Today’s events
Saturday, AUGUST 2, 2014
MECHANICAL SESSIONS
8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 140C — How to Diagnose P0420s & P0430s (Catalyst Below Threshold) DTCs 140D — NEW! Understanding the Mysteries of Chrysler Diagnostics 140B — NEW! Sensor and Acutators Diagnosis and Testing, Powered by Bosch, Young Technician’s Symposium, Part 3 of 4
SHOW DAILY ASA Leadership Thrilled at Outcome of Show After a long week jam-packed with event after event, ASA and Stone Fort Group leaders sat in front of reporters Friday and described the show as a resounding success. “In a nutshell, we are absolutely thrilled with the outcome of the show,” said Darrell Amberson, chairman of ASA. “The attendance here on the floor, the education track, and the peripheral meetings
were all great. There were very few complaints, and lots of accolades.” Dan Risley, president and executive director, supported Amberson’s view, stating they were thrilled with the outcome after not knowing what to expect. “We had hoped for the best. We got the exhibitor support early, which helped. We weren’t sure what the registration numbers were go-
12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. 140C — Effective Use of Diagnostic Resources 140D — NEW! Ford EcoBoost, Sync and Integrated Diagnostic System; Ford’s Total Approach From Design to Diagnosis 140B — NEW! Braking Technology; ABS, Traction Control and Predictive Braking Operation, Service and Diagnostic Fundamentals, Powered by Bosch, Young Technician’s Symposium, Part 4 of 4
I-CAR ADD-ON EDUCATION
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 140A — 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course
ing to be, and I’ll tell you early on it was a little scary. But the last three months, it went way up. The only unknown was the walk-in traffic. We had the numbers on the floor, and the numbers on preregistration which were up over 35 percent, and we wanted to see what the walk-in traffic would be. If you ask the exhibitors, they would support our assertion that it was a very successful show, not because we’re saying it, but because the vendors felt it.” Brian Nessen, co-founder of Stone Fort Group, the management company that put on the show, commented on the type of attendees they had sought. “The direction from the ASA board and leadership was not to focus on the number of attendees in body count but the quality of attendees,” he said. “It was very key to get shop owners and decision mak-
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ers to get on the floor to look at equipment and ways to improve their shops to prepare for modern autos. That equipment is here on the floor, and the people who were here are the most progressive shop owners, and that was our goal.” Risley commented on the choice of Detroit for this year’s show. “One thing we looked to accomplish by having it in Detroit was having a show for the industry, about the industry, and we wanted people to participate on the show floor. Not that we didn’t want them to enjoy the city, but we wanted them here, in the demo area and classrooms. If you spent any time on the floor or hit a class, you saw that the people who attended actually participated.” Regarding the high participation, Risley said the demo area was so successful that they’re planning on
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expanding it in 2015. “Quite a few exhibitors were a little upset frankly that they didn’t get a chance to participate after seeing the success it had and asked if they could be considered in that area next year,” Risley said. Amberson said the huge number of events from the classes to the tours to the symposiums was intentional. “We knew from the beginning we had two stigmas to overcome: the stigma of Detroit and a declining show in the past. It was our hope that we would have such high quality exhibits, tours and educational tracks and knowing we may disappoint some people because we had so many activities. We were frankly hoping to hear the complaint that there were too many things to do what a nice, refreshing change from the past! Our hope was that people
who were here would go home and say what I experienced was great, I couldn’t get to everything, and Detroit was great, and cause the show to be bigger next year.” Risley praised the local support for the show during the Opening General Session on Thursday, and reiterated his comments at the close of the show Friday. “If you walked the show floor, you probably saw that a state trooper was present both days with his vehicle. That wasn’t hired security, that was a state trooper volunteering his time to be here to show that the state of Michigan cared about our show. Through your trails throughout the week in Detroit, if you didn’t experience a good thing with a cab driver, someone who worked at the hotel or someone who worked at the Cobo Center, it would be a surprise. We have continued to receive nice feedback from folks who said the people were really nice. It almost seemed the people here were in a customer service class on what it takes to win people back because they made a tremendous effort - not because of Darrell or Dan, but because they care about and have a lot of pride in their city.” Risley said for next year, adding a Saturday is under serious consideration due to many requests from exhibitors and attendees. “We’re going to consider a Saturday next year because we had a lot of requests. But when Darrell and I had to make the announcement that we were going to move the show to Detroit, we knew most people would be like, are you sure? And then if we were going to tell them we were going to hold it nine months later in the summer, they would say are you sure again. And if you guys were at Mandalay Bay nine months ago and saw how small the show floor was and saw the traffic, and then we told you we were going to go to a three-day show in summer in Detroit, I’m not
