Collision Repair 13#4

SHOP LAYOUT: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PLANNING

OE STANDARDS

They’re the best way to a safe repair.

EXECUTIVE VISION

Rich Zamperin of Allstate on the PRO program and areas of growth.

I-CAR UPDATE

FAMILY

What’s ahead for collision repair training.

TIES Doug and Kim Roberts treat everyone like family at Fix Auto Barrie North.

PLUS

The Mitchell Road Show launches, Color Compass hits a training milestone, Mobials is changing online reviews, and much, much more!!!

Volume 13, Number 4

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August 2014

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$4.95

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Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632 l 86 John Street, Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Peerless finish that stands uP to the most discerning eye When it comes to his award-winning vehicle restorations, only the best will do for Chip Foose. So when selecting the perfect finish, Chip makes the only clear choice: world-class Glasurit速 finishes. Take a deeper look into how you can put the rich color and deep brilliant gloss of Glasurit to work in your shop.

Visit www.basfrefinish.com/glasurit.

Visit us at nace | cars 2014, Booth 18008

For more information, scan the QR code with your smartphone.

If you do not have a QR code app, it can be downloaded for free.

CONTENTS

On The cover 39 Like father, like daughter Doug and Kim Roberts keep an eye on what’s important at Fix Auto Barrie North.

Volume 13 Issue 4, August 2014

features 28 Surveys and Polls Readers on the future of the industry, discounts, and quizzing top-level execs.

46 OE Standards There is no safer repair than the recommended repair.

48 F-150 Investment What’s the price tag for repairing the new trucks?

52 Designed for flow Tips on planning your layout.

50

Fix Auto looks to the future at 2014 Convention.

54 Reviews reimagined Mobials has changed the way people review services online.

56 going the distance Highlights from the ProColor Convention.

59 Report on training Color Compass hits a milestone, Boyd makes a Canadian First, and the future of I-CAR. 64 Refinish Zone The latest on global colour trends.

NEWS

42

08 COLLISION REPAIR 67 Towing & Recovery 69 RECYCLING

Rich Zamperin of Allstate on the PRO program and future trends.

SHOP LAYOUT: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PLANNING

OE STANDARDS

They’re the best way to a safe repair.

44

departments Mitchell lands in Vancouver for the first stop of their cross-Canada tour.

On the Cover: Kim and Doug Roberts of Fix Auto Barrie North.

Photography by mike davey.

EXECUTIVE VISION

Rich Zamperin of Allstate on the PRO program and areas of growth.

I-CAR UPDATE

FAMILY

What’s ahead for collision repair training.

TIES Doug and Kim Roberts treat everyone like family at Fix Auto Barrie North.

PLUS

The Mitchell Road Show launches, Color Compass hits a training milestone, Mobials is changing online reviews, and much, much more!!!

Volume 13, Number 4

l

August 2014

l

$4.95

l

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632

l

YOUR ONLINE SOURCE

Canada’s collision repair information resource.

New articles and top news stories daily.

Visit www.collisionrepairmag.com.

06 Publisher’s page by Darryl Simmons Get to school.

31 Point Blank by Sam Piercey Go shopping!

32 Prairie view by Tom Bissonnette Summer rambles.

34 Who’s driving? by Jay Perry Keep it smooth.

36 staff issues by Evert Akkerman Write it down!

86 John Street, Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

76 Recycling by David Gold Personal relationships.

HAVE YOUR SAY. We welcome your comments on anything you see in

78 Last word by Mike Davey Do it right or don’t do it all.

Collision Repair magazine. Send your feedback to editor@collisionrepairmag.com.

august 2014 collision Repair 05

publisher’s page

SummerSchool The best time for training is always right now.

By Darryl Simmons

T

he kids have been set free from school for a few months of sun, sand, and surf.

Maybe some beach parties or camping in the case of the older kids. In your case, though, it’s time to head back to school.

That’s because in this industry, it’s always time to head back to school. Technological advance doesn’t slow down, it accelerates. Best practices for business don’t slow down much either.

When it comes to training for the business of collision repair, you can’t get much better than NACE, taking place this August in Detroit. They’ve always had some of the best education around, but this year it’s a step up, at least from the management perspective.

competitors are looking for them, and some of them are bound to find the ones that work in your market. Your choices are essentially grow, get gobbled up by a competitor, or quietly go out of business. Staying where you are is probably not an option.

That brings us back to training. You can’t let your business stand still (because it won’t work), you can’t let your own management skills stagnate (because your competitors won’t), and you absolutely cannot let your technicians’ skills stagnate (because there’s a good chance they’re going to end up severly injuring or killing someone).

Training can be expensive, in terms of both dollars and “lost” productivity.

Lawsuits still cost more. Any business-

PUBLISHER DARRYL SIMMONS (905) 370-0101 publisher@collisionrepairmag.com general manager Ryan Potts ryan@mediamatters.ca EDITOR MIKE DAVEY editor@collisionrepairmag.com ART DIRECTOR DANIELA LUBERTO daniela@collisionrepairmag.com Assistant eDITOR ANDREW ARDIZZI andrew@mediamatters.ca VP Industry Relations & Advertising GLORIA MANN (647) 998-5677 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com director of sales & Marketing ellen Smith (416) 312-7446 ellen@mediamatters.ca Marketing Assistant WILL JACQUES will@mediamatters.ca COLUMNISTS Evert Akkerman, TOM BISSONNETTE, DAVID GOLD, JAY PERRY, SAM PIERCEY INTERNS candace taylor

training can be expensive.

Lawsuits still cost more.

For the last two years, NACE has offered a special event for multi-store owners (MSOs), the MSO Symposium.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but the fact of the matter was that unless you were already an MSO, you really couldn’t get in the door. This year, they’ve changed the requirements a bit and renamed the event. Now it’s called the Collision Repair Executive Symposium (CRES).

According to NACE show management, CRES is “designed for collision repair multi-shop operators, as well as operators looking for high-growth strategies, mergers and acquisitions, divesting, and operational excellence.”

That’s everybody! At least, everybody who actually matters and will still be in business 10 years from now. Sorry, I know that’s harsh. It’s also true. If you’re not looking for high-growth strategies, you’re going to fall behind, because your

person knows lawyers aren’t cheap, plus you or your techs may have to appear in court at some point.

The costs of actually losing a major liability lawsuit are enough to put almost any collision repair facility out of business for good. Even if you’ve got extensive liability coverage, actually having to use it is probably going to send your premiums through the roof.

You’ll also get a ton of negative PR. Plus, we’re talking about human lives.

They’re generally considered priceless.

Train yourself and train your techs.

Aren’t your customers and your business worth it? CRM

06 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

SUBSCRIPTION One-year $29.95 / Two-year $55.95 Collision Repair™ magazine is published bi-monthly, and is dedicated to serving the business interests of the collision repair industry. It is published by Media Matters Inc. Material in Collision Repair™ magazine may not be reproduced in any form with out written consent from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its advertisers or independent columnists. All facts, opinions, statements appearing in this publication are those of the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by the publisher.

PRINTED IN CANADA ISSN 1707-6072 CANADA POST CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES PRODUCT AGREEMENT No. 40841632 RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED Send change of address notices and undeliverable copies to: 86 John Street Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

CMCA AUDITED

Collision Repair magazine is published by Media Matters Inc., publishers of:

BODYWORX T H E V O I C E F O R C O L L I S I O N T E C H S & PA I N T E R S

magazine

Trainingmatters.ca

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the front end

People on the move The Women’s Industry Network has announced that Shellie Andrews of CSN - Dana’s Collision Center has been elected to the position of Treasurer on WIN’s Executive Committee.

This marks a continuation as Treasurer for Andrews, as she also served in the position in the 20132014 season.

In addition to Shellie Andrews, the new Andrews. leadership team will consist of Denise Caspersen (National Autobody Parts Warehouse) Chair; Terri Neely (Nagy’s Collision Specialists) Vice Chair and Petra Schroeder (Axalta) Secretary.

Fix Auto Canada has apppointed Guy Barbeau as VP of Canadian Operations.

Barbeau has over 20 years’ experience in the automotive industry at the manufacturing and financial level. He has worked in various regions of Canada and Europe for Chrysler Financial Services and Chrysler Group LLC. By the diversity of his experience Guy and leadership, Barbeau. he has developed a comprehensive view of the industry that will serve the vision of Fix Auto Canada. His mandate will affect all aspects of the business in the country to lead to process improvement, organizational effectiveness and identifying strategic initiatives, partnerships and business development with the objective of maximizing the profitability of franchisees and support the expansion of Fix Auto.

Barbeau attended UQAM and holds an MBA and a Graduate Diploma in management from Athabasca University (Alberta) as well as the professional title of CCP from the Credit Institute of Canada.

Strain-Tec Manufacturing & Arslan Automotive Canada Sean have announced Slaven. the appointment of

Sean Slaven as Ontario Sales Manager for Arslan Automotive Canada and Strain-Tec Mfg. products.

Slaven has had many years of experience in the collision repair tools and equipment trade and comes to the company with a strong work ethic and uncompromising attitude to serve his warehouse and jobber partners.

He may be reached at 647-702-7326.

Mediagrif has announced the appointent of Josee Levert as Sales & Marketing Manager for Eastern Canada. Mediagrif owns Carrus Technologies, provider of management system CollisionWay. “Previously Director of Applications & Customer Support, Levert is now taking on a new role at Mediagrif after 11 years with the organizaJosee tion,” says Chantal Levert.

Lamarre, General Manager of Carrus Technologies. “The entire Carrus team joins me in wishing her the best of luck.”

Flat Line is very excited to introduce Irvin Johnston as its new spray booth sales representative.

Johnston has been in the automotive refinish business for 30 years. His career began with DeVilbiss in Barrie, Ont., where he rose over the years in position and seniority.

“Hiring Irvin is a very important step for Flat Line,” says Matt Gibson, General Manager of Flat Line. We have grown to the point that we need another set of legs to run down leads, and we are very fortunate that Irvin was available. His combination of experience, education and customer service skills will make a great addition to the team. Hiring Irvin allows us to provide even better more comprehensive service and products.”

Prior to joining Flat Line, Johnston was the owner of Florida Filtration, a firm that serviced and sold spray booths in Florida.

“It’s great to be back in Ontario, and working in the business I love,” says Johnston. “I’m very excited to be part of Flat Line, and I’m looking forward to helping to bring our customer service experience to the next level.”

Johnston can be reached at 416-587-8471 or via email to ljohnston@flatlinessi.com.

08 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

DR. DENT PONDERS DEEP QUESTIONS

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news

repairers look to the future at IBIS 2014

By Darryl Simmons

Change is ever-present and simple, yet hard to master. It’s this message that CARSTAR Automotive Canada COO Michael Macaluso and his fellow delegates tried to convey at the IBIS 2014 global summit.

“I have never seen so much change within the industry as we have in the last 12 months,” says IBIS Conference Director David Lingham.

“You can now go anywhere in the world and see excellence.”

Lingham kicked off the summit, which focused on implementing best practices. Lori Blaker, owner of TTI Global, took the stage and talked to delegates about production processes and customer services commonly utilized in their shops. One of the biggest challenges, she says, is simply finding the right people.

“We are all competing for talent from a small pool,” says Blaker.

“You need to be an attractive organization to work for.”

Blaker says it’s imperative for businesses to present well to potential employees, meaning companies need to clearly identify their uniqueness and culture to attract the right people.

“Show potential new recruits what it is like to be part of your brand and ensure you live up to it,” Blaker says.

She says the industry as a whole needs to work to attract young people into the industry, adding that all potential employees need to be respected and understood, noting the importance of work-life balance to the new generation.

“We can make our industry exciting and sexy,” says Blaker.

“We just need to be creative.”

EMM Business Development Director Peter de Roo followed Blaker’s presentation with one of his own focusing on whether moving towards retail can work for the industry. He says the creation of new, efficient repair environments, mindsets and customer experiences are essential to remaking the public perception of collision repair shops.

“Can body shops move into retail? Yes, we do believe that,” De Roo says. “Open up your mind to new ideas and don’t box yourself in.”

Extending from Blaker’s presentation on how to attract young people into the industry, I-CAR’s Senior Director of Field Operations and Segment Development Jeff Peevy led a presentation on how increased training can pave the way to increased profits while also giving the new and old workers alike the opportunity to expand their skill sets.

Sean Carey, President at SCG Management Consultants, also led a discussion on the connected car and the impacts of data on the claims process.

10 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

“In the connected car world, access to data is what will make the difference,” Carey says. “We see claims in a linear fashion, one action follows another. It’s amazing how data can change people’s thinking and become the norm.”

Carey believes the future of insurance claims will be based on predictive analytics that will compose agreed pricing models. In this landscape Carey says performance metrics will play an increasing role in shop selection, with data determining the distribution of work.

“He who has the data rules,” he says. “Suppliers will need to find out where they fit in the data driven ecosystem. Change is inevitable, convenience will be the benefit to the customer.”

On the beginning of the second day, Macaluso took the stage alongside Team Salzer’s Stephan Salzer to chat about business succession and the challenges surrounding passing family businesses from one generation to the next.

Macaluso says the concept of change is so simplistic yet challenging to implement, yet is something he says CARSTAR has implemented with its entrapreneur model to help reshape the business upon the premise of “humble but hungry.”

“Cascade the goals throughout the organization and with all stakeholders,” he says.

Salzer says his father was handed only the steering wheel of the business, while he was handed the entire operation. Being thrust into leadership is a difficult if manageable transition, yet Macaluso believes there’s a solution to that reality.

“As a new leader communication is critical,” Macaluso says.

Chris Donkin, a senior client partner at Korn Ferry continued Macaloso and Salzer’s leadership discussion with his own that merged the transition of existing leadership and the cultivation of new young leaders for tomorrow.

He says cultiviating future leaders is the route towards prosperity going forward. Initiatives like the IBIS Young Leader movement will help identify emerging industry leaders who will expand the industry beyond what previously had been thought possible.

Additional IBIS speakers included Kevin Jones of Al Futtaim who talked about production processes and customer service, Olivier Wood of Innovation Group who discussed France’s accident repair market, Dr. Thomas Aubel of TUV Rheinland, Lesley Upham of Thatcham Research and Tomas Geiger of Audi AG. IBIS 2014 took place from May 19 to May 21 in Barcelona, Spain. For more on IBIS, please visit IBISworldwide.com.

Make your next investment your best investment Getting into business with Fix Auto is the smartest investment you can make. Yield the dividends of 20 years of auto body experience and over 200 locations nationwide.

For more information, contact Daryll O’Keefe dokeefe@fixauto.com (905) 712-0011 THE BODY SHOP NETWORK – FIXAUTO.COM

news

Women’s Industry Network celebrates excellence with Most Influential Women program The prestigious Most Influential Women in Collision Repair (MIW) Awards were presented to three women during a celebratory dinner in San Diego during the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) Conference.

The MIW Awards recognize women who have enriched the collision repair industry with their leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence. Doug Holmberg, representing AkzoNobel, formally transitioned the MIW program to Margaret Knell, Chair of WIN, by giving WIN a framed issue of AkzoNobel’s Profit Magazine with a commemorative note officially marking the transition. Profit Magazine has highlighted Most Influential Women honorees since the award’s inception.

This year’s honourees were Frederica Carter, President of F. Carter Events, LLC; Jordan Hendler, Executive Director of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association; and Leanne Jefferies, Director of Collision Programs at AIA Canada. Each honoree was introduced by an industry peer and former MIW who nominated them for the award.

In a welcome message, Knell thanked those being honoured as well as award recipients from prior years, “for your visibility and ongoing example of most influential women in the collision repair industry by your leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence – both in your professions and in your communities.” She then recognized AkzoNobel for their vision and elevation of the societal issue of the advancement of women in the collision repair industry.

