FenderBender - July 2020 by EndeavorBusinessMedia-VehicleRepairGroup

F E N D E R B E N D E R . C O M / J U LY 2 0 2 0 RAINS:

ARE YOU TAKING ENOUGH ACCOUNTABILITY? PAGE 23

ASK BETTER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS PAGE 36

Strategies & Inspiration for Collision Repair Success

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FOR LIFE

MAKE VEHICLE DELIVERY AN EVENT PAGE 42

Rein â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Em In With a keen eye for marketing, Travis Mailhiot has mastered the art of customer retention.

Why connection is key to top-of-mind awareness PAGE 24

CREATE AUTONOMOUS TEAMS PAGE 30

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0 7. 2 0 / V O L U M E 2 2 / N U M B E R 0 7

Meeting of the Minds Operator Bob Waldron (right) has stressed using quality checks to increase efficiency at his facilities.

F E AT U R E

PROFILE

C A SE STU DY

Marketing experts explain the keys to securing repeat customers and making them advocates of your business.

In Massachusetts, Waldron’s CARSTAR shops have left competitors behind by pushing employees to work independently.

One Texas shop took customers behind the scenes to help boost both its social media presence and, soon after, its sales.

BY KELLY BEATON

BY MELISSA STEINKEN

PETER WORREST

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Printed in the U.S.A. COPYRIGHT ©2020 BY 10 Missions Media LLC. All rights reserved. FenderBender (ISSN 1937-7150) is published monthly by 10 Missions Media, LLC, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104. FenderBender content may not be photocopied, reproduced or redistributed without the consent of the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS Send address changes to: FenderBender, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104. July 2020 | fenderbender.com 5

TAB LE OF CONTENTS

JULY

QUICK FIX

How to ease into retirement

SEMA officials working feverishly to preserve the 2020 event

VIEWPOINT

NUMBERS

Why it pays to track NPS

The risks of working around today’s car batteries

DRIVER'S SEAT The key to stellar customer service

Maine Attraction Maurice & Son Auto Body features an expansive shop floor, parts room, and parking lot.

SNAP SHOP Maurice & Son Auto Body

THE BIG IDEA

ADAPT

The value of selfreflecting as a shop owner BY KEVIN RAINS

KEEPING

AMERICA MOVING THANK YOU TO SKILLED TECHNICIANS

for keeping emergency responders, medical supplies, food and equipment rolling.

When Techs Rock, America Rolls.®

#TechsRock

TECHFORCE.ORG

6 fenderbender.com | July 2020

COURTESY MAURICE & SON AUTO BODY

PAST THE PAGE

S T R AT E G Y

Why you need to prioritize your personal life

Behind a great team

IDEA SHOP

OUTSIDE THE LINES BY JASON BOGGS

HUMAN RESOURCES Avoid job interview pitfalls

CUSTOMER SERVICE Tips for going the extra mile when delivering vehicles GET T Y IMAGES

AS E ASY AS... 1 2 3

POST A JOB RECEIVE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS GROW YOUR TEAM

USE CODE: AJC123 TO TAKE $100 OFF YOUR FIRST LISTING!

autojobcentral.com July 2020 | fenderbender.com 7

TAB LE OF CONTENTS

ONLINE EXTRAS

CLICK ON THE LOGO BELOW FOR PRODUCT INFORMATION

ADAPT

BASF

Hunter Engineering

PPG

Spanesi Americas

AUTEL

Car-O-Liner

Mitsubishi

Pro Spot

TechForce Foundation

Auto Job Central

FenderBender Managment Conference

O'Reilly Auto Parts

SATA/Dan-Am Company

Toyota

2020

8 fenderbender.com | July 2020

EDITORIAL Bryce Evans Vice President, Content and Events Anna Zeck Editorial Director Kelly Beaton Associate Editor Miranda Jama Marketing Services Manager Nora Johnson Special Projects Editor

COLLISION

Jordan Wiklund Special Projects Editor Gabe Holzmer Editorial Intern

C A S T

Jason Boggs Contributing Writer Ryan Cropper Contributing Writer Steve Morris Contributing Writer Kevin Rains Contributing Writer Melissa Steinken Contributing Writer

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Jason Boggs Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders Ryan Hillenbrand Urb’s Garage and Collision Center Jesse Jacobson Heppner’s Auto Body

FenderBender’s

PODCAST NETWORK

Tiffany Menefee Pronto Body Shop Bob Pearson Pearson Auto Body Louie Sharp Sharp Auto Body Doug Voelzke Doug’s Custom Paint and Body

ART AND PRODUCTION

SERIES WITH NEW EPISODES EACH MONTH. Explore the industry’s biggest trends & most pressing topics.

Zach Pate Art Director Mitch Bradford Graphic Designer Morgan Glisczinski Graphic Designer Fue Vang Graphic Designer Lauren Coleman Production Artist

SALES Chris Messer Vice President and Publisher 651.846.9462 / cmesser@10missions.com Andrew Johnson Associate Publisher 651.846.9459 / ajohnson@10missions.com Nathan Smock Marketing Strategist 651.846.9452 / nsmock@10missions.com Ross Kirgiss Regional Advertising Sales 651.846.9485 / rkirgiss@10missions.com

ADVANCE. DISRUPT.

Shayna Smith Customer Success Representative 651.846.9460 / ssmith@10missions.com Jen George Client Service Specialist 651.846.9465 / jgeorge@10missions.com

10 MISSIONS MEDIA Jay DeWitt President Mariah Straub General Manager and Production Manager Meghann Moore Bookkeeper and Client Service Specialist

HOW I DID IT. MSO PODCAST.

Katie Cornet Event Coordinator Tiffany Fowler Senior Digital Media Strategist Kasey Lanenberg Marketing Communications Specialist Corey Steinhoff Administrative Assistant

VISION.

HOW TO REACH US 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104 tel 651.224.6207 fax 651.224.6212 web 10missions.com The annual subscription rate is $72 (U.S.A. only) for companies not qualified to receive complimentary copies of FenderBender. BACK ISSUES Past issue single copies are $8. Go to fenderbender.com/backissues LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@fenderbender.com ARTICLE REPRINTS For high-quality reprints or e-prints of articles in this issue call 651.846.9488 or email reprints@fenderbender.com. Opinions expressed in FenderBender are not necessarily those of 10 Missions Media, and 10 Missions Media does not accept responsibility for advertising content.

LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE SEARCH “COLLISIONCAST” IN APPS FOR APPLE AND ANDROID

PODCASTS

STITCHER

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AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

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PAST THE PAGE DISCUSSIONS, FEEDBACK, CONTENT AND MORE FROM AROUND THE WEB

REPORTER'S BLOG

THE POWER OF POSITIVITY Frequently, FenderBender produces blog posts designed to help shop owners take their businesses to the next level. A recent post (accessible at fenderbender.com/ positivity), gleaned tips from VeriFacts Automotive’s CEO, regarding how shop owners can effectively lead their staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. “People are going to start driving a lot more,” says Farzam Afshar. And “this is a great opportunity to call those customers … and say thanks for being our customer. We can get over this [as an industry] really fast, we just need to have the right mindset.”

GETTY IMAGES

COVID-19 RESOURCES

During the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, FenderBender is frequently updating information regarding that topic on a dedicated webpage: fenderbender.com/COVID-19. On that page, you can find articles, videos, and podcasts with tips from experts, along with the latest information that can help shop operators overcome challenges.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

FenderBender is producing more videos than ever these days, in an effort to aid those that run body shops. One of the magazine’s most popular videos ever was produced in late May, when editorial director Anna Zeck spoke with the CEO of True North Retirement Advisors. Ashley Micciche noted that the weeks ahead— with business still slower than normal, during the lingering COVID-19 pandemic—could be an ideal time for shop owners to thoroughly plan their retirement. You can access the FenderBender Interview Series video by visiting fenderbender. com/RetirementPlanning. Also, look for links to the magazine’s videos on FenderBender’s various social media channels.

JOIN US ONLINE fenderbender.com fenderbender.com/facebook • twitter.com/fenderbendermag fenderbender.com/linkedin • instagram.com/fenderbendermag

July 2020 | fenderbender.com 11

BY THE NUMBERS THE TOPIC S, TRENDS AND METRIC S DRIVING YOUR OPER ATION

THE MERITS OF MEASURING NPS Data from the 2020 FenderBender Industry Survey shows that an increasing amount of shops neglect to track their net promoter score (the percentage of customers that would recommend your business to others). Currently, over one-fifth (21 percent) of shops don’t track NPS, up from 13 percent two years ago. Survey statistics suggest, however, that tracking your shop’s NPS score is rather valuable. After all, the shops that are aware of their NPS tend to have higher annual revenues, for one thing. Here’s a look at how tracking NPS impacts various performance metrics.

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

ANNUAL REVENUE OF $2.5 MILLION+ CSI SCORE OF 90%+ AVERAGE RO OF $3,000+ TRACK NPS

DON'T TRACK NPS

A few years back, FenderBender wrote an extensive article about the value of net promoter score, with feedback from experts suggesting that NPS helps provide businesses with a more accurate look at the overall customer service experience they’re providing. One expert, Dan Young, now an executive with asTech, suggested that, if your shop focuses on achieving a high NPS score, the rest of its targeted shop metrics tend to fall in line. Find the full article at fenderbender.com/NPSindepth.

12 fenderbender.com | July 2020

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A Lasting Impression When was the last time you experienced truly exceptional customer service? Just a couple blocks from where I live, in an inconspicuous

brick building, is a Subway sandwich shop. It’s the kind of place you might drive by every day and to which you might not give any thought. I mean, it’s a Subway. It is what it is. You’ve been to one, you’ve been to them all. Right? Well, imagine my surprise when I was browsing my neighborhood’s NextDoor social media community the other day and read a post titled “Kind Soul at Subway,” describing the wonderful, caring, upbeat front counter employee. Even more surprising? The comments. “Oh, Ms. Becky? She is a wonderful lady who takes customer service to a whole new level.” “She has made my day several times.” “She is the only Subway employee I’ve ever hugged.” Dozens and dozens of comments all from people who not only knew Becky, but also had similarly effusive comments about her. My favorite one was from a woman whose husband doesn’t even like Subway but eats at that location multiple times per week because he says they have the nicest employees he has ever encountered and upon walking in, they wave and immediately start making his sandwich order from memory. Turns out, that wasn’t even the only NextDoor thread about her. There was even one wondering if it would be possible to petition the mayor to declare a “Ms. Becky Day” citywide. And, to be clear, this Subway is located on one of the most popular shopping and dining streets in the city. There are plenty of arguably better dining options just on that block. So, why am I telling you this random story about a random Subway franchise in a random city in the United States? First of all, I think it’s a great reminder that exceptional customer service can be found anywhere. But, more importantly, I hope that, after reading that story, you’re thinking to yourself, “Do I have a Ms. Becky at my shop?” And if not, “How can I find one?” Because that’s how you gain customers for life. In our main feature this month, “Let’s Stay in Touch,” associate editor Kelly Beaton dives into customer retention, and how to better utilize remarketing, social media and follow-ups. And while those modern methods are certainly effective, it’s important not to overlook “the basics.” Great customer service makes a difference. With customers typically only getting into accidents every 7–10 years, how are you leaving a lasting impression on your customers? It could come down to something as simple, effective, and elusive as Ms. Becky. 14 fenderbender.com | July 2020

ANNA ZECK EDITORIAL DIRECTOR a z e c k @10 m i s s i o n s .c o m

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QUICK FIX

VIEWPOINT

A SEMA Show executive explains the event’s possible contingency plans for 2020 B Y K E L LY B E AT O N

Tom Gattuso Vice president, events SEMA

Tom Gattuso, SEMA’s vice president, events, has kept a close eye on the COVID-19 outbreak since before it became part of the lexicon in much of America. “My wife flew to China and the Philippines in late January and early February,” Gattuso explains, “so we’ve kind of had a watch on it, and locked into this thing from the very beginning. And we’ve been very proactive in what we’re planning to do.” What Gattuso is planning to do, currently, is carry off an event that drew 162,000 attendees last year without a hitch this November. Given the safety precautions that the COVID-19 outbreak requires, that might seem like a tall task. But, as of now, SEMA organizers seem determined to see their auto show go on in Las Vegas later this year. And the industry seems supportive. “Our exhibit space right now is tracking really well” Gattuso told FenderBender in a May 29 interview. “The industry right now is showing really good support. The amount of exhibit space that we’ve currently booked is about 14 percent off the pace that we set last year at this time.” Gattuso shares his experiences preparing for what promises to be a memorable 2020 SEMA Show. 16 fenderbender.com | July 2020

It is still on as scheduled, and it’s predominantly because we really feel that, by having the event, it can help the industry recover more quickly. And we’re looking at our position on the calendar in the fourth quarter of 2020, and knowing that if we could be an environment where people could be productive, it’ll make 2021— and the trajectory of which our business recovers—quicker. And that’s really the main impetus. For us, it’s not about the revenue at all. Our role as a trade organization is to help our member companies succeed. So, the only thing that’s pushing us is helping the industry recover. What practices will you put in place to ensure SEMA Show attendees’ safety?

