New Jersey Automotive June 2017

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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ALLIANCE OF AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS/NEW JERSEY (www.AASPNJ.org) AND THE AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY (www.ARANJ.org)

June 2017 $595

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We Appreciate Your Business!

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P.O. Box 734 Neptune, NJ 07753 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Charles Bryant 732-922-8909 / setlit4u@msn.com 2015 - 2017 OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jeff McDowell, Leslie’s Auto Body 732-738-1948 / chacki@aol.com COLLISION CHAIRMAN Jerry McNee, Ultimate Collision Repair, Inc. 732-494-1900 / ultimatecollision@att.net MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN Keith Krehel, Krehel Automotive Repair, Inc. 973-546-2828 / krehelauto@aol.com TREASURER Tom Elder, Compact Kars, Inc. 609-259-6373 / compactkars@aol.com SECRETARY Thomas Greco, Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. 973-667-6922 / thomas@grecopublishing.com BOARD Dennis Cataldo, Jr., D&M Auto Body 732-251-4313 / jr@dandmautobody.com

Dave Laganella, Peters Body and Fender 201-337-1200 / petersbandf@gmail.com Sam Mikhail, Prestige Auto Body 908-789-2020 / mikhail@goldcar.com Ted Rainer, Ocean Bay Auto Body 732-899-7900 / trainer@verizon.net

Anthony Sauta, East Coast Auto Body 732-869-9999 / ecabofnj@aol.com

Randy Scoras, Holmdel Auto Body 732-946-8388 / randy@holmdelautobody.com

Anthony Trama, Bloomfield Auto Body 973-748-2608 / anthony@bloomfieldautobody.com BOARD ALLIED Joe Amato, The Amato Agency 732-530-6740 / joesr@amatoagency.com

Mike Kaufmann, Advantage Dealer Services 973-332-7014 / mkaufmann@advantageds.com PAST PRESIDENT ATTENDING Tom Elder, Compact Kars 609-259-6373 / compactkars@aol.com

PUBLISHER Thomas Greco (thomas@grecopublishing.com) SALES DIRECTOR Alicia Figurelli (alicia@grecopublishing.com) EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Joel Gausten (joel@grecopublishing.com) CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lea Velocci (lea@grecopublishing.com)

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Nick Fernandes (nick@grecopublishing.com) OFFICE MANAGER Donna Greco (donna@grecopublishing.com)

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Charles Bryant • Mario DeFilippis • Jeff McDowell Mitch Portnoi • Ron Ananian • Keith Krehel • Jerry McNee

Published by: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202, Nutley, NJ 07110 Corporate: (973) 667-6922 / FAX: (973) 235-1963

www.grecopublishing.com

NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE is published monthly and is sent to AASP/NJ and ARANJ members free of charge. Subscriptions are $24 per year. NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE is published by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc., 244 Chestnut St., Nutley, NJ 07110. The editorial contents of NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE are copyright © 2017 by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc. and may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher and/or editor. Articles in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Thomas Greco Publishing Inc. Stock Images courtesy of www.istockphoto.com.

CONTENTS

VOLUME 47, NUMBER 6 | June 2017

10 OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES 12 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 16 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

18 22 23 62

AASP/NJ NEW MEMBERS MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE I-CAR CALENDAR NJA ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

LOCAL NEWS by Nick Fernandes 26 Toyota Looks to Provide Resources to Independent Shops at CRR Training Center Open House

NATIONAL NEWS by Joel Gausten 30 AASP/NJ Attends AASP National Meeting NATIONAL FEATURE by Tom Slear 36 Insurers and Scanning: A “Very Big Disrupter”

COVER STORY

by Nick Fernandes

42 Quality Across Generations: Fathers and Sons IN THE NEW JERSEY AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY LEGAL PERSPECTIVE 50 Continuing Education

by Mitchell Portnoi

NO BRAKES 56 NOTHING TO SAY (I think I've said this before?)

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY 59 Wharton Insurance Briefs NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 60 Village Auto Body

by Nick Fernandes

Joe Amato, Sr. Ron Ananian Jim Bowers Charles Bryant Don Chard Guy Citro Pete Cook Ed Day Dave Demarest Phil Dolcemascolo Tom Elder

Bob Everett Thomas Greco Dan Hawtin Rich Johnson Wes Kearney Nick Kostakis Jim Kowalak Joe Lubrano Michael Lovullo Sam Mikhail Ron Mucklow

George Petrask Russ Robson Jerry Russomano George Threlfall Cynthia Tursi Lee Vetland Paul Vigilant Rich Weber Brian Vesley Glenn Villacari Stan Wilson

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OUT OF BODY (AND MECHANICAL) EXPERIENCES

Windmilling Do you ever get the feeling that some specific crap only happens to you? Welcome to my life. I constantly find myself asking the question, “Seriously?” on a daily basis. Then again, I guess if that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t have been able to write this column for the last 20 years, so maybe God has a plan for me.

My latest adventure took place a couple of weeks ago. As most of you know, I have a great love of hot dogs and one of my all time favorite places to go to is the Windmill. The Windmill is a chain of restaurants in central Jersey that specializes in huge Sabrett hot dogs made specifically for the chain. There’s nothing like them.

Now I know hot dogs aren’t good for someone with heart disease, so I limit myself to going there once every two weeks.

But let’s be honest. That’s probably because the closest one to me is in Red Bank, about 50 miles away. When they had one in Westfield (about 15 miles away), I was there weekly. There are actually five Windmills within a 20 mile radius down the shore. I first came upon the original in Long Branch (with an

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by THOMAS GRECO, PUBLISHER

actual windmill on top of the building!) when I got lost coming home from a Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes concert in Asbury Park way back in 1979. Once the Westfield location closed, I began to alternate between Freehold, Belmar, West Long Branch and Red Bank, all of which have pluses and minuses. For example, Freehold is the biggest and least crowded, but they close too early at 9pm. In Long Branch, you have to stand or eat in your car. Red Bank is the closest, but frankly I’m not thrilled with the service there. So I mainly go to Belmar (where I sometimes have the pleasure of running into an ex-employee who, sadly, completely ignores me.)

So back to a couple of weeks ago. I headed down to Belmar on a Friday night. The normal 60 minute trip turned into an hour and a half due to traffic. Now I hadn’t eaten all day, so by the time I pulled into the parking lot, I was ravenous.

Relieved that it wasn’t crowded (and with no sign of the exemployee), I grabbed my iPad and headed into the restaurant.

But just as I got to the door, I patted my chest and panicked.

No, my heart was fine. But my wallet was missing. I had left it

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back at the office. In other words, I had driven an hour and a half, mouth watering all that time for that Windmill hot dog and then realized I had no way to pay for it.

