Hammer & Dolly July 2022

Remembering Sheila Loftus

Hundreds Rally in Massachusetts for Labor Rate Reform

July 2022 Volume 15, No. 7 $5.95

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WHERE DOES YOUR DATA GO, AND WHO CAN ACCESS IT?

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CONTENTS July 2022

20 COVER STORY

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

WHERE DOES YOUR DATA GO, AND WHO CAN ACCESS IT? Errant data creates liability concerns.

NATIONAL FEATURE 8 REMEMBERING SHEILA LOFTUS

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK Fearless. Forceful. Fierce. Sheila.

2022 WMABA GOLF OUTING NOTICE 12 SAVE THE DATE! October 13, 2022 • Oak Creek Golf Club Upper Marlboro, MD

NATIONAL NEWS 14 HUNDREDS RALLY IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR LABOR RATE REFORM

BY ALANA QUARTUCCIO BONILLO Invest in your team’s future.

DEPARTMENTS 4

Editor’s message

6

Executive Director’s Message

7

WMABA Member Application

17 WMABA Sponsors 34 Advertisers’ Index

INDUSTRY ADVICE: ASK MIKE

32 HOW CAN BACKLOGGED SHOPS CONVINCE CUSTOMERS TO WAIT? Communicate your challenges to the customer.

July 2022

3

EDITOR’S

Chasidy Rae Sisk

302.593.7002 chasidy@grecopublishing.com

MESSAGE MAKING A MARK Every year has its ups and downs, but 2022 has been particularly unkind to my family. My mother lost her father (Ray B. Sisk, the man whose name I proudly carry), and my dad lost his mother. Then, their 17-year-old poodle passed away. This all occurred in just six weeks.

I’ll be honest: I’m garbage at grief. I hate being sad, but it’s difficult to wallow when you’re busy. So, I’ve stayed busy. I’ve thrown myself into my work, permitting only a few errant tears.

But the Grim Reaper refused to let me be. While planning this month’s editions, I learned that two industry giants had passed, and in order to honor them in our magazines, I’d need to get to know them posthumously. Stories about former Massachusetts Auto Body Association Executive Director Chris Muise wrent my heart as I imagined his sons carrying on without him.

Sheila Loftus…WOW! I’m in awe – and a little afraid – of Sheila. (Flip to page 20 to find out what I’m talking about.) I’ve never regretted not meeting someone so intensely before. I have plenty of regrets about some people I have met, but that’s a story for another time. This story is about something else entirely.

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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July 2022

After I interviewed Sheila’s friends and colleagues, I read back through my notes and started considering how to tell her story, how to honor this woman who I’ve come to admire through others’ memories.

I revisited the laughter, the sorrow, the frustration and every other emotion in various situations, many of which happened before I was born. And I realized something.

Despite never having a conversation with her, Sheila impacted me…and not just this past month. And beyond the obvious connection to WMABA and Hammer & Dolly because let’s face it – I couldn’t write this message if the magazine never existed.

But there are multiple less obvious ways in which Sheila’s actions have contributed to my life. As a pioneer woman in a maledominated field, she created a space for all women in collision, and by co-founding the Women’s Industry Network (WIN), she also started a community – the very community that convinced me that I belong here.

As a writer, her words helped shape the auto body industry, and anyone who is passionate about what they do has to admit that this is huge. To leave your footprint along your chosen path for others to follow, to leave a meaningful impression on this world…well, who doesn’t want that?

Maya Angelou said, “If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.”

Sheila Loftus left a mark. Chris Muise left a mark. This industry is their legacy.

Poppop (my maternal grandfather) left a mark too. I was named after Ray B. Sisk; I’m his legacy.

Let’s make them proud. H&D

STAFF PUBLISHER

Thomas Greco thomas@grecopublishing.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Alicia Figurelli alicia@grecopublishing.com

EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR

Alana Quartuccio Bonillo alana@grecopublishing.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Chasidy Rae Sisk chasidy@grecopublishing.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Donna Greco donna@grecopublishing.com

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Joe Greco .joe@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 © 2022 Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.­­ Stock Images courtesy of istockphoto.com.

July 2022

5

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S

Arm customers to fight insurer battles.

MESSAGE

Insurer Relations: Can a Customer Assume a “Fight” Will Ensue?

Many of the shop conversations I have are when something has gone wrong with an insurance claim for their customer.

Disagreements over Labor Rates, procedures, parts choice, delays in parts arrivals and more are relayed to me with high anxiety or pretty grumpy emotions. When things go right, I am not going to hear about it. Everyone is happy, the car is returned, and the customer is plodding back down the road and on with their life.

The question I’m coming to lately: Are there more bad experiences than good happening overall?

I hear of particular companies being consistently bad actors, but usually only a couple that “we don’t have any issues with.”

With that assumptively true, I have to think that every single time a customer calls, knowing the involved insurer will immediately matter in the conversation. I can just hear the returned disappointment when a favorite customer tells the receptionist or estimator the problematic insurer’s name.

As I am someone in the position of the customer, I would want to know if my insurer is a pain or will cause pain along the way. I know I would be an over-informed consumer and someone who would go to bat for the shop if there were issues. I understand that many customers are not willing – and just don’t have the time, energy, or desire – to get involved.

What I cannot wrap my head around is why our industry continues to go “into debt” for the customer who won’t do well by themself. A doctor, and especially a specialist, would be unlikely to call your insurance company on your behalf to get their bill paid. They’d just bill you…and either you pay, or they send it to collections. That is your own responsibility.