It’s personal safety, entrance protocols, traffic flow, SOPs, that type of thing. We’re looking at it from the perspective of, what is the line at registration going to look like, what is the touchless hand-washing situation like in the convention center, what’s food service going to look like?

COURTESY SEMA , TOM GAT TUSO

SEMA ORGANIZER: SHOW MUST GO ON

So, the 2020 SEMA Show is still completely on as scheduled?

Also, what’s the traffic flow look like? For education sessions, do you go in one door and out another? Those are the types of things that we’re really exploring right now. There’s an initiative called Go Live Together, that’s grown to over 2,500 events and partners in the industry that are trying to figure out what the best practices are going to be; we’ve got a seat at the table on the legislative element of that. … It's a constantly evolving plan. What concerns have possible SEMA vendors expressed to you?

We have gotten feedback where they questioned, if the show were to be cancelled, what the ramifications for them would be. And we’re fortunate in that we’re going to be able to return all the monies that we’re paid, in the event that the show is cancelled. If we need to cancel the show—and, you know, it really would be because the state of Nevada tells us that we can’t host it—we would be returning all the money. We allowed our exhibitors the opportunity to be able to cancel their exhibit at the show, with a full refund of exhibit space

payments, all the way up to September 1. By the time the end of August comes, everybody’s going to be able to make a business decision, because we’re going to have our safety plan well-documented. Are there any concerns about the logistics of international travelers coming to SEMA this year?

We anticipate that international travel will be down slightly on a global level well into 2021 as the various economies begin their path to recovery. We are working closely with our partners in Las Vegas on new international flights and travel safety protocols and will communicate [to] our international attendees as appropriate. Do you have a contingency plan in place if the COVID-19 outbreak worsens in the fall?

Definitely. You know, we haven’t said that we’re going to go 100 percent virtual or anything like that, but we are working in to the plans what can happen if there are restrictions that are going to change the makeup of what we’ve got planned. Then, if something happens like a second wave

[of COVID-19], we’re just going to need to adapt it. We’re going to look to what the local requirements and safety guidelines are in the city of Las Vegas and the state of Nevada. And we’re going to come up with exactly what our PPE requirements are going to be, exactly what our show density requirements are, and we’re going to present that plan to the industry and also the city and the state. If SEMA regulars are nervous about attending the show this year, what would you tell them?

It would be best [for those considering attending SEMA] to check in regularly with our updates on what we’re expecting the experience to be like. And, be confident that we’re going to create the most safe environment possible. We’re anticipating that not every single person that’s been at the show last year is going to come this year. But, we think we’re going to have a critical mass of really influential decision-makers and stakeholders that are going to be able to benefit by meeting and really help the industry on the road to recovery. July 2020 | fenderbender.com 17

EXCLUSIVELY FROM YOUR TOYOTA DEALER

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K E Y I N S I G H TS , TR E N DS A N D S TR ATEG I E S F O R TO M O R ROW â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S I N D U S TRYâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;TO DAY A D A P TA U T O M O T I V E . C O M

A D A P TA U T O M O T I V E . C O M / F A C E B O O K

T W IT TE R .CO M /A DA P T_ AUTO M OTI V E

The ADAPT Interview

GET THE BATTERY BASICS

Check out the growing list of multimedia on the ADAPT site. They include a useful podcast episode with the founders of Termageddon about why businesses need website privacy policies and how they are updated over time. This is essential information for shops to have a strong online presence. Plus, take a look at an interactive, informative talk from the 2019 Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference featuring shop owner Greg Buckley. He talks to a packed room about technology trends and how to best introduce these ideas and practices to your shop. Listen to these and more episodes at adaptautomotive.com/podcasts.

What is a hybrid or EV battery made of? More importantly, what are the risks involved in working on or around those parts? These are crucial questions that shops will need to ask as more and more hybrid and electric vehicles come in for repairs and maintenance. ADAPT has an excellent primer on the subject with ASE master technician Bob McGinn, who is a safety author for the Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair. McGinn goes over some of the essential information, like what modern batteries are made from and what processes techs will need to be aware of when working around them. These are concepts like stranded energy, thermal runaway and liquid fire. To read the article and learn more, head to adaptautomotive.com/repairEV.

GETTY IMAGES

ADAPT Trend Report

DECEMBER 6-8 NASHVILLE, TENN.

Registration and hotel accommodations are now open for The ADAPT: Automotive Technology Summit. The full two-and-a-half-day schedule is available at adaptsummit.com.

Head to the ADAPT website to sign up for the ADAPT Trend Report newsletter to have the latest news, strategies and transportation trends sent to your inbox every week. adaptautomotive.com/newsletter

July 2020 | fenderbender.com 19

QUICK FIX

SNAP SHOP

MAURICE & SON AUTO BODY BY KELLY BEATON PHOTOS COURTESY MAURICE & SON AUTO BODY LOCATION:

Waterville, Maine OWNER:

Mike Bard SIZE:

12,500 square feet STAFF:

13 (4 office, 4 technicians, 1 detailer, 1 painter, 1 prepper, 1 apprentice technician, 1 owner) AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$2.15 million

20 fenderbender.com | July 2020

Submit Your Shop

Proud of your shop and want to show it off to your peers? Tell us about it at

submissions@10missions.com.

1. LAVISH LOBBY The three-year old facility’s customer waiting area features multiple elements that tend to catch a customers’ eye. Beyond the bigscreen TV, there are $3,000 worth of granite countertops in the receptionists’ area. Most of the front counter area features the decorative stone work. “As far as longevity, you’re not going to get anything more durable than granite,” notes Mike Bard, who purchased the countertops from a vendor that did work at his home.

2. EXPANSIVE PARKING LOT Bard’s body shop now sits on 8.6 acres, with one full acre dedicated to both the building and associated pavement. That leaves the facility with countless parking spots, and ample pavement that wraps around the building. The rear parking lot, which is nearly one-third of an acre, is especially helpful, because it provides plenty of room for both customer vehicles and those owned by employees. The pavement also melts snow relatively quickly Bard says, meaning “you don’t have to worry about slips and falls.”

3. THE HEAT IS ON During the Maine facility’s construction in late 2017, Bard paid a plumbing crew to lay down a grid of pipes that would be utilized to continuously disperse water and thus heat the shop’s flooring. The crew finished the heating system in roughly three days. Bard says investing in such a heating system pays. “Cars come in all winter and they’re full of ice,” he notes. “We wash them all down, but you still have ice and stuff built up underneath the car that take a bit of time to melt off. So, having the floors heated really helps melt things fairly quickly.”

4. PRIZED PARTS ROOM

Maurice & Son Auto Body’s nearly 1,200-square-foot parts room was set up with an eye on efficiency. The room’s shelves feature white boards that note which shelves contain particular parts, and parts are tagged by RO, the associated customer’s name, and the make of the vehicle involved. The parts area also has a door dedicated to quick deliveries. “When the parts people come in, they have their own door to come in from the outside,” Bard explains, “and when they’re bringing parts in, they just walk through a second door to get right to the office to drop off their invoice. Then, they’re out of here.” July 2020 | fenderbender.com 21

SHAPE THE FUTURE OF COLLISION REPAIR

WI T H ED UCATIO N H EL PIN G YO UR S H O P T H R I V E, I NC LUD I NG: “THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE” • “TECHNOLOGY AS A PROFIT CENTER” • “ADAS—A DEEP DIVE”

L E A R N M O R E AT A DA P T S U M M I T.C O M

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THE ADAPT: AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT IS A THREE-DAY EVENT PROVIDING SHOP OWNERS AND OPERATORS WITH A UNIQUE, UNMATCHED OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN DIRECTLY FROM INDUSTRY LEADERS ON THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND PRESSING TECHNOLOGY TRENDS DISRUPTING THE AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET

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22 fenderbender.com | July 2020

COLUMNS

THE BIG IDEA KEVIN RAINS

2020: A Year of Change

Are you doing enough to create an inclusive workplace? Wow, what a doozy 2020 has been! Re-

member all those great “2020 visions” we had at the beginning of this year? While those have changed quite a bit, in many ways, I feel grateful for how my vision has changed. It’s been challenged, and it’s pushed me in a different direction on my own personal journey. After the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing civil unrest and protests, I read an article from the Harvard Business Review that struck a chord with me: “U.S. Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism.” I encourage you to look up that article if you’d like to explore this more. There was a lot in that article that stood out to me, but here’s one that speaks directly to us as business owners: “Research shows that how organizations respond to large-scale, diversity-related events that receive significant media attention can either help employees feel psychologically safe or contribute to racial identity threat and mistrust of institutions of authority.” What might it look like to be anti-racist? As the owner of a small chain of local body shops, how do I do that? If you have black members on your shop’s team or you’d like to engage people of color—or anyone, really—in a conversation, where might you start? Here are a few questions that the Harvard Business Review article mentioned earlier lists: 1. What are the biggest barriers to your success and what role can I play in helping to remove them? 2. Do you feel safe at work? To contribute? To belong to the community?

MICHAEL HOEWELER

3. What percentage of your time is spent on addressing exclusion or microaggressions against you or others? 4. Whose voice or what perspective is missing from this conversation? How can I help amplify your voice and that of other underrepresented voices?

