Hammer & Dolly July 2016

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www.wmaba.com

www.grecopublishing.com

July 2016 Volume 10, No. 7 $5.95

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SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. Original BMW replacement parts represent the ultimate in safety, quality and reliability.

Imitations can be less expensive but often lack the fit, finish and function that is expected from your BMW customers.

With most parts in stock, BMW of Fairfax is your best choice for Original BMW parts. · · · ·

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Ask about our next-day UPS delivery.

Email: parts@bmwoffairfax.com Visit us on the web: www.bmwoffairfax.com July 2016

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July 2016

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CONTENTS July 2016

COVER STORY BY JOEL GAUSTEN 34 STUDENTS, SUPPORT & SUCCESS: AUTO EDUCATORS TELL ALL

Teachers reveal what works - and what doesn’t - in building tomorrow’s workforce.

LOCAL NEWS 18 VERIFACTS BRINGS SPRING CONFERENCE TO MARYLAND National coaches gather to improve shop performance.

NATIONAL NEWS 20 NEW OVERTIME RULES ON THE WAY

Some workers might be seeing more money soon.

DEPARTMENTS

GUEST FEATURE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS

BY STEVEN J. FELTOVICH AUTOMOTIVE FINISHES CORPORATION 22

CONNECTED CARS: HOW TECHNOLOGY WILL IMPACT COLLISION REPAIR Working on today’s cars is far from easy.

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Calendar of Events

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Editor’s Message JOEL GAUSTEN

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WMABA July 27 Meeting Notice JORDAN HENDLER

MARKETING FEATURE BY LEE EMMONS 26 WHY EDUCATING THE CONSUMER DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK - PART 2 The customer experience should never be about you.

TECHNICAL FEATURE BY LARRY MONTANEZ III, CDA AND JEFF LANGE, PE 30 INVEST NOW OR IN FIVE YEARS DO SOMETHING ELSE Why there is no longer time to wait to update your shop.

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WMABA Sponsorship

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What’s WMABA Up To?

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WMABA Membership

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President’s Message

Page

Application

MARK SCHAECH, JR. 46

Advertisers’ Index

Stock Images © www.istockphoto.com

July 2016

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Industry training opportunities and don't-miss events.

CALENDAR OF

EVENTS

CLASS LISTINGS

July 6, 2016

STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES TECHNOLOGIES & REPAIR

State Farm - Silver Spring, Silver Spring, MD

ADVANCED STEERING & SUSPENSION SYSTEMS DAMAGE ANALYSIS

N T Auto Body Inc., Alexandria, VA

WHEEL ALIGNMENT & DIAGNOSTIC ANGLES

Finish Masters (formerly Refinish Solutions), Springfield, VA

July 7, 2016

COLOR THEORY, MIXING TONERS & TINTING

Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD

BEST PRACTICES FOR HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL REPAIRS

ACT-A Caliber Collision Center, Randallstown, MD

STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES TECHNOLOGIES & REPAIR

Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA

July 12, 2016

ADHESIVE BONDING

Canby Motors Collision Repair, Aberdeen, MD ADHESIVE BONDING

Collision Works of Glen Burnie, Glen Burnie, MD ADHESIVE BONDING

Manheim (Harrisonburg) Auto Auction, Harrisonburg, VA CORROSION PROTECTION

First Team Toyota, Chesapeake, VA

ADVANCED MATERIAL DAMAGE ANALYSIS

Virginia Farm Bureau, Lexington, VA PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR

Priority Chevrolet, Chesapeake, VA

July 13, 2016

ADHESIVE BONDING

Priority Chevrolet, Chesapeake, VA

July 14, 2016

ADHESIVE BONDING

Waldorf Toyota, Waldorf, MD

FULL-FRAME PARTIAL REPLACEMENT

Uni-Select USA, Baltimore, MD

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, PERSONAL SAFETY & REFINISH SAFETY

Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD AUTOMOTIVE FOAMS

Priority Chevrolet, Chesapeake, VA

July 19, 2016 MEASURING

Keystone Linthicum, Linthicum, MD AUTOMOTIVE FOAMS

Pohanka Honda, Capitol Heights, MD MEASURING

Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA MEASURING

Virginia Farm Bureau, Lexington, VA

July 20, 2016

ADHESIVE BONDING

King Volkswagen, Gaithersburg, MD

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July 2016

PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR FINISH MASTERS (FORMERLY REFINISH SOLUTIONS),

July 27, 2016 “CREATING SOPs FOR COLLISION REPAIR – WITH TAKEAWAYS” National Coatings & Supplies Train ing Center, Manassas Park, VA Meeting information and details at wmaba.com August 9, 2016 SCRS BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ OPEN MEETI NG Anaheim Marriott, Anaheim, CA For more info, visit scrs.com

August 9-10, 2016 COLLISION INDUSTRY CONFERENCE (CIC) Anaheim Marriott (Convention Center), Anahei m, CA For more info, visit ciclink.com

Springfield, VA

July 21, 2016

ADVANCED STEERING & SUSPENSION SYSTEMS DAMAGE ANALYSIS

Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD

SQUEEZE-TYPE RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING

Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA

July 26, 2016

COLOR THEORY, MIXING TONERS & TINTING

First Team Toyota, Chesapeake, VA

July 27, 2016

REPLACEMENT OF STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES

Finish Masters (formerly Refinish Solutions), Springfield, VA

July 28, 2016

ALUMINUM-INTENSIVE VEHICLE REPAIRS

Pohanka Toyota, Salisbury, MD

August 2, 2016

PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR

Manheim (Harrisonburg) Auto Auction, Harrisonburg, VA

August 3, 2016

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, PERSONAL SAFETY & REFINISH SAFETY

State Farm - Silver Spring, Silver Spring, MD

STEERING & SUSPENSION DAMAGE ANALYSIS

N T Auto Body Inc., Alexandria, VA

WELDED & ADHESIVELY BONDED PANEL REPLACEMENT

Finish Masters (formerly Refinish Solutions), Springfield, VA

August 4, 2016

ALUMINUM EXTERIOR PANEL REPAIR & REPLACEMENT

Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR

Collision Works of Glen Burnie, Glen Burnie, MD COLOR THEORY, MIXING TONERS &TINTING

ACT-A Caliber Collision Center, Randallstown, MD

August 9, 2016

AUTOMOTIVE FOAMS

Collision Works of Glen Burnie, Glen Burnie, MD SQUEEZE-TYPE RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING

Virginia Farm Bureau, Lexington, VA

August 11, 2016

ADHESIVE BONDING

Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR

Waldorf Toyota, Waldorf, MD

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, PERSONAL SAFETY & REFINISH SAFETY

Uni-Select USA, Baltimore, MD

August 16, 2016

COLLISION REPAIR FOR TOYOTA, LEXUS & SCION VEHICLES

Keystone-Linthicum, Linthicum, MD

August 17, 2016

VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY & TRENDS 2015

Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD AUTOMOTIVE FOAMS

Finish Masters (formerly Refinish Solutions), Springfield, VA STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES TECHNOLOGIES & REPAIR

N T Auto Body Inc., Alexandria, VA

August 18, 2016

CORROSION PROTECTION

Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD AUTOMOTIVE FOAMS

Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD

August 19, 2016

INSPECTING REPAIRS FOR QUALITY CONTROL

Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, PERSONAL SAFETY & REFINISH SAFETY

Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD

August 20, 2016

STEERING & SUSPENSION DAMAGE ANALYSIS

Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD

ADVANCED STEERING & SUSPENSION SYSTEMS DAMAGE ANALYSIS

Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD

August 23, 2016 MEASURING

Collision Works of Glen Burnie, Glen Burnie, MD

August 24, 2016

INSPECTING REPAIRS FOR QUALITY CONTROL

King Volkswagen, Gaithersburg, MD

August 30, 2016

PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR

Virginia Farm Bureau, Lexington, VA

ADVANCED STEERING & SUSPENSION SYSTEMS DAMAGE ANALYSIS

Manheim (Harrisonburg) Auto Auction, Harrisonburg, VA

www.i-car.com or (800) 422-7872 for info

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What’s the difference between “Certified” and CAPA Certified?

