Hammer & Dolly June 2022

Attract & Retain Talent with SCRS’ 401(k) Plan

What Are You Doing to Benefit Our Future?

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CIC NAVIGATES CHALLENGES AMID INFLATION, TECH SHORTAGES & EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY

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CONTENTS June 2022

On the cover: (clockwise from top left) Mark Allen; Jill Tuggle, Andy Tylka & Ron Reichen; Barry Dorn & Ron Reichen; Pete Taglapietra and Aaron Schulenburg during the SCRS Repairer Roundtable and Collision Industry Conference in Oklahoma City.

20 COVER STORY

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

CIC NAVIGATES CHALLENGES AMID UNPRECEDENTED INFLATION, WORKFORCE SHORTAGES & EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY CIC helps repairers maneuver industry issues.

NATIONAL NEWS 8 SCRS REPAIRER ROUNDTABLE EXAMINES SOLUTIONS TO INDUSTRY ISSUES

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK Interrelated problems require innovative strategies.

NATIONAL FEATURE 12 ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT WITH SCRS’ 401(k) PLAN Invest in your team’s future.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 16 CAR SOURCE COLLISION CENTER, GAITHERSBURG, MD

BY ALANA QUARTUCCIO BONILLO A love for cars and excellent customer service is the secret ingredient.

INDUSTRY ADVICE: ASK MIKE

32 WHAT ARE SOME OUT-OF-THE-BOX WAYS TO HELP THE TECH SHORTAGE? Grow your team, grow your business and change the way you compete.

DEPARTMENTS 4

President’s Message

6

Executive Director’s Message

7

WMABA Member Application

14 Save the Date! Southeast Collision Conference 17 WMABA Sponsors 30 Industry Update 34 Advertisers’ Index

June 2022

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PRESIDENT’S

Steven Krieps (304) 755-1146 skrieps@live.com

MESSAGE

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO BENEFIT OUR FUTURE?

Step into any of our members’ facilities – or a non-member’s facility for that matter – and ask if they are having a hard time finding and retaining workers. Overwhelmingly, you will hear some form of “yes.” Right now, it seems easy to blame the generation, society and the government for the work ethic (or lack thereof) from today’s workforce. You will hear, “No one wants to work,” “It’s dirty and hard labor” and so on. But is that really all that’s going on…or is there more?

So, what’s keeping them out? Is it the pay, benefits or training, or maybe the lack thereof? What about perception? I’m not just talking about how people in the industry see this career; what about the parents of kids who are interested in cars? What do they think about their kid becoming a technician versus becoming a doctor or engineer? We have not done a good job of updating the image of what we are today compared to what we were years ago. We can argue about why we’ve failed to do that effectively, but it does not change the fact that people don’t see our industry as the technologypacked engineering field that it is, instead envisioning only a hot, dirty garage, full of dust and just decent pay.

We all know and can agree that wages are a big issue in our industry. Pay contributes to a bigger problem: retention. I heard someone say, “People don’t quit jobs; they quit management.” The way a shop is managed can play a bigger role in employee retention than pay alone. In this business, you cannot pay enough to outpace a bad leadership structure, which ultimately affects the overall morale and culture. Having a strong management team, training program and WMABA OFFICERS

PRESIDENT Steve Krieps

steve@gregclineauto.com 304-755-1146 VICE PRESIDENT Rodney Bolton

boltonconsulting61@gmail.com 443-386-0086 TREASURER Kris Burton

kris@rosslynautobody.com 703-820-1800 SECRETARY Phil Rice

phil@ricewoods.com 540-846-6617 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Torchy Chandler

Torchy Chandler torchy.chandler@gmail.com 410-309-2242

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Don Beaver (donbeaver3551@gmail.com) 443-235-6668

Bill Hawkins (hawkinswilliamjr@gmail.com) 510-915-2283

Barry Dorn (bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com) 804-746-3928

John Shoemaker (john.a.shoemaker@basf.com) 248-763-4375

ADMINISTRATION

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jordan Hendler (jordanhendler@wmaba.com) 804-789-9649 WMABA CORPORATE OFFICE P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116

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June 2022

way to address the many stresses the industry can place on people may be a way to keep and grow what you have.

Training is a huge issue at all levels. I have recently been working with a trade school near me to get them an updated and industry used curriculum but can’t get anything approved with the board of education. Red tape and political games are killing kids’ chances at seeing this industry as a viable option. At a shop level, do you train enough? Can you afford it? Can you afford not to? Like it or not, technology is only speeding up, and to properly repair a vehicle, you need to know how and have the right tools, which are not cheap.

You may need to purchase equipment every year just to keep up with the changes to structural, electrical and computer systems. At the shop level, training feels more like a system for participation trophies and atta-boy pats on the back than actual training.

Ultimately, there is no shortage of things working against us from all sides, and no one is going to fix it for us. No association or new law can make these changes on its own. It’s up to us as an industry to foster and create the landscape for tomorrow. I know it seems like all we ever do is fix things for everyone else, but hey – that’s what we do! But now it’s time to work on ourselves, and we are not doing a good job. So, what can you do? I may not know the answers, but I do have some thoughts…

Stay tuned to the August 2022 edition of Hammer & Dolly when Steve shares his suggestions. H&D

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SALES DIRECTOR

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PUBLISHED BY TGP, Inc. 244 Chestnut St., Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110 973-667-6922 FAX 973-235-1963

Reproduction of any portions of this publication is specifically prohibited without written permission from the publisher. The opinions and ideas appearing in this magazine are not necessarily rep­re­sen­ta­tions of TGP Inc. or of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA). Copyright © 2022 Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.­­ Stock Images courtesy of istockphoto.com.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S

You don’t have to take it anymore.

MESSAGE

NO, We Ain’t Gonna Take it!

I’ve had several conversations recently with shops who are just “up to their eyeballs” with insurer problems on behalf of their customers, and have decided they’re just not going to participate in the same way going forward. Incomplete estimates, short pays on rates, disagreements over parts choice or availability, refusal of OEM repair procedures, and the list goes on. You know what I’m talking about.

These repairers have now involved the customer from the

have ridiculous delays, overcommunication, or payment issues. If the pandemic times have taught us anything, it’s that we all have a choice. We took a step back and reevaluated, and if we didn’t we still have the opportunity now.