I’ve thought critically about these questions the past few days and I’ve had conversations with black friends who are also business owners and leaders. Regardless of your beliefs, I hope that you do the same. Times like these should cause us all to be more reflective. By all means, though, do something. Doing nothing is actually a contribution to injustice. Desmond Tutu once said, “If you are neutral in the situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Everyone is a part of this system and moving forward is about accountability. We need to be accountable to ourselves, our employees, as well as our businesses and the impact we have on our communities. We have the power and the platform to lead change and to make a positive impact. We have the power to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, open, honest, truthful, and where everyone feels comfortable. Have the conversations. Then speak up. And never stop learning. If you’re looking for resources, please reach out to me. I will be happy to share any resources I’ve found helpful as we navigate these turbulent waters together. If you’ve read my column before, you likely know that I’m always trying to increase my capacity for understanding and knowledge. I’ve read key books, attended classes, and changed mindsets, but for me, I realized that is not enough. I felt a deeper call and obligation as a local business owner, father, and citizen. So,

these are the steps and actions we have taken at the shops and in our community over the past few weeks: 1. I participated in a protest with my son. Did I agree with everything and everyone at the protest? No. But it surrounded me with people who have felt marginalized for many years and helped me literally walk a mile in their shoes. 2. We used our social media platforms to drive awareness of race issues. Our most controversial was about “driving while black” and it offered research and statistics on how disproportionately people of color are often pulled over. 3. I talked to my black team members, black business owners and black friends one on one. I asked them for their perspectives on the recent civil unrest and how I might get involved in ways that would honor them. I know that some people reading this might react negatively or emotionally to this column. But regardless of your beliefs, we all need our teams to function the best they can—and this is how we can do that. In an industry with a very real talent shortage, we quite literally can’t afford not to create workplaces that are inclusive and where everyone feels comfortable.

KEVIN RAINS Kevin Rains is the owner of Rains CARSTAR Group with locations in Cincinnati, Ohio, West Chester, Ohio and Lexington, Ky. He is also an industry consultant and founder of Body Shop 2.0.

E M A I L : kev i n r a i n s @ g m a i l .c o m A R C H I V E : f e n d e r b e n d e r.c o m /r a i n s

July 2020 | fenderbender.com 23

LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STAY IN

H C U TO B Y K E L LY B E AT O N

24 fenderbender.com | July 2020

The tactics you need to be using to master modern marketing

RESTING ON YOUR LAURELS CAN BE A COSTLY M ISTA K E FOR COSTLY MISTAKE A BUSINESS OWNER. Just because word-of-mouth marketing has often brought customers to your door, for example, doesn’t mean that’ll continue forever. “Hope is not a marketing strategy,” says Norm Angrove, the automotive refinish director for PPG Canada and a collision repair industry consultant. “The first thing body shops have to realize is that, when it comes to marketing, past success guarantees nothing when the rules change. “And the rules are changing. So, the question body shop owners have to ask themselves is: Are they on the right side of change?” Once a shop owner establishes their marketing plan, developing clear, measurable goals in the process, they need to disseminate a consistent marketing message if they hope to gain repeat customers. And, in 2020, accomplishing that feat requires businesses to stay connected with customers. Now, more than ever, consumers have an “out-of-sight, out-ofmind” thought process. That means that, these days, the owners of businesses like body shops need to use search engines to retarget customers, they must tell frequent, visual stories on social media, and they must reach back out to customers promptly after making contact. If those sound like daunting tasks, these tips can help.

Utilize marketing.

Many days, Travis Mailhiot’s job feels like a juggling act. The general manager of NCA Auto Body Repair in Hooksett, N.H., Mailhiot has just two coworkers at his disposal. So, when it comes to tasks like marketing, the second-generation collision repairer needs to be extremely efficient with his time. In that respect, remarketing has offered a major assist to NCA, a $500,000-per-year shop that repairs 45 vehicles per month. Remarketing, or “retargeting,” is a way to connect with customers who previously interacted with a business’s website or mobile app, and it allows businesses to position their ads in front of audiences as they browse a search engine like Google. The marketing tactic helps increase brand awareness, or remind others of your shop.

Many businesses utilize remarketing because it can reconnect shops with past customers in a manner that’s cost-effective, considering the probability of winning over an existing customer is better than attempting to secure the business of a new one. “Let’s say you’re searching for ‘auto body repair, Hooksett, N.H.,’” says Mailhiot, who has long had a passion for marketing, and is formulating plans to start a digital marketing agency. “And, if you click on our ad, you find us, but you don’t call us, because maybe it’s late at night. Throughout the next week or so, if the (potential customer) has a Gmail account for example, sometimes in the Gmail account it might show ads, or you might go to a website and it’s a completely different subject, but they’ll remarket our ad as a July 2020 | fenderbender.com 25

FE ATURE

LET'S STAY IN TOUCH

display ad on that website. It’s like a display partner, basically.” Jay Baer, the founder of digital marketing company Convince & Convert, says remarketing is an efficient marketing tactic because, by using it, business leaders are strictly communicating to people that know their business. The easiest ways for body shop staffs to utilize remarketing include taking the following steps, suggested by Google Ads Help: • Target all your website visitors and app users. To reach an audience that has already visited your website or your app, Google suggests using the “Google Ads optimized list” function made available by the search engine. • Use a bid strategy that optimizes conversions. Google’s “enhanced cost-per-click” function will automatically adjust a business’s manual bids for clicks that seem more or less likely to lead to a sale or conversion on its website. • Use dynamic remarketing. A Google Ads product suggestion engine can show services to people who previously viewed those services on your website. The suggestion engine will also decide which type of ad layout is likely to perform best, based on the consumer and the type of device they’re using. Mailhiot, whose shop frequently does fleet work, opts to pay a third-party company $500 per month to handle such marketing endeavors, though he notes that similar companies charge around $1,000, depending on their package of services. And the shop owner believes it’s worth every cent. “It’s that ‘drip effect,’” Mailhiot explains, “where that bucket fills up eventually, and that customer sees the ad enough in the back of their mind that maybe they might not do something now, but … it’s always going to show up.”

Master social media.

These days, virtually anyone under the age of 40 largely grew up in the age of the Internet, and of cell phone usage. Such consumers aren’t so much “computer literate” as they are fluent in the languages of text messaging, Facebook and YouTube. And body shop staffs have to meet 26 fenderbender.com | July 2020

their customers where they’re at, by consistently utilizing technology to their advantage. In 2020 that entails not just making consistent social media posts, but typically posts that tell an intriguing story that sticks with customers. Body shop operators need to understand that quality social media posts focus on connecting with customers, Angrove explains. And the best way to do that is by having a dedicated social media manager on staff, he says. Most experts agree: body shops should be utilizing Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for making social media posts. While Facebook’s mass audience is well-established at this point,

it’s worth noting that YouTube and Instagram are steadily overtaking longestablished social media platforms like Twitter, due to their highly-visual nature. YouTube trails only Google in terms of being a frequently used search engine, Baer notes, and Instagram is the fastest-growing social network. The key when making social media posts is to make sure you’re providing additional value to customers by educating them, says Stan Medina, the owner of Certified Collision Works in Corpus Christi, Texas, a 10-employee, $1.3-million-per-year shop. “You want to share knowledge,” says Medina, a 26-year veteran of collision

BUILD YOUR

BR A N D STAN MEDINA , OWNER OF CERTIFIED COLLISION WORKS IN CORPUS CHRISTI, TE X AS, E XPL AINS HOW TO MARKE T SHOPS EFFECTIVELY IN 2020 A S T O L D T O K E L LY B E AT O N

On Target Travis Mailhiot often secures customers by investing in retargeting and carefully positioning ads on search engines.

repair. “You want to come across as an expert in your industry.” Medina also feels it’s increasingly important for shop staffs to not just have photos in their social media posts, but photos that show behind-the-scenes access at your shop and front office, so they can put a face to your business. By putting a face to your business, you can share your shop’s unique story with potential customers, drawing them in. Consider: As of 2019, Instagram boasted nearly 500 million global daily active users of its “Stories” function, according to smartinsights.com. That digital marketing website notes that the Stories feature—which enables users to

In general, most shop owners need to change their mindset from trying to do straight marketing to one that’s branding both their business and themselves. Instead of putting ads in the newspaper that mention price, offer something of value. SHARE KNOWLEDGE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS. Offer seasonal tips for vehicle owners, for example. Then, people start to trust you. Then, that person might visit your business, or recommend you. MAKE CUSTOMERS EVANGELISTS OF YOUR BRAND by educating them. You also have to BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BRAND as a shop owner. Because people assume that, if the owner is a certain way, then the business is that way, too. If the owner’s sloppy, then the business is going to be that way, too. So ask yourself what you’re an expert in. For me, I know I can help customers handle the claim. So, I share that with my customers and educate them. Also, GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. A lot of businesses sponsor little league teams, but they never actually engage with the players’ parents. Introduce yourself and say, ‘Hey, I’m the sponsor, I want to tell you something about my business and what we do.’ If you give back to the community, SHARE YOUR NEWS WITH YOUR VENDORS. Say, ‘Last weekend we participated in a blood drive,’ and share photos. Also, SHARE VIDEO. You don’t need a camera crew. Just share video of a unique repair on your smartphone, upload it, and share that video on Facebook or Instagram.

share multiple photos and videos which appear in a slideshow format—on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook tend to interest consumers because that style of storytelling isn’t just visual, but also meant to be consumed in the moment, so they feel especially timely and current. According to Hootsuite’s 2019 Social Trends Survey, 64 percent of marketers have either utilized Instagram Stories in their social media strategy or plan to within the next 12 months. When it comes to social media, Medina also feels shop staffs shouldn’t just encourage reviews, but also answer all reviews they get online, from

sites such as Google, Yelp or Facebook. After all, search engines like Google pay close attention to reviews when they rank order results from consumers’ searches. “If you get a bad review, say, ‘I appreciate your feedback, and we’re going to take action. Thank you for your feedback,’” he says. “That’s how you build trust. Because people are going to read your reviews, good or bad, and they’re going to see how you react.”

Maintain contact.

Most experts agree: body shops, by and large, often drop the ball when it comes to customer follow-ups. July 2020 | fenderbender.com 27

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Yes, it’s easy to overlook follow-up communication when you operate in a business that, in the words of Angrove, is a “grudge purchase,” as collision repair is. Still, maintaining contact with your past customers is necessary, nevertheless. The PPG executive suggests that shop owners have someone on staff dedicated to calling customers back within 36 hours of their repair, simply to thank them for their business, if nothing else. At the very least, he feels shop staff should follow-up with their customer database once per year. Ideally, those messages should also “reinforce that the [collision repair] business is built on referrals and, if they have any friends or family members that might be in need of services, that you’re going to give them the same type of service that you gave them,” Angrove says. Maintaining contact with clients in that manner, he adds, is low-hanging fruit that a lot of shops are overlooking. It’s also imperative, in 2020, to encourage customers to leave reviews. “You just want to make that part of your process,” says Baer, a co-author of the book Talk Triggers: The Complete Guide to Creating Customers with Word of Mouth. “Give somebody their vehicle back, and then send them a text message the next day, or later that afternoon, saying, ‘Thanks very much. By the way, we’d love it if you left us a review, and here’s a link for how to do that.” Ultimately, a great way to retain your customers is by marketing to them over years, rather than weeks and months. Fortunately, that can be accomplished easier than ever these days, by sending past customers periodic emails, for example. To do so effectively, Baer says shop owners and their marketing staff need to think like documentary filmmakers. “Think of your [message to customers] like a documentary: ‘Let us show what a day in the life is like for us,’ and have a level of education,” Baer adds, noting that a short, 2-minute monthly video is a great way to keep in contact with your client base. “To help retain a customer,” Angrove says, “the key prongs are developing a strategy, being committed to that strategy, and being consistent. Shops tend to go 2 miles wide on initiative and 2 inches deep on execution. Commit for the long haul— that’s the key.”

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Create advocates. “You want to be present in the psychology of your past customers, so they’ll leap at the opportunity to recommend you. So, communicate to those previous customers on an ongoing basis.”