Let us count the ways: Real testing by real testing professionals who do nothing else. In a real testing facility. Against real standards—so real they’re published for all to see. Everything out in the open. Complete transparency.

That’s the difference between apples and oranges—and what separates CAPA Certification from “certifiers.”

Which is why CAPA created the first true automotive crash part certification program in the industry over 29 years ago. To eliminate surprises and provide the certainty of true quality to everyone whose livelihood—or even whose life—depends on a quality repair.

What people think of you is important. So you know what replacement parts to insist on. The only genuine replacement parts tested and found good enough to earn the yellow and blue CAPA Quality Seal. Because what people think of us is important, too.

TM

If it isn’t CAPA Certified, it isn’t a genuine replacement part. capacertified.org

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July 2016

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Joel Gausten

EDITOR’S

(973) 600-9288 tgpjoel@verizon.net

MESSAGE WORDS FOR GREG

This is a message I never wanted to write.

As this issue of Hammer & Dolly was being put to bed, I received the news that Greg Coccaro, Sr. of North State Custom (Bedford Hills, NY) died at 66. If you knew Greg on a personal level (or even just through the many stories on him that we’ve published over the years), you know how important he was to the national collision repair industry. His battle cry of “Enough Is Enough!” gave strength to body shop professionals nationwide who needed the encouragement to do what is right without fear and fight back against the forces that stood between them and their customers. The man never stopped fighting, and it was an honor to have spent so many hours on the phone with him. I learned a great deal from him – not only about the industry, but also about myself.

WMABA OFFICERS PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER SECRETARY

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Mark Schaech, Jr. mark@marksbodyshop.com 410-358-5155 Torchy Chandler torchy.chandler@gmail.com 410-309-2242 Barry Dorn bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com 804-746-3928 Phil Rice phil@ricewoods.com 540-846-6617 Don Beaver Dbeaver@antwerpenauto.com 443-539-4200 ext. 17061

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rodney Bolton (rbolton@aacps.org) 443-386-0066 Kevin Burt (kevinburt@walkermillcollision.com) 301-336-1140 RT Plate (rt@pcirepair.com) 703-929-8050

ADMINISTRATION

Barbara Chase (barbara@siskautobody.com) 301-855-5525 Ben Gibson (bgibson@harrisonbodyworks.com) 804-355-8151

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

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Back around 2009 when I started my family, I got to thinking about Greg one day and truly began to understand and appreciate what he was going through in his various legal situations with Progressive. I took a hard, honest look at myself and realized that it would be a very difficult decision for me to follow his path and put everything on the line to defend myself in that way. Would I be willing to put my family and our livelihood at risk, even if it meant clearing my name? It was a tough thing to think about. I later wrote about my feelings on Greg’s determination and effect on the industry – and the personal dilemma I was having when considering his story – in an Editor’s Message in this magazine. A few days after that issue hit the streets, Greg reached out to thank me for the kind words – and to assure me that if pushed enough, I would absolutely stand up and fight back. There have been more than a few occasions in subsequent years where I’ve had to push against major obstacles and make incredibly hard decisions for the benefit of my family, and I write this today knowing that our lives are stronger because of it.

Greg was right; we all have the will to fight when there is no other choice.

Last year, I was sitting alone in a conference room at the 2015 NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show and setting up for the Leadership Meeting when I heard a familiar voice call my name. Greg sat down next to me, and the two of us chatted alone for several minutes. At one point, he mentioned that he still had my Editor’s Message about him framed on a wall at his house, and that it gave him positive thoughts when he looked at it.

He then told me that he was battling cancer. It was hard to sit there and hear those words.

A few moments later, various people started filtering into the room, all stopping to say hi to Greg and shake his hand. I got up and left the room as the reality of what was going on began to hit me, and it took me a few minutes to get myself together and go to work covering the meeting. Before long, the day got away from me, and Greg and I didn’t get another change to connect that weekend. That afternoon was the last time I ever saw him. I’m so grateful to have had that quiet time with him, even if it was so he could say goodbye.

It is too hard to accept that Greg will not enjoy the restful retirement and golden years that he deserved. Perhaps the only true way for the industry to honor him is to continue his work by always standing up for your beliefs and doing right by every customer who shows up at your bay. Greg bettered the lives of shops around the country, and his contributions and sacrifices will never be forgotten.

You were a great man, Greg. I’ll miss you. H&D

July 2016

STAFF

PUBLISHER DIRECTOR OF SALES EDITORIAL DIRECTOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR OFFICE MANAGER

Thomas Greco thomas@grecopublishing.com

Alicia Figurelli alicia@grecopublishing.com

Joel Gausten tgpjoel@verizon.net

Lea Velocci lea@grecopublishing.com

Donna Greco donna@grecopublishing.com

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 © 2016 Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S

MESSAGE

Jordan Hendler

(804) 789-9649 jordanhendler@wmaba.com

WMABA Brings Process Organization – Be There!

Developing SOPs Is Not Rocket Science, but It Is Science.

It’s not all about vehicle technology and equipment. You need to also have laser focus on the process of running your business so it doesn’t run you! Who is responsible for what, what they need to know to do it and how you hold them accountable are all areas that are key to the success of your operation (both for employee morale and from a KPI perspective). If someone has all the rules and tools, then he or she can become self-reliant and successful in performing his or her job.

Have you focused enough to put any of the following in place?

Being held July 27 at 4pm at the National Coatings & Supplies training center in Manassas Park, VA, this not only serves as a WMABA Membership Meeting, but also as the continuation of digging deeper into how to produce and follow procedures in your operation.

If any one of those areas is something that keeps you up at night, makes you “too busy to think” or has you asking, “Why can’t they do this themselves?” then you have to attend this important upcoming meeting to get more information on solving your own problems.

Developing SOPs is not rocket science, but it is science. If you give outlines to follow for all key areas of each position (along with

You’ve heard of ATI? Automotive Training Institute (ATI) has undoubtedly contacted you about participating in their training workshops. You may not have gotten the call directly if you have a bulldog of a receptionist, but I’m sure they’ve tried. We’ve partnered up with them to offer you a specialized and unique meeting with actual takeaways for building SOPs for collision repair and the employee processes.

“CREATING SOPs FOR COLLISION REPAIR – WITH TAKEAWAYS” National Coatings & Supplies Training Center, Manassas Park, VA

Meeting information and details on wmaba.com

Detailed task lists for each function Job descriptions Position measurements Auditing processes Delegation protocols Performance goals

the detailed description of each), then you are on your way to freeing your entire staff from bombarding you for ways to make them successful. How can you measure their success? Through identifiable and measurable objectives that are in categories summarized in a performance graph, then used to review in set intervals.

Come find out how to better empower and enlighten your shops’ processes. You will undoubtedly learn something new!