Sing with me and Twisted Sister: We’re not gonna take it No, we ain’t gonna take it We’re not gonna take it anymore

That begs the biggest question of my 24-year career: With a backlog of work, isn’t this the ideal time to be choosy about your relationships, and customers? onset, gave them the characterization of the road ahead, and – to their general surprise – the customer agrees and goes to the mat.

Now, they find themselves with less stress, and overall, much happier customers. You’d be surprised what a few minutes of education can do to empower someone to do their own dirty work.

Have you noticed the reports about the industry-wide average backlog? 4.5 weeks The funny thing about averages, is most people don’t automatically think about the half above average. This number means there are at least half of you with a backlog exceeding 4.5 weeks. Bolded Callout: That begs the biggest question of my 24-year career: with a backlog of work, isn’t this the ideal time to be choosy about your relationships, and customers?

Let’s fire the bad ones.

How about we just say “No thank you” to any unprofitable endeavor. Your business is not a charity, and certainly not when you have work comin’ out of your ears. If the customer doesn’t want to stand up for themselves, maybe they’re not your customer.

If you don’t make money with a certain insurer – DRP or not because they’re so horrible to deal with, then you don’t have to take the job! It’s that simple.

Take the Great Resignation seriously. Stand up for your employees, and give them a better more profitable work experience. They have a much happier time doing jobs that don’t

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, or anything else. Give me a shout, email or phone, anytime and let’s chat. I’d love to get your questions and ideas!

Jordan Hendler

(804) 789-9649 jordanhendler@wmaba.com

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Hammer & Dolly founder and prior WMABA Executive Director, Sheila Loftus.

In the next issue of Hammer & Dolly, we will be featuring a memorial to Sheila, including commentary from our membership.

Check the WMABA website and newsletters for regular updates and reports from the Executive Director’s perspective.

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June 2022

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June 2022

7

NATIONAL

NEWS

SCRS Repairer Roundtable

Examines Solutions to Industry Issues Every collision repair facility is different, and each market varies as well; however, in today’s environment, shops around the country face similar challenges…which means it’s possible to learn some best practices from industry peers that will benefit your business.

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) held the most recent SCRS Repairers Roundtable in Oklahoma City, OK, featuring a discussion by six industry professionals with “unique perspectives” as they responded to industry feedback related to the most prevalent issues with which they currently contend.

Facilitated by SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg, the roundtable panel included WMABA’s Jordan Hendler, Jill Tuggle from the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT), Bruce Halcro (Capital Collision Center; Montana), Carolina’s Collision Association (CCA) President Kyle Bradshaw (K&M Collision; North Carolina), Indiana Autobody Association (IABA) President Andy Tylka (Tag Auto Group; Indiana) and Ron Reichen (Precision Body & Paint; Oregon).

When SCRS surveyed collision repair shops prior to the meeting, the results revealed consistency among businesses nationwide. When asked about the top issues in their shops, 68.6 percent of respondents indicated their biggest challenge is a shortage of skilled workers, while 66.1 percent reported that bill payers denying Labor Rates is their largest problem. Bill payers denying operations presented concerns for 54.2 percent of surveyed repairers.

“I’m not convinced that those aren’t hand-in-hand related to each other,” Schulenburg stated.

“Administratively, it’s really tough because of the delays that we go through in the repair process and dealing with bill payers,” Halcro agreed with the survey results, noting that it’s imperative for shops to maintain a customer-centric approach despite those challenges. “You really have to set the client’s expectation at the beginning of the process by drawing those parallels of when you go to a specialist at a doctor’s office. In many cases, the bill payer

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June 2022

doesn’t compensate the physician 100 percent, so they’re more likely to understand if you set the expectation right at the first point of contact by letting them know up front that they may be responsible for a portion of the repair.”

Eliminating outside interference in the repair process was the most important change that could have a positive impact for shops, according to survey respondents.

“First and foremost is just recognizing who the repair professional truly is,” Bradshaw suggested how shops can combat this issue. “Anytime someone’s basically inserting themselves into your profession, there’s going to be an issue. As a repairer, the biggest burden is educating the hell out of your consumer and then also educating the insurer. We explain to our customer what’s likely going to happen, and when that happens, you start to build trust and then they’re a customer for life.”

“It’s about educating them and identifying that we’re the expert,” Reichen agreed. “I don’t think the carrier will allow me to participate in setting premium prices, so why have we as an industry allowed them to set prices for us? Their only responsibility is to pay the claim; they have no liability in the repair process, acquisition of materials or staying abreast of certifications, training, tooling and everything else. So, what really gives them the opportunity to come in and dictate to us?”

“Hand them the bill, and get the check,” Halcro advised, eliciting chuckles from attendees. “Delays in the repair process got blamed on the shop, so we decided that we have to keep the customer involved in every interaction with the bill payer. We let the customer know upfront, ‘This is your fight. We’re going to help you fight it, and we’ll give you some material to help you with that.

But at the end of the day, this is your fight.’

“We tell them what the manufacturer says is needed and what their bill payer will and won’t pay for, and then we ask how they want us to fix their car,” he continued. “They know we’ve been nothing but honest with them; we’ve kept them involved in the process the whole way, and we’re finding that there’s a pretty

How do we fix the workforce shortage and contend with bill payer denials?

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

good percentage of times that the bill payer actually reimburses that customer.”

Hendler corroborated that belief: “We’ve also noticed that if you bill the balance to the customer and they submit it to the carrier, a random check will just show up. If customers want to go the route of small claims court, 99.9 percent of the time, they’re going to get a random check for the exact amount owed in the mail with no identifying information, and they’ll never actually see the inside of a courtroom. But I think repairers should be less involved in the process of complaints because it’s not your responsibility; it’s theirs.”

Of course, some shops struggle to be recognized as the experts in the repair process, especially those that participate in DRP programs.

“It’s difficult to have relationships that guide the reimbursements,” Tylka acknowledged. “We’re still a DRP model, but with that growth, one of the changes we have to make is having meetings with territory and regional managers to come

up with agreements while still having those relationships. There is more influence to move toward the model of ‘repair less and get compensated for what you do,’ but it’s still a difficult fight. And you have to evaluate which relationships you want to keep, which ones work or don’t work for your business model.”