When admin time for a repair ramps up, every minute and hour spent costs money. I don’t know how well this number is normally tracked, but I am willing to bet it’s not tracked by many shops. Admin time is a direct job cost, and if not billed, it directly reduces the profitability. This is why I think shops were baited into DRP programs with low admin overhead, and nowadays is the same reason DRP participation is lagging.

Yet, I digress some from my initial point. The customer should be informed immediately – or as soon as possible – that

the insurer will be a problem. You could even share your recent personal experiences to give them a heads up. It’s not to say you need to do it for them. Then, when you give them the warning, they can plan ahead and have a level of expectation that is more reasonable to the forthcoming experience.

The more they know from you, the shop who they’ve entrusted their car to, the better. When what you warned them about does happen, you can bet their trust in you will skyrocket. If delays are expected, try to provide them with upper management contacts so they have additional outlets. The more resources you give them to fend for themselves, the less admin time you’ll have and the more you can focus on fixing their car correctly.

If you have thoughts or experiences to share with me, please call or email me and let’s chat! H&D

Jordan Hendler

(804) 789-9649 jordanhendler@wmaba.com

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

6

July 2022

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July 2022

7

NATIONAL

FEATURE

Remembering Sheila Loftus

Photo courtesy of Facebook

Founder, editor and publisher of Hammer & Dolly. Executive director of WMABA. Hall of Eagles inductee.

Founder of CRASH Network. Co-founder

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July 2022

of the Women’s Industry Network (WIN).

One of the first Most Influential Women honorees.

Any auto body professional would be

proud to hold a single honorific from this list of impressive accomplishments, but Sheila Loftus never settled for mediocrity.

As the executive director of WMABA and publisher of Hammer & Dolly from the early 1970s until 2007, this fearless trailblazer tirelessly advocated for the collision repair industry – even after her 2008 retirement.

Her death on May 13, at age 79, struck a blow to the hearts of many industry veterans who proudly recalled cherished memories of their friend.

“Sheila was a very intense woman,” shared Lou DiLisio (Automotive Industry Consulting, Inc.) who met Loftus in the mid-1980s at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) where she was “a regular fixture. It’s tough to describe her because people saw her in a lot of different lights. Many were intimidated

by Sheila because she had no problem expressing her thoughts. At the time, it was unusual for a woman to be in this industry…especially a woman who told you exactly what was on her mind! You may not have always agreed with her, but you had to respect her.”

Retired collision professional Frank Krauss first met Loftus at a WMABA meeting in the 1970s. “She was very funny and smart. Through her articles and her advocacy, she helped our shop – and our industry – in many ways. Sheila was an incredibly special person.”

“There was Prince and Cher, but there was also Sheila; she never really needed her last name because everyone knew exactly who Sheila was,”

Mourning the loss of collision’s most tenacious advocate.

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

acknowledged retired industry leader Chuck Sulkala. “There was no need for a last name. People simply knew who she was: a major force to be reckoned with!”

“Sheila was one of a kind; she was an amazing individual,” agreed Mike Anderson (Collision Advice). “Her heart bled for shops and for the consumer, and she acted as their voice. Their needs served as her moral compass. Sheila was ahead of her time. Looking back at all the people she mentored and things she accomplished…you’d expect her to have a Superwoman cape! She was the glue that held this industry together during tough times.”

“At the first annual I-CAR meeting in Chicago, a camera hung around the neck of the only woman in the audience. I overheard her passionately discussing OEM procedures, and amazed, I asked who she was. When she introduced herself as Sheila Loftus and told me about her publication, Hammer & Dolly, I got on her mailing list immediately, and from that point on, we were very good friends,” recounted Tony Lombardozzi, president of the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence (CCRE). “I called her the first lady of the collision industry.”

Yet, Loftus was a powerful, determined woman working in an industry dominated by men.

“Not a lot of women at the time were willing to jump in and do what Sheila did,” lauded WMABA Past President Torchy Chandler (Chandler’s Collision Center; Columbia, MD), who met Loftus when she opened her shop in 1975. “When I first started, there weren’t many women in the industry, and the few of us working in this field kept quiet. Sheila was a groundbreaker. She butted heads with the best of them and always said what she wanted to say because she had the ammo to back it up. She’d testify for bills in Annapolis, and she blasted them in the insurance commissioner’s office. Sheila was a forceful dynamo everywhere she went.”

“You always hear about a woman in a man’s world, but Sheila was a trailblazer who could hold her own with anyone,” Anderson insisted. “She was an amazing woman and one of the greatest mentors in my life.”

“People have tried to emulate Sheila, but she was one of a kind,” DiLisio emphasized. “She was one of the first women to come in and become one of the guys. She fit in and would go toe-to-toe with you. She was a pioneer in a man’s industry.”

“She enjoyed tremendous success as a woman in a man’s industry,” agreed retired industry leader Clark Plucinski. “She was a paradox who fought – and I mean, really fought – for the little guy.

Sheila was fearless. She was afraid of no one.”

Through her association leadership roles, Loftus focused on uniting repairers, and her ferocity as a journalist took the industry by storm.

“She was a paradox who fought – and I mean, really fought – for the little guy.

Sheila was fearless. She was afraid of no one.”

“Sheila understood the nuts and bolts of the collision industry without ever losing sight of the big picture,” contributed retired industry veteran Mike McCarroll. “She was brilliant and very much aware of our need to keep focused on our strength in numbers. She was my friend, and I miss her a lot.”

Referencing airbag defects in the early 1980s, DiLisio stated, “She stood up and fought them through her articles. She held their feet to the fire and brought the industry together on an issue we didn’t know how to address. She was great at bringing people together. Sheila was powerful.”