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sure a lot of people would have supported us right out of the gate. But we’re very happy to say we have had many exhibitors say, why
not Saturday, due to all the activity they saw this year on the floor.” Nessen said the Thursday-Friday timing also tied in with the attendees the show was targeting. “The people who can take Thursday and Friday are usually the higher level decision makers.” Risley wouldn’t say for sure if the 2015 show would come back to Detroit, but he said based on feedback that he feels there is a 90-plus percent chance it will. “Our exhibitors are asking us if we’re going to come back here, and we’re saying do you want us to come back here? Because ultimately, if they’re happy, we’re happy. We’re happy and could say Detroit, but if we go around and talk to our big exhibitors and they say it wasn’t a good show and we didn’t like the venue, then it doesn’t matter what we like. But we haven’t heard that.” For the sake of being accurate and transparent, the trio would not give out attendance numbers as a final tally hadn’t been completed yet. But Amberson did say regis-
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tered attendance was up close to 75 percent over last year, and they expected that number to climb once the final numbers were in. Last year, there were roughly 5,000 registered attendees. At the time of the press conference (4:00 p.m. Friday), Nessen said they were getting people registering 45 minutes prior. As far as exhibitor space, the Cobo Center has a total of 148,000 total square feet, and the show had just under 50,000 square feet of exhibit space filled, not including the demo areas. Last year, it was 24,000 square feet. Including the demo areas, the number was just over 71,000 square feet. There were 180 exhibitors total. “A lot of the exhibitors took a chance this year,” said Risley. “They said we will give you one more chance. We felt the pressure, but we made a lot of changes to respond to those needs, and I think the attendees and exhibitors have equally responded back with an affirmation that was positive. If you saw the demo areas, which was a new thing at this show that we can’t do anywhere else in the country, people were flocking to the back of the show floor and filling those seats. It’s an interactive show about the industry. Also, if you were at last year’s show, we had some people who had a booth but were not relevant to our business. This year, 98 percent of what you saw was relevant to our business.” The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and I-CAR Annual Conference contributed to making this week a true “industry week,” and Risley said CIC has verbally committed to follow the show wherever it goes, and I-CAR will be making their decision as to whether to hold their annual conference next year in the same city/timeframe as NACE | CARS within the next 30 days. I-CAR has, however, verbally committed to being back in the stage area of the show next year as it was this year.
The path to shop growth is adaptable leadership, service By Chris Crowell The NACE | CARS 2014 Conference isn’t just about the next great tool or the latest technical information, it’s also about running a better shop. Key to running a better shop is improving customer service and employing a motivated, professional team. These issues were the focus of Kim Trochlil, national account manager for Leadership 3p, during her Wednesday presentation on strategic leadership. What is situational leadership? According to Trochlil, it all comes down to understanding others and adapting both service levels and management styles to accommodate each individual personality. This is certainly no small task, but Trochlil provided a framework to consider. For improving customer service First, remember that customers usually dread buying vehicle repair services and walk in ready to receive no gratification, which already puts your shop at a disadvantage service-wise. Trochlil said to start by moving away from the concept of customer satisfaction and toward the concept of loyalty. Satisfaction implies that a customer got what it paid for — no more, no less. Will this customer return or refer your shop to someone else? Maybe. But a customer who makes a positive emotional connection you’re your shop is more likely to be loyal, return for service and consistently refer your shop. “What you do and sell is not rare; it’s everywhere, and I can go to anyone at any time. Why would I go to any of you?” Trochlil asked. “The world is built on trying to grab your attention, the only way to fight that is with loyalty.” As a shorthand, Trochlil divided
