Hammer & Dolly May 2015

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www.wmaba.com

May 2015 Volume 9, No. 5 $5.95

Also this Issue: Which Internet Marketing Channels Are the Right Ones for My Shop? www.grecopublishing.com

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CONTENTS MAY 2015 32 COVER STORY SCRS HONORS WMABA NATIVES, DORN RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD BOUDREAU GAINS SCRS BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ SEAT COVERAGE BY JOEL GAUSTEN

WMABA WORKS FOR YOU!

Turn to page 17 for your WMABA Poster Insert: Area Survey Results for Your Benefit

DEPARTMENTS

NATIONAL NEWS BY JOEL GAUSTEN 20 LEGAL ACTIONS, ANTI-STEERING EFFORTS

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®

State associations react to insurer pressure.

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HIGHLIGHT NORTHEAST LEADERSHIP MEETING

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SCRS DETAILS IMPROVED IP RELATIONS AT SPRING OPEN MEETING

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The national association instigates change on behalf of members.

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REPAIRER ROUNDTABLE OFFERS PERSPECTIVES ON FUTURE DEMANDS

Industry experts engage in a frank discussion on training and equipment.

CIC RECAP GRAPPLES WITH A CHANGING INDUSTRY 38 ACIC fiery parts procurement debate highlights the April meeting.

BY JOEL GAUSTEN

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ARE THE RIGHT ONES FOR MY SHOP?

Making sense – and sales – out of the many online options available to you.

BY LEE EMMONS

Editor’s Message JOEL GAUSTEN

Executive Director’s Message JORDAN HENDLER

Technician of the Month: Paul Crowl JACQUELYN BAUMAN

JERRY DALTON MEMORIAL EDUCATION FUND

WMABA’s student scholarship application to cultivate the future of the auto repair industry.

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MARKETING FEATURE 42 WHICH INTERNET MARKETING CHANNELS

Calendar of Events

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What’s WMABA Up To?

WMABA Membership Application

In Memory…

Johnny Dickerson

President’s Message DON BEAVER

Advertisers’ Index

Images © www.istockphoto.com Page 10: Photo by Mike Petzinger

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Industry training opportunities and don't-miss events.

CALENDAR OF

EVENTS CLASS LISTINGS

May 5, 2015

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, PERSONAL SAFETY & REFINISH SAFETY Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD ADVANCED STEERING & SUSPENSION SYSTEMS DAMAGE ANALYSIS State Farm Silver Spring, Silver Spring, MD

May 6, 2015

CORROSION PROTECTION Delcastle VoTech, Wilmington, DE

May 7, 2015

VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY & TRENDS 2015 Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE DAMAGE ANALYSIS & SAFETY Automotive Collision Technologies, Randallstown, MD ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE DAMAGE ANALYSIS & SAFETY Radley Chevrolet, Fredericksburg, VA

ADVANCED STEERING & SUSPENSION SYSTEMS DAMAGE ANALYSIS N T Auto Body Inc., Alexandria, VA SUSPENSION SYSTEMS Delcastle VoTech, Wilmington, DE

May 12, 2015, 2-9pm ATI’s ”Cash Profits Boot Camp” (14 AMI credits) Tysons Corner, VA Find out more and sign up at www.autotraining.net

May 21, 2015

ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE DAMAGE ANALYSIS & SAFETY Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA ADHESIVE BONDING King Volkswagen, Gaithersburg, MD 2015 FORD F-150 STRUCTURAL REPAIR TRAINING COURSE Frederick Co. Career & Tech Frederick, MD

May 26, 2015

May 11, 2015

2015 FORD F-150 STRUCTURAL REPAIR TRAINING COURSE Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA SUSPENSION SYSTEMS Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD

May 12, 2015

CORROSION PROTECTION Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

WATERBORNE PRODUCTS, SYSTEMS & APPLICATION First Team Toyota, Chesapeake, VA PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA REPLACEMENT OF STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD AUTOMOTIVE FOAMS Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE DAMAGE ANALYSIS & SAFETY Canby Motors Collision Repair, Aberdeen, MD

May 13, 2015

ADHESIVE BONDING N T Auto Body Inc., Alexandria, VA STRUCTURAL STRAIGHTENING STEEL Delcastle VoTech, Wilmington, DE PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