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Be transparent. “Don’t treat them like a number, or a paycheck. Be as open as possible. Have empathy for the situation the struggles they might be facing with the insurance company.” —TRAVIS MAILHIOT, GM, NCA AUTO BODY REPAIR AND

MO RE

Monitor your ROI. “See what the return on investment was for marketing (tactics like sponsoring sports teams), and see if it was worth it. How many extra customers did you get out of it?” —STAN MEDINA, OWNER, CERTIFIED COLLISION WORKS

Consider geofencing. “Once 5G rolls out for all cell phones, the ability to do real-time marketing that’s ‘geofenced’ will be very simple, where somebody drives by your collision center and an ad comes up on their phone that says ‘If you need collision repair, we’re the best in town.” — JAY BAER , MARKE TING E XPERT AND AUTHOR

Offer referral programs. “We offer current customers a program where, if they refer a customer to me, I’ll give them $25 as well as the customer that you referred to us.”

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July 2020 | fenderbender.com 29

PROFILE

H O W

T O

H A N D

O F F

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY S T O P P U T T I N G OU T F I R E S AT YOU R B U S I N E S S A N D T E A C H Y O U R T E A M T O W O R K I N D E P E N D E N T LY BY MELISSA STEINKEN

30 fenderbender.com | July 2020

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER WORREST

IN 2000, Bob Waldron opened a second body shop location in Lancaster, Mass. While he initially sought to open a second facility in the same town as the first one, he struggled to gain a business permit from the city, which, at that time, frowned upon commercial automotive businesses, Waldron says. During the process of expanding, Waldron’s attorney recommended he not work in the day-to-day operations because it would be too much time and work for one leader. Even Waldron’s wife noticed how stretched thin he was. At the end of his lengthy work days, she often light-heartedly asked how his “hobby” was going. Waldron says that became an eye-opener for him. After all, if you spend your time doing what you love but not getting paid for it, it’s simply a hobby. And that’s what his second shop location was: a hobby. In fact, Waldron, owner of Waldron’s CARSTAR Auto Body in Marlborough, Mass., realized he needed to find a way to take a step back from the day-to-day operations of his job so he could focus on growing and making the business profitable. He decided to empower his employees at his first shop to run the place without him. Waldron has gone on to open three more body shops to have a total of four locations in Massachusetts. Today, he runs an $8 million MSO. In 2018, he earned CARSTAR’s Top Cycle Time and LOR recognition. While Waldron enjoyed leading his team, he wanted to stop being the “fireman that put out all the fires” and instead enable his team to do it on their own. Through focusing on quality control and checklist processes, Waldron eventually led his teams to a point where he no longer needed to run day-to-day operations.

THE FIRST STEPS Waldron opened his own body shop in 1981 when he was 20 years old. He operated the facility as a one-man crew. He could repair the cars mechanically and then referenced spec sheets for the structural damage repairs. In 1989, the CARSTAR franchise was formed and Waldron signed up as one of the first shops to join the network. “Through the franchise, I was able to get viewpoints from shops all over the country and make a big soup out of the information,” Waldron says. Waldron opened his fourth location in 2013 and was on track to open his fifth location in 2020. To successfully grow, Waldron says the focus has to be on having a controlled system in place with employees. TWEAKING THE SYSTEM “Having these systems in place is called ‘the speed of trust,’ which is a phrase I stole from Franklin Covey,” Waldron says. “If you have the right people to train and buy into your business, and if you trust in people, they won’t let you down.” At the time of his second location opening, Waldron had nine staff members in both the front office and back end of the shop at his original location. One of the first steps he introduced to ensure quality checks of work was to have the team mark up the vehicle with

Reporting for Duty Shop owner Bob Waldron pushed his repair business to the next level in part by closely monitoring KPI reports.

July 2020 | fenderbender.com 31

PROFILE

HOW TO HAND OFF LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY

different color markers. Green is used to denote supplements because that’s where the money is coming from, Waldron says. Pink and white are typically used to identify damage that the team’s repairing and unrelated damage. “We use the car as a chalkboard and like a visual repair order,” Waldron says. Any team member can enter a process of the repair and see what work is done or is left to perform. When a customer brings a car into the body shop, Waldron has his administrative staff obtain all signatures and customer contact information up front. Then, after the car is washed, the team videos and photographs the car inside and out. Every aspect of the car is recorded on the inside, including its mileage, the fuel and the engine lights turned on. Another step in the process is having someone sign off when the vehicle is moved from one department to another. Either the shop’s production manager or appraiser has to sign off on the work to move it along. Also, Waldron has his younger staff work on the disassembly and reassembly of the car in a section of the shop dedicated to disassembly for repair (DFR), with parts carts and toolboxes dedicated to those jobs. Systems also lead to strong numbers and results, Waldron says. He’s able to take a step back from the shop’s day-to-day and focus on keeping KPIs strong for the shop.

with his quality control process and hired a staff member to work remotely to audit files. Waldron took time to make sure his team was on board with the changes in process. He stopped production at all locations for a day and a half and had his team attend a team-building meeting. The staff did team-building exercises during the meeting. Waldron eventually lost a handful of employees who didn’t agree with the new system, but he felt it was imperative to do. At the time, the staff at each of Waldron’s locations began scanning all documents into an electronic file. Now, he can access the files from anywhere and see if photos of the damage were taken, authorization forms signed, and the date promised for delivery of the vehicle and the actual date of delivery for the car. All of the forms are accessible through the Massachusetts shops’ CCC ONE management system. Every month, the remote auditor goes over a handful of files from the body shops to see if all cars were checked off on qualitycontrol checklists and whether any files were pencil-whipped. If the auditor finds discrepancies in the files, he or she will make a note on the file, notify Waldron and Waldron will go in to look over the process. Waldron personally looks over the management system’s snapshots of the KPI reports every day. He prefers to look at a snapshot he can filter with categories including which location the report is on, type of KPIs and period of time of data. “At the end of the day, you better have some type of system that works for you and better have good people that work for you,” Waldron says. “If you have good systems and not good people to work the systems effectively, then you’re back at square one.”

TURNING TO DIGITAL SOLUTIONS Around 10 years ago, Waldron went further

Autonomous Driving Bob Waldron (right) has worked to instill confidence in his employees so they can eventually work independently.

WALDRON’S CARSTAR AUTO BODY OWNER:

BOB WALDRON LOCATION:

4 LOCATIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS STAFF SIZE:

50 (18 IN FRONT OFFICE; 32 IN THE SHOP) SHOP SIZE:

35,000 SQUARE FEET COMBINED AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

300 COMBINED

ANNUAL REVENUE:

OVER $8 MILLION COMBINED 32 fenderbender.com | July 2020

THE RIGHT TIME Through Waldron’s process of taking a step back, he’s able to focus on consistently growing the business and up until April 2020, was set to open his fifth location in Massachusetts in May. Waldron’s process starts by taking a paper map of the state and pinpointing areas he’d like to explore for business. Then, he’ll contact his insurance carriers and vendors to ask questions about the competition. He’ll inquire into whether there are a lot of other body shops and ask about the market. At the beginning, Waldron would purchase a mailing list of other body shops in that area and then send fliers to them to inquire into whether they were interested in selling their shop. Waldron seeks to purchase previous body shop buildings. When he takes over the location, he makes sure to keep on the old team if possible and create a win-win situation for the old owner. The best situation occurs when the previous owner is looking to retire, he says. Then, Waldron will train three office and management staff for about three months prior to the opening of the new location. He trains a production manager, appraiser and customer service representative. During those three months, the three employees shadow at another location and then are ready to run the business when it opens on day one. Waldron continues to grow his business and open strong locations. In 2018, his facility won the CARSTAR award for a cycle time of about four days. “At the end of the day, you have to hold your staff accountable,” Waldron says. “You might not have time to look at every important detail tomorrow like you do today.”

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STR ATEGY

IDEA SHOP

Tip Two: Prioritize note-taking in your schedule.

How to Truly Take a Step Back A true work-life balance can reduce stress and boost a leader’s health

Does this scenario sound familiar? It’s a typical work day. You help repair vehicles on schedule and complete tasks like following up with customers. Then, when 5 p.m. hits, you’re ready to head home for the evening. When you reach your front door and you’re turning the key, your cellphone chimes. It’s an employee calling. Now, imagine this pattern stays on repeat for weeks, months and years. Since work is routine, you might not notice how your body goes into a fight-or-flight mode. As a response to acute stress, the body’s sympathetic nervous system is activated and your entire body is ready to take action to the stress and either act or shut down. Too much work stress is simply not healthy for anybody. Often, leaders are so focused on output or caught in a pattern of overworking that it makes it hard for them to be a role model for the people they’re leading, says Joe Robinson, work-life balance speaker, trainer and author for Optimal Performance Strategies. When a team starts following in the leader’s footsteps of overworking, it can lead to burnout and employees quitting, he says. Michael Bradshaw is one example of a collision repair shop owner that has perfected the art of taking a step back as a leader. He’s still involved with his body shop as the president of K&M Collision in Hickory, N.C., but he also puts effort into separating his passions outside of work and his responsibilities at work. For example, Bradshaw is owner of the collision repair shop by day and, in his free time, is a frequent speaker at events like SEMA and other auto trade industry events. “Once you create a culture that’s focused on balance and that’s instilled throughout your organization,” Bradshaw says, “then you, as a leader, can be gone and know that cars are being repaired the right way.” Here are the top five tips to taking a step back as a leader, according to Bradshaw and Robinson. AS TOLD TO MELISSA STEINKEN

GETTY IMAGES

Tip One: Put in place open lines of communication.

Your team needs to know when and how they can contact you if you’re away from the business. While you, as a leader, need to be available, you need to make sure that you are transparent about when you can and cannot answer calls after work.

While being ready to step in if the team needs you, try to also limit yourself on the number of times you actually check your phone. One way of limiting your screen time after work is to check your phone at designated hours of the day or put a process in place that you’ll only check your phone four times per day.

It will be easier to shut off your brain from work when you’re not there if you keep detailed notes on what you’d like to accomplish throughout the week. At the beginning of every day, make a list of three to five items you’d like to accomplish for the day. At the end of the day, take a look at the list, cross out what you did get to and make a note in your calendar for the next day about the items you missed. This process will help you worry less that you’re missing tasks you need to complete after the work day is done.

Tip Three: Plan for frequent breaks from work.

While at work, make sure to provide good morale for the team. Positive morale goes hand in hand toward ultimately instilling a positive, balanced work environment. To help encourage work-life balance while at the body shop, provide your team with breaks from work. Give them a 15-minute break in the morning and another 15-minute break in the afternoon. Encourage the team to use the vacation time they have available in order to recharge and relax.

Tip Four: Give your full attention to one task at a time.

Focus on what is going to allow you to have more time to step away from work at the end of the day. Maybe this means that if you have to help out for a workrelated issue while at home, you offer a distraction to your children so that you can get work done for a half hour or so. Worrying about tasks that haven’t been done or problems that could be completed the next day is not accomplishing anything. Give one item your 100 percent, undivided attention and then follow tip two to accomplish other tasks later.

Tip Five: Delegate work if it’s reasonable.