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people into four basic, broad categories: directors, relaters, thinkers and socializers. After a customer walks in your door, successfully grouping him or her into one of these categories, and then matching your approach to their expectations, could mean the difference between a loyal customer, a merely satisfied customer or, potentially, a dissatisfied customer. Directors are open and direct. They are strong-willed, practical and efficient. They prefer control and would like choices. Deal in facts, be clear and get to the point. Relaters are open and indirect. For them, it’s about trust and care. Be casual and slower with a relater. Interact with their kids, be sincere and don’t rush them. Thinkers are private and indirect. Thinkers are about the process. They’d like to analyze and see the facts. Stick to business and provide evidence. Best to avoid being too casual. Socializers are open and direct. This is the person that tells you their life story within five minutes. Ask their opinions, get to know them and quickly make it fun. Don’t get too technical and cold. Trochlil said each of these four categories are an equal, one-fourth of the population. Keep this in mind when mapping out best practices for your service approach. For improving managerial skills Trochlil summed up situational leadership like this: “Understand the situation you want to influence, adapt your behavior to meet the needs of the situation, and communicate in a way people will understand and accept.” Again, Trochlil sees situational
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leadership in four quadrants: telling, selling, participating and delegating. Telling is a high-task, low-relationship approach, often the approach you’d have with brand new employees. Here’s how this is done, here’s where this is, etc. Selling is a high-task, high-relationship approach. The employee understands the process, but now you’ve added more conversation. Participating is a high-relationship, low-task approach. Hopefully the employee has progressed to the point where you mostly check in on the work while having more conversations about life and interests. Delegating is low-relationship and low-task. You can basically golf everyday and know everything will be fine. “Just because you are a manager doesn’t mean you are a leader,” Trochlil said. Management is a title, focused on goals and forecasts, something Trochlil called position power. This person is just a boss. She encouraged moving the line more to personal power when possible, where trust develops between the boss and the employee. Each of these approaches depends on where that employee is. Are they an enthusiastic beginner? A developing learner? A challenging performer? Trochlil noted that situational leadership means you might need to move back from a participator to a seller if there is a new process, or if that employee has started slipping. “To do all of this you need leadership — moving away from command and control to a developmental approach,” Trochlil said. “How can I help you today? What’s the challenge today, and I’ll find a way to make it right.”
Students from Saginaw Career Complex, a $50,000 CREF grant winner, meet Chip Foose at the 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division booth. (L-R) Savannah Lintz, I-CAR scholarship winner, Corey Castillo, Chip Foose, Kurt Chrysler, instructor, Jonathan Wieland, Tyler Dillard
Chip Foose also did a special design on Lintz’ shop shirt.
CCC Information Services Presents Redesigned Mobile Solution CCC Information Services (CCC) introduced a newly designed CCC ONE Mobile solution at NACE | CARS, designed to offer a more streamlined experience for users. Designed for the iPhone, the CCC ONE Mobile app offers dozens of enhancements, including QR code and VIN scanning, smart photo data capture and automatic photo labeling. CCC ONE Mobile is free for repair facility users of CCC ONE Estimating with Digital Imaging enabled. “Moving quickly and efficiently around a vehicle during the checkin process means getting more cars in the door on any given day,” said Joseph Allen, GM, CCC’s au-
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tomtive services group. “Our CCC ONE Mobile app has been enhanced with smart technology features and an intuitive design to help in the data capturing process, saving time and making life a little easier for repairers. Today’s announcement is another example of power of the CCC ONE single platform and the ability to add functionality to the CCC ONE family of solutions. We’re also affirming our commitment and investment in mobile technology, which will allow us to bring even more functionality to more devices in the future.” Key enhancements of the CCC ONE Mobile app include:
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● Automatic Photo Labeling - Photos taken with the CCC ONE Mobile app are automatically labeled, saving time on each workfile. For example, when users tap the left top photo placeholder to capture the photo, it will automatically label it “Left Front.” ● Smart Photo Data – The CCC ONE Mobile app prompts repairers to input the odometer reading when a picture of the odometer is taken. The app also prompts for data input after taking a picture of the fuel gauge and license plate.
NABC Gifts Four Recycled Rides at NACE | CARS 2014 The National Auto Body Council (NABC) donated four Recycled Rides to local individuals and an organization in need during two presentations held Thursday, July 31 and Friday, Aug. 1 at NACE | CARS. The recipients were: ● Ernest Matthews, a U.S. military veteran nominated by the Michigan Veterans Association who received a refurbished 2007 Saturn Outlook XR to help him get to a new job and college classes. The vehicle was donated by Allstate and repaired by Service King in Livonia. ● Latoya Seales, a widowed mother of two who was rendered homeless after her husband’s untimely death and was nominated by Family Promise of Genesee County. She received a refurbished 2010 Hyundai Sonata donated by Allstate and repaired by TechCor Collision Repair Center. ● Deb Gregory, a survivor of domestic abuse who will use her 2012 Chrysler 200LX to find stable employment and eventually take college courses. The vehicle was donated by Hertz and Collision Craftsmen.