REGISTER TODAY AT WMABA.COM. H&D

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

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THANKS

YOU WMABA thanks their generous supporters of the

LEVEL 1

Corporate Sponsor Program for 2016!

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

www.wmaba.com

LEVEL 2 3M Automotive Aftermarket Automotive Training Institute Certified Automotive Parts Association FinishMaster Mid-Atlantic Paint & Supply National Coatings and Supplies

July 2016

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WHAT’S

The Playbook

UP TO? WMABA MEMBERSHIP: THE UN-SECRET PLAYBOOK

It’s always a good time to get involved in WMABA. If you’re reading this, your first benefit is already being realized: Staying up to date on the news in our area and beyond.

Get Your Team Jersey

Supporting WMABA is an investment in the future of your business and your industry. By becoming a member, you are represented in all the places the Board or executive director go. Whether at a trade show like SEMA, assisting with the SCRS OEM Technology Summit regarding certified repairs or locally at the state capitol meeting legislators or testifying at a hearing, your interests and the interests of all repairers are at the forefront. Though repairers often feel competitive, the association is a place for camaraderie and community. Here, we’re all on the same team.

Get Educated

WMABA offers issue-specific, topic-driven education throughout the year. Participation in special events and local meetings, such as the Audi Training Center-hosted seminar and tour, offers your business the best in opportunities to advance your understanding of changes within our industry.

MEMBER TESTIMONIALS

The two obvious benefits of belonging to WMABA are: 1) Keeping up to date on industry events, challenges and technical changes, and 2) Networking with industry shop owners and vendors. The not-so-obvious benefit is that we as shop owners can unify to make a change. Being a member assures each of us that we are not ‘the only one’ dealing with these issues. WMABA is the only association focused on making this industry better for the collision shop owners and technicians. No other organization can make that claim. Most of them just follow the money. Put your money where it counts – join WMABA! - Bill Denny, Bill Denny’s Automotive, Inc., Havre de Grace, MD

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Find more association updates at www.wmaba.com.

The association is your resource for all things related to your business. Whether you have a question about current Labor Rate data, operations, customer interaction, insurer relationships, vendor products or national news, your association is the place to ask first.

Through our relationships nationally, we can even take issues to the forefront of places such as the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, Collision Industry Conference or national contacts for insurers and vendors.

Locally, we research governmental regulations and oversight to make sure the repair industry is protected from any negative legislation. Represented in both Virginia and Maryland, WMABA proposes and opposes recommended bills that come into the legislature during open session. Also, we work with consumer-related entities, government agencies and other related industry organizations to ensure that the voices of the repairer and their customer are heard.

Many repairers take advantage of the knowledge and community the association has for navigating situations that arise. A simple phone call or email can circumvent many issues our members encounter.

Call the Game

As a member, you decide your personal level of participation. Do you have interest in committees that address particular issues you feel passionately about? Would you want to be a Board member and assist in guiding the direction of the association? How about sitting on the sidelines so you can focus on your own business? All answers can be correct! While WMABA would like to encourage your spirit of volunteerism, it is solely up to you at what level you get involved.

The minimum is getting your membership. This year can WIN with your commitment to the betterment of your business and your industry. Sign up today! H&D

WMABA keeps us in touch with what is happening in our industry, from class action lawsuits to pending legislation in our state and the whole country. Our membership helps us remember that we are not the only ones facing the discouraging burdens and issues out there. It reminds us that if we all stick together, we can make a change for the better.

Their coverage of PartsTrader, well before it hit home, was invaluable. They even went to the State and tried to make it unlawful for insurance companies to require it. They are working hard for us on things that all body shop owners care deeply about, but don’t have the time to stand up and fight.

- Barbara Chase, Sisk Auto Body, Owings, MD

I joined WMABA the very first year I opened my shop. I was immediately embraced by both colleagues and mentors who provided me the fellowship to know I wasn't the only one facing the challenges before me, advice that provided clarity and confidence to make the decisions that would guide my business and a network that I could call on repeatedly over the years I have been a member. WMABA's ability to educate the collision repair industry, speak on its behalf and lobby for issues that affect it has been - and is to this day - the greatest value I have received from any association of which I have been a member.

- Mark Boudreau, Spectrum Collision Center, Arlington, VA

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Y! JOIN TODA

July 2016

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IF OFFERING ONLY ORIGINAL MINI PARTS IS A CRIME...

THEN YEAH, WE’RE GUILTY. At your local MINI dealer, we believe that using Original MINI collision replacement parts will speed your repairs and increase your profitability. Original MINI parts assure an absolute perfect fit and function.

For Original MINI parts, contact any of these authorized MINI dealers.

MINI of Annapolis 25 Old Mill Bottom Road Annapolis, MD 21409 410-349-2565 fax: 410-349-2586

MINI of Baltimore County 720 Kenilworth Drive Towson, MD 21204 Toll Free: 844-635-4347 410-296-MINI (6464)

MINI of Alexandria 5990 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22304 703-461-6250 fax: 703-751-0595

MINI of Sterling 21826 Pacific Blvd Sterling, VA 20166 888-954-8222 fax: 571-434-7727

Checkered Flag MINI 5225 Virginia Beach Blvd.

Virginia Beach, VA 23462 757-687-3494 fax: 757-687-3495

Crown MINI 8710 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23294 Toll Free: 800-237-0130 804-527-6860 fax: 804-965-6254

MYMINIANNAPOLIS.COM

MINIOFSTERLING.COM

MINIBALTIMORE.COM

CHECKEREDFLAGMINI.COM

MINIOFALEXANDRIA.COM

CROWNMINI.COM

© 2016 MINI USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The MINI name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

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LOCAL

NEWS VeriFacts Brings Spring Conference to Maryland

On May 19-21, VeriFacts Automotive used the Ramada Inn Hotel & Conference Center in Edgewood, MD as the site of its annual Spring Conference. The two-and-a-half-day event focused on bringing together VeriFacts coaches and corporate team members for the advancement and progression of company goals as it relates to the collision industry.

“This year’s VeriFacts Spring Conference was full of valuable material, assisting in understanding new technologies, repair processes and shop visits as well as launching a new VeriFacts shop in Baltimore,” stated Rod Bolton, Jr., VeriFacts Automotive’s operations manager. “We brought every aspect of VeriFacts together in one location in order to learn, grow and communicate new and valuable ideas and information to assist in forging a path to greatness.”

“The core of what VeriFacts does for the collision industry begins with the values and beliefs we revisit at these events,” adds VeriFacts Automotive Vice President of Sales and Operations Gregory Gray. “Our existence is built on customer focus and culture as we come together to practice what we preach. As a team and family, we continually improve our focus on the customer through classroom training, hands-on involvement and kinesthetic learning. From the technical to cultural, we touch it all as we continue to remain on the leading edge of OEM requirements by being a learning organization. We intentionally work on our culture, as we know that represents the essence of who we are. With the opportunities that exist and the continually changing industry, we must be diligent about leading the change efforts ourselves.”

The Spring Conference succeeded in educating and propelling VeriFacts’ coaches as the company continues to position itself as the leading

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Quality control drives extensive discussions.

independent third-party verification vendor in the automobile collision space. The gathering enabled the company to continue to enhance and evolve its offering to repairer, auto manufacturer and auto insurance communities for the ultimate benefit and safety of the consumer.

For Arizona-based VeriFacts Coach Robert Apodaca, the Spring Conference was an unforgettable highlight of his first year with the company.