If you have a trusted team in place, you’re not alone as a leader. If you need to step away from the job, you can choose to pass off a task to another team member. Use your personal judgement on whether another employee can handle the situation. Often, employees might think they need to call you to keep you up to date and don’t really need your extended input when you’re not at the body shop. July 2020 | fenderbender.com 35

STR ATEGY

HUMAN RESOURCES

Stick to the Script

A look at ideal questions to ask applicants during job interviews—and which questions could get you in trouble B Y K E L LY B E AT O N

These days, we live in an extremely liti-

gious society. That’s one reason why human resources expert Jana Tulloch of Tulloch Consulting stays so busy, offering businesses all throughout North America advice on handling job interviews. “You can get into big trouble if you ask questions related to somebody’s ethnicity, their sexual identity, their family status, their friends, all that kind of stuff,” Tulloch notes. Any job interview questions that aren’t relevant to the specific role itself need to be eliminated from employers’ line of questioning, Tulloch says. Jim Webber, a longtime HR consultant who used to be an employment lawyer, implores business owners like body shop operators to avoid asking overly personal questions during job interviews. Of course, he adds, when you’re interviewing another person, technically every question is personal. And that’s what 36 fenderbender.com | July 2020

can make job interviews as tricky as ever these days. Business owners can quickly be saddled with a discrimination accusation if they’re deemed to be discriminatory during their hiring process. That’s why Webber suggests that shop owners conduct job interviews in panels that include multiple co-workers like the on-site manager, and a designated HR official. Discrimation concerns are also why Webber and Tulloch suggest shop owners conduct well-planned job interviews. Here’s a look at interview questions that could steer a shop leader into a potential “danger zone” … along with a road map explaining how to avoid them.

Sexist Questions

Any interview question that makes a female candidate feel uncomfortable could prove costly to a shop owner down the line, especially if they don’t end up

making a job offer to the candidate in question, Tulloch notes. Strictly ask job interview questions relating to the requirements of the job opening. Bad Question: “How many kids do you have? If we need you to work overtime, how are you going to manage your child care?” Better: “In this role, we require lastminute overtime on occasion; Is there anything that would impede your ability to work last-minute overtime?”

Physical Disability Questions

Yes, working in collision repair comes with a certain set of physical demands. But now, more than ever, job interviewers need to be careful with the way they size candidates up during the application process. In that spirit, Webber says it's supremely important to keep that line of questioning as work-related as possible.

Bad Question: “Truthfully, you’re obviously older than many of our applicants, and it’s a bit of a concern for us, because your health might be a factor. Are you sure you can move around as well as younger workers on the shop floor?” Better: “This job can be quite physical. There’s lots of twisting and bending involved. Is there anything that you feel might impact your ability to meet the physical demands of the job?”

Shop Culture Questions

It’s of great concern of virtually any shop owner who’s looking to make a new hire: Will any of the applicants they have on file fit in with their current staff? It’s an important piece to the hiring puzzle, yet job interview questions along those lines can leave shop owners open to accusations of discrimination if they’re not worded just so. If such job interview questions aren’t worded carefully, an applicant could perceive them to be code for a shop owner seeking to hire someone of the same ethnicity, for example. Bad Question: “What do you like to do in your spare time?”

Also, from a legal standpoint, he notes that it’s important to ask today’s job applicants if they require any accommodations to perform the role in question. Any questioning beyond that typically is a bad idea, he says. “The more you’re dying to ask a particular question, the more you should take a breath, stop, and ask yourself why,” Webber says. “Is it a (legitimate) business need?” Bad Question: “Do you have any physical disabilities to any extent? Do you have an underlying condition? If so, how bad is it?”

GETTY IMAGES

Better: “Over the course of your career, how often have you missed work? Also, are you able to do this type of work, with or without any accommodation?”

General Resume-bias Questions

You always want to avoid questions that might tip your hand with regard to job

candidate preferences like someone who lives close to your shop, Tulloch notes. As a result, she suggests being careful about commenting on resume notes that have nothing to do with the job opening. Bad Question: “I see you live in Springfield; How are you going to get to work? Because I know they don’t have any bus service out that way.” Better: “Our standard working day is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Is there anything that you think might impede your ability to arrive at work on time?”

Age-Related Questions

Collision repair roles often require physical labor, so it’s only natural that a shop owner would seek a physically fit new hire. Still, it’s imperative that shop owners treat applicants of all ages respectfully Tulloch notes, and maintain an open mind about their physical capabilities.

Better: “What type of workplaces do you thrive in? What past job did you have that you liked best, and why?”

Physical Appearance Questions

While it’s tempting to say something complimentary to job applicants at the outset of an interview, Webber says it’s best to avoid such conversational “chitchat” with job candidates. Remember, he says: job interviews are professional meetings, not cocktail parties, and the mission of such a meeting is to find the best job candidate possible, not a new best friend. “If you’re trying to make it happy hour fun, where people are laughing and liking you, you’re making a big mistake,” Webber says, “and you’re probably waving a bunch of red flags.” Bad Question: “You’re really attractive; What’s your secret?’ Better: “Sit down and get comfortable. Do you need anything before we get started?” July 2020 | fenderbender.com 37

STR ATEGY

CASE STUDY

A FACEBOOK ENGAGEMENT Your shop can boost sales by increasing customer interaction on social media BY MELISSA STEINKEN

38 fenderbender.com | July 2020

heck out what a typical Friday looks like at Kral Bros. Auto Body & Hail Repair in Lewisville, Texas. One shop operator begins a short Facebook video. He starts walking around the shop pointing out an adjuster working and walks inside to say hello to everyone on the team. It’s a short video, only about 1 minute long, but in that short time, the customer can gain a glimpse into the work the shop performs. Comments praised the new business concept and the team at the shop was quick to respond. On other Facebook posts, like a December #throwbackthursday post, they received over 40 likes and reactions from customers. Every post is reshared at least once. These posts are just a part of the shop’s larger plan to increase engagement through social media. Nathan Kral purchased a pre-existing body shop building in 2017 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Eventually, he grew the body shop from a family business into a collision repair facility that also performs PDR work. Last year, the shop produced $1.8 million in annual revenue. As the business underwent changes in its services, it was equally important for Kral to keep the shop’s marketing modernized and up to date, too. Today, the shop’s Facebook page has over 750 likes and followers, and the shop is rated 5 out of 5 stars. On Google, it’s rated 4.8 stars. The team makes sure to post consistently to generate engagement on the page.

July 2020 | fenderbender.com 39

STR ATEGY

CASE STUDY

The Backstory

Kral started in the recycled parts industry and then a friend introduced him to paintless dent repair. He spent ten years at the beginning of his career traveling around the country and performing paintless dent repairs in areas often hit by hail damage. While Kral Bros. Auto Body & Hail Repair began as a shop that focused 100 percent of its repairs on fixing hail damage, it has since expanded its services. Hail damage repairs evolved into many quarter panel and roof/hood repairs, and continued to grow from there. Today, the team at the body shop splits work, roughly 50-50, on hail damage and collision repairs. During the hail season in the spring and summer months, the 40 fenderbender.com | July 2020

shop works on more paintless dent repair than other body work, Kral notes. And, not only has the shop expanded its services, the shop has grown from the family business to a facility with nine employees. When it first opened, Kral was working alongside his two brothers and a couple of contract workers that would come and go as repair jobs increased.

The Problem

From the beginning, the Kral brothers oversaw the shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social media posts and Facebook campaign. Yet, as the shop grew in size and increased business, Nathan Kral says the brothers had to refocus their Facebook strategy to reflect the different type of content they wanted to

post. In its first year of business, the shop saw tremendous growth and produced an annual revenue of $1.2 million. Two years ago, the staff started using CCC management software and was able to identify more easily how many customers were coming in for just hail damage repairs versus standard collision repairs. They started tracking these numbers. The brothers needed to find a way to switch the intent behind their content while also maintaining engagement on the platform.

The Solution

Kral looked around his shop and saw that he was surrounded by young, passionate employees. These teammates were a part

The brothers get a chance to view and edit the content to make sure it complies with legal practices before posting. They aim to post once per day. Over time, the team has found that shorter, 15-30 second videos perform best on Facebook and every post that has some sort of picture performs really well. The type of post relies on the message conveyed to the customer. For instance, a before-and-after picture of a car can be eye-catching and generate more engagement on the post if the damage is larger. However, a video explaining the car’s repair works better for smaller damage that the naked eye has trouble seeing. To determine the message being conveyed, Kral recommends asking these questions from the viewpoint of the customer, essentially answering the following question: What would a customer get out of looking at a particular post, and how would they benefit from looking at it? If a shop is unsure of how to drive engagement to its page, Kral recommends visiting other body shop Facebook pages to see what type of posts are getting a lot of likes and comments. Kral visits Facebook once per day, even if it’s simply to scroll through the posts of other shops he follows.

The Aftermath

of a generation comfortable with using social media to share messages. Kral wanted to try posting to social media every day so he built a plan that would allow everyone in the shop to participate in its Facebook presence. Simultaneously, he contracted a family friend to come to the shop to help film some videos of the team. While the video contractor also helped with front office and parts work, he would create a video at least once per week. The cost for that position was about $1,000. First, Kral decided that anyone in the shop can document repairs on which they’re working. Once the employee has a video or photo, they go to a member of the management team and show the content.

To start, the shop only had about 100 followers on Facebook due to inviting friends and family to like the page. Once the team posted a walk-around, get to know the team video, within the first couple of months, followers increased by the hundreds and the shop’s sales increased. Kral also discovered engagement needs to be tracked regularly. The easiest way to do so is by using the Facebook app on a phone and going to the Insights tab on the company’s page, he says. Or, visit the company’s advertisement manager tab. The Insights tab alone will show numbers on how many people reacted to a post and how many people are viewing posts in general.

The Takeaway

The body shop’s content is geared to be educational for the customer, Kral says. He finds that their posts do better when the message offers a lesson. “We want our brand to say that we’re a family,” Kral says. “It’s our last name and it’s a family business, so we want to treat customers like family.”

KRAL BROS. AUTO BODY & HAIL REPAIR OWNER:

NATHAN KRAL LOCATION:

LEWISVILLE, TEXAS SIZE:

4,000 SQUARE FEET STAFF:

10 (4 FRONT OFFICE/ BACK -END) AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$1.8 MILLION

EXPERT ADVICE

MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONAL Marion Miller says the most important way for a shop to increase its Facebook, and even its Instagram engagement is by personalizing the page. Miller, owner of Complete Marketing Resources, emphasizes that the posts need to be personalized and everything on the social media site should relate back to the shop and the shop’s website. Here are her tips for increasing engagement in a personal way. Tip #1: Post frequently and respond. Miller recommends posting at least three times a week to be consistent. If a customer does engage ona post and comment, someone from the shop should be responding. Owners have the option to approve what is posted or shared on their Facebook page. Tip #2: Be as personal as possible. A shop operator should be posting about their interests in the community, personal vehicle builds they’re working on and any type of content that brings a personal element to the page. Tip #3: Generate interest or incentive in a post. Post a fun contest or competition. Ask customers to share or tag someone who deserves a free service or repair, and explain why. Keep this contest open for a few months to generate more activity on the post. Then, share how the shop is following through and giving back to that deserving customer. Do this at least once a year.

July 2020 | fenderbender.com 41

STR ATEGY

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Special Delivery Delivering vehicles with a flair can earn your shop repeat customers

Four minutes.