The recognition program’s charter aligns with WIN’s mission to ‘enhance the role of women in the industry’ and has recognized more than 75 women for their professional accomplishments and for going beyond requirements of their positions to give back to their communities. Honourees have held positions in every facet of the collision repair industry, as shop owners, body and paint technicians, managers, wholesalers, lobbyists, suppliers, insurance adjusters, consultants, educators, editors and writers, and industry association directors.

The 2014 Most Influential Women honourees. From left: Leanne Jefferies of AIA Canada, Frederica Carter of F. Carter Events and Jordan Hendler of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association.

Established in 1999 by AkzoNobel, WIN assumed management of the MIW program in 2013. The Most Influential Women program has supported the industry by funding scholarships for prospective female students interested in pursuing a career in collision repair.

“The Women’s Industry Network has, in a very short period of time, become a pillar association within the North American collision repair market,” commented Doug Holmberg, Director of Vehicle Refinishes for AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings North America. “It was both a pleasure and honor for AkzoNobel to be part of the 2014 WIN Conference and formally transition the Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry program from our stewardship to WIN for their continued mentoring. WIN will be able to advance MIW and create sustainable resources to the full benefit of the entire collision repair industry.”

To learn more about WIN and the MIW Awards, or to see a list of past recipients, visit thewomensindustrynetwork.ning.com.

QPC releases 5 year price comparison report A new report released in the U.S. purports to show a dramatic price gap between original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket or alternative versions of the top 20 most commonly sold certified auto collision repair parts from 2009 to 2014 in the U.S. The study, compiled by the Quality Parts Coalition (QPC), found that the top 20 aftermarket parts that were tested by the Certified Automotive Parts Association were priced up to 50 percent less than OEM versions of the parts. Aftermarket versions of all of the top 20 were priced lower than the OEM versions; the average was 29 percent less expensive.

A statement from QPC says that in recent years, automakers have begun exploiting a loophole in design patent law to limit

12 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

access to alternative collision repair parts.

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate that would change this, the Promoting Automotive Repair, Trade, and Sales (PARTS) Act of 2013.

“It is simply not fair to saddle consumers with higher repair and insurance costs as a result of car companies seeking to eliminate competition and charge monopolistic prices,” said Jack Gillis, director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America. “This report highlights the extraordinary consumer savings inherent in a competitive marketplace and the need for Congress to pass the PARTS Act without delay.

Consumers need to make their voices heard to ensure that happens.”

WE’RE ALL FOR PRODUCTIVITY

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big name and future. We’ll continue to stand for efficiency, clarity, support and growth— from the front of the body shop to the back.

Because from today forward, we are Cromax.

Learn more at www.cromax.com

Axalta Coating Systems™, the Cromax logo, Cromax® and all marks denoted with ™ or ® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Axalta Coating Systems, LLC and its affiliates, used under license by Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. © 2014 Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. All rights reserved.

news

Birchmount Collision receives Consumer Choice Award two years running

By Mike Davey

Birchmount Collision has received the Consumer Choice Award for the Best Body Shop in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) - Central for the second year in a row.

Owned and operated by Wayne Hosaki, the facility is located at 4032 Finch Avenue E. in Scarborough, Ont. “We are very proud that we have been selected for two years in a row,” says Hosaki. “We feel it’s our high level of customer service, combined with high-quality workmanship from our technicians.”

Hosaki accepted the award on behalf of Birchmount Collision at a special gala event at Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex on May 29, 2014.

The Consumer Choice Awards uses a defined method used to determine winners in each category. This helps to ensure the awards accurately reflect the choice of consumers.

An independent marketing firm spends four weeks surveying each region, starting with a week of surveys. Surveys are conducted both through email and via phone calls. The only question asked for category is, “In this category, who would you nominate?” The marketing firm uses those initial surveys to compile a list of nominations for each category. Then the next round of surveys begins.

In the second and following weeks, surveys are conducted regarding specifics of the nominees. Results are based on four

“A new generation in collision repair performance.”

Wayne Hosaki of Birchmount Collision accepts the Consumer Choice Award from Jack McFadden of CCA.

factors: quality of service, value of service, appearance of the business and overall service to customers.

When the surveys were completed and the results tabulated, Birchmount Collision came out on top for the second year running.

For more information on Birchmount Collision, please visit birchmountcollision.com. You can find more information on the Consumer Choice Awards at ccaward.com.

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14 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

news

Latest equipment and info on display at CARSTAR Aluminum Information Event The use of aluminum in mass-market vehicles is becoming more widespread, and training for how to repair those vehicles is paramount. CARSTAR recently held an Aluminum Information Event at CARSTAR Vision Park in Hamilton, Ont. The session was attended by more than 50 CARSTAR owners, technicians, and insurance and vendor partners.

The event focused on the impact that aluminum based vehicles will have on the collision repair industry, beginning with the release of the 2015 Ford F-150 later this year.

Bill Davidge, CARSTAR’s National Technical Manager, began the session with an overview of the changes that are coming and the investment in equipment and training that stores will need to repair aluminum based vehicles.

Following Davidge, representatives from Chief, Eurovac and Pro Spot spoke about Ford certified equipment they can provide to assist stores in equipping themselves to make these repairs.

The group then made their way into CARSTAR’s Technical Training centre, where the vendors provided demonstrations of the equipment, and allowed technicians to try the products out.

Welding equipment was a focus due to the need for upgrading of equipment to meet today’s requirements which includes aluminum and silicon bronze welding.

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Welding was a focus at the recent CARSTAR event, as upgrading welding equipment is often necessary for a shop that plans to work on aluminum vehicles.

Bill Davidge of CARSTAR (centre, in white) demonstrates Pro Spot aluminum welding equipment.

For additional information about this new technology please call your preferred Axalta distributor or the Axalta Customer Care Centre at 1-800-668-6945. www.cromax.com AN AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS BRAND The Cromax logo and Cromax® MosaicTM are trademarks or registered trademarks of Axalta Coating Systems LLC or its affiliates, used under license by Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. © 2014 Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. All rights reserved.

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CSN – Concours Collision Royal Oak attains Lexus and Toyota certification CSN – Concours Collision’s Royal Oak location has recently received manufacturer certifications from Toyota and Lexus. Certifications such as these help to show that a collision centre has what it takes to complete technologically advanced repairs in a timely and safe manner.

Ken Friesen is the owner of CSN – Concours Collision. In addition to the Royal Oak store, there are two other locations in Calgary.

“Our Crowfoot location was Toyota certified,” says Friesen. “In fact, we were the first independent in Canada to become Toyota certified. The dealer that sponsored us moved their location, so we had to move the certification to our Royal Oak store.”

It’s simple to say, but not as simple to do. Friesen and the staff at the Royal Oak store had to go through the entire certification process again for Toyota to make sure the right equipment, training and processes were in place.

The same Toyota dealer also opened a new Lexus dealership when they made the move, and an opportunity arose to try for the Lexus certification as well. The application was approved, and now CSN – Concours Collision Royal Oak is certified to repair Lexus vehicles, as well as Toyota.

The audits for the certification process are handled by From left: Vince Di Vetta, Area Parts & Service Manager for a third-party company, in this Toyota Canada, Ken Friesen of CSN - Concours Collision and Todd Richardson, Dealer Principal of Royal Oak Lexus. case Axalta.

Friesen is well-known in the collision industry as a proponent of way we know how today. It’s about having a “lean” manufacturing, although he tries to consistent process, seeing where we need to avoid using that word. Similarly, Toyota is go and continually improving.” well-known for its culture of continuous Friesen drew ideas from many sources, improvement. While the processes may be including Toyota’s Practical Problem Solving quite different, it’s not a stretch to say that (PPS) System. the values match up.

“We’ve used a lot of thinking from them, “I refer to it as the Concours way,” says and for Toyota to recognize us is a huge Friesen. “This is the way we fix cars, the best honour,” says Friesen.

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16 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

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news

Telematics in the spotlight at AudaVision Vancouver Current and emerging telematics technologies are set to transform businesses across the auto claims economy. The recent AudaVision Vancouver event kept the focus strongly on this growing part of the industry. Audavision Vancouver took place at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown on May 23.

Anthony Giagnacovo, Managing Director of Audatex Canada, delivered the opening remarks, welcoming attendees to the event and introducing the first speaker of the day, Michel Laurin.

Laurin is the President and COO of Industrial Alliance (Mobiliz) Auto Insurance.

He spoke on the story of Mobiliz, and how telematics technology has enabled business transformation.

The transformation began in September 2010, sparked by a visit from a vendor with a proposal to use telematics technology to improve the way the company managed auto risks. Envisioning how the new model would work, and what it’s underlying basic principles would be was a full-time job for six executives from March to April of 2011.

Starting in May 2011, the team grew to 15 employees. They were tasked with creating, within 12 months, a product that would improve driving behaviours through telematics, with an emphasis on a lean approach.

The team hit its goal, and Mobiliz went live on April 11, 2012.

Laurin said that, from the very beginning, part of Mobiliz was the idea of a cause that would inspire people and rally them to action.

The cause was preventing teen driver deaths and injuries. This is still the core of Mobiliz.

In fact, the product is primarily marketed as being for drivers aged 16 to 24, with the stated goal of making them more aware of issues related to speed and dangerous driving, while influencing them to become respon-

sible in a positive and non-coercive way.

Other aspects of the core mission were to bring together a community of young drivers, not to mention reducing accidents and saving lives.

Laurin noted that Mobiliz was truly a new approach to car insurance, with customers engaging in 100 percent self-service via the web, and only needing to answer a few questions to get a quote.

Mobiliz also offers only one product. The coverage and deductible are the same, and only one option is offered. The most startling part is that the same deal is offered to all customers regardless of claims history.

The product in question depends heavily on telematics. A small box is installed in the vehicle, and the device transmits driving data such as mileage, speed, forced accelerations and heavy braking, and then adjusts the price to suit driving behaviour.

The cause is forwarded by a weekly driving report, delivered by email. The report includes both a summary of the driver’s behaviours behind the wheel, but also compares them with other young people in the Mobiliz comm u n i t y. T h i s allows drivers to monitor their Ultra-efficent NitroHeat will cut your paint costs behaviour and by up to 35% while boosting throughput thus to continuas much as 20%. Call today! ally improve.

Laurin says that part of the goal was al1-866-325-2886 ways building a www.autoquip.ca community. So-

Spraying away profits?

18 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Michel Laurin at Audatex Vancouver. Laurin spoke on how telematics technology can enable business transformation.

Photo: Anna Beaudry © 2014

cial media interaction on a continuous basis means that Mobiliz literally must listen to its customers. Laurin says this social media connectivity led to adjustments to the program after only six months.

During his AudaVision presentation, Laurin made a strong case that Mobiliz is more than simply another insurance product. The cause remains central, and this has allowed the company to make a positive contribution to society based on their core business of insurance. More to the point, Laurin says there have been value added features to Mobiliz, such as continued active communication, behaviour awareness information, creation of a virtual community and customer driven improvements.

“I very much welcomed the opportunity to share our unique vision of connecting insurance, technology and social responsibility with the audience at AudaVision Vancouver,” says Laurin. “Our Mobiliz program clearly demonstrates the ability of technology to transform insurance strategy and operations when implemented with strong customer focus. Strategic partners like Baseline Telematics and Audatex Canada understand this approach and we look forward to future innovations.”

Lloyd Wheeler is an executive performance coach and was one of those in attendance at AudaVision Vancouver. A regular attendee of various industry events, he says the value of AudaVision Vancouver was extremely high.

“I’ve gone to a lot of them over the years, and this was the best one,” says Wheeler.

“It was extremely professional, from the venue to the speakers to the whole set-up.

Speakers knew the answers to questions they were asked, and I impressed with the

news

level of technology used during the presentations. Being a technology company, Audatex uses updated technology.”

A short break followed Laurin’s presentation, after which Giagnacovo returned to the podium to introduce a number of speakers from Audatex.

Godwin Liu, Director of Product Management, discussed Audatex Collision Repair Services Innovations, followed by Mark Porter, VP of Technology, who presented information on AudaNet Claims Management Platform. Next up were two presentations from Kelly Merchant, Senior Regional Service Manager, who spoke on “All Things Total Loss: From Vehicle Valuation to New Car Purchase” and “Parts P ro c u re m e n t a n d P ro f i t a b i l t y. ” D a rc y Gorchyski, Director Business Development, was the last speaker of the morning, offering insight on salvage disposition.

After breaking for a networking lunch, attendees were treated to a number of hands on technology demonstration workshops in two streams. Each stream covered the same material, allowing attendees to attend two out of the three available workshops.

The workshops focused on AudaNet LIVE, Audatex Insight and AudaWatch.

The focus came squarely back to telematics with the final speaker of the day, Paul-Andre Savoie, President of Baseline Telematics, who spoke on improving insurance telematics.

Telematics are a central part of usagebased insurance (UBI), and Savoie outlined how UBI is already having positive effects around the world. Savoie says these include fairer premiums, safer drivers, reduced claims cost and reductions in the cost of managing those claims.

Savoie also outlined the partnership between Audatex Canada and Baseline Telematics has as its mission to ensure that telematics will benefit insurers, repair centres and policy holders, with full OEM integration coming in five years.

According to Savoie, there will be numerous benefits to repair centres, including full integration with existing Audatex Canada solutions. In addition, Savoie says it will make it easier to provide estimates by giving shops the ability to view crash data such as speed, impact severity and direction. It should also result in what Savoie calls optimal client referral: the ability for a claims agent to see where the client lives and works, as well as where the vehicle currently is, along with all

of the closest and most appropriate centres.

Savoie also noted that there are increased upsell opportunities for collision repair facilities that offer automotive service or are linked to an auto service business, as they’ll have the ability to see all recommended maintenance according to the telematics data.

In closing, Savoie noted that all cars will be online soon, meaning that obtaining

driving behaviours will no longer require aftermarket devices. Savoie said that insurers will need a common gateway to obtain OEM driving information, and that Audatex Canada is perfectly positioned between the two parties as the logical exchange point.

The event concluded with the CCIF Cocktail Reception sponsored by Audatex. For more information, please visit audatex.ca.

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6/23/14 3:44 PM

news

New materials and repairs the focus at CCIF Vancouver

By Darryl Simmons

CCIF was bursting at the seams with people and information at the most recent meeting in Vancouver.

Over 230 repairers, suppliers, insurers and OEM representatives packed the Marriott Pinnacle on Saturday. This marks the largest ever attendance in the west, validating the forum’s new direction since being administrated by AIA Canada.

Chairman Larry Jefferies opened the meeting by noting challenges and changes in the industry ranging from reduced volumes, advanced repair methods and over-capacity of the current number of facilities across the country. He said the wide-range of the slate of speakers was designed to spark discussion and provide information to bring to the AIA’s Collision Council for further action.

Using “the VOICE,” CCIF’s electronic voting system, it was determined that the audience showed a very strong desire for the AIA Collision Council to look at the insurance claims process, following a panel discussion moderated by Larry Jefferies with Joe Carvalho of Economical Insurance, Wade Morecy of TD Insurance, Ken Friesen of Concours Collision – CSN, and Mike Dybka of CARSTAR Burlington. There was a clear message that improvement in the process could create some positive effects on industry profitability for all stakeholders.

Chris Castagna of BMW Group expressed the desire for more OE collaboration with other industry stakeholders to ensure the industry has the resources and information needed to continue repairing vehicles properly today and in the future. One of the presenters at CCIF Vancouver, Castagna focused on carbon fibre plastics and its use in the brand new i3 line, demonstrating how old or even current repair practices will not suffice in the near future.

OEM procedures, training and equipment to handle the new materials will be intensive and mandatory. Currently, even though there are no i3s on the road in Canada, there are five locations already trained, equipped and ready to repair them.

Echoing the need to follow OEM repair procedures, and the need to have access to information to do so, Rick Leos of Toyota USA demonstrated his company’s new system of determining severity which basically eliminates estimating. Rather than building estimates from a blank page and line-by-line, Toyota has developed an opposite approach. Highlighting zones (such as quarter panel or rear bumper) populates a complete list of every part and process necessary for a safe and proper repair in the area.

