pipes.”

Smith’s day job is critical. About 95 percent of NASCAR racecars are TIG-welded by hand. Long before the racecar hits the track, welding and fabrication consume roughly 950 man hours on each racecar back at the shop. Lincoln Electric, which has provided Stewart Haas Racing with welding machines, consumables and apparel since 2008, says welding plays an important role in NASCAR keeping drivers safe first and foremost. “Critical components such as the roll cage, seat and chassis need to withstand forceful impacts at speeds of 200+ mph,” said Mickey Holmes, sports marketing manager for Lincoln Electric. “Quality welds help achieve this.” Most welds join intersecting tubes that make up the frame and roll cage. These components are fabricated from mild steel, which allows the racecar to absorb the forces of a crash in a bendbefore-break mode. When drivers often walk away from high-speed crashes unhurt, it can be attributed to overall safety improvements in the chassis design – and weld quality. Smith works with a variety of Lincoln equipment at the shop, including Invertec V311-

T AC/DC, Precision TIG375, Invertec V205-T AC/DC, Power MIG 350MP, Power MIG 256, and Power MIG 180Cs. The team’s transports (or “crash carts” as they’re commonly called) are equipped with Power MIG 180Cs and Invertec V205s. “The welding technology is really amazing,” said Smith. “They’re solid machines. You can kind of get spoiled working with all the nice equipment at the shop.” Smith understands if a part breaks on the track, it cannot break at the weld. He knows the importance of a sound weld, and that a driver's life is on the line. “My standards are a little higher from working in NASCAR – the welds have to look nice and be clean and sound,” said Smith. “The steering shaft has to hold up at every turn. Holding all of the suspension components together is very vital in racing.” By Kimberly Hyde, NASCAR

Double-duty: Daniel Smith is a welder/fabricator at Stewart Haas Racing and rear tire changer on the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. Do you have a passion for welding, too? Start your project today with help from Lincoln Electric at lincolnelectric.com/moneymatters. Follow NASCAR Performance on Twitter and Facebook www.twitter.com/NASCARauto ■ www.facebook.com/NASCARPerformance

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COVER STORY

The days of getting by without ongoing training are over. So what will you do? Recruit people who are already trained, or take on the training yourself? By Curt Harler f you think education is expensive, try ignorance. Nowhere is that more true than in collision repair where change is a near constant and the materials, tools and technologies are evolving at a lightning pace. Many in the industry claim techs are vastly under-trained, especially considering the rocket ships rolling off assembly lines today. But shop margins have been severely eroded, and many owners say they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford training.

Two Philosophies Âť There seem to be two philosophies in the body shop business when it comes to training. One school of thought invests a lot of time and money in classes to keep current. The other school downplays continuing education, preferring to hire techs who already have certifications.

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COVER STORY » Training Time People who are not doing training will fall behind and be left behind, says John Cole, owner of Cole’s Collision Centers based in Albany with four locations in upstate New York. “Training is a necessary component of any business, whether you’re fixing computers or cars,” Cole says. “How can you call yourself a professional repairer if you’re not up to date?” Adds Rob Alexander, body shop manager for Brown Body & Paint Centre, Toledo, Ohio, “Fixing a car becomes trial-and-error if you’re not properly trained. We’re really big on training.” While Alexander can’t point to any extra sales as a result of training certifications, he does say it’s a dif-

ferentiator with insurance companies and some customers. He points to the new steels, processing, welding, bonding, foams and plastics used in

“How can you call yourself a professional repairer if you’re not up to date?” — John Cole, Cole’s Collision Centers today’s cars and trucks. Restraint systems seem to change by the model year. Admittedly, Alexander is sold on training – for a while, he was a local I-CAR chairman, and his pro-

duction manager today holds that position. Yet even he has problems keeping the shop up to date. “We’re in a big time of change. Unfortunately, a lot of our industry does not recognize it,” says Jeff Peevy, senior director of field operations and segment development for I-CAR. Adds Craig J. Camacho, marketing director for Keenan Auto Body Inc., in Clifton Heights, Pa., an MSO that has a dozen locations in the greater Philadelphia area, “A trained tech is an efficient tech.” They’re a certified aluminum repair center and have approvals from a host of organizations and companies including I-CAR, ASE, 3M, Cromax Pro, NABC and DuPont. “We pay for ongoing I-CAR training, ASE training and whatever else

Angelo Campanella, I-CAR instructor, teaches the live demo class, “Blueprinting Process and Damage Discovery.”

www.bodyshopbusiness.com

COVER STORY » Training Time may be available in that person’s position,” Camacho says. Their commitment to trained techs goes so far that they created a non–paid internship called C.R.O.P. (Collision Repair Opportunity Program). C.R.O.P allows Keenan to reach out to technicians prior to graduating from technical high schools and vocational

schools and provides a nine-month, hands-on training program. The tech needs to fulfill requirements throughout different stages of the course in order to graduate. Although the students are not required to work at a Keenan facility post-graduation, Keenan typically offers them fulltime employment.

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It’s not just the industry giants that see the need for training. Matt Penney, who runs Penney’s Auto Body at two locations in Garrettsville and Ravenna, Ohio, says they always invest in at least two hours of training for each employee each year. “We like to spread it around,” Penney says, speaking of both the class subjects and the people involved. That keeps everyone up to date. Penney himself has completed more than 80 hours of training in the past two decades. “Otherwise, you’d be taking a lot of chances when you put a car back together,” he says. It starts the moment the vehicle appears at the shop door. “Knowing the scope of damage and writing proper estimates on vehicles will impact the bottom line. You need to look at proper training as an investment in your business. It’s not just a budget item,” says Jon McCreath, president, Vale Training Solutions, Arlington, Texas. To write good estimates requires knowledge of new materials and new systems. “You are never going to get away from supplemental and hidden damage,” McCreath says. Says Keenan’s Camacho, “Our employees feel empowered by the training that is made available to them.” Keenan requires all shops to attain I-CAR Gold status. “With that, our techs have to meet certain education requirements individually, including I-CAR Platinum. Our A.R.C. (Aluminum Repair Center) technicians are required to stay current with the UHSS technologies that are constantly changing.” Adds I-CAR’s Peevy, “The days of getting by without ongoing training are over. Training – and more important, knowledge – is the key to surviving. I honestly see training, more importantly knowledge, as the way to survive and more importantly thrive. The shops that continue to see training as simply a requirement for a recognition program or

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COVER STORY » Training Time

Keenan Auto Body Inc. has created a non-paid internship that offers nine months of hands-on training to technicians prior to them graduating from technical high schools or vocational schools.

to be on a DRP will not survive. Recent research (see sidebar pg. 40) proves that even if a shop sends techs to classes but fails to embrace the experience as an opportunity to

learn and apply, they see only small gains. Shops embracing training as an opportunity to gain knowledge, share it and apply it see amazing results over their fellow shops.”

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Falling Behind » “While there still are some smaller shops that depend on the certifications that their new hires bring with them as their only means of being certified, the majority

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COVER STORY » Training Time of larger shops with DRP contracts and MSOs have no real choice and end up biting the bullet to provide ongoing training for their techs,” Camacho says. That’s because the pool of vehicles untrained techs will be able to work on will grow smaller each passing year until they close their doors. “When a shop fails to stay abreast of changes in technology, they fall further and further behind,” Peevy says. Besides the risk of a bad repair and increasing liability of the shop and technician, there is the issue of CSI and cycle time. If a shop focuses on improving cycle time, for example, but then fails to keep up with new technology, the cycle time the shop was once proud of will increase more and more over time, he says.

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Getting the Most ROI for Your Training Bucks iven the pace of change – 240 industry-wide changes in vehicle construction between 2010 and 2014, including new composites and electronics – training is the future of the industry. Just as certain is that training is expensive and getting more so. How can a shop maximize its ROI? “We must first change the way we as an industry even think about the subject of training,” says I-CAR’s Jeff Peevy. First, he says, the industry must stop thinking of training as a requirement but as a solution to business challenges. “Think of ‘knowledge’ as opposed to just sending someone to a class, and then work on changing the culture within your operation.” Look for Peevy to speak at a number of industry events this fall on the concept of the “Organizational Culture of Learning” and how a collision repair facility can begin this journey of future success. “The bottom line,” he says, “is a repair facility needs to think of knowledge as something to go out and harvest and then bring back and share within the whole operation.” KPI (key performance indicator) statistics show it works. Shops that simply sent techs to class saw a 3.6 percent improvement in a vital KPI like cycle time. The culture-focused shops – those that shared the learning around the shop – saw a 28.9 percent improvement. That’s a 25 percent return on a simple management change. The key is not to focus on “things,” but on knowledge-sharing.

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COVER STORY » Training Time “It is your responsibility as a business owner to stay up on technology,” Cole states.

Squeezing Nickels » The economy has been weak, and insurance companies are squeezing nickels. That means body shops are hard-pressed to keep up with training.

“We’ve had to cut back a little bit,” Alexander says. The shop achieved I-CAR Gold status for its 12 technicians. It also is Blue Shield certified and BASF certified. “It was an achievement to get that many people trained for I-CAR. But as the criteria for Gold Class kept changing, we lapsed a bit.”

Part of the problem was finding classes close to Toledo. Detroit, about an hour away, has classes, but Columbus and Cleveland are a couple of hours drive and that gets expensive. As a GM shop, they have the advantage of GM rolling its training into I-CAR. Still, it has been tough to keep up, says Alexander.

In the Budget? » Training at Keenan is a fixed budget item. “Budgeting includes calculating education requirements for each shop based on the amount of employees who need the training, and that amount of money is included in each shop’s budget for the year,” Camacho explains. At Brown Body, there also is a budget for training; however, Alexander judges each course on its merits. “I do what I need to do. We evaluate each course to see if it will be worthwhile. I want to be sure that we will get some benefit out of it.” Right now, two dozen I-CAR coupons that Alexander needs to appropriate out to techs who need training sit on his desk. They were paid for at the beginning of the year and will be used shortly. As a dealership, the operation is proactive regarding training in all of its departments. For the right class, the money is there. Cole knows some shop owners who have cut back on training. “That’s their problem,” he says, dismissing the idea. “I’m a business owner. The decisions that steer my business and cause my success are mine alone. Eventually, they’ll lose data for updating their shop and will fall behind.” Keenan uses ALLDATA along with VeriFacts and Motor procedures via CCC One. Cole uses I-CAR but also avails the shop of training with jobbers and paint suppliers who teach techs how to replicate special finishes, for example. “I want everyone on the same page,” Cole says. Penney, too, is sold on I-CAR but Circle 42 for Reader Service

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COVER STORY » Training Time would like to see more cross-training opportunities versus specialty classes – a good idea in a smaller operation. Cole is big on ALLDATA repair sheets, especially when it comes to welds. “You have to be sure you do it per the manufacturer’s specifications,” he says. He finds that, with such doc-

umentation in hand confirming Ford or Toyota’s specifications, the insurance company will pay for the specific repair 90 percent of the time. “The other 10 percent, they’ll write what they write,” he says.

