Here’s to 241 years of combined service excellence
This year, as Albert Kemperle Inc. celebrates its 83rd anniversary, BASF also celebrates its 158th anniversary. We are proud of our decades of partnership with BASF and years of serving the auto paint and body industry together. Kemperle’s founders would be proud of this relationship and the growth their company has experienced because of it.
Today, as we look forward to many more decades of service to our customers, we find ourselves filled with gratitude. The creativity, hard work, and sense of responsibility of the people working for our two companies have made us what we are today.
Thank you for your many years of loyalty.
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I’m writing this article after just getting back to work from our 2024 Southeast Collision Conference. It was truly an awesome event, starting with the reception and awards dinner on Thursday night. WMABA gave out two awards: one for Board Member of the Year and another for Most Improved Shop of the Year. The awards went to a well deserving person (Phil Rice) and company (D&V Autobody). While Friday and Saturday were filled with awesome educational classes and the tradeshow floor was packed with vendors and booths supporting our industry, there were so many more positive things that happened!
One of the coolest things I saw take place happened on the center stage of the trade show floor when the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA) gave away tool grant scholarships to eight deserving younger technicians. We all hear about labor shortages and how there are no young people who want to get involved in the industry; the narrative is always focused on how kids don’t want to work anymore, but I’ve found that to be quite the opposite. Here is a local collision repair association, pushing back on that inaccurate narrative and changing their market by impacting one student at a time. The genuine appreciation on their faces when the apprentices received the tool grants lets you know the lasting impression this made and how this was one of those special moments that will change their path and hopefully guide toward making the collision industry their career.
I wanted this article to share what was gained and what was missed by not attending. Hands down, one of the biggest opportunities has to be networking – the opportunity to meet and talk with other shops truly has no substitute. All the shops that attend are doing so to improve their businesses and grow. No
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PRESIDENT Kris Burton kris@rosslynautobody.com - 703-820-1800
VICE PRESIDENT Phil Rice phil@ricewoods.com - 540-846-6617
TREASURER John Shoemaker john.a.shoemaker@basf.com - 248-763-4375
SECRETARY Barry Dorn bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com - 804-746-3928
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one has all the answers, but the first step is always just to show up, walk up and introduce yourself. Meeting with other operators who have the same mindset is refreshing and motivating. While there weren’t as many WMABA shops there as I would have liked, the ones who attended were fully engaged, and I guarantee they learned a lot…enough to make a change in their businesses.
The trade show floor was packed with vendors and booths demonstrating the latest frame machines, welders and rivet guns along with paint companies and their jobbers. There was also a vast amount of software companies offering different types of products from estimating, shop management, marketing, paint material calculators, ADAS, scanning and calibrations, rental cars and diminished value and total loss companies.
The biggest takeaway for me was the number of shops in the Carolinas that show up, and they did not just show up; they also “listened with the intent to be influenced.” All different types of shops were there, and although not all of them operate the same, they all let their guards down and don’t see each other as competition but as peers with whom they can share their experiences and learn from one another. It’s something I’d love to see WMABA shops get to – where our meetings are packed and we all come together to learn and prop each other up!
Lastly, I’d like to thank all the vendors because we wouldn’t be able to do this without them. I’m grateful to the volunteers and the WMABA and CCA teams for the hard work put in behind the scenes to make it a successful conference. Next year, we will be hosting in our region, and it’s up to us to show up in strong numbers! H&D
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LEANING INTO LEADERSHIP: Mentoring Your Future
There are many ideas and themes you could draw from attending the Southeast Collision Conference’s Collision P.R.E.P. class roster, but my favorite theme of the week from our gathering has to be mentorship.
So, what does mentorship mean for our industry today? It looks a bit different, depending on whether we’re talking about recruiting or personal growth. No matter what the angle, mentoring the next generation and into the future means the same thing: leaning into each other for shared leadership and borrowing wisdom.
Recruiting with Mentors
Getting into the collision industry is a steeper ask than it’s ever been. To someone who has no experience, I could imagine it being a daunting ask to jump in on what looks like chaos, even in the best run shops. Most of the roles are steep needy loads of tasks never before seen, and in programs or vehicles more complex than ever.
If we have hope of luring folks in, we need to make these leaps attainable. Star technicians need to humble themselves with the yoke of leading their apprentices into becoming knowledgeable. I don’t know about what you experience, but some rockstar techs need a lesson in lessening pride. Getting their buy-in depends on their “what’s in it for me”, which could easily be financially managed with the right structure. This can also be true for painters, repair planners, blueprinters, and managers alike.
The goal is to grow these opportunities in which we can turn the untrained into professionals, and it takes a boatload of patience and intentionality. It’s proven over and over to be an effective and, over time, efficient way to grow your team. Just make sure you’re growing them in the places they can thrive. Planting people in a place where negativity thrives will never yield the employee of tomorrow that you want.
be learning from others. I thrive on creating and growing things, whether it be our association initiatives or attendance to events or my own way of organization and logistics. Empowerment comes from knowing you have people in your corner, helping you to realize these desired skills or knowledge. I am so grateful I have a lot of people in my corner, in my community.