Responding to Schulenburg’s question as to whether the current backlog provides the opportunity for shops to have more flexibility to engage in those types of conversations, Tylka noted that the backlog won’t last; however, he also observed that many DRP shops are “working out of fear” and recommended, “You have to fear less and be confident in yourself and your experience.”

“We know fear is a driving factor to severing ties with these DRP relationships,” Tuggle observed. “And if there ever was a time to test the waters on operating independently of those contracts, it would be now because you’re going to get the work; people are already turning away work

because they just can’t do it. Seize the moment, and try it out. Many in this room would agree that the ones who have decided to cut that tie haven’t regretted it.”

Of course, such a drastic business decision requires planning in order to be successful.

“If you’re going to sever that relationship, you really have to have a solid plan for marketing, certifications or specializations,” Hendler warned. “You need a solid plan on how you are going to create your own customer stream and own your portion of the market in a smart way, because if you just shut those off, you now have no customer visibility.”

“I don’t think any one model is right or wrong over the other,” Schulenburg indicated. “It really goes back to understanding your business and prioritizing where profitability is. Confidence plays a big role.”

He pointed out that many shops command their posted Labor Rates and the CONTINUED ON PG. 10

The SCRS Repairer Roundtable responded to industry feedback related to the most prevalent issues with which they currently contend. Clockwise from top left: Aaron Schulenburg; Jordan Hendler; Jill Tuggle, Andy Tylka & Ron Reichen; Kyle Bradshaw; Bruce Halcro.

June 2022

9

NATIONAL NEWS CONTINUED FROM PG. 9

operations they bill for because they’re unwilling to accept less. They educate the customer on the fact that they are the repair professional and explain their approach to the repair without wavering from what they know to be right for the vehicle.

Insurers’ unwillingness to send adjusters out to shops also poses challenges due to the added administrative burden and the subsequent quality of estimates based on photos.

“It’s [about] consistency and continuity,” Bradshaw insisted.

“We spend a lot of time educating the insurance appraiser, and if it’s somebody that comes to the shop frequently, I don’t have to explain the same operations on every single job. Not everybody writes or operates the same way, but fortunately, physical inspections are required in our state, so our members have started leaning on the administrative code and insisting, ‘You need to physically inspect the vehicle.’”

When a Virginia law allowing photo estimates went into effect several years ago, WMABA fought to include a caveat that “if there is any disagreement with the repair, then a physical inspection is required,” Hendler explained. “I’m glad we pushed for that because it’s become really important these last couple years.”

Directing the conversation toward the largest challenge

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June 2022

indicated by the SCRS survey, Schulenburg observed that charging a sustainable amount and finding the right business model will also likely aid shops in alleviating the workforce shortage.

“Employees will always go elsewhere if we can’t do something about wages and benefits, and that’s why I believe the denial of Labor Rates aligns so much with that skilled workforce shortage,” he explained. “There’s a systemic issue within the industry.”

Panelists agreed that there’s a strong correlation between shop needs, school needs and attracting new talent to the workforce, and shops’ inability to pay competitive wages play a huge role in the lack of young people entering the industry.

“When a young person is given an opportunity to start a career, these are things they find out immediately,” Hendler pointed out. “If they haven’t even left high school yet and start working in a shop, they’re going to figure it out because these guys don’t make that much. They work really hard, harder than anybody, [but] they have crappy benefits and now you’re looking at really low opportunity, so I think it does go straight back to the shop’s income and pay model. We can’t even compete with other industries, and if we can’t compete with something like Home Depot, we’re never going to be able to address this problem.”

Wages aren’t the only factor that prevents young people from pursuing a collision career. Collision professionals can positively influence the industry’s future generation by participating on advisory boards and offering internships or apprenticeships which gives those shops a higher opportunity to attract those students.

“The opportunities are multi-faceted; be that voice and start marketing in that respect,” Reichen emphasized. “Even though a high school may not have an auto body refinishing program, they could have a mechanical program, and with our industry changing with more calibrations, ADAS and things like that, there’s opportunity there. You have to get creative.”

Developing career paths serves as a way of “marketing to your employees,” Reichen indicated. “It shows we have opportunities within. We’re coaches, so if we’re going to have a Super Bowl winning team, sometimes we have to change our players and put them in different positions because we see that specific skill set within them.”

“Culture and leadership are things that have to be intentional,” Bradshaw insisted, and Halcro elaborated, “It’s important to have that connection with employees. How you treat that employee and show that you value them really builds a culture.”

Many factors contribute to improving culture, and associations can be a vital resource for providing shops with the training and tools they need to be successful; however, the shop must invest the time and energy into implementing changes.

“As an association, one of the biggest challenges we’re facing has more to do with the mindset of the collision repairers in general,”

During the SCRS Open Board meeting, committees updated members on the organization’s current activities before SCRS held its Board and Executive Committee elections.

Hendler expressed. “The opinions are many, and the workers are few, and that’s our biggest problem lately.”

Agreeing, Bradshaw emphasized the value of “recognizing the power of strength in numbers. We all hear that ‘you’re the only one,’ but that’s obviously not the case, right? Because we’re all here together.”

“I always love equating associations to gyms,” Schulenburg said. “You can’t just join a gym and expect results unless you actually show up and do the work. Associations are very much the same thing. You have to be part of that solution.”

The SCRS Open Board Meeting concluded with Board and Executive Committee elections. Schulenburg expressed appreciation to outgoing Board member Tim Ronak (AkzoNobel) for his time and effort over the past six years. Election results were publicly announced the following day during the Collision Industry Conference (CIC).

SCRS elected two new Board members: Kris Burton (Rosslyn Auto Body; Alexandria, VA) and Erin Solis (Certified Collision Group).

“I’ve been involved with WMABA, my local association, throughout most of my career, and through WMABA, there have been a lot of great mentors in my life,” Burton shared. “I want to continue to pay it forward. For me, SCRS is the national association that’s affecting positive change, and that’s a solution I want to be a part of.”

Incumbents Dave Gruskos (Reliable Automotive Equipment; New Jersey) and Rob Grieve (Nylund’s Collision; Colorado) were re-elected to the Board.