Keeping Current » One way to keep up with new auto technologies

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is to use new learning technologies like online courses. Alexander says he’s looking into computer-based training modules to avoid the need for extensive (and expensive) travel. Cole is big on online training, too. He notes that I-CAR has online training, and most OEs offer free modules for repair techs. Online and classroom training each have advantages, Cole says. Some techs learn better in a classroom with a teacher guiding them, while others prefer the computer where they can go study a topic over and over until they get it right without feeling embarrassed. “There is some advantage to being able to send a seam seal around a classroom and let the techs feel it,” Cole counters. On the other hand, it’s convenient for technicians to work on the computer in lulls, at night or at home at their own speed. No matter which route is taken, “Progressive training is better than none at all,” Cole states. Sharing knowledge around the shop works, too. Shop owners themselves need to be aware of the latest repair technologies and trends. “Once the owner knows, he or she can then pass it down to his or her staff fixing the vehicles,” Camacho says. “We find that reading trade publications, utilizing third-party quality audits, attending industry events and communicating with fellow owners/ operators is a very effective way to find the latest information to stay current.” Adds Dunn, “Independent shop owners are better off to spend their money on training than to whine because they don’t have the expertise to fix a car.” He says the A shops will continue to invest and profit from training. B shops will get training when regularly confronted with jobs they cannot fix. C shops will syphon off whatever business is left.

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COVER STORY » Training Time To be sure their techs can handle welding advanced metals like high strength steel and aluminum, Keenan looks to third-party verifying of quality. “Providers of OE information are also good sources for up-to-date information,” Camacho says, noting that shops need to ensure that their

equipment can handle the repair properly and also must provide their techs with the latest information available. “Ultra-high strength steel vehicles require a separate blueprint of repair procedures.” Including the specified equipment and an area that’s conducive to aluminum repair is an additional in-

vestment. Keenan has invested in these technologies by purchasing the required equipment and training to be both Mercedes-Benz Certified and BMW Factory Authorized. Cole is another shop owner who’s big on internal training. He flat-out states, “Most of the people I hire from competitors suck. I end up firing them.” His advice? “Pick the player, not the position.” He says he would rather hire a good person with a great attitude and invest in training them than hire someone else’s mistake.

Value » Peevy could be the auto industry’s equivalent of the Greeks’ Cassandra – speaking the truth but not believed by many. He has predicted a tsunami of change in the industry ever since the CAFE standards were implemented. That tidal wave now is happening. OEMs, collectively, are on a pace to institute 80 vehicle changes every model year. And it’s not just on high-end exotic vehicles. “We’re beginning to see sophisticated technology in mainstream, high-volume vehicles,” Peevy says. “Ironically, a tech must have sound basics in order to fully understand many of the newer concepts in vehicle designs and materials we’re about to see. Without the foundation of sound basics, the new stuff can be misunderstood or just not fully understood and this could lead to less-thandesirable consequences.” The result is that more shops are becoming aligned with the idea, and today there are more shops Gold Class or pursuing Gold Class than in the history of the program, Peevy says. Penney likes what I-CAR provides. However, he sees OEM classes taking over. “The trend is toward OEM certification,” Penney says. He says he suspects the manufacturers do not give the aftermarket schools all of the information they might require. “So far, I-CAR has kept up, but cerCircle 46 for Reader Service

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COVER STORY » Training Time tain lines are becoming too specialized,” he continues. Dunn agrees that it seems OEs sometimes are slow to share technology. However, he says that perception might be due, in part, to the speed of information change in today’s body business. “We are made aware of changes more quickly. So, it seems like it takes longer,” he says. Dunn says the unrecognized force in all of his is the millions of consumers. “All of the posturing and chest pounding by so-called leaders in the industry does not mean a lot,” he says. “But those millions of consumers have a lot of clout.” Forgotten in the situation, he adds, is the OE’s obligation to the customers who buy the vehicles and who simply expect their vehicles to come back as good as new. McCreath says he has not found OEMs withholding information. All

of Vale’s instructors are I-CAR certified and he feels they get the latest information in those classes. Camacho says he believes OEMs could make it easier on shops by providing correct repair standards free of charge for their vehicles to shops that fix them. The website www.oemonestop.com has at least consolidated a lot of the information and reduced the time searching around. Training can help you in court, too. There is always the growing risk of liability. “There is little doubt increased liability will grow as the momentum of change increases. No one wants to be brought into court to explain how their ‘professional business’ knew how to properly repair the vehicle in question, when they can provide no evidence of ongoing technician training,” Peevy warns. “No

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matter how you look at it, the days of getting by without ongoing training are over.” Camacho notes that, without training, it will be increasingly more difficult to compete. “From a safety standpoint, the shop inherits the risk of being sued. The lack of training has always been a liability. This will be more prevalent as vehicle technologies continue to evolve and shops that are sued will be in jeopardy of losing their business license or business in general. “We’re hoping that the insurance companies would hold shops to a standard to expect proper repairs rather than assume a proper repair and to compensate the shops that have made the investment in equipment and employee training via hourly rates.” Welding is a great example of increased risks. Peevy asked two

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COVER STORY » Training Time simple questions during CIC in Boston: Do you believe poor welds on structural repairs compromise structural integrity? Do you believe compromised structural integrity decreases occupant safety? “Can you imagine being a shop owner in a trial being asked these questions and having no evidence you had made any effort to ensure your shop’s welds were made correctly?” Peevy asks. “If a shop can’t or won’t invest in the necessary infrastructure, equipment and training, then the amount of work they’re qualified to work on will continue to decrease rapidly.” Everyone needs training. “A tech’s tenure has no real bearing on their training,” Camacho says. “The only thing worse than to invest in your people and have them leave is not to invest in your people and have them stay,” quips

Dunn. Masters School emphasizes leadership and management, and Dunn says it is important for a shop owner to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to new technologies. At his own shop, Dunn emphasizes its own training programs.

Where to Start » “Ultimately, older vehicles won’t be fixed…they will be totaled out,” McCreath says. With them will go a shop’s future. “You can’t ignore the new technology. Investing in training eventually will help the bottom line and drive business your way in the DRP market,” McCreath says. Noting the squeeze on shops, he adds, “You may get beaten up, but it is steady business.” How can a shop owner ensure that techs can handle welding highstrength steel and aluminum? Peevy

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says he would start with getting everyone in an operation that welds to participate in and successfully pass something like the I-CAR Welding Qualification Tests. The in-shop events have a shop’s techs welding on the shop’s own equipment, driven by the shop’s electrical infrastructure. Pass the test, and an owner can have a level of confidence in the shop and its equipment…and security that the techs have what it takes to make proper welds. Those tests will now have to be updated, at a minimum every three to five years, just to stay relevant. Yes, it will cost money. However, ignorance will prove to be even more costly. BSB Curt Harler is a Cleveland-based freelancer specializing in the auto, technology and environmental areas. He can be reached at curt@curtharler.com.

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TECHNICAL

Haven’t switched to waterborne/low-VOC coatings yet? Here are some steps you have to take to prepare yourself…because there’s no stopping this train. By Carl Wilson aterborne/low-VOC paint technology is here. In fact, it’s been here for awhile. Maybe not in your state, maybe not in your shop, maybe not in your face. But it will be, I assure you, no maybe about it. Oh sure, you’ve also heard of lowVOC solvent, but waterborne is more common. It may exist, but as I understand it, the lion’s share of every manufacturer’s color development goes to waterborne. So while there may be a niche market for low-VOC solvent, the major effort is for water-

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borne, and for the purpose of this article, that is what we will deal with.

The Mental Change » There are a number of fundamental procedures and principles that apply to solvent coatings which transfer over to waterborne/low-VOC. In addition, there are a few procedures and techniques that may be new to you. Before we close the gap on that, we need to saddle and break the most difficult bronco in the corral. You know what I’m talking about: resistance. The mindset of the painters.

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I’m talking about preparing yourself mentally for the change. That’s the logical first step in this sequence. In many ways, I believe the transition is easier for some of us old dogs, as we’ve already been through many changes. Many of us “cut our teeth” on lacquer. Acrylic enamel promised increased production due to not having to buff a shine on it, but it did take longer to dry. Furthermore, single-stage enamel metallics benefitted from an orientation/dropcoat technique similar to what some of the waterborne systems require. Remember when “basecoat” showed up? Until then, we could clear or not, our choice. Basecoat demands it always. Basecoat/clearcoat urethane is a fantastic product, which I suppose most of us have embraced and most

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TECHNICAL » Preparing for Waterborne When it comes to block sanding or any other kind of sanding, don’t cheat the process because it will only cheat the end product.

young painters have always used. I can appreciate any reluctance and resistance to switch, as we humans all tend to try to avoid change, but there is no stopping this train. The

tracks are laid. We all must get on board, or be left behind.

Educate Yourself » My recommendation is to start with education. Get

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your jobber and paint manufacturer reps – you know, the pros – to start the process. In many areas, this is already being done. I suspect the various personalities will dictate the strategies employed; some will appeal to, “You’ll like it better once you change; no one ever wants to go back to solvent,” while other painters will need to hear, “You have no choice.” Regardless, ensuring their success in the transition will get everyone on board. Once the learning curve has been conquered and new habits established, everyone will be back to business as usual. Of course, some will pine for the good ol’ days, and some will champion the new kid in town, waterborne/low-VOC. Doesn’t matter. Like it or not, that’s the desti-

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TECHNICAL » Preparing for Waterborne

A brand-new panel should also be cleaned.

Who knows how many “greasy pork chop sandwich hands” have handled it?

nation we’ll all arrive at. Let’s get the discussion going.

Shop Environment » So, with the proper mindset being formulated, we need to address the shop environment to assure as pain-free a transition as possible. Do not blindly bumble into predictable failure by ignoring facts. Waterborne/low-VOC paint makes a few non-negotiable demands. Clean, dry compressed air is one. This can be achieved through a nice, new compressor or by a stateof-the-art air filtration system – or a combination of the two. If you have an old rig that’s been blowing oil past the rings for years, your airlines are contaminated and in bad shape. A new compressor on the front end alone will not solve your challenges. Here again, get the pros from your local support system to analyze your situation and come up with options for you. There are unrealized yet predictable benefits of air that’s clean and dry enough for waterborne/low-VOC, besides the obvious benefit of fewer headache-causing contaminants. With the proper personal protective equipment or PPE, you can breathe this air. In addition, an increased level of awareness will, by default, result in better attention to detail.

Spraybooth » Another piece of the puzzle essential to the success of waterborne/low-VOC in your shop is a spraybooth designed for it. Of course, retrofitting is also an option. Also, with a refinishing professional with the proper mindset, armed with Circle 56 for Reader Service

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TECHNICAL » Preparing for Waterborne

Waterborne is only a harsh mistress if you fail to give her what she wants and shortchange her with poor prep.

a proper understanding of the nuances of waterborne and a minimal amount of equipment, many booths are adequate as-is. Depending what part of the country you live in, you may need a heated booth. The water must evaporate into the air. If it’s too cold or too humid, the process will take longer than you want. Also facilitating the evaporation process is a disruption of the surface tension of the waterborne/low-VOC paint. In other words, air blowing across the surface. This is typically done with

a fan of some sort or an air amplifier. Again, there are booths designed from the ground up for this, aftermarket retrofit kits and a host of equipment manufacturers whose products can help achieve victory. There are some fantastic spray guns out there that make application a breeze. You may get by with your old stuff and your experience and expertise, but just recognize that there are new spray guns designed specifically for waterborne. May as well make it easy on yourself. Besides, who doesn’t want another

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spray gun? Or a whole new fleet of spray guns?