I got back in my car and thought about the situation. I searched the glove compartment and the glove box and found about two bucks in change. That wasn’t going to cut it. I searched my brain to think if I knew anyone who lived close.

Yes! My ex-employee! He’d more likely poison me than buy me a hot dog. Think! I called my credit card company and explained the situation. “Can’t help you without the card.” Ugh. Then I remembered I had texted a picture of my credit card to my Advertising Director. Hmmm. If she still had it, she could text it back to me and I could go in and have the cashier just punch in the numbers manually. She did, and sent me photos of my card. I’m a genius! (More like she makes me look like one as usual.)

So I gathered my iPad once again and headed in. I told the guy behind the counter my story and he immediately said, “Wow! But I’m sorry, we need the card.”

“But I have the numbers here and I drove all the way from Nutley.”

“Need the card.”

“Look, I have been coming to the Windmill for 40 years!”

“Need the card.”

I wanted to cry. There was no way I was getting back on the Parkway and driving another hour and a half without a belly full of hot dogs. It was bad enough that I felt like some kind of pauper begging for food at this point. I think the manager saw the tear in my eye and took pity. He said, “Let me call my boss.” He went in the back and made the call. I

kept seeing him coming out and looking at me then going back. Out and back. Out and back. I felt smaller and smaller with each look. “What do you want to eat?”

“Three hot dogs, French fries and a soda.”

Back to the phone. A few minutes later he came out and said, “OK. My boss says we can feed you” (at this point I’m about six inches tall) “but you have to send us a check when you get home. And you have to show me some I.D.” Not a problem. Luckily my mug is on our website, so I pulled up the iPad and showed him. Three dogs and an order of fries. I sat down to eat, but it was too late. I lost my appetite.

This story may sound like I’m griping, but it’s just the opposite. How many businesses would go through all that trouble just to feed some poor slob who claimed he forgot his wallet? I want to praise and thank the Windmill and the manager (his name was Thomas) for being that understanding and literally bending over backwards to accommodate and BELIEVE me. They didn’t have to do that. I was - and am - very thankful to Thomas and his boss, Steve, who showed empathy for a silly man who had no money on him, but wanted a friggin’ hot dog. That’s the kind of business that deserves your patronage and loyalty.

Epilogue: I was so embarrassed about what happened that I headed back down to Belmar in person the following Monday to give them the check, and to tip Thomas for being such a great guy. This time, however, the place was packed.

When I walked in, Thomas greeted me. He yelled, “Hey! Did you remember your wallet this time?”

Thanks buddy. See you Friday.

NJA

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT Summer may be right around the corner, but what happened to winter?

Did we skip it this year?

Sure, we had a couple of snowstorms - including a blizzard three days before NORTHEAST 2017 - but two major snowstorms does not equate

to a strong winter in my book. Whether you believe in global warming or not, you don’t have to be a scientist to look around you and see that the months of November through March are no longer the repair job cash cow of years ago. As I write this message, it’s mid-May and 99

by JEFF MCDOWELL

degrees on my dash thermometer. So even if summer isn’t official here yet, it’s awfully close. What do we do at the onset of a slow season, when our “busy” season wasn’t even busy?

Regroup. Improve. Strengthen yourself and your shop.

The summer is the perfect time to educate yourself and your staff - if you need to catch up on any training, now’s the time, while an employee or two out of the office for a couple days won’t kill productivity. Take yourself off the floor for a short amount of time, if you’re the type of manager/owner who’s still working on cars every day, and look critically at your books, your numbers and your KPIs to see if there are any leaks in your accounting, or any areas where you could be working smarter instead of harder. And if you somehow don’t know what KPIs are, contact Collision Chairman Jerry McNee IMMEDIATELY. (He’ll help you change the way you do business, I promise.)

This is also the perfect time to look very carefully at all contracts in place for your shop, from your DRP agreements to your uniform provider deals. You should have read through these documents before signing them to ensure that you wouldn’t encounter any surprises down the line, but if you haven’t yet, do your future self a favor and study them now. Let your attorney review them as well, to make sure that the best interests of your business are being honored.

Looking to make a new purchase, or maybe finally take the plunge and become certified by a manufacturer?

This is the time to do your research, do your homework and make an informed decision. Don’t wait until the fall when things get busier to start considering potentially business-changing decisions. Think them through now, when you have a little bit of downtime, and you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way when business does pick up.

Stay cool!

NJA

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Standing in the Way of the Future or Standing Up for What’s Right? You Decide!

by CHARLES BRYANT

There is a new trend taking place in the insurance industry that is highly likely to cause more harm than good. In fact, this trend is extremely likely to eventually result in serious bodily harm to the passengers of certain vehicles involved in accidents when the damage to the vehicle is being appraised (and an estimate of the damage is being created) based on a photo of the damage.

What is amazing is that the insurers are the ones pushing to have this new method of preparing estimates become the norm. Well, maybe I should rephrase that.

What I really meant to point out is that insurers seem to be willing to look the other way at the potential harm this practice could likely cause, in return for the savings they will receive by not having to pay the cost of an in-house appraiser or an outside independent appraiser to go out and physically inspect damaged vehicles and create the estimate based on the actual inspection of the damaged vehicle, as traditionally done for as long as I can remember.

When one looks at savings achieved by not actually sending an appraiser out to inspect a damaged vehicle, or to have a damaged vehicle actually inspected in what has traditionally been done at drive-in claim centers for many years, one has to look at all elements in order to realize the huge savings the insurers will receive by making this change. I am referring to things like an appraiser’s salary, benefits, cars, cameras, computers, rent and utilities at drive-in claim centers, and the list goes on and on. To put it bluntly, the savings would likely be in the millions in a very short period of time. Naturally, anything that could result in millions of dollars in savings on claim settlements should absolutely be considered.

This is especially true because such savings could and certainly should be passed on to the insureds. However, even though many insureds have been leaning towards conducting business in this manner, not a word of passing on the savings has been mentioned that I am aware of, not that I am surprised.

The problem is that the process of preparing an estimate based on a photo, or photos of the damage is not a process that is likely to result in a proper estimate of the actual damage to a vehicle. Insurers have pushed for legislation in other states such as Pennsylvania to change the law or create a law to allow insurers to prepare estimates based on photos of the damage. The collision industry fought this with all they had because they knew this practice would result in estimates that do not reflect the actual cost of the repairs. Members of the collision industry provided examples of how estimates based on

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photos would not only result in estimates that do not reflect the actual cost of repairs, but would also result in unsuspecting consumers continuing to drive unsafe vehicles because of the lack of a professional with the necessary experience and knowledge to recognize unsafe conditions and inform the driver of such conditions.