The report includes detailed instructions for repair, safety bulle-

A panel discussion was a central feature of the morning session. From left: Wade Morecy of TD Insurance, Joe Carvalho of Economical Insurance, Mike Dybka of CARSTAR Burlington, Larry Jefferies, and Ken Friesen of CSN - Concours Collision.

20 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Chris Castagna of BMW (left) at CCIF. Castagna discussed how old and even current practices may not suffice in the near future.

tins and updates, and information about non-reusable parts. This system speeds up the repair process by eliminating the need for an appraiser to approve work before starting.

Wedge Clamp’s Desmond Chan was invited by the executive of the China Automotive Maintenance and Repair Trade Association (CAMRA) to join them for the Auto Maintenance and Repair (AMR) trade show. In addition, CAMRA had asked Wedge Clamp to bring fellow professionals in the collision repair and automotive aftermarket industries. The trip offered a unique opportunity for an inside view of business in China, in a package tailored for the collision repair industry.

A break for lunch followed, during which attendees were given a chance to view a BMW i3, one of only two in Canada. BMW had a technician remove some of the panels to demonstrate the unique panel replacement design of the i3.

The discussion on repairing advanced materials continued in the afternoon, led by Eric Boutin of Volkswagen Group Canada, Doug Staddon of Honda Canada and Paul Stella of Toyota Canada. The session examined several mainstream vehicles and the training and equipment needed to perform the right repair. David Adams, President of the Global Automakers of Canada, moderated a Q&A session following the presentations.

Leanne Jefferies, Director of the CCIF Skills Program, was next to take the podium. Leanne was recently honoured as one of the Most Influential Women in the collision repair industry by the Women’s Industry Network. The only Canadian to make this year’s list, Leanne reported on the Skills Competitions that have taken place so far and the National Competition set to take place June 5, 2014 at the International Centre in Toronto, Ont. She also updated CCIF attendees on the CCIF Haiti Arise project, providing actions the industry can take to get involved, including donating equipment, supplies or funds to help equip Haiti’s new Technical Institute.

Larry Jefferies returned to the stage to provide an update on the CCIF Business Conditions Survey. He also shared information from the Q4 national report and other industry performance data.

The final presentation of the day was delivered by Andrew Shepherd, Executive Director of I-CAR Canada, providing an update on new courses and the outlook for 2014 and beyond.

The next full meeting of CCIF will take place in Montreal at the Hilton Montreal Bonaventure on September 26, 2014.

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news

Flat Line to distribute Car-O-Liner in Ontario

The Flat Line team. The company has recently become a distributor of Car-O-Liner products in Ontario.

Flat Line has announced that the company is now an Ontario distributor for Car-O-Liner products. Car-O-Liner is a global manufacturer of frame straightening equipment, welding machines, measuring systems and tool storage solutions for the automotive collision repair industry.

“We are extremely happy to add such a dynamic product to our business. We look forward to providing the same quality and customer service to the Car-O-Liner customers that we do with all of

our products,” says Matt Gibson, General Manager of Flat Line. “By adding Car-OLiner products, we have taken the next step in the evolution of our company. We are tremendously excited that Car-O-Liner has chosen to partner with us in Ontario and we are ready to present their extremely high-quality lines to both existing and new customers!”

Individual items in the Car-O-Liner catalogue are approved for use with a number of OEM collision repair programs, including BMW and Ford’s new aluminumbodied F-150.

“When we look for a distributor, we look for partners who share the same values that we do,” says Doug Bortz, National Sales Manager of Car-O-Liner. “Flat Line shows the same commitment to quality and customer care that motivates Car-O-Liner.”

“It’s an exciting time for us,” says Gibson. “In addition to now carrying Car-O-Liner, we have a big announcement planned for next week as well. I can’t say too much at the moment, but it will allow us to serve our customers at an even higher level.”

For more information on Flat Line, please visit flatlinessi.com, or follow the company on Twitter @flatlinespray.

Daryll O’Keefe of Fix Auto raises funds at MADD Canada’s Stride for Change Daryll O’Keefe of Fix Auto and Andrew Murie, President of MADD Canada.

You could say that Daryll O’Keefe went the extra mile recently raising funds for MADD Canada. O’Keefe, Ontario General Manager for Fix Auto, took part in the 5 kilometre run at MADD Canada’s Stride for Change event. His run was the third highest individual fundraiser, with a total of $1,306.

O’Keefe scored an official time of 27 minutes and 41 seconds.

It’s especially impressive when you consider that he really did go the extra mile, or at least the extra half-kilometre. He missed the turnaround mark and ended up running back, making it a total of 5.5 kilometres run.

Fix Auto would like to thank all of the locations who helped support O’Keefe’s run and MADD Canada.

AkzoNobel to move HQ to Michigan AkzoNobel is moving its North American auto and aerospace headquarters much closer to Canada. The company recently announced the relocation of its Automotive & Aerospace Coatings (A&AC) Vehicle Refinishes North American headquarters from Norcross, Georgia to Troy, Michigan. Preparations for the move are currently underway, with an anticipated completion date of March 2015. The relocation will bring approximately 60 positions to the Troy facility.

22 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

A statement from AkzoNobel says the choice for the relocation is in line with the global strategic initiative of the company to bring an ever increasing focus to all facets of the business that will aid in improving operational excellence.

For A&AC Vehicle Refinishes, the goal is to create a concentration of force in the North American vehicle refinishes market. This move represents the most recent investment in a larger plan that has been underway for several years.

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news

The future arrives at Color Compass trade show The products of tomorrow were on display at the Color Compass trade show recently in Calgary.

Christened the Color Compass Collision Expo, the one-off trade show was held on Thursday, May 29, 2014 inside the company’s Calgary location. Featuring the tagline “The Future is Here,” Emile Fremont, Regional Manager of Carlson Body Shop Supply at Color Compass, says the show focused predominantly on new technologies and products that companies and end-users can expect to see in the not-too-distant future.

“There were 40 different vendors showing new products, most of which were for aluminum repairs, notably introducing equipment that will be needed to complete those repairs,” says Fremont.

Of the 40 vendors, the six-hour long Expo featured two paint companies with more than 200 end-users attending the show throughout the day. The show, which Fremont recalls as perhaps being the first distributor-run show in the last 10 years that’s specific to the collision industry, may have been a “one-off” for now, but that doesn’t mean the company won’t hold another convention before long that allows vendors to display their products in one location rather than having to travel from one customer to the next.

“Based on the success of the show we would do another one because it helps customers see what’s new and what new products are coming out,” he says. “The industry is changing rapidly and this is a more efficient way to show end-users new products.”

Falling in line with the credo from Color Compass’ trade show, Fremont says the company has a singular purpose moving forward.

“To continually provide information on new technologies and provide great service to our customers,” says Fremont.

ABOVE: Regional Manager Emile Fremont, GM Dave Swenson and Branch Manager Al Hinton of Carlson Body Shop Supply.

BELOW: David Black and Marc Bonneau of 3M Canada toast our photographer with Tim Hortons coffee in hand. The Color Compass Collision Expo featured 40 different vendors.

24 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

news

CSN lends hope a lifeline at make-a-wish event Rappelling 30 stories down the side of Toronto City Hall was hardly a feat for three members of CSN Collision & Glass’ executive team when small children fight more inspiring and courageous battles day in and day out.

“If Make-A-Wish asked us to jump out of a plane to support kids and make them happy, I think I would do it,” says CSN Regional Manager Derek Bennie prior to his rappelling down the east tower of City Hall’s complex. “We can sometimes take for granted what we have, and these kids could use a break so it’s nice to help them.”

Bennie was joined by two other CSN team members, including Quality Control CSN’s Mark Roesch, Douglas White and Derek Bennie rappelled down Toronto’s Analyst Douglas White and Network PerCity Hall in support of Make-A-Wish Foundation’s “Rope for Hope” event. formance Manager Mark Roesch, who took turns descending City Hall as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s “Rope for Hope” charity event. he started descending he was cracking jokes with the city skyline at White says he was anxious yet excited to take part, noting what eye level. Feeling too that it gets easier after the first few feet, the the children supported by Make-A-Wish go through makes climbing descent quickly becomes about the ability to maintain control. White down a building almost inconsequential. says that as intimidating as rappelling seems he wouldn’t hesitate “We need to be courageous for nine minutes, that’s nothing,” to volunteer if asked again.

White says.

“It’s definitely worth it, especially with what Rope for Hope is for,” With many bystanders cheering them on, Bennie was the first White says. “Honestly, I’d do it again.” to rappel and upon touching down on the ground, a smile formed CSN COO Flavio Battilana was also in attendance alongside across his face following his accomplishment. additional members of the executive team and feels it’s a great op“It was so cool, the view up there was breathtaking,” he says. “I’d portunity to support a worthy foundation the network supports and encourage people to get out and help their communities where they helps to build self-esteem and character for their team members. can. I encourage people to give back because I think it’s important The network’s VP of Sales Marketing Larry French was also on hand to do and it feels good.” and feels it’s a great team-building effort. Battilana agrees, but when Following their teammate, Roesch and White rappelled simultaneously it comes down to it, the entire effort is about injecting cheerful mowith Roesch touching down first followed closely by White. Roesch says ments into the lives of children and their families. that while it was difficult at first, after the first few steps it got easier.

“It’s all about helping families and creating positive memories no “Once you get past 20 feet and you start to take in the view, it matter what’s going on in their lives,” he says. “It demonstrates to was great. It was a lot of fun,” he says. “Regardless of doing this the families that there are people out there who care.” for such a great organization that helps kids get their wishes, it’s The purpose, as far as Battilana is concerned is simple and is just such a great cause. something the CSN team believes to the letter as well.

“Recently we had a lady out to talk about it who has an autistic “I think events like this demonstrate why we should not only do daughter whose wish was to meet Disney princesses. She was able the right thing at work, but it’s also about giving back to the comto go to Disney World and meet them, and the smile on her face munity with a high level of care,” he says. “That’s what customer makes it worth it. That’s what life is all about: helping people.” service is all about.”

White felt the same as he descended, noting though that up until For more information, please visit csninc.ca.

Boyd Group expands in Illinois The Boyd Group has announced a new location in Chicago, Ill. The repair centre previously operated under the name of Crawford Auto Restoration. It has approximately 26,050 sq. ft. and now operates under the Gerber Collision & Glass trade name.

“This repair centre has served its neighborhood for over 50 years and will help us to further expand our market share in Chicago,” said Tim O’Day, President and COO of the Boyd Group’s U.S.

operations. “We remain on track towards achieving our targeted growth rate of 6 to 10 percent through single store additions.”

The Boyd Group is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Kim Allen at kim.allen@gerbercollision.com for more information.

august 2014 collision Repair 27

facts & figures

BY THE NUMBERS Readers on the future landscape of the industry, the relative importance of discounts, and quizzing top-level executives.

M

6%

3%

10% 39% 19% 23%

Multi-Store Operators will be the dominant force in the industry, both inside and outside of national networks.

Dealerships will begin to more aggressively pursue collision business, opening or reopening dealership repair facilities.

By Mike Davey

u lt i - store op e r ators (MSOs) may come to be the dominant force i n t he i ndu st r y, a c cording to a majority of respondents in one of our recent polls.

We asked readers to choose the scenario

Which of these scenarios best describes how you think the future will look?

that they thought best described how the future would look, and a strong majority indicated that MSOs will dominate, both inside and outside of national networks.

A strong minority (23 percent) believe that dealerships are set to grow and become a more significant factor in the collision land-

The national and regional networks will continue to grow within Canada.

No real changes will occur. The industry will stay pretty much the way it is now.

Advanced vehicle safety features will lead to such a huge drop in collisions that most of us will be forced to go out of business.

The national and regional networks have by and large reached the limits of their growth and will stop or shrink slightly.

scape, while 19 percent see future growth for the national and regional networks.

A full 10 percent of respondents indicated that they believed the industry will stay much the same way it is now, and that no real changes will occur. While it’s not possible to predict the future, we’ll lay down serious money that this is the one scenario that absolutely will not happen.

We also recently asked readers which area of their costs they would most like to receive a discount on. Most costs captured about a 10 percent share, with the overwhelming majority (60 percent) indicating that they would prefer a raise in door rate to any possible discount.

Family businesses are quite common in the collision industry, and a recent poll seems to indicate that this will be the case for some time, with over 40 percent of respondents indicating that a new generation is ready to take over when it’s time.

A further 29% are also family businesses currently, but who will take over the business has not yet been determined.

Finally, we asked you which top-level executives you’d most like to quiz if you got the chance. While a number of respondents indicated that they would like to speak to representatives of the OEMs, the overwhelming majority chose insurance. CRM 28 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

facts & figures

You can pick one area to get discounts. Which do you choose?

You’ve got a chance to quiz a CEO from a major player in the auto claims economy. Which industry would you pick?

Is your facility a family business?

6%

5%

4%

9% 9% 24%

11%

18%

41%

60% 11%

Forget the discount! Just raise my door rate!

Utilities (heat, electricity, etc).

73%

29%

Yes, and there is a new generation who will take over.

Rent or property taxes.

Yes, but we haven’t determined precisely who will take over.

Parts.

For now, but we are transitioning to management outside the family.

Coatings.

No.

Insurance.

Vehicle manufacturer (OE).

Coatings.

Other.

Being certified sets you apart from those who are not.

Together let’s keep the public safe and protect the integrity of your trade.

1.855.299.0028 | collegeoftrades.ca | @collegeoftrades

august 2014 collision Repair 29

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point blank with piercey

goshopping Do your research. All equipment is not equal.

By Sam Piercey

A

s owners and managers, when we go to the big collision repair shows such as NACE, our intentions are to look for new equipment (or processes) that are going to make us more profit, and make things in our facilities move better, faster, cheaper! That’s the best reason to go to these shows.

If you’re going to party … well, it’s your money, and it’s not up to me to tell you how to spend it. But I will say you can party cheaper at home. Now that the show is in Detroit, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the people who used to come just to party may stay home.

potential energy expended over an entire eight hour shift? They should be able to show you numbers that proves the booth is a real recycling booth. That doesn’t just mean that the booth saves the hot air and reuses it, although that’s important too. Do the lighting, the motors and the drives work in conjunction with the bake cycles? They better, if you want to realize those potential cost savings.

They also need to show you that it can move enough cubic feet of air per minute to make for efficient waterborne application. Oh, and make sure you get the real cost of the booth. That means every single cost, from just before they

Protecting the Integrity of Your Trade In Ontario, only trained, certified tradespeople can legally fix a car’s brakes or repair a vehicle that’s been in an accident. That’s because it is crucially important work that impacts the well-being of our communities.

Therefore it’s disconcerting that there are some individuals in this province who aren’t following the rules that are designed to keep our streets—and our families—safe.

In the past year alone, more than 100 tickets within the automotive power trades were issued for violations of performing work without proper certification.

The picture is clear: an underground

some spray equipment is just old technology with a higher price.

economy exists because some individuals believe that the rules do not apply to them.

That behaviour detracts from the honest tradespeople who have put in the time and training required to become certified, and work hard to make our province run.

Anyway, the real question you should always be asking yourself is, “how can I move more cars out the door and save money?” That’s what I ask myself, and you’ll find answers all over your shop if you look hard enough.

Let’s start with your spray booth.

Straight up, some spray equipment is just old technology with a higher price. It’s time for the old school paint booth manufacturers to get with the new world.

You need to know what to look for and how to ask the right questions. How many cars can I put through in an eight hour shift? What is the true temperature from the start up of the bake cycle, and how long does it take to get to, for example, 160 degrees fahrenheit? To get the bake started, does it take three minutes or five minutes longer or shorter than what the paint manufacturer says it needs for a full bake cycle on the product?