Changing Habits » On to the third step, which dovetails with the first step, and may be the most challenging for the painter: changing habits. No, I’m not suggesting that all habits must be changed; just the ones that need to be changed. I will outline some fundamentals and principles that have generic applications, but here again, you need to get the pros involved to ensure specific procedures and techniques relating to

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TECHNICAL » Preparing for Waterborne their product are learned and observed. Let’s face it: there are some flat-out bad habits out there, some of which aren’t disastrous due to the forgiving nature of solvent. Waterborne is only harsh mistress if you fail to give her what she wants and shortchange her with poor prep. But treat her properly and you’ll have a blissful union. There are some fantastic painters in the field, some who came from formal schooling with accomplished instructors, some who apprenticed under geniuses and some who were astute enough to figure out the course with a map and compass on their own. But with some guys you wonder, “Where did he come from? The Cambrian Explosion?” There is no evidence in the fossil record that demonstrates their ancestry or lineage. It’s as if they simply appeared with their habits,

and we’re left scratching our heads, trying to figure out the logic to them. However, I would suggest that more important than the history of where you’ve been is an open mind as to where you’re going. My point is, under almost all circumstances for painters of all skill levels, you need to get the pros involved for the specific tutorial required by whatever paint line you’re using. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here – the pros have already figured out how to make you successful with their product.

Fundamentals » Here are some general fundamentals. Cleaning the panel. You can clean the car first if you want; some cars need it, some do not. But clean the panel regardless. By clean, I mean clean it with purpose. Don’t just go through the motions. Clean it, either

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with soap and water or low-VOC waterborne cleaner. Spray on, wipe off. This will take care of most of the organic contaminants such as dirt and bird poop. You may also have moss to deal with depending on which part of the country you live in. Follow up with a wax and grease remover to clean road tar and other petroleum contaminants. Spray on, wipe off. At this point, you may need to come back with one of the cleaners and a mildly abrasive scuff pad and gently scrub the panel. Similar to washing dishes, you aren’t trying to “scrub and scratch” the panel, just clean it. “Why should I waste my time, Carl?” you ask. “That seems like a lot of cleaning.” Because waterborne/low-VOC paint is less forgiving of surface contaminants that

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TECHNICAL » Preparing for Waterborne are ground into the panel by the sanding operation. And by the way, a brand-new panel should also be cleaned. Who knows how many “greasy pork chop sandwich hands” have handled the part before you got it? It’s not a waste of time. You’ll need to clean everything again after sanding and prior to painting, so let’s be in the habit of having both cleaners in some sort of a pressurized sprayer. If they’re handy, then you’ll use them. Also, keep in mind that not all paper towels are created equally; some rapidly break down and deposit micro fibers on your panel when using a low-VOC waterborne cleaner, while others fail to absorb well and leave a film behind. Get the proper towels for the job. They aren’t more expensive, just different. Those trusty pros can help make a choice here.

Sanding. Assuming you’re not from the Cambrian Explosion, you probably have a grasp of the fundamentals of grit selection for the various operations. Featheredging, block sanding, final prep for sealing, final prep for blending, etc. Suffice it to say, don’t cheat the process which the pros have dictated. They are vested in your success and are not attempting to sell you on unnecessary procedures. The edges can possibly be trimmed for economy of motion later, but for now, get those habits ingrained. If you’re still wet sanding, I would ask, “Why?” Of course it works quite fine, but it certainly isn’t necessary. There are those of you who have been dry sanding since you started, and when you sand with 800 or 1000 grit dry paper, well, you already know why the panel needs to be

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clean. Bear in mind, there is a varying degree of scratch severity between dry sanding, wet sanding, hand sanding and orbital sanding even when you’re using 400 grit paper in each of those operations. In addition, there are products we use that can be applied over “properly cleaned E-coats” or “properly cleaned plastic.” So obviously there are instances where we do not need to sand, but “no sanding” is not synonymous with “no prepping.” Properly cleaning a panel is a procedure in prepping. Whether we make paint stick through mechanical means such as sanding or through a chemical adhesion promoter, we need to be certain the panel is clean and dust-free. One more thing regarding lowVOC cleaners: they defeat static electricity, which isn’t much of a problem in high humidity areas but is electrifying in low humidity areas. You may have noticed a reoccurring theme here: the pros. The pros here and the pros there, well, they’re the experts with their products and you need to tap into their expertise. Do they know everything? Are they infallible? Of course not. This is the real world. But by getting their assistance ahead of time, you’ll be virtually guaranteed their attention. Wait until the last moment when the tsunami is about to strike, and you may find you have to “take a number and get in line.” I can assure you it’s an easier transition to waterborne at your leisure now rather than after the train has left the station. And finally, get prepared for increased productivity. BSB Carl Wilson has been painting for nearly 30 years, with formal training from the GM Training Center, ASE, I-CAR and multiple product and color courses. He currently works as a painter at RPMS Auto Body & Paint in Kailua, Hawaii. He can be reached at carl@ refinishexpert.com.

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SHOW PREVIEW

Place Your Bets! It’s SEMA Show time again, and you know what that means: dreaming of the big win in Vegas. But even if you lose at the table, you can still walk away flush by taking in the great education, networking and cutting-edge equipment.

By Jason Stahl and Gina Kuzmick ust when the leaves have fallen in other parts of the country and Old Man Winter is bracing to give everyone a butt whuppin’, the sun shines bright, the dice roll and the cars sparkle at the SEMA Show. If the amazing custom showpieces weren’t enough, everyone enjoys escaping the frigid temperatures and their normal work routines for a little vehicle love.

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But let us not get too sucked into the dream of climbing into one of these beauties and tearing off the show floor and into the sunset with a stylish squeal of rubber. No, folks, there’s work to be done and learning to be had! The learning comes in the form of the fourth annual Repairer Driven Education (RDE) track of seminars offered by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). This year, the classes have been organized into tracks so collision repairers can more clearly identify what courses are

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

most aligned with their business needs. “Each year, we wipe the slate clean and ask what seemed to get good feedback and what didn’t,” says SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. “We treat each year like a new learning experience for the development of the programs. The fact that we have three delineated tracks this year stems especially from attendee feedback. There is so much great content, it’s hard to pick. One attendee told us there were different businesses there for different reasons,

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SHOW PREVIEW » Place Your Bets and he wished we would spell it out for attendees and say, ‘If you’re here for this reason, these are the tracks you need to go to.’ Anybody can pick whatever they want – it’s all a la carte – but if someone wants to follow the track we think will help them given the parameters of why they’re there, let’s line that out.” Those three tracks are “Understanding Your Business,” “Enhancing Your Business” and “Positioning Your Business” (see schedule below). There will also be a slate of free sessions, one per day, including “Accessing OEM Repair Information” by Toby Chess; “Dispelling Collision Repair Technical Myths” by Mark Algie, Shawn Collins and Dennis Keicher, 3M; “How Did They Do That? Secrets of the Refinish Masters” by Dr. Jane Valenta and Dr. Gareth Hughes, PPG Refinish;

and “Equipping Yourself for Industry Certifications” by Joe Blanton, Car-O-Liner.

Other Activities » Let’s not forget the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) will also be happening 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Nov. 6 and Thursday, Nov. 7. This event regularly features 200 to 300 collision industry people discussing and debating the latest issues and controversial topics. There will also be a reception Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. SCRS will also be holding an open board meeting Nov. 5 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Collision Repair & Refinish Stage in the North Hall. There will also be an RDE after-party on Thursday, Nov. 7 from 8 p.m. to midnight for those who bought a RDE Full Series Pass. BSB

Repairer Driven Education Schedule Tuesday - 10:00-noon RD1F FREE Session: Presented by the SCRS Education Committee Toby Chess, SCRS Accessing OEM Repair Information

Tuesday - 12:30-2:30 RD1U: Damage Report Writing Case Study Larry Montanez, P&L Consultants LLC Designed for the beginning damage assessor or the seasoned veteran and technicians, this seminar will ask attendees to follow along with three case studies on a quarter panel replacement, bumper fascia replacement and cosmetic damage to the body side components of a vehicle. All required procedures, additional procedures, materials, included, non-included and additional items will be covered. All three cases are from actual repair claims (all personal info is removed). RD1E: Learn 6 Keys to Developing an Effective Marketing Program Bill Park & Dr. Byron Bissell, MpowerU This workshop is for those owners/managers and those in the auto collision industry who see the “writing on the wall” that financial success in the auto collision repair industry is increasingly going to depend on capturing more of the market share, but feel they lack the core knowledge and skills required to create and implement an effective marketing program.

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Show Floor R&I Demos Members of the SCRS Education Committee worked with the United Application Standards Group (UASG), which represents hundreds of professional graphic installers across the U.S., to present showfloor demonstrations on proper ways to approach R&I of vehicle components for the application of wraps and graphics. The presentations will be held in the UASG booth on Wednesday from 3:30-4:15 p.m. and Thursday from 12-12:45 p.m. Collision repair experts will highlight how repair technicians properly remove and reinstall items on a Dodge Challenger. This workshop will demonstrate the necessary tools and the proper processes for removing items such as mirrors, moldings, door handles, emblems, etc. If you’re able to remove obstacles from the vehicle, installers can eliminate additional cuts and patches to your wrap, ensuring your finished product looks like paint. This is a great opportunity to interact with technical professionals who can help you enhance your reputation as one who goes the extra mile to make your wraps look great! UASG members will design different wraps and compete to see which four designs will be chosen. This year, rock ’n roll will be the theme of the designs. The winner’s designs will then be produced and installed on the Dodge Challenger during the installation demonstrations that go on in their booth each day.

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SHOW PREVIEW » Place Your Bets RD1P: The Future of Cars – Self-Driving Cars, Fact or Fiction? Tim Ronak, AkzoNobel Performance Coatings This is a presentation of the impact and future potential of technology on the overall automotive industry ecosystem. All facets of the industry may be transformed as a result of technology ranging from passive accident avoidance to active accident avoidance to complete autonomous vehicle operation. Three states currently have started to investigate the licensing potential of this technology, which has the potential to transform the industry and create significant new business opportunities.

Wednesday - 12:30-2:30

Tuesday - 3:00-5:00

RD3E: X-Ray Estimating, An Ace Up Your Sleeve for Performance Improvement Mark Mueller, PPG Refinish Fifty percent of the average shop’s business has very little margin for error and can be a significant drag on cycle time performance. X-Ray Estimating is an approach that changes the estimating paradigm and can take repairs that spend days at the shop and, in some instances, allow them to be completed in a few hours. Shops that have been exploring this approach have experienced significant performance gains. The approach is similar to X-Ray Repair Planning with its objective of identifying all damage prior to production, but X-Ray Estimating is completed on vehicles that can be returned to the road while parts are acquired (and in many cases paint operations completed), allowing the customer to wait while repairs are completed.

RD2U: Cycle Time Reduction Workshop Lee Rush, Sherwin-Williams This workshop is designed to help collision facilities take advantage of 10 cycle time absolutes, and strategically formulate them into a sustainable program to drive cycle time improvements through the reduction of waste. By providing the participant with the operational tools necessary to implement these absolutes, they will be armed with the tools needed to change the way their companies operate. RD2E: Modern Bonding and Riveting, Today and Tomorrow Dave Gruskos, RAE Understand the future of changing materials in auto industry construction. Learn why, where and how this will affect collision repair processes. Understand the modern applications of gluing and different riveting processes used in the modern fleet of vehicles. RD2P: Strength Building for Being a Successful Businessperson Bill Park & Dr. Byron Bissell, MpowerU This workshop is for those collision repair specialist business owners/managers who understand that being a successful businessperson is a great deal more than owning or managing a shop or shops and who desire to strengthen their businessperson skills. Participants will be introduced to a unique perspective of what a businessperson is, which has been derived by the presenters from schema theory.

Wednesday - 10:00-noon RD2F FREE Session: Presented by the SCRS Education Committee Mark Algie, Shawn Collins and Dennis Keicher, 3M Dispelling Collision Repair Technical Myths

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RD3U: Reputation Matters: How Your Online Reputation Can Help or Hurt Your Business David Tulkin, Demandforce You know intuitively that your online reputation is important, but how do you manage it? Which third-party sites are most important? How does social media and mobile play a part? David Tulkin, an automotive marketing expert, will give you a practical guide on how to build your best possible reputation and teach you how to leverage your shop’s most important asset: its reputation.

RD3P: Insurer Scorecard Improvement Tactics Steve Trapp, Axalta Performance Coatings, and Mike Anderson, Collision Advice With many insurers and fleets relying on performancebased scorecards, this session provides repairers insights as to how to improve repair center performance so as to optimize the score achieved while balancing the need to make a profit.

Wednesday - 3:00-5:00 RD4U: Parts Procurement Best Practices Mike Anderson, CollisionAdvice In the average collision repair shop, parts are typically 38 to 40 percent of the average repair cost. In this seminar, Mike Anderson addresses every aspect of parts management, from accounting for parts on a profit and loss statement, how to make adjustments for work in process (WIP), and the best reports for managing parts from your management system. The seminar discusses how to utilize technology to get the right part the first time and includes an overview of free websites that allow you to see all of the same parts diagrams as the OEM dealers. Have you been

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SHOW PREVIEW » Place Your Bets looking for a proven method for getting the right part every time? In this seminar, you’ll learn not only what mirror matching means, but who should be responsible for it and exactly how to mirror match parts correctly. You’ll learn everything you need to know in order to implement these procedures in your repair center. RD4E: Marketing to Consumers — Supporting Customer Pay Sales Efforts Steve Trapp, Axalta Performance Coatings, and Robert Rick, RR Custom Solutions With 35 to 40 percent of customers asking repairers to write customer-paid estimates and a historical 50 percent closing ratio on these estimates, improving sales skills for these more price sensitive customers is key. This course will review and practice the advisory sales process and how it uniquely applies to this segment of prospective customers. We will then discuss sales support tools that would be useful to help reinforce your unique value proposition to close more sales. Finally, we will reinforce followup strategies to help optimize performance. At the end of the course, we will create a personal improvement plan per attendee. RD4P: Competing in a Consolidated Marketplace Tim Ronak, AkzoNobel Performance Coatings This session will focus on the details of the current consolidation activity within the collision industry. Publicly

available information will be shared regarding the pace and growth of consolidation within the U.S. market. Individual organizations need to look at how other industries have reacted to consolidation. A discussion on some industry trends regarding vehicle construction techniques, integrated technology and CAFÉ mile per gallon rules are creating an environment where some niche business opportunities may exist to not only survive but thrive in the consolidating world.

Thursday - 10:00-12:00 RDE3F FREE Session: Presented by the SCRS Education Committee Dr. Jane Valenta and Dr. Gareth Hughes, PPG Refinish How Did They Do That?! Secrets of the Refinish Masters

Thursday - 12:30-2:30 RD5U: Social Media Strategies for Your Business Mark Claypool, Optima Worldwide This in-depth workshop will cover why effective social media participation is a crucial component to your overall Web presence. Which platforms should you be participating in: Google+? Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn? YouTube? Yes to all of these, and each is different from the others and requires an understanding of how to make the most of your time and efforts in managing your corporate social media.

What’s Happening Santana Check out guitar great Carlos Santana and his host of talented accompanists as they play an intimate selection of their most popular hits. Rumor has it that this is the

first time the classic lineup of Woodstock fame has been reunited since the ’70s – so watch as history is made! Nov. 6-8 at the House of Blues Mandalay Bay

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

Rod Stewart Though he’s approaching 70, Rod Stewart’s proving that he’s still got it with the recent release of his new album, “Time” – and he still has that fantastic hair. Catch one of the greatest classic artists of the ’80s belt out hits such as “Maggie May” and “Forever Young.” Nov. 6 at Caesars Palace

Evil Dead The Musical If happy-go-lucky musicals aren’t exactly your cup of tea, then perhaps watching singing demons dance on stage is more your style. The show combines elements from Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness to tell a hilarious, quirky tale that even the biggest horror film buff can sing along to. Nov. 8 and 9 at the V Theater Miracle Mile Planet Hollywood

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SHOW PREVIEW » Place Your Bets In two quick hours you’ll be well-versed in what it takes to build your brand online, get people to “join the conversation” and differentiate your business from the competition. RD5E: Maximizing Efforts Through Blueprinting and Shop Layout Tim Morgan, Spanesi Americas This training session will offer attendees a look into the changing design of today’s repair strategies through implementation of blueprinting, shop layout and flow. Focusing on damage detection up-front helps dictate the needs the vehicle will have throughout the complete repair process. We will analyze the impact of shop layout and flow to adjust the current movement of vehicles in the facility, along with the equipment and process evaluations to make the facility meet more efficient demands. RD5P: Succession Planning: Is Your Shop Ready for the Next Generation? Erica Eversman, J.D., Vehicle Information Services This presentation is designed to ensure that shop owners consider issues for legacy and estate planning purposes. Shop owners need to consider how to best transition from direct responsibility for shop management to a behind-the-scenes or non-existent role. The session identifies considerations such as moving forward after the unexpected death of an owner, tax planning, and succession planning for least disruptive and financially advantageous transitions.

Are they being greeted promptly…respectfully…with a smile? And that’s just the beginning! How would they rate the experience of the entire process? Was it so great that they would never consider another shop? Or, would they just say, “I’m satisfied?” What would you say if you were told that “just satisfying” your customer is worthless? Satisfied means you did your job – nothing more, nothing less. Merely satisfying your customer is not going to bring them, or their family and friends, back. The reality is that many owners and managers assume that their shops are the best when, in fact, they are just another “me, too.” Our research has shown that as much as 50 percent of customers have had a negative experience at the first point of contact. Fortunately, Elevating the Customer Experience provides a practical approach to customer satisfaction that will “rock” your customers, as well as your competition. Discover how creating “memorable experiences” can provide a true competitive advantage by making extraordinary customer service the centerpiece of your marketing strategy. RD6P Panel: If I Knew Then What I Know Now – Lessons Learned Selling My Body Shop

Friday - 10:00-12:00 RDE4F FREE Session: Presented by the SCRS Education Committee Joe Blanton, Car-O-Liner Equipping Yourself for Industry Certifications

Friday - 12:30-2:30 Thursday - 3:00-5:00 RD6U: Collision Center Parts Management Tim Ronak and Scott Wheeler, AkzoNobel Performance Coatings This is a detailed review of the overall impact the organization of parts management has on the collision repair business. The focus is on minimization of cycle time-related delays due to incomplete or poorly processed parts orders causing interruption in the workflow. The seminar features proven ways to minimize cash tied up in parts inventory through more effective ordering and return strategies, along with management of payable invoicing. Effective parts storage strategies are also illustrated, including newer leanbased strategies utilizing mobile part storage solutions, many of which can be found at the SEMA Show. Attendees will receive a sound overall parts management strategy, and will be provided with several takeaway forms and tools that can aid in implementing the program. RD6E: Elevating the Customer Experience James Berkey and Dave Mitchum, PPG Refinish In a perfect world, you believe that your employees are the best in the business. You’re confident that your customers are receiving “best in class” customer service. But are they?

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RD7U: Protect Your Business – Understanding That Insurance Coverage Is Not One-Size-Fits-All Paul Hulsebusch, Sonora Insurance Insurance can mean different things to different people; there are so many variables to consider when trying to determine the correct path for your corporate insurance program. Insurance is not a one-size-fits-all product. You have to consider buying decisions, internal exposures, risk appetite, loss experience, business changes, state laws, federal laws, case law, economic trends, catastrophic insurance losses, employee changes, costs and other factors. You have a collision repair business to run; how can you find the time to make sure you are selecting the insurance programs that are right for you and not just getting the coverage someone else thinks is right for your business? RD7E: Want Higher Rates? Obtain Payment For Necessary Repair Procedures Erica Eversman, J.D., Vehicle Information Services This presentation will aid collision repairers in understanding that working collectively with others in the repair industry is beneficial. This program is designed to

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SHOW PREVIEW » Place Your Bets

highlight repairers’ successes in increasing rates received for labor and materials and obtaining payment for necessary repair procedures. Participants will be provided with information and materials to understand how working together with other repairers can be done in a legal manner that reduces costs and creates a network of knowledgeable resources.

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RD7P: Creating a Parallel Universe: Reinventing the Collision Repair Industry Scott Biggs, Assured Performance Network Forewarned is to be forearmed. This program will give you both good news and bad. It will allow you to better understand profit, prosperity and business survival in the decades ahead. This presentation will take a futuristic look at the industry and take a deep-dive exploration of trends that are shaping the collision repair industry now and in the future. You will see alternative versions of the future based upon the secret, and not so secret, plans and agendas of insurers, MSOs and OEMs. The program will compare alternative futures for the industry based upon totally different realities. The contrast will allow you to see how the tactics and strategies of various organizations will set the industry on a course toward one reality or another. The choice is yours, and you choose the road forward.

Become part of the BodyShop Business Readers group and participate in lively conversations with industry professionals on hot topics in the collision repair industry! Visit: http://linkd.in/18aL71K

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Booth Previews With SEMA and AAPEX just around the corner, you’re probably getting the itch to start spending money on equipment and products. Let the fun begin! The BodyShop Business SEMA/AAPEX Booth Previews 2013 is packed full of potential purchases. If something in this paid-for sampling of products and services catches your attention, you can get more information by visiting the company’s booth at SEMA (Nov. 5-8) or AAPEX (Nov. 5-7). If you won’t be attending any of these shows, fill out the Reader Service card found in this issue between pages 60 and 61 and drop it in the mail.

GFS To Unveil New Ringbrothers Car At SEMA 2013 GFS is excited to unveil the latest Ringbrothers muscle car at SEMA 2013. Painted inside the Ringbrothers’ GFS PERFORMER paint booth, the neverbefore-seen “BLIZZARD” ’65 Mustang Fastback will be revealed at:

Global Finishing Solutions – Booth #11239 North Hall, Collision Repair/Refinish Section 1:00 p.m. – Tuesday, Nov 5, 2013 GFS is also offering a Limited Edition Ringbrothers PERFORMER paint booth package at a special price, and limited-time deals on new accessories like paint booth parts hanging racks and GFS’ new paint booth sound system! Visit www.globalfinishing.com or contact info@globalfinishing.com for more information.

