ARE YOU COMING TO RICHMOND… OR ARE YOU MISSING OUT?

CIC, SCRS and SCC – oh my! It may sound like a game of alphabet soup, but it’s actually cause for excitement as the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and Southeast Collision Conference (SCC) invite collision repair professionals from all across the country to gather in Richmond on April 12-15 for Industry Week.

It starts with the SCRS Open Board meeting, but their special session has even more in store! We all know that insurance companies can be a real thorn in shops’ sides, yet they’re supposedly regulated by each state’s Department of Insurance (DOI). What better way to get to the heart of what’s going on than to invite the insurance commissioners from North Carolina and Virginia in to discuss their activities?

And of course, that’s exactly what SCRS did. I’m anxious to hear what Commissioner Scott White (VA) and Commissioner Mike Causey (NC) have to say about how they’re protecting consumers and shops from the egregious activities that y’all tell me insurers regularly engage in. I’m particularly excited to get to shake Mr. Causey’s hand since I’ve known him virtually for nearly a decade but have yet to meet him in person. (SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg discusses the meeting’s goals on page 16).

And CIC’s agenda just keeps getting better and better every quarter as they include all segments of the collision inter-industry. This quarter’s session includes more information about the pressing topic of electric vehicles, both from a safety perspective and a regulatory standpoint. There’s also some interesting information planned as it relates to CAPA-certified aftermarket parts and even an attempt to get repairers and insurers to come together to improve the claims process…I can’t wait to see how that one goes! (Check out the full CIC agenda on page 20.)

But we all know the CIC reception on Wednesday evening is

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P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116 definitely the place to be as everyone enjoys the chance to catch up with industry peers and revisit the day’s most enticing topics over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

CIC continues on Thursday morning, giving attendees time to grab lunch before heading north toward Doswell to get settled in for the next two days of education, exhibition and excitement at the 2023 SCC. If you’re on the invite list, Thursday evening will hold another special event, the SCC Kickoff Reception (details on page 12) where I’m looking forward to seeing some of the local industry’s most dedicated shops and industry professionals receive the recognition they deserve. If that’s not on your calendar, be sure to grab dinner with some old (or new) friends in Richmond…the city has plenty to offer!

On Friday and Saturday, there’s educational opportunities galore (just take a peek at the agenda on page 24) and plenty of vendors to visit. I know I’m looking forward to learning more from the informative presentations delivered by Mike Anderson (Collision Advice), John Shoemaker (BASF), Frank Terlep (OPUS IVS) and Danny Gredinberg (Database Enhancement Gateway), plus the two panels on the agenda are sure to provide insights likely to inspire future features in Hammer & Dolly!

And the trade show is definitely something I’d recommend checking out. With local and national vendors showcasing their wares, there’s guaranteed to be something for everyone (see page 28 for the scoop). Personally, I’m excited to check out the Operative Talent car at BASF’s booth and learn more about Hertz’s new EV fleet.

It’s shaping up to be an exciting and rewarding week from where I’m sitting, but you’ve got to be there to make the most of it. Book your room, arrange travel and sign up to attend the industry’s educational offerings right around the corner in Richmond. What are you waiting for?! H&D

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You want to be where it hits the ground!

It’s hard to not repeat myself with themes, but when we have this convergence of Industry Week in the Richmond / Doswell area in Virginia, I can’t help but do it. It’s a big deal because you’re here, and you need this opportunity as much as it needs you to be there for it.

So, I’m going to say it the same way, in case you missed the March message:

It’s a really big amount of effort from WMABA and the Carolinas Collision Association to bring Virginia its first-ever tradeshow in the Southeast Collision Conference, along with our Collision P.R.E.P. classes, all coming to the Richmond, VA-area when other national opportunities will also be present. The Collision Industry Conference – a large open industry forum with open discussion – and SCRS’ industry meetings, will also be placing themselves square in our region in the same week.

Members beg for good education at the front door, and this is your front porch. Even if you’re coming from Maryland or West Virginia, the drive to Richmond is more reasonable than having to fly across the country for what in coming in April.

I want you to get your kid- or dog-sitter situated, tell your family this is a high priority and make this happen – for YOURSELF. You need this, your colleagues need this, and your associations who support you need you there to come experience just how much you can grow when given the right amount of “water, fertilizer and sunlight”. The classes and vendors are major collaborations to give you both information and empowerment to be more readied for vehicle advancements still even yet to come.

The panel discussions alone are reason enough, with both all-EV OEMs and traditional OEMs with EV models diving into the electrification of vehicles and how to manage them in your repair facilities. That means before they get to you, when they are there, and during the repair process. Special considerations and preparations must be made even for the safety of the employees handling them. The other panel discussion of “Repairer to Repairer” is going to expose all the current issues every shop faces, but with the assurances of those who’ve made strides to lead the rest of the industry with their successes, and failures too. Let them show you how they’ve changed and evolved, and how you can as well.

If you don’t put on the armor of education, relationships, and tooling, you are quite literally exposed to everything. You’re exposing your customers to safety issues, your business to profit losses, and your sanity to well, insanity.

Come to the CIC, SCRS meetings April 12/13, and stay the Friday and Saturday April 14/15 to attend SCC, the education, take part in the tradeshow vendor offerings and demonstrations, and even have fun with contests, door raffles and prizes!

I assure you, it will be better to come and feel alive than to miss out on what will be the event of the year!