“I was an adjuster for 25 years, and the things I’ve learned this year have surpassed those 25 years,” he says. “I’m going to take what they’re teaching me and take it even further [to] the people I’m around. I take that philosophy and that excitement that they’re teaching me into the shops I [visit].”

Based in North Carolina, VeriFacts Coach Steve DaPolito has been with VeriFacts for five years (including an 18-month stint as operations manager). Appearing at the Spring Conference to offer a presentation on VeriFacts’ complete business process, he is a firm believer in what the company provides to the collision industry in the WMABA region and beyond.

“One of the things that VeriFacts teaches is that you have a process for quality control,” he explains. “Part of that process is measuring your repair quality. We all know that to manage something, you have to measure it. What VeriFacts has done over the last 14 years is spend the time and create the rulebook for collision repair. They’ve taken all of the knowledge in the industry – from manufacturers, certifying bodies and training organizations – and consolidated it into a program as their launch process, which they monitor throughout their visits.”

A VeriFacts senior coach for Southern California, 25-year industry veteran Qazi Asad appreciated the opportunity to share his knowledge and experiences with new and seasoned coaches during the Spring Conference.

“Being a VerifFacts coach means that you are also coachable to new ideas, technologies, training and skills,” he says.

In DaPolito’s mind, the success of the Spring Conference – and VeriFacts in general – stems from shops’ growing desire to embrace new ways of thinking as they prepare for the future.

“The only thing that’s consistent in the collision business is change,” he says. “When a shop embraces the fact that change is coming, they’re far more successful than saying, ‘We used to do it this way, and I’m comfortable with that.’”

More information on VeriFacts is available at verifactsauto.com.H&D

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It Takes Genuine Honda Collision Repair Parts To Achieve a Genuine Honda Fit. Honda collision repair parts are engineered and manufactured to Honda standards.

In the collision-repair business, time is money, and you can’t waste time on parts that almost fit properly. Use Genuine Honda replacement parts. Your reputation depends on it.

For Genuine Honda parts, contact these Authorized Honda dealers.

Criswell Honda 19525 Amaranth Rd. Germantown, MD 20874-1201 PH: 866-562-2898 FAX:240-864-7165 www.criswellauto.com

Hendrick Honda 14201 Jefferson Davis Hwy Woodbridge, VA 22191 Direct: 703-690-7777 FAX: 703-490-2058 www.hendrickonline.com

Miller Honda 3985 Valley Pike Winchester, VA 22602 Direct: 800-296-5020 Direct Local: 540-868-9916 Fax: 540-869-1074

Honda of Tysons Corner 1580 Spring Hill Rd. Vienna, VA 22182 PH: 703-749-6651 Direct: 866-658-0841 FAX: 703-821-4229 www.hondatysonscorner.com

E-mail: bmorgan@drivemiller.com

E-mail:juan.hidalgo@hondaoftysonscorner.com

Koons Honda 7105 Sudley Rd. Manassas, VA 20109 PH: 703-366-1010 FAX: 703-365-8117 www.koonshonda.com

Ourisman Honda 3371 Ft. Meade Rd. Laurel, MD 20724 Direct: 301-498-6050 Fax: 301-498-0157 www.laurelhonda.com

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New government rules affect paydays.

NATIONAL

NEWS New Overtime Rules on the Way The Obama Administration is changing the way many businesses handle overtime pay for employees.

In May, the White House announced a new “Overtime” Final Rule that takes effect December 1. With the change, all salaried employees guaranteed to make less than $47,476 each year (up from $23,660) will qualify for nonexempt status and will be eligible for overtime pay. The salary threshold will also be increased every three years beginning in January 2020.

In March 2014, President Obama directed the Department of Labor to update the regulations defining which white collar workers are protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime standards. According to the Department per documents available at tinyurl.com/gt2hfd7, “the current salary level is outdated and no longer does its job of helping to separate salaried white collar employees who should get overtime pay for working extra hours from those who should be exempt.” The Department last updated the white collar overtime regulations in 2004 to set the standard salary level at $455 per week ($23,660 annually for a full-year worker).

The Final Rule sets the standard salary level equal to the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers in the lowestwage Census Region. The Department modified the standard salary level in response to concerns that the proposed rule did not adequately account for the lower salaries paid in certain regions. Additionally, the Final Rule

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permits employers to count nondiscretionary bonuses, incentives and commissions toward up to 10 percent of the required salary level for the standard exemption, so long as employers pay those amounts on a quarterly or more frequent basis. The Final Rule also allows employers to make a “catch-up” payment at the end of each quarter.

This Final Rule updates the regulations for determining whether white collar salaried employees are exempt from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime pay protections.

They are exempt if they are employed in a bona fide “executive,” “administrative” or “professional” capacity. The first two capacities are most relevant to businesses in the collision repair industry.

To qualify for the executive employee exemption, all of the following tests must be met: The employee must be compensated on a salary basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per week.

The employee’s primary duty must be managing the enterprise, or managing a customarily recognized department or subdivision of the enterprise.

The employee must customarily and regularly direct the work of at least two or more other full-time employees or their equivalent.

The employee must have the authority to hire or fire other employees, or the employee’s suggestions and recommendations as to the hiring, firing, advancement, promotion or any other change of status of other employees must be given particular weight.

To qualify for the administrative employee exemption, all of the following tests must be met:

The employee must be compensated on a salary or fee basis (as defined in the regulations) at a rate not less than $455 per week.

The employee’s primary duty must be the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to the management or general business operations of the employer or the employer’s customers.

The employee’s primary duty includes the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.

A May 24 story in the Los Angeles Times reported that approximately 60 percent of the 4.2 million workers who will be be eligible for overtime under the new rule “do not work any overtime hours, meaning employers won’t change their pay because of the new rule…[O]nly the remaining 1.7 million workers will get a raise, about $718 a year on average. US employers pay about $7 trillion to some 140 million workers each year. That means the rule will bump up wages by a fraction of a percent, and it will affect about one percent of the working population.”

More information on the new rule is available at tinyurl.com/gt2hfd7. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts If you question whether or not this rule will affect your shop employees, then now is the time to ask! Reach out to your accountant and human resources attorney, or call us for additional information on understanding this important change to the employee compensation rules.

- Jordan Hendler

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GUEST FEATURE

CONNECTED CARS: How Technology Will Impact Collision Repair

BY STEVEN J. FELTOVICH

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corporation

Connected Car Technology Is your collision repair center connected to your customer’s car technology? Will your staff be capable of repairing complex vehicles to “crashworthy” standards? Is your collision center prepared to handle the disruptive connected car technologies? These technologies will seamlessly connect vehicles and consumers to

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the manufacturer, dealer and repair centers.

The ubiquitous use and increased penetration of connected technologies will likely change how consumers interact with repair centers. It will ultimately confront collision repair shops with the need to create innovative business models that change the way their organization engages with customers.

A New Age of Connected Cars Seventy-three percent of surveyed drivers say safety and diagnostic features of connected cars are the most critical part of the technology.

Research firm Allied Market released a study predicting that the connected car market is expected to generate revenue of $141 billion globally by 2020. Connected cars will increasingly resemble smartphones on wheels. The new models will be complemented with the ability to push software updates over the air. Ease of software update delivery to the end-customer will be significantly enhanced, similar to the way Tesla set up its software and distribution.

Connected car technology may lead to fewer or less severe accidents, and it will certainly revolutionize the way the collision repair industry manages accidents when they occur.

