PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

continued from pg. 12

Cars get brought into my shop sometimes that have been repaired so poorly it’s concerning, with all the liability falling on the shop. And then we’ll see staff appraisers for an insurer dropping their company vehicle there to be fixed, even after acknowledging how badly a customer’s car was repaired. They do it because they can control the shop, and it’s a sad day when an outside entity controls another industry’s business model. The shops that are doing the right thing for their customers, that are making sure every vehicle that leaves their lot is properly repaired, have to make significant investments to keep up with the technical tsunami rushing over our industry.

So, no, Mr. Insurance Appraiser, I’m not making more money now than I was a year ago. Everything is relevant, and you’ve got to see how severity has increased. As shops, we need to be able to explain these factors when crazy accusations get thrown our way, and we need to be providing properly documented blueprints that allow us to get paid for what we’re doing. I’ve been talking about these things for years, and it often seems like my words float out into the abyss…but every so often, I’ll hear about a shop that has taken tips from other owners, implemented what they’ve learned and made it work. And they’re more successful as a result.

We have to be willing to work together and learn from one another to become stronger and better. So many collision repairers think it’s taboo to talk to another shop, but here’s the secret that we’ve got to get past: We’re NOT competition! There’s enough work in this state and the surrounding areas to go around for everybody. Stop seeing other shops as the problem in your business and start looking internally to identify what you can do better. We’ve got to make our own business decisions because at the end of the day, it’s our shops that give it away … and our customers who we’re endangering if we’re not doing the right thing.

ARANJ Board of Directors

David Yeager - EL & M Auto (800) 624-2266 / elandmauto@aol.com

Ed Silipena - American II Autos (609) 965-0987 / esilipena@yahoo.com

Norm Vachon - Port Murray Auto (908) 689-3152 / portmurrayauto@yahoo.com

Dillon Rinkens - East Brunswick Auto (732) 254-6501 / ebautonj@comcast.net

ARANJ Officers

President - Rodney Krawczyk

Ace Auto Wreckers (732) 254-9816 / aceautonj@comcast.net

1st Vice President - Daryl Carman Lentini Auto Salvage (908) 782-4440 / darryl@las-parts.coms

2nd Vice President - Mike Ronayne Tilghmans Auto Parts (609) 723-7469 / tilghmans@snip.net

Past President - Bob Dirkes Dirkes Used Auto Parts (609) 625-1718 / dirkesauto@gmail.com

ARANJ

The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey