We Went Looking For Something We Couldn’t Measure. Underhood, Underbody, Suspension, Mechanical Parts, Body Side Openings, Wheel Alignment, Comparative Measurements and more.
We Are Still Looking. Spanesi Americas, Inc. 123 Ambassador Dr. STE 107 Naperville, IL 60540 2
November 2021
224-SPANESI (224-772-6374) www.spanesi-americas.com facebook.com/spanesiamericas
CONTENTS
November 2021
Collision Industry Conference (CIC) - November 2 reception to follow 6:30pm
Are you here? COME JOIN US!
CIC is a forum for participants from all segments of the collision repair industry to discuss issues pertinent among them. CIC facilitates camaraderie within the industry, allowing members to explore ideas, enhance understanding and communicate potential solutions.
Located at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino
SCRS’ Repairer Driven Education (RDE) November 1 – November 5 Featuring SCRS’ OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit & IDEAS Collide Showcase
Located in the Upper South Hall Las Vegas Convention Center (For more info, see pg. 24)
(For more info, visit ciclink.com)
23 COVER STORY
BY CHASIDY RAE SISK
VAST VALUE IN VEGAS: A COLLISION REPAIRER’S SEMA GUIDE A preview of the best industry education at SEMA 2021.
LOCAL NEWS 12 WMABA’S SHOPS RATE INSURERS SURVEY RETURNS
BY ALANA BONILLO
Repairers rate insurance carriers.
14 CENTER OF APPLIED TECHNOLOGY-NORTH INSTRUCTOR POSITION OPENING Don’t miss your chance to influence the future.
WMABA FEATURE 16 OVERCOMING OBSTACLES: BODY SHOPS NAVIGATE THROUGH COVID-19 CHALLENGES
BY ALANA BONILLO
Light at the end of the tunnel.
INDUSTRY ADVICE: ASK MIKE 32 WHAT WILL YOU BE PRESENTING TO THE INDUSTRY AT SEMA?
Solutions for working smarter.
DEPARTMENTS 6 Editor’s Message 8 Executive Director’s Message 9 WMABA Member Application 20 WMABA Sponsors 34 Advertisers’ Index November 2021
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November 2021
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EDITOR’S
Chasidy Rae Sisk
MESSAGE
302.593.7002 chasidy@grecopublishing.com
EXCITED FOR THIS NEW ADVENTURE! I’m ecstatic to greet y’all as the new managing editor of Hammer & Dolly! For those of you who don’t know me, I first started writing about collision repair in 2010 and quickly found this industry to be filled with some of the warmest, most caring individuals I’ve ever encountered. Despite my complete lack of knowledge about anything related to cars (beyond how to make them stop and go), the folks I’ve met have always been willing to share their insights and help me understand what’s what – beginning with my first interview when I timidly asked a shop manager, “What’s a DRP?” Over the years, I’ve learned a lot, yet I realize that I still know next to nothing when it comes to the complexity of modern vehicles. When friends express their awe that little ol’ me writes about cars, I never hesitate to explain: “I just know a lot of really smart people.” Among those big brains, I’m fortunate enough to include some great people whose names you’ll recognize: Jordan Hendler, Aaron Schulenburg, Mike Anderson and John Shoemaker, to name a few. Thank you all for graciously tolerating my incessant requests for information over this last decade…and for being prepared to be bombarded with even more questions in the future. I look forward to expanding that list of intellectuals in my network and hopefully those I call friends – as I get the opportunity to meet more WMABA members and industry leaders. I appreciate your knowledge, talent and hard work more than I can articulate. One of my favorite things about this industry, besides the people, is how multi-faceted and diverse it truly is and continues to become as technology advances. Hear me out; while I know those advances are a pain in your you-know-what, it provides limitless possibilities to explore
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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November 2021
unique ideas, discover innovative processes and garner new experiences. Because to me, new thoughts and experiences make life so much sweeter. In the short time since I joined the team at Greco Publishing, I’ve already enjoyed several new adventures: Driving a golf cart (the same day that I stepped onto my first golf course), walking around a trade show with co-workers and visiting new places. I’m eager to attend the 2021 SEMA Show, which will be my first rendezvous with that renowned event, as well as my first opportunity to meet many of you in person after years of talking only by phone or email. I’m honored that Tom Greco hired me and grateful for the faith that he, Alicia, Joel, Alana, Donna and Joe (the whole TGP team) have placed in me. I know that I have some BIG shoes to fill – and although my feet are undoubtedly smaller than Joel’s, I look forward to the challenge. I’m also proud to have such an awesome opportunity to continue writing for this wonderful industry and the amazing professionals that comprise it. Each of you does your best every single day to ensure the cars you repair are safe because you care about the people behind the wheel. Likewise, I care about the people reading this magazine and will strive to bring you the most useful information possible to help you continue keeping our roads, our families and our neighbors safer. At the end of the day, Hammer & Dolly is YOUR magazine, so please never hesitate to reach out to me with topic suggestions to help ensure that we’re providing the information you actually want to know. Thank you to everyone who has embraced and welcomed me as I embark upon this new adventure. I look forward to continuing to provide you with the high-quality content that you expect from this magazine. I’m so excited to see what the future holds for all of us, and I hope you are, too! H&D
STAFF PUBLISHER
Thomas Greco thomas@grecopublishing.com
SALES DIRECTOR
Alicia Figurelli alicia@grecopublishing.com
EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR
Alana 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 © 2021 Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. Stock Images courtesy of istockphoto.com.