Kaeser To Showcase AirCenter At SEMA 2013 Kaeser Compressors, Inc. will have the AirCenter on display at the upcoming SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The AirCenter is a packaged compressed air system with a Sigma rotary screw compressor, refrigerated air dryer and optional filter – all compactly mounted on a receiver tank. The small footprint and super-quiet operation lets you place the system almost anywhere, while the energy efficiency, easy maintenance and Kaeser durability offer the lowest possible life cycle cost. Simply connect the power and air-line, and you have a fully operational compressed air system. AirCenters are available in simplex or duplex compressor configurations with size ranges from 3 to 30 hp and working pressures available from 80 to 217 psig. The duplex configuration offers added energy efficiency by running only the compressor(s) needed to meet the current demand. All Kaeser Compressors come with the support from our factory-trained technicians and compressed air system

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

experts. Whether your concern is air quality, reducing shop noise or reducing time spent on maintenance, Kaeser products help increase quality, efficiency and productivity. Kaeser knows that today’s automotive facilities have high standards and, with the rising cost of labor, tools, paints and other materials, re-work is expensive. Dry, clean compressed air at a stable system pressure is essential for high-quality results, and with a Kaeser, that’s what you get. For more information on the Kaeser AirCenter, visit www.kaeser.com/aircenter or visit us in Booth #20133 in the Central Hall or Booth #10264 in the North Hall to see and hear the AirCenter running!

Booth Previews UniCure ZAPPER 3006 The UniCure Zapper 3006 is a downdraft side-exhaust spraybooth that comes standard with a full paint and curing system, tri-fold product doors with large windows, a personnel door with a large window and (14) four-tube light fixtures. This booth is constructed of 3” Rockwool insulated double panels and is powder-coated white inside and out. UniCure can also custom build to meet your specific needs. With premium quality, superior features and more than 32 years in business, UniCure has the products and support that your business expects. For more information about our complete product line, visit www.spraybooths.com or call (800) 868-3033.

Magnetic Fixtures And Hand Lifters Tacking your welds just got easier. Use Lincoln Electric’s magnetic angle fixtures to accurately position and hold steel for tacking. Use the company’s new hand lifting devices to handle steel safely at the workplace by minimizing hand contact with hot or sharp-edged steel.

Booth #23527

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Booth Previews What We Do Transtar has provided a wide variety of products and services focused on the automotive paint and body aftermarket and specialty coatings for more than 30 years. We focus on the needs of our customers to provide the right mix of products, services, support, price points and information. We believe the resolution of our customers’ pain is what constitutes a true solution. Why We Do What We do We believe cars are more than just metal. They’re a carrier of precious cargo, an expression of who we are and sometimes a personal statement and work of art. We value cars and the people who refinish them.

We are dedicated to helping our customers fix, finish and restore cars – successfully. For consumers and enthusiasts, we want to help make their cars look better than new. And for our business customers, we help them deliver excellent customer satisfaction and generate a profit. Ultimately, when cars look great and our customer succeeds, we succeed.

Professional Series Truck Bed Liner – Now In 2-Gallon Kits! Scorpion Protective Coatings, Inc. now offers its Professional Series Truck Bed Liner in 2 Gallon Kits. The Scorpion 2 Gallon Kit Program is a perfect fit for automotive collision and repair shops because it comes pre-measured and ready to mix. This will eliminate the chance of off-ratio mixing. Another benefit is the reduced inventory for the applicator. Scorpion continues to provide a lucrative and proven bed liner system to its customers. This tough, durable polyurethane spray is easy to apply and attaches to nearly any surface. Scorpion offers many color options or it can be custom colored.

www.scorpioncoatings.com

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

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»| Industry Update |« SCRS continued from pg. 13 believe that solutions with tangible value propositions will be utilized and supported by the marketplace without the undue influence of insurer mandate. The encouragement to embrace open platforms to enhance performance, rather than rely on exclusionary program agreements influenced by one or more of the participants, follows an acknowledgement from State Farm Insurance that the nation’s largest carrier is transitioning from “piloting” the requirement to use the PartsTrader online part sourcing and ordering program, in select marketplaces, to a tiered national

rollout. State Farm had previously included a provision in its Select Service Agreement requiring participating repairers to agree to utilize automated replacement parts locating services or applications, as specified by the insurer, for ordering and/or sourcing replacement parts. According to SCRS, as the program rollout developed, so did the rules of engagement surrounding it. The organization provided a brief rundown of the history of the program: 䡲 In May of 2012, State Farm issued a video on its B2B website where Auto Estimatics Consultant George Avery expressed:

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“...repairers are in control of who provides your parts, regardless of the part type. We have worked with PartsTrader on a process that [enables] you to maintain your relationships and negotiated deals with your vendors. We understand that relationships with your suppliers are important in managing your business, much in the same way we value our relationship with you.” 䡲 In an email distributed within the same month, PartsTrader communicated to suppliers who had declined the offer to participate in the quoting process that:

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“State Farm Select Service repairers will be placing all parts orders related to State Farm claims via the PartsTrader application from [date]. During our discussion you indicated that this was not in your interest to register online with PartsTrader to participate in the intended parts procurement process. We respect your choice and want to make sure you are still able to receive those State Farm orders. With that stated, it is not our intent to come between the relationships you have built with the shops. This email is to confirm that we have now modified

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»| Industry Update |« your company’s configuration to be a ‘Fax Only Supplier.’ This means that a repairer can place an order to your company in PartsTrader, and we will send that order to you at the fax number...Note: This process means you will not participate in the quoting process, and repairers may order from suppliers that have quoted first, then direct order any remaining parts to you via the ‘direct only’ option.” 䡲 Just over a year later, the option to not be a fully active participating supplier was revoked. In

an email communication issued in July of 2013, PartsTrader advised Select Service repair facilities in certain markets that: “As you were notified in a previous email, PartsTrader is discontinuing the fax only option for suppliers who choose not to utilize the PartsTrader platform as a fully active participating supplier... When you use PartsTrader after July 31, suppliers which you have nominated to use PartsTrader but have not yet begun to use the PartsTrader application to provide quotes or ac-

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

cept orders, will no longer appear on your system as an available vendor, and therefore will no longer be able to receive orders placed in PartsTrader via fax.... We would of course like you to encourage these suppliers to participate, but you should also identify suppliers for those makes who are participating to avoid any purchasing issues on August 1 or later. We can assure you that we do have participating dealers covering every major vehicle make in the [market] area.” According to SCRS,

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“The rules of the game are changing and it is apparent that maintaining the relationships and negotiated deals of participating repair facilities is only a priority, so long as all involved submit to do business in the manner prescribed by State Farm Insurance, and other carriers with similar programs. Today these mandates address parts sourcing and ordering, but there is valid concern that they open the door to future market manipulation and influence over other similarly critical collision businesses purchasing habits as well.”

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»| Industry Update |« CIC panel continued from pg. 13 Amberson. “We have a number of laws that frankly aren’t enforced. I’ve had the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., through ASA’s Washington representative Bob Redding, and I found it very educational to meet with representatives of Congress and senators and to see that some days, there is a constant parade of groups going in and out of their offices representing their desires. And it reinforces the message how important it is for us to maintain our own representation there.” Reichen of Precision Auto Body & Paint’s

comments were more frank, addressing the gamesmanship that goes on in Washington to get laws passed. “There are laws and regulations out there that seem to be pick and choose,” he said. “One of the biggest issues we have is that some of these laws are outdated, some should be sunsetted and others just need to be enforced. It’s unfortunate that certain lobby groups have the ability to put pressure on some laws, and it seems like those laws are the ones where a blind eye is turned. It depends what industry has the biggest portion of the ear at that

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

point. So it’s a mixed bag. On the environmental side, a lot of the laws might be over the top, but other laws should be enforced that aren’t.” Allstate’s Hansen said it’s hard to bring what’s talked about at CIC to legislators in an understandable format. “It’s difficult to have conversations around legislative support when you’re trying to articulate to someone who is further away from the issue than anyone in this room what that is and how it can be best be attacked. That’s where I think we have a lot of work to do,” Hansen said.

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Hansen had a little different take on the effectiveness of current laws. “Does regulation work? It absolutely does. Once you get regulation, it works, and people will be monitoring those regulations.” Janet Chaney brought up the importance of keeping up with legislative efforts regularly. “It’s not easy, but the word that comes to my mind is vigilance. We all need to stay vigilant with what’s going on and pay attention because things will be happening to your business that you need to know about.”

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»| Industry Update |«

National NABC Asks Collision Industry to Join Effort to Curb Texting and Driving As an advocate of the It Can Wait movement, the National Auto Body Council (NABC) issued a call for its members and others in the collision industry to join the nationwide effort to curb texting and driving on Drive 4 Pledges Day, Sept. 19. Drive 4 Pledges Day is a national day of action that aims to have every driver make a personal commitment to never text and drive and to also recruit

others to do the same. The NABC is urging drivers to make the pledge online at www.goatt.us/NABC, a dedicated link created by AT&T specifically for the NABC’s efforts. The campaign is a collaborative effort between major wireless carriers AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. As part of the nationwide Drive 4 Pledges Day, NABC member companies implemented a variety of

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

promotional events in their local communities to educate employees and the general public – particularly teens – about the dangers of texting while driving. “This is one of the most important issues facing our communities today,” said NABC Executive Director Chuck Sulkala. “Our collision industry knows far too well the impact of texting and driving. We can salvage vehicles, but we cannot salvage a life. We urge our friends and colleagues in our industry to take a leadership role and join us to help save lives.” While texting is by far the biggest distraction on the road right now, the

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NABC notes that any driving distraction is dangerous, including phone calls, reading emails, eating behind the wheel, changing CDs and applying makeup. “We need to educate and reinforce this message within our own companies, our employees, and those who drive fleet vehicles and company cars about the potential dangers of texting and other distracted driving habits,” said Mark Lovell, chair of the NABC’s Distracted Driving Committee. “We encourage all drivers to ensure safety for all by taking the It Can Wait pledge not to text and drive or engage in any distracted driving behaviors.”

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»| Industry Update |« Indiana Autobody Association Announces Support of SCRS Position on Insurer Mandates The Indiana Autobody Association (IABA) has announced its full support of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ (SCRS) recent position statement on insurer mandates. The IABA believes that all repair decisions, vendor selections and business processes should be left to the collision repair professionals who work on vehicles and have been entrusted by vehicle owners to make correct repair decisions. The IABA also believes that the intent of these

mandated programs is not to improve efficiency in any current business process, or for the benefit of the vehicle owner. It believes these attempts are solely driven by in-

surers and other third parties seeking to make additional profits and gain control of the collision repair business through practices that can be considered extor-

tion and tortious interference, as previously identified in the 1963 Consent Decree, and the IABA says it will deter these actions using the fullest extent of the law.

Iowa Collision Repair Association Backs SCRS Position on Insurer Mandates The Iowa Collision Repair Association (ICRA), an affiliate of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), has announced that it has joined SCRS and other collision industry associations in condemning third-party mandates upon collision repair businesses. ICRA says it supports and endorses the position SCRS stated in early September regarding mandates that the insurance industry imposes on the collision repair industry. In

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

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particular, the statement addressed State Farm’s rollout of the PartsTrader electronic parts procurement program. “The rules of the game are changing, and it is apparent that maintaining the relationships and negotiated deals of participating repair facilities is only a priority, so long as all involved submit to do business in the manner prescribed by State Farm Insurance and other carriers with similar programs,” SCRS stated.

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»| Industry Update |« AASP-NJ Issues Statement of Support for MCRA Suit Against PartsTrader The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) has announced its support of the Mississippi Collision Repair Association’s recently filed suit against PartsTrader and State

Farm that aims to prevent the two entities from bringing the program to Mississippi. “What part of ‘no’ doesn’t State Farm understand?” says AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant.