The chosen circle of trusted advisors is the place where we should feel both ends of the comfortability spectrum. From feeling safe to being pushed off cliffs, I trust those around me to tell me the truth. Regardless of my emotions, I know they are here to push and assist me to be the very best version of myself. It is a constant movement so I don’t stay where I am long.
Mentored and Mentoring for Leaders
I know I say it a lot, but truly I believe in gaining wisdom from others. A concept of humanity since forever, we always learn from others just down the road from us. They have already lived it, experienced it, and have opinions about it, so why wouldn’t I want to learn from those who have what I need?
We all could pause and reflect on areas of growth we want, and put a focus on it. It’s a goal of my own to constantly
There are times when I feel down and struggle with my current situation. It is this place, the one that is the most uncomfortable, where I am the most thankful to have mentors who have poured into my future. I can only return the favor by pouring what I know out for others. The more we live this, the better we can all become. And the better our industry is for the whole of it!
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WMABA’s Rosslyn Auto Body Celebrated Among Collision Warriors at Spartan 300 Symposium
Spartans – Greek warriors renowned for their abilities over 2,500 years ago – were known to be the elite among soldiers of their day. They did not take up arms only when battle raged; they trained constantly in order to be prepared when the need for war arose. And their formidable courage allowed no trepidation even when they were vastly outnumbered.
Auto body shops often indicate a feeling of being “the only one,” but similar to the warriors of ancient Greece, the Collision Advice Legacy Group Spartan 300 serves “to bring together likeminded individuals to take a stand for safe and proper repairs and change the course of history.” Last month, Mike Anderson (Collision Advice) and his team celebrated the best of the best during the 2024 Spartan Symposium, recognizing shops for everything from Customer Convenience to Estimating Accuracy, Scanning Compliance and more.
Congratulations to WMABA member shop Rosslyn Auto
Body (Alexandria, VA) on being awarded a spot in the “100 Percent Club!”
Just over a dozen facilities nationwide were recognized with this achievement, which celebrated shops for using 100 percent OEM parts during 2023.
“Receiving this recognition is very meaningful to our shop because we strive to provide the best possible repairs for our clients, and we believe that can be accomplished by using OEM parts,” WMABA President Kris Burton (Rosslyn Auto Body) shared. “Because the insurance companies paying the repair bill don’t always want to pay for OEM parts, we’ve learned to engage in clear, upfront communication with the vehicle owner in regard to our processes and procedures when it comes to using OEM parts. Sometimes, the customer has to pay the difference, but we’ve found that many are willing to do that when we educate them about why it’s so important for their safety. Sometimes, Superior
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the customer is not willing to pay the difference, and that’s okay; we may not be the right facility for every customer, but we only use OEM parts because it’s important to us that we are providing what we believe to be the best repair possible.”
Burton was honored that his family’s shop was named among this year’s 100 Percent Club recipients. “The Spartans are a great group of high-level shops, so just being a part of it is awesome. Being recognized by a group of that caliber really means a lot and shows that all our hard work and efforts to do the right thing truly matter. Some of the shops recognized at the Spartan Symposium are the best of the best nationally, so being on stage with them was pretty exciting and rewarding.”
Learn more about Collision Advice’s Legacy Group Spartan 300 at collisionadvice.com/spartan-300 H&D
WHAT IS ADAS CALIBRATION? PRECISION IN EVERY CALIBRATION.
calibration is the precise adjustment of your vehicle’s sensors cameras, essential for the optimal functioning of advanced safety This process is especially following significant repairs, replacements, collisions, or windshield replacements, as these can disrupt sensor alignment. important to avoid driving without sensor calibration. Uncalibrated sensors can compromise vehicle’s safety features, leading potential malfunctions and hazards.
ADAS calibration is the precise adjustment of your vehicle’s sensors and cameras, essential for the optimal functioning of advanced safety systems. This process is especially critical following significant repairs, part replacements, collisions, or windshield replacements, as these events can disrupt sensor alignment. It’s important to avoid driving without proper sensor calibration. Uncalibrated ADAS sensors can compromise your vehicle’s safety features, leading to potential malfunctions and driving hazards.
calibration of ADAS can be performed main ways: static and dynamic. calibration takes place in a controlled environment, ensuring accuracy consistency. Dynamic calibration, on hand, involves driving the vehicle specific conditions to fine-tune sensors in real-world scenarios. This comprehensive approach ensures that vehicle’s safety systems are reliable effective, providing peace of mind road.
The calibration of ADAS can be performed in two main ways: static and dynamic. Static calibration takes place in a controlled environment, ensuring accuracy and consistency. Dynamic calibration, on the other hand, involves driving the vehicle under specific conditions to fine-tune the sensors in real-world scenarios. This comprehensive approach ensures that your vehicle’s safety systems are reliable and effective, providing peace of mind on the road.
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TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL: HIGHLIGHTS
The third iteration of the Southeast Collision Conference (SCC) is sure-fire proof that good things get even better over time. Record-breaking attendance, top-of-the-line vendors and products, engaging education, networking and fun were just some of the many takeaways collision repairers in the southeast region experienced in Greensboro, NC this past May.