If it takes 20 minutes for a bake and purge, and it takes five or more minutes to get the right temperature, what is the

dig the pit until just after the booth is installed and ready to run.

There are excellent paint booth manufacturers who can do all of this and more.

You need to ask your paint company to help you spec out the investment, but make sure you don’t cheap out. A cheap booth isn’t worth the money if you want to get cars out the door.

I’ve mostly talked about paint booths, but I’d like to finish off by looking at aluminum welders. We’ve been working with aluminum consistently for years, and not all equipment is created equal.

Your aluminum welder and dent puller must have fine temperature control, or you’ve simply wasted your money. Talk to the OEMs. They can point you in the right direction. CRM Sam Piercey is the co-owner of Budds’ Collision Services in Oakville, Ont. He is a long-time Coyote member and sits on many boards and committees. Sam can be reached at sam@buddscollision.com.

Against that backdrop, the Ontario College of Trades (the College), the industry-driven, provincial self-regulatory organization that protects the public by regulating and promoting the skilled trades, is working hard to level the playing field.

Its enforcement officers are on the road every day, inspecting work sites, talking with trained and certified tradespeople and, when required, ticketing those who do not have proper certification.

“Our organization is committed to protecting the integrity of this industry. It is what the public demands, and it is what tradespeople deserve,” says the College’s Director of Compliance and Enforcement, Bob Onyschuk.

info@collegeoftrades.ca 1.855.299.0028 collegeoftrades.ca

prairie view

summerrambles Let’s see where this takes us.

By Tom Bissonnette

U

sually I like to pick a theme and stick with it, but this time around I’m going to share a bunch of small thoughts I’ve had recently. I’m going all over the place here, but the nice thing about that is that you’re almost certain to find something you like if you keep reading. It’s important to stay positive, no matter what life deals you.

That was brought home to me recently. It has been a very busy time for my wife and myself. We have each just lost a parent in the last month and it seems that we have been so busy with family stuff that we lost track of time. With this in mind is it ok for me to just throw out some of the myriad of thoughts going through my head?

Having been involved with the passing of two parents, two weeks apart, we have had the opportunity to deal with a lot of end-of-life details. One parent had pre-planned , the other did not. I can tell you that the pre-planned event was a breeze while the other one was

a marathon of activity. It got me to thinking, “I wonder if I should pre-plan my end-of-life details so my kids don’t have to worry about it?” The guy from Purple Cross was at my house last night. Think about it.

Hey, are you going to NACE this year? July is a tough time. We have many people on holidays and we have such a short summer already ... but, the new F-150 is coming out and I need to get some info on how to repair it plus I see that CCIF has planned an incredible event—I hope to see you there. Collision Repair magazine is hosting Canada Night on the show floor again at NACE, and I hope to see you at that too.

Speaking of the F-150, people here are starting to freak out wondering how and if they are going to be able to repair the thing. Listen, since I have been in this business all I have heard is, “we can’t fix unibody vehicles! We can’t fix plastics! We can’t deal with basecoat paint or waterborne paint or high-strength steel!”

Relax, people. The information is out there and in just a short while you will be a professional when

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it comes to aluminum. Change is simply a part of our industry and people know how to adapt. Hey, what do you call it when change is literally constant, when it’s always in the background of everything you do? I’m pretty sure you just call it life!

Have you heard about the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation? You may not be able to send advertising

under “CCIF Initiatives” at ccif.ca. While you are at it, please consider coming to Haiti for a week this coming October to help move this project along. It’s a beautiful country, full of people rising to meet the substantial challenges they’re being presented. We have the opportunity to help them build a professional industry that performs safe repairs,

change is simply a part of our industry and people know how to adapt. to your past and existing customers via email without their consent. Fines go up to over $5,000 if you do not comply. The first part of the law went into effect July 1, 2014. You might want to check out the article on it at Collision Repair magazine’s website, collisionrepairmag.com. Just type “spam”in the search box at the top right and click the first link. It’s short and it sums up the basics of what you need to do.

Have you heard about CCIF’s Haiti Arise project?

This is a great opportunity to make a difference in our world by helping another nation develop a viable collision repair industry. You can check it out

encourages entrepreneurship and small business, and generates employment in the community.

In closing, whatever happened to the hole in the ozone layer? It seems forever since I have heard anything. Maybe it’s plugged with the aftermarket parts I have sent back the last few months? CRM Tom Bissonnette is the owner/operator of Parr Auto Body, a collision repair facility located in Saskatoon, Sask. He can be reached at tom@parrautobody.com.

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who’s driving?

keeptraining Continual training is the best way keep skilled techs on staff.

By Jay Perry

O

ne of the things that has dogged the industry’s thinking for a long time is the cost of educating our staff. Is it truly a cost or is it an investment? I believe it to be the latter but there are some that are afraid to make that investment, using the excuse, “when I train someone they just end up leaving.” On occasion that becomes a reality. Statistics show that it is a minimal amount compared to those that stay with you. So if those that stay are not educated and the ones that are educated leave, what are you left with? To me that is the true cost associated with not supporting continuing education.

No other industry (except the computer industry)

writer joined his store he gave the assignment to a seasoned veteran, in conjunction with a wellrounded and inclusive orientation that involved working on the floor with a technician. This was to help them gain a fundamental understanding of how hard our guys work and the complexities of the techniques employed by them.

This same client participates in co-op student programs and these students are assigned to a technician and they get their hands dirty with them. Yes, they also contribute to cleaning the shop but it is not the only thing they think they are going to be used for during their assignment.

Many of our employees are not educated in mat-

Take the needs of your staff seriously. loyalty is a two-way street. changes as rapidly in marketplace and technology than ours. We have a very complicated business to operate with physics, electronics, chemistry, legislation and standard business pressures to accommodate.

This complexity necessitates the need for continuing education. This is the first step in keeping employees focused and productive. Without a proper, up-todate education they will lag behind their peers in both areas. Pride and professionalism go a long way towards building up the shop’s morale.

One method through which the industry can destroy potential is by abusing apprentices or entrylevel applicants. I have seen co-op students pushing brooms and cleaning up the shop for their entire assignment. I have seen entry-level office workers thrown into the deep end of the pool with too little training even on some of the fundamentals of office procedures, nevermind the complex ones.

One of my most successful clients learned this lesson by starting a mentoring program where one employee is assigned the primary responsibility of training the newbie. Others take over specifics dependent on what the new employee needs to round out their education for onboarding. When a junior 34 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

ters of finance and often get themselves into trouble, which ultimately becomes a distraction and lowers overall productivity. In the June 30, 2014 issue of Fortune magazine Vern Harnish wrote that a successful way to increase productivity was through education. One of the most powerful suggestions was to look at your own approach to workload leveling so that you are not contributing to their costs of working there. They used the example of overtime which creates the need of extended childcare and lowers their cleared income. Group-buying clubs are also an option. They may be cost-prohibitive for them to join as individuals, but as a group an employer could easily afford to participate.

Take the needs of your staff seriously. Loyalty is a two-way street. This is a philosophy you must fully embrace in order to stay the one who’s driving. CRM

Jay Perry is the founder and owner of Automotive Business Consultants (ABC), a performance coaching company specializing in the automotive service industry. He can be reached via e-mail at jayperry@a-b-c-inc.com.

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Human Resources

jobdescriptions A structured approach to hiring helps your bottom line.

By Evert Akkerman

R

ecruiting and retaining high-quality staff is hard without specific job descriptions.

A structured approach will help you determine which applicant is the best fit and therefore likely to thrive and stay.

A recent edition of Collision Repair magazine referred to the results of a survey, in which readers were asked about their biggest challenges for 2014.

The top concern was employee hiring and retention.

The article also mentioned that many work without written job descriptions. This is a key issue.

I have been in HR for ten years and seen many examples of flawed hiring, with employers hiring people because they like them or the candidate “seemed like

boss doing most of the talking. Rather than focusing on the requirements of the job and the difference it’s supposed to make, the conversation covers the weather, hockey and family, and maybe a question like “Can you handle the job?”

We have all heard of interview questions such as “What is your favourite colour?” and “If you could be an animal, which would you want to be?” Candidates may be able to field such questions, but their answers have no predictive value.

Let’s start with the basics. Step one is creating a job description. Step two is conducting structured interviews. First, you determine what the job needs to do for your business. The job description is a profile that

IF you No have requirements on paper ...

How do you know what you’re looking for? a nice guy.” Other reasons for hiring: “I wanted to help out,” “I know her family,” “He fixed my computer,” or “We’re in the same soccer club.”

Being a great soccer player doesn’t automatically make someone a great technician. There is no predictive value in soccer skills other than that the candidate might be good at volleyball too.

If you have no requirements and desired outcomes on paper, how do you know what you’re looking for?

You have an idea of the job, but the candidate may have a completely different idea. This is why you run into retention issues: most people quit in their first few days on the job, often because the job turns out to be completely different from what they expected.

Once someone is on board, the next issue is performance management. Without an outline of tasks and results, you cannot credibly rate performance.

When performance issues aren’t documented and addressed, your liability in terms of severance grows and grows. The wrong hire can wreck your team, affect your growth and even sink your company.

In many small companies, you see a relative of the owner handling the books, payroll and HR. Interviews are rarely more than a conversation, with the 36 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

outlines key tasks, skills and qualifications and serves as the foundation for continuing performance management. It creates accountability for failure as well as success. Second, structured interviews will greatly increase your chances of a successful hiring decision.

This means asking each candidate the same questions based on job requirements, talking about competencies and outcomes that are specific and measurable, taking detailed notes, scoring the candidates’ answers and then comparing them. No matter who you hire, you will have a documented decision. This enhances the credibility and effectiveness of the process.

It takes a focused effort to produce job descriptions, but once you have these in place, it makes recruiting much easier. Addressing key elements of the job in interviews increases your chances of matching the right person with the job. Hiring the right people is a deciding factor for your company’s future. CRM Evert Akkerman LL.M., CHRP is an HR professional. His firm XNL HR helps companies with job descriptions, structured interviews and performance management. He can be reached at info@xnlhr. com and 289-338-4001.

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profiles of success Doug Roberts is the facility’s founder, while his daughter Kim handles dayto-day operations.

Family

First

For the Roberts, customers and staff at Fix Auto Barrie North have always been an extended family.

By Mike Davey

august 2014 collision Repair 39

profiles of success

Todd Roberts works as a painter at the facility.

Craig CameronMcKeown.

D

oug Roberts sums up the evolution of the collision repair industry perfectly. “Years ago, we were bodymen running businesses, now we’re businesspeople running shops.”

Doug is the owner/operator of Fix Auto Barrie North. He is the founder of the business, and still loves to come to work every day. His daughter, Kim, runs the day-today operations. The father and daughter team are a frequent sight at industry educational and networking events.

Regarding the evolution of the industry, Doug should know. He started his career at age 16 at Middel’s Autobody in Barrie, Ont. The year was 1968, and Doug had previously considered a career in the armed forces.

“Maybe I should have,” he laughs. “I would have been retired by now.”

Doug worked at Middel’s for about a year and started an apprenticeship during that time. He worked at a couple of small shops, then moved to Jackson Chrysler.

It was around then that he married his wife Barb.

“We’ll be married 43 years this August,” says Doug. ”We’ve had three beautiful kids and four grandchildren.”

We’ve already mentioned Kim, who works in the front office. Her brother Todd also works at the facility as a painter.

The next move for the Roberts family was to Simcoe, Ont., to work in a dealership facility, then it was back to Barrie to Grandview Ford, where he rose to the

position of shop manager. Maybe it was a case of itchy feet, but two years later Doug and Barb packed up their growing family and moved to Oshawa, where Doug worked as a shop manager for another dealership.

Not a bad life for a kid who dropped out of school at 16, but Doug suffered a major setback when he was fired from his job as manager in 1979.

“We went on vacation to Mexico, and when we got back it turned out I had infectious hepatitis,” says Doug. “I was quarantined at home for seven weeks, and got fired when I came back.”

It’s interesting how often it’s a setback that puts a person on the road to success.

Doug needed to support his family, and a friend owned a small shop on Bradford Street, in Doug’s hometown of Barrie.

“I rented a stall off of him, and that’s where it started,” says Doug. “A few months later, I was renting most of the stalls, and he had one.”

Within a year, the name over the door changed to Roberts Collision and the facility moved to 155 Brock St. in Barrie. By 1985, volume led to a need for expansion.

A body repair facility was opened at 110 Brock St., and the former facility became the paint shop.

40 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

In 2002, various factors led to moving the business to its current home at 150 Brock St. Kim started working at the family business straight out of college. A graduate of Georgian College’s Automotive Marketing program, Kim found she had a good theoretical basis for the work, but was missing life experience.

“I was going to see a lot of brokers, and I had nothing in common with the people that I was going to see,” Kim recalls. “I was a kid, fresh out of college, and they were settled, married people with kids of their own.”

At that point, Doug said something to Kim that many parents have said to their children over the years.

“I told her ‘Go get a job,’” says Doug. Kim moved on, holding two different positions in marketing and brand management over the next few years, but the family business was never forgotten. She returned on April Fool’s Day, 2008. And that’s no joke.

“We needed someone in the office, and I was little more mature by that time,” says Kim. “I was more confident, and more able to talk to our customers and to brokers on their level.”

The business has occupied the same location since 2003, but they’ve still managed to expand significantly in that time.

profiles of success

Next February marks the fourth anniversary of Roberts Complete Auto Care, conveniently located across the parking lot from Fix Auto Barrie North. As the name suggests, it’s an automotive service facility, and complements the collision business as well as serving as a profit centre in its own right.

“We were having trouble getting our own cars done,” says Doug, referring to the mechanical work the shop used to sublet.

“Craig (Cameron-McKeown, manager of Roberts Complete Auto Care) came to me, and said ‘Why don’t you open it up and I’ll run it for you?’ and away we went.

Almost from the word go, it’s been self-

For the Roberts, it’s all about the customers.

“From the moment they walk in, we’ve always been about making sure we look after them like they’re family,” says Doug.

“They’re usually upset because of their accident, and we’ve got about two minutes to settle them down. Between Kim and Greg (the appraiser), they’re very good at that.”

Doug made the decision to join Fix Auto over 10 years ago. He saw a need to be part of a national organization, and the Fix Auto methods and tools suited his business.

“I was quite sure that’s the way the insurance companies we’re leaning towards,” says Doug. “I picked the Fix Auto way of

Branding is more important than ever before. While previous generations may have made decisions based on personal relationships, the younger generation often makes decisions based on how they relate to a brand.

“Millenials are very brand aware, and they’re constantly bombarded with advertisements,” says Kim. “Look at a Facebook screen, it’s constant advertising. If you want your message to be heard, you have to be part of a brand.”

Doug sits on the Fix Auto advisory board, which is made up of shop owners and helps to serve as a sort of sounding board for the network. Doug has been

“Millenials are very brand aware. If you want your message to be heard, you have to be part of a brand.”

– Kim Roberts Greg McElroy.

supporting. It helps a lot with customer service. Not only are we delivering faster, as it’s all under our control, we’re getting to see our customers more frequently.”

Although it’s true that the averages say people only need a collision facility every seven years or so, Fix Auto Barrie North doesn’t seem to have a problem hanging onto customers.

“People come by a year later with coffee and donuts, just to say hi or to show us their new cars,” says Kim. “Barrie’s getting bigger, but it’s still got that small town feel.

There’s still a lot of ‘I’m going to go where my grandparents go.’”

doing things, as I liked their rules, regulations and stipulations, but also their procedures and policies. We’ve learned quite a bit.”

Doug also says that all of the various banner programs have improved the entire industry.

“They’ve given the shops more legitimacy,” says Doug. “The banners stepped up their level of customer service, and every shop that wanted to be progressive had to follow suit. It’s a step up even for independents. For us, it’s easier dealing with insurers, and customers know they aren’t just dealing with Joe Auto Body, but with a national brand. ”

the representative for his region of Ontario for several years. Kim has recently been named co-chair for Ontario for the Fix Auto national advertising committee. It’s a good match, considering her skill set.