“The collision industry has clearly rejected the concept of PartsTrader, yet State Farm is taking the position that they are going to force PartsTrader on the collision industry – like it or not. This lawsuit should be a wake-up call for State Farm. State Farm’s attempt to create the appearance that they are trying to help the collision industry solve a problem has clearly failed. “It has become blatantly clear that State Farm is really attempting to further line their pockets on the backs of the collision industry by transferring part of the profit derived from parts from the collision industry to the insurance industry. If PartsTrader was good for the collision industry, State Farm would have been able to convince the industry to accept the concept by now. Instead, the collision industry has spoken – not ‘No,’ but ‘Hell no!’ If State Farm doesn’t wake up and back off now, I predict that this lawsuit is only a taste of what is to come.”

AMI and Babcox Media Announce 2013 Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship Recipient The Automotive Management Institute (AMI), in conjunction with Babcox Media, has announced Myles Dahlgren, director of mechanical operations for Lamettry’s Collision in Lakeville, Minn., as the recipient of the Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes a management- Myles Dahlgren oriented member of the Automotive Service Association (ASA). The recipient receives $1,000 to be applied toward expenses to attend educational sessions and view Circle 90 for Reader Service

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»| Industry Update |« the latest repair technologies and equipment during the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS), Oct. 16-18 in Las Vegas. Dahlgren has worked in the automotive service industry for 13 years. He holds several industry certifications and is currently completing the necessary requirements to earn his Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. “I’m grateful to be selected as the recipient of the Tom B. Babcox Scholarship and to be given this opportunity to improve my management skills and share that knowledge with those I

work with,” said Dahlgren. “I also look forward to meeting with owners, operators, techs

and instructors who are the driving force in our industry. Building relationships with these key

people will help keep me and those around me relevant in a constantly evolving industry.”

AMI and ASA Announce 2013 Emil Stanley Merit Award Recipient The Automotive Management InAs the scholarship recipient, stitute (AMI) and the Automotive Steinke will receive $1,000 toward Service Association (ASA) have expenses to attend educational announced that Mark Steinke, prosessions and view the latest repair duction manager for Rydell Collitechnologies and equipment dursion Center, Grand Forks, N.D., is ing the 2013 International Autothe recipient of this year’s Emil body Congress & Exposition Stanley Merit Award. (NACE), Oct. 16-18 in Las Vegas. Mark Steinke “I am honored to be selected as Steinke has worked in the collithe recipient of this scholarship.,” said sion repair industry for more than nine Steinke. “I’m looking forward to the trainyears. He is currently completing the necessary requirements to earn his Accredited ing and networking opportunities that Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. this scholarship makes possible. This opportunity will provide me with new When not working in the shop, he conknowledge acquired from many of the tributes his time to various community best instructors in the industry.” and industry organizations.

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»| Industry Update |« AMI and Babcox Media Announce

2013 BodyShop Business Magazine Scholarship Recipient

Mindy Johnson

The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and Babcox Media Inc. have jointly announced that Mindy Johnson, office manager, Classic Auto Collision, Escanaba, Mich., is the recipient of this year’s BodyShop Business Magazine Scholarship. AMI and Babcox present the scholarship annually to recognize management-oriented members of the Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) collision division.

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

The recipient receives $1,000 to be applied toward expenses to attend educational sessions and view the latest repair technologies and equipment during the 2013 International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE), Oct. 16-18 in Las Vegas. Johnson has worked in the collision industry for 11 years. She holds an associate’s degree in accounting and is currently completing the necessary requirements to earn her

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Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. When not working in the shop, she contributes her time to various community organizations. “I’m honored and grateful to be selected for this great opportunity to continue my education and look forward to expanding my knowledge of the industry through the educational sessions and networking events offered at NACE,” said Johnson.

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»| Industry Update |« AMI Announces 2013 Richard Cossette/Gale Westerlund Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Shelly Andrews

he Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) jointly announce that Shellie Andrews, operations manager for Dana’s Collision Center, Frederic-

ton, New Brunswick, Canada, is the recipient of this year’s Richard Cossette/Gale Westerlund Memorial Scholarship. Andrews has worked in the collision industry for more than 23 years and is currently completing the necessary requirements to earn the institute’s Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. When not working in the shop, she contributes her time to various community and industry organizations. Richard Cossette owned Lehman’s Garage in Minneapolis, Minn., and was a charter founder of AMI

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

and a $50,000 Charter Counselor contributor to AMI’s resource development effort EXCEL. He was the first chairman of EXCEL and was a recipient of AMI’s Annual Recognition Award in 1994. He was awarded an honorary Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation in 1997 to further recognize his commitment and dedication to AMI. He also held numerous leadership positions on the ASA board of directors and was active in several industry organizations until his death in 2002. Westerlund owned and

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operated Gale’s Auto Center in Blaine Minn., and was a $25,000 Guarantor contributor to EXCEL. He earned the Institute’s AAM designation in 1993, and also served on the ASA board of directors for many years. He was an active member of ASA and other collision industry organizations until his death in 2005. As the scholarship recipient, Andrews receives $1,000 to help cover expenses during the 2013 International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE), Oct. 16-18 in Las Vegas.

»| Industry Update |«

Personnel CAPA Elects Center for

for Auto Safety’s Ben Kelley to Board he Certified Auto Parts Association (CAPA) has announced the election of Ben Kelley, Center for Auto Safety (CAS), to its board. CAS, one of the original founders of CAPA more than 25 years ago, has been a

longstanding supporter of the association. Kelley has worked in the field of injury control for more than 40 years as an educator, researcher, author, policy expert and historian. A former official of the U.S. Department of Transportation, he was a principal archi-

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tect of the vehicle safety research and communications program of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, where he served as a senior vice president for 15 years. He has frequently offered congressional and public testimony concerning injury prevention. Kelley currently divides his time between teaching, consulting and writing about injury prevention. He also is director, injury control policy of the Trauma Foundation and a board member of the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University. In the past, he has served as a

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visiting faculty member and guest lecturer at Tufts University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Yale Medical School, Wisconsin Medical School and the University of California at Davis. “Ben brings an extraordinary amount of consumer knowledge and safety expertise to CAPA’s board,” said Jack Gillis, CAPA’s executive director. “We are excited to have Ben join CAPA’s efforts as we enter our second quarter-century of protecting both the market and consumers from poor quality parts.”

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»| Industry Update |«

Ed Salamy Appointed Executive Director of Quality Parts Coalition he Quality Parts Coalition (QPC) has appointed Ed Salamy as its new executive director, effective immediately. In addition to serving as an active member of the QPC, Salamy is the president of ETS Management Group Inc. and the executive director of the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA). Salamy brings 15 years of experience in the alternative parts supply channel,

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particularly when it comes to understanding how policy decisions can impact the broader collision repair parts industry. “This is a momentous time for the QPC, and it is essential that the Coalition continue to have dedicated leadership,” said outgoing interim Executive Director Dan Morrissey. “I am confident that with Ed’s experience and enthusiasm, the QPC will remain wellpositioned to achieve its

October 2013 | BodyShop Business

goal of finding a legislative solution to the design patent challenge.” The QPC supports the Promoting Automotive Repair, Trade and Sales (PARTS) Act (S. 780 and H.R. 1663), bipartisan and bicameral federal legislation that was introduced in April 2013. The PARTS Act would amend Title 35 of current U.S. design patent law, reducing the period during which car companies can enforce their design

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patents on collision repair parts against alternative suppliers from 14 years to 2.5 years. “I would like to thank Dan for his efforts and commitment on behalf of the QPC,” said Salamy. “I look forward to working with him and our members to fight for consumers’ right to access more affordable auto repair options when the need arises, especially when every dollar counts these days.”

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»| Industry Update |«

Team PRP Appoints New Logistics Director he Team PRP nationwide network of independent automotive recyclers has announced the appointment of Mike Hickman as the organization’s logistics director. “We are excited to have hired Mike Hickman for our new position of logistics director,” said Stacy Bartnik, Team PRP’s executive director. “His experience will certainly help support the rapid growth within the Team PRP network and expand our already

vast partner-to-partner transportation system, which in turn allows us to provide better service and quality to the end user, the professional repairer.” Sean Garber, a board member for Team PRP who has been instrumental in developing the freight system, added, “Mike’s addition to Team PRP is yet another important step that we have taken to assemble the very best professional team to manage our organization into the fu-

ture. Mike’s wealth of knowledge and experience in logistics will be hugely beneficial as we continue to grow our robust, industry-leading freight system.” Hickman brings an abundance of hands-on and executive experience in transportation and distribution management to Team PRP. Along with his reputation of excellence in previous logistics applications, Hickman’s achievements further include a number of in-

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dustry awards pertaining to top financial, safety and customer service successes. “I’m extremely pleased to join with these partners and play a part in expanding their burgeoning network,” Hickman said. “It is apparent that Team PRP is dedicated to being the leader in providing the highest quality parts and service to customers nationwide, and I’m truly looking forward to working with them in this capacity.”

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»| Industry Update |«

Consolidation Caliber Collision Opens New Stores in Colorado and California

Become part of the BodyShop Business Readers group and participate in lively conversations with industry professionals on hot topics in the collision repair industry! Visit: http://linkd.in/18aL71K

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Caliber Collision Centers has announced the acquisition of Mattocks Brothers Autobody in Denver, Colo., and the opening of a new location in Tustin, Calif. “Our new Denver and Tustin centers increase Caliber Collision’s locations to 132 as we continue to restore our customers to the rhythm of their lives in Colorado and California,” said Mark Sanders, COO for Caliber. Added Steve Grimshaw, Caliber CEO, “Today’s opening of two new Caliber locations in Colorado and California reinforces our commitment to add centers that provide the operational consistency, customer focus and cost management our clients require in today’s competitive insurance marketplace.”

Sterling Autobody to Donate $10,000 to Susan G. Komen Foundation Sterling Autobody Centers has announced that it will make a $10,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation as part of a month-long campaign to support breast cancer awareness. Throughout the campaign, Sterling employees will wear pink ribbon pins, and in-store banners, warranty packets and vehicle mirror hangers will support the breast cancer awareness message. A pink USB charger will also be placed in each delivered vehicle. “At Sterling Autobody Centers, our commitment to taking care of people goes far beyond the walls of our collision repair shops,” Circle 125 for Reader Service

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said Nick Notte, Sterling’s president. “We believe no business is whole without investing in the community. At Sterling, we’re passionate about getting our customers back on the road safely and swiftly, while providing unparalleled customer care throughout the experience. We also stand strong to support causes that touch lives and inspire. We are proud to support the lifesaving work of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.” Breast cancer awareness and Sterling’s culture of giving back is also featured in a short video that will be shared through a consumer marketing campaign. The in-house produced video was filmed in a Chicago-area shop and includes a voiceover from one of their customer service representatives. The video can be seen at http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=-J2Mk_CdeLM. As part of their weekly blog on DestinationSafety.com, Sterling shared the story of Jean King, senior national sales and relationship manager and 20-year breast cancer survivor.