May 14, 2015

FULL-FRAME PARTIAL REPLACEMENT Frederick Co. Career & Tech, Frederick, MD VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY & TRENDS 2015 Kunkel’s, Baltimore, MD ADHESIVE BONDING Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA SECTIONING OF STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA SUSPENSION SYSTEMS Rosner Collision Center, Fredericksburg, VA

May 18, 2015

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, PERSONAL SAFETY & REFINISH SAFETY First Team Toyota, Chesapeake, VA

May 19, 2015

COLOR THEORY, MIXING TONERS & TINTING Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA ADHESIVE BONDING Keystone Linthicum, Linthicum, MD STEERING & SUSPENSION DAMAGE ANALYSIS Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD

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May 20, 2015

May 4-6, 2015 2015 WIN Educational Con ference Baltimore Waterfront Mar riott, Baltimore, MD For more info, visit http://tin yurl.com/WIN-2015-Confer ence

May 2015

May 27, 2015 June 1, 2015

CORROSION PROTECTION First Team Toyota, Chesapeake, VA FORD F-150 STRUCTURAL REPAIR TRAINING COURSE Virginia Farm Bureau, Lexington, VA

June 2, 2015

RACK & PINION & PARALLELOGRAM STEERING SYSTEMS Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD FULL-FRAME PARTIAL REPLACEMENT State Farm Silver Spring, Silver Spring, MD WELDED & ADHESIVELY BONDED PANEL REPLACEMENT Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA

June 3, 2015

AUTOMOTIVE FOAMS Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

June 4, 2015

PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR Radley Chevrolet, Fredericksburg, VA FULL-FRAME PARTIAL REPLACEMENT Automotive Collision Technologies, Randallstown, MD REPLACEMENT OF STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA SQUEEZE-TYPE RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

June 9, 2015

SECTIONING OF STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA ADHESIVE BONDING Criswell Collision Center, Annapolis, MD SECTIONING OF STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES Canby Motors Collision Repair, Aberdeen, MD

June 10, 2015

COLOR THEORY, MIXING TONERS & TINTING Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

June 11, 2015

PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY & TRENDS 2015 Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA WHEEL ALIGNMENT & DIAGNOSTIC ANGLES Kunkel’s, Baltimore, MD SQUEEZE-TYPE RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING Radley Collision of Stafford, Fredericksburg, VA

June 13, 2015

WHEEL ALIGNMENT & DIAGNOSTIC ANGLES N T Auto Body Inc., Alexandria, VA

June 15, 2015

ADHESIVE BONDING State Farm Insurance, Roanoke, VA

June 16, 2015

PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR Keystone Linthicum, Linthicum, MD ALUMINUM EXTERIOR PANEL REPAIR & REPLACEMENT Virginia Farm Bureau, Lexington, VA SQUEEZE-TYPE RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA

June 17, 2015

STEEL UNITIZED STRUCTURES TECHNOLOGIES & REPAIR N T Auto Body Inc., Alexandria, VA

June 18, 2015

STRUCTURAL STRAIGHTENING STEEL Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR King Volkswagen, Gaithersburg, MD

June 22, 2015

PLASTIC & COMPOSITE REPAIR State Farm Insurance, Roanoke, VA

June 23, 2015

WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC ANGLES Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA SQUEEZE-TYPE RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA

www.i-car.com or (800) 422-7872 for info

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Joel Gausten

EDITOR’S

(973) 600-9288 tgpjoel@verizon.net

MESSAGE BEYOND YOUR BACKYARD

In late March, I attended the 2015 NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show in Secaucus, NJ. Over the years, I’ve seen this annual event (hosted by the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey) grow from being a strictly regional show to an extensive gathering that attracts participation from shop owners and industry leaders from across the country.

Thanks largely to the Internet, the American collision repair field is connected like never before, resulting in more widespread communication and action between various states and associations. This encouraging trend is exemplified in not only our coverage of the 2015 NORTHEAST East Coast Resolution Forum & Leadership Meeting (page 20), but also in our stories on the recent Repairer Roundtable in Atlanta, GA (page 28) and the SCRS 2015 Corporate Member and Industry Awards Luncheon (page 32).