Being part of a national brand helps to draw customers, as do the personal relationships that come from years of providing first rate service. But that doesn’t mean that it’s time for anyone at Fix Auto Barrie North to rest on their laurels.

“It’s a competitive business,” says Doug.

“You’ve got to be on your toes. We’re not the biggest, but we try to be the best.” CRM august 2014 collision Repair 41

EXECUTIVE VISION

Tactical Execution

By Mike Davey

Rich Zamperin of Allstate on providing an outstanding customer experience and staying in tune with the latest technology.

E

xecutive Vision focuses on discussions with key players in the auto claims economy and the auto industry, their views on the present industry and their vision for the future. In this issue, Collision Repair magazine’s Editor, Mike Davey, sits down with Rich Zamperin, Vice President, Claims, for Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, to discuss his views on critical issues facing the industry, the company’s PRO program, and long-term sustainability.

Collision Repair magazine: The collision repair industry has a number of challenges.

In your opinion, what are the three most critical issues from the viewpoint of the insurance industry?

Rich Zamperin: The three most critical issues the collision repair industry faces right now are: 1. The difficulty the industry has to consistently provide an outstanding customer experience. Satisfying customers requires focused planning and precise execution.

Currently, the industry on the whole seems unable to do this across the board.

2. The growing shortage of individuals who select a career in automobile repair. This shortage of qualified personnel is directly linked to the automotive industry’s reluctance to champion, promote and support training that keeps pace with the advancements in automotive technology.

3. Consolidation. Smaller independent auto repair shops also face the challenge of having to compete with larger companies that are buying up their competition. Operations that aren’t purchased face a very difficult landscape in the future.

CRM: Taking just one of the critical issues outlined above, what is the best way for a shop to deal with it?

RZ: The part of any business that anyone has the most control over is how they treat their customers. In any industry, ensuring every customer has an outstanding experience every time isn’t easy. It takes hard work. Factors, such as an unforeseen increase in volume, a shortage of technicians, complex repairs, insurer demands and heightened customer expectations all affect and heavily influence the service equation.

The key to achieving success is to formulate a plan that pays special attention to potential challenges and create an execution strategy that works regardless of the shop’s dynamics whether it’s size, technology or ability to take action. The strategy must incorporate a way that clearly sets expectations for customers, while also keeping them informed about the status of their repairs. Tactics shops should employ include, a thorough inspection of damages, proper dismantling of the vehicle to improve damage analysis, and a careful consideration of alternative repair

42 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

methods. If a shop wants to go the extra mile in providing exceptional customer service, then they should concentrate on tailoring service based on a customer’s individual needs.

Ultimately, the experience the customer leaves with when his/her car is delivered is not only a reflection of the shop, but also a reflection of their insurer.

CRM: Allstate runs the PRO shop repair program. How did the program get started, and how does it differ from other direct repair programs?

RZ: The Allstate PRO (Priority Repair Option) program has been in place for over 40 years. Many consumers have little experience with collision repair, and look to us for guidance after they are involved in an accident. It was initially developed to provide customers with alternatives and choices at a time when they are extremely vulnerable.

To anticipate our customer’s needs, Allstate developed a set of high standards in relation to repair quality and customer service levels that participating shops we

EXECUTIVE VISION

do business with must agree to follow. All repairs completed under Allstate’s PRO Program are guaranteed for as long as that customer owns their vehicle, and although we recommend repair shops under the PRO program with confidence, the customer has the final say and their choice is always respected.

CRM: What would you say is the benefit of this program to Allstate? What about to the shop?

RZ: The PRO program brings several benefits to Allstate, the most significant being the inherent value it provides in enhancing our customer service. We’ve done some of the leg work for them in vetting the best vendors in advance. Employing this program provides our policyholders with repairs that are best in class, hassle-free and seamless.

This program is all about reducing customer effort and our PRO shops have this nailed!

Shops benefit from participation in the PRO program by receiving a consistent source of referrals. Additionally, the traditional issues associated with billing and collections are virtually non existent. Fur-

incumbent that they understand and stay on top of changes impacting the business by attending and participating in the various industry events like CCIF, NACE and SEMA. They should foster close relationships with our mutual customers and ensure that every employee in the shop understands they are there for one purpose - to service the customer.

They should also be continually looking for ways to improve ef f icienc y and effectiveness.

CRM: What do you think will be an area of growth for collision repair facilities?

RZ: The greatest areas and opportunities for growth really lies in areas of providing

exceptional customer experiences. Shops that buy into providing the best service by staying on top of advancements and training will rise to the top.

CRM: Thinking solely of how it’s going to change the business, what’s the biggest change we can expect in the next few years?

RZ: With ongoing changes in technology, vehicle design and construction, the business will continue to increase in complexity. Staying up-to-date will become even more critical than ever.

And in the more distant future, as vehicles become safer and more emphasis is placed on collision avoidance, there may be fewer accidents and consequently less work available to the industry. CRM

“

The experience the customer leaves with ... is not only a reflection of the shop, but also a reflection of their insurer.

- Rich Zamperin thermore, the opportunity to successfully and consistently meet a series of key performance metrics we set, which are heavily weighted towards shops providing an exceptional experience to our customers, is a powerful incentive to consistently improve and innovate.

CRM: In your view, what are the most important steps for a shop to take to secure longevity?

RZ: All shops need to stay current. Staying in tune with the latest technology and using that knowledge enables a shop to improve its overall service and profitability. It’s

Rich Zamperin is the Vice President, Claims, for Allstate Canada.

august 2014 collision Repair 43

MITCHELL ROAD SHOW

fast & accurate For Joe Bove of Mercedez-Benz North Vancouver, Mitchell is always the first choice.

Kicking off the Mitchell Road Show. From left: Frank Vaski, Pauline Perenack, and Michel Gagnon of Mitchell; Joe Bove and Ed Kennedy of Mercedes-Benz North Vancouver.

By Mike Davey

M

Joe Bove, manager of MercedesBenz North Vancouver.

itchell International has taken its products on the road, kicking off a crossCanada tour with a recent stop at MercedesBenz North Vancouver.

Shop Manager Joe Bove has been in the collision repair business for 43 years. He got his start the same way many do, by tinkering with cars. He joined the ranks of the professionals at a friend’s suggestion, found he loved it, and never looked back. He came to Mercedes-Benz North Vancouver as a technician, and worked his way up to manager.

Talking with Bove shows why his facility was willing to host the Mitchell Road Show. He’s used their products for years, and he says they work exceptionally well.

“We use Mitchell Estimating and RepairCenter FastPhoto,” says Bove. “I’ve been using it since day one and you just can’t beat it. I open the estimate, and it immediately tells me what I need to know, what options the car has, and so on. There’s no other system that tells you that.”

Motorists in British Columbia are insured under the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), but some carry supplemental insurance from private companies. Plus, the majority of travellers to B.C. also have private insurance. However, ICBC uses a competing system, and requires all shops on their program to use it as well. This means Bove knows both of the competing systems intimately.

44 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

“Mitchell’s system is very easy,” says Bove. “When you open a Mitchell estimate, at least 98 percent of the time, the part number and the price is right on the money. With the other system, you might be lucky to get a part number that’s right, or a price that’s right, but it’s wrong more often than not.”

Time is always of the essence in collision repair, so any delays in estimating can cost the facility significant revenue.

“An estimator just showed me a $30,000 estimate that he prepared using the other system, and he had to change the price on just about every single line,” says Bove.

“I think that if you took two estimators, both of them proficient in estimating and with the respective systems, the guy using the Mitchell system would outperform the other one at about three to one.”

Bove notes that he has to use the other system for ICBC repairs, as the company requires it. He uses Mitchell’s system in every other situation.

“The other system bogs us down completely,” says Bove. “You can’t deliver the car unless everything matches, so you’ve got to spend hours cleaning up the sheet.

With Mitchell, I spend two minutes and it’s done.”

With Vancouver already complete, the Mitchell Road Show will soon be making stops in Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax. Watch the next issue and keep an eye on collisionrepairmag.com for continuing updates on the Mitchell Road Show! CRM

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REPAIR TECHNIQUES

Only OE Approved Deviating from recommendations may bring horrific results.

By Mike Davey

Visuals courtesy of KTI. Crash tests performed by KTI after repair show a definite decrease in safety following a repair using old techniques.

W

hat is the best repair?

You will get different answers depending on who you ask, but in general the best repair is the one that preserves the vehicle’s crashworthiness. Price is certainly a consideration, but it is absolutely essential that it take a backseat to safety.

There are few guarantees in life, but it is generally agreed in both the collision industry and the automotive manufacturing sector that the best route to a safe and high-quality repair is to use the OE recommendations.

There are a number of reasons for this.

Any one of them is compelling enough on its own to warrant using OE recommended repair techniques in every single case.

The people who built the car know the most about its construction. Serious research and design goes into every nut and bolt of a car before it’s ever approved for manufacture.

Furthermore, car companies are constantly seeking ways to improve their vehicles and differentiate themselves from the competition. This often leads to changes in design, changes that may affect the way the vehicle’s systems interact in a crash. This indicates a need to use the most up-to-date repair information.

Finally, the once exotic materials are now relatively commonplace. These materials often cannot be properly repaired using techniques that are now badly out of date. Making matters worse, such a “repair”

may look good, but it is cosmetic only. It looks great, but a potentially fatal danger may be lurking just below the surface.

Improper repairs can unquestionably cause havoc. They can result in inury or even death. Outdated repair techniques, or those that contravene OEM recommendations and repair procedures, put customers at risk.This is not something that anyone wants. No repairer wants to perform unsafe repairs. No insurer wants to put their customers in danger. No car manufacturer wants their cars to be repaired in an unsafe manner.

There may be questions about why and how the OEMs determine the proper techniques. We recently reached out to some of the major car companies to ask how their standards are developed.

Chad Heard is the Manager, Public Relations, for Hyundai Canada. He notes that the guidelines are not determined on a whim, but through research.

“The replacement and repair guidelines issued by Hyundai Auto Canada

46 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Corp. are the result of intensive research and validation by the company’s engineering department,” says Heard. “The performance, fuel efficiency, and, most importantly, effectiveness of the vehicle’s safety systems are the result of a vast array of components working together. Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. always recommends its guidelines be strictly followed when a Hyundai vehicle is being repaired.”

A safe repair is more about just the structure of the vehicle, although that’s obviously of prime importance. Modern day safety systems work in conjunction with each other, and often depend on the car reacting a particular way in a collision. If one thing is off, everything is off.

“Safety systems are very complicated.

They work with each other,” says Louis Infantino, Manager, Accident Management for Mercedes-Benz Canada. “In addition to accident avoidance systems in the vehicle, there are other systems that seek to mitigate the effects of a collision. All of these systems are affected by an improper repair.”

REPAIR TECHNIQUES

Improper repairs can seriously compromise the safety of drivers and passengers, but Infantino says the danger doesn’t stop there.

“Ultimately, our goal is avoid the collision in the first place, and our vehicles have systems that help to do that. If repairs aren’t done properly, those systems are compromised. This places everyone at risk, not just the driver and passengers, but other drivers and pedestrians as well.”

High-end and even mid-range manufacturers have been concentrating on accident avoidance in recent years, but make no mistake: they know that despite their best efforts, some of their vehicles will be involved in accidents. Knowing this, repair is often a consideration in the design phase.

Chris Castagna is the Certified Collision Repair Program Specialist for BMW Canada.

He points out that not only do modern vehicles require different techniques, those techniques are a point of consideration when the vehicles are designed.

“We build vehicles keeping in mind that they may need repair one day,” says Castagna. “The design team works with the collision team from the very start.”

The manufacturers built the vehicles,

and they know how they react in accidents. This knowledge is based on both solid science of materials and forces, and real word tests.

The efficacy of modern, OE approved techniques vs. older methods has been tested extensively both by car companies and by outside parties. A report released by German firm KTI in 2011 illustrates the dangers of using non-approved repair techniques.

In essence, they took two Volkswagen Passats and crashed them in identical ways. They then repaired one using traditional techniques, and the other using the recommended practices from Volkswagen.

The results, taken out of the lab and onto the streets, were horrific.

The Volkswagen approved repair led to almost identical results as the first crash tests. All safety systems operated and the passenger cabin retained its integrity.

The vehicle repaired using older techniques did not fare as well. The restraint systems did not operate as intended. The passenger side airbag deployed, but not properly, nor in time to prevent injury. The B pillar pushed considerably further into the passenger compartment than in the

first crash, further deforming the metal around it and jamming the passenger seat further into the vehicle.

An inappropriate spot welding machine was purposefully used during the repair.

Every single spot weld snapped under the impact of the second crash.

The report concludes: “From the results obtained by this project it is clear that only a repair carried out according to the OEM’s information could be described as Expert and Professional. The information would describe the recommended methods and joining procedures, including possible partial repairs in order to guarantee that a repair would have no adverse effect on the protection afforded to passengers in the event of a later collision.”

The knowledge of how much damage an unsafe repair can do carries with it a mission. Most professional repairers know the score, and so do most insurers. However, it is up to those who do know to pass the message along to those who don’t.

This isn’t about efficiency or profitability.

This is about protecting the public, saving lives and yes, protecting your business from liability. The power is in your hands. CRM

Committed to being there for customers, communities and cars when they need us.

With our Give, Green & Growth Certification, CARSTAR locations across Canada are leaders in sustainability, in the industry and in the communities they serve.

carstar.ca

august 2014 collision Repair 47

EQUIPMENT

Future Investment

The 2015 F-150 is constructed with aluminum body panels, necessitating different repair techniques than traditional steel.

By Mike Davey

New equipment might be needed to repair future iterations of Ford’s iconic F-150.

W

orking with aluminum presents challenges.

Before they can tackle it, technicians need the right training. However, the right equipment is just as important.

Aluminum bodied vehicles are still relatively rare, but not for long. Ford has significantly redesigned the F-150 to replace the vehicle’s traditional steel body panels and bed with military-grade aluminum with the purpose of improving fuel economy. Ford has also increased the amount of high-strength steel in the new F-150’s frame from 23 percent to 77 percent. Properly restoring an aluminum collision-damaged vehicle to pre-accident condition requires new repair methods and equipment.

Recognizing this, Ford has added a number of products from Chief, Elektron, Car-O-Liner, Global Finishing Solutions and others to its Rotunda Dealer Equipment program before the 2015 F-150 hits showrooms later this year.

Some shops may already have most or all of the equipment they need in place, and the investment needed may be relatively light in those cases. For others, however, the amount of money needed may be prohibitive.

John Jaszek is the manager of the collision centre at Eastgate Ford - CSN in Hamilton, Ont. He says the investment needed may be significant, but there’s no trouble justifying it at his dealership.

“We sell about 300 F-150s a year, and we’re the only Ford dealer in the Hamilton area with a collision facility,” says

Left: The Car-O-Liner CMI3000II MIG/MAG Pulse Welder is approved for use in the in the 2015 F-150 Collision Repair Program.

Right: Ford has approved a wide range of manufacturers to provide repair equipment for the 2015 F-150. From Chief and Elektron, the approved equipment includes (from left) the Elektron MultiTool Aluminum Dent Repair Station, Elektron MultiMig 522 dual torch MIG/MAG inverter welder, Elektron Multispot MI-100control T resistance spot welder, Chief Goliath frame repair system, Chief Structural Holding with F-150 Kit, and Chief LaserLock live mapping system.

Jaszek. “There may be other dealers who sell fewer trucks, with only one or two coming back in for repair. They may not find the investment worthwhile yet.”

Those hypothetical dealers may change their tune if there turns out to be anything to the rumours of further aluminumbodied vehicles from Ford. Edmunds. com recently reported that two of the company’s SUVs may feature aluminum panels as early as 2016.