November 2021
7
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S
Be the change.
MESSAGE
GOD KNOWS, I WISH YOU WERE HERE! If I were betting on the blackjack table, I’d wager the majority of our Mid-Atlantic readership – that means you – are not making the trek to the SEMA Show and related events, and decided to read about it now instead. When you read the plethora of offerings and opportunities abounding in Vegas coming later in this issue, you may have a bit of FOMO… and honestly, I hope you do! That means you’re on the path to getting here! So, do as the article says and save the date for ’22 and make it happen. You will not regret a minute of effort to get there. If you ARE here, then get into the guide starting on page 23, use it as a planner, and see or hear everything you possibly can. The old adage of “sleep when you’re dead” was made for just a time as this! Just keep the caffeine on drip, head to SEMA, CIC, SCRS’ Repairer Driven Education and maybe even all the other fun parties happening during the week. Just as the article outlines, our recommendations for your attendance will not disappoint! Feel free to give me a ring onsite if you need help, and I’ll do my best to get the info you need or meet you at the SCRS booth! Call our office at (804) 789-9649 and ask to get ahold of me. Back at home, I’m constantly amazed by how resilient our industry is, but I know that comes at a high price. Dealing with the endless barrage of issues facing our shops (see the WMABA Feature on page 16) in these “pandemic times” is a hard ask of anyone. People forget that nearly all of you stayed open, even when interstates looked like parking lots. We were told a hopeful couple-week shutdown would end this pervasive and alien virus. Here we stand, 18 months later, with a shuttering economy and uncertainty plaguing our horizons. Now, with shipping issues creating parts delays, remote insurer claims handling riddled with problems and staffing shortage causing workforce stress, it’s becoming even more difficult. We need consistency to plan, strategize and implement. Without it, we are left to rely on history to show us how to best handle the ups and downs. In these tight places, our instinct is to fall into old
bad habits, to put on blinders and keep our nose in the grindstone. Please, don’t do that! Take this as a knock on your door – maybe even a knocked down door – to a better option: digest more, ask questions more, lean into vendor assistance even more. You have smart people you buy things from, and we don’t ask them for their education enough. Think of this, as an example: “Mister (or Missus) Paint Vendor, how can I better track for paint materials, so that I know what I’m charging is accurate and can generate a consistent profit to educate and pay my people?” Or, golly, what about, “Hey WMABA, what can I do to improve my colleague interactions so that I can learn more from them?” I know I often repeat what I say in my column, but if this is the only one you read, I want to be sure I always say to you, “We’re better together!” You know that kids’ Disney movie, “A Bug’s Life,” where the ant colony figures out they can defeat the few grasshoppers, because there’s more of them than they knew, and together, they could rise up against them? It’s an analogy I love, because the enemy isn’t always the insurer, as you may be thinking right now. Often, it’s really this phrase: “I have seen the enemy, and the enemy is Me.” (Trust me, this is the most relevant.) We, collectively, can enact the change we hope to see in the world. But only if “We” includes You too. See you soon!
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.