For the second year in a row, WMABA collaborated with the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA) to bring their trademark Collision P.R.E.P. (Professional Repairer Education Program) to the show, which featured some of the best players in the industry. (Our full education recap begins on page 18.)
The two day event drew hundreds of automotive repairs to the Greensboro Coliseum Complex to peruse the aisles as dozens of local and national vendors showed off their wares.
“This year’s show was a huge success,” boasted CCA Executive Director Josh Kent. “We doubled our attendance, and I saw many new faces with regard to both groups’ members bringing their teams and non-members coming out for both education and the trade show. CCA and WMABA worked very well together; the industry is truly connected, and when we come together, great things can transpire.”
“Everyone involved with the show went above and beyond,” agreed WMABA President Kris Burton. “Many may not realize how much goes on behind the scenes. Jordan (Hendler), Chris (Cage),
Lizzy (Greve) and the team from CCA put in a lot of work, and I really appreciate their efforts.”
“Next year, the event will be held in Virginia, and I intend to focus on getting as many shops as we can to attend and support the vendors,” Burton added.
CCA President Kyle Bradshaw was equally pleased with this year’s turnout and overall offerings. “Growth year over year is certainly an important piece to it, but more so than anything else, it’s being able to provide value – not only for CCA and WMABA members, but for anyone in the industry who wants to participate.”
Platinum Sponsor and Education Area Sponsor Lombard Equipment continues to support the show year after year because they truly appreciate the opportunity to get in front of the southeast audience.
“We had a great turnout last year, and we have a strong customer base building in this territory,” Kevin Lombard explained. “We are big fans of the associations, and we are grateful to be back. We had a great turnout this year, and we will absolutely return next year.”
Enterprise Mobility continued their support of the show for the third consecutive year. The company is a Level 1 Sponsor of CCA and Gold Sponsor of the SCC event. Aritha Richardson, who serves as Secretary of CCA, says the show provides “the opportunity to interact with the shops we do business with. It’s an
Photo coverage by Alana Quartuccio & SnapHappy Photos
Community and collaboration.
BY ALANA QUARTUCCIO
opportunity for us to talk about Enterprise Mobility as we have changed our name to encompass all of our platforms.” SCC also allows them to build partnerships with their body shop customers and introduce them to their resources and tools.
“Every year, the turnout has increased. It’s good to see that the word is out.”
Platinum Sponsor BASF welcomes the experience provided by SCC to learn from and interact with collision repair shops in order to help them improve productivity. “We love the networking and the opportunity to meet with our customers,” shared Thad Green of BASF, who echoed sentiments about the show’s continued growth. “It’s a great touch point and opportunity to look for new business and support the industry by connecting with and hearing from the shops about what they need.”
Gold Sponsor Elitek Vehicle Services, an LKQ company, made their first appearance at SCC this year after hearing great things about last year’s show. “We received some communication that we’d want to attend this year, and when we heard it was in this location, our marketing team said, ‘Let’s go,’” said Joe Camire of Elitek. “It’s been a good show, and we had great traction with people coming to our booth.”
Equipment supplier Autotality returned as a Platinum Sponsor for the third year in a row and already plans to make next year the fourth year they sponsor. The company celebrated a great turnout at this year’s event. Overall, it’s the customers that keep bringing them
continued on pg. 16
WMABA AND CCA HONOR MEMBERS AT KICKOFF RECEPTION
The 2024 Southeast Collision Conference got off to an exhilarating start with a kickoff reception at Piedmont Hall filled with great food, drinks, laughs and an awards ceremony to honor some of WMABA’s and the Carolinas Collision Association’s (CCA) hardest working members.
“We are super excited to be here in this amazing venue!” WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler exclaimed. “This has been an awesome pairing, bringing WMABA and CCA together for a fun kickoff celebration, but it’s also an opportunity to have you all together, enjoy some camaraderie, eat and drink and share some laughs as we honor some of the most amazing people in our associations.”
“Is everyone excited for this weekend?” CCA Executive Director Josh Kent enthusiastically hollered, receiving a roomful of hoots and hollers in return. “I can honestly say this is the best year yet. We are super excited for Friday and Saturday, and we are glad you made it out tonight as we celebrate some of the men and women in our industry.”
Emcee Jill Tuggle (Auto Body Association of Texas) reminded the audience to celebrate every single win. “Association work is a long game. It can be really challenging to get excited about the things you are working toward if you do not win the battle. So let’s concentrate on some of the small wins we’ve had along the way.”
Tuggle highlighted achievements from both associations that included membership gains and efforts to “bridge the gap between technical schools and body shops.
“WMABA has conducted multiple member events, reorganized committees, conducted fundraisers, hosted their annual golf outing and done many things to benefit their education fund,” she added. “WMABA has seen a 20 percent increase in membership this year and has also been keeping an eye on legislation, as well as having national representation at all the Collision Industry Conference and Society of Collision Repair Specialists meetings.” H&D
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S WINNERS!