“Sheila had the fearlessness and endless curiosity to be a successful reporter in this industry,” shared John Yoswick (CRASH Network). “She never shied away from asking the tough questions or fiercely advocating for collision repairers. I’ve long felt that few people worked harder on the industry’s behalf than Sheila.”

“She wrote about controversial subjects and always fought for the little guy,” Anderson added. “She never went anywhere without her paper, pen and camera. She was often underappreciated, but that didn’t matter. Sheila just kept going; she made things happen.”

“Sheila wasn’t afraid to ask questions, so when she approached the microphone at CIC meetings, everyone cringed,” Lombardozzi chuckled. “You never knew what she was going to ask, but even though many people disagreed with what she said, everyone respected her. She was a true journalist who really investigated every story which is exactly what this industry needs.

And we saw changes as a result of the content she produced.

“She took on every controversial problem this industry had, whether it was training, the insurance industry or legislative battles,” he continued. “Some people disliked the articles she wrote, but everyone recognized ‘that lady’ knew what she was doing. Her convictions were strong, and she spoke up about anything she felt might hurt collision repairers; Sheila always had the industry at heart and fought to push it in the right direction.”

CONTINUED ON PG. 10 July 2022

9

NATIONAL FEATURE CONTINUED FROM PG. 9

Although her tenacity often led to contentious encounters with collision colleagues, Loftus earned respect, admiration and quite the reputation for her dedication to doing what she felt was right.

“In some of my industry consulting work, the topic of ‘Sheila’ seems to have always come up…and was usually followed by the questions, ‘What can we do to avoid her?’ ‘How do we deal with her?’ and ‘What is she like?’” according to Sulkala. “I simply could not answer those questions, except to say, ‘You don’t want her against you, and it is for sure she will not be on your side, but she will be straight with you and tell you exactly what she thinks. She has passion for what she believes is the right thing to do, and she will act on that passion regardless of who you are. And she will be tenacious.’ And she was all of that and more.”

Responding to clients that were told to “stay clear of Sheila,” Sulkala warned, “If you have something to hide, you can’t dig a hole deep enough to get away. She will find you.”

In her efforts to better the collision repair industry, Loftus mentored many, but everyone who interacted with her learned something.

“Don’t be afraid to speak up, but always know what you’re talking about,” Chandler recollected the most valuable lesson she learned from Loftus. “Gather the information you need to support the viewpoint you’re trying to get across to help someone understand. You’ll need that data to back you up and give you a leg to stand on if you want to succeed.”

“A lot of people are willing to live by principle but not willing to die by it,” Anderson repeated an important lesson Loftus taught him.

DiLisio entered the industry when he was 20 years old with a tendency to trust everyone. “Sheila took me under her wing and taught me that you can’t always trust what people say or do because they’re promoting their own agenda. She helped me navigate that situation and helped me embrace the lesson.”

Sheila taught Krauss “not to try to outsmart the insurance companies. She was very knowledgeable about how things operated between body shops and the insurance industry. For someone who didn’t work in a shop, she sure knew a lot about it.”

“Even when I’m in a room with folks who completely disagree with me, I know there’s a way to encourage them to open their minds so we can understand each other’s points of view,” Plucinski stated. “Sheila and I didn’t always agree, but she taught me that we could be respectful of each other and look at things from a different angle.

“When the students are ready, the teacher will appear,” he added. “Sheila was the teacher, and she was one of the pioneers to put our industry on the map. She worked hard and insisted we get

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July 2022

involved. She mentored me, and my relationship with her absolutely accelerated my growth in this field. She had the ability to transform those around her to make them stronger.”

Friends also shared some of their favorite memories of Loftus. Several individuals mentioned the fish-eye story, but as the offending party in the tale, Sulkala recounted it in detail.

“During an independent fact-finding mission to Taiwan to visit aftermarket parts manufacturers, about a dozen of us were at a luncheon meeting, seated around this big table. The food was arranged in the middle, on a huge lazy susan, so everyone could help themselves. Long before it was fashionable, Sheila was vegan, so she would not ‘eat anything with eyes’ as she told us. Well, one of the items on the menu was a whole broiled fish that had not been dressed, so this good-sized fish looked at me as we took turns filling our plates. On the other side, there was a particularly delicious item, so I kept turning the table so it would be in front of me for my dining pleasure.

“What I did not realize was that, while that item was directly in front of me, the fish with the eyes would end up halfway around the table, staring up at Sheila. She eventually found out that I was the one who caused that fish to be ever-present in front of her, watching her eat.”

Although Chandler’s memory came from 50 years ago, she remembers it “like it was yesterday. As we walked across the parking lot at my shop, she put her arm around me and said, ‘Stick with me kid, and I’ll make you a star.’”

Lombardozzi fondly recounted a time when Sheila and a couple other women decided to repair a Chevrolet Citation with a structurally and cosmetically damaged unibody.

“They started that repair at the beginning and followed it through to completion to demonstrate that I-CAR methodology could work if you paid attention and to prove that women belong in this industry.”

Krauss listed a two-week trip to Australia for an international body shop association meeting and Loftus’s wedding on the back of a boat as some of his best memories. DiLisio laughingly remembered Loftus twirling around the dance floor with CAPA’s Jack Gillis…and a broom in a nod to someone calling her “BroomHilda.”

Anderson’s memory was a little more sentimental than most.

“One year, when I was planning to dress as the Easter bunny to visit a children’s hospital, I was having trouble with my costume. Not only did Sheila assist with that, she and Sandra Quinn hopped on board and helped me raise money for the hospital. She convinced shops to donate and went with me to visit over 300 kids.