However, the attempts and arguments against photo estimates by everyone in the collision industry seemed to fall on deaf ears when the insurers made the argument that this was the way of the future and anyone attempting to stop it was standing in the way of progress. Ultimately, the legislation passed and insurers are now allowed to prepare estimates based on photos in Pennsylvania and in some other states.

Based on what transpired in Pennsylvania, AASP/NJ decided to take a neutral position on the issue of photo estimates for a while and simply monitor the activity surrounding the issue to see where it would lead. Well, based on numerous documented cases, what we found is devastating and gives rise to anyone concerned with the safety of the driving public to listen up. We now have example after example of photo estimates that only reflect a fraction of the actual cost to repair the vehicles in question. In fact, we have numerous examples of photo

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE estimates that are thousands of dollars off on the actual cost of repairs. We now also have documented examples of photo estimates for a few hundred dollars on vehicles with thousands of dollars in damage. What’s worse is that many of these vehicles were damaged to the extent that any expert, be it an insurance appraiser or collision shop appraiser, would have informed the driver that they should immediately

stop driving the vehicle because it is extremely unsafe due to the damage it suffered during the collision. Not only did some of these vehicles suffer damage to the extent that they pose a threat to the driver or passengers, but they also pose a threat to anyone else on the road.

Now Picture This!

Let’s suppose a vehicle is involved in an accident and the

insurer instructs the owner to take photos of the damage. The insurer then creates an estimate based on the damage shown in the photos and sends the vehicle owner a check for the repair costs. Because of the fact that the check was small, the owner has every reason to believe that the damage was minimal and certainly did not pose any serious risk that would warn the driver against continuing to drive the vehicle until they get around to making an appointment. Unfortunately, let’s suppose that the vehicle is damaged to the extent that it is actually unsafe to continue driving. However, that determination could not be made based on a photo and the vehicle gets in a subsequent accident when a safety related component failed due to the prior damage. Numerous people are injured or killed in the accident.

Had this vehicle been inspected by a collision shop or insurance appraiser with any reasonable amount of experience, the owner would have been advised that it was unsafe to drive and the injuries or deaths would have been avoided. My point is, it simply is not worth the savings achieved by preparing estimates based on photos when such practices are putting peoples’ lives or wellbeing at risk. We are continuing to monitor this situation and I would welcome comments from any interested parties, be it from the collision or insurance industry. Keep an eye open for updated information on this issue. If anyone would like to discuss the issue or the information discussed in this article, I can be reached on the AASP/NJ Hotline at (732) 922-8909.

NJA

NEW MEMBERS Caccese Motors Cinemacar Leasing Matrix Electronic Measuring Shloime’s Auto Body Willis Auto Body

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MECHANICAL CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

MODERN EFFICIENT SHOP LIGHTING As some of you may know, I built a building for vehicle repair in 1992 and added an addition in 2007. During both constructions, I strived to make the building energy efficient.

Obviously energy efficiency should be important to business owners, as it will passively affect the bottom line for years to come, as well as potentially lessen the effect on the environment. In this article, I will try to pass on what I learned.

In the first build, I incorporated 10 skylights over approximately 3,200 feet of shop space, along with metal halide 400 watt lamps. Skylight use was controversial as many people didn’t care for them, but with the thought of “free” lighting, I decided to give them a go. Ten skylights proved to be slightly inadequate to light the shop, forcing me to use the lamps as well, which resulted in more light then needed during daylight hours. During the second build 15 years later, after research with my friends at Feldman Brothers Electrical Supply, I incorporated the latest and greatest lamps at the time (2 x 4 T5 fluorescent lamps) into the addition along with 20 skylights over 4,000 square feet.

Basically this was a triple win because: 1. During the daytime sun, there is no need for any overhead lighting, providing a large electrical savings along with not creating heat in the shop during the summer.

2. I had the lamps, six bulbs in all, wired with two switches. One switch powered two bulbs while the other switch powered four bulbs allowing me to use two, four or six bulbs as needed.

3. By replacing the original metal

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halide lights on the old side, I was able to supplement the 10 skylights by running just two bulbs per fixture, reducing consumption from 400 watts to 64 watts per fixture.

PLEASE NOTE: It gets better - The lamps I replaced in the old side were subsidized partially by the power company (two thirds the cost, by my memory).

Review of lighting: Skylights - I like them, but realize they may not be cost effective unless they are being used for new construction.

Properly placed and in proper quality, they can greatly reduce overhead lighting needs. Under some circumstances they may leak, but in a shop this is usually not an issue.

400 Metal Halide - I do not like for the following reasons: 1. Very inefficient - approximately 90 percent heat/10 percent light.

by KEITH KREHEL

2. Often after a few months in service, they made a humming noise which often became irritating. (Maybe they hum because they don't know the words? Sorry...I couldn't help myself.)

3. The light bulbs dimmed over time usually requiring replacement prior to failure, so we seemed to replace these often, tying up two people, one of which (not me as I don’t do heights) has to reach a bulb 20 feet high. Not the safest venture. Basically these lamps are outdated.

If your shop has any of these hanging “fossils,” I strongly suggest their replacement and perhaps a call to Feldman Brothers, as well as to your power company, as there may be subsidized programs available to reduce your cost.

T5 Fluorescent - These have served us well for the last 10 years, but are no longer the latest technology.

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Dual ballast enabled us to dual switch, allowing just the right amount of lighting to supplement skylights - sunny day, cloudy day, evening, snow covered, etc.

The bulbs lasted a long time, about eight years before significant dimming, as the tips of each bulb went dark, but little to no failure prior.

CALENDAR

LED - State of the art and most efficient today. I am currently in the process of upgrading fluorescent indoor shop lighting to LEDs. Advantages: 1. Draw significantly less than fluorescent with minimal heat generation.

Exterior night lights provide a huge savings, as they may burn many hours.

2. Not affected by temperature or on off cycle.

3. Do not contain mercury as fluorescent does.

4. Last a long time with minimal degrade during life.

5. Not fragile - LED lamps I installed on three utility trailers 25 years ago are all still in service with no failures.

I have used LED exterior lamps for the last 10 years. In that time, no LED has needed replacement or attention. By the way, replacement of outside incandescent bulbs prior to LEDs occurred a couple of times a year and quickly became a time consuming activity worthy of an Abbott and Costello routine. Despite having good employees, identifying the bulbs, finding the bulbs (hopefully unbroken) as we attempted to stock, tying up two men and the man cage, etc. was all problematic.

In conclusion, modern efficient shop lighting can provide a huge cost savings day after day, as well as being environmentally responsible, keeping in mind the world our children live in will be the world we leave them. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at krehelauto@ aol.com. NJA

Congratulations to winners of the 2017 NJ SkillsUSA Collision Repair Technology State Championships!