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November 2021
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November 2021
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LOCAL
Calling all shops. BY ALANA BONILLO
NEWS ’S SHOPS RATE INSURERS SURVEY RETURNS WMABA strives to find ways to provide consumer-driven resources, tools and information while also helping the collision repair industry. The association is already gearing up to continue and amplify these efforts in 2022 with the return of the WMABA Shops Rate Insurers Survey! Obtaining feedback is key in understanding any marketplace. With this in mind, WMABA has decided to poll an audience of members and non-members in the market region, requesting opinions on roughly two dozen auto insurance carriers. The online survey is set to launch next month and once again will seek feedback in the areas of overall fairness, shop relationsclaims handling, insurer payment for proper procedures, insurer knowledge, customer experience and more. Collision shops will rate each insurer on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest. This will be WMABA’s second iteration of its Shops Rate Insurers Survey, which debuted in December 2018. The association was inspired by CollisionWeek – a collision industry news source – and the similar survey they conducted in the early 2000s, which was popular with collision repairers. WMABA also regularly administers a bi-annual Labor Rate Survey. WMABA plans to publish the results in an upcoming issue of Hammer & Dolly, like they do with the Labor Rate Survey results and as was done with the results of the 2018-2019 Insurance Survey (in the May 2019 issue, available at grecopublishing.com). The data compiled from the Survey is designed to be used for informational purposes. In some cases, results from the previous survey supported ideas and notions that had previously been reported about certain companies – from both negative and positive perspectives; however, the last survey also yielded some unexpected results. While State Farm is often talked about negatively (and did receive many comments in that regard), the good-enough neighbor outperformed several other insurers in every category. Many respondents from the first survey used the comments section to offer additional “food for thought” about the various insurance companies listed. For example, many offered opinions related to insurers’ only concern being their own bottom-line profit,
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November 2021
their tendency to disregard OEM recommendations and – of course – the ever-popular utterance of, “We don’t pay for that.” “This survey is helpful to give a collective voice and organized opinion to the often single complaints we receive at WMABA,” said Jordan Hendler, Executive Director for WMABA. “We loved the national survey that CollisionWeek used to do, and wanted to have a regional-based similar approach to getting the compiled responses to not just our collision repairers but to consumers wherever possible. You’d be surprised how many ways we’ve been able to dispel arguments with this type of data.” In the wake of the pandemic, which opened the door to many new issues, such as insurers delaying claims due to photo estimating or refusing to pay for applying disinfectant, it’s expected that these frustrations will be reflected in the responses collected this time around. The information compiled provides a good resource for consumers looking to get educated about these carriers, and survey results are also an excellent tool for collision repair shops to use as a conversation starter with customers. The survey will be available at wmaba.com. H&D
It Takes Genuine Honda Collision Repair Parts To Achieve a Genuine Honda Fit.
Honda collision repair parts are engineered and manufactured to Honda standards. In the collision-repair business, time is money, and you can’t waste time on parts that almost fit properly. Use Genuine Honda replacement parts. Your reputation depends on it. For Genuine Honda parts, contact these Authorized Honda dealers. Ourisman Honda 3371 Ft. Meade Rd. Laurel, MD 20724 Direct: 301-498-6050 Fax: 301-498-0157 www.laurelhonda.com
Miller Honda 3985 Valley Pike Winchester, VA 22602 Direct: 800-296-5020 Direct Local: 540-868-9916 Fax: 540-869-1074 E-mail: bmorgan@drivemiller.com
November 2021
13
Today’s students, tomorrow’s technicians. LOCAL NEWS SPECIAL ALERT CENTER OF APPLIED TECHNOLOGY-NORTH INSTRUCTOR POSITION OPENING
INVEST IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF COLLISION REPAIRERS! Have you ever considered engaging with the next generation of industry professionals by becoming a teacher? Or perhaps you know a passionate person who would excel at shaping young minds? The lack of qualified young talent entering the workforce has been a concern on everyone’s mind for quite a while, and here’s your chance to DO something about it! The Center of Applied Technology - North (CATN) is seeking an automotive collision repair/refinishing instructor and invites experienced repairers to apply for the position, located in Severn, MD. Job responsibilities will include developing, selecting and modifying instructional plans and material to meet the needs of all students, while fostering an atmosphere that is conducive to the students’ intellectual, physical, social and emotional development. CATN hopes to fill the position with an ASE-certified collision repair professional who possesses at least two years of professional experience. In addition to a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, the selected candidate must hold, or be eligible for, a Maryland State Department of Education professional teaching certificate.