That really touched my heart.”

The memory of Sheila Loftus lives on in those she inspired directly – and indirectly – leaving a lasting legacy in her wake.

She barrelled right through the challenges that many have found insurmountable and earned others’ admiration.

“Those who didn’t get to know Sheila personally missed out,” Yoswick opined. “While we were always cordial during the time we were both working in the industry, it was really only in the last 10 or 12 years that I developed a real friendship and appreciation for her as a person. She was exceedingly generous. She cared so deeply about her family. She remained ever-curious and was always kind to not just her friends but really anyone she encountered.”

Sulkala imagines what Loftus is up to in the afterlife: “I am quite sure that she is already, right now, very busy interviewing many in our industry who have gone before us, looking to find out what they now think of their decision to do this or that. I can just imagine that she is peppering a few of them by pointing out how perhaps the result may have turned out just as she had expected back when things were happening and she was pushing for change. I can even see that ever-present piece of white cardboard that she used on her camera as a flash deflector. Rest well and get the scoop once again, my persistent friend. I look forward to seeing you and getting the inside scoop as only you could record it.” H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts My most favorite memory of Sheila was when I was just 15. I was tagging along for sightseeing, but there was an industry meeting Dad attended and she took us to a bar in DC afterwards. She scooped me up by the crook of the arm, and locked together she proclaimed, “I’ll make sure they let you stay for the fun, even though you’re not 21. You’re old enough!” Fast forward a short time to my industry career, and Sheila was so encouraging to speak up for issues I felt passionate about (which is a lot). She helped to pave the way for many in our industry, and she was instrumental in everything I’ve been able to do in my 23 years and counting. When taking over for her role with WMABA, I knew there were parts of those shoes I’d never be able to fill. Even beyond her retirement, if someone in our industry needed something from her, she’d step right up. I admire her work, her legacy and most of all her tenacity for everything she set out to do. -Jordan Hendler

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2022

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SAVE THE DATE!

July 2022

July 2022

13

NATIONAL

NEWS

Raise the rate now!

BY ALANA QUARTUCCIO BONILLO

Hundreds Rally in Massachusetts for Labor Rate Reform Collision repairers all over the country have had enough with stagnant and insufficient Labor Rates. In Massachusetts, repairers recently took a stand to make sure their cries were heard loud and clear when the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP/MA) organized a rally at their state Capitol, which brought hundreds of frustrated and determined collision repairers together to support proposed legislation that would bring along much-needed reimbursement rate reform.

Massachusetts, which has one of the highest costs of living in the country, has the lowest Labor Rate in the nation – at $40 an hour. The rate has remained unchanged for 34 years. AASP/MA is adamantly behind House Bill 1111/Senate Bill 709 which would bring an overdue increase to the rate that currently is not sufficient in covering technician and office worker salaries, equipment, rent, training, healthcare and all of a collision repair facility’s overhead costs. There’s also the factor of today’s vehicles requiring nothing but safe and proper repairs, and if they fail to do so, shops pay the high cost of accepting the liability.

Their efforts bore fruit. As this magazine went to press in early June, AASP/MA learned that the Joint Committee on Financial Services released HB 1111/SB 709 with an ‘‘ought to pass’’ recommendation. The bills are now awaiting the next steps in the process.

“Raise the rate now!” chanted the sea of collision repairers, vocational school students, vendors and other supporters, as they marched in a circle, cheering, roaring, blaring air horns and waving signs, while a parade of lettered shop vehicles and flatbed trucks

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July 2022

carrying damaged vehicles honked their horns each time they drove past the State House to demonstrate that they will not sit back and watch their industry die due to insufficient rates.

AASP/MA President Kevin Gallerani called it an “unbelievable showing” of support.

“This rate has been artificially suppressed for so long. It’s great to see the support we have out here today. It’s sad that we had to come down here and do this. Thirty-four years without a raise is unbelievable. I don’t know of any other industry that is dealing with this. Who is going to fix these cars for us? Who is going to fix them safely? That is why we are here today.”

AASP/MA Legislative Director-at-Large Tom Ricci (Body and Paint of Hudson) did not hide his passion for the cause as he took the mic.

“Thirty-four years! We’ve changed almost nothing!” he exclaimed. “This is our day to make A LOT of noise. Not just a little.

Don’t be shy. Let’s go! Let’s rock this place! Since 1988, the Labor Rate has not changed. We had a study done in 2008 that did nothing!

We just had the Labor Rate studies done again. We can’t wait any longer. That is why we are here today. That is why we need to make some noise!”

“We are here to highlight the corporate greed, injustice and dishonesty of the insurance industry for stagnating wages of the auto body industry,” relayed AASP/MA Lobbyist Guy Glodis. “The facts don’t lie. You haven’t had a pay raise in 34 years!”

Glodis pointed out that the Consumer Price Index has gone up CONTINUED ON PG. 31

July 2022

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COVER STORY Where Does Your Data Go, and Who Can Access It?

Cars know more about their drivers than vehicle owners know about their cars these days.

Many benefits come from the ever-increasing technology turning our transportation into supercomputers on wheels, such as improvements in safety and convenience factors, but those same systems that improve the driving experience also pose potential privacy hazards by collecting – and potentially sharing – vehicle data. What a scary thought!

Data sharing concerns grow even more frightening for

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July 2022

collision repair shop owners who often find that their data has been accessed without their knowledge or consent. Data pumps constantly monitor the estimate management standard (EMS) export routine, so once the data file is exported, those data pumps create and transmit copies of that exported data. Even once a shop stops using a specific resource, the data pump will continue to send information to that provider indefinitely until it is uninstalled…often without the shop realizing what’s happening.