FIRST PLACE: JOSEPH RUGGIERO Morris County School of Technology SECOND PLACE: BRIANNA ROPER Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School THIRD PLACE: HALEY KNUDSEN Hunterdon Central Regional High School

JUNE 1, 2017 Adhesive Bonding Holiday Inn & Suites, Parsippany Wheel Alignment & Diagnostic Angles Dobbs Auto Body, Springfield JUNE 6, 2017 Adhesive Bonding Allstate Insurance, Wall Township Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding Innovative Solutions & Technology, Lincoln Park JUNE 7, 2017 Best Practices For High-Strength Steel Repairs CollisionMax, Pennsauken JUNE 8, 2017 Color Theory, Mixing Toners & Tinting Ramada Inn-Newark Airport, Newark JUNE 14, 2017 Detailing CollisionMax, Pennsauken Replacement of Steel Unitized Structures Allstate Insurance, Wall Township JUNE 20, 2017 Plastic & Composite Repair Innovative Solutions & Technology, Lincoln Park JUNE 21, 2017 Vehicle Technology Trends & Diagnostics Overview Allstate Insurance, Wall Township JUNE 28, 2017 Aluminum Intensive Vehicle Repairs Allstate Insurance, Wall Township JUNE 29, 2017 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course Ramada Inn-Newark Airport, Newark

For more information, visit i-car.com

NJA

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TOYOTA LOOKS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES to Independent Shops

LOCAL NEWS by Nick Fernandes

at CRR Training Center Open House

I

ndependent shops looking to become as skilled as OEM certified repairers took their first step to doing so on their visit to the Toyota Collision Repair & Refinish Training Center last month.

Shop owners and technicians got a tour of the West Caldwell facility at its open house on April 26, led by Toyota Senior Collision Trainer James Meyer, who also spoke to them about the benefits of taking Toyota Collision Repair & Refinish Training courses. The educator and former shop owner is focusing on providing the independent shops with resources because he believes they are the ones that can benefit the most. “We’re marketing our training to the independents who are doing the majority of the repairs on Toyota vehicles and we want to make sure they have the necessary tools, information and training.” Meyer added that the independents are wrong in thinking that the OEM certified shops have a big advantage over them. “We want to let independent shops know that everything the certified shops have available to them, they do too.”

As an introductory offer, managers who attend training with technicians from the same shop were invited to attend one of Meyer’s training classes for free. He said that the sessions, which are offered at several different levels, are helpful to the shops because they are manufacturer specific. “A lot of independents aren’t aware that these classes are available, but the majority of the ones who have attended see high value in it.” Meyer said class attendees gain a lot of knowledge, not just from the instructor, but also from fellow shop owners and technicians who come from different areas and share ideas.

“The more training you have, the more knowledge you acquire, and speaking to peers who attend from around the country is a benefit of training as well. There’s some really talented collision repair professionals out there who come in for training.”

For more information on Toyota Collision Repair & Refinish Training, contact Lisa Oyama at 973-882-6253, or visit www.crrtraining.com.

NJA

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New Jersey collision repairers got an inside look at Toyota’s Collision Repair & Refinish training facility.

Toyota Senior Collision Trainer James Meyer (far left) discusses repair methods with members of Garden State Collision.

Shop managers and technicians got a hands-on look at the Toyota Collision Repair & Refinish Training Center at its open house last month.

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AASP/NJ Attends

NATIONAL NEWS by Joel Gausten

AASP National Meeting When you join AASP/NJ, the value of your membership extends far beyond the Garden State.

In addition to serving the New Jersey collision and mechanical repair industry, AASP/NJ is a longtime affiliate of AASP National, a multi-state organization founded in 1999 that currently represents over 7,100 automotive businesses in 27 states.

The New Jersey association’s affiliation with this group gives it direct access to a larger entity that is committed to strengthening the business success of repairers, forging strategic alliances and monitoring federal legislation and regulations.

Last month, representatives from affiliates in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania gathered in Boston for AASP National’s bi-annual Board meeting.

The four-hour gathering allowed an opportunity for participants to detail their individual group’s efforts to improve the industry. AASP/NJ was represented at the meeting by President Jeff McDowell and Executive Director Charles Bryant.

During his state update, Bryant made it clear that AASP/NJ was still actively fighting back against the spread of mobile auto repair shops.

“We met with our Motor Vehicle Commission on two separate occasions over a three- or four-year period. Our License Law, in my opinion, is really clear. It says that if you repair a car that’s damaged as the result of a collision, you must be licensed. Then, it goes on to say that the first requirement is to have a building in an area that’s zoned for auto body…Each time we present that to the Motor Vehicle Commission and point to the License Law, their answer is, ‘Well, we just don’t agree.’ It’s frustrating, because it’s not me [saying it] – it’s in the law.”

While the MVC has maintained that mobile shops are permitted in New Jersey (and has even gone as far as to issue a bulletin stating this position), Bryant noted that AASP/NJ had recently received a legal opinion from a prominent law firm that stated that such repair practices in the state are improper. The association intends to use this information in its ongoing

AASP/Executive Director Charles Bryant detailed the association’s work to address mobile shops and other critical matters.

work at the Commission.

Bryant also reported the continued success of the AASP/NJ Hot Line, which provides a means for New Jersey repair businesses to reach out to the association for information and assistance on insurer payment disputes and other issues.

For example, the Hot Line recently received a number of calls concerning insurers that are regularly delaying claim settlement and supplement inspections – a problem made even worse by the rise of photo estimating.

“It takes [the offending companies] a month and a half to finally figure out that a car is a total loss. Now, the shop has a month and half of storage, administrative fees and estimate charges.”

According to Bryant, shops that have pursued the insurers for these charges are typically given enough for only five days’ storage, with carriers

Leaders and representatives from several AASP affiliates share news and updates on industry affairs in their states.

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saying that anything above that amount would be taken out of the customer’s settlement. AASP/NJ was able to receive a legal opinion on this matter as well, with the investigating firm calling the insurers’ actions an “unconscionable commercial practice” that could lead to a suit. In one situation, a customer threatened to sue their insurer for bad faith after their vehicle was still tied up after three supplements that each took two to three weeks to process.

On a related note, Bryant detailed a recent legal opinion obtained by the Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC) regarding the proper place an insurer’s estimate should have in the repair process.

“The purpose of the insurance company estimate is not to determine how the car gets repaired,” said Bryant of the Connecticut firm’s findings. “It is to set aside money to pay the claim when the time comes.”

In other AASP National news, Collision Director Rick Starbard (AASP/MA) discussed the ongoing success of the Database Enhancement Gateway (degweb.org).

Launched in 2007, the DEG is a freeto-use initiative that was developed to help improve the quality and accuracy of collision repair estimates through proactive feedback from the repairers and other “end users” to the Information Providers (IPs) that supply the databases for the various estimating products. The DEG was created and is equally funded and maintained by AASP National and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). Starbard noted that the DEG was approaching the 11,000-inquiry mark, while the recently revamped DEG website has allowed for greater tracking and recordkeeping.