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Do you love educating and inspiring high school students? Are you eager to make a positive impact on the lives of young people by teaching them everything they need to be successful in their future collision industry career? If you are sick of hearing about the tech shortage and are ready to take action to correct this ongoing issue, this is the job for you. Visit aacps.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=10964 to apply or learn more about the position requirements. H&D
November 2021
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WMABA
FEATURE OVERCOMING OBSTACLES:
BODY SHOPS NAVIGATE THROUGH COVID-19 CHALLENGES As the dust settles from this global pandemic, collision repair professionals are pointing their compasses toward better times while navigating the remaining challenges COVID-19 has brought into shops all around the WMABA region. Gary Huss, body shop director at Fitzgerald Collision Center (Gaithersburg, MD), happily reports a healthy amount of work coming in – he’s currently scheduling two months out; however, that hefty workload presents different challenges. “I have no technicians and no parts. We are completely overwhelmed. It’s a huge problem, worse than I’ve seen in my 25 years here.” As part of the Fitzgerald Auto Mall chain, the facility is also feeling the rippling effects from the pandemic-fueled production slowdown, which is putting fewer and fewer new vehicles on car lots nationwide. While the company normally offers 4,500 new vehicles for sale at any given time, Huss says that number has dwindled down to 300. On the positive side, the used car market has become more profitable than new car sales. Meanwhile, parts delays have caused a backup in their service department. All loaner cars are lent out, and they’ve been forced to reject customer pay jobs. Fitzgerald stepped it up through the pandemic and kept most of its staff; anyone who was released for a time was brought back, according to Huss. Although COVID-19 is a factor in the worker shortage, Huss believes it’s an industry issue overall. “Everyone is vying for techs and paying more for them. Now, whenever the industry shoots back to normal, maybe they will release those people or change their day plans. I’m just hanging on by a thread.” Huss has even received word that some larger facilities are desperately offering to pay people to leave their current jobs. “No one wants to work. No one is growing technicians – and it seems like you have to grow your own. Realistically, no one young is coming into the industry.” There’s also a shortage of estimators, a job that Huss believes would be ideal for a young person who doesn’t want to get their hands “dirty” working on cars. November 2021 16
“These kids were born with a cell phone and computer in their hands, so they could easily catch on as an estimator and navigate things.” Laslie’s Auto Body (Lynchburg, VA) has managed to stay afloat throughout the pandemic. Owner Dan Laslie feels very blessed to be able to keep business going and continue serving their customers well, despite an outbreak that “went through my shop like wildfire!” Shortly after he was diagnosed, he found out everyone at the shop had contracted it, other than the newest person hired. Thankfully, a manager from one of his other shops assisted her, and Laslie was relieved that no one had a bad case of the virus. When the pandemic first hit, Laslie’s Auto Body remained busy since they had a good backlog to start with, but then it seemed “as if someone walked over to a faucet and just shut it off. It was scary. We have a big service department, glass division and body shop – but if cars aren’t driving up and down the road, they don’t need inspections or service.” “I’ve been doing this for 40 some years, and [COVID-19] brought along the worst workflow I’d ever seen,” Jim Hanagan of Hanagan’s Auto Body in Silver Spring, MD relays. “For about 10 months, we were probably down 40 percent of what we’d normally do.” Today, things are in much better shape. Although it’s not exactly back to 100 percent, business is picking up. Like Huss, Hanagan’s biggest struggle lies with parts delays. When it comes to parts, he hasn’t seen anything this bad in all his years and has had no choice but to advise customers with vehicles still in drivable condition to not come in for repairs until he has the parts. A damaged Mazda that isn’t drivable has already been sitting in his lot for three weeks, and the replacement door part won’t arrive for another month. Although he’s kept most of his staff on board, he sees a major problem with acquiring good help these days. “No one wants to work. I need a body man and a helper. We put ads out but don’t really see anyone who wants to work. I think people are content on unemployment.” WMABA President Steve Krieps (Greg Cline Automotive, Inc; Winfield, WV) agrees the lack of new talent coming into the industry
Pushing past the pandemic. BY ALANA BONILLO
is a big issue. Sadly, he’s not seeing any progress from local vocational schools when it comes to training young people for the profession. Although his rural-based shop maintained a steady workflow, thanks to a strong customer base and being a quality-conscious shop, he’s noticed other challenges arising with everything from part shortages to insurers working remotely. “Parts are just a nightmare, and it’s getting worse by the day.” Communication problems between vendors and manufacturers are causing major delays when one party fails to notify the other about parts being on backorder. As a result, he has had to total a few vehicles. Krieps also envisions major issues coming from the way most insurers have been operating remotely. “Many insurance companies don’t have people on the ground anymore. They are all remote. Some companies are only doing open shop assignments, which is nice in a way from a shop’s perspective. The carrier sends you an assignment, and you can merge the file with your estimate and lock it. This seems to speed up the supplement process. With the various directions different insurers are choosing, it is placing a ton of extra – and often uncompensated – work on a shop’s front office. It’s difficult to have one specific process if your shop tries its best to work with insurance carriers on your customer’s behalf. It’s getting harder and harder to swallow the extra cost and stress that comes with trying to play nice. The vehicle owner is always responsible for the bill; so far, open communication has been the best option for us.” The impact of the pandemic, paired with the many other challenges the auto body industry faces, is being felt not only in the WMABA region but beyond. That’s why the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) made it a point to devote a session of its popular Repair Driven Education series to “The Ebb and Flow of a New Normal” at SEMA 2021. WMABA Board member John Shoemaker (BASF business development manager) will lead a discussion addressing steps that repairers can take to adapt. More can be found at scrs.com/rde. Despite the many challenges created by the pandemic, business is picking up around the region, and that’s a good sign that better times lie ahead. As Laslie puts it, “We’ve been blessed to stay busy and keep people on board.” H&D