“We understand nothing about what’s being collected

Protect your data, protect your business.

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

because it’s all being done covertly,” lamented Barry Dorn (Dorn’s Body & Paint; Mechanicsville, VA). “I’d love to tell you that we have control over our facility’s data, but it’s so easy for someone from a supplier to call up and ask to install software. We have pretty tight controls, but it’s not impossible to believe someone who doesn’t know any better would allow them into a shop’s system.”

“Repair facilities feel really vulnerable to this issue,” indicated Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). “They interact electronically with countless entities throughout the course of conducting their business of repair – repair planning, parts ordering, rental updates, CSI – but in many cases, they have no way of knowing the full extent of where the data is going and whether those companies share it further.”

“I don’t feel as if we have control over our customers’ data, especially after it leaves our system,” confirmed Kris Burton (Rosslyn Auto Body; Alexandria, VA), who worries about “potentially being held liable for reporting information that ties back to us, which is inaccurate” and would like to better understand “who collects it, why they collect it and who is benefiting financially from it. Everyone wants to use our data for their financial gains, while shops are never compensated for anything above repair lines on the estimate. Do they share it? Did they receive permission? Are people made aware of it?”

So, who does collect that data, and why?

“Numerous entities collect data in the collision and auto claims industry, and in some cases, the data is collected as part of processing a collision repair or auto claim,” Jack Rozint (Mitchell International) stated. “Some uses of data are for very specific purposes, and parts providers, rental companies, and the information providers are examples of entities that collect data as part of the business services that they provide. For example, car rental companies often collect data from the estimate [related to] labor hours which helps them predict the length of the rental and allows for better management of the rental cycle for their insurance partners.

“Others, such as the vehicle history companies and data aggregators, specialize in data aggregation around the entire auto ownership lifecycle and will purchase data from entities within the collision and claims industry as well as from government agencies, tow companies and auto mechanical repair shops,” Rozint added.

“These are just a few examples – and in fact, the data from a single estimate may wind up in dozens of databases. While the amount paid for one data transaction is small, the number of transactions can be very large, resulting in millions of dollars in data value per year.”

Because it’s so valuable to certain entities, data has been dubbed the “newfound gold” in many industries, including the

collision and automotive fields.

“Estimate information – including personal identifiable information (PII) and repair data – is being shared with a vast number of industry trading partners a shop does business with,” explained Pete Tagliapietra (DATATOUCH, LLC). “A trading partner installs a software control, commonly referred to as a data pump, to monitor the estimate directories, and as it monitors those directories, it automatically grabs that EMS export to provide access for that trading partner to use that information to meet the needs of the collision repair shop. But it also grants them access to a voluminous amount of information in many situations.

“Imagine a number of tentacles reaching out to access this information in an uncontrolled way,” he continued. “They want certain information, but they’re not only receiving that manufacturer’s information; they’re getting all of the estimate information, allowing them to aggregate and repurpose it. Not everyone is doing this, but several companies are collecting data for various financial reasons.

And shops have little to no control.”

A large part of the problem lies with the EMS export itself.

Intended for internal use only, no security functions were built into the export. Yet, within the repair shop space, data pumps have become the standard way for shops to communicate with their trading partners, and unfortunately, that has led to information misappropriation, according to Tagliapietra.

As an example, he described a situation in which a shop writes an estimate and repairs a vehicle, and within a few days, information shows up in CARFAX. The shop has no clue how it got there, and the customer is angry that their information was shared.

“A couple years ago, we ran a particular vehicle through CCC and Mitchell to source OEM parts. We did not send the estimate anywhere else, but 35 days later, it showed up on CARFAX,” Dorn recalled. “Our biggest fear is that we have inadvertently shared customers’ data with entities without knowing it’s going out. If that can happen to us, how does it affect our customers?”

“How does CARFAX get their data?” Burton pondered. “Does the data come from estimating companies, parts ordering websites or insurance companies through our estimating platforms? Consumers should be given a choice about what information is shared, and the shops should be made aware and asked for permission as well.”

Hammer & Dolly reached out to CARFAX to find out where it obtains data, how data can be obtained without permission from the consumer or the shops, and how shops can protect themselves from data being inadvertently shared.

CONTINUED ON PG. 24 July 2022

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COVER STORY CONTINUED FROM PG. 21

“More than 131,000 data sources across North America report information to CARFAX,” CARFAX Public Relations Director Emilie Voss responded to our query. “The details associated with a single event on a CARFAX report may have been reported to CARFAX from several sources, both public and private. CARFAX recognizes the importance of accurate information, and therefore, the Help Center on carfax.com provides an easy, quick way to send CARFAX requests for data verifications and corrections.”

Although consumers may be aware of data being shared in some cases, “more often, they are not aware of most data sharing that occurs,” Rozint acknowledged. “The consumer typically drops off the vehicle to be repaired and doesn’t think much about the numerous transactions that will occur during the repair process in which their data might be shared. Even the repairers are sometimes unaware of all the data sharing that might occur based on the work they are processing. With consumer data privacy becoming a hot topic, it is much more important for repairers to understand all of the data sharing that is occurring and for them to secure the consumer’s written permission to share data as necessary to process the repair.”

“Some of the biggest concerns from shops are when customers come back to the repairer and say, ‘I only shared this with YOU, and now it’s on my vehicle history report…and it is YOUR fault,’” Schulenburg noted. “For many of these businesses, they may have already taken every precaution they can think of.”

That’s certainly the case for Dorn.