“It adds a lot more automated reporting, so we’re getting more detailed reports every week on users and how things are being handled,” he said.

For more information on AASP National (including special member discounts from companies including Mitchell 1, One Eighty Business Solutions LLC and Autoshop Solutions), visit autoservice providers.com. Additional information on AASP/NJ is available at aaspnj.org.

NJA

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INSURERS AND SCANNING: A “VERY BIG DISRUPTER”

NATIONAL FEATURE by Tom Slear

S

tate Farm Claim Consultant/P&C Claims Chris Evans calls pre- and post-repair scans “a very big disrupter,” one of the biggest he’s experienced in his 30 years with the company. The amount of money associated with the procedures is relatively small, yet the discussions that accompany them persist, popping up again and again like in Whack-A-Mole.

In an effort to provide direction, a number of car manufacturers published position papers last year that offered clarity but came with additional confusion. For example, General Motors said this in October: “All vehicles being assessed for collision damage repairs must be tested for Diagnostic Trouble Codes during the repair estimation.

Additionally, the vehicle must be retested after all repairs are complete.”

In their statement issued last June, Nissan agreed with GM up to a point. All Nissans should be scanned following a collision repair, but pre-scans are recommended only “where appropriate.”

Mark Allen, the collision programs and equipment manager for Audi, has not yet written a position statement, but based on what the company’s engineers tell him, he’s inclined to go with only post-repair scans. He believes pre-repair scans have a higher probability for abuse than use.

“It depends on what machine you use, who does [the scan], and do they follow the guided fault finding in the repair,” he says.

Small wonder that Evans says, “I

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would like to have the car companies play a more specific and definitive role in this.”

Then there’s the matter of the estimating companies. The portion of the collision repair industry that’s supposed to do the studies and come up with the times for specific repair procedures has been missing in action when it comes to scans. As Evans observes, “The estimators really need to be front and center.”

The insurance companies apparently are boxing shadows when it comes to tackling the matter of whether to pay (and how much) for scans. In an effort to get a more precise sense of what they are thinking, New Jersey Automotive contacted the 10 largest auto insurers in the United States and the largest international insurer. State Farm and GEICO, numbers one and two in the American market, responded with interviews. Numbers three, five and seven – Allstate, USAA, and Liberty Mutual – showed interest, but didn’t come through with anyone to talk to before deadline. Farmers (#6) and Nationwide (#8) said they didn’t have anyone available to discuss the issue.

Travelers (#10) declined to participate.

Progressive (#4) and American Family (#9) did not respond.

Chubb, the large international company, went with “no comment,” an understandable reaction after the media relations disaster precipitated in December by one of its regional US tech specialists who proclaimed in an email that Chubb would allow pre- and

post-repair scans on all cars 1990 model year and later. No sooner did the email hit the street then Chubb labeled it premature and proceeded to walk it back, saying that the company policy is to evaluate each repair for the worthiness of pre- and/or post-repair scans.

An 18 percent success rate isn’t what was hoped for, but the two who did cooperate are the largest automobile insurers in the country. State Farm and GEICO have a combined market share of just under 30 percent. Joe Lacy, GEICO’s director of performance review – “I manage the folks who go out and audit our adjusters,” he says – insists that GEICO feels pre- and post-repair scans are needed and will pay for them.

“We are not going to argue,” he says. “All the manufacturers say it’s necessary. We’ve made the commitment. We are going to do it. How

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do you argue with manufacturing? It’s a requirement.”

Within GEICO, the problem isn’t resistance, but inertia. In all large corporations, there’s perfunctory communication and real communication. The former is the plethora of emails and memos that employees barely read and rarely follow.

The latter is the notes and guidance from direct supervisors that indicate clearly what action needs to be taken.

The former travels quickly but has little effect. The latter travels slowly and oftentimes inaccurately, yet it’s what ultimately moves organizations in one direction or another.

GEICO employs some 3,000 adjusters. Lacy would like to say they are all on the same page, but he knows better. The approach from a GEICO adjuster should be: If the scan makes sense, then GEICO will pay for it.

“If the shop can do [a scan] inhouse – fine,” he says. “If subbed out, we’ll pay the rate as long as it is competitive. I understand this is a mechanical procedure, and those rates are solid.”

State Farm is more nuanced in their approach. Though Evans claims the company pays for scans “a lot,” the company is not yet ready for a final decision. For now, it’s a case-by-case basis.

“We’re still in a learning mode,” he says. “We’re perfectly fine paying for this procedure as often as we do, but the problem is that there are still a lot of unknowns. We’ve seen scanning being requested anywhere from a half hour of labor time from a body shop because they have the tools and equipment to do it themselves, to $600 from another shop because they send a car down the road to a dealership. We just hope the

estimating companies move quickly on this, but also accurately. We would hate for them to come out with a cursory approach.”

However that turns out, Evans has one pointed piece of advice for collision repair shops: “In my personal opinion, body shops will have to make an investment. I don’t see scan tools as much different than needing a piece of frame equipment that fixes a unibody properly or changing a paint system from a conventional system to a waterborne system. The shops are going to need the equipment in-house.

It’s a natural progression.”

NJA

Tom Slear is a freelance writer based in Annapolis, MD. He has written extensively about the collision repair industry over the last 30 years.

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COVER STORY by Nick Fernandes

QUALITY ACROSS GENERATIONS:

Fathers and Sons in the New Jersey Automotive Industry Data shows that the majority of family businesses typically don’t even make it to the second generation, but a handful of New Jersey body shop owners are confident that their shops will continue to do well under third and fourth generation management. This month, New Jersey Automotive reached out to several AASP/NJ member shops to learn about their experiences working with their children and how they have turned their family ties into recipes for success.

Although most of the repair pros experienced a rough beginning with their sons, they are all happy to call them their business partners. Gary Gardella Sr. (County Line Auto Body, Howell) explained that working with his two sons Gary Jr. and Rich was not so simple in the beginning because of the complicated mixture of family and work. “It’s

Auto Body Craftsman’s (right) Dan Hawtin and son Randy

very hard to separate family from business. You can’t bring family matters into the shop. When they first started, they were young and didn’t understand that. It really took them until their 30s to

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put everything together.” However, his sons have come so far that the veteran collision repairer has since handed the business over to them. “When they first came here, they didn’t understand anything. Now I kind of work for them,” he said with a chuckle. “Usually they want me wherever the fire is the biggest – and they make that decision, not me.”

Randy Hawtin of Auto Body Craftsman has had the similar experience since joining his father Dan at his Island Heights shop in 2001. “We used to butt heads more when I was younger, but I’ve been here 16 years now and it’s been great.” After adapting to working together over the years, the two now enjoy each other’s company each day. “We’re best friends. It’s nice to see him every day,” Dan said of his son.