CCA
WMABA 2023 Most Improved Body Shop of the Year: D&V Autobody (Sterling, VA)
CCA North Carolina Shop of the Year 2023: KC Hall’s Collision (Elizabeth City, NC)
CCA South Carolina Shop of the Year 2023: Prestige Collision Services (Pendleton, SC)
WMABA 2023 Board Member of the Year Phil Rice (center), pictured with WMABA President Kris Burton and Executive Director Jordan Hendler
WMABA 2023 Board Member of the Year: Phil Rice (Huber Collision Center; Fredericksburg, VA)
2023 Board Member of the Year: Avery Canady (Blue Ridge Color Company; VA)
continued from pg. 15
back, according to Chad Dellinger, Autotality sales manager. “We are here to build relationships and talk about what new products are coming into the industry.”
In addition to the national-level speakers and vendors, SCC brought out many industry friends who played roles in the show.
“Special thanks go out to both Jill Tuggle of the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) and Aaron Schulenburg from the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), who took the time to come and participate in our event. We all know they have enough on their plates as it is; they were rock stars,” Kent amplifies. “I thought our vendor partners really stepped it up, and we saw several new ones that we have not had in the past, which says a lot about our show. SCC is for shops, vendors and educators, and the main purpose is to expose education to those who may not normally seek it. We hope that this trend continues in the years to come. We look forward to 2025, and we hope everyone else does as well.”
“If people went home that weekend feeling like they got value out of the experience and can make themselves better, then in my mind, we had a successful event, and I believe we did,” Bradshaw adds.
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CCA and WMABA extend their gratitude to all the sponsors who made the 2024 show possible, including Platinum Sponsors: Autotality, BASF, Blue Ridge Color Company, Lombard Equipment and PPG; Gold Sponsors: AkzoNobel, Axalta, Colors Edge, Elitek Vehicle Services (an LKQ company), Enterprise Mobility, Keco Body Repair Products, National Coatings and Supplies/ Single Source; Silver Sponsors: AirPro Diagnostics, Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists, asTech (driven by Repairfy), Automotive Training Institute (ATI), AutoZone ALLDATA, Car ADAS Solutions, CAS of New England, Hunter Engineering, OEConnection, Opus IVS, Reliable Automotive Equipment (RAE) and Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes; Education Area Sponsor: Lombard Equipment and Lunch & Learn Sponsor: ADAS Solutions. H&D
Executive Director’s Thoughts
I could not be more proud of the collaborative effort of everyone involved in this year’s SCC - from our WMABA and CCA team to all of our seminar presenters, sponsors, exhibitors and of course our expanded attendee base! I want to make sure I shout out those who took the time out of their schedule to invest in themselves and their businesses. We were thrilled to see many more of you turn out this year, and I can’t wait to see those numbers continue to increase when we return to Richmond, VA next year. I’ll see you then! - Jordan Hendler
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COLLISION P.R.E.P. ENGAGES & INSPIRES SCC ATTENDEES FOR BETTER TOMORROWS
For the second consecutive year, WMABA’s Collision P.R.E.P. (Professional Repairer Education Program) delivered engaging and inspiring content to the Southeast Collision Conference audience, helping to shape today’s professionals into tomorrow’s leaders. Read on for takeaways from this year’s comprehensive slate, which covered everything from AI (Artificial Intelligence) to RTA (Right to Appraisal) and everything in between.
BY ALANA QUARTUCCIO
Future-Proofing Your Shop
Achieving success in the future starts with changing things today.
“You know that old saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Well, I’m telling you to break it. Try new things. Innovate. Encourage your employees’ new ideas.”
Those wise words were shared by the one and only Mike Anderson (Collision Advice) as he challenged collision repairers to be open to new ideas, embrace technology and understand the changing needs of consumers during “Future-proof Your Shop: Tomorrow’s Success Starts with Today.”
Dollar signs can be deceiving, giving shop owners a false sense of security. The only true way to define success lies in the hands of the business. “We have to get back to writing a more accurate estimate, as that is really critical to success.”
Consumer needs are changing, which is reshaping the relationship between vehicle owners and automotive manufacturers. “Today’s consumer wants a personal experience. OEMs have found out that some people don’t want to drive the same car all the time. They want flexible ownership.” As Anderson explained, vehicle subscription service is the way of the future. In fact, it’s predicted to generate $1.5 trillion globally by 2030 and projected to rise to $3.5
trillion by 2040.
Software as a service is also causing a paradigm shift with OEMs, Anderson said. “OEMs are going all in. People are going to be so used to personalizing their vehicle, the first place they will go to is the app on their phone.” He emphasized the benefits of becoming an OEM certified collision center.
Being open to benchmarking your business is the best thing one can do for their business, Anderson suggested. “You’ll never know how well you are doing until you compare yourself to others.”
Anderson left the audience with much to consider, both now and in the future.
“Tomorrow’s shop will understand that employees’ expectations will change, so they will offer an extraordinary customer experience and have an extraordinary culture, embrace technology by giving it a chance and giving it feedback. Those who fight technology will be left behind, but those who embrace it will be there when the dust clears.”