“Although we’ve never allowed insurers to install data pumps on our systems, we used to utilize PartsTrader per one carrier’s request. Since then, we’ve tried to delete everything because we’re sticklers for not allowing pumps. We even had CCC come to the shop to conduct tests, and they couldn’t figure out how CARFAX is getting our data. About five months ago, we started having our parts department only include the last eight of the VIN to suppliers, but all of our data goes back to the data providers – literally everything!

“Everyone claims they scrub the data they receive, but how do you know?” Dorn continued. “They aggregate that data and use it for a multitude of reasons that may or may not help me. I wish we had a better idea about how the data is being collected, but it seems like there are multiple cracks in the dam. There needs to be more transparency and a way that we can control the data coming in…and more importantly, the data going out.”

Reacting to shops’ concerns about data sharing, the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) has been exploring this topic in-depth.

In addition to establishing Data Protection and Sharing “Golden Rules” (available at bit.ly/CICGold), the organization’s Data Access, Privacy and Security Committee’s current focus largely revolves around this issue, “primarily in regard to repair estimate data through July 2022 24

CIECA EMS and business message suite (BMS) files,” according to Committee Co-Chair Trent Tinsley.

Referencing a recent CIC discussion about VIN data being sent to multiple suppliers to get parts pricing and availability information while the estimate is being created, Rozint mentioned, “It appears that some of this VIN data may be shared by one information provider’s parts procurement service and then be ‘leaking’ from some suppliers on that parts system to vehicle history companies as there have been CARFAX collision repair reports on vehicles for which nothing more than a test estimate was written – the vehicle was never in a collision, parts were never ordered, and the vehicle was never repaired. In this case, you can have EMS and BMS exporting turned off and have all the data security services available on the back end turned on, but your estimate data is still being shared – possibly without your knowledge or explicit permission. For the record, Mitchell does not share VIN data in this manner when writing an estimate.”

“Everyone claims they scrub the data they receive, but how do you know? There needs to be more transparency and a way that we can control the data coming in…and more importantly, the data going out.”

For over 30 years, EMS has been used in hundreds of applications and services, and “it is reliable and has proven to work well for the industry,” Rozint insisted when questioned about why the industry has not yet converted to BMS. “If EMS were ended abruptly, numerous applications and services would immediately stop working and would require users to rekey data or switch applications. For many applications that use EMS, the data stays within the four walls of the business. In these internal business processes, there is low risk of data being compromised and so continued use of EMS does not present a problem.”

“Many shops conduct business with insurers, OEMs, production management systems, parts providers and other trading partners using estimate-level data,” Tinsley pointed out. Although the committee has not been focused on whether payments are being

collected for this data when it’s distributed, he indicated that in the majority of cases, “estimate data is not being paid for by either the shop or their trading partner.”

“Based on my information and beliefs, CARFAX receives the vast majority of its collision repair data from industry stakeholders who gather and sell this information to vehicle history providers,” Tagliapietra dissented. “They’re being paid handsomely for data they acquired for free, but I don’t believe people are considering the consequences of how this data is being used. Consumers are typically unaware that their data has been shared until they decide to trade their car in and the dealer informs them that it was in an accident.”

Tinsley agreed that consumers are rarely aware that their data is being shared, “unless the repairer has this outlined in the repair authorization itself or in a CSR word track,” and he stressed, “It is important that shops be aware of this for many reasons. EMS is still the primary way shops are communicating estimate data to their trading partners, though many of these companies are converting EMS data into BMS formats once received. The committee believes that education for the industry is key to encourage more BMS capabilities to be available to repair shops. Our goal is ‘data control:’ putting data in the hands of the repairers to control what they share, when and with whom.”

That lack of control seems to be the aspect of data sharing that creates the most concern for many shops.

“Shops need an efficient way of sharing information with the trading partner, but they also need an effective solution that allows them to control and manage their information so they’ll know exactly what information is being sent and who receives it, plus they must be able to eliminate the customer’s and vehicle’s PII,” Tagliapietra believes. “Shops are not informed that their information is being pulled and sold to benefit their partner’s business without their knowledge or consent, and I feel shops deserve the right to decide what information they want to share and who they want to share it with.”

Industry experts considered how shops can protect their data and provided some suggestions.

Encouraging collision repairers “to have dialog with vendors and be selective about who you share or exchange data with,” Schulenburg identified CIC’s “Golden Rules” as “ a good launching off point for the conversation surrounding data access, exchange and protection; a shop might ask their vendors if they follow these practices and ask for their response in writing for their files.”

“Shops should know who they are sharing estimate data with and for what business purpose,” Tinsley suggested, identifying this as a key concern in CIC’s development of its Data Protection and Sharing “Golden Rules.” “The committee doesn’t advocate for or

against any entity that a shop chooses to do business with, but we highly encourage shops to know this information.”

Rozint offered some additional advice for repairers: “First, understand local and federal laws related to data sharing.

Second, work to understand all of the data sharing that is occurring based on the applications and services being used in the business.

This takes time but is critical to ensuring that your business is protected. Third, choose providers that have a written commitment to data protection and have a proven track record of both protecting data and not restricting users access to their own data. Most importantly, beware of software companies with large market share that promise to ‘protect’ your data by restricting access.

“Data is becoming the ‘gold’ in most industries with the data having value to multiple public and private entities years after the claim is settled and the repair is complete,” Rozint added. “If companies with large market share are the only ones with full access to all industry data, they can restrict competition and increase pricing while leaving repairers with no market alternatives. If any company in either your personal or professional life promises to ‘protect’ your data through a service that they control and in doing so will restrict your access to your own data, you may want to think very carefully about how much control you are relinquishing.”