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● Family Promise of Greater Toledo, an organization that serves as an emergency homeless shelter for families. The organization’s mission is to keep homeless families together while providing the necessary tools to transition them from homelessness to self-sufficiency. The 2005 Nissan Quest that was donated by Geico and Butler’s Collision will help transport clients to job interviews and medical visits. Upon receiving the keys to their vehicles, the recipients took some time to give thanks to their donors, nominating organizations and NABC. One of Seales’ sons even grabbed the microphone to sing a few verses of “I Believe I Can Fly,” which brought some audience members to tears. “We truly believe that the recipients’ lives will be changed by these vehicles,” said Nick Notte, chairman of Recycled Rides. NABC has donated more than a thousand Recycled Rides nationwide to people and organizations in need.
Collision Repair Executive Symposium The Collision Repair Executive Symposium held yesterday shone a bright light on the rapid consolidation going on in the industry and the challenges MSOs are facing as they grow. Sessions covered "Marketing Dynamics," "Maximizing Capacity Utilization," "Changing Vehicle Design and Increasing Repair" and "Anatomy of an Acquisition."
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Schedule at a glance (T) - Technical, (MG) - Management
Saturday, August 2, 2014 Mechanical Sessions Time 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Location 140C
(T)
140D 140B
(T) (T)
140C 140D
(T) (T)
140B
(T)
Event How to Diagnose P0420s & P0430s (Catalyst Below Threshold) DTCs NEW! Understanding the Mysteries of Chrysler Diagnostics NEW! Sensor and Acutators Diagnosis and Testing, Powered by Bosch, Young Technician’s Symposium, Part 3 of 4 Effective Use of Diagnostic Resources NEW! Ford EcoBoost, Sync and Integrated Diagnostic System; Ford’s Total Approach From Design to Diagnosis NEW! Braking Technology; ABS, Traction Control and Predictive Braking Operation, Service and Diagnostic Fundamentals, Powered by Bosch, Young Technician’s Symposium, Part 4 of 4
I-CAR Add-On Education Time 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
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Location 140A
Event 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course
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mechanical sessions Saturday, August 2, 2014 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Rm. 140C – (T) How to Diagnose P0420s & P0430s (Catalyst Below Threshold) DTCs Speaker: G Trulia, president, Technicians Service Training Session Description: When the MIL is on and one of these codes are present, it becomes critical that your diagnosis is right. Replacing a high-dollar catalytic converter and having the same code come back a few days later is bad for your relationship with your customer. Join Trulia for a look at real root cause diagnosis and repair of catalyst codes. You will learn to: ● Identify interrelated systems, common problem components and systems ● Read and interpret scan tool data including Mode 5 and Mode 6 ● Utilize fuel trim, air fuel ratio and HO2S sensors ● Identify applications where programming is necessary ● Exploit state-of-the-art misfire analysis pressure transducers and interpretive software ● Correctly apply fuel system cleaning and de-carbonization Rm. 140D – (T) NEW! Unraveling the Mysteries of Chrysler Diagnostics Speaker: Pete Rudolff, owner, Pete’s Garage Inc. and Delaware Training Group Session Description: Understand some of the key powertrain and body nuances that make Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles just a little bit different. Scan tools, data BUSS as well as powertrain and body system issues will be covered. Taught by real techs with a realworld approach to simplifying testing approaches.
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Rm. 140B – (T) NEW! Sensor and Actuators Diagnosis and Testing Powered by Bosch, Young Technician’s Symposium, Part 3 of 4 Speaker: Jim Wilson, senior training instructor, Robert Bosch Session Description: This sequential series of four seminars, Powered by Bosch, is designed to help technicians with two to three years of automotive hands-on experience looking to build their knowledge in the areas of electrical, engine management and brake system technology. Session three features sensors and actuators: ● How to diagnose the more common automotive sensors ● Specific focus on mass air flow and oxygen sensor diagnostics ● Knowing how to get the most from a scan tool and lab scope ● Using a current probe to diagnose injectors and fuel pumps *Attending session three is conditional upon completion of session one and two in the series. No exceptions.