100 Percent Disassembly
Anderson continued to motivate and educate SCC attendees on the second day of SCC with “100 Percent Disassembly,” addressing a full room of collision repairers that they can, in fact, do a 100 percent disassembly of a vehicle regardless of how large or small their facility may be.
“When I tell a shop they need to do a 100 percent disassembly,” Anderson stated, “the first thing they tell me is ‘I can’t, because I don’t have enough room.’ Let me help you understand what caused me to dive so deep into 100 percent disassembly. My first shop was 8,200 square feet, with everything under the roof. My second shop was only 5,000 square feet, everything under the roof. My third shop was only 1,500 square feet, everything under the roof. That 5,000-squarefoot shop cost me $4 million. I had to figure out how I was going to generate $400,000 a month in 5,000 square feet, because that was the only way I could afford the mortgage. When you have that small of a footprint, you have to figure out how to maximize space. I didn’t have a lot of floor space, but what I did have was a lot of wall space. I had to learn to get creative.”
Anderson provided visuals to show the audience how space
saving, organization and mirror matching can be done to perform 100 percent disassembly, while also detailing the benefits that come from embracing it.
Having a dedicated parts person is also key in keeping everything organized. When it comes to mirror matching, this should be done on a table, never on the floor. As Anderson noted, even an old ping pong table can be repurposed for this, and put up against a wall when not in use.
Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson packed the SCC seminar room with “100% Disassembly”
COLLISION SIMPLIFIED
“Gary, I wanted to thank you for your continued support for my latest purchase of the Autel ADAS Calibration system. You provided the training we needed and most importantly you provided a direction when calibrations needed a little more technical advice. I’ve had the good fortune of finding you many years ago to supply my necessary computer scan tools to stay current and relevant in this everchanging environment.
I use the analogy of running a business is like being a captain of a ship. My job is steering the ship and plugging the money holes all while navigating into calm profitable waters. After 36 years in business, I can say buying from you and attending many of your Technical Training classes has directly facilitated my continued success in the Auto Repair business.
I’ve owned the Autel ADAS system for over a year. HUGE Success.
Your extensive technical training background has led you to a great business opportunity to provide a valuable needed service that many garages and body shops don’t provide. Most cars leave body shops and repair facilities not getting the necessary Calibrations. The more I know the more I see the opportunity to make cars safer for everyone. One of the lessons I’ve learned is that business owners don’t tell other businesses where their Honey hole is. Buying from you with your training and after purchase support is a honey hole they don’t have to miss out on.”
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Rethinking Roles in Collision Repair
Michael Bradshaw (K&M Collision; Hickory, NC), Barry Dorn (Dorn’s Body & Paint; Mechanicsville, VA) and Kris Burton (Rosslyn Auto Body; Alexandria, VA) inspired fellow collision repairers to rethink the way their businesses operate during “Efficiency Unleashed: Rethinking Roles in Collision Repair,” a panel where each gave a glimpse into their own shops, where they have improved efficiency by giving employees roles that play to their specialities.
“The key is to define responsibilities and allow your technicians to specialize within their specific roles,” explained Bradshaw.
Typically, a shop employs a body technician(s), a painter or refinish technician, a detailer and an estimator – but what if that structure was broken down into segments? A segmented collision
shop has people devoted to specific roles, such as blueprinter, CSR, glass technician, structural technical, mechanical technician, ADAS tech, dedicated parts team, refinish prepper, refinish technician and diagnostic technician.
“If you have someone on your team who welds every day, who do you think is better at welding?” Bradshaw queried. “If you have a technician dedicated to glue pull repair, that technician will grow and become more efficient in that skill versus only touching that tool once every few weeks.”
“We segregate our blueprint team from the carrier,” Dorn said of his operation. “The blueprinter only deals with the technician and the car; someone else has the responsibility of selling it to the insurance company.”
“We’ve got to stop looking at training as a bad thing,” suggested Bradshaw. “Many times, we may see it as a cost and an interruption in production when a technician is out for a week, but we have to figure out how to manage that.”
Burton’s shop is fortunate to have great longevity with many of their workers, as well as fresh faces. “We have four technicians and four apprentices,” he shared. “Our ADAS technician is 19 years old. I’ve been sending him to training. Invest in your staff, and they will trust you and know that you have their best interests at heart.”
Building Value in Your Shop
Even if a business owner isn’t planning to step away from their shop in the immediate future, having a plan in motion for when that time does arrive is imperative, advised Matt DiFrancesco (High Lift Financial) through “Building Value in Your Shop”.
“Everyone is going to exit at some point,” he unveiled, listing retirement, death, disability, divorce, a business dispute or bankruptcy as examples.
“Too many times, I run into shop owners who say they plan to step away in five years, and then five years later, they say they will step away in five years. It’s a revolving five-year plan because basically they have never had a plan.
“You should be planning your succession from the moment you start the business,” he added. “You don’t want to wait until the last minute.”
Increasing the value of the business is key toward that future succession. The shop’s reputation can help increase the value of the business.
One very important consideration is the owner’s involvement. “This is huge: Many shops I talk to are very dependent on the
owner,” he shared. “If you have an internal succession plan to a family member or an employee, and they see you working 70-80 hours a week, how keen are they going to be to want to do that?”