Conversely, Dennis Cataldo Jr. and Sr. of D&M Auto Body (Old Bridge) – who

Dennis Cataldo Sr. and Dennis Jr. of D&M Auto Body

have been business partners for just five years – still face some difficulties in the workplace. “We have our good times and bad times,” Dennis Jr. said with a laugh.

“We bang heads a lot, but it’s good that we get to spend a lot of time together.”

His father agreed that working with him is not always as easy as it could be, but he is happy that his son decided to join him when he moved from New York and opened a NJ shop. “He runs the office great, but we have disagreements here and there.”

However, the typical father-son clash does not apply to Barry Jost Sr. and Jr. (Jost Garage, Wall Twp./Neptune). Even though the two have only been coworkers for three years, they have what appears to be the perfect father and son relationship both inside and outside the shop. “There’s not many fathers and sons out there that can work together. A lot of times there’s a clash between the two powers and difference in opinions,” Barry Jr. affirmed. The Josts’ relationship is the exact opposite of that, explained the duo, who always respect each other’s points of view and enjoy exchanging ideas. “When

Cosmo’s Ocean County Auto Wreckers’ Ian Szoboszlay and his father Tony Zaccaro

he speaks, I listen,” Barry Jr. said. “When I speak, he listens, so it’s great in that aspect because him and I are on the same page.” This has given the son the opportunity to not only work in a pleasant environment, but also quickly transition into a leadership role.

Tony Zaccaro of Cosmo’s Ocean County Auto Wreckers also works easily with his son Ian Szoboszlay, who joined him at the Bayville facility nearly 15 years ago. “We deal with tons of problems in the shop, but as far as our relationship and collaborating, we have none,” Zaccaro said. Szoboszlay has very few issues with his father, joking that he gets on his nerves just once in a while. “It’s because he’s the boss, but it’s never anything that’s more than a quick frustrated moment,” Szoboszlay said with a laugh.

Tom Elder (Compact Kars, Clarksburg) may come across a conflict with his son Jeff once in a while, but the two are quick to solve each one. “We have good communication skills and if there’s ever a conflict, we talk it out right away,” Tom said. Elder has been satisfied with his son’s work since day one and notes that he has become a master at every single department – from mechanical, to painting to office operations. “He’s a natural for fixing cars,” Elder says of Jeff – who started working shifts at the shop at the age of 12. “I’ve run him through every operation of the shop.” Jeff has been so successful over the years that his father has now put him in charge and he is in line to take over the business completely within the next few years.

“He runs the entire operation now. I do what he needs done instead of him doing what I need done.” Elder says his son’s biggest asset to the company is his excellent customer service skills, among many other talents. “His strongest suit is dealing with customers. They all love him.” After working summers and weekends while in school and realizing continued on page 44

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COVER STORY continued from page 42

The Gardellas of County Line Auto Body

that it was his strong suite, Jeff received his Associates degree in Automotive Technology so that he could make a career out of Compact Kars (the Elders are pictured on our cover).

Some family businesses do not have the most cheerful history. Italian luxury fashion brand Gucci was sold to a major bank in 1988 after Paolo Gucci got involved in a lawsuit with his father Aldo over financials. In the 1940s, Adidas founder Rudolph Dassler suspected that his brother Adolph was responsible for his imprisonment by US soldiers. The two owners went their separate ways in 1948 and Rudolph unveiled the athletic wear company Puma, becoming his brother’s direct competitor. But that is not the case with family owned shops such as County Line Auto Body.

Gary Gardella Sr. is proud of the way his sons have improved their business operation skills over the years, highlighting that they realized they can’t just do things their own way. Through trial and error, the brothers learned that they need to follow the system. “It took them a while to understand that they’re not going to reinvent anything. They just needed to sit down, listen and follow the steps.” The Gardellas knew they would eventually join their father at County Line, but while Gary Jr. felt that his father made it easier for him to enter the industry, Rich believed he needed to show everyone his capabilities before being accepted. “It was actually more difficult. I wasn’t automatically welcomed as the boss’ son.

I had to prove myself in order to make it happen.”

While fathers are generally proud of their sons, not too many can say that they are one of the best painters in the state, but Dan Hawtin of Auto Body Craftsman is the exception. The father also spoke of his son’s strong work ethic and positive attitude. “He’s a hard worker and does the right thing every day. Ninety-nine percent of the time he has a great attitude,” Dan said as he chuckled. “He

44 | New Jersey Automotive | June 2017

knows how proud I am of him and he’s happy with what he’s doing.” Hawtin didn’t want his son to become involved in such a tough industry, but Randy had so much of an interest in cars that he had to get involved. “You’re producing highquality products. The cars on the road are operating safely because you fixed them. It’s so fulfilling.”

A common difficulty for shop owners these days is finding reliable and competent employees. However, Dennis Cataldo Sr. knows that Dennis Jr. possesses those qualities, which is the reason why D&M Auto Body runs so smoothly. “He is someone I can rely on. I don’t have to worry about him being late or not showing up.” Cataldo appreciates his son’s mastery of sales, which he was able to successfully apply to a different industry. “He was always into sales. He’s just working in a different area of sales now. He has really adapted to the business. He writes the estimates, takes the photos and he is very professional with the customers.” Even though Cataldo didn’t join his father until recently, the industry became second nature to him since he spent a lot of his young years in body shops. However, his father originally preferred that he didn’t work in the industry – because it has become so tough. “Since I was eight years old, I’ve been in and out of body shops. My father was a part of the association in New York City, so I’ve been involved on that side of things too.”

The father-son duo at Cosmo’s has a blast working together due to Szoboszlay’s skills and ability to get along with Zaccaro so well. Zaccaro was content with the way his son transitioned into a new line of work in 2002, praising him for being a fast learner and dealing well with the company’s difficult training techniques. “He learned everything that we taught him. In the early days, when we put someone in a position, it was trial by fire and he adapted very well.”

Szoboszlay remembers sitting by the pool one day in the summer, when his father asked him to come help out at the auto wrecker facility. He started assisting with a few different tasks such as cleaning the shop and driving before replacing the salesman who departed six months later. “Having zero sales experience and zero automotive experience, I jumped right in.” Zaccaro has been pleased with his son’s ability to learn each department well over the years, making him a resource to the entire facility. “In multiple departments,

Jost Garage’s Barry Jost with Barry Jr.

he’ll be my go to guy because I know he gets it and I can count on him to relay to his co-workers what he knows. I see great development.” Prior to joining his dad, Szoboszlay worked in the restaurant industry. He decided to make the career change because he found the automotive field to be much more beneficial. “There’s no working on weekends or holidays and better pay. I can go on and on about how much better it is than the food industry.”