Executive Director’s Thoughts With the “new normal” being a tagline categorically hailing these pandemic times as something we just endure, it’s equally “new normal” to have comradery with other like-minded repairers. The issues and complaints we are receiving are showing just how frustrated everyone is on parts issues, staff shortages and insurer claims handling. High time we pulled together as an industry. -Jordan Hendler
November 2021
17
WMABA THANKS
YOU
WMABA thanks their generous supporters of the
LEVEL 1
Corporate Sponsor Program for 2021!
We encourage YOUR SUPPORT of those who SUPPORT US! For more information about the sponsorship program, please contact Executive Director Jordan Hendler at (804) 789-9649 or email jordanhendler@ wmaba.com
www.wmaba.com
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November 2021
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November 2021
Collision Repair | Restoration | Racing & Performance | Manufacturing
COVER STORY Class is in session. BY CHASIDY RAE SISK
VAST VALUE IN VEGAS: For the first time since November 2019, collision repair professionals will return to Las Vegas for four days of educational updates, vendor exhibitions and networking at the 2021 SEMA Show, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) on November 2-5. If you’re not at SEMA 2021, be sure to mark your calendars for next year’s event on November 1-4, 2022. Take note: SEMA 2021 features an important logistical change; the Collision Repair & Refinish and Tools & Equipment sections, as well as SCRS’ Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, have been relocated to the upper level of the South Hall. Placing all collision repair exhibits and RDE series on one floor is intended to make it easier for attendees to navigate the Show and improve their overall experience. As always, the SCRS RDE series features the industry’s best speakers as they discuss collision’s most thought-provoking topics. While the Show floor opens on Tuesday, November 2, RDE begins the afternoon of Monday, November 1 in the Upper South Hall Skybridge classrooms at the LVCC. With hundreds of exhibitors to visit and over 100 educational seminars to choose from, the sheer number of offerings can feel overwhelming. But don’t worry – Hammer & Dolly will be your guide to the MUST-SEE events that are vital to your business.
A COLLISION REPAIRER’S GUIDE TO
2021 November 2021
23
SEMA 2021 GUIDE CONTINUED FROM PG. 23
FLOOR PLAN UPDATE: KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
For SEMA 2021, the Collision Repair & Refinish and Tools & Equipment sections, as well as SCRS’ Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, have been relocated from the North Hall to the upper level of the South Hall.
Monday, November 1 Since the SEMA Show does not officially start until Tuesday, you spend the morning exploring Las Vegas, but you’ll want to be in classroom S229 at the LVCC by 3pm to catch “Scanning and Calibrations – Make Them a PROFIT Center of Your Business.” Everyone knows that these vital operations must be performed, but in this class, Aaron Clark and Eric Newell (AirPro Diagnostics) explore whether scanning and calibration should be a business cost or a separate revenue-generating profit center, while providing an extensive look Eric Newell at everything shops should consider if they’re interested in bringing diagnostics and calibrations in-house. Or you may choose to check out one of these informative RDE sessions offered from 3pm until 5pm: • “Collision Repair Safety – Protecting Your Workforce While Maintaining Your Environment,” presented by Tom Cornelius and Jason Scharton Jason Scharton (3M) in S230; or • “2035: Looking Ahead at What the Collision Industry Might Look Like,” held in S231, with Frank Terlep (Auto Techcelerators). Knowing that the next four days are going to be jam-packed, you see a show (you ARE in Las Vegas, after all!) before resting up for a week of SEMA adventures. Frank Terlep
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November 2021
Tuesday, November 2 The first official day of SEMA 2021 provides you with options galore! Craving in-depth industry education and insights into the national collision repair scene, consume your morning caffeine and attend the 8am-5pm session of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), held at the Westgate Resort and Casino next door to the LVCC. You learn about “Artificial Intelligence: The Reality, the Risks, the Limitations, the Future” with CIC Future Disruptions Committee members Jake Rodenroth and Frank Terlep, and you’re intrigued by the Emerging Technology Committee’s presentation on “The Nuts and Bolts of Electrification,” led by committee members Bob Augustine and Chuck Olsen. Talent Pool and Education Committee member Bud Center moderates a panel discussion on education, “Help Me Help You – Educators and Repairers Working Together,” and you won’t want to miss SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg’s (CIC Parts and Materials Committee) discussion on “Lidar: What It Is, and How Materials Can Impact Effectiveness of Systems and Sensors.” In addition to CIC, the day provides new educational opportunities via RDE. If you decide to hit the Show floor that day, you head to the LVCC at 9am and explore some exhibitor booths before finding a seat in room S229 to hear NuGen IT’s Ken Eagleson and Pete Tagliapietra explain how to understand the value proposition between various OEM certification programs and insurer DRPs during “How to Decide if OEM Network Participation is Right for my Shop(s).”