It’s in a shop owner’s future best interest to be what is known as an incidental owner over being an essential business owner. “The more you play the role of an incidental owner, the more you raise the value of the shop. This will enable you and your family to obtain financial security.”
One should be thinking about the legacy they want to leave behind. “We live on this earth for a short period of time. What can we do to create a legacy that lasts for generations?” DiFrancesco challenged.
“We have to put a picture on the box before we put the puzzle together,” he stressed. One needs to think about what they want their exit plan to look like, as he compared succession planning to how one uses GPS. “The first thing you do is put in where you are going. We can’t get anywhere if we don’t know where we are going.”
(L-R): Kris Burton, Michael Bradshaw and Barry Dorn dove into specialization and inspired attendees to rethink shop operations.
Matt DiFrancesco
Blend Study Conversations Continue
One of the most widely talked about findings to come out of the collision repair world in recent years has been the blend study conducted by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) with DEKRA and five leading automotive refinish manufacturers.
And those conversations continue. In fact, they are ongoing –or should be – as SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg addressed while updating the audience right on the Southeast Collision Conference trade show floor.
The whole idea of the study was to provoke conversations that would eventually lead to positive changes. “The study opened the door for a more honest and thorough conversation,” offered Schulenburg, who stressed that changes made by information providers, like CCC One/MOTOR and Solera/Audatex, happened because they themselves “did a revaluation and realized there are variables in the marketplace that were not there previously as they had been using a study that was now 30 years old.
“It’s not about what the study said; it’s about the tasks being done by the auto repair facility,” Schulenburg stated.
Repair Plan Writing with Self Confidence
Danny Gredinberg (Database Enhancement Gateway) and Kyle Motzkus (Hunter Auto Body; St. Louis, MO) encouraged repair planners to ignore anticipated pushback and be confident in writing for every item necessary to perform a safe and proper repair.
The customer is the one who has to authorize the repair, yet many repair planners find themselves worrying about what will be covered or not covered by an insurance carrier, and as a result, they fail to be transparent with the customer about the needs of their vehicle repair.
“We have to change that mindset,” proposed Gredinberg. “What we do is for the customer. We may be doing a courtesy by submitting that repair plan to the insurance company, but it is not our fight, and it shouldn’t have to be our fight.”
“Are we making sure the customer understands what is on that sheet?” Motzkus challenged, emphasizing the value of being candid with the vehicle owner.
Pointing to the many resources available, including the DEG website (DEGweb.org), which provides access to vehicle owner manuals and other tools, Gredinberg reminded, “We have resources to document your repair plan to build your confidence. Don’t get discouraged when told no.”
“No is your entry to the word yes. You have to do the operation, so why not ask for it?” Motzkus added.
Filling Profit Leak Holes
OEConnection’s Taylor Moss opened repair professionals’ minds to various ways they may be losing money while helping them understand how they can plug those holes to increase profitability.
Various factors could be contributing to profit loss, such as price increases with parts and materials. “Are we charging more when we ourselves are being charged more for these materials?
How a shop communicates with customers could be a profit leak. “Good customers could be slipping through the cracks.”
Moss challenged the audience to think about their first point of contact. Research shows that out of 100 people, only 57 make it past the first point of contact, and out of that group, only about 32 make it to a sale. “How can we get better at that?” he queried.
“Forty-three percent of customers abandon a shop after the first phone call. Whatever we said to them on the phone wasn’t good enough. Whatever we said made them go elsewhere.”
Shop owners must also realize that 41 percent of customers expect to do business with their shop after hours. “What are you doing to capture people when they want to talk to you when they are done with work, which is also when we are done with work?”
Moss discussed Body Shop Booster’s Phone AI, which has the capability of capturing a consumer at first contact.
“This isn’t meant to point fingers,” Moss stressed. “It’s meant to shine light on areas for improvement.”
Aaron Schulenburg
Danny Gredinberg
Kyle Motzkus
Taylor Moss
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Nurturing the Goose that Laid the Golden Egg
“A big part of ‘nurturing the goose’ is to give yourself a chance to think about who you are as an individual,” Bruce Schronce (StrongLead) put forth, as he and Kyle Bradshaw (K&M Collision; Hickory, NC) led an interactive discussion about leadership and business growth during “Nurturing the Goose That Laid the Golden Egg.”
“Where do you want to go? What do you want to accomplish? Think about the people who are most important to you and about what is most important to you. If you can get those things in the right perspective, when things go wrong, you will still show up well in the process.”
The interactive session stimulated repair professionals to think about their own personal values and what they want to work toward most.
Schronce got the audience thinking about what types of
messages they are sending to the people around them.
“Influence can never be neutral because it’s about moving people from one place to the next, so your leadership is going to be positive or negative, for yourself, family, your work team and your community.”
“Sometimes you have to be the one who shows up,” Bradshaw pointed out. “You have to be on your A-game. Whatever it is you want to be, you have to model it. You have to be intentional in how you show up. Some days, you may miss the mark, but when you are a leader and you try to model others to go in a certain direction and you don’t act in a way that supports your vision, you are undermining it. If I expect others in the community to act in a certain way, I have to communicate that way as well.”