Vehicles involved in collisions will communicate directly with insurers, detailing the accident

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Advanced vehicles bring new demands.

and severity of the damage. The car will be automatically connected with emergency and towing services, providing the exact location of the accident. This is all enabled through sensors, microprocessors and digital data streaming gigabytes of information to the cloud network.

The cost reduction and high production of sensors will allow for just about any part of a vehicle to have an embedded connection, allowing the opportunity for collection of data from practically every square inch of the vehicle.

How Connected Car Technology Will Impact Collision Repair The insurance claim generally goes to an adjuster, who assesses it and assigns various activities to the appropriate support services. Consumers also participate by selecting their towing company and choice of collision repair facility. The connected car scenario is more like this: The manufacturer call center is notified by the vehicle, and emergency and towing services are automatically dispatched to the accident location. The certified collision repair center for that specific manufacturer will receive a digital notice of the vehicle being towed to their facility. The vehicle will also notify the insurer of the accident, severity of damage and the certified collision center it was taken to, provided the system indicates the vehicle is repairable and not a total loss. If the data indicates it is a total loss, the vehicle is towed to a salvage holding operation for the insurer to investigate. By reducing combined cycle time of claims management and repair processes, a car that can communicate with the insurer will lead to reduced loss adjustment expense.

The connected car now assists the manufacturer at the time of an accident, ensuring that a manufacturer’s certified collision center receives the damaged vehicle. The manufacturer-certified collision center has the correct tools, equipment, training and skills in order to repair the vehicle to “crashworthy” standards. The new repair standard, “crashworthiness,” will be required in order to place the vehicle back into service. This new standard requires reconstruction of the damaged vehicle to the OEM specifications, as well as ensuring that it is capable of sustaining a subsequent accident and responding exactly as it was originally designed and engineered.

The connected car will manage customers’ expectations through technology solutions. Consumers will buy their new vehicle and insurance policy through a mobile app. The manufacturer will be directly connected to its cars as they send data to the cloud. Additionally, manufacturers’ roadside apps are already impacting certified collision repair centers and how they receive their work.

Key Success Factors

Strategically select OEM partners based on the specific brand(s) of vehicles that you repair most often (or the ones that will be more popular in the near future in your marketplace).

Obtain the necessary OEM certifications.

Ensure your collision repair center is connected to as many crash apps and manufacturers’ roadside assistance apps that you have capacity for.

Select specific welding/joining equipment and hand tools in order to meet the certification requirements.

Train, train and train your managers and technicians on the equipment, tools and procedures required to achieve manufacturer “crashworthy’’ repair quality standards.

Implement advanced business processes that produce the highest quality, defect-free repairs in the shortest cycle times possible.

Factors Affecting Collision Repair in 2016

Begin building an improved business model capable of meeting the connected car customers’ expectations and the new “crashworthy” repair standards.

Not too far in the future, recruiting strategies will change in order to attract software talent for the collision repair center.

Conclusion As automotive customers become increasingly connected, catering to their connectivity needs will soon become central to collision repair business models. For owners/managers to successfully compete for the connected customer, they should adopt a holistic perspective in defining their future business requirements. Collision center managers have to become savvy about how they serve their customers in order to increase market share and maintain profitability. Business owners with a stake in collision repair need to take decisive action to secure and increase their share of collision repair revenue. Advanced business training is imperative for owners and managers in order to navigate through these complex technologies that will soon be disrupting the automotive collision repair industry.

A collision-damaged connected car’s ability to find the certified collision center near its location is just one impact of connected technology. Additional trends as a result of the broad effects of connected technology include not only new repair standards, but also vehicles that communicate with other vehicles and infrastructure changes within the automotive industry as we know it today. H&D

Steven J. Feltovich is the manager of business consulting services for Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corporation. He can be reached at (412) 916-9235 or at steven.j.feltovich@sherwin.com.

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MARKETING FEATURE

Why Educating the Consumer Doesn’t Always Work - Part 2

Last month, I discussed a variety of reasons why “educating the consumer” in ways that are common in today’s collision repair industry doesn’t always work. In Part 2, I’ll dive deeper into why some shops should reconsider what they say to customers during the repair process.

Quality and trust are important to potential customers.

Quality and trust trump price. According to a Google Consumer Survey on Aftermarket Service, “81 percent of drivers agree that quality service is more important than price.”(1) Those of you who are interested in the consumer advocate message should focus on this important fact.

This is an opportunity to build trust through your marketing messages – trust in your capabilities, in your certifications and in the warranties you offer. You will go far making the argument to the potential customer that they can trust you. AdWords campaigns for body shops show very high conversion rates for ad copy that focuses on building trust.

Now we reach the fine line between “differentiating your shop in a way that solves the consumer’s problems and connects with

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them emotionally” and “educating” the consumer.

Your customer hasn’t come to you for an education; they’ve come to get their car fixed.

Many shop owners and managers believe that “educating” the consumer will change the industry for the better. But are they focused on making the industry better for the customer — or are they mainly concerned with making the industry better for themselves?

One of the many problems with this approach is that these professionals are starting with their own emotional needs and problems. This whole idea is predicated on the notion that if they could just educate consumers to care about the things that they know are important, those consumers would come to their shop or to a similar shop that cared about the same things.

I’ve even heard some shop managers call customers who didn’t respond to their approach “uneducated.” Having this kind of attitude toward your customers isn’t a marketing strategy; it’s a way to ensure that your marketing strategy will be completely ineffective. It shows a lack of understanding (or

even interest) in your customers’ perspective – in their needs, wants, problems and reasons for making a purchase.

When a shop owner or manager says they’re going to educate their customers, they’re saying that they’re going to use a complicated, logical series of arguments to force their customers to understand the problems of the auto body industry. These arguments, whether in the form of TV, radio, online video, social media or Web content, are usually full of industry jargon that only people working in collision repair would even understand.

Are you creating negative emotion instead of solving problems?

The antagonist of this content is usually the insurance company, and the lesson is usually geared towards educating customers that they shouldn’t trust their carrier. In other words, you’re teaching customers that they have even more to fear from this process.

Worst of all, you’re delivering this lesson in language that is often heavy in industry jargon.

When you take this approach, you’re likely to lose most of your prospects immediately.

Complaining about your industry’s problems does nothing to address your customers’ emotional needs. In the end, it creates more emotional problems that need to be solved. Are they going to want to hire the company whose marketing creates new problems, or will they hire the company who offers to solve them?

While your warnings about insurance company tactics may be correct (and you may have to address these conflicts explicitly during the repair process), it will be of little benefit to focus on negative messages about these problems in your marketing.

It’s all about understanding your customer, not forcing them to change.

This is not to suggest that a shop can never discuss issues like steering, factorycorrect repairs and certifications or differentiate themselves from other types of shops. There are ways to present yourself as a consumer advocate (whose work is of the highest quality) and a capable provider who can be trusted implicitly. Those factors are all important things that directly address the emotional needs of a person who has just been in an accident.

Trust, capabilities, certifications, warranties, expertise, training, customer service – all of these can be presented as part

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Avoiding common marketing blunders. of a positive message. All of these present a solution.

Ask yourself these questions:

Does your message of consumer advocacy focus on these kinds of positive messages?

Are you trying to solve your customers’ problems and fulfill their emotional needs – or are you trying to “educate” your customer about your own problems?

Are the features and benefits you talk about in your marketing truly features and benefits for a prospective customer – or are you talking about things that benefit you?

Is your marketing content easy for average car owners to understand – or are you talking to them about highly technical, subtle things that only a collision industry insider would understand?