Saturday, August 2, 2014 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Rm. 140C – (T) Effective Use of Diagnostic Resources Speaker: Jason Sharrer, North Central regional supervisor Session Description: This threehour seminar covers resources that technicians can access daily, as needed, in the diagnosis and repair of today’s vehicles. Resources include manufacturer, aftermarket, government and Internet-based service information. Course content includes location of and access to both manufacturer service information and aftermarket service information. Additionally, content covers the viability and reliability of repair-related Internet
NACE | CARS Show Daily 2014 ● Saturday, August 2
sites and blogs and their place in the scheme of today’s repair environment. Content also includes government-based automotive-related websites, as well as diagnostic procedures, service tips and special tools. Rm. 140D – (T) NEW! Ford EcoBoost, Sync and Integrated Diagnostic System; Ford’s Total Approach From Design to Diagnosis Speaker: Donny Seyfer, co-owner, Seyfer Automotive, Inc. Session Description: EcoBoost is Ford’s answer to the fuel mileage, emission, customer power demand equation. EcoBoost vehicles tend to be “loaded” models with lots of electronics. To service these vehicles, you need to know how they work but you also need to be an expert with their onboard and diagnostic technologies. Using actual vehicles and Ford training materials, join Seyfer for this middle to advanced course where you will learn: EcoBoost: ● Design features ● Common concerns ● Unique maintenance requirements Sync: ● Design features ● My Ford Touch ● Updating techniques ● Ford Motorcraft service website setup and integration ● Customer preference settings Integrated Diagnostic System: ● Latest version features and what you need to use IDS ● Vehicle communication module compatibility ● Utilizing the Ford website to assist in diagnostics ● How Oasis can save you time looking for Special Service Messages not published anywhere else
Rm. 140B – (T) NEW! Braking Technology; ABS, Traction Control and Predictive Braking Operation, Service and Diagnostic Fundamentals - Powered by Bosch, Young Technician’s Symposium, Part 4 of 4 Speaker: Jim Wilson, senior training instructor, Robert Bosch Session Description: This
sequential series of four seminars, Powered by Bosch, are designed to help technicians with two to three years of automotive hands-on experience, looking to build their knowledge in the areas of electrical, engine management and brake system technology. Session four features Brake Technology:
● Fundamentals of braking forces review ● Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) overview ● Electronic Stability Control (ESP) ● Best recommended practices for brake service *Attending session four is conditional upon completion of session one, two and three in the series. No exceptions.
collision sessions saturday, August 2, 2014 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Rm. 140A – (T) I-CAR Add-On Education: 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course
Enhance your NACE | CARS 2014 experience with the official mobile app Event Information At Your Fingertips! ● View the exhibitor list, search for exhibitors, mark exhibitors with “visited” tags, request meetings, add personal notes and map their booth location. ● Build your personalized planner, plan your itinerary, add personal notes, and tag favorite exhibitors and sessions. Sync with the website in real-time. ● Tap into local information about Detroit, including hotels, transportation options and more. ● Read, follow and comment on #NACEEXPO tweets from our fellow attendees and exhibitors. ● Tune into exclusive updates, notifications and blogs from the NACE | CARS management team. iPhone/iPad App
Efficiently plan your visit to NACE | CARS 2014 while on the go with the official mobile app. Download the appropriate mobile app today:
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Android App
ChirpE Mobile Web App
Telematics Forum Draws Large Crowd The Auto Alliance Innovation Technology & Telematics Forum on Friday packed the room with industry leaders from the aftermarket, electronics industry and OEM. The forum titled “Where is Vehicle Technology Headed and What Does It Mean for Sustainable Transportation, Vehicle Owners and the Modern Repair Shop?” discussed the implications for consumers and shops. It also looked at future standardization and government regulation. The panel featured prominent auto industry leaders, including: ● Frank Weith, general manager, Connected Car Services, Volkswagen Group of America ● Steve Coker, head, Uconnect Operations, Chrysler Group LLC ● Alan Prescott, attorney, Ford Motor Company ● Bob Stewart, general manager, Customer Care & Aftersales, ACDelco/General Motors ● Eric Berkobin, vice president, Engineering, Verizon Telematics ● Jules Polonetsky, executive director, Future of Privacy Forum ● Roger Saul, Ph.D., director, Vehicle Research & Test Center, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The panel was moderated by ASA ChairmanElect Donny Seyfer. Keeping up with the telematics trend, attendees texted their questions to Seyfer. The discussion started with what telematics can do for the consumer and what functionality the connected car can give to consumers today and in the future. The panel discussed the pairing of telematics devices and systems with data capable cell phones and the security risk it represents.