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 (cont.) Your other RDE options from 9:30am to 11:30am are: • “Glue Pull Repair – Pull to Paint, and Beyond!” with Gene Fetty and Chris White (KECO Body Repair Products) in S230; or • “Be Memorable: Uncover Hidden Value for your Customer, in their Claim,” held in S231 and presented by Allen Lipp (Automotive Consulting Professionals) and John Walczuk (ZB Claim Services). During your one-hour break, you visit the Reliable Automotive Equipment booth to find out what new riveting and welding technology is available to make your job just a little easier. Then, because you’re an innovative leader, you head to room S230 to learn “How to Staff a 21st Century Collision Center” as Michael Lanza (Sherwin-Williams) reviews management models and shares tips on increasing employee satisfaction in your shop. Additional RDE seminars scheduled for 12:30pm – 2:30pm include: • “How to Survive an OSHA Visit & Avoiding Common Accidents” with Nick Hardesty (KPA) in S231; and • “Improving Quality While Creating Leaders from within Your Organization,” in room S229, discussed by David Smith (Auto Damage Experts).
After spending 30 minutes networking with industry peers – or perhaps simply catching your breath from the influx of valuable data you’ve ingested – you return to S230 for “The Ebb and Flow of a New Normal.” Jane Niemi, John Shoemaker and Jeff Wildman (BASF) illustrate the various events that are impacting repairers – the COVID-19 pandemic, OEM certifications and the emergence of electric vehicles being the most obvious – and offer suggestions on sustainable steps that can be implemented to keep pace with your market. Or you may prefer one of these great classes, scheduled for 3pm-5pm: • “Turning QC Data into Process Improvement Gold!” which will be held in S231 and features Steve Trapp (Axalta) and industry-favorite Mike Anderson (Collision Advice); or • “Using Consumer-Protection Laws to Get Paid and Avoid Claims Denials,” delivered by attorney Patrick McGuire in S229. Discuss everything you’ve learned with fellow collision professionals at the CIC Reception, which will take place at the Westgate at 6:30pm. When you return to your hotel room, don’t forget to set an alarm and catch some z’s – tomorrow starts early!