The list of needed equipment is lengthy, and includes aluminum MIG welding, aluminum dent extractors, separate hand and power tools, a specialized SPR rivet gun, and new frame alignment fixtures. There

48 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

may also be specialized equipment needed for air extraction and a separate enclosed room for working on the vehicles.

All of this comes with a hefty price tag.

Depending on the equipment already installed, a collision repair facility may need to spend heavily perform all of the proper repair procedures. You can add in training technicians to the final bill.

The costs are high, but there’s a good chance that many shops will pay them.

The F-150 is one of the most popular light trucks in the world, and there’s been little to no indication that the switch to aluminum has soured the public. We’ll likely keep seeing them for years to come. CRM

INDUSTRY EVENT

CLEAR VISION Fix Auto looks to the future at 2014 Conference.

By Mike Davey

T

he future of collision repair will require technical expertise, sound decision making, and most importantly, a clear vision. All three were on display at the 2014 Fix Auto Conference at the Westin Ottawa.

Steve Leal, President of Fix Auto, kicked off the conference on Wednesday with opening remarks speaking to the theme, “A Clear Vision for the Future.” Leal dis-

cussed Fix Auto’s international reach and also introduced Guy Barbeau, who has recently joined the team in the position of VP of Operations. Barbeau is highly experienced on the OE side, having spent many years as an executive at Chrysler.

Special guest speaker Bob Hartley was next to take the podium, speaking of the value of treating people as individuals. Hartley, who has coached NHL teams through hundreds of games, is almost unique in the world of

NHL coach Bob Hartley served as a special guest speaker, discussing how to treat staff as individuals.

Paul Nestorowich of Discount; Claudio Chiodo of Fix Auto Burlington; and Lorna Richards of Gore Mutual.

Kevin Kemp of Enterprise and Kim Roberts of Fix Auto Barrie North.

Jean-Pierre Alarie served as emcee for the Conference.

50 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

hockey. He never played professionally, but his abilities to coach and to motivate secured his place in NHL history.

Next up was Andre La Forge, Managing Director with Roynat. La Forge’s presentation focused on finances, highlighting what a shop owner must do when considering the purchase of a new facility.

David Lingham of IBIS brought an international flavour to the conference, serving as both a speaker and emcee for

Emcee Jean-Pierre Alarie kept busy during the bike giveaway, calling each of the dozens of kids up to the front by name and chatting with them for a few moments.

Panel discussions were the central focus of the second day of the conference. The insurer panel, from left: Christian Charest of Desjardins, Wendy Hillier of Intact, Joanne Eccleston of Aviva and Paul Hicks of TD Insurance.

INDUSTRY EVENT

part of the event. He interviewed Andy Warren of RSA UK on claims frequency reduction, telematics, change management and building a sustainable, profitable collision repair industry for the future.

“The average repair time was 14 days two years ago, now it’s 10 days,” said Lingham.

“By 2015 it will be down to six days.”

Steve Leal returned to the stage to conclude the days sessions and recap the requirements and importance of a clear 20/20 vision.

The second day of the conference began with an address by David Lingham. In a statement that resonated with the crowd, Lingham outlined his views on the natural stages of any relationship.

“There are three stages to any relationship,” he said. “Courtship, marriage, and avoiding divorce.”

Lingham elaborated on this idea, noting that it is the third stage that often presents trouble. He also discussed the current state of the industry, and looked at what the future may hold.

“Imagine a line where you make a Rolls Royce, then a couple of Minis, then another Rolls Royce, then you switch back to Minis again,” said Lingham. “That sounds crazy, but that’s essentially the situation in the industry today.”

Steve Leal, President of Fix Auto Canada.

Lingham also discussed the growing popularity of mobile repair services in the U.K. This is not PDR, but a travelling repair centre that comes to a customer’s home or business, sets up a tent, and can actually spray the car. Lingham noted that insurers in the U.K. are very excited about

“There are three stages to any relationship.

Courtship, marriage, and avoiding divorce.”

– David Lingham

the service, as it tends to improve customer retention and net promoter score.

Two panel discussion followed, one

Guy Barbeau, new VP of Operations for Fix Auto Canada; Sean Donaldson of Enterprise; and Daryll O’Keefe, GM of Fix Auto Ontario.

Anna and Milo Chebly of Fix Auto Mississauga and Greg Cadotte of Fix Auto St. Thomas.

Dan and Jillian Churchill of Fix Auto Milton.

focused on suppliers, the other on insurers. Sitting on the supplier panel were Brent Jamieson of Axalta, Terry Fortner of LKQ, Jesse Herrera of Mitchell, Kevin Kemp of Enterprise, Jay Singer of Discount, Alain Primeau of NAPA, Anthony Giagnocovo of Audatex and Bob Kirstiuk of Advantage Parts Marketing. The insurer panel was comprised of Christian Charest of Desjardins, Wendy Hillier of Intact, Joanne Eccleston of Aviva and Paul Hicks of TD Insurance.

A team building exercise followed lunch. In an unusual twist, the teams were actually called on to build something. Fifty children’s bicycles were assembled and decorated by the teams, and then given away to children from the Ottawa area.

The team building event benefitted local children in need as well as emotionally impacting the Fix Auto attendees, leaving participants feeling very humble.

The conference officially came to a close that evening with a Gala Dinner at the stunning Ottawa Convention Centre.

In addition to announcing the location of next year’s conference, Fix Auto honoured those franchisees who went above and beyond in the last year.

For more information on Fix Auto, please visit fixauto.com. CRM

The supplier panel, from left: Brent Jamieson of Axalta, Terry Fortner of LKQ, Jesse Herrera of Mitchell, Kevin Kemp of Enterprise, Jay Singer of Discount, Alain Primeau of NAPA, Anthony Giagnocovo of Audatex and Bob Kirstiuk of Advantage Parts Marketing.

David Lingham of IBIS served as the moderator at the 2014 Fix Auto Conference.

A team building exercise saw attendees come together to build dozens of bikes for children in the local community. Fatima Porter of Fix Auto Aurora & Richmond Hill presents a new bike to one of the lucky recipients.

august 2014 collision Repair 51

efficiency

L A Y OU T & F L OW Get one right and the other follows.

By Benoit P. Goulet

D

o you have the perfect layout to maximize your production? Sometimes it is difficult to visualize how your building can be laid out to meet all of your company’s space requirements. How do you know if a space is the right size?

Is every square foot that you paid for needed? Do you know if the building has adequate space for all the sales that you want or expect?

When you have an empty building it may appear very large and more spacious than it is. Wouldn’t it be nice to find out if that building is the right one for you before you sign your lease, or worse, have it constructed from the ground up?

Designing a layout is a very important process in a collision repair facility. There is no magical floor plan that suits every situation. Each individual collision repair facility must determine the best layout for the situation, and which layout will best meet their production needs. Whether you expanding or modifying an existing site, or working on designs for a new site, you should always do a detailed layout.

While there is no magical solution, there are some tools you can use to make the task flow a little easier.

What to look for when you are planning the layout of your facility:

• The front office or reception area is the first impression when your customers walk in, so the design and the setup are very important.

• Estimation and disassembly area with all needed tools to create an accurate final bill.

• Equipment space, size and location (frame, aluminum, prep area, paint and mixing room).

• Tools and parts storage are very important in a facility, especially with parts representing 40 percent of your total sales.

52 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

• Reassembly and detail area.

• Parking is also very important for a production facility, use painted lines and clear signage to increase the space.

Where each and every one of these items is located will affect the layout and your production flow. Some of these are very obvious—you wouldn’t put your mixing room on the other side of the facility from your paint booth—but other items may not immediately stand out.

The key is to design for continuous flow. Try to make sure production flows directly from one area to another. Cer-

The idea is to design for continous flow. Viewing the proposed layout in three dimension may allow you to spot potential problem areas during the design phase.

efficiency

tain operations must take place before other operations. They are in a certain order, so order them that way physically whenever possible.

Here are some of the benefits: • Improved FLOW!!!

• Reduced cycle time • Increased touch times • Visually self-managing work place • Clean and organized workplace reveals waste • Increases productivity • Creates a superior work environment • Improves employee safety Sometimes you just need to reorganize your facilities to gain square footage.

Eliminate tools, benches, cabinets that aren’t needed, even move the paint room if you need to. What you want is a flow, a continuous flow! CRM

Diagrams are essential. There’s nothing wrong with doodling on a napkin to start, but sooner or later you will need more definite drawings that use exact scale.

Benoit Goulet is the Regional Consultant, Eastern Canada for Axalta Coating Systems. He can be reached at Benoit.p.goulet@axaltacs.com.

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august 2014 collision Repair 53

Feature

Social Drivers Mobials is helping shops build referral bases online.

Mobials CEO James Hayes and CARSTAR London West owner Wayne Minogue feel their pilot project is a great way to use social media to connect with customers.

By Andrew Ardizzi

F

inding social media success is not an exact science, but Mobials is looking to change all that with its online referral system that helps shops capture the experiences of their customers and share it with their friends and family.

“I want to be able to capture great wordof-mouth from customers who have had their cars repaired. I want them to be able to give great reviews of collision repair shops that they can then share with their friends and family on their social networks,” says Mobials President James Hayes.

Originally focusing on dealers, the company has expanded it breadth to where it presently works as a new way for collision shops to connect with their customers. The system works as a referral program that combines traditional word-of-mouth with social media space to increase reach.

“We’ve developed a program that focuses on three things: referral, retention and reputation,” he says. “We’ve just started a pilot project with CARSTAR Collision & Glass - London West owner Wayne Minogue. What he’s looking for is to roll out and build a great reputation inside his local market to keep his shop top-of-mind.”

The recently rolled-out initiative is already evident on the location’s website.

Upon visiting CARSTAR London West’s website, in the top right corner of the screen is a green and white rating button displaying a multi-digit rating out of five with corresponding five star ratings. It’s a

simple, unique way for customers to see and provide feedback on their experience.

With 26 reviews to date, yielding an average rating of 4.7 out of five, the system is proving useful for Minogue as more reviews are submitted.

“A lot of people rely on customer reviews and the longer that it’s set up, it’ll get to a point where you have 500 reviews,” Minogue says. “Just in having that referral piece, there’s nothing better than hearing

“I’m super excited about the program and I want to see it grow across Canada.”

- Wayne Minogue

from a friend that you had a good experience and having a new customer coming in from a positive referral.”

Part of the trick for Hayes and his team is to convince shop owners to think about social media differently. The overarching purpose is to encourage a greater relationship between shops and customers, who would then share their experience online on their social media accounts complemented by before and after repair photos of their vehicle, with their comments and recommendation featured on

54 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

a shop’s website. Shops can also implement a “share and earn” bonus program where customers are rewarded for sharing their experience, a decision left to the individual shops. Minogue, for example, makes a $5 donation in the customers’ names to Cystic Fibrosis research, a cause widely supported by CARSTAR. “We enable shops to be able to capture the ‘wow’ factor of a completed job through real pictures and testimonials and deliver a tool and solution to the customer to allow them to share their voice on their social networks, thereby driving reach and experience into the customer realm,” Hayes says. “This allows prospective customers to see a great review and pictures of the actual work from someone they trust.”

Positive word-of-mouth referrals and reputation management are founding pillars of what Mobials is trying to build for collision shops through clear and transparent reviews online that allows customers to make informed decisions about where they can take their vehicles.

“Customers can see reviews from real people what it’s like to work with shops,” he says.

Having already seen positive feedback for his shop, Minogue is looking forward to building out this pilot project in the future.

“I’m super excited about the program and I want to see it grow across Canada and into the U.S. because it’s a great program,” Minogue says. “We’re going to continue with it as I can see its value and how it’s helping to move my business forward.” CRM

INDUSTRY EVENT

Michel Charbonneau of Carrossier ProColor delivered the opening remarks.

ENDURANCE SPORT

Carrossier ProColor goes the distance at annual convention.

By Mike Davey

3M was one of many industry suppliers to support the ProColor Convention.

S

uccess is an endurance sport.

The main theme of the Carrossier ProColor Annual Convention was that success comes to those who persevere.

The convention took place at Fairmont Tremblant Hotel in Mont-Tremblant, Que. The Carrosier ProColor network is a member of CSN Collision Centres.

That endurance is a key component of success is well-known to the event’s guest speaker, Karine Champagne. A professional journalist and TV host, Champagne is also a triathlete, a sport that demands the

Daniel Lessard and Angela Spano of Norton St. Gobain Abrasives.

utmost from its participants. Champagne was afflicted with depression that lasted for six months in 2011. However, during that time she never stopped training.

The convention opened Thursday, May 22 with a chance for attendees to view the supplier exhibition, featuring many displays and booths from Carrossier ProColor’s supplier partners. Dinner followed the exhibition, capped off with a performance by Peter McLeod.

The first full day of the convention opened on Friday, May 23 with updates on the business plan and marketing initiatives, followed by an

56 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

inspirational speech by Karine Champagne.

Workshops began following Champagne’s presentation. Three workshops were available to attendees: Operation Systems Update, Shop Manager and Customer Experience in Banner Networks. The sessions were organized in such a way that people could attend all three if they wished.

The general assembly and closing remarks followed the workshop sessions. The main portion of the convention wrapped up Friday night with a gala dinner.

For more information, please visit carrossier-procolor.com. CRM

industry event

Hector Filice and Robert Miran of Filco.

The LKQ team showed a strong presence in their booth at the ProColor Conference.

Put the End of the Road…

Flavio Battilana and Jenny Trokic of CSN Collision Centres. Carrossier ProColor is a member of CSN.

Back On The Open Road

Jean Claude Marin and Aline Duchesne of Carrossier ProColor.

There’s plenty of life left in Green Recycled Parts.

And putting them back on the road is a great thing for the environment, your customers and your business.

Jean-Pierre Laurendeau and Stefan Dupere of AkzoNobel.

So offer your customers an environmentally friendly alternative that will save them about half the price of new OEM parts without sacrificing performance or quality. Not only will they appreciate it, you’ll be rewarded with enhanced customer loyalty, trust... and more repeat business.

All our members are certified by a third-party independent audit to meet the standards of the Canadian Auto Recyclers' Environmental Code.

Locate Green Recycled Parts for any vehicle or discover the new Gold Seal Recycler Program at Andre Savard of Progi and Vicky Desrosiers of Carrossier ProColor.

www.autorecyclers.ca

august 2014 collision Repair 57

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First in

Class

Eric Danberg, President, Canadian Operations for the Boyd Group.

Boyd Autobody first network in Canada to achieve full I-CAR Gold Class Certification.

I

By Anna Dawson

-CAR Canada has announced that Boyd Autobody and Glass has become the first Canadian collision repair network to achieve full Gold Class compliance. The company operates extensively in the U.S. and in five Canadian provinces. By the end of 2013, each of the group’s 46 Canadian locations has achieved I-CAR Canada’s Gold Class recognition.

Eric Danberg, President, Canadian Operations for the Boyd Group, is particularly proud of the accomplishment.

“We made a strategic decision about 12 months ago to move all of our Canadian locations to the highest level of I-CAR recognition,” says Danberg. “We know from research that the training pays off in lower cycle times, higher CSI scores and fewer supplements – and the new Gold Class program offers clear training paths for our technicians. We feel this move gives us a clear competitive advantage.”

Ray Chastko, Quality System Manager for Boyd Autobody and Glass, worked with I-CAR Canada on the initiative. He noted that the process wasn’t simply a matter of assessing where each tech stood, but

building on that assessment with whatever training was needed to fill in their knowledge and skill base.

“We obtained individual assessments for each technician, at each repair facility,

The process wasn’t simply a matter of assessing where each tech stood. identified where their gaps were and what was needed to move to Gold Class,” says Chastko. “I-CAR Canada helped us access both live classes and Independent Learning courses to complete the credits necessary – it was a great team effort.”

For 2014 I-CAR Canada has implemented the Professional Development

Program (PDP), which brings a more sophisticated approach to Gold Class shop recognition and Platinum individual recognition.