CARSTAR Honors Marketing Award Winners at Conference CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts announced the winners of its top marketing awards at its National Conference in Las Vegas. The awards recognize the franchisees and individuals who deliver the marketing programs with the most impact throughout the year. Awards were distributed by David James, vice president of marketing. Steve Rigsby, marketing manager for the Colorado CARSTAR Business Group, was named Marketer of the Year for 2013. To be considered for the award, a marketer must have

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»| Industry Update |« supported corporate marketing programs like ACE, Make-A-Wish and Military Month; worked in marketing for at least one year; and participated in community involvement and creative marketing solutions. Rigsby also won the award in 2011. The Extraordinary Individual Contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation award went to Kurt Mueller of Kurt’s CARSTAR Collision Center in Marysville, Ill. The honor is presented to a store for its efforts to go above and beyond the normal call of duty to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Kurt’s CARSTAR Collision Center was chosen for its proactive approach to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation in its local market. The store also received the award in 2012. The Extraordinary Group Contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation award went to the Puget Sound Business Group in the Seattle region. The group supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation with an annual golf tournament and other fundraising efforts. “These stores are leaders in building and enhancing the CARSTAR brand locally and nationally, year after year,” said James. “Their delivery of unique, creative marketing programs has helped drive sales, increased market share and set the CARSTAR brand apart in their respective markets.”

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»| Industry Update |«

Corporate Sherwin-Williams A-Plus Network Adds Full Feature Claims Portal hanks to an expanded affiliation with Vehicle OwnersGuide.com, SherwinWilliams Automotive Finishes’ A-Plus Network shops will now have access to the provider’s Open Claims Gateway, a full feature claims portal that includes claims workflow, dispatching, estimate review, vendor e-Coupons, consumer translations and analytics. The new dispatching system is already populated with the A-Plus Network’s collision repair facilities and will provide a turnkey repair network for insurance companies throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Open Claims Gateway portal will dispatch cars to A-Plus shops, and then these facilities and insurance companies can use the system to manage the claims. “Open Claims Gateway will be provided free of charge to A-Plus Network facilities, and there is no contract to sign. This is another example of Sherwin-Williams helping our A-Plus members exceed their goals through leveraging our industry knowledge and relationships,” said Troy Neuerburg, director of sales excellence at Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes. “This system offers numerous benefits: when an insurance company wants to send a car to a shop, that facility is notified via an email and can use the system to accept or reject the assignment, upload photographs and estimates, review the estimate, update status and review their estimate KPI.” Added Steven Siessman, presi-

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»| Industry Update |« dent of VehicleOwnersGuide.com, “We are excited to partner with Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes and the A-Plus Network members to introduce our Open Claims Gateway to the industry. The system works in a mixed estimating system environment, is low cost and provides a full feature claims communications structure that a national network of collision repair facilities and insurers can immediately utilize. An insurer simply uses the system to enter and assign a claim to a collision repair facility, and the repairer and insurer use the system to manage the claim using only an Internet browser.” In addition to a full feature claims system, Siessman noted that users can generate a consumer estimate that translates the collision estimate to a consumer-friendly summary that explains the repairs using images and consumer text. This can be used by the A-Plus facilities to explain the repair and better serve the vehicle owners, as well as insurance users to better serve their insureds by providing

consumer-friendly documentation. The new portal also includes an e-Coupon program where parts and other vendors can present additional instant discounts or rebates to A-Plus facilities as an incentive to do business with them. The Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes A-Plus Network has long been affiliated with VehicleOwnersGuide.com, with members visiting its estimating analysis tool, EstimateScrubber.com. This is used in the repair planning process by prompting estimators to include commonly omitted items and better identify the repair cost associated with estimate line entries. Open Claims Gateway and EstimateScrubber.com are compatible with most estimating systems used by the leading insurance companies and allow repair shops to print a PDF file of an UltraMate, Pathways or Audatex estimate. When this estimate printout is uploaded to EstimateScrubber.com, the A-Plus Network member shop receives a free, detailed P-page analysis. Circle 129 for Reader Service

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»| Industry Update |«

WIX Announces Top 20 Schools in

2013 School of the Year Competition WIX Filters and O’Reilly Auto Parts, partners with Tomorrow’s Tech as title sponsors for the “2013 School of the Year” competition, have announced the Top 20 schools selected from nearly 160 entrants in the U.S. “This year’s nominations are a reminder that technical schools across the U.S. continue to embrace automotive training as part of their curriculum,” said Mike Harvey, brand manager for WIX Filters. “These skills are critical to auto technicians being trained in new technologies required to service today’s high-tech, complex vehicle systems.” The Top 20 schools are:

Region 1

䡲 Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School – Marlboro, Mass. 䡲 Elizabethtown Technical and Community College – Elizabethtown, Ky. 䡲 Lincoln College of Technology – Columbia, Md. 䡲 Windham Technical High School – Willimantic, Conn. 䡲 Lakewood High School – Lakewood, Ohio 䡲 Sinclair Community College – Dayton, Ohio

Region 2

䡲 Lincoln College of Technology – Indianapolis, Ind.

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䡲 Hoffman Estates High School – Hoffman Estates, Ill. 䡲 Northwest Iowa Community College – Sheldon, Iowa 䡲 Baker College – Flint, Mich. 䡲 Fox Valley Technical College – Appleton, Wis.

Region 3

䡲 San Jacinto College – Pasadena, Texas 䡲 R.L. Turner Automotive Technology – Carrollton, Texas 䡲 Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center – Choctaw, Okla. 䡲 Crowley’s Ridge Technical Institute – Forrest City, Ark. 䡲 Southeast Community College – Milford, Neb.

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»| Industry Update |« Region 4

䡲 Salt Lake Community College – Salt Lake City, Utah 䡲 Rio Hondo College – Whittier, Calif. 䡲 Westwood College – Denver, Colo. 䡲 Pocatello High School – Pocatello, Idaho “The ‘School of the Year’ competition has been a great success, and we are thrilled with the quality of entrants this year,” said Jeff Stankard, publisher of Tomorrow’s Tech, a Babcox Media publication for automotive students. “Babcox and Tomorrow’s Tech share O’Reilly Auto Parts’ and WIX Filters’ support to dedicated students vying to be the future leaders in this industry. “The annual contest is a great way to recognize automotive schools and highlight their instruc-

tors’ dedication in training the next generation of auto repairers, collision specialists and heavy-duty service personnel. We look forward to more opportunities to reward students’ and instructors’ commitment to automotive excellence.” This year marks the sixth year of the national contest to find and name the best technician training school in the country. The program is open to all high schools or postsecondary schools that have a subscription to Tomorrow’s Tech. Of the 158 entries for the 2013 contest, 60 were from different high schools, technical schools and colleges. The Top 20 schools have been asked to submit a video highlighting their tech programs by Sept. 23. Judges will review the video entries and select four finalists; the winner will be selected from the four finalists and announced in October.

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The winning school will receive a visit by Tomorrow’s Tech staff and program sponsors; $2,500 WIX Filters donation to the school’s program; O’Reilly and WIX Filters gear (hats, backpacks, key chains, shop banners and T-shirts, product samples); and an appearance by either the WIX or O’Reilly Auto Parts mobile marketing unit. In addition, the winning school’s instructor and guest will travel to Las Vegas and attend a Babcox Media recognition dinner at AAPEX in November. Each school that is nominated will receive national recognition on Tomorrow’s Tech’s website, as well as through social media outlets. Schools that are selected to the Final Four receive a professional automotive tool set and a $250 gift card from O’Reilly Auto Parts.

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Mitchell Launches RepairCenter Reputation Manager Mitchell has announced the availability of RepairCenter Reputation Manager. The new package offering combines real-time text and email updates with advanced customer insights from satisfaction surveys and social media data to improve repair shop and vehicle owner processes. The new bundle provides repair shops with the tools to increase repeat business and referrals by pro-

viding actionable insight into the customer experience, according to the company. Mitchell says that by adding the dimension of online customer satisfaction surveys and incorporating reporting and analytics technology, repair shops can now better identify steps during the repair process that can be improved. “Customer retention and business growth go hand in hand, but

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until recently, repair shops haven’t had the breadth of automated tools needed to improve upon the customer experience,” said Anlin Sethi, senior manager of product management, auto physical damage solutions. “By incorporating real-time interaction and engagement, alongside robust survey analytics, Reputation Manager allows repair shops to improve their reputation and build stronger customer bases.” RepairCenter Reputation Manager features a Text Analytics Engine and Customer Sentiment Dashboard that provide actionable data from open-ended survey questions and social media chatter. “The dashboard is a very quick and easy way to see how your business is performing,” said Kelly Raz, director of operations for Kadel’s Auto Body in Portland, Ore. “When technology can provide the analysis for us and there is no need to spend hours reading a bunch of surveys, that is a good thing.” In addition, Reputation Manager will include Mitchell’s RepairCenter Web Status tool, a communications feature that keeps customers informed throughout the repair process. Web Status allows shops to communicate the status of a repair to customers via an online Web portal, email or text message.

»| Industry Update |« Atlas Copco Included in Dow Jones Sustainability Index for Third Consecutive Year The Atlas Copco Group (Atlas Copco AB) has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the third consecutive year. “Sustainable productivity lies at the heart of Atlas Copco’s commitment to innovation and growth,” said Jim Levitt, president, Atlas Copco North America LLC. “We continually strive to increase productivity in ways that make a positive impact on society and the environment, and we are honored to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index again in 2013.” Inclusion in the Sustainability Index is based on annual company assessments and comparison to industry peers. Key factors in this review include management of opportunities and associated

risk that are derived from economic, environmental and social developments. Corporate governance and strategy, as well as key performance indicators like emission and waste, are also taken into consideration. Earlier this year, Atlas Copco

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was named a “leader” in the FTSE4Good Index, which measures globally recognized corporate responsibility standards in environmental, social and governance practices. Atlas Copco is also a member of the Top 100 Global Sustainable Companies and is ranked one of the world’s most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute.

LKQ Corporation Announces Grand Prize Winner of 2014 Car Calendar Contest LKQ Corporation has selected the winners of its 2014 LKQ Car Calendar Contest. Car enthusiasts had the opportunity to be featured as one of 14 finalists in the 2014 calendar. The grand prize winner is Ubaldo Bosques of Jacksonville, Fla., for his entry of a 1963 Volkswagen Double Cab. He will receive an expenses-paid trip to the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, along with a feature on the cover of the 2014 LKQ Car Calendar, a limited edition Car Calendar T-shirt and a 24-by36-inch poster of his winning entry.

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Chief University Expands Fourth Quarter Training Schedule Chief University, the training arm of Chief Automotive Technologies, has added 12 classes to its fourth quarter schedule, including three more sessions of its Design Based Repair course. Already, 11 of the 34 total classes scheduled for October, November and December have been filled, so register soon to secure a seat in a

remaining session. Courses combine classroom learning with hands-on training using recently damaged vehicles. Most Chief University classes cost $655 and include comprehensive training materials and certificates of completion. Structural Damage Analysis is a three-day course that costs $985. The courses

are led by professional Chief certified instructors and approved for ICAR credit hours through the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance program. Chief training also has been certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) for compliance with the Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) Standards.