Increasing Profitability through Proper Documentation
Keith Manich of the Automotive Training Institute left repairers with the powerful message that they can reverse the pushback and challenges and effectively take control back of their businesses.
Insurance pushback is surely nothing new, but it has evolved with more ‘nos’ than ever before. Manich brought light to something many may not have considered. “Since COVID-19, the more experienced people at the insurance companies started walking out, and they have been replaced by folks who only want to take the job for a year or two. We are seeing less experienced people who are getting paid less than those who left. It’s a concern.
“I don’t say negotiations anymore...it’s presenting the best facts. The only thing I can negotiate is judgment time. That’s what we need to do to help insurers understand what we need to do.”
A big advocate for automotive associations, Manich stressed that shops really need to be a part of associations like WMABA. “Collision repair shops have to work with associations. Support them so they can get a group of folks together to help move things forward,” he said, adding that many associations are working with legislators to try to bring change in areas of need. He also stressed that networking with peers is a huge benefit.
“Regain control from insurance company influence,” he encouraged. “It may sound easier said than done. Invest in technology and training to ensure high-quality repairs that meet manufacturer standards. If you are not, you are playing with fire. You are re-engineering that car. Think about that shop in Texas. You could wind up footing a huge bill.”
Bruce Schronce
Kyle Bradshaw
Keith Manich
OEM-Centric Calibrations
There is only one way to do calibrations according to OEM standards, and that is to do them according to OEM standards.
Greg Peeters (Car ADAS Solutions) gave various examples of how important it is to correctly calibrate, making the world a safer place to drive, during “The Critical Steps Involved to Achieve an OEM-Centric Calibration.”
“I like to feel we inspire a lot of technicians to do it right. We have 218 technicians, and I believe that they really are focused on calibrating cars correctly. In addition to training, following the OEM process, using the right equipment and the documentation component, we believe you have to follow up and hold everyone accountable. Make sure they do it right.”
Peeters stressed how important it is to have the right components in place, such as having a level floor and documentation that measures it at certain points and says it is within that tolerance.
He also reminded repairers that optical cameras on these vehicles are “incredibly sensitive to shadows or bright spots or
patterns. A black toolbox against a white wall would confuse a camera as it is looking for a black and white pattern. A window shining a bright spot on the floor would confuse a camera during calibration.”
He emphasized the need for documentation. “The liability for calibration and repairing the car safely is gigantic. You have to validate every step from tire pressure to alignment, fuel, fuel weight. The setup of everything. It all has to be documented. Someone will have to prove at some point that you did everything to an OEM standard.”
Touching on revenue and profitability, Peeters gave a brief overview of all the capital one would need to build a calibration business. He also indicated that self-calibration is not likely to be something that will come along in the near future.
Greg Peeters
Recruiting and Retaining Technicians
The tech shortage continues to weigh heavily on the industry, but there is hope!
Jay Goninen (WrenchWay) gave body shop owners lots of insight on how to navigate around the challenges to help bring new people on board.
“Something we really have to understand and come to grips with is that you can’t find technicians because there just aren’t enough. We have to work on keeping the ones we have and bringing a new pipeline in,” he informed.
Putting the work into employee retention can feel overwhelming at times.
“Staying on top of it can be really hard. I think we truly don’t put the time into it like we should. It takes a lot of effort, but it’s worth the effort.”
Compensation is a major factor. “If you don’t pay well, it’s not going to end
well for you. It’s really hard to find people, so you need to figure out how to do that. If you are not profitable enough to be able to pay the people you need to, you may need to find a coach to help you get there. When a business is run the right way, it can really be a great thing. We are so used to running around like chickens with our heads cut off, we don’t really get to take the time to structure our business the way that we should.”
Employee satisfaction is key in employee retention. Goninen suggests business owners take the time to talk with their staff members, share their own vision and be transparent.
“We want people to want to work for us. When people leave, they aren’t leaving one shop for another; they are leaving the industry altogether, and that is very hurtful to the industry.”
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Understanding technicians’ needs is another important consideration. Goninen learned that proper equipment in the shop was the number one thing technicians sought from an employer. Paid vacation is another. “They want to have more work/life balance.” Using Genuine GM Parts for collision repairs is
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Repairer to Repairer: RTAs and PRIs
WMABA’s Immediate
Past President Steve Krieps (Collision Safety Consultants of WV) moderated an engaging panel discussion featuring Adrian Mora (Collision Consumer Advocates) and Barry Dorn (Dorn’s Body and Paint; Mechanicsville, VA), who focused on the role the body shop plays when it comes to Right to Appraisal (RTA) and post-repair inspections.
Considerable time was spent on Right to Appraisal as panelists stressed that it’s not a “magic wand.”
“A lot of repair facilities know very little about the Appraisal Clause,” Krieps stated. “They may have seen a few things about it online or have had some discussions, so they think it’s a way they can get their bill taken care of, but this has nothing to do with you [the shop]. It’s not a magic bullet that fixes your problems.”