If you ever feel like you are the only one who is experiencing a particular issue or frustration at your shop, I strongly encourage you to take a look at our ongoing national coverage in Hammer & Dolly. Not only are you not alone, but your membership in WMABA already connects you with an ever-growing nationwide WMABA OFFICERS PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER SECRETARY

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Don Beaver Dbeaver@antwerpenauto.com 443-539-4200 ext. 17061 Torchy Chandler torchy.chandler@gmail.com 410-309-2242 Mark Schaech Jr. mark@marksbodyshop.com 410-358-5155 John Krauss jkrauss@craftsmanautobody.com 703-534-1818 Barry Dorn bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com 804-746-3928

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rodney Bolton (rbolton@aacps.org) 410-969-3100 ext. 250 Mark Boudreau (crashdaddy@aol.com) 703-671-2402 Kevin Burt (kevinburt@walkermillcollision.com) 301-336-1140

ADMINISTRATION

RT Plate (rt@pcirepair.com) 703-929-8050 Phil Rice (phil@ricewoods.com) 540-846-6617

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jordan Hendler (jordanhendler@wmaba.com) 804-789-9649 WMABA CORPORATE OFFICE P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116

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network of concerned, proactive industry professionals working hard to better the field for all involved. You might be a member of a “regional” association, but rest assured that your membership helps WMABA represent you within the greater collision repair community.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can simply pay your dues, sit back and read about everyone else’s activities. As nationally minded as the industry has become, never forget that promoting change on the local level is equally important. Regularly attending area WMABA meetings and events helps fuel the association’s efforts in Virginia, Maryland, DC and beyond. WMABA is one of America’s most prominent and well-known industry institutions, but its ongoing survival depends on you at home. Make a commitment today to become more active and engaged in what WMABA has to offer. Contribute to the group’s events and legislative endeavors. Read this publication to learn as much as you can about the industry around you. Connect with like-minded shop owners via social media. Learn about ways to better communicate with your customers about their rights in the repair process.

WMABA takes the most important information from throughout the entire auto body industry and filters it straight to you. All you have to do to enjoy this benefit is remain – or become – involved. For more information on WMABA membership or upcoming activities, contact WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler at (804) 789-9649. H&D

May 2015

STAFF

PUBLISHER DIRECTOR OF SALES EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR ART DIRECTOR OFFICE MANAGER

Thomas Greco thomas@grecopublishing.com

Alicia Figurelli alicia@grecopublishing.com

Joel Gausten tgpjoel@verizon.net

Jacquelyn Bauman jacquelyn@grecopublishing.com

Lea Velocci lea@grecopublishing.com

Donna Greco donna@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 © 2015 Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S

MESSAGE

Jordan Hendler

(804) 789-9649 jordanhendler@wmaba.com

THE PRIVILEGE OF SEEING THE BIG PICTURE

I am often humbled by the position I have been granted, representing repairers both locally and at the national conferences or associations. This is truly a privilege and I am very honored to serve you.

Many times, I get the question, “What do you think from talking to other repairers?” This is asked as if my perspective is unique to yours.

That gets me thinking about where I am in relation to the repairer. I do not fix cars with my two hands, write estimates or talk to very many customers. In spite of that, the perspectives that I do get by talking to repairers daily, attending many of the meetings and talking with those representing companies at a national level are all very helpful to your everyday business.

When you see something wrong, never assume that it’s a coincidence or that others aren’t aware of it. For instance, that’s exactly why the Database Enhancement Gateway (degweb.org) was born. Repairers who saw mistakes in the estimating platforms and wanted to have a way to address them made the mechanism to do just that. Or, if you want to know if an insurance company has changed “the rules” just for you or for everyone, that’s an answer I can get, too.

Being at the 10,000-foot level offers a vantage point to assist you with the macro-to-micro issues you face. I have many relationships that

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can be utilized to your benefit; all you have to do is ask me.

Just look at the coverage from Atlanta that is taking up this issue. We were there, and so were Board members of WMABA who represent you (Barry Dorn and Mark Boudreau). We have some of the best minds in the country here in our backyard.

I want WMABA to be the organization that assists you in making your business better. Improving your business might mean running it smoother, making more profit,

strengthening your vendor relationships or giving an employee benefit. These things are why the association is here, and why we’re here for you.