The PDP lays out the essential skills of professionals in the collision repair industry and details the courses required to deliver those skills. After completing the series of role-specific courses, technicians can maintain their designations by taking any of the latest I-CAR courses designed around new technologies and repair techniques.

Speaking from I-CAR Canada’s offices in Ottawa, Andrew Shepherd, Executive Director of the program, commented on the significance of the Boyd achievement.

“We’re moving into an era where a repair facility’s investment in its people will be the most important factor in business success – you simply cannot fix this year’s vehicle models with last year’s techniques, and a culture of continuous learning is going to be essential,” says Shepherd. “Boyd saw that strategic necessity and acted on it – it’s a very impressive accomplishment.” crm

report on training

presented by

Trainingmatters.ca

POWERED BY

T H E T RA I N I N G P O RTA L F O R C O L L I S I O N R E PA I R

Continuing advances in technology demand continuous training.

WELDING THE PRESENT TO THE FUTURE Stepping ahead of the training curve pays dividends.

By Andrew Shepherd

S

ince the adoption of unibody construction the collision repair industry has met and adapted to large-scale changes in vehicle construction. So what makes 2014 any different from the past 70 years?

The answer is that so many aspects of vehicle technology are changing in front of our eyes – construction techniques, electronics, new materials and an ex-

plosion of model-centric customization.

2014 could be called a watershed year, demanding investments in repair equipment and knowledge as never before.

The most obvious sign of the times is the release of the 2015 Ford F-150 with its all new aluminum body and highstrength steel frame. As more companies deploy aluminum to help meet CAFE fuel economy standards, the need for

60 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

aluminum training underpins a simple market reality: if you don’t know how to repair an aluminum vehicle, or know what precautions you need to take to ensure the repair is completed properly, you may have to turn repair orders away. And that simply isn’t something most shops can afford to do.

Over 122,000 F-series trucks were sold in Canada in 2013, so the F150 will arrive in substantial numbers. In order to meet the repair demand, I-CAR has developed a set of training programs tailored to aluminum-based repairs. The heart of these is an eight-hour course developed

by Ford US and I-CAR which will focus on the basics of aluminum repairs. To meet its own certified collision repair network requirements, Ford Canada will insist that participating technicians achieve the I-CAR Aluminum Welding qualification as well.

Up coming aluminum cours es in clude structural repairs for the F150 and aluminum exterior panel repair and replacement. The Ford-specific courses will be offered to dealerships and sponsored partners for the June – September period, and the program will be available to the industry at large for the balance of 2014 and beyond.

In addition to aluminum-focused training, I-CAR will soon be offering new courses on sectioning and replacing steel-unitized structures; documen-

presented by

tation and digital photography ; and a d v an c e d s t e e r i ng an d s u s p e ns i on system damage analysis.

In other developments, I-CAR Canada is continuing to develop deliver y partnerships with colleges in BC and Quebec, and to recognize excellent training provided by colleges and other partners as a component of the I-CAR Gold and Platinum recognition programs. We are launching large-scale renovations to our on-line learning system, and testing webinarstyle courses for those in remote areas.

Finally, I-CAR’s steel and aluminum welding qualification courses are available across Canada, at public locations or in-shop.

I-CAR will continue to provide the information and training you need to ensure that your shop stays ahead of the training curve in the collision business, providing the training and skills needed to ensure techs are ready for any repair that comes their way.

For more information please visit I-CAR.ca. CRM

Trainingmatters.ca report on training POWERED BY

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if you don’t know how to repair an aluminum vehicle, or know what precautions you need to take to ensure the repair is completed properly, you may have to turn repair orders away. And that simply isn’t something shops can afford to do.

Andrew Shepherd at the recent CCIF forum.

august 2014 collision Repair 61

report on training

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Student

B o dy

Color Compass trains over 650 since the start of 2014.

By Mike Davey

T

raining in Alberta became easier to access than ever before when Color Compass opened training centres in Calgary and Edmonton, and the industry has taken advantage of the opportunity. Since Jan. 1, 2014, the two training centres have welcomed and trained over 650 students through the multitude of courses offered.Color Compass Corporation is headquartered in Coquitlam, B.C., and is comprised of Rocky Mountain Sales, Chase Auto Body Supplies, Carlson Body Shop Supply White & Peters and PBE Distributors.

Companies under the Color Compass umbrella are well-known as paint suppliers, but Allen Palechek, Business Development Manager of Carlson Body Shop Supply, says the offering at the training centres goes well beyond refinish.

“The mandate was not just to provide basic paint training, although that’s core,” says Palechek. “The idea was to bring more to the industry in terms of promoting I-CAR training, which has been very successful.”

“Offering training to the industry has always been very important to us at Color Compass,” says Dave Swenson, General Manager. “The technical trade schools do a great job with the apprenticeship programs, and the paint companies do a great job training painters on new products and techniques, but we saw a real need for upgrade training for body technicians, preppers, estimators, etc., that have been in the work force for a while. Our industry has changed so much recently with all the new types of metals used that require new methods to repair and hybrid vehicles that have specific safety concerns, just to name a few. We built these training centres and

The Color Compass training centres go far beyond paint application training, but hands-on refinish training is still the core.

Another class underway at Color Compass Corporation’s Calgary training centre. The Calgary and Edmonton training centres have had over 600 students since the start of the year.

are partnering with many different manufacturers to get this information out to the tradespeople that need it.”

Color Compass has remained true to that vision, with the majority of courses offered at the centres being I-CAR courses.

Introduction to Aluminum has proved very popular.

“We recognize that the industry needs that level of training. Vehicle technology is changing, and skills need to be upgraded,” says Palechek. “By making the investment and getting students out to classes, we’re all helping to ensure the viability of the industry for the future.”

Both facilities are outfitted with stateof-the-art collision repair equipment, including a very modern downdraft spray booth at each location. Equipment is also

62 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

available to do aluminum welding, and the training centres now offer aluminum certification training for I-CAR. It’s important for technicians and painters to upgrade their skills, but certain forms of training are needed across every job description. The Color Compass training centres handle much of that as well.

“We offer other courses as needed” says Palechek. “That could be first aid and safety, WHMIS, human resource management, estimating training, whatever the industry requires. We’ll put in the schedule and make it work for them.”

For more information on Color Compass Corporation’s training centres in Calgary and Edmonton, please contact your local sales representative. CRM

features

Driving in

Neutrals Colour trends deviate more to toned down paints than vibrant ones.

By CRM Staff Photo courtesy of color compass and Alberto Garcia

O

ur car’s colour is like any other trend. There are mainstays, and then there are the newest and latest options that tickle our creative fancies, no matter whether you favour red, blue or some sort of obscure paint job to cement you and your car’s individuality.

At the end of each year the major automotive refinish companies release their annual trend reports which highlight where customer’s colour allegiances lay.

We have in hand several reports from Axalta, BASF and PPG, all of which confirm the biggest trending colour choices for consumers, noting several cases where certain regions present choice anomalies, and then ultimately what’s going to be big in the coming year.

Axalta’s popular colours of 2013 present the most complete list of which shades auto enthusiasts are using on their vehicles. According to the company’s findings,

white is the most common and 4% favoured selection with over 29 Other percent of consumers opting to 8% paint their vehicles the colour of Earth Tones purity, with 22 percent of total re60% Neutral spondents choosing pure white, 10% Vivid Red and 7 percent painting their vehicles pearl white. The second most favoured colour of paint according to Axalta is black—specifically 18% Blue or Green Effect Black—which 20 percent prefer. Rounding out the top three selections, consumers’ third prefAbout 60 percent of North American motorists say the car the drive is painted with a neutral colour, according to a erence is silver at 15 percent with poll by BASF. All colour palettes provided by BASF. gray closely behind in fourth at 12 percent. Altogether these four neutral colours comprise 76 percent of total colours—including black, silver, white colour choices. Axalta says the favoured and gray are dominant refinish choices, non-neutral colour is red, which five per- while 60 percent of North Americans cent of consumers prefer. polled by BASF indicate that these are The global trend hardly deviates in their favoured colour choices. These North America, with 26 percent of con- choices indicate that the majority of consumers preferring any given shade of sumers gravitate towards less show y, white, while 20 percent prefer using black. neutrally-based colour options for a more Similarly to the global trend, whites and simplistic finish. blacks are the preferred choices for au“We look to develop color spaces tomotive refinishing at a combined 46 t hat capture a look t hat says ‘t his is percent share. Again mirroring the global me,’” Paul Czornij, Technical Manager trend, silvers hold steady as the third most for the BASF Color Excellence group preferred, however in North America its said in a company release. “There is popularity is on the decline. Mirroring so much emotion and psycholog y atthe global trends, red and blue are the two tached to color, which makes it an ideal most popular vibrant colours. expression of one’s image to the outAccording to BASF’s sample, neutral side world.

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features

“This ref lects what our colour trend research is showing for colour preferences. It underscores the preference for optimism and confidence pointing toward a better future.”

Comparing BASF and Axalta’s trend reports, we find similarities between their sample polls, highlighting the dominance of black, white, gray and silver. In addition, both BASF and Axalta have found that consumers gravitate towards reds and blue as their most favoured colours outside of neutral tones; 49 percent of respondents to Axalta’s poll prefer either blue or red. Axalta’s annual reports have demonstrated that shades of white have long term staying power with consumers, having been the top the choice among the company’s consumers for the last seven years. This is a growing trend, with Africa, Russia, South America, South Korea, Europe and Japan all preferring white colours on their vehicles. Much like North America, Japan has favoured white for the last seven years. White also tracks well in India, where it is the second most favoured colour choice for vehicles with a consumer preference of 28 percent, trailing only silver at 30 percent.

Korea, as well as in Mexico where lighter colours are preferred. This bucks the North American trend, as black is the second most common colour refinish in Canada and the United States.

What’s interesting however is Russia and the country’s favoured choice of vibrant colours. While most countries prefer either blue or red, Axalta’s report states green and its varying shades are widely popular with 8 percent of Russians preferring it as their first nonneutral colour choice.

“We look to develop colour spaces that capture a look that says ‘this is me.’”

– Paul Czornij of BASF

Painting Against The Grain

While white is by far the most favoured colour, with a fairly cemented top four, some regions around the world buck t he trend to create def ined regiona l preferences. China is one of t he few

“Our global team of colour specialists relies on our advanced forecasting to formulate the next generation of coating colours. The result is an ever-evolving colour palette for automotive designers.

As the industry continues to evolve and strives to innovate for customers worldwide,” David Fischer, Vice President of Axalta’s global OEM business said in the company’s trends report.

Colouring the Future

countries—India included—to favour any colour other than white. Chinese motorists prefer black, especially on luxury vehicles. With that said it should be noted that white is gaining traction in China, perhaps meaning it’s only a matter when China falls in line with the global paint trend.

Unlike most countries’ clear second choice, silver is t he second most favoured ref inish in Africa and South

Looking into the crystal ball, PPG says the big colour through 2014 and into 2015 is going to be buttercream yellow across an array of industries, automotive included.

Whether that translates into buttercream coloured vehicles remains to be seen, however PPG’s theme for 2014 is a neutral colour and while yellow isn’t far removed the globally popular neutral refinishes. BASF isn’t predicting much beyond t he status quo, feeling the gravitation towards the dominant neutral colours from the past several years will continue. With that said

in North America, with special effects technologies now able to give colours a three-dimensional quality, offering more options for finishes. Especially noting greens and bright yellow-green colours, they present new possibilities for drivers and their vehicles.

Globally BASF says the Asia Pacific region will continue to favour the dominant neutrals, noting however we may see some deviation in original designs and st yle stemming from indiv idua l preference. They believe we may see a gradual emergence of sophisticated intermediate colours, such as olive-greens and blue-tinted grays. Europe trends more towards rationality and calmness versus the themes of pride and culture in the Asia Pacific region. BASF says there’s likely to be a balance between courageous colours like reds and greens—following Russia’s trends in some respect—in combination with the more popular neutrals, specifically black and gray. BASF particularly notes a potential rising interest in Particular Gray—a subtly metallic black—and Fiberphyllic, a bold, coarse yellow-green.

No matter whether you’re looking for something a little more classic and neutral heading through 2014 and into 2015, or are feeling like sampling something little more ambitious and courageous, if the 2014 colour trend reports are an indication there are certainly no shortage of creative possibilities to give your car some personality. CRM

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IBAO calls for reintroduction of tow legislation with Liberal majority The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) is calling for the Ontario Liberal government to reintroduce tow legislation that died with the calling of the spring election resulting in a majority government for the Party.

With their election and a new majority mandate in tow, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne quickly pledged to reconvene the legislature within two weeks to reintroduce the Party’s 2014-2015 provincial budget, the same pledge that triggered the spring election in the first place.

“The IBAO looks forward to working the new Liberal government to continue where the past minority government left off,” the organization said in a release. “In particular we would like to see the reintroduction of legislation formerly known as Bills 171 and 189 to continue the responsible reforms needed to combat fraud and lower auto insurance rates for consumers.”

Bill 189, otherwise known as the Roadside Assistance Protection Act, was a piece of tow legislation first introduced on April 15

by Consumer Services Minister Tracy MacCharles.The legislation would require towing firms to maintain greater transparency for the sake of the industry, insurance stakeholders and consumers.

The Bill would need to be introduced once again in the legislature, but if it’s once again proposed and passed it would aim to require towing companies and storage facilities to fully document and publish their rates for consumers, offer itemized invoices clearly outlining the charges for services rendered and increase their payment options to include credit cards if requested. Further, the proposed act would force towers to disclose to consumers any interest the tower or storage provider has in a given location or facility where vehicles can be towed for any range

Miller Carrier Stabilizer lightens towers hauls Miller hopes to lighten the heavier loads of tow truck operators with its Carrier Stabilizer Spades.

Designed to hold towers’ carriers in place while carrying heavier vehicles, Miller has released a stabilizer spade the company says can be used in combination with wheel-lift and stabilizers on series 20-40 carriers.

The company says the stabilizer spades easily slide onto the stabilizers which are then secured with a plunger pin.

Miller says it’s also now offering combination wheel-lift/stabilizers for the series 12 and series 16 LCG carriers.

For more information on Miller’s Carrier Stabilizer, or to contact your closest Miller distributor, please visit MillerInd.com or call toll free at 1-800-292-0330.

Miller’s new stabilizer can assist tow truck operators when making larger than normal hauls.

of services, including repair or storage.

When Minister MacCharles first tabled the bill, she said Bill 189 would enable consumers to be given access to towed vehicles so that they may remove any personal property from their vehicle.

With the Wynne government’s majority mandate, should any of the shelved pieces of legislation be presented they will likely pass without hindrance.

Ontario Liberal MPPs Michael Coteau and Tracy MacCharles at the announcement of new towing regulations in April 2014.

OPP pulls 17 off road in road safety check Recent OPP safety checks resulted in 17 tow trucks being pulled off the road.

The safety check, held in Essa Township and New Tecumseth, was conducted by the Nottawasaga OPP and the Central Region Traffic Enforcement Team. Of the 17 tow trucks, four pulled off the road for unspecified safety reasons.

Nottawasaga OPP Constable Kelly Daniels told the Alliston Herald that the trucks would have been taken off the road due to safety faults with the trucks or equipment.

None of the tow companies have been named, nor have the names of the operators been released. In addition to the 17 tow trucks, 16 taxis were pulled over with seven being taken off the road.

For advertising inquiries, please contact Gloria Mann at 647-998-5677 or advertising@collisionrepairmag.com. august 2014 collision Repair 67

Contents Recycling News.....................69- 75 ARAAC and AARDA meetings, scholarships and much, much more.

Recycler’s View...........................76

by David Gold

Key initiatives focus of ARAAC meeting

By Mike Davey

Alberta’s recyclers look to the north

By Andrew Ardizzi

Derek Covey of Covey’s Auto Parts and Ed McDonald of Maritime Auto Parts.