Does your marketing give the customer a good feeling about coming to your shop – or are you producing more fear in a customer who is already struggling with anxiety and insecurity after an accident?

If you want to grow your collision repair business with new customers, you need to remember one thing: It’s not all about you.

Stop thinking of your customer as “uneducated.”

Customers who don’t know about your problems aren’t “uneducated;” they just don’t have the same job that you do. They look to you as the professional who will take care of them through a very difficult situation. They’ve hired you to solve their problems, not to learn about yours. And you’re certainly not going to win over a lot of new prospects by telling them that there might be a whole new set of legal problems down the road.

Start by understanding the perspective of your potential customer. Empathize with them, and speak to them in a way they can easily understand and relate to. As long as you make

BY LEE EMMONS

this the basis of your marketing strategy, you’ll be able to influence customers to make the kinds of decisions you want them to make – and watch your business grow as a result.H&D

1. https://ssl.gstatic.com/think/docs/the-road-to-winningdrivers-automotive-services_research-studies.pdf

Executive Director’s Thoughts It is very important to communicate the repair process, possible delays in “promise date” and things outside of the repairer’s control, but not to disparage others. Keeping it positive and informative is the best way to protect customer outcome and possible online reviews afterwards.

Many negative reviews are the result of not doing this! - Jordan Hendler

Lee Emmons is chief marketing officer of AP Media based in Sykesville, MD. His public relations and marketing efforts on behalf of collision repair shops throughout the Mid-Atlantic have gained industry press coverage for those shops in trade publications and local media. He and his agency are certified Google Partners, with certifications in AdWords and in Google’s Video Advertising Advanced Certification. Marketing for auto body shops has become his passion and personal area of expertise. You can visit his company’s website at AbsolutePerfectionMedia.com.

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TECHNICAL

FEATURE

INVEST NOW OR IN FIVE YEARS DO SOMETHING ELSE

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The world around us moves very quickly, and it has been this way forever. If someone told you in 1994 (when Audi announced the all-new aluminum A8) to invest in aluminum repair at your shop, you would have thought they were crazy. But over the next 20 years, most of the European OEs added two to three aluminum-intensive and/or hybrid-construction vehicles to their lineups. Still, many shops felt the investment in aluminum repair was not worth it because the large percentage of shops would not see these types of vehicles. To be honest, we used to agree with that. Well, in 2014, Ford announced that the 2015 F-150 would be constructed with an aluminum monocoque body over a newly advanced steel frame, and most shops went into a panic. The floodgates were about to burst open.

Cadillac added to the panic with the announcement of its 2016 CT6, a hybrid construction steel/aluminum monocoque. So for all the shops that didn’t see the writing on the wall in the early 2000s, the time is coming soon and fast where the steel-to-aluminum vehicle ratio could be 1:1. By 2019, most of the European vehicles will be aluminum/steel construction, and the exotics will be mixed-material construction (steel, aluminum, carbon fiber). Additionally, Chrysler and GM have stated that their 1500 Series Pickups will be aluminum construction by 2019. Jeep has hinted that they will produce an aluminum-intensive vehicle in the next few years. Now, one can only assume that Ford and GM will produce two to three other aluminum-intensive models in two to three years.

The topic of OEM Certified Repair Programs is also worth discussing. Since the early 2000s, European OEs have had Certified Repair Facilities with specific equipment and training requirements and restricted the sale of structural parts.

Although Ford does not restrict the sale of F-150 parts, Cadillac does restrict the sale of its parts.

By 2020, 40 percent of the vehicles produced may very well be of mixed-material construction.

Additionally, 30-40 percent of the vehicles produced will be made up of hybrid, electric or diesel propulsion, all due to the CAFE rule of 53mpg by 2025.

More and more OEMs are looking into Certified Collision Repair Programs. GM recently announced that it is looking into a more extensive program, Chrysler/FIAT is launching one later this fall and Honda recently stepped up

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Prepare today for a successful tomorrow.

BY LARRY MONTANEZ III, CDA & JEFF LANGE, PE its requirements. You will soon see 80-90 percent of the OEs with a Certified Program by 2020, with about 20 percent of those facilities being mixedmaterial facilities with restricted components.

Some of you might be wondering why should you invest. Depending on the category you fall into, you may be right to ask. Which category fits you best?

Restoration, rural area (newest car is eight-10 years old), commercial fleet only, detail and bumpers only. Answer: No, you probably don’t need to invest in any tooling or training at this time, except for some aluminum outer panel cosmetic repair.

Small mom-and-pop shop in a rural area (newest vehicle is five-seven years old), metropolitan poorer area (vehicles are three-10 years old), restoration.

Answer: No, you probably don’t need to invest today, but you may need to look into some aluminum outer panel cosmetic repair training and tools in two to three years.

Rural/country/suburban facility (vehicles are one-seven years old), DRP/Non-DRP, dealer collision facilities (non-European/exotic). If your facility doesn’t see high-end European or exotic super cars, you may need to invest in the Ford F-150 program and possibly the Cadillac program. The big three American OEs will be offering aluminum- intensive and hybrid construction vehicles in the next two to four years. We predict that in the next few years, the Ford Taurus (or whatever they will call it) and Mustang will probably be constructed with some sort of aluminum, and GM will most likely have at least two other cars similar to the CT6. (The Malibu and Camaro are good bets, too.) How far behind are Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan and even Honda?

must invest in equipment, tooling and training to ensure not only safe and correct repairs, but that their technicians possess the knowledge, skills and ability to repair the vehicles. The post-repair inspection horror shows we see online and in the media every day generally start off as Diminished Value cases and explode into “bad repair” posts because of the substandard repair procedures used. We can no longer look at a job and say, “Oh boy, I can’t wait to see how this comes out. I love the challenge of figuring things out.” We can no longer think like cavemen and say, “We can figure it out,” or, “I never had a problem before.” We need to understand there are procedures and protocols from the OEM that must be followed. If you don’t think this will affect you, look at all the changes over the past four years. If you don’t feel the need to invest now, then plan on selling your business.

Hopefully, this article has brought to your attention the reasons why we need to act and invest now in our shops. Feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions. H&D

Larry Montanez, CDA is co-owner of P&L Consultants with Peter Pratti Jr. P&L Consultants work with collision repair shops on estimating, production and proper repair procedures. P&L conducts repair workshops on MIG & Resistance Welding, Measuring for Estimating and Advanced Estimating Skills. P&L also conducts investigations for insurers and repair shops for improper repairs, collision reparability and estimating issues. Larry is ISO 9606-2 Certified for Audi and Mercedes-Benz and is a certified technician for multiple OEM Collision Repair Programs.

P&L can be reached by contacting Larry at (718) 891-4018 (office), (917) 860-3588 (cell) or info@PnLEstimology.com.

Jeff Lange, PE is president of Lange Technical Services, Ltd. of Deer Park, NY (www.LangeTech.net). Jeff is a Licensed New York State Professional Engineer who specializes in investigating vehicle and component failures.

Lange Technical Services, Ltd. is an investigative engineering firm performing forensic vehicle examinations and analysis for accident recon- struction, products liability and insurance issues. Jeff can be reached at (631) 667-6128 or by email at Jeff.Lange@LangeTech.net.