Body shops need to educate their customers about the repair plan. If there is a disagreement between the vehicle owner and the insurer over the claim, it’s up to the customer to take action via the Right to Appraisal if it is included in their insurance policy.
“Nine times out of 10, the customer doesn’t even know what the dispute is about,” Mora relayed. “So it’s crucial for a repair facility to explain the repair plan to the customer. Lay the groundwork with them before you explain to them that there are tools in their policy to use, if there is a disagreement. At the end of the day, they are your customers. You are in the business of selling repairs. You have to sell to your customer, before you can recommend policy tools.”
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What Vulnerabilities Can Prevent Shop Business Growth?
This month, we “ASK MIKE” to share his thoughts on the common vulnerabilities that can slow or prevent shop business growth. We at Hammer & Dolly hope you find the following exchange useful, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you have a question for Mike on this or any industry-related matter that he can answer in a future issue.
Hammer & Dolly: Fortunately, the industry weathered the storm of COVID-19 and is now positioned to consider the future. As shops plan for the next five to 10 years, what do you see as some of their major vulnerabilities that may prevent their growth? What should they be doing now to ensure that those vulnerabilities don’t drag them down over time?
Mike Anderson: Too often, shops don’t start looking for new technicians early enough. If you have a tech who’s 57 years old, it’s inevitable that they’re going to retire within the next five or six years. We wait too long to find someone to replace them, because we’re looking at how doing that could affect our bottom line. Shop owners think, ‘If I hire this person, it’s going to cost me money’ or ‘I don’t have enough work to keep everybody busy.’ But the industry needs to be more long term and strategic in its thinking. Yes, you may suffer some bottom-line profit because you’re paying extra people while you’re training them, but if you wait until somebody retires or leaves the industry – which we saw a lot during COVID-19 – now you’re stuck with nobody I always tell people that they need to build their bench. A
sports team only goes to the Super Bowl or another major game because they have a strong one. You need to build your bench and upgrade your team constantly. That needs to be top of mind every day. Don’t just focus on the short-term cost – be prepared if someone on the bench gets injured or leaves. You can’t think, ‘This person’s going to retire in a year, so I’ll hire someone then.’ You need to be more of a long-term visionary with that.
H&D: For years, some shops have viewed partnering with insurance companies as one way to grow their businesses. As shops look toward the next few years, do you see the shop/ insurer relationship changing in substantial ways that can make shops more vulnerable than they may imagine at this point?
MA: People had an overabundance of work over the last two years, and some shops have left those DRP arrangements or reduced the number of DRPs they had. But now, a lot of shops are beginning to see their backlogs disappear. People who were once booked out for two months are now booked up for two days or two weeks. I don’t necessarily think they have to go back to being DRPs, but they need to continue to market their businesses. I look at a lot of shops’ financials, and many of them aren’t devoting enough money to getting the word out. Unfortunately, there are shops that don’t spend more than one to two percent of their sales on marketing – if anything at all. You really should spend about four or five percent on it. Market when you’re busy so that you stay busy. That’s the same whether you’re a DRP or a non-DRP. Claims for March of this year were down about nine percent from March of last year. That may not sound like a lot if you do 100 vehicles a month, but it’s still fewer cars at your shop. Marketing needs to be at the forefront of our minds.
We also need to offer an extraordinary customer experience.
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H&D: ‘Marketing’ means different things to different people. Some people consider marketing to be posting TikTok videos, while other people market their businesses by getting involved in community organizations. Are you seeing certain methods finding greater success than others?
301-890-3060 Fax: 301-890-5473
mbsilverspring@mileone.com
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MA: There are several cutting-edge marketing tools that can be used. Some people are doing ‘geofencing,’ which is where a business puts an internet ‘fence’ around specific GPS coordinates, and its ad pops up on a customer’s device when they’re looking for a body shop. Another method is called ‘over-the-top’ marketing. That’s when businesses advertise on streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime instead of on traditional cable television channels.
We need to do things like that, but even hosting an open house for area car clubs is a good way to market your business and let potential customers know who you are before they wreck their vehicles.
On the flipside, nothing beats providing an excellent customer experience. As work slows down, doing a good job fixing the vehicle isn’t going to be enough – we also need to build trust with that customer. There’s a term called ‘social proof,’ which is when customers have a ‘trust and verify’ mentality. They can verify that they can trust you by reading what other customers have said about you online, or they can find you through an OEM-certified shop locator. Those things provide ‘social proof’ that a third-party source verifies that your shop is a good one.
Mike Anderson is an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) and the former owner of Wagonwork Collision Centers, two highly acclaimed shops located in Alexandria, VA. He has served as a member of many industry organizations throughout his career, including the WMABA Board of Directors, the Mitchell Advisory Board, the MOTOR Advisory Board, the ASE Test Review Committee, the National Auto Body Council, the Collision Industry Conference and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. Additionally, he is a past Virginia SkillsUSA chairman, serves as a facilitator for Axalta Coating Systems’ highly recognized Business Council 20 Groups in both the US and Canada and facilitates numerous courses for Axalta Coating Systems’ Educational Series. He currently offers expert industry consulting via his latest venture, Collision Advice (collisionadvice.com). H&D
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