That short amount of time—240 seconds—is enough to make an impact. In a similar vein, collision repairers also have limited time toward the end of repair work to leave a lasting impression with customers. It’s the time where you get to show the customer a car that is no longer damaged and shines like brand-new. In essence, that time at the end of the repair, when shops deliver a vehicle to the customer, is their time to make sure the customer’s mind is irrevocably altered. Often, little touches at the end of the process stand out to the customer. Roses placed into the center console of every customer’s car, a sample-sized 42 fenderbender.com | July 2020

bottle of touch-up paint or a keychain with the shop’s name on it stand out to the customer, noting that your shop went above and beyond paying attention to details during the repair process. For Ross Smith, owner of Kelly Paint & Body in Aiken, S.C., his team chooses to leave each customer with a small flashlight that holds the shop’s name on it. The flashlight is handed out as a way to keep the body shop’s name in front of the customer after he or she leaves the repair facility but also is a way for the shop to show it cares about the customer’s overall safety. After all, if the customer ever endures a night time accident in a secluded area, a flashlight can come in handy.

Smith’s shop has a high, 4.5 star rating on Google and customers now consistently comment about how their car looked brand new upon pick up or how punctual the staff was in delivering the car. One customer said the work was “A 10 amongst fives,” and another said “every business should follow their example of excellent customer service.” However, making an “event” out of delivering the car for the customer involves more than just handing out a token of appreciation. The process can be made seamless and extraordinary from the moment the body shop calls the customer to inform him or her that the car is ready for pickup. “When you first buy your car and you’re

GETTY IMAGES

BY MELISSA STEINKEN

and, depending on the size of the job, give an estimated finish time to the customer. A larger job might require giving the customer a two– to three–day lead on picking up the car.

Go the extra mile when… showcasing the car

Smith and his team will stage the car in an area separate from the body shop’s workspace. Since the collision repair shop is in a part of the south and the weather is usually warm, the team will stage the car outside the body shop. If the weather is inclement, then the team clears out a part of the shop that’s adjacent to the shop floor. The space is regularly used to store parts, but when showcasing the car the parts are all removed from that area. When showing a car to the customer, the best way to show off the fresh paint is to use the most natural form of lighting. If the car is inside the shop, make sure the entire space surrounding the car is clear and the walls are a neutral color, Smith suggests. That way, all of the customer’s attention is focused on the vehicle.

Go the extra mile when… walking around the car

walking away,” Smith notes, “you tend to look back at it because you’re proud of it. But, after a couple of years you quit doing that. I like to say, we’ll make you look back at your car again.”

Go the extra mile when… scheduling the car

Give the customer plenty of advance time to pick up the car, Smith says. His team will notify the customer with at least half a day’s notice that the car is ready. “We don’t call them at 4 o’clock and tell them they need to pick their car up at 5,” Smith says. Basically, once the car is painted, the customer service representative will call

Make sure to have an employee bring the car to the customer and then walk around the car with the customer. This process should always be conducted before the customer pays for the repair. “We’ve noticed that if customers ask for an extra item to be done like a paint touchup, that’s the first item they go and look at it,” he says. “We try to leverage that and just take them around the car all the way.” Smith has one of his two customer service representatives bring the car to the customer and perform the walkaround. There’s no “sales script” per se, but the CSR will point out certain aspects of the car every time. They’ll ask if the customer wants to go over and check out all the functions on the car to ensure they’re working properly, such as headlights, taillights, or blinkers.

Go the extra mile when… explaining the repair

Smith says the team doesn’t follow a script to try to “sell” the customer his or her car again. Despite not having a script,

his customer service team knows that there are key phrases to use when talking about the repair. One is to cover the warranty aspect of the repair. Let the customer know there is a lifetime warranty on the paint, repair and workmanship done on the car as long as they own the vehicle. Second the team points out the use of OEM standard parts on the car. Pointing out the use of recommended parts is a way to reinforce to the customer that the repair was done with his or her safety in mind. If the team sent the vehicle to an outside facility for a wheel alignment, they’ll hand the paperwork of that test to the customer. Lastly, the customer receives care instructions on how to handle the car to keep the repair intact. These instructions include advice on not waxing the car for a month, avoiding the wax option at car washes, and no use of Dawn dishwashing liquid on the car. It’s also important to ask the customer if they have any concerns about the repair.

Go the extra mile when… offering services

“We get paid to do the job and so does everybody else,” Smith says. “The truth of the matter is, though, a lot of the time there are little extra tasks we can do on the car for the customer that helps the look of the vehicle overall.” When the customer has a specific request, the team makes a large, pink laminated card that is then placed inside of the car. Each department in the shop knows to read the card and make sure the specified tasks are done. For instance, if the team is already replacing an old headlight on one side of the customer’s car, the other headlight can appear dull and faded in comparison. The team will then sand and clearcoat that headlight to make it look as good as new. That service is done at no cost to the customer. Every car is touched up as it moves through the repair process. Paint transfer will be buffed off all around the car for the customer. Tires and rims can all be wiped down to look shinier, as well. In the end, those little touch-ups will present the car as if it went through a detailing process, Smith says. July 2020 | fenderbender.com 43

COLUMNS

OUTSIDE THE LINES JASON BOGGS

The Last Dance

Lessons to be learned from the ’98 Bulls team

umentary that covered the 1998 Chicago Bulls championship season, when the Bulls capped off its third straight championship for the second time in a decade. I didn’t grow up a fan of the NBA, however, being a sports fan in the ’90s, it was impossible not to get caught up in the Chicago Bulls, who some consider the greatest basketball team of all time. Throughout the documentary, I learned some valuable lessons that could apply to any group of people who are working toward a common goal. The first lesson that shocked me was how easily that team could have unraveled. The GM told the head coach before the season started that even if the team went undefeated—82-0—that he wasn’t going to come back as the head coach the next season! Meanwhile, the best player on the team (perhaps ever), Michael Jordan, said he would not come back and play for any other coach, and the team’s second-best player, Scottie Pippen, sat out the beginning of the year because he thought he was underpaid. Plus, they had Dennis Rodman to contend with, who we’ll get to later. So, here you have a group of people who are about to embark on a historical season and spend the next nine months together, and they are staring each other down with guns drawn. My first and most important mentor in my career, my dad, told me that our business is a house of cards that could fall apart at any moment. He told me my most important job as the owner is to keep the house together. I can tell you there have been many times I thought the wind was blowing strong enough that it was coming down. Just like the Bulls, we have had people’s egos get in the way of success, people who thought they were underpaid, and old-time Western staredowns between staff. One of the big lessons I learned here is that, as an owner, it might be harder to keep a team together when things are going well than during tough times. When things are going poorly (say, 44 fenderbender.com | July 2020

maybe during a worldwide pandemic) and work dries up, it’s easy for people to appreciate the job they have a little more and have a spirit of working together. I have heard many friends tell me how much their staff appreciates the fact they have a job to come to every day and are working in an essential industry. But sure enough, good times are ahead in our industry’s future. Miles driven are on the rise and we are seeing the claims count going up. When that happens, we need to increase our efforts in managing the team. It would be natural to let our foot off the pedal and relax after going through such a unique and challenging time. I would say that’s the time our managing skills will be tested the most. Another lesson that was reinforced by watching the documentary was the importance of role players. If you were a fan on that Bulls team, you probably have a memory or two of certain players in key moments that year that did not include the team’s star players. While Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman were the big three, the other players were just as crucial to the team’s success. If they didn’t fulfill their roles, then the team would not have succeeded. As leaders, we must remember how important each player on our team is. If you have an apprentice, porter, or detailer in your shop, I’m sure you have felt the strain when that person is on vacation or calls out sick. It can be natural to focus

our energies on the highest-paid techs, but we must treat every member as a critical part of the team. Perhaps the most important lesson was learning to deal with the problem child. Although Dennis Rodman was one of the big three stars of the Bulls team in the late ’90s, he was notoriously a handful for the coaching staff. While he gave 100 percent on the floor, he couldn’t be counted on to show up for practice every day or head out to Vegas in the middle of a playoff series. I thought the way coach Phil Jackson handled Rodman was one of the greatest coaching efforts in sports history. No matter how your team is assembled, someone is the “problem”—the one who stirs the pot, or is not easy to get along with. Our job as leaders is to find a way to get that person to work within the confines of the team. It’s a tricky balance between allowing them to be individuals yet making sure they are focused on the team outcome. Each scenario calls for a unique response. Yet the ability to pull this out pays huge dividends. When most people think about Dennis Rodman, they think of a wild child who was a big distraction. What most people forget is that he was a hall of famer player whose value was respected and appreciated by his teammates. Sometimes, those “problem children” are just misunderstood and, with the right coaching, can become extremely valuable—even beloved—members of the team.

JASON BOGGS is the owner of Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders in Woodbury, N.J. He has attended the Disney Institute and Discover Leadership, and has studied lean manufacturing processes.

E M A I L : j a s o n @b o g g s au t o .c o m A R C H I V E : f e n d e r b e n d e r.c o m / b o g g s

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ADAPTING TO CHANGING TIMES A look into the challenges currently facing the industry

TO SAY THAT 2020 HAS BEEN AN UNCERTAIN YEAR, would be an understatement. The effects of the COVID-19 virus have altered everyone’s reality immensely, including the world of paint. In a business where technology and trends are already moving quickly, the virus has forced the adapting industry to push even harder to tackle top challenges. FenderBender sat down with Tony Larimer, director of sales and marketing at Dan-Am Company, to discuss some of the newest challenges facing the industry, including the COVID-19 pandemic, how to continue to move forward, and what’s on the horizon.

On a technical side, what do you think is the biggest challenge currently facing the industry? Challenging colors is a big one, and has really changed over time. Every car manufacturer sets itself apart from its competitors with color, and some of the pigments that are used are extremely expensive and may have fairly short pot life. Matching newer colors can be really difficult. These colors also present a challenge with insurance

Tony Larimer Director of Sales and Marketing Dan-Am Company

companies, who can have trouble understanding why certain colors cost more than another similar color might. It’s a challenge, as well, to get paid for the extra labor. Dealing with waterborne, in general, has been another obstacle. Most paint companies have very successful waterbornes, and shops may have had to change how they go about spraying water to get a cleaner area with which to spray. The manufacturers of paint booths, and lights, and

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PA I N T E R ’ S P L AY B O O K 2 0 2 0

BY NOR A JOHNSON

it be large MSOs or just individuals, and are moving toward UV. UV technology right now has been primarily in primers, but we’re also starting to see it in clear coats as well. Traditionally, priming is easier to do because, most times, you’re not priming a whole car; you’re priming sections or small spots. We’re seeing lights now, in the UV technology, where you put on one coat, wait about three to eight seconds, hit it with a UV light and it cures it in 30 seconds. And there is no heat, so the panel is not warm, and you can immediately sand it.

How do you believe COVID-19 has affected the industry?

How can the industry continue to move forward?

our air flow equipment has accelerated trying to help keep up with the products that are being used.

Where do you see the paint industry moving in the next few years? We’re seeing a lot more UV products. These have been around a while, but when waterborne became big, it kind of put UV on a back-burner. Now, people are looking for other ways to be more efficient, whether

Since training is so vital for new products, in order to get certified to work with different OEM procedures, all that training is moving remotely through video. OEMs are looking to a variety of companies for support, help, and a way to get OEM procedures out to the market. SATA has been using social media, doing how-to videos, and we’ve done quite a few Zoom meetings. People are trying to keep their painters employed, so all of a sudden their shop is as clean as it’s ever been. Now they are looking at their spray equipment thinking, “Wow, I have a little time here, maybe I should clean this while I remain open.” So we’re doing videos on how to properly maintain their equipment for the first time, maybe ever. We’re trying to take our time and spend it wisely.