Executive Director’s Thoughts

There is not one way in this world that advancements won’t affect everyone. Think of self-driving cars, adaptive braking and cruise or even park assist. Our industry is changing, and only those on the “train” will be getting a ride. - Jordan Hendler

All makes and models with a good volume of high-end luxury, exotic super cars. You are probably already invested in the whole of aluminum repair and most likely on your way to carbon fiber training, too.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of shops in the United States still do not have modern structural repair equipment, resistance welders and training to repair modern steel vehicles. This epidemic must stop. Repair facility owners July 2016

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e-mail: dbanks@priorityauto.com

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Ourisman Mazda of Rockville 801 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Parts Direct: 301-340-7668 Phone: 855-417-4511 Fax: 240-499-2488 e-mail: rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com www.ourismanmazdaofrockville.com

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COVER STORY ?STUDENTS, SUPPORT & SUCCESS: AUTO EDUCATORS TELL ALL

For many collision repair businesses in the WMABA region, the summer months mean getting introduced to a wave of recent vocational school graduates looking to establish careers in the field. What expectations should a shop have when a young tech starts? How can the industry make sure that schools are getting everything they need to develop a student into a worthy member of the team? This month, Hammer & Dolly reaches out to area educators for insight into the success of their programs and how the WMABA community can ensure a rewarding experience for entry-level workers.

Inspiring Winners For Parkside High School’s (Salisbury, MD) instructor Joe Showacre, getting students ready for a professional career means exploring much more than just repairing cars.

“I explain to them what net profit and fixed expenses are, and the difference between flat rate and salary pay scales,” he offers. “I want them to be a good employee. I have a very high success rate with putting kids out in the real world because I concentrate on real world application and business inside my classroom.”

Showacre’s department boasts a live body shop that works on around 130 vehicles annually, with hits being as high as $8,000. This feat is achieved thanks to strong community support and modern tools and equipment including a CCC ONE estimating system. Not surprisingly, Showacre tells us that most shops (and some insurance companies) in his area are comprised of many former Parkside students.

“It’s a better transition when they have a more diversified knowledge of the industry,” he says of his program’s unique structure. “Local employers out in the field seem very happy with my students.

“Instructors at the high school level have to understand that they have to be able to put the right personality with the right shop,” he adds. “It’s not just about calling a shop up and saying, ‘I’ve got a kid who can do this and this.’ I get to know my shop owners and shop managers, and I know what kind of a personality they’re looking for. One kid will fit in beautifully in one shop environment and not so good in another shop environment.”

So where would other shops not in Showacre’s area find and develop promising talent? One way for a shop to get introduced to tomorrow’s workforce is to get involved in SkillsUSA. Founded in 1965, SkillsUSA (skillsusa.org) is a nationwide partnership of students, instructors and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. The nationwide career and technical education student organization annually serves more than 300,000 high school, college and postsecondary students and instructors in technical, skilled and service occupation instructional programs. SkillsUSA has the active support of more than 600 corporations, trade associations, business and labor unions at the national level. SkillsUSA programs teach leadership, citizenship and character development to complement technical skill training.

The organization emphasizes respect for the dignity of work, ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety.

In April, SkillsUSA State Conferences were held across the country, yielding a number of impressive automotive-related winners who at press time were slated to compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in June in Louisville, KY. In Maryland, top honors this year went to two students from the Center of Applied Technology – North (CAT-North) in Severn – Wyatt Seitz for Collision Repair Technology and Ricardo Valles Lopez for Automotive Refinishing Technology. In Virginia, Northern Neck Technical Center (Warsaw) students Tyreek Fortune and John Parks took home the Gold for Automotive Refinishing and Collision Repair Technology, respectively.

Valles Lopez’s victory is especially nice for Amanda Bolton, who enjoyed a stint as SkillsUSA chairperson for Maryland before stepping into the Auto Refinishing instructor position at the Center in August 2014.

“I think the students who participate in SkillsUSA maintain a high level of accuracy and have the

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Building tomorrow’s workforce today.

BY JOEL GAUSTEN

drive to be there,” she says. “It’s definitely an honor to be a part of SkillsUSA, and I think all of the students understand that.” (Another CAT-North student, Austin Hatch, took home a Second Place win in the Automotive Refinishing category.)

CAT-North’s annual SkillsUSA commitment begins in December/January, when Bolton and Collision Repair Technology instructor Keith Brown hold in-class competitions prior to the regional and state competitions, switching places to judge the other’s students on their skills.

“We don’t know the students we’re judging because Keith and I run our own separate programs,” Bolton explains. “It’s set up the same as the state or regional competition, where the students have a number associated with [them]. We check each other’s students’ work and come up with the top five people, because we have three contestants and two alternates who get to compete.”

In Brown’s mind, the primary goal of his program is to train students to be valuable entry-level additions to any shop in the area. This includes developing skills to successfully straighten dents, work with body filler and removing and installing parts.

“What we’re trying to do is get the students to be able to do that on a newer car without damaging anything,” he says. “It sounds like it shouldn’t be hard, but getting kids to take that kind of care and understanding takes some training and repetitive work. Hopefully, they can R&I parts successfully when they leave me.”

Welding is also a major component of Brown’s curriculum.

“A successful student in my class is able to do a good job of welding,” he offers. “The ones who are very successful can earn an I-CAR welding certification.”

Valles Lopez, Hatch and Seitz are currently involved in co-ops out in the field, while more than a third of Bolton’s students are already employed in the industry in some form.

“All of students are always asking me if I know of any place that’s hiring at the moment,” she says.

“Some of them want to be estimators; others want to be paint helpers.”

Facing Obstacles While Bolton and Brown have been successful in getting students placed in the industry, both admit that more than a few students are facing difficulties in the field. A former shop owner, Brown is sympathetic towards business owners who find it difficult to make a young new hire last.

“I would hire seven to 10 people off the street and keep one,” he admits of the old days. “This [industry] isn’t as easy as it sounds; the person who is successful in this trade has a really good feedback loop. They have to be able to see how things are progressing with the repair and make adjustments along the way. There’s a lot more detail and care on the surface than people not involved in the trade are aware of, especially when you’re talking about an entry-level tech who is responsible for removing and installing parts. Students will put things back together and leave a bolt out if they lose one. Trying to teach them organization is a challenge. It’s not the mechanics of where the bolts are located or which parts have to be removed to gain access; it’s creating the habit of checking their own work and being careful.”

Additionally, Brown cautions that placing a new technician with an unsuitable mentor at the shop is a recipe for further disaster.

“In a lot of cases, a shop will basically bring a student in and hand him over to an A tech and say, ‘Here, train him. He’s yours,’” he says. “If you’re a tech in a commission situation, the owner may have just cut your income by 20 percent by handing you a helper who knows nothing. The tech doesn’t know what he is getting into; he just thinks he’s there to learn. He doesn’t see why the work he’s doing isn’t valuable, so it’s a hard nut to crack unless the shop is willing to take some of the financial burden off the tech.”

Above all, Bolton stresses the importance of giving new recruits enough room to grow into the technicians they are meant to be.

“Be patient,” she advises. “A lot of these students are still learning; you don’t want to knock down their eagerness. Yes, of course they’re going to ask questions. No, they don’t have the experience. A lot of the technicians in the industry have 20-plus years of experience and are used to working on their own and just going and doing the job they were asked to do. They have to look back at how they were when they first entered the industry and how they were treated along the way.”

As Bolton sees it, one of the biggest issues affecting the shop/student relationship is a disconnect between some owners on the realities facing many of today’s collision repair programs.

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“We’re a school and we still have to teach them academic courses,” she explains. “Yes, we have shop time, but we run our live environment like a classroom and not like a shop. Sometimes the students don’t understand a shop mentality.