While BMS offers some security because it allows for segmentation of data, EMS is “so entrenched in the industry that there’s no motivation to change,” according to Tagliapietra. “It’s up to the information providers and industry trading partners to stop supporting EMS. In the meantime, the majority of collision repair shops have no idea that there are data pumps running and collecting information for particular entities with whom they wouldn’t want to share their data. Those data pumps continue to operate ad finitum, and it’s hard to find, identify and uninstall illegitimate data pumps.

“It aggravates me that shops are giving data away – and have been for a long time,” Tagliapietra opined. “There’s currently no foolproof way to prevent it, but we are hoping to change all that.”

Recognizing the industry’s need to control its data, Tagliapietra launched DATATOUCH, LLC earlier this year. The software monitors EMS directories, identifies all the software controls copying exported EMS data and alerts the shop to any illegitimate data pumps that may be running.

“Shops have no option to inform them what data pumps are running on their computer systems and who installed them,” he emphasized. “They don’t have the ability to easily detect and remove them, and they’re unable to manage their information to avoid sharing PII, which is a huge issue. Shops must be able to control the amount of repair data that’s shared to minimize the overall exposure of that data being repurposed.”

CONTINUED on PG. 26 July 2022

25

COVER STORY CONTINUED FROM PG. 25

• School Outreach Program

DATATOUCH’s software is designed to locate illegal data pumps running in a shop’s environment, and if found, they can also license software to help them remove those data pumps.

Additionally, shops will have the ability to configure each legitimate data pump to eliminate transferring PII. DATATOUCH expects to make its software available to the industry in the third quarter of 2022.

Tagliapietra reiterated the benefits of converting to BMS but noted, “Until that happens, DATATOUCH wants to provide the collision repair industry with the software tools to eliminate the unwitting data sharing that currently occurs and which has been happening for over 20 years. We haven’t seen any other options out there for shops, so we’re basically on the basement floor with this issue – and that means there’s nowhere to go but up.” H&D

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Executive Director’s Thoughts

Why Join WIN? WIN offers education, mentoring and leadership development opportunities to build critical skills for success in the collision repair market.

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Data is the gold of this century, and I’ve had many shops and consumers contact us about misuse of their own. It’s so frustrating to hear a customer of a trusted facility feel betrayed when you know they are not the culprit. It has been a source of industry frustration and discuss for years, and with all the movement in the area of data privacy. Our industry needs to come to terms - or maybe better, agreement - with running out the culprits who are causing the consumer harm. No doubt a class action would get their attention, but who wants to wait for that to happen?! -Jordan Hendler

• Mentoring Opportunities womensindustrynetwork.com

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An association fostering the exchange of ideas and providing a voice and support for the collision repair professional.

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Steven Krieps srkrieps@live.com 304-755-1146

VICE PRESIDENT: Rodney Bolton rbolton@aacps.org 443-386-0066

SECRETARY: Phil Rice phil@ricewoods.com 540-846-6617

TREASURER: Kris Burton kris@Rosslynautobody.com 703-820-1800

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

Position Your Business as a Leader!

Just like equipment and training, WMABA membership is not only a commitment to excellence, but also a valuable investment.

WMABA is recognized both regionally and nationally as the key forum for the exchange of ideas concerning the D.C., MD, VA and WV collision repair industry. It is the venue to discuss, learn about and impact evolving standards and policies in the technical, administrative and legislative fronts of our industry.

Shops and industry supporters can best develop themselves and their employees by actively engaging in the association and its activities.

Automotive collision repair facilities in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. who are willing to adopt WMABA’s Standards of Membership and offer a guarantee to their consumers are encouraged to engage their business as an active member of the association. For over 40 years, the WMABA membership of professional collision repair businesses and affiliates have committed to operating at a higher standard on behalf of their industry and their consumers. Over the years, WMABA has proudly represented the collision repair industry at hearings on Capitol Hill, in Annapolis, MD, and Richmond, VA as well as almost every national collision repair event. While WMABA has a rich history of dedicated men and women serving the local collision repair community, WMABA also boasts numerous past and current accomplished Board members who represent our membership at the national level.

WMABA offers current and dynamic discussion forums on topics facing collision repairers, technical information and educational seminars, opportunities to network and discuss pressing topics with leaders of the collision repair industry, an arbitration program that works with consumers to help resolve issues they might have, apprenticeship programs, legislative representation and the ability to receive and contribute to one of the nation’s leading collision repair magazines, Hammer & Dolly.

Barry Dorn bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com 804-746-3928 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Jordan Hendler jordanhendler@wmaba.com 804-789-9649

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

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

“

Contact Executive Director Jordan Hendler to find out how WMABA can amplify YOUR voice in the collision repair industry.

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NATIONAL NEWS CONTINUED FROM PG. 14 137 percent over that same time period and insurance premiums, which Glodis called the insurance companies’ “pay raise,” has gone up 254 percent! The crowd booed loudly in protest.

AASP/MA Executive Director Evangelos “Lucky” Papagoerg stressed that passing these bills is about avoiding future stagnation of the Labor Rate.

“Once those bills are passed, the rate will increase based on your cost of doing business, just like any other retail business out there.”

Papageorg commended everyone for taking the time to show support for the cause.