Although most fathers can point out room for improvement in their kids, Jost Garage’s Barry Jost Sr. knows that Barry Jr.’s work ethic and skills are almost identical to his own. Barry Jr. joined the shop after completing his Communications degree and did an excellent job of learning the ropes of the industry. “He came in after college with not a ton of automotive experience and adapted extremely well. He definitely has the Jost gene because he’s done a great job so quickly.” Although his father praises him for his outstanding work, Barry Jr. would not have been able to achieve what he has if it wasn’t for his supportive family. “It’s great being here with not just my father, but my entire family. They have been fantastic in making sure that I’m educated and can continue to improve, especially not coming from an automotive background.”

Despite the fact that Barry Jr. originally planned for the garage to be a temporary way to earn money before entering the Communications field, he was enjoying it so much that he decided to make it permanent. “It’s a freaking pleasure waking up every morning. There’s not one day that I come in dreading to go to work.”

Although 70 percent of family businesses fail to thrive past the first generation and another 88 percent start to fail after the second, the younger generation of these family-owned shops is not just on the path to follow in their fathers’ footsteps, but improve them as well.

NJA

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LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

by Mitchell Portnoi Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney

Continuing Education

Just as the automotive world engages in continuing education to learn about new techniques to fix and maintain automobiles, lawyers engage in continuing education to learn the latest and the greatest regarding changes in the law as well as new techniques to present information to juries and judges in an understandable and comprehensive way.

I just came back to the office after spending two days in Atlantic City attending the New Jersey Association for Justice Seminars. The classes dealt with various areas of the law from matrimonial, personal injury, employment and criminal to medical malpractice and ethics as well as nursing home negligence. They were taught by various experts in these related fields and each seminar was attended by both the experienced and the not so experienced. The law is an ever changing environment. Of course the legislators at the federal, state and local levels change the law on a regular basis and the courts provide their own changes by their interpretation of the law on a daily basis. These changes affect how we all live and how we interact with one another, whether it be in business, personally or within the justice system. It is imperative that we as lawyers understand the various changes and how they affect our interactions with our clients, so that we are able to advise them accordingly.

Additional information in the seminars involved how to present information to juries in this day and age. Juries don’t intake or retain information as they have done in the

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past. They are frequently younger people who have been raised on 22-minute sitcoms and in the age of the Internet-instant gratification. Their ability to process information and retain such information is different than it was years ago. Our ability to cater to these changes in our juries is vital so that we may give them the information to appropriately compensate our clients for the harms they have received at the hands of a negligent defendant.

Lastly, these seminars serve as a rallying point for encouraging attorneys to continue to fight the good fight against very large and well-funded defendants (whether they be pharmaceutical companies or large manufacturers) or insurance companies who stand behind their insureds and have stables of attorneys and experts at their disposal. The NJAJ conference reenergizes our members to go out and take on the Goliaths of the world on a daily basis, as so many of our members do.

As in the auto industry, education is the key to keeping up with an ever-changing world. It’s also important to have a little fun while doing so and Atlantic City was the perfect spot to have it. If you need more information related to this important topic, please contact me at (973)228-9900.

NJA

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NO BRAKES by Ron Ananian

(I think I’ve said this before?)

For example, do I talk to you about the technician shortage? Unless you’re operating the front office from under a rock you already know that. And naturally the reasons why haven’t changed. We ask young people to go through a trade school, spend $20-$25,000 on a career and then when they graduate most of them move into something else. Their passion and love of automobiles is not groomed or realized.

Of course, this is only the tip of the technician shortage iceberg. It starts in secondary schools. Their push to send kids to college continues, although in recent years the education system has begun to embrace the need for kids to learn a trade. But the gap and catch-up damage is done and will take some work to undo. We are also guilty of hurting the cause too — somewhere along the way we haven’t cultivated their potential. We cut it short by offering them a substandard pay which if the State of NJ has its way will soon be below the minimum wage ($15 an hour to start just isn’t enough). Plus they need to buy a toolbox and that doesn’t happen without building a pile of debt (the Snap-On man loves us for it though with the two-four year turnover they sell a great deal of tool boxes).

Naturally, this is only for the shops that actually pay employees on the books. Let’s face it: paying techs off the books is common practice. Heck, just the other day someone told me a story about a shop they were working in a few years back. They were replaced by two illegal immigrants that work off the books for half pay — two techs for the price of one. It’s amazing when you think of the risk.

Imagine if a tech working off the books is involved in an accident road testing a customer vehicle, or worse, hurt in the shop? Nah, you already know all this. No point writing about it. Of course writing about how a shop that pays techs off the books is working the system and taxing its limits hurts all of us. Nah, you know all this also. Of course I am stunned that these shops doing this still complain

Alert the media! I have nothing to say this month! WOW! My editor is probably going to faint when I tell him (someone else has to give him mouth-tomouth). It’s not that by some miracle all the obstacles towards success in auto repair are gone — far from it. I actually have so much to talk about I don’t know where to begin. about the industry forcing them into illegal practice and subterfuge and how they can’t make a living. Why try doing something right when it’s easier to do it wrong?

Maybe I’ll write about scan tools? Judging by emails and calls to the radio show, that’s a hot topic lately. Which one? How many? How much to invest? Yes, that last part is really a question...how much to invest? It should really be how much to spend before it goes obsolete and you have to buy another one. Of course it won’t matter if you are doing things illegally. You’re making so much money you can waste a few bucks here and there, right? No point talking about it.

Hmm, I really have nothing to say. Or do I?

The Bottom Line is...

There is always something to talk about, write about and think about in auto repair. It’s not a 9-5 job. It’s a way of life. Yes, healthy boundaries are needed to maintain sanity, lifestyle and family relations. Hopefully you know that already. Of course not having anything to say this month was a rarity. Next month I will have something good to say, I promise. Or maybe I’ll leave you with this: You can’t make a wrong turn down a right street. Always do the right thing and success will find you. If you are a shop owner and have to cheat to make it work, something is wrong with your business model. If you are a tech, love cars and repairing them and are not happy, find a shop that supports your belief system. They are out here. Get off your butt and start looking. And lastly, technology is changing (no surprise). Start adapting your business model to meet it and if you aren’t, get legal for heavens sake.

Oh, one more thing to say (or not)...

Success finds those that seek it. Start looking.

NJA

’Til next time, I’m Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, reminding you that “Good mechanics aren’t expensive; they’re priceless.”

Ron Ananian, owner of R\A Automotive in Waldwick, NJ (est. 1978), is heard weekly in 140 markets on his nationally syndicated radio talk show. He is a working technician and former AASP/NJ Board member. Beyond his radio show, Ron writes and speaks for the automotive industry at trade shows and events. Visit The Car Doctor online at www.cardoctorshow.com.