AkzoNobel Announces 2013 FIT Sustainability Award Winners • Communicate with BodyShop Business editorial team • Learn about promotions/contests • Live trade show coverage

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AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings Americas (A&AC) has announced the recipients of the fourth annual AkzoNobel FIT Sustainability Award for 2013. The winners include: 䡲 Given’s Collision Repair Center, Inc. – Fredrick, Md. 䡲 Collision Repair Education Foundation – Hoffman Estates, Ill. 䡲 Haury’s Lake City Collision – Seattle, Wash. “We are delighted to recognize these leaders with the FIT Award,” said A&AC Americas Director of Marketing Laura Costello. “From ensuring that the collision repair industry has an ongoing, well-trained and educated workforce to new processes implemented in repair centers targeting the reduction of waste and an improved carbon footprint, these thought leaders are doing their part to actively model and guide personnel and colleagues on the long-term impact that sustainable practices can have on our environment, the people around us, and business profitability.” The winners will be invited to participate in the third annual AkzoNobel Sustainability Leadership Symposium at the 2013 SEMA Show.

Product

Showcase Add Versatility to Your Vacuum

Quality Air Breathing System The Model 50 SL System will provide Grade “D” Breathable Air for a NIOSH approved respirator. With the provided 54-inch tool air hose, the system can also supply air for a spray gun. Complete with a fourstage filtration system, the Model 50 SL System filters the air while the on-board carbon monoxide monitor continuously checks the air quality for compliance with the current OSHA standards. The systems are available with 35-inch and 50-inch single line hose assembly.

The VaccUFlex kit consists of two specially engineered thermoplastic rubber caps that easily attach to wet/dry, upright or canister vacuum hoses, enabling the use of four sizes of small-diameter flexible tubing. The tubing will not collapse with vacuuming, and the caps’ design ensures VaccUFlex will not become clogged. The tube end is soft enough to shape with ordinary scissors, enabling it to clean angled or oddly shaped areas. VaccUFlex www.vaccuflex.com Circle 152 for Reader Service

Martech Services Company www.breathingsystems.com Circle 150 for Reader Service

Flexible Waterborne Primer for Plastics Hydroflex Plus Primer is a unique waterborne acrylic urethane primer surface designed for a wide range of plastics. It can withstand abuse and impact on a bumper cover and prevent cracking while providing excellent fill. It comes ready to spray, with no mixing or reducer required.

Retro Parts for Older Fords and Chevys Floors, rockers, door bottoms, quarterinch trunk floors, tail pans, floor braces, and other retro parts are now available for 1935-1958 Ford models and 19351954 Chevy models. Thse high-quality products are die stamped from 18gauge steel and include all OEM shapes, curves and grooves. EMS Automotive www.emsautomotive.com Circle 153 for Reader Service

Create Nearly Every Vehicle Color Specifically designed for repainting cars, Serie 500 is a tintometric system that uses highly concentrated color bases that are mixed with different binders to achieve products that can be used in basecoat or single-stage systems. It has 68 color bases that can be used to create nearly every vehicle color. Bernardo Ecenarro S.A. (BESA) www.bernardoecenarro.com Circle 154 for Reader Service

Transtar Autobody Technologies www.tat-co.com Circle 151 for Reader Service

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Âť| Product Showcase |ÂŤ

Collision Vending Solution As the only cloud-based, automated, secure inventory control system for collision centers, CollisionVend is Internet based, always available and integrated with ComCept.net jobber management and OrderLinx inventory control systems. The integration of the two systems allows for accurate pricing and automatic ordering in real time. The browser-based reporting also allows for inventory usage reporting by repair order, technician, machine and location. ComCept Solutions www.comcept.net Circle 155 for Reader Service

Easily Remove Trim Pieces The Trim Scraper Set is a compilation of 12 pieces including a heavy-duty body panel clip remover that provides more leverage on tough-toremove clips and 11 hard plastic pieces that are double-sided to offer a wider range of options. Designed to easily and simply remove interior and exterior trim pieces, the set helps remove a variety of materials ranging from tough to delicate safely to avoid ordering new parts.

High Capacity Scale Designed for 5-gallon mixes, PMA.Power EX is a high-capacity/ high-resolution scale with a stable 0.1g readability through the entire weighing range. It is ideal for shops that primarily do fleet accounts and require increased readability for dense high solids, pearls and whites. Sartorius www.sartorius.us Circle 158 for Reader Service

Precisely Equalized Lifting The 3,500-lb. capacity QuickJack portable jack system collapses to a 3-inch profile and can be raised to two feet in less than 10 seconds. The QuickJack provides an open-

Dent Fix Equipment www.dentfix.com Circle 156 for Reader Service

Compressed Air Filter Designed to operate most effectively when placed near the point of use, the 5 Micron Compressed Air Filter offers a two-stage filtration system that clears out all unwanted debris. The filter is available in sizes with flow ranges of 15 SCFM to 250 SCFM and pressure ratings of up to 250 PSI. Equipped with a permanently mounted differential pressure gauge and mounting brackets, the filter can be helpful in such applications as surface preparation, paint spraying, pneumatically operated equipment and many more. Walmec North America www.walmecna.com Circle 157 for Reader Service

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center design, rugged safety lock bars, remote pendant control on a 20-foot cord, quick-connect hoses and a built-in flow divider for precisely equalized lifting. The system comes with an eight-piece set of rubber lift blocks, positioning handles and a mini portable hydraulic power unit that runs off standard 110-volt current. A 12-volt DC unit is also available. BendPak www.bendpak.com Circle 159 for Reader Service

ADVERTISER INDEX COMPANY NAME

AFC Air Filtration Co. Aframe Spray Booths Airomax/U.S.Body Products Airvantage Tools Inc. Amerex Corporation American Honda Motor Co. Anest Iwata USA Atlas Copco Compressors LLC Automotive Mgmt Institute Axalta Coating Systems BASF Corporation BendPak Bernardo Ecenarro Big Sky Blair BMW Campbell Hausfeld CCC Cebotech Inc. Certified Auto Parts Association ChemSpec USA Chief Automotive CJJ Inc. Col-Met Spraybooths Crash-writeR Dent Fix Equipment Dent Magic Tools Driven Brands Inc/MAACO DV Systems Dynabrade Inc. Eagle Abrasives Eurovac Evercoat

PG. #

46 85 94 54 112 27 53 105 113 5 Insert 109, Insert 14-15 104 42 41 102 24, 104 80 19 33 56 88 17 Insert 11 112 82 44, 95 113 84, 100 109 3

COMPANY NAME

PG. #

Farecla Inc. 4 FBS Distribution Co Inc. 67 FS Curtis 58 Garmat USA 6-7 Global Finishing Solutions 31, 76 Goffs Curtain Walls 55 Herkules Equipment Corp. 36 I-CAR 37 Induction Innovations 74 Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc. 23 Island Clean Air 86 Kaeser Compressors 43, 76 Klean-Strip Automotive 69 Lancer Insurance Company 60 LiftMaster 91 Lincoln Electric Co. 71, 77 Logicar Inc. 74, 77 Malco Products 9 Martech Services Co. 108 Martin Tool & Forge/ Martin Sprocket & Gear, Inc.114 Masters School of Autobody 48 Matrix System Automotive Finishes LLC 21, 103 Maxzone Auto Parts Corp. 101 Mitchell International 18 Mobile Spray Technology 40 Motor Guard Corp. 106 NAPA 99 Nissan Motor Corp. USA 81 NRD LLC 110 Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly Auto Parts 97 Performance Gateway 106 PPG Industries 89 PPG Industries 2nd Cover - 1

COMPANY NAME

Pro Spot International Pro-Spray RBL Products Reflex Truck Liners Rubber-Seal Products S.A.I.M.A. Of N America Safety Regulation Strategies Sartorius Sata Spray Equipment Scorpion Truck Bed Linings Sherwin-Williams Company Shop-Pro Equipment Southern Polyurethanes Spanesi Spray Tech Steck Mfg. Co. Suburban Mfg. Sunmight Abrasives TG Products Tite Spot Welders Toyota Transtar Autobody Technologies TYC/Genera Corp. UniCure Spray Booths Urethane Supply Co. U.S. Chemical Valspar/Debeer Volkswagen Parts & Accessories Walmec North America Wedge Clamp Systems, Inc. Zendex Tool Corporation

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PG. #

Cover 3 61 49, 90 24 22 59 107 50, 102 87 78, 108 45 51 73 29 75 107 110 98 96 111 Cover 4 65, 78 93 39, 77 63 83 79 38 111 47 28

Classifieds Body Shop Inventory & Web Software by Rossknecht Software www.rossknecht.com

A Windows® inventory system for Body Shops that also salvage vehicles or have new/used parts to sell – vehicle and parts inventory, invoicing, reports, instant sales totals, bar-code labels, digital pictures, electronic catalog of body parts. NEW: Put your inventory on your Website included. No monthly fees. $895 complete. Free Demo CD. bpsales@rossknecht.com phone 303-884-5315

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Collision Shops, Towing, Auction Sites, Dealers, Recyclers, OEMs Tow Pro $2.50 Autowriter $3.50 Posca $3.50 Bopagla $2.00 Unipaint $3.86 MPD-15 $1.30 Volume Discounts!

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»| Classifieds |«

Recon Master School of Dents Paintless Dent Repair Training SEMA Show Discount Please call for information

502-883-1611 schoolofdents.com

www.bodyshopbusiness.com

WHEEL REPAIR MACHINES

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The

Shop Daren Pierse Owner Arizona Collision Specialists 䡲 Scottsdale, Ariz.

We hear it can get pretty hot in Arizona. I moved here in 1989 from Oklahoma at the end of October, and I thought it was the best thing in the world. It was dry and 70 degrees during the day and low 60s at night. But that next summer I had a rude awakening. A record high of 123 degrees was recorded at the airport. It was my first summer here, and the most brutal, too.

Are you a Diamondbacks fan? No, I’m more into college sports because I didn’t grow up with any professional teams in Oklahoma. I’m an Oklahoma State fan.

So how did you go from being a pastry chef to a collision specialist? I went from the kitchen to food and beverage management to resort management, which then led to resort development construction. From there, I built subdivisions. I caught the residential construction boom just perfect and got out just in time and was looking for a way to hedge my bet. Besides, my wife was ready to kill me for staying at home! So I thought investing in a collision shop would be a pretty good thing because people still wreck cars and I saw a ton of opportunity from the customer experience side of things. Growing up with the RitzCarlton and Sheraton, they beat that customer service into you constantly, so every time I look at organizations, the first thing I think about is how much opportunity might be on that front.

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Which do you enjoy the most, baking or cooking? I don’t bake much. My daughter had her birthday recently, and I had my former assistant pastry chef make the cake for me. With baking, you have to have all the right equipment to do it – the ovens, scales, etc. I don’t have that at my home anymore. And baking is a science – it’s a lot more difficult than cooking. Pastry chefs always say that anybody can stand behind a grill and pull something off it. But I do enjoy cooking, especially around the holidays.

What are your favorite things to cook? I’m heavily French influenced because that’s the way I was classically trained, so I’m a big lamb fan. Also, anything related to Thanksgiving.

Since you’re the cook, do all of the cooking responsibilities at home fall on you? This is bad, but we typically only eat at home on Wednesday nights. My daughter is very active in ballet and also off the charts with math, so we’re constantly going to tutoring sessions and ballet classes around town. So neither my wife nor I cook at all except for weekends when we’ll have big parties. But it’s she who handles the Wednesday night meal, not me.

What do you do to relax? I really like science and trying to understand physics and looking at how the big picture and the big solar system interplays with the small, nano, atomic scale. I like trying to figure out the link between those and why there is no golden formula we can apply to the super small as well as the super large. BSB

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