The Board re-elected Bruce Halcro as chair and Amber Alley as co-chair, while Michael Bradshaw will serve as secretary, Grieve will act as treasurer, and John Mosley succeeds Grieve as director-atlarge.

More information about SCRS is available at scrs.com. H&D

SCRS Board of Directors Hold Quarterly Meeting and 2022 Election SCRS held its quarterly Open Board of Directors meeting that afternoon, providing an opportunity for each committee to provide updates on its recent and ongoing activities.

“It’s important for SCRS to talk to members about the issues impacting them in their everyday lives, about the things challenging their livelihoods and what they’re facing in their businesses,” Schulenburg referenced the morning’s roundtable during his executive director report. “Many Executive Director’s Thoughts things impact small and large businesses, and we’re all trying to SCRS will be holding their next quarterly Open Board Meeting this figure it out. At the end of the day, July in conjunction with the Collision Industry Conference. If you Kris Burton we have great groups at the state want to keep your finger on the pulse of this industry and be in the level as well as shop owners that repairers can look to as a mentor room with those who are actively trying to better this industry for and gain experience from, but without having open, transparent all of us, the bottom line is that you NEED to be there! Visit scrs.com and ciclink.com for more information. -Jordan Hendler conversations about what’s actually going on, we’ll never get better as an industry.”

June 2022

11

NATIONAL

FEATURE

Attract and Retain Talent with

SCRS’ 401(k) Plan Providing competitive benefits is an important part of attracting and retaining quality employees, but the added expense, combined with the associated administrative burden, can be a deterrent.

Retirement savings poses unique challenges with high costs and complexity preventing 71 percent of businesses with fewer than 50 employees from offering any type of 401(k) option.

At the same time, over 30 states had passed or were working on legislation requiring small businesses to offer basic retirement savings programs as of January 2020. While Virginia and West Virginia legislators have made efforts in that direction, Maryland already passed a law that impacts all non-government employers that have been in business for at least two years and that use an

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June 2022

automated payroll system. Employers must enroll employees in the state’s Maryland $aves program, launching later this year – unless that employer offers a retirement savings plan of its own.

“SCRS’ goal is that small businesses in our industry have options that are custom curated for collision repair businesses and that exceed what they might experience in more general state programs,” SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg shares.

In an effort to increase retirement savings for collision repair professionals and create convenience for members while reducing costs, administration and fiduciary liability, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) partnered with Scott Broaddus of Irongate Capital Advisors, Coley Eckenrode of Virginia Asset Management

Setting employees up for success.

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK and other carefully selected administrators and auditors to develop the SCRS 401(k) Multiple Employer Plan (MEP). WMABA members are able to receive free consultations and analysis of how the plan could assist their business through the association’s affiliation with SCRS. “SCRS created its MEP to provide collision professionals with access to a retirement savings plan,” Broaddus explains. “It acts like a 401(k), but in the eyes of the Department of Labor, the association is the employer, and its members can elect to use the benefit program. SCRS did a great job of interviewing vendors and setting up a plan that is professionally managed and overseen, so shops using it get the power of the association in terms of pricing and the services received.”

Harnessing the buying power of a multi-state association allows SCRS to offer a plan with lower fees, higher dividends and more business tax breaks. Each individual business can customize the plan to fit their needs, and options available include employer matching, eligibility period, vesting schedule, safe harbor, Roth deferrals, loans, profit sharing and more.

“WMABA shops compete against a lot of large entities in the collision industry as well as in other industries,” Schulenburg adds. “We want to bring you savings that add to your bottom line and enable you to compete against larger businesses in a way you couldn’t on your own.”

Schulenburg encourages WMABA members to take advantage of this opportunity:

“There’s no fee for a one-on-one conversation with SCRS’ financial advisors to evaluate whether the 401(k) MEP is best for your business needs. We’ve seen tremendous success for all the members who have participated in the program and have documented savings in excess of $15,000 per year for some businesses. This plan is a great value-added benefit to the businesses we serve.”

For more information on the SCRS 401(k) MEP plan, please visit scrs.com/401k. H&D

June 2022

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15

MEMBER

It’s easy to focus on your goals when you love what you do.

BY ALANA QUARTUCCIO BONILLO

SPOTLIGHT

Car Source Collision Center, Gaithersburg, MD As its name implies, Car Source Collision Center sets out to be the number one source for all of one’s collision repair needs.

Its team strives to meet that goal by providing excellent customer service to every consumer who walks in the door.

“I am extremely customer service driven,” expressed Cristian “Cris” Taffo, who owns the center along with his partner, Shawn Maknati. “You have to do everything right by your customer. They have to be number one.”

Taffo’s passion and love for cars have fueled him through every step of his career. He’s held many roles, working his way up from a technician’s helper to manager of a luxury dealership.

Each stepping stone helped set him up for where he is today – co-owner of his own collision center.

Maknati and Taffo decided to partner up a few years back to expand the business into a full collision service center. Maknati had started the business in 2016, focusing predominantly on auto reconditioning work, but he wanted to take things further. He shared his goals with Taffo who he got to know over the years.

Shortly thereafter, Taffo came on board to help lead the way.

Taffo has an impressive resume under his toolbelt. He started at the young age of 17 as a helper at Ourisman dealership already knowing he wanted to become a good technician and own a shop one day.

When he was a “young crazy kid,” Taffo was so devoted to learning and absorbing more of the trade that he’d work in the office until 5pm and would stay after hours in the body shop until 2am. He continued working this double shift for nine years, acquiring experience in the office and in the body shop. He worked that hard because it was “something I really needed to do.” And it paid off. He became the dealership’s youngest collision center manager at the age of 25. He would then go on to manage a large luxury collision shop before he entered into the partnership with Maknati.

Car Source Collision Center has grown to nearly twice its size since they partnered up as they have put in the construction work to expand from a 12,000 square foot shop to 20,000 square feet. Taffo anticipates more growth on the horizon.

“We have the space in this shop to expand even further. Our goal is to expand, and we are already outgrowing what we started.

We’re still in the midst of construction, trying to fix cars and fix the building.” They are also looking into getting certified with a number of manufacturers in the near future.

Taffo strongly believes treating customers right begins with how his employees are treated.