PA I N T E R ’ S P L AY B O O K 2 0 2 0

It’s caused a huge amount of trauma, starting from the ground up. Paint shops are changing the way they do things—never before did they worry about cleaning the car so much before they got in. There has been a lot of talk on how to fumigate and clean everything enough so they can handle those parts without getting anything on themselves. People who have small damages on their cars may just choose to drive them now, because maybe they were laid off from their job and they don’t have the extra money to pay the deductible. So, they are just choosing to drive it with the damage. Our hope is that they don’t leave it that way forever and that they get it fixed at some point. It has definitely done some income damage at the shop level. We have painters that are used to turning 130, 140 hours in a week. All of sudden, when there is only 40 hours of work per week coming into the shop, you have to take how many people you have working and divide that up. Many distributors are closed and not allowing walkins. Their sales team is working from home. A lot of people are also getting laid off.

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The SATAjet® X 5500 uses new nozzle technology enabling each painter to customize sprayout according to their needs. The 5500 features “I” and “O”-type nozzles in both HVLP and RP, and due to a groundbreaking design of the fluid tip and air cap, an air distribution insert is no longer required. The X-nozzles reduce paint waste, spray quietly, and allow painters to grow their skill sets while laying down the cleanest, purest coats imaginable.

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The comprehensive breathing protection system consists of the supplied air respirator, SATA air vision 5000 and a belt unit, and allows for easy attachment of several add-on modules. The SATA air vision 5000 hood protects the respiratory system and the complete head area against solvents and overspray. All elements of the system are NIOSH approved in the U.S. and available at your local SATA distributor.

04 WEEKENDER BAG

The SATA Weekender is available while supplies last with purchase of a SATAjet X 5500. Measures roughly 19.5” x 11.75” x 9.75”.

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Custom and Promotional Models Available Visit sata.com/cdg to learn more and customize your own RP or HVLP spray gun (SATAjet 5000 B or X 5500) with standard or DIGITAL handles, choose nozzle size, custom background color and up to five custom images.

Removable shoulder strap It’s your weekend. Carry it your way, either in hand or across your torso with the removable shoulder strap.

Plenty of storage All the space you need to store your guns, safety gear, clothes and more.

Weathered canvas Robust canvas design ensures long life under all conditions.

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INSIDE THE MIND OF… FOUR OF THE INDUSTRY’S TOP PA I N T E R S S H A RE W H AT I N S PI RE S A N D D RI V E S T H E I R TA LE N T BY JOR DA N W IK LU N D A N D NOR A JOH NSON

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INSIDE THE MIND OF TONY SANFILIPPO

FINE-TUNE YO U R TA LE N T

OUR TECHNICAL SKILLS are put to the test every single day at our jobs. But Tony Sanfilippo, painter at Global Collision Center in Troy, Mich., quite literally put his painting skills to the test at the 2020 North American R-M Best Painter Contest. Where each portion of the competition proved his strong technique and talent that he has worked to grow since being a teenager.

Refine your technique. In order to prepare for the competition, Sanfilippo did extensive research and put in extra work to fine-tune his skills. The two-day competition was broken up into different segments, including timing, material consumption, quality of repair, and overall appearance. Sanfilippo has always put an importance on training, but the event kickstarted a larger push to improve his techniques. “When I got the call that I was going to be competing, I got my product manual, and I read up on every product in the portfolio back to back,” he says. Every segment of Sanfilippo’s work was critiqued and judged, which he says has immensely helped with his growth and overall efficiency in his career outside of the competition. The opportunity not only encouraged Sanfilippo to put a greater focus into his technique, but acted as another, larger, form of industry training. He also walked away with the R-M Best Sustainability Award.

Constantly reach for education. As his preparation for the R-M Best Painter Contest proves, if there’s one thing that Sanfilippo is passionate about outside of painting, it’s educating himself on painting. “I think it’s important to stay up on educating yourself, just for the pure sake of the quality of your work,” he says. Sanfilippo looks to multiple resources to help grow his paint knowledge and master his technique. In an

Sanfilippo has been surrounded by the world of paint his entire life. With a father in industry, he started painting cars at an extremely young age. Throughout the years, he has been able to grow his skills immensely by putting a strong emphasis on outside education, training, and networking. But for him, the main variable that drives his talent, comes down to his passion.

industry where things are constantly changing and evolving, staying up with what’s new has helped him become such a talented painter. “Colors are getting a lot more complex and painters need to stay on top of the latest technology,” he says. “I think the days are over where you can make it with just two spray guns and two different nozzle setups.” Sanfilippo gets a majority of his technique and equipment updates by attending BASF courses. The classes help expose him to new products that could ultimately improve his efficiency, he says. He also keeps up with related literature, websites, industry publications, and events, as well as surrounds himself with other top painters to continue to grow. “There are a ton of tools and people out there to help you as a painter,” he says, “and so many things in place to help you succeed.”

Look to others for inspiration. Sanfilippo has been surrounded by painters his whole life. And as he continues to further his career, he is constantly growing his network. In this day and age, a majority of networking comes down to social networking—and that especially rings true in the world of paint. Early on, Sanfilippo’s paint rep introduced him to LinkedIn, which he says has become a huge space for him to connect with others in the industry.

MICHAEL SABATINI, PEXELS

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Leaning on training, networking, and passion can help you grow

THE SPRAYOUT, WITH TONY SANFILIPPO @tonyysanfilippo Who is your industry mentor? My dad.

Anything Ferrari.

What’s on the playlist? Podcasts or rap, specifically Eminem—I have to, he’s from Michigan. “I’ve met a ton of different people through LinkedIn, and it’s provided a lot of opportunities,” he says. Instagram is also another place he has leaned on for networking. He even met a fellow painter through the app, and they now call each other constantly to talk shop. Beyond the virtual space, Sanfilippo grows his skills by meeting other painters at industry events, and watching them work. The R-M Best Painter Contest proved to be a great place for him to pick up tips and tricks from some of the industry’s best painters.

Send it on. One of the largest challenges facing the industry is the lack of other young painters, says Sanfilippo. “I think back in the day, everyone was really pushing college education, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” he explains. “But I think where they made the mistake was, they didn’t push vocational.” In order to tackle this challenge, Sanfilippo continues to push the importance of visibility. Industry events are a great way to inspire younger generations to look beyond the career paths that they may be told are their only options, he says. “The cool thing about events and competitions is that they actively promote young people to get into the business,” he says. “I think it’s a great gateway to attract new technicians.”

Favorite paint color?

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What’s your dream car?

I like the color black, or any color on the gray spectrum.

Where do you find inspiration? The other people I meet in the industry. Also, the owner of the dealership I work with, and the body shop director, they both offer a really good support system.

What’s your favorite piece of painting equipment? My SATA spray guns, hands down.

I N S I D E T H E M I N D O F G E R M A N M E N D OZ A

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WHEN OPPORTUNIT Y KNOCKS A young California painter used social media, pure talent, and connections to open his own shop

Own your work. A lot needs to be considered when working on highend vehicles, says Mendoza. Something to always keep in mind are different nozzle sets, he explains. He also suggests keeping an eye out on the weather to analyze if it’s either more humid or cold out. On a cold day, you’ll want to tone it down a notch on your spray gun. But most of his technique comes down to cleanliness—from his paint suit, to his hose, to his prep work. “If you do your cleaning on everything before you get to your booth, you’re going to have an overall clean paint job,” Mendoza says. Being aware of the weather and ensuring the cleanliness of every aspect of the job relies on being hyper focused and slowing down. In fact, rushing is one of the largest mistakes Mendoza thinks painters can make. Working too quickly can affect the quality of work, especially when it comes to color matching. “There are times that we do our sprayouts and we

SANTIAGO VAQUEIRO

IT ALL STARTED with a simple message through social media. German Mendoza went from summer internships as a young teen, to being a top painter at a high-end dealership, to opening his own collision repair shop at 28 years old. Through the power of Instagram, Mendoza met his future business partner, Merhdad Abooghaddareh, in 2013. After connecting virtually for about a year, they finally met in real life at SEMA and discussed the possibility of collaborating. In January 2020, The Royal Collision Centre in Escondido, Calif., opened its doors. Mendoza has been able to take his extremely clean painting techniques, along with his social media and networking skills, to build a name for himself in the world of paint.

nail the color, but then a year later, the color doesn’t match anymore,” he says. “You have to always be updating your color chips.” All techniques aside, mistakes will be made. And the best way to react, is to avoid excuses, and learn from what went wrong, says Mendoza.

Lean on others.

THE SPRAYOUT, WITH GERMAN MENDOZA @theroyalcollisioncentre Who is your industry mentor? Lee Ashby; he actually just retired, but he’s the person who pushed me to become the painter I am today.

What’s your dream car? I’d go with a Bugatti.

What is your favorite paint/refinish event of the year? SEMA, I’ll actually be releasing a vehicle there this year that I think people will be excited to see.

What’s on the playlist? I’m an oldies guy.

Promote your work. Social media can also act as an online portfolio for potential customers, companies, and others in the industry. Mendoza has been active on his socials for years, and began posting some of his specific tips and tricks, but this resulted in a bit of kickback from others. They would ask him why he was giving away what he had worked so hard to learn, just to make it easier for another painter. “I didn’t listen to them. I just kept posting because I thought it was the right thing to do,” he says. “I’m glad I continued because I feel like it raised some good attention and awareness, and I even ended up finding my business partner through it.” Believing in yourself and believing in your talent will draw in others and create future opportunity and growth. “You’re going to get criticized no matter what, but you can’t control other people’s thoughts,” Mendoza explains. “It’s all how you take it in; you have to ignore it and keep going with the positives.”

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Mendoza credits a lot of his current success to social media and networking with others in the industry. “What I would suggest is to keep communicating with others in the industry and support those on your same level,” he says. “You never know what can come to you—something great came to me from social media.” Mendoza also leans on his rep for up to date industry and tool information. There’s a lot more equipment and tools out there these days, he says, and having a close relationship with your rep can be vital to staying current. “Reps really know what they’re doing, especially this new generation,” Mendoza says. “They have so much to offer, both knowledge and support.” Connecting to others can go beyond networking and technology updates; it can also act as a resource when feeling stuck, which may be easier said than done in such a prideful industry. “Some people don’t want to ask somebody else for a tip or a trick because they might feel like it makes them a little less of a painter than the other guy,” he explains. “But that’s not the point, you know? Everybody has their strong suits.”

Favorite paint color? FROZEN Cashmere.

Favorite car you’ve worked on? Probably a Ferrari 458.

Any local shoutouts? I want to give a shoutout to DNA Motorsport. We’re going to be collaborating on some cool stuff in the near future.

Extreme Performance describes both his shop and Miguel Perez’s dedication to his craft THE MUFFLED RUSH OF SEA FOAM on the shore is music to the ears of Miguel Perez. “When I retire I’m going to dedicate my life to the ocean,” he says. Talking to Perez, you can almost hear the gulls in the background, taste the salt on your skin. Perez is the head of the paint department at Extreme Performance, a massive and well-known custom automotive shop in Palm City, Fla., a stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean. As one of the premier custom shops in the country, typical metrics such as car count and average revenue don’t really apply—from custom builds, restoration and car and truck modifications, some jobs demand hundreds to even thousands of hours and some clients wait years to see their dream car to completion. Despite the workload, though, Perez tries to keep a healthy mind and body away from the shop floor whenever possible. “If I can go 20 miles offshore and catch some mahi or kingfish, that’s what I’m doing,” he says. As one of the premier painters in the southeast part of the country, however, those times are few and far between.