“Today’s rally, along with everything else we have been doing with the association, has been a team effort. We are a true Alliance!” H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts I am so impressed by the ability of this association to bring everyone together for a common cause. This rally is just amazing, and their endeavor to challenge lawmakers and state their case is inspiring. While it usually take a catastrophe to create this kind of momentum, it would be just as wonderful if we could come under the umbrellas that matter more often. Their public display certainly has my wheels turning! -Jordan Hendler

July 2022

31

INDUSTRY

ADVICE

ASK MIKE:

How Can Backlogged Shops Convince Customers to Wait?

This month, we “ASK MIKE” to share his thoughts on how backlogged shops can keep customers happy without making promises they can’t keep and overextending themselves. 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 industryrelated matter that he can answer in a future issue.

Hammer & Dolly: Shops are facing considerable customer service challenges right now. For any number of reasons, they may be backlogged by five or six weeks, but they are afraid to admit that to a customer. Instead, they’ll say, ‘No problem; we can take your car.’ As a result, they overextend themselves, likely finish that repair later than promised and upset that customer. What can shops do – short of burning themselves out – to stay above and ahead of that problem?

Mike Anderson: Broken promises lead to loss of trust. Back when I had my shops, I was in a 20 Group meeting where someone asked, ‘How many of you think your employees trust you?’ I raised my hand and said, ‘My employees love me! I know they trust me.’ He said, ‘Would you be willing to have me come in and survey them for you?’ I said, ‘Absolutely!’ So, he came in and surveyed them. As I sat in my office, waiting for him to come in and tell me that my

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July 2022

employees trusted me, he came in and shut the door. I thought, ‘Oh, no. That’s not a good sign.’ He told me that less than 60 percent of my employees actually trusted me.

I panicked at the thought they were all going to be looking for jobs. He said, ‘No, they love you, but they don’t trust you because you make promises that you don’t keep. You said when you hired them that you’d review their pay after 90 days, or you told them that if you hired them on the wash rack, you’d give them a chance to be a body tech.

These were broken promises.’ They realized that wasn’t my intention, but it didn’t excuse what I did. I went to my employees and said, ‘If I ever break my word or your trust, let me know.’ I made all of those things right.

When I started consulting for shops, I did a similar survey of those shops’ employees. At one shop in particular, three employees said the owner made promises he didn’t keep.

One young lady who worked there said, ‘The owner said that if I ever referred someone and they worked out, I’d be paid a $500 referral bonus. I never received that bonus, and that was two years ago.’ I knew the owner was an honorable person, but he forgot and didn’t honor his word. I’m sure his oversight affected that employee’s performance over those two years. That happened to me at times; I got so busy that I didn’t always respond to people in a timely manner, and I lost people’s trust. I modified my behavior and put the email address of my assistant, Tiffany, on the back of my business card. Tiffany knows when I’m traveling and whether I’m available or not, and she’ll schedule a call so I keep my word and follow up with people.

Today, if we make a promise to a customer and we don’t keep it, we lose their trust. I don’t care how good of a job you do. If you say, ‘Hey, I’ll fix up that one chip for you for free’ and you do a perfect $10,000 job but don’t touch-up that chip,

Transparency builds trust.

that’s all the customer focuses on.

Time is our biggest commodity today. If you tell somebody, ‘Come in and get an estimate,’ and when they show up, we tell them we can’t get to their car for six weeks, we’ve just wasted their time. Why didn’t we tell them that from the beginning? We need to recognize that our customers’ time is very valuable.

If we overextend ourselves to accommodate a customer, we’re now adding stress on a staff that is already burned out and setting ourselves up for failure. We need to be disciplined, and we need to be honest with people.

We’d be better off just being honest with them. If you take somebody’s car in and then the repair takes a couple extra weeks, they’re just getting more and more frustrated. Maybe their rental car coverage runs out, and now they’re going to be even angrier. Maybe the shop offers to pay for the rental, 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).

causing the shop to lose money on the job. There’s so much work available that it will actually benefit us if we learn to say ‘no’ to the wrong jobs and ‘yes’ to the right ones.

H&D: As difficult as it may be, sometimes it’s better business for a shop to walk away from a job.

MA: One hundred percent – especially if you know that an insurance company is going to be difficult to work with. One example would be a Toyota dealer that becomes a DRP for somebody who sends them a lot of vehicles that aren’t Toyotas. That dealer then prioritizes the DRP jobs over its own brand. We can’t be all things to all people. Sometimes, saying ‘no’ is the best thing we can do.

H&D: Here’s a left-field thought: Do you see a silver lining in this situation where a customer can

actually end up being retained because a shop is struggling to keep up with its schedule?

MA: Yes. Just being honest is the best policy. If you’re going to bring a customer to a shop to write an estimate – and before you tell them that you’re going to be booked up for six weeks – try to sell them on why you’re worth waiting for. Treat it like a game: How can I get that person to be willing to wait six weeks for me? Sell them on your quality and customer service. Tell them, ‘I can’t fit you in right now, but I promise that when I do get you in, this is what you’re going to get.’ You could do temporary repairs for customers to convince them to wait. Get your whole staff on board and have conversations about how to persuade a customer to wait for you. You may not have all the answers, but your team just might.

H&D

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Jim - Collision Repair Shop

To reach ALL parts departments by phone:

410-574-8305 or 1-855-PNP-PART www.packernorrisparts.com

With 58+ daily departures - we provide FREE deliveries to businesses located in parts of Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Northern Virginia, and Washington DC. Contact us to see if we can deliver to you!

(767-7278)

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Series

BACK BY POPUL AR

DEMAND FX Series returns with 12 original cand y concentrates for endless color creati v it y and pure brilliance.

M AV ERICK REQUES T ED. M AV ERICK APPROV ED. W W W . VA L S P A R A U T O . C O M / M AT R I X E D G E A brand by