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Another hot button issue discussed by the panel was the ownership of the data and how the end user’s privacy could be violated by thirdparty software and services. The for the OEMs, the ability to retrieve data during the entire life of the vehicle like number of actuations, sensor data and customer behavior represents a gold mine that can help them design better and even lighter vehicles. The main concern was the availability of the data and how it could be used get drivers to return to the dealer and not an independent repair facility. The panelist varied in their answers from it is an opportunity to get drivers into the showroom to the customer can print out the recommendations generated by the telematics system and take it to the shop of their choosing. The forum also discussed the potential standardization of telematics systems and pending government regulations. Roger Saul, Ph.D., director, Vehicle Research & Test Center, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that any regulations would have to take the approach of being technology neutral so that one system is not favored over another. OnStar’s chief operating officer, Terry Inch, will deliver the keynote address during a luncheon following the panel. Inch has been with OnStar since 2002. Prior to his current role, Inch served as vice president of OnStar Marketing and New Business Development as well as director of OnStar Service Delivery Operations. The Forum concluded with a workshop featuring presentations for Mercedes-Benz on it Theft Relevant Part (TRP), Volkswagen on it’s security for the OBD port and GM on its Active safety systems.
Expert Alignment Starts With Steering Angle Inclination The most commonly misdiagnosed condition following a collision repair is often alignment related, according to Mark E. Olson, chief operating officer for Verifacts Automotive, and the reasons why are prevalent both inside collision repair shops and shops specializing in alignment. Olson, who is also a regional trainer for Hunter, got right to the point in his Friday afternoon session “Alignment Expert in 90 Minutes,” moving past the caster and camber reds and greens on an alignment spec sheet, and circling the steering axis inclination (SAI). “SAI is the most important number on the sheet,” Olson said. “Lack of understanding [this about SAI] creates unnecessary parts replacement and improperly repaired vehicles that do not drive correctly.” To find the cause of the pull, you first need to locate the SAI. SAI comes from the angle between the upper pivot point and the lower
pivot point of a strut at the front of a vehicle. Olson said a vehicle will pull to the side with the least amount of SAI, generally anything that is a degree or more. With the SAI numbers in hand, you can start to rule our certain alignment problem culprits. Olson likened true alignment diagnosis to a math equation. For example, according to Olson, if the SAI numbers are the same for both sides, you know there is no frame damage and you don’t need a lower control arm — instead turn to the strut or the knuckle. If the SAI is within spec and the caster is in spec, the cause of the problems is likely a ball joint. After the SAI, also become familiar with the included angle and start looking at both of these figured before you even look at the caster, camber, tow numbers Alignment notebook Other quick notes Olson expanded on within the longer presentation:
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● Ride height affects everything. A change in ride height will mess with all of your alignment angles. ● Toe does not cause a vehicle to pull. This will cause a dogtail and potentially tire scuffing, but tow correct toe alone will not affect pull. ● Camber tipping in will wear the outside of a tire, tipping out will wear the inside. ● It’s only a four wheel alignment if you end up adjusting the rear. Shops get in trouble for charging for a four-wheel alignment if after the procedure only the front wheels have been adjusted. ● Remember that caster affects directional stability. If a customer is still complaining of driveability problems, and everything seems to be checking out on the sheet, the caster may be off just enough to effect cornering, depending on the vehicle.
AMI and ASA Host Celebration of Excellence at The Henry Ford Museum The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and Automotive Service Association (ASA) jointly held their annual Celebration of Excellence at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn last night. The event kicked off with a cocktail reception followed by a graduation and awards ceremony for AMI graduates and esteemed industry members. Attendees were then treated to a "strolling dinner" throughout the museum, where they could explore such artifacts as the bus where Rosa Parks first stood up for civil rights and Edgar Allan Poe's writing desk. Congratulations to all the graduates and award recipients!