“When you take care of your employees, they take care of the customers. I work to create a good shop culture. As a result, the shop has a five-star Google rating, and our goal is to maintain that.”

Looking back on the ways the industry has changed and evolved, Taffo sees training as one of the biggest changes involved. Back in the day, it wasn’t a major factor; he would shadow the technician next to him, and that technician would do the same with whoever else was alongside him in the shop.

“Now, it’s critical. It’s paramount. If you aren’t trained, you can’t fix these cars, and you have to have that training down to a T. My first thing upon coming here was to make sure everyone on the team received training.”

Knowing how important it is to stay up to date on the industry CONTINUED ON PG. 30

WMABA THANKS

YOU

WMABA thanks their generous supporters of the

LEVEL 1

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We encourage YOUR SUPPORT of those who SUPPORT US! For more information about the sponsorship program, please contact Executive Director Jordan Hendler at (804) 789-9649 or email jordanhendler@ wmaba.com

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COVER STORY CIC Navigates Challenges Amid Unprecedented Inflation, Workforce Shortages & Evolving Technology Collision repairers face challenges in today’s market unlike anything that’s ever been seen before. Unprecedented rates of inflation drive costs up, compounded by constantly advancing technology that requires ongoing investments in tools and equipment. At the same time, shops struggle to hire and retain qualified employees amid the ongoing workforce shortage.

The most recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC), held in Oklahoma City, OK, addressed these challenges and more.

“The recent rise of inflation affects a growing number of businesses, but small businesses in particular are faced with the challenge of determining how to adjust and pass it along to ensure that they survive through these rising costs,” explained Aaron Schulenburg, chair of CIC’s Parts and Materials Committee and executive director of the Society for Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). “What are the causes of inflation, and how should shops plan ahead? There’s never been a time where we’ve had to pay closer attention to what’s happening in our businesses to help guide the decisions we’re making.

“Auto body repair prices were up over eight percent in November 2021 over 2020,” he continued. “Understanding what’s actually causing those increases will help businesses communicate how they’re being affected by those changes.”

In response to the committee’s question, “Are settlement practices changing in accordance with costs?” 81 percent of repairers answered in the negative, while 63 percent of insurers took the same stance.

Rick Palmer (Computer Logic, Inc.) examined pricing

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information since 2017, observing that “there’s an obvious disparity between the increase in costs of paint and materials versus the compensation that is reflected on the allowance amount.”

Although reimbursements for materials have increased by 18.5 percent since 2017, repair facilities have experienced an increase of 43.9 percent during the same time period; the current rate of $34.60 should actually be $46.38 if it had maintained consistency with inflation.

As Ryan Mandell (Mitchell International) dove into an analysis of collision repair costs, he acknowledged that there were some increases in 2017-2018, but “from there, it was pretty stable until we started to raise during the COVID time period, and then we’ve seen some rather steep increases quarter over quarter.

“There are a couple of really unique factors that are at play here,” he added. “We have to look at each individual company’s supply chain, and we’re going to see a lot of variability depending on the manufacturer and what kind of strategies they have in place. They’re extremely impacted by the cost of moving cargo, and raw materials are becoming more and more expensive.”

Increases in the price of petroleum results in higher costs in particular, since it is used in manufacturing steel, plastics and paints. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is having a major impact on the availability of parts as well, since seven percent of the world’s wiring harnesses and over 50

What shops need to know to prepare for the future.

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

percent of the world’s neon gas comes from Ukraine. Neon is the only inert gas that can be used to manufacture semiconductors, so without it, semiconductors cannot be made for vehicles or for use in manufacturing processes.

“We’re in a stage right now where we’re going to continue to see inflation specific to collision parts and specific to the automotive industry that may have the potential of outpacing any other inflation that we’re seeing anywhere else in our economy because of these very specific instances of what’s going on,” Mandell said.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in the average cost of repair – average growth severity,” Mandell continued, attributing it to “a number of different factors,” such as the increase in vehicle technology like ADAS and the need for diagnostic scans and changes in vehicle construction, such as the use of more lightweight materials which “drives further complexity in the repair process.”

He also observed that while insurers saw a 50-60 percent reduction in claims during the early stages of the pandemic, those metrics are now moving in the opposite direction with carriers facing 30-35 percent increases in overall total loss settlements year over year.

“It’s a difficult dynamic for many different sides of the industry, so it’s important that we think about that entire ecosystem,” Mandell concluded. “The more we can collaborate and work together, the more positively it will impact the end customer, the vehicle owner.”

Offering a perspective from outside the industry, economist Robert Dauffenbach (Price College of Business, University of Oklahoma; Center for Economic and Management Research) provided a high-level overview of inflation.

“What is inflation in terms of its meaning to the economy?” he asked. “First of all, we have to recognize that it’s not something that’s happening to a particular sector of the economy; it’s something general, operating overall in the entire economy. It’s permeating the economic system. It’s ingrained in the populations and in expectation.

And if you let that happen, it’s very hard to take it down.”

Emphasizing how much the money supply has risen recently, Dauffenbach referred back to the beginning of the pandemic when the government unleashed $4 trillion into the economy to sustain businesses and households.

“The economy essentially just shut down, and that reduced both supply and demand,” he said, also observing, “The consumer is in pretty good shape, so I’m not anticipating a recession at this point.”

As the pandemic has receded and people have started to return to normalcy, the market has experienced aggregate demands, leading to higher prices; however, “cost-push inflation is a rise in energy, labor, raw materials and other input costs that cause that aggregate supply curve to shift leftward, giving us a result that we call ‘stagflation’ where we have increases in inflation, accompanied by increases in unemployment.”

Dauffenbach noted that the Consumer Price Index has historically remained fairly consistent at four percent, while auto body technicians’ wages increase by a compounded rate of 2.2 percent each year. Employee benefits remain fairly constant, costing 31.6 percent of total employment costs. Since March 2020, paint and materials costs have increased by 24 percent.

“I don’t believe we’re going to end there, and certainly in terms of paint and coatings, we’re looking at huge increases,” Dauffenbach extrapolated. “The path ahead is likely to get a little bit worse but [not] a whole lot worse than our core inflation rate. We’ve got a lot of scary things happening, but my hope is that we may find ourselves back around that four percent level of inflation overall at the end of the year.”