Wednesday, November 3 Rise and shine! It’s time to head to LVCC room S233 to celebrate the best of the best during the fourth Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards Breakfast, a two-hour event that begins at 7am. Attendance is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to arrive early! After celebrating your peers, enjoy a walk around the SEMA Show floor before scoring a spot by 9:30am in S231 for Tim Ronak’s (AkzoNobel) “Severing or Surviving the Loss of a DRP or Key Account.” As a result of the difficulties presented by the pandemic, some shops reconsidered their key business relationships, while others were reconsidered by the other party. In this seminar, Ronak will evaluate the impacts on your business strategy when presented with this manner of unexpected changes. Alternate educational opportunities you may choose include: • “Finding Success Under OEM Evolving Expectations,” discussed by Dave Gruskos (Reliable Automotive Equipment) in S230; and • “The Human Resources Forecast: Sunny, with Lingering Showers of COVID!” in S229, proffered by Cory King (Ford Harrison LP). During the hour you spend visiting exhibitors, you stop by the BASF booth to thank them for their dedication to collision industry education by supporting RDE at the highest level of sponsorship; you also take a moment to learn more about Refinity, the company’s new cloud-based digital platform. At 12:30pm, you head back over to Room S229, excited to hear from Mike Anderson (Collision Advice), Simon Derbyshire (Blueprint Optimization Tool) and Danny Gredinberg (Database Enhancement Gateway/DEG) as the thrilling trio delivers “Capture Everything! Using Estimating Resources for Thorough Repair Planning.” Convinced you’ve covered that topic? Opt for one of these other great RDE courses: • “Complete Understanding of the Right of Appraisal,” discussed by Robert McDorman (Auto Claim Specialists) and held in S230; or • “The Art of War and Virtual Negotiation” in S231, examined by Lee Rush (Sherwin-Williams). Finish your day at the Show with one of RDE’s final three sessions, all beginning at 3pm and spanning two hours! Dying to see the future? Diagnostic specialist Jake Rodenroth shares insights into the technology and repair process changes you should expect as vehicles continue to evolve during “Future Tech: Technology and Vehicle Repair Trends” in S231. Or select from these educational delights: • “Digitalization and the Future of Color Matching: What Does a Shop Focused on Operational Excellence Need to Know?” moderated by James Chargo (BASF) in S229; or • “How to Perform a Proper Test Drive After the Repairs Are Complete,” held in S230 and delivered by David Cox and John Shewbridge (Hunter Engineering Company). Grab dinner with an old (or new!) friend in one of the City of Lights’ fine dining establishments and play some games on the casino floor. CONTINUED ON PG. 28 November 2021
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SEMA 2021 GUIDE CONTINUED FROM PG. 25
Thursday, November 4 On the penultimate day of SEMA 2021, you head straight to LVCC classroom S232 for the SCRS OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit, a three-part series of interactive panel discussions. The summit begins at 9am with Session I: Electric Vehicle, featuring eight subject matter experts: Jennifer Goforth and John Eck (General Motors); Andy McDonald and Andy Hall (Lucid Motors); and Kelly Logan and Dan Black (Rivian), in addition to moderators Ron Reichen (Precision Body & Paint) and Kye Yeung (European Motor Car Works). Stick around for OEM Summit Session II: Vehicle Research and Trends at 11am-12:30pm, as Ryan McMahon (Cambridge Mobile Telematics) shares insights into the driver behavior and loss analysis that telematics can provide. Starting at 1pm, Session III: ADAS and Safety will feature Scott Ulnick and Abey Abraham of Ducker presenting on automotive developments and trends in safety and ADAS, leading to a conversation with a panel of automakers on their specific integrations. This session concludes at 2:30pm.
You return to the Show floor and spend the last hours of the day visiting with vendors to explore the latest and greatest equipment to keep your shop on the cutting edge, perusing Pro Spot’s offerings before grabbing a bite to eat. By 9pm, you’re dressed to the nines: You definitely know how to have a good time, so you end your day by heading to the Westgate for the SCRS RDE Afterparty, the most-talked-about collision networking event during SEMA. (Hopefully, you got your tickets in advance!)
The industry’s most talked-about party of the year is right through these doors!
Friday, November 5 You’re exhausted, but there’s mere hours left to absorb all you can at SEMA 2021, so you grab a cup of coffee – or three cups – and head back to the LVCC S232 by 10:30am for the two-hour SCRS IDEAS Collide Showcase, a one-of-a-kind event that features 10 (that’s right – TEN in just two hours!) fast-paced presentations on collision’s hottest topics, delivered by a plethora of industry favorites: Trump’s Tax Strategies for Body Shops by Brad Mewes (The Mewes Group CFOs); Telematics: The Collision Repair Gamechanger with Jake Rodenroth (diagnostic specialist); Don’t Contaminate Your Repair Plan with Outside Influence from Danny Gredinberg (DEG);
OEM Recommended Materials for Aftermarket Body Repair by Todd Korpi (3M); What If AI Were Used to Increase Repair Plan Thoroughness, Rather Than Mitigate Estimate Lines with Pete Tagliapietra (NuGen IT); Data Security & The Digital Transformation of the Auto Claims Economy from Brand Laur (CCi Global Technologies); Modifying Vehicles in an ADAS World by Ben Kaminsky (SEMA Garage Detroit); Plastic Waste in Collision Repair - The Problems, the Solutions and Sustainability with Michael LoPrete (Plastfix Industries); and Making Safety Inspections a Non-Negotiable Item, presented by Mike Anderson (Collision Advice). Oh boy – what a week! But it’s not over quite yet. Spend your last few hours checking out USI’s innovative paint booth technology
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and chatting with vendors and other repairers before heading to the airport. And if your flight doesn’t take off until later in the evening, be sure to check out the SEMA Cruise, which starts when the Show ends at 4pm and features over 1,000 vehicles as they parade toward the West Hall Parking Lot for SEMA Ignited, the official SEMA Show afterparty.