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Collision Repair Executive Symposium Highlights Trends in Collision Industry and MSO World The popular Collision Repair Executive Symposium was held yesterday in front of a packed house, shining a light on trends going on in the collision and insurance industries and addressing the challenges facing MSOs. Market Dynamics Randy Hanson of Allstate kicked things off by talking about market dynamics, specifically telematics and increasingly sophisticated vehicle technology, specifically engine sensors; hybrid fuel cell sensors; vehicle control; crash avoidance; passenger comfort; vehicle safety; and infotainment. “Will there be a role for mechanical and electrical engineers in shops? Perhaps,” said Hanson. Where are we going, Hanson asked. On the rise is: cost of repair; vehicle complexity; data captured; and demand for specialized techs. On the decline is: number of repairers suited for all repair types; accident frequency; and difficulty to diagnose complex problems. Joseph Funk, vice president, global personal lines auto claims for AIG Property and Casualty, discussed trends going on in Asian countries. One is called a “scheme partner agreement,” which is a contract between a DRP shop and an insurer where the shop is also the sales agent for insurance policies. Some of the benefits include: commission revenue, after sales revenue, total service quality under one roof and customer ownership. There is also something called a “key parts provider” (KPP) where suppliers provide strategic parts to KPPs and shops that repair cars for local insurers. In exchange, the in-
surer agrees to buy a high volume of parts, thus generating a win-win for the KPP and the supplier. Susanna Gotsch, director, industry analyst at CCC Information Services Inc., took a deep dive into the statistics reflecting trends in the industry. Some included: ● Median age of U.S. vehicles = 11.4 years ● 89 percent of new vehicles sold in 2013 contained at least one lightweight part ● 57 percent of appraisals had at least one lightweight part in the construction of the vehicle - but only 26 percent of those lightweight parts had to be repaired or replaced ● By 2040, 78 percent of cars will still be gasoline- powered, which means fuel savings will come from lightweighting. Maximizing Capacity Utilization A panel discussion on maximizing capacity utilization was the second morning session. The moderator was Erick Bickett, CEO of Fix Auto USA. Panelists included: ● Paul Krauss, president and CEO, Craftsman Auto Body ● Don Mikrut, vice president, CarCare Collision Centers
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● Joe Amodei, founder and CEO, The Collision Centers of New York ● Rick Wood, co-CEO, Cooks Collision Centers ● Mark Sanders, president and chief operating officer, Caliber Collision Center ● David Braun, principal, Nexysis Collision Inc. Notable quotes included: “You will see OE certification specific to high-line vehicles or aluminum and specialty shops with one DRP.” – Sanders “When we carved out heavy hits and segmented it to specialized groups, we saw we could fix more drivable cars in other stores.” – Krauss “This specialization is not new. When it comes to aluminum, all shops will not be able to afford training and equipment. Does it come to different costs to insurers and repairers?” — Mikrut “Specialization will be a game changer.” – Amodei “When it comes to first notice of loss, how will insurers pull out those special vehicles and get them to the right shops?” - Sanders “The Ford F-150 will generate enough volume for us to start mak-
ing decisions on aluminum repair.” – Strauss “We had to go through a culture change, starting with 100 percent teardowns and working with teams and eliminating bottlenecks.” – Amodei “As far as load leveling goes, you have to do it.” – Strauss “We leaned out in 2004 and learned we had been doing it the wrong way. We expanded our capacity, and are still in a five-day model, so we have not had to expand our hours.” — Strauss “We expand and contract based on our volume. We had several stores running multiple shifts. Parts is part of it. And management and oversight and quality. You still need management in place.” “For load leveling, we bought one truck 10 years ago and now own three. It’s a full-time job for some-
one to manage.” – Strauss “As far as call centers go, you must get the right vehicle in the right facility. To do that, training needs to be done at the call center.” – Sanders “Automated parts procurement is taking a long time. There are still some complicated roadblocks to get through. We need it. Ordering by phone isn’t the easiest way. What we see today is the beta version.” — Strauss “Whether it’s in the shop or front office, it’s about creating career paths. There’s a true career path in a billion dollar company. Larger groups are starting to build their own team programs. We can’t afford to make a mistake on a car from the safety or insurance perspective. It may just take longer to fix a car right when training people.” – Mikrut “We have to stick to together and
26 NACE | CARS Show Daily 2014 ● Saturday, August 2
promote our industry before high school. We have to make kids understand it’s not a dirty business.” – Amodei “We have to grow our culture as the best way to leverage HR - a culture that will embrace change and get better at growing leaders in all departments. – Strauss “People don’t quit Caliber - they quit the leadership team at a certain Caliber store.” - Sanders “In five years, the flat-rate pay system will probably be gone.” Braun “You can’t have piecemeal pay in a lean environment.” - Strauss “Capitation? We’re not afraid of it. But no insurer has approached us yet.” – Strauss “Interference reduces efficiency in the shop. Get out of my way and let me fix vehicles how I want to.” Mikrut