Rising wages contribute to the increasing costs that collision facilities must contend with as workers command higher wages in unskilled positions than many shops can afford to pay their technicians, exacerbating the already dire technician shortage. CIC’s Governmental Committee tackled the topic of using apprenticeships to attract more workers into the industry during a panel discussion featuring John Day (Oklahoma Career Tech), Virginia Oden (Oklahoma Department of Career and Technical Education), Amber Alley (Barsotti’s Body and Fender), John Helterbrand (Ranken Tech) and Darrell Amberson (LaMettry’s Collision).

“We’re working harder to get more people than ever, and we’re more inclined to pay a better introductory compensation level, simply because we have to,” Amberson admitted. “We have no choice. It’s more difficult to get people, and as collision repair becomes more challenging, we’re going to have to pay more money for them to do it.”

Panelists agreed that multiple barriers prevent students from considering a collision repair career; in addition to wages, the biggest deterrent for many young people boils down to outdated perceptions about the industry.

CONTINUED ON PG. 24 June 2022

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COVER STORY CONTINUED FROM PG. 20

Many parents recall the impression of shops from 10-20 years ago as “dirty and smelly,” Day said, indicating that the result is kids being discouraged from pursuing a collision career.

“It’s not that people aren’t attracted to the industry; it’s the presentation of the industry that they get once they’ve come in,” Alley stressed, suggesting that the industry need to stop “being scared to invest in people and offer them fair wages and a career path because you’re scared the shop down the street will offer them another dollar.

We have to be willing to take that chance, that calculated risk of investing in someone. And we can’t have that attitude of ‘they need to prove themselves to us’ – we need to prove ourselves to them.”

“I’d like to see us work on public perception,” Amberson contributed. “In Europe, there’s a more carefully defined structural system that is treated with dignity and respect as a student joins a training program and becomes accredited.”

Apprenticeship programs offer an effective way of attracting and retaining more young people in the industry. According to Day, the need to increase the ability to host apprentices is “widespread throughout every trade, not just in collision. The intention is there, and the businesses need it, but the mechanism to do so is currently missing.”

Committee Chair Bob Redding (Automotive Service Association) shared insights on two pieces of related federal legislation: H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeships Act of 2021, and the Biden Administration’s 2023 budget proposal. Passed in the House of Representatives in February 2021, H.R. 447 is currently sitting in the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

The legislation provides statutory authority for the registered apprenticeship program within the US Department of Labor (DOL) and for related grant programs, establishes the Office of Apprenticeship within the DOL and outlines criteria for various programs, including quality standards and requirements for apprenticeship agreements between a program sponsor and an apprentice.

President Biden’s budget proposal includes $100 million for community colleges to work with public workforce CIC Chair Darrell Amberson development agencies, according to Redding, as well as $303 million for registered apprenticeship programs in technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and transportation. It includes an investment of $200 million in Career-Connected High Schools to support competitive grants to partnerships of local education agencies, higher education institutions, community colleges and employers.

A key to improving outreach lies Danny Gredinberg

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June 2022

in exposing students to the trade at a younger age, such as through summer camps and school visits to local middle schools, making it vital for collision repairers to get involved.

“It’s all about planting seeds to make parents and counselors aware of the opportunities that are out there,” according to Oden. “At the same time, industry tends to want the fruit off the tree, but they don’t want to plant the seeds or grow the tree, so they’re not involved in those visits and recruitment efforts. If that student sees your face and becomes comfortable with you, you’re building that relationship and starting that investment.”

Not every child is meant for college, yet that’s the direction that most are guided since there’s little interaction from the trades. Industry involvement is all about providing a chance for students to explore the possibilities “so they’re exposed and educated,” Day explained. “Then, let them decide where they want to go.”

Of course, getting more technicians into shops matters little if they don’t stay there.

“We don’t have a recruiting problem; we have a retention problem,” Oden insisted. “How we treat our employees is key. If you don’t provide them with means; if you don’t provide them with opportunity, they will look elsewhere. They will tell you it’s because of the dollar. People do not leave a job that they love and where they feel happy and appreciated. They leave management, so it’s important that we treat them well when we get them in…we have to treat them with respect, and that’s not just kids today; every single person wants to be treated well and with respect.”

“We need to have a serious conversation about what wages should look like and how we as an industry are able to pay those wages, or none of this is going to matter,” Alley pointed out. “If you can’t keep your doors open or charge what the work needs to cost, what are you going to sacrifice to pay someone? How are you going to send them to this expensive OE training?”

With technology advancing in unforeseen ways, investments in training are more necessary than ever before, and several committees touched on some of the impacts of technology in the collision workspace.

As cars become more complex, data access, privacy and security requires additional attention. CIC’s Data Access Committee explored how Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) are being used and by whom. A large number of entities may access a vehicle’s VIN, including police, insurers, repair facilities, parts procurement tools, towing companies, rental car companies and providers of parts, scan tools, equipment and information.

Jack Rosen (Mitchell International) shared some insights into how his company uses that data: “Our users have the ability to change their outputs or to connect with a third party, but in those integrations, we have contracts that place limitations on our use of that data, limiting it to the purpose for which the agreement was made. So, if we have a purchase agreement, they can’t use that data for any reason other than procuring parts. We allow our customers control of their data as they see fit for their business. There are things that cannot happen outside of Mitchell’s control, but that’s in the control of the user, and if you as a user don’t want those integrations turned on, you just go in and turn them off.”

“What’s really salient for any stakeholder in the collision industry is to identify who needs the VIN and how the VIN is being misappropriated in the industry,” added Pete Tagliapietra (Data Touch LLC). “What’s really important is how the industry can get to the point where we control the VIN to make sure it’s protected and information is not shared that shouldn’t be shared. The reality is that shops have software under their operating systems that they’re unaware of, and when a shop exports data, that information is being aggregated by the company that has a data pump running, so they’re mining that data and selling it. Shops need to understand exactly what applications are grabbing that information, who’s grabbing it and what they’re grabbing.

That’s what we’re trying to solve.”