Keep an open mind to succeed. “In high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” he says, “but I knew I liked to paint.” After working his way through vo-tech school, a Chevy dealership and several shops in both fabrication and paint, Perez eventually rose to run the paint division of Extreme Performance. Like the rest of his experience, nothing was given, but much was earned. “If you had asked me 12 years ago: Could I take the job I have now? No way,” he says. “I was not there mentally, nor were my abilities up to the task. I couldn’t have run the paint shop.” But run it he does, and what a shop it is. Extreme Performance is a huge facility of more than 30,000 square feet and over 30 employees. Focusing on highend and custom work, the business is divided into the paint shop, performance, motorsports, and custom interior divisions, with a goal of expanding the paint division within a year or two. At Extreme Performance, Perez is able to draw on a lifetime of both paint and body skills. “I love fabricating and metal work and have loved it as long as I’ve loved painting and carried both with me through my career,” he says. “Keep your mind open to more than one skill—you’ll make yourself more valuable.” Part of being valuable, however, is understanding it takes

COURTESY MIGUEL PEREZ

INSIDE THE MIND OF MIGUEL PEREZ

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PEACE AND PAINT OFF THE FLORIDA COAST

THE SPRAYOUT, WITH MIGUEL PEREZ @RefinisherPorn, @miguelmapr Who is your industry mentor? My dad, for encouraging me to follow what I loved

What gets you up every morning?

Sneak a peek @RefinisherPorn. One of the most notorious Instagram accounts in contemporary paint came about because Perez wanted to share his work, and social media—specifically, the photo-focused simplicity of Instagram—was on the rise with artists everywhere. @RefinisherPorn, his Instagram account of 70,000+ followers, is where he’s been posting candy panels, works in progress, finished cars, merchandise, and more since 2014. “Once I went to a custom shop, my eyes were opened to that community,” he says. Today, most every painter has an Instagram account to show their shop, their skills and their sweet, sweet paint jobs. Perez didn’t see much of a unifying force, though, and realized there was space for a community portfolio. “Finally, around 2014 the community had reached critical mass and I realized the work could be seen by a larger audience if we all contribute. Many post to their personal accounts, but to have a community spreads that work tenfold.” Perez is proud of what he’s achieved with @RefinisherPorn and has had over six years to watch the community grow. “That’s what @RefinisherPorn will always be—the community for all of us to come together, see each other’s work, and improve our own.”

What’s your dream car? Anything I can build and modify that makes you think much differently about a certain car; I hope to do that someday.

What is your favorite paint/ refinish event of the year? I throw a party every year at SEMA for everyone in the industry. We all come together from all over, enjoy each other, and we can just hang out, have fun, and catch up.

What’s on the playlist? I listen to podcasts, a lot of Joe Rogan.

What’s your favorite/go-to piece of painting equipment? The three-stage filter with the SATA air vision 5000 hood is a gamechanger—not just being able to produce better work, but improving the quality of our lives.

Guilty pleasure? I love being in the ocean. Hanging out in the water, exploring, free diving, I love it all.

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time, patience and practice to acquire the skills necessary to work at a premier paint shop or run one of your own. Practice may make perfect, but be prepared to stumble a bit along the way. It’s just part of the process, Perez notes. “You can’t let some obstacles get in your way; not knowing what to do isn’t an excuse for quitting,” he says, “because some of your mistakes become your biggest teaching moments.”

The challenge—when something is difficult, your mind is wrapped around it and you’re engaged.

Aric Heide is at the forefront of refinish PPE WAY UP NORTH IN MINNESOTA, one of the paint industry’s most ardent voices regarding safety and PPE is at the end of another long (and good) day of painting. Aric Heide works for LaMettry’s Collision, a well-known group of collision centers around MinneapolisSt. Paul metro area in Minnesota. He began painting in high school and has never looked back.

Prep, Paint & Safety Tricks ARIC HEIDE OUTLINES SOME STRATEGIES FOR THE STAGES OF A PROJECT

Prep: Make sure the car is clean. Do a solvent wipe on all the panels, including the jambs. The smallest mote of dust can ruin an otherwise fine paint job. Paint: When it comes to spraying, the difference between a great job and a botched one can come down to how you finish. I’ll use a rainbow-like arc, left to right and back again, and start spraying down, being sure to cover

“I just fell in love with painting,” he says, “and that was 1977. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.” Heide has seen the industry shift and change over almost fifty years, and his thoughts echo many on the overall technician / skilled labor shortage haunting collision repair centers across the country. “I think we’re failing at the high school level; for many years, the doctrine was, ‘you need a college degree if you’re going to do anything.’ But you can make a really good living as an automotive painter.” Heide is hopeful things will improve. He describes a friend who teaches in northern Minnesota who started a maintenance class, which spawned into automotive, hopeful for half a dozen female students curious to explore this path as a career. Eighty-one young women enrolled. “So the need and the desire are out there,” Heide says, “we just have to harness it.” And he’s up to the challenge.

the sides completely as I make smaller arcs toward the lower center of the panel, ensuring I’ve covered everything and that as my arm tires and the project goes on, I actually have less to paint. Safety: Keep your gear maintained. I change the filters as needed on all our PPE, writing the date when they’re changed on the gear as a backup. Booths must be clean, too; floor filters should be changed more often. Wear gloves while prepping and sanding. You need to wear a respirator

in your mix room. If you can get fresh air in there, all the better. There’s not room for a half-mask anywhere in the paint booth anymore. I’d like to see that change sooner rather than later. If you’re using disposable masks, keep them in a bag. Leaving them out isn’t good enough—OSHA will fine you. If you’re using replaceable cartridges, write the time and date. Many are tested for 40 hours, but I’d change them more than that. Hearing protection is key. I have constant ringing in my ears from early in my career when I didn’t use hearing protection.

COURTESY ARIC HEIDE

INSIDE THE MIND OF ARIC HEIDE

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A N A DVO CAT E FO R SA F E T Y

Promote PPE to save lives.

THE SPRAYOUT, WITH ARIC HEIDE @Savage_PPE, @jaheide Who is your industry mentor? Larry Richie was the painter under whom I trained in high school.

What gets you up every morning? The freedom of the challenge for eight hours is special; that variety is important.

What’s your dream car? Plymouth Superbird.

What is your favorite paint/refinish event of the year? Hands down it’s SEMA. From the refinish community, I’ve met so many people there and built up a nice network from around the world.

What’s on the playlist? Classic rock. You can never go wrong with Led Zeppelin, Van Halen or the Rolling Stones.

Advocate a future of safety. According to the account, @Savage_PPE is “Dedicated to all things Personal Protection Equipment for the Refinish industry and daily proper use.” Heide fulfills that promise in a variety of ways: helmets show the condensation difference between fresh and recirculated air within; close-ups of warning labels and precautionary measures merit further conversation; guest painters from across North America post their PPE and habits as well. @Savage_PPE is a vibrant, robust community of responsible painters advocating not only for themselves, but for the next generation as well. “I’m there for them, anytime,” Heide says. “We didn’t have that ability growing up; we didn’t have painters sharing their passions and secrets. With social media, you can do that.” With proper PPE, Heide notes, you can do just about anything in the life of a painter. But don’t take my word for it—contact him yourself. @Savage_PPE and @jaheide are here to help.

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Part of that challenge is ensuring the safety gear keeps up with industry as tech has taken over every aspect of vehicle repair. Heide is one of the primary content curators behind @Savage_PPE, a paint-forward Instagram account that spreads the good word about responsible health and paint booth habits. Heide has long had the teaching/mentorship flame within, and now he uses his time in the field (and the booth) to share what he believes will help drive this industry forward—proper care and use of personal protective equipment, or PPE, a 2020 buzzword if there ever were one. “I take that as a responsibility of mine,” he says, “and I would like to go out and talk to people, go into some of these schools and communities. It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding work.” As of May 2020, @Savage_PPE has over 500 posts and, 2,100+ followers, checking in on every paint booth, PPE, gun and character—of which there are many—the account posts on Instagram, the preferred social medium of painters everywhere. “Sometimes, shock factor is a good thing,” Heide says. He started paying more attention to PPE when, first, his mentor and then an unborn child both passed. His mentor had cancer, and the doctor’s opinion was that more stringent safety measures in the shop may have prevented or at least slowed it. “As for our child, the best I can say is we didn’t know,” he says. “At the time, SDS [Safety Data Sheets, standardized and distributed among consumer products and overseen by the United Nations’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals] sheets were hard to come by, but our paint cans used to read ‘May Cause Birth Defects.’ ” Heide pauses. “Those two events in my life lead to @Savage_PPE.”

Favorite paint color? I really like House of Kolor Tangelo, one of their designer pearls. I also love a Diamont-line color called Butterscorched.

What’s your favorite/go-to piece of painting equipment? The air vision 5000. I’ve got the A/C unit, and I use it year-round. You can dial it up or dial it back. I like to paint at 80 degrees and the 5000 keeps me comfortable.

PA I N T S H O P T O U R

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DETROIT SPEED

Step inside one of the most advanced paint and custom shops in America BY JOR DA N W IK LU N D

THIRTY MILES DUE NORTH from Charlotte, North Carolina, just off Highway 77 is Race City, USA— aka Mooresville, NC. Mooresville is home to Detroit Speed, an infamous high-end body and paint shop. With nearly 60 employees and a full race and promotional schedule, the paint shop sees all manner of famous cars and owners and maintains a robust refinish schedule of snarling, gas-guzzling classic American muscle. “I’ve always loved racing and looked up to Roger Penske as an inspiration,” owner Kyle Tucker says. “His shops are very organized, efficient and clean, and that’s what we strive for at Detroit Speed,” he says. Like Tucker, Penske was an engineer and racer, and the strive to succeed with the tools at hand is a part of what makes Detroit Speed so successful.

LOCATION:

Mooresville, N.C. OWNER:

Kyle Tucker SIZE:

40,000 square feet STAFF:

1. BOB GAWLIK 1969 CORVETTE

Many of Detroit Speed’s customers come in for full body restorations and custom paint jobs. After months of restorative body work, this 1969 Corvette is finally ready for delivery.

2. 1965 RIVIERA

In the early ’60s, GM gave its design team a unique challenge: to harness the styling of the finest Rolls Royce sedans with the Enzo Ferrari’s namesake vehicle. Thus the Buick Riviera was born, predating the long hood/short deck style that the Ford Mustang would later make famous. Suspended between painter Austin Moore and head of the paint shop Michael Neighbors, this 1965 Riviera is getting the total treatment under Neighbors’ watchful eye.

3. SATA PAINT GUNS

“I absolutely love our SATA guns,” Neighbors says. “I like the new one, the X 5500, and I have a few of the special edition ones I bought for fun. They came out with a Sixties Edition SATA gun with a cook on one side—that’s my favorite. My parents ran a diner pretty much our whole life.”

4. 1970 BOSS 302 MUSTANG

After extensive body and restoration work, this 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 was painted “Calpyso Coral” and endowed with the iconic Boss 302 racing stripes to mimic the original vehicle. . “I love the fact we’re taking something old and rusty and putting a labor of love into it and turning it into something you can ooh and aah over for hours,” Neighbors says.

5. INSIDE THE SHOP

“Every building is also fully air conditioned, and we use efficient LED lighting as much as possible,” Tucker says. “We do what we can to constantly improve the facility to provide a contemporary, modern shop; a clean, efficient shop will encourage our team to work at their highest level.”

COURTESY DETROIT SPEED

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