Learn more about SEMA 2021 at SEMAShow.com. To sign up for RDE courses, visit scrs.com/2021RDE. Attend CIC by registering at ciclink.com. *All events/times subject to change. Executive Director’s Thoughts I hope you’ve enjoyed this week of events, second to none in the entire collision industry. We enjoy many regional shows and education, but this is the one to get to for a packed up opportunity to hobnob with the very best, and see the newest of innovations. If you missed this SEMA, make sure to save the date of November 1-4 for next year as well as our regional NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show held March 18-20, 2022 in Secaucus, New Jersey! These events are a massively inspiring download of not just information, but fortitude too! -Jordan Hendler
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INDUSTRY
ADVICE
ASK MIKE:
What Will You Be Presenting to the Industry at SEMA? This month, we “ASK MIKE” to share his thoughts on the courses and presentations he will be providing at this year’s SEMA Show. 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: Looking at the Repairer Driven Education (RDE) schedule for the SEMA Show, it’s clear you’re going to be all over the place! First off, you’re hosting a course with Danny Gredinberg of the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) called “Capture Everything! Using Estimating Resources for Thorough Repair Planning.” For those who haven’t attended one of your past discussions on this topic, what are some things they can expect? Mike Anderson: First of all, this class is really important to attend. As claims count hypothetically declines in the future, it’ll be really important we make sure to write really solid sheets. That’s for profitability, but more importantly, we need to write accurate estimates based on OEM procedures to protect ourselves from liability. Obviously, in order for shops to be profitable on a job, there are a couple of things that could be done. One is to capture not-included operations; the other one is making the most out of whatever your Labor Rate happens to be. In our industry, we know that one of our biggest challenges is changing the Labor Rate, so we need to focus on the not-
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included operations. Also, we’re all getting a dose of reality on what it costs to hire someone today. Convenience stores are paying people $15 to $18 an hour, which is $30,000 to $40,000 a year. For us to be more competitive in our wages, we’re going to need to be profitable. I’m really excited to present this class with Danny, who’s really just a rock star in my mind. He’s one of the up-andcoming leaders in our industry, so it’s always an honor to be with and learn from him. H&D: You’re also doing “Turning QC Data into Process Improvement Gold!” with Scott Wheeler of Axalta. MA: Staying on the subject of liability, having a really good quality control process in place is critical to a shop. Also, most of the shops I interact with today say they’re short on staffing. I suspect we’re going to have this big influx of new people entering our industry. If that’s the case, how do you ensure that a new hire delivers quality repairs or customer service? How do we ensure they deliver the estimate quality we expect? This session will focus on why quality control and quality assurance are both important. One’s kind of reactive, and one’s mostly proactive. Also, this course will help shops better understand how to problem solve, so they can correct quality issues as they arise. H&D: I understand you’re also participating in this year’s IDEAS Collide Showcase with a presentation called “Making Safety Inspections a Non-Negotiable Item.” MA: The IDEAS Collide Showcase is a TED Talk-type of event,
Estimating, QC data and safety inspections.
and I’m really excited to be a part of that! Most, if not all, of the OEMs state that there are certain components that need to be inspected when a vehicle is in an accident. These include, but are not limited to, steering columns, seatbelts, steering racks and airbag sensors. I’m going to try to give a quick overview of why those inspections are important. The bottom line is that we can’t overlook these things. Hopefully, in a short amount of time, I can create awareness of why these inspections are necessary and how to locate these inspections in the OEM repair procedures. I’ll also discuss the whys behind some of these and the reasons we need to do them. If we don’t, it could result in something that would not be good for the consumer – which could be bodily injury. H&D: You’ve been traveling all over the country and giving presentations for months now. What’s the mood you’re seeing out there as the industry prepares for SEMA? MA: None of the industry events I’ve attended met the expectations most people had in regard to attendance, but we had to start somewhere, and somebody had to go first. Contrary to what a lot of people believe, the low attendance has not been because of COVID-19 concerns. Most of it is because of staffing,
which in my mind is all the more reason why you should attend SEMA. If you have staffing issues, you might be able to figure out a new recruitment strategy at SEMA. You may find a new technology there that will help you work smarter, not harder. SEMA is all about finding solutions; that’s why you need to be there.
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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