Many of the dilemmas that repairers encounter inside the shop can be solved simply by researching OEM repair procedures and properly documenting them. Continuing the CIC Estimating Committee’s January presentation, Chair Danny Gredinberg (Database Enhancement Gateway) was joined by Mark Allen (Audi) and Michael Giarrizzo Jr. (DCR Systems).

“We want to start with telling your story in the line items,” Gredinberg stressed. “If you don’t have a story that tells why you’re doing that operation, you’re going to be asked what you’re doing and why.”

“You’ve got incredible complexity of vehicles today that goes beyond the visual inspection of the damage,” Giarrizzo added.

“We’re measuring every single vehicle that we’re taking apart [and taking] these serious steps to rule out that damage, starting with the foundation of the vehicle.”

Allen suggested that being able to explain what’s happening with the vehicle is beneficial to building relationships with customers and insurance appraisers.

“A better explanation is a powerful sales tool. It builds your customer retention, but the transparency builds a better relationship with the adjusters walking in your door. Are you helping in that process by documenting and providing some of this knowledge?

It’s not a negotiation; it’s a mutual understanding. It’s about relationships and sharing knowledge.”

CIC’s Emerging Technologies Committee shared some shocking knowledge on what shops should know as electric vehicles become more prevalent.

Barry Dorn (Dorn’s Body and Paint) offered some insights based on his experience: “Shops don’t look at how much power they don’t have. I guarantee you don’t have enough, and I guarantee

Bob Redding

Michael Giarrizzo Jr.

CONTINUED ON PG. 26

June 2022

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COVER STORY CONTINUED FROM PG. 24

you’d be shocked at how much it costs. From a tooling aspect, it’s completely different because it’s a completely different vehicle and requires a different mindset.”

“There’s a lot of infrastructure change that has to happen,” noted Jason Norman (Enterprise Holdings). “When you talk about volume and you may have to charge two at a time, what is your throughput going to look like? The cost can be exceptionally large – what would be needed just to charge a regular retail business is the equivalent of power used in 1,000 homes. So, it really is a significant change in how you look at power usage. It requires a lot of research and a lot of cooperation between the shop, municipality and other stakeholders in where that power gets used.”

All that extra power creates safety concerns, and Dirk Fuchs (I-CAR) offered warnings related to following OEM repair procedures, following safety guidelines and wearing proper PPE. Before touching an EV, repairers must verify and measure bonding resistance to the chassis, check the battery charge level and much more to ensure they’re performing a safe repair.

“A mistake is not allowed when we talk about electric vehicles. I want to challenge the point of verification, verification, verification…

We always need to verify the potential. Before I touch a car, even with PPE, I need to check the potential and measure. PPE is my last safety factor. If I’m not verifying anything and I take the battery out of the chassis and it has an internal insulation error, I’m taking out my bonding strip, and all of a sudden, Dirk is the bonding strip between the battery and the ground. And that’s a problem. The unknown is

what kills you.”

Even if a car is drivable after an accident, it may not be safe to drive.

“We don’t know if there are any open leaks or installation failure of onboard diagnostic systems,” Fuchs cautioned. “Manufacturers design and integrate many safety loops, but after an accident, I don’t know if those safety loops are still working. So, yeah, I can maybe drive it off, but I would never feel safe in a car. When I am touching an electrical high voltage system – and I did it many times, but every time, my blood pressure goes up. I think I know what I’m doing, but I have a deep respect for those systems. If I make a mistake, I’m dead, and I like being on this planet.”

CIC’s next meeting is scheduled for July 20-21 and will be held at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information about CIC, visit ciclink.com. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts Operating a successful business these days can be exhausting, with what feels like a speedbump or brick wall at every turn. But you’re not alone, and if you want to make a change, this is how you do it - by discussing with your peers and colleagues not only how we got here, but also what we can do to help each other for the greater good of the industry. I urge you to join conversations like these at the next CIC in Pittsburgh this July. Visit ciclink.com and get involved! -Jordan Hendler

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INDUSTRY UPDATE

Congrats to all of this year’s MIWs!

TGP SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT ALICIA FIGURELLI HONORED AMONG 2022 MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN AT WIN CONFERENCE GALA The Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) celebrated its 2022 Most Influential Women (MIWs) at the WIN Gala on May 3 in Greenville, SC. Thomas Greco Publishing (TGP) Senior Vice President Alicia Figurelli took her place among the seven women being honored this year for her contributions to the collision repair industry.

“The WIN Gala is a celebration of our organization, its mission, accomplishments and our future,” WIN Conference Emcee Chelley Canales announced as she welcomed attendees. “The MIW award recognizes outstanding women in our industry who may have a long list of accomplishments or just be starting out with aspirations of making a difference in the future of our industry. We need all of these women to continue our forward trajectory in the auto collision industry and to pave the way for the next generation.”

WIN’s 2022 MIW awards were presented by 2019 MIW Kathy Mello and 2020 MIW Kristle Bollans.

“Alicia Figurelli has risen from writer to editor to vice president in her 18 years at Thomas Greco Publishing,” Bollans said. “Alicia has spent the last two decades going above and beyond in her duties for the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ). She has been a crucial part of the association’s success and has also spent time working on projects for SCRS, CIC and many other associations.

Alicia has become the second woman ever inducted into the AASP/NJ Hall of Fame in October 2021, and she has also taken many roles in her local community, including West Caldwell Little League and PTO. Please join us in congratulating Alicia!”

“Thank you all so much, and congratulations to all of the other incredible recipients,” Figurelli expressed her gratitude at being named a 2022 MIW. “Women have come so far in this industry – from starting out 18 years ago and being asked whose girlfriend or daughter I was to now being taken seriously is a wonderful change, and it’s only going to

continue to go from there for all of us in the industry.

“This is my first WIN Conference, and it’s going to be tough to beat because I received this award,” she quipped. “I walked in here knowing literally two people, and I’m leaving with 100-plus friends. Thank you to the MIW Committee and the entire WIN network; you are all amazing. Thank you to our clients, the incredible crew at TGP, and of course my husband, Steve, and son, Matthew, who are live-streaming this from the little league field right now. Thank you all so much!”

In addition to Figurelli, this year’s honorees include Allison Boever (Repairify), Shirin Hezar (Caliber Collision), Jennifer Hubbard (CCC), Samantha Kita (Gerber), Debbie Menz (Axalta) and Micki Woods (Micki Woods Marketing Genius for Body Shops).