Automotive recycling professionals from Atlantic Canada came out en masse for the recently-held annual ARAAC general meeting where members discussed key industry initiatives moving forward through 2014.

Following breakfast and a brief roll call, delegates discussed the previous minutes report from ARAAC’s 2013 meeting, membership and treasurer’s reports, the ARAAC

Vehicle Charity Fund and new businesses.

Barry Jackson of PEI’s Department of Environment & Justice delivered the province’s auto recycling license update, followed by the national report on CAREC, Gold Seal and Vehicle programs, and the industry’s nationwide white paper by ARC Managing Director Steve Fletcher. Prior to lunch, ARA President Ed MacDonald followed Fletcher’s national recycling report with the international report.

Proceeding forward after the break, Summerhill’s Caroline Sturk delivered a presentation on program updates, while Car-Part’s Luke Gamm was in attendance to discuss the latest product updates Caroline Sturk of Summerhill from the company.

Impact presented updates ona number of programs Rebuilders’ Auto supported by auto recyclers, Supply Account Mansuch as Switch Out. ager Tonia Klemp also

Continued on page 70.

The Alberta Automotive Recyclers and Dismantlers Association have concluded another successful Annual General Meeting. The 2014 AARDA AGM took place on Thursday, May 1 and Friday, May 2, at the Reynolds Alberta museum in Wetaskiwin, Alta.

It was a fitting setting, the museum features many old and historic vehicles, providing the ideal backdrop for attending recyclers and associate members. In addition to old vehicles, attendees and their families took in an array of vehicular treasures, including antique farm machinery and a hangar full of restored aircraft.

Delegates arriving on Thursday evening were treated to a reception in the Reynolds Gallery, with some of the cars from the Museum’s current special feature “The Fabulous Fifties” on display.

The actual meeting itself took place on the morning of May 2 in the Museum’s theatre. The AGM officially o p e n e d w i t h o p e n i n g re m a r k s b y Steve Cox, AARDA’s President. After re v i e w i n g t h e m i n u t e s o f t h e l a s t meeting held in Sylvan Lake, Raelene Day presented the association’s financial statements. Next up were two Continued on page 71.

august 2014 collision Repair 69

Atlantic recyclers ... continued from page 69.

Steve Fletcher and Ian Hope.

delivered a presentation on how to get more for your cores, while AARDA Executive Director Ian Hope closed out the presentation portion of the meeting by discussing the ground rules on how to develop people skills.

Following the meeting recyclers were able to enjoy a reception at Island Auto Supply, which was followed by a Lobster supper at the Fisherman’s Wharf, complemented by the comedic punchlines of “Bud the Spud.”

For more information on ARAAC, please visit ARAAC.ca.

OARA announces scholarship winners The Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association has announced the recipients of the 2014 OARA Employee Scholarships.

The scholarships are granted to children of employees of OARA’s recycling facility members who plan to pursue a full-time post-secondary education program in an accredited college, university or school providing trade, business or technical programs, or enroll in a recognized apprentice program with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Applicants must have achieved at least a 65 percent grade point average, or equivalent, in their previous educational program.

OARA would like to thank all of the generous sponsors and supports of the scholarship program’s fundraising activities. Thanks to them, the following students will receive scholarships for the 2014/2015 school year: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Victoria Bloom, 400 Auto Wreckers Maggie Ghanam, A&L Auto Recyclers Molly Ghanam, A&L Auto Recyclers Kyle Heslop, Andy’s Auto Wreckers Lauren Heslop, Andy’s Auto Wreckers Shannon Heslop, Andy’s Auto Wreckers Aaron Taylor, Carcone’s Auto Recycling Christopher Taylor, Carcone’s Auto Recycling Cody Adams, Carcone’s Auto Recycling Navasha Persaud, Carcone’s Auto Recycling Megan Bradley, Central Truxx Emily Wyatt, Corey’s Auto Lauren Wyatt, Corey’s Auto Melissa Thomas, Dom’s Auto Parts Karen Schumacher, Logel’s Auto Parts Kevin Doherty, Logel’s Auto Parts Allison Peressotti, Miller’s Auto Alysha Gullion, Miller’s Auto Hannah Polinski, Miller’s Auto Justine Godin, Miller’s Auto Kylee Glen, Miller’s Auto Marissa Peressotti, Miller’s Auto Spencer Gullion, Miller’s Auto James Clark, OARA Morgan Hughes, P&G Auto Parts Luc Mondor, Sonshine Auto Parts Mohammad A. Siddiqi, Standard Auto Wreckers Ashley Tymchyshyn, T&T Auto Supply Jessica Tymchyshyn, T&T Auto Supply

For more information on OARA, please visit oara.com.

70 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Alberta recyclers ... continued from page 69.

presentations by Ian Hope, AARDA’s Executive Director. Hope discussed the year in review and the status of the association’s charitable program.

Other topics under discussion were the implementation of CAREC Certification, issues arising from parts procurement programs, and the sale of parts from water damaged vehicles.

The AARDA conference always of fers great educational and networking opportunities. One highlight was the presentation by Caroline Sturk of Summerhill Impact. Sturk discussed the great things Alberta’s recyclers have accomplished by participating in Switch Out, the national program that seeks to remove potentially toxic mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles.

However, it was the other part of Sturk’s

presentation that really got the crowd excited. She invited all members of AARDA to take part in an ambitious new project: Tundra Take Back. While automotive recycling is a strong presence in most of

Canada, the northern territories present numerous challenges to effectively recycling vehicles.

There are difficulties with transport a t i o n , b u t t h e re i s a l s o l i t t l e t o n o infrastructure for recycling the vehicles nearby. In addition, there are very limited local markets for any parts that might be salvaged from the end-of-life vehicles.

The new Tundra Take Back program will draw on the experience of professional auto recyclers to help ensure that end-of-life vehicles currently languishing are disposed of properly. In turn, this will help keep Canada’s north clean.

The official reception and gala dinner took place as the Best Western Hotel on the evening of May 2.

For more information on AARDA, please visit AARDA.com.

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New Switch Out videos now online Summerhill Impact has announced the launch of new Switch Out videos which are available in English and French. The videos are hosted by Dom Vetere and Trina Lattanzio respectively. The videos can be an excellent resource for recyclers when introducing new staff to the Switch Out program, or doing refresher training with your team.

To celebrate the release of the new videos, Switch Out is launching a brand new contest in 2014. The program would like to keep building its library of mercury switch removal demonstrations, but they need your help. From now until November 30, 2014, Switch Out participants are invited to submit video footage of their dismantling team removing automotive mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles.

Every entry that meets the contest rules will be featured in the Canadian Auto Recyclers e-zine and/or uploaded to the Switch Out Facebook page. The participant that submits the best video will also win a great prize. Please visit switchout.ca/contest for more details.

Separate videos have been produced in English and French.

Each video features different people from the recycling industry discussing the program, but the message remains essentially the same.

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Our Members A&L Auto Recyclers (519) 687-2438 Windsor, ON Arnprior/Ottawa Auto (613) 623-7361 Ottawa, ON Bickell Auto Parts (705) 779-2621 Sault St. Marie, ON Carcone’s Auto Recycling (905) 881-8353 Aurora, ON Corey Auto Wreckers (519) 455-9040 London, ON Dave’s Truck and Auto Parts (613) 839-8733 Ottawa, ON Dom’s Auto Parts (905) 434-4566 Courtice, ON

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74 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

The Ontario Automotive Recycling Association (OARA) and the Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) partnered to run the fifth annual Tire Take Back event to raise money for the Sunshine Foundation of Canada.

“I’ve been involved with the Sunshine Foundation for years beyond being a member of OARA and I see tremendous value in what we do to help these families,” says 400 Auto Wreckers owner Tom Huehn. “And it’s a great thing to support.

The nuts and bolts of our business would drive you crazy if we didn’t have programs like this to keep us grounded.”

Tire Take Back 2014 kicked off on May 26 and ran until May 31. More than 60 OARA members participated this year, with each willing to accept any number of used car, light truck or farm tires for free from Ontario residents at any one of 60 OARA member locations across the province.

For each tire collected, OARA and its participating members. along with several registered OTS haulers, will make a monetary donation to the Sunshine Foundation of Canada, an organization that works to make the dreams of children

suffering from severe disabilities or lifethreatening illnesses come true. Since the effort’s conception in 2010, OARA members have raised over $700,000 to support the foundation.

“We’ve made a significant impact but we need everyone with a tire in their garages or backyard to come out and donate them,” says Huehn.

He hoped to reach his goal of 5,000 tires and offered to help unload the tires 400 Auto Wreckers customers bring in. He’s reassured that the community has taken so kindly to the initiative and as an added bonus contributes to the effort.

The big benefit for communities though, beyond contributing to the Sunshine Foundation, is the city or town that donates the highest number of tires to the program will win $15,000 worth of recycled tire products to make eco-friendly upgrades to community buildings and spaces.

A&L Auto Recyclers Owner Jeff Lanoue and his Operations Manager Sean De Muynck agree with the worth of the program and initiative, and hope to in no small way impact the health of the environment and the lives of the young children involved

with the Foundation, which Huehn for example, works so tirelessly to support.

“You’re keeping the environment clean as well as helping a great cause, and if we’re lucky to get the $15,000 prize we can improve our community too,” says Lanoue.

De Muynck says the impacts are apparent, both in how the lives of the Sunshine Foundation’s children are enhanced and in the declining numbers of tires taken in simply due to the fact Tire Take Back has been so successful in encouraging Ontarians to donate their unused tires. Because of that, he feels the entire initiative is a winwin-win situation.

“To this day OTS has collected 60 million tires and Tire Take Back is a way we can give back to Sunshine,” De Muynck says, additionally noting the total benefit of cleaning up excess tires from the environment.

If they’re lucky enough to collect the most tires, there are no shortage of opportunities to use the $15,000 to improve the community, ranging from playground equipment to flooring, roofing and rubber mulch.

They also have their eye on chipping in and helping build the new local arena.

“It would be great if after this week-long event we had the privilege of calling the township to offer them a $15,000 prize for the arena floor,” says Lanoue. “These are our biggest potential focuses so we could use all the support we can get from our community.”

For more information on Tire Take Back, please visit RethinkTires.ca.

RIGHT: Jeff Lanoue and Sean De Muynck feel Tire Take Back is a great triple threat opportunity to help support terminally ill children, the environment and their own community.

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myguy In an era of constant tech, the personal relationship still rules.

By David Gold

T

his quote has been around for the longest time, “people buy from people” and as much as there are many variables to this, and of course it is not always the case, I would contest that in our industry it is truer than most others. Being at the front lines of our facility each Saturday these past few months, I often hear customers tell me that “I just drove 45 minutes to come here today to get these parts” and “my mechanic is the best and he sent me here” and “I can trust him.”

What is interesting about these comments is that often these mechanics are on the other side of town and nowhere near where the customer lives let alone where our facility is located on the East side of Toronto. Can you imagine the loyalty the shop has been able to garner from that customer whereby he or she would actually pass hundreds of other shops in order to get to “his mechanic.”

Personal relationships and interactions with the customer in a positive nature yield the best bang

76 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

for the buck in our collective industry and will insure we prosper.

In an industry that has gone technology happy with third party parts procurement programs and communication via instant messenger, it is important to note that these are only tools to assist in the process. At the end of the day nothing can be more important than not only the character of the company that you chose to do business with but the personality of the actual front line salesperson or technician that is required to build that relationship, mutual trust and respect.

These attributes, collectively known as “personality” can increase top line sales in a parts store and collision repair business alike and I see and hear this all of the time. In fact, I have videos of customers proclaiming that “this is my scrap yard” and often hear customers telling me that “I come here any time I need a part.” Getting back to basics for me and interacting directly with the customers has taught me the importance of the customer experi-

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ence to the business (and this applies whether or not we had the parts to solve their problem at that time). Customers are starving for a good company to work with them and provide guidance and when doing so, you will have them for life.

Since it is much easier to keep a customer and do more business with that customer than to always be looking for new customers these principles noted above are worth embracing for the long-term and making it the culture of your company all the time. You will know they work because as you give out your name and phone number and consistently follow-up with people they will not only call you more often but also refer you to others for their car repair requirements.

Lately I have seen first hand how certain employees in our company have taken extraordinary steps to improve the customer experience and very often make their day that much better. Two recent examples by our U-Pull-It manager named Tiago would be how he has taken names and phone numbers of customers to advise them when a certain vehicle is available for parts so they could come down and take what they need. In another instance how he has made special arrangements with our loader operators to designate and make accessible a vehicle from our closed private holding lot that is desired by our customers for parts. These small

acts of “business smarts” as I like to call them certainly show how in-tune Tiago is with what makes this business tick – and ultimately the customers respond by being happy and spending more money with us. Talk about a win / win situation!

Since I have seen first hand lately how going above and beyond for all customers all of the time works so well, I would suggest that in such a hyper-competitive business climate we all operate in today that this is the only way to conduct yourself in business going forward. It really doesn’t take much to win over the customers and showing that you understand their issues and that you care makes all of the difference in the World to them.

I am encouraging all of us in our collective industries to wow customers every day and let our personalities shine through. Try treating everyone as though they are like a relative or friend when they come in for your products and services and you will never have a shortage of customers requiring your products and services and moreover it will continue to build and grow over time. CRM David Gold is the co-owner of Standard Auto Wreckers, an auto recycler with locations in Toronto, Ottawa and Niagara Falls, New York. He can be reached by phone at 416-286-8686 or via e-mail at david@standardautowreckers.com.

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By Mike Davey

A

sk any progressive repairer and they’ll tell you that the best route to a safe, highquality repair is to follow the recommendations set out by the OEM in question. If Volkswagen, for example, says that you need to replace the entire side impact rail, then that, and precisely that, is what you do.

What you absolutely do not do is use outdated repair techniques. When they’re used on a newer vehicle, these “repairs” aren’t really repairs at all. They may look good on the outside, and they may pass a visual inspection even after you strip the car down, but they cannot be considered repairs in any meaningful sense of

side know as well. Nevertheless, vehicles are sometimes repaired using outdated techniques.

I do not for a moment believe that any honest person from any part of the business actually wants a collision repair facility to perform unsafe repairs. I can think of only two reasons why someone would permit an unsafe repair: they’re either unscrupulous or uneducated. I can’t see a third option here, unless it’s a combination of both.

The unscrupulous are a tiny minority, and the only thing we can do about them is to get them out of the business when we can. However, I suspect that ignorance is a bigger issue.

working together, we can educate the uneducated. the word. They are cosmetic at best, and deadly at worst.

Anyone in the collision repair business on the technical side that’s worth their salt knows this. Those of us whose skills lie more on the “soft” end of the spectrum pretty much take it as gospel as well.

The reason for this is quite simple. That’s what the companies that built the vehicles say is the safest way to go about things.

They’re not guessing. They know, and they can prove it. If you want more details on exactly what they know and how they know it, check out the article on page 42 of this issue. We spoke to a number of different car companies, and they all said much the same thing: cars were crashed, repaired, and then crashed again. The new techniques provide safe repairs and help preserve the vehicle’s crash protection and mitigation features.

The old techniques don’t. Again, they’re not guessing. They know.

So progressive repairers know, the OEMs know, and those on the insurance

Working together, we can educate the uneducated. We can spread the message to those who haven’t gotten it yet. When we do, we’ll convert them and they’ll start to help spread the message even further.

This is clearly an area where insurers, repairers and the OEMs can come together. There’s really just one customer for all three: the motorist. Protecting them is the top priority for everyone involved.

Unsafe and outdated repairs are a danger to the safety of motorists and passengers, and a danger to the reputations and livelihoods of those who repair their vehicles and those who insure them.

We all need to step up and do what we can. This is too important an issue for anything less. CRM

78 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Mike Davey is the editor of Collision Repair magazine. He can be reached at 905-3700101 or via email at editor@ collisionrepairmag.com.

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