We often hear that employers want someone who knows technical language and it doesn’t matter if they can turn a wrench or not; other times, we hear that they want them to be able to physically work on the basics instead of knowing technical terms. It’s hard to make that connection, because the students are so used to sitting in a classroom environment and not having to work as hard as they would out in the industry.

We only get them for a few hours a day – and it’s not every day.”

Bolton adds that her students are honing their skills on donated cars that are already 1015 years old – if not older.

“The cars are not actually physically damaged, so I use the car writer to write on them where the damage would be,” she says. “When they do masking, I take an airbrushing waterbased paint to go over all of their masking to show where they might have had overspray. It’s not necessarily live work, but they get an idea of what it would be like to be in a shop. [This is

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COVER STORY

done] just because we don’t have the funds or the time to always do live work, plus we have to teach them all of the repair theory so that they can demonstrate it in the lab.”

Thankfully, Bolton’s colleague Jerry Kepich, who teaches CAT-North’s Diesel Power Technology program, was a recent recipient of the kind of donation that truly keeps a vocational environment going. In March, Perdue Farms gifted a truck valued at $24,000 to the school shortly after joining the Center’s Program Advisory Committee.

“After they attended the first Advisory Committee [meeting], they came down to look at our program,” Kepich says. “They mentioned that they had some trucks going out of service.

“One of our needs is tools and equipment,” he adds. “We also need vehicles within 10 years of age for the students to work on. With the downturn in the economy, we haven’t gotten a lot of vehicles from the manufacturers, so we depend on the public donating vehicles. [Perdue’s] hope is that if other companies see this, they may end up doing the same thing for the industry.”

As you can see, WMABA region schools are working hard to get quality students placed into long-running careers in this field, but they can always use a helping hand. With the technologies and demands surrounding this industry growing every day, now is the time to get involved to guarantee that you have the staff necessary to survive in the future. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts

Our local schools need collision repairers to, at minimum, pay attention. They need jobs to place students, people to advise their programs, assistance with funding and equipment and much, much more. WMABA is working on assisting them wherever possible and aligning members with those programs. They have the hardest job in our industry, and they deserve our help! - Jordan Hendler

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Getting to know the industry pros who work on your behalf.

MEET THE

BOARD KEVIN BURT

Tell us a little bit about your history. How did you get into automotive repair? How did you acquire your business?

Well, believe it or not, I started out working in a body shop and eventually started working for the Mattos organization in 1974. After many years with them, I had an opportunity to buy into Walker Mill Auto Collision [Capitol Heights, MD] in 2006 as a 50-percent partner. In 2010, my wife and I become the sole owners. Can you believe it? They said it wouldn’t last.

Small businesses and collision repair shops in particular need an active voice. WMABA provides that voice.

- Kevin Burt

What is your favorite thing about the work that you do?

Being able to provide “Excellence in Collision Repair” and continuing a high level of customer service.

When did you become a member of WMABA? When did you become a Board member?

I’ve been a Board member for five years and a member of WMABA since 2008.

Why is it so important for shops to be active in the automotive repair industry on a larger scale, such as in the association?

Small businesses and collision repair shops in particular need an active voice. WMABA provides that voice.

Who has had the biggest impact on you in your career?

When I started in this industry over 40 years ago, I looked up to the Mattos organization. Both John and Joe Mattos had a tremendous impact on me and were always involved in trying to improve our industry. It also gave me an opportunity to meet some

great industry leaders, such as Paul Krauss, Jim Hanagan, Hans Martinsen, Mike Anderson and Les Pomeroy. There are many more; I can’t name them all. I just want them to know the influence and impact they’ve had over the years.

How many people do you have employed at your shop? What sets your shop apart from others in the area?

We have a total of 11 employees. I believe what sets us apart is our size; it allows us to pay more attention to detail and the little things, which then allows us to provide a higher level of service for our customers.

What have been some of your biggest challenges in this field?

Like many small businesses around the country, there will always be challenges. It seems that the complexity of collision repair gets more intense every day. Add to that more and more regulations, excessive tax burdens [federal, state and local], skyrocketing costs of materials and extremely low Labor Rates, and you will find there is little room for error in what we do.

Where do you see the industry in the next 10 years?

Much more consolidation, OE certifications and repairs specialization.

What do you like to do in your spare time away from the shop?

What’s spare time? When it’s available, I like being out on the Chesapeake Bay. I enjoy spending time with my two dogs – and of course my family. H&D

July 2016

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July 2016

Koons Toyota Annapolis 1107 West Street Annapolis,MD 21401 Phone:(800)262-3330 Fax:(410)280-6361 roy.easter@koons.com

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Mark Schaech, Jr.

(410) 358-5155 mark@marksbodyshop.com

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE SECURING OUR FUTURE When speaking with shop owners, I often hear them say that it is difficult to find qualified technicians in our industry. As a shop owner, I have had plenty of personal experiences with this dilemma. When we hired technicians directly out of area vocational schools in the past, we found that many of these young men and women often struggled to get up to speed with the entry-level responsibilities of a working body shop.

Since this is clearly a problem for many others in the WMABA region, I believe it is up to WMABA member shops to work to solve it. As business owners, we need to be forward thinkers and plan for tomorrow’s workforce today.

I encourage our members to work with their local auto educators and school administrators to develop greater consistency among the various programs in the state and give collision repair students a solid and stable path to success and survival.

Visit your area auto body program and see if there are any equipment donations that you and/or your vendors could provide.

Offer to have students tour your shop for a clearer view into how things are done in the real world. Talk to school guidance counselors about what your business is looking for in an entry-level worker and how the school can better mold its students to meet these needs. What’s important is that you get involved and show interest in developing the labor pool that will be leading our industry in the next 10 to 20 years.

Whether you’re an MSO or a small family business, the tech shortage affects you. Please do your part in making sure we have the technicians necessary to bring us into the future. H&D

WE NEED YOUR LEGISLATIVE CONTRIBUTION! I appreciate WMABA working on my behalf at the state capitol(s)!

Here is my contribution to the legislative efforts.

P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116

Name: ______________________________________Company: __________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________ City:____________________________________________State: ______________________Zip: ________ Phone:

______________________________Email:

Donation Amount: Check Enclosed

$50

$100

____________________________________________ $500

Other ________________

Credit Card (Visa, Amex, MC)# __________________________________________________________ Exp: ________

Name on Card: ______________________________Signature: __________________________________ 44

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Alexandria Toyota ................................36 AP Media ............................................27 Audi Group ..........................................9

Axalta Coating Systems ......................OBC

BMW Group ........................................24-25 BMW of Fairfax....................................3

Caliber Collision ..................................39 CAPA ..................................................8

Chesapeake Automotive Equipment ..46

Collision Equipment Company ............IBC Empire Auto Parts................................40 Ford Group ..........................................28 GM Parts Group ..................................11

Honda Group ......................................19 Hyundai Group ....................................29

Koons Ford ..........................................40 Malloy Hyundai ....................................16

Mazda Group ......................................32 MINI Group ..........................................17 Mitsubishi Group..................................21 Mopar Group ........................................38

Nissan Group ......................................45 Nucar ..................................................4

O’Donnell Honda ................................39

P&L Consultants ..................................31 Packer Norris Parts ............................7

Porsche Group ....................................33

PPG ....................................................IFC Safety Regulations ..............................39

Steck Manufacturing............................36 Subaru Group ......................................37 Toyota Group ......................................42 USI of North America ..........................38 VW Group............................................43 Wheel Collision Center ........................46

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