The MIW awards honor the women whose career achievements have enhanced the collision repair industry. Since the MIW awards were established in 1999, over 100 inspiring women have been recognized for their visionary leadership and commitment to excellence. For more information about WIN or the Most Influential Women award, visit womensindustrynetwork.com.

Thomas Greco Publishing represents a variety of automotive repair trade associations including the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ), the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP/MA), the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota (AASP-MN), the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) and the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT). To learn more about Thomas Greco Publishing, visit grecopublishing.com. H&D

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED FROM PG. 16

and network with his peers, Taffo has been an active member of WMABA over the years and has attended their many events and annual meetings. He made sure Car Source Collision Center joined as a member once he came on board at the shop.

“Networking is great, and by networking, I’ve learned more about the industry. Through WMABA, I’ve been able to meet other independent body shop owners in the same boat as I am. We can learn and help each other. It’s nice to be able to have that support.”

His love for cars has always been at the top of the list, so seeing how much vehicles have changed and continue to evolve excites Car Source Collision Center has already expanded its floorplan and even and motivates Taffo. Looking back on his 27 years in this business, more plans for growth are on the horizon. he can’t imagine doing anything else.

“I was always goal oriented and never saw another grass as $10,000. It’s the same thing. For me, it has to be about passion and greener. This is only the third place I’ve worked in all these years, doing something you really like. I like to come to work every day and I think that speaks volumes to my loyalty to this work. I’ve because I want to work… I am able to get paid to do what I love.” been fortunate enough to fix a $1 million vehicle or a car valued at H&D

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INDUSTRY

ADVICE

ASK MIKE:

What are Some Out-of-the-Box Ways to Help the Tech Shortage?

This month, we “ASK MIKE” to share his thoughts on outof-the-box ways that collision repair businesses can address the technician shortage. We at Hammer & Dolly hope you find the following exchange useful, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you have a question for Mike on this or any industry-related matter that he can answer in a future issue.

Hammer & Dolly: Whenever a conversation on the industry’s tech shortage takes place, two reasons for that trend immediately come up: The aging workforce and the age-old public perception of what the collision repair industry is. As a result, potential hires may not be as exposed to career opportunities in this profession as they should be. We all know the problems, but what about different solutions? Specifically in terms of 2022, what are some unique things that collision repair businesses could consider doing to help this situation that they may not have already done in the past?

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Mike Anderson: When I had my shops, they were located outside of Washington, DC. I was competing with the Federal Government for my employees. The majority of the population in that area either works for the Federal Government or a Federal Government military contractor. The Federal Government obviously offers benefits – health insurance, June 2022

retirement, etc. – and I had to compete with that. I had to think outside the box in order to recruit people. I think the industry today is having to compete with what I competed with back then, but now they’re also competing against the Amazons of the world.

Something has to change in this industry in regard to wages. While I was in Seattle not too long ago, I saw a burger joint that was offering $19 an hour to start with 100-percent paid health insurance, two weeks’ paid vacation and up to $10,000 a year in childcare! That’s what we’re competing against. We’re not going to recruit people unless we can offer better wages and benefits. Maybe we can’t compete with a large MSO or Amazon on health insurance, but perhaps we can offer flexible work hours and time off. How do we offer a higher wage? Maybe it’s by raising Labor Rates or by capturing more not-included items.

We also need to change our thinking. When I was growing up, Mom stayed home when a kid was sick from school. In today’s world, Mom might be the breadwinner, or Mom and Dad are equally providing income for the family.

Your best body tech might have to take off for the day if their kids are home or are going on a field trip. We need to start looking beyond our normal wages and benefits packages.

Another point I’d like to make is that I don’t believe in stealing fish from another man’s pond; I don’t believe in hiring people from my competitor. We have to grow our own.

At Collision Advice, I pick a theme each year to speak on around the country. My theme this year is, ‘Grow your team, grow your business and change the way you compete.’ It’s not about how to get the work; everybody has work right now. It’s about how you’re going to get the people. We have

Overcoming public perception and contending with the aging workforce.

to understand that not everybody is motivated by the same things. There’s a book called The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White. In it, they say that people feel appreciated in different ways. Yes, there are people who feel appreciated when they receive money, but there are others who may feel more appreciated if they are given flexible work hours. Someone else may feel appreciated by being given the chance to go to Porsche training to get certified. We improve our culture by being open-minded to their individual motivations when we reward people, and as a result, they’re more likely to enjoy working for us.

We lock a lot of people out of our industry because we don’t have a good

Mike Anderson is an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) and the former owner of Wagonwork Collision Centers, two highly acclaimed shops located in Alexandria, VA. He has served as a member of many industry organizations throughout his career, including the WMABA Board of Directors, the Mitchell Advisory Board, the MOTOR Advisory Board, the ASE Test Review Committee, the National Auto Body Council, the Collision Industry Conference and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists.

Additionally, he is a past Virginia SkillsUSA chairman, serves as a facilitator for Axalta Coating Systems’ highly recognized Business Council 20 Groups in both the US and Canada and facilitates numerous courses for Axalta Coating Systems’ Educational Series.

He currently offers expert industry consulting via his latest venture, Collision Advice (collisionadvice.com).

H&D: I suspect there may be some readers who are reading this and thinking, “Mike, this is all great, but I can’t afford to offer these things to an employee right now.”

enrollment or indoctrination process.

Maybe a shop didn’t have the best structure to train them, and it was a coin toss on whether they were going to make it or not. We need to develop a structure that allows them to receive training. One of the things we did at Collision Advice was develop a training matrix for all of our clients who used CCC. It basically said, ‘Here’s the first thing, second thing and third thing a CSR [customer service representative] has to learn.’ We need to partner with our equipment vendors and software partners to onboard new hires and indoctrinate people into our way of doing business.

MA: That’s why they need to become a member of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists [SCRS]; they help shops offer 401(k) more affordably.

SCRS is also very close to offering a health insurance package. Not offering health insurance is not an option. You have to offer it. We have an obligation to do that for our employees – not to mention that it’s good for your moral and social conscience.

H&D

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