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ARANJ 2017 Officers

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

1st Vice President Ian Szoboszlay - Ocean County Auto (732) 349-0332 ian@cosmosautoparts.com

2nd Vice President Darryl Carmen - Lentini Auto Salvage (908) 782-6838 darryl@las-parts.com

3rd Vice President Rodney Krawczyk - Ace Auto Wreckers (732) 254-9816 aceautonj@comcast.net Executive Director Brian Snyder - Auto Recyclers of NJ (609) 714-2339 brian@aranj.org

ARANJ 2017 Board of Directors Mike Ronayne - Tilghmans Auto Parts (609) 723-7469 tilghmans@snip.net Mike Yeager - EL & M Auto (609) 561-2266 elandmauto@aol.com

Ed Silipena - American II Autos (609) 965-6700 esilipena@yahoo.com Harry Shover - Porchtown Auto (856) 694-1555

Norm Vachon - Port Murray Auto (908) 689-3152 portmurrayauto@yahoo.com Dylan Rinkens - East Brunswick Auto (732) 254-6501 ebautonj@comcast.net

ARANJ

The Automotive Recyclers Association of New Jersey

Wharton Insurance Briefs An ARA Member

Most of you are aware that one of the insurance companies writing Workers’ Compensation coverage has decided that, due to losses, they will no longer be writing Workers’ Compensation in New Jersey. All policies renewing after April 23, 2017 will be non-renewed. Some of you have received notice from the company already.

We have been negotiating with two insurers that have agreed to write this coverage.

They both have certain guidelines, such as credit rating, losses, premium size, etc., and will be underwriting each account individually. We will be contacting you to review your payroll, number of employees and classifications early enough to provide you with a quote. We will provide continuous coverage on this matter.

If you have any questions, you can contact me at the below numbers or email address.

Mario DeFilippis, AAI, Vice President Wharton Group 800-221-0003 (ext.1320) (908)-513-8588 (cell) mdefilippis@whartoninsurance.com

NJA

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NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT by Nick Fernandes

VILLAGE AUTO BODY RIDGEWOOD, NJ

The staff at Village Auto Body in Ridgewood is always looking for ways to further their education, which is why owners Frank and Cathy Thissen have recently decided to join AASP/NJ. “I’m always signing everyone up for classes and we keep trying to get more education. The association can give us different ideas and different approaches on how to handle some of the issues we face,” Cathy says. Frank is eager to learn more about the industry as a new member. “It seems like there’s so much knowledge you can acquire from the association, and it will be easier to stay updated on everything that’s happening in the industry,” he said. After Frank started his own towing company (City Wide Towing, Hawthorne) in 1986, he decided to transition into the auto body industry 10 years later by opening the Ridgewood shop with his wife. He continues to manage both businesses.

In the early days, the Thissens did most of the work themselves and only had two hired employees. “Cathy was in the office and I was working out in the shop with two other guys,” Frank says. “That was it.” As the shop became more popular and the procedures got more complex, the small

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family business eventually expanded and now has a staff of 10.

“Things get difficult,” Frank adds.

“A lot has changed over the years.

There’s just a lot of restrictions and your hands are pretty much tied with the insurance companies nowadays.”

In addition, their son Tyler joined the shop as a painter a year and a half ago. “He had a knack for it and he caught on pretty quickly,” Cathy says.

The shop owners also started furthering their education with I-CAR courses and shop certifications. “We’re I-CAR Gold Certified and back in the day you didn’t really need that,” Cathy said.

Frank says the I-CAR classes and Honda and Acura ProFirst certifications have been a major benefit to him and the shop. “It’s a lot of work going through all the I-CAR classes and other training, but it teaches you a lot and trains you to fix these cars properly. I’m even certified in lead paint.

That’s how many certifications I have,” Frank jokes.

The Thissens say customer service is the most important aspect of the auto body industry and it is the secret behind their many years of success. “If you don’t have good customer service and you don’t communicate with the customers well during the process,

you’ll never see them again,” Frank says. Their customer service skills are the reason why the many competitors in town – two of which are on the same block – do not affect them. “We get so many repeat customers,” Frank notes.

“We’re always busy.” Cathy enjoys comforting the customers when they arrive at the shop shortly after an accident. “I like when the customers come in and I can calm them down, get them some water and make sure they’re alright. We will also handle the whole process for them if they’re too shaken up.” In addition to doing tasks for the customer such as picking up the accident report or trying to get the other person’s insurance company to pay for repairs, the staff at Village Auto Body often gets a vehicle that most people would consider a total a loss and is able to repair it. “We always try to keep the customers happy, which keeps us very busy.”

Frank and Cathy will continue to educate themselves and their staff, so that Village Auto Body can continue to prosper.

NJA

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 1-800-NEW-PARTS ..............................................14-15 Accudraft..............................................................38 Acme Nissan ........................................................4 Action Nissan of Flemington ..................................10 Amato Agency ......................................................28 Audi Group ..........................................................32-33 Axalta Coating Systems ........................................6 BMW Group..........................................................24-25 BMW of Springfield ..............................................19 Bram Auto Group ..................................................17 Bridgewater Acura ................................................58 Cadillac of Mahwah ..............................................27 Classic Audi..........................................................18 Collision Equipment Company ..............................43 Clinton Acura ........................................................IBC Crestmont Family of Dealerships ..........................34 Empire Auto Parts ................................................31 Flemington Audi....................................................5 Flemington Group ................................................48 Ford Group ..........................................................59 Fred Beans Parts ..................................................40 Future Cure ..........................................................12 Glen Toyota ..........................................................OBC Hyundai Group......................................................61

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Innovative Solutions & Technology / Pro Spot ........13 Klean Frame ........................................................31 Lynnes Nissan East ..............................................59 Martin Senour Automotive Finishes........................45 Maxon Mazda ......................................................47 Maxon Hyundai ....................................................35 Mazda Group........................................................53 MINI Group ..........................................................49 Mopar Group ........................................................51 NUCAR ................................................................20-21 Phillipsburg-Easton Honda ....................................IBC Porsche Group......................................................39 PPG......................................................................3 PPGMS ................................................................50 Princeton BMW ....................................................29 Princeton MINI ......................................................11 Sherwin-Williams..................................................46 Subaru Group ......................................................41 Subaru of Morristown............................................46 Town Motors ........................................................52 Toyota Group ........................................................55 Toyota of Hackensack ..........................................IFC Toyota of Morristown ............................................46 Tri-State Luxury Collection ....................................8-9 Valtek ..................................................................62 VIP Honda ............................................................58 VW Group ............................................................54 Westbury Jeep Chrysler Dodge Ram SRT ..............57 Wheel Collision Center ..........................................62

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