Whether you are a member or not, we want to help you be a better repairer, so please add us to the resources that you can’t work without. H&D

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

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TECHNICIAN OF

THE MONTH

Hammer & Dolly chats with the WMABA community’s best and brightest.

BY JACQUELYN BAUMAN

PAUL CROWL For a lot of people, 17 is a tough age. You stand at the precipice of a life not yet lived, wondering what to do with yourself for decades to come. At this time, most are contemplating what type of career choice to take. Luckily for Paul Crowl of Sullivan’s Auto Body in Sunderland, MD, this was never the case.

“Like a lot of other technicians, I got my start at my vocational technical school,” explains Crowl. While attending North Point High School in Waldorf, MD, Crowl gained an interest in their body repair program.

“I liked being able to work with my hands. I still do,” he says.

“When I was a senior in high school, I applied for a job at Fort Washington Auto Body in Oxon Hill. [Owner] Laura Gay hired me as a helper. I stayed there for about five and a half years when Laura and [her husband] Rodney asked me to move down to Sunderland to work at the sister shop. I’ve been here ever since then.”

And for Crowl, he intends on being there for a very long time.

“In 10 years, I still see myself doing this, working at this shop,” he predicted. “I love what I do here. There’s no reason to leave.”

As an auto body technician, it is sometimes hard to stand out from the crowd, but Crowl believes it is his work ethic that earned him this nomination for Technician of the Month.

“I work hard and I come in every day and do everything the right way, just like Rodney Gay taught me to,” he explains.

When not at the shop, Crowl likes to do what a lot of people in their mid-20s likes to do on their days off – hang out with his friends and watch Game of Thrones.

He extends a warm thank you to Laura and Rodney Gay for taking a chance on him all those years ago. Crowl’s employment at these two shops is a perfect example of how young rookies can

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Paul Crowl is building a long-lasting career in the collision repair field.

become longtime employees. Don’t forget to remain active in your local vocational technical schools to scout for new talent and keep your shops at the level they need to be in this ever-changing industry.

Crowl’s advice for future techs looking to achieve the same level of success is simple: Always work hard and do your best.

Come in every day and give 100 percent, no matter what. H&D

If you would like to nominate someone as Technician of the Month, please contact Hammer & Dolly Editor Joel Gausten at tgpjoel@verizon.net

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Find more association updates at www.wmaba.com.

WHAT’S UP TO?

WHY THIS 2015 WMABA SURVEY RESULTS POSTER? WMABA published the 2015 Labor Rate Survey results in the January and February issues of Hammer & Dolly (available online at grecopublishing.com) to give you usable information to understand your own market. As part of those expanded results, there was information the association felt would be of service in a more visible format than an article.

That is why the WMABA team is bringing you this poster that can be utilized in an “estimating or office area” (not necessarily for the customer area) as a reminder of the region practices that have data associated.

The results were significantly conclusive to the respondents; nearly all operations were more than 90 percent. The “you are the only one” defense becomes moot, or not applicable. These results can give feedback for the promotion of valuable communication.

If you use it for what it is (an education tool), then you can show it to those not only in your office, but those who frequent your shop on the basis of estimating repair damage – adjusters or appraisers for the insurance company. They may not have access to this information, and it could be a positive way to start a conversation about what the market looks like from the repairers’ viewpoint.

Some insurance companies do not survey at all, or use contractual relationships or subrogation to assume survey data. That leaves their employees with a possible artificial sense of those repairers they come in contact with. If they’re

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only looking at repairers “in-network,” then those out of network or outside those agreements are not operating under the same pretenses. The option to discuss things platonically, based on a third-party outside survey, is now there for you to use.

There is one small thing you can do today. The association does encourage that you go online to the State Farm B2B website (b2b.statefarm.com) – whether you are in the Select Service program or not – and input your retail rates for their consideration. They use the survey data they collect to determine area rates. The rate that you put in is part of that collection process and should be your retail non-contractual rate. Like it or not, they are a large majority holder of the insurance market, and their reimbursement rates affect other companies’ rates as well.

This poster is a reminder that a collective voice is productive to speak for change.

If there is a way that the association can continue to foster education, give real information and promote the repairer, then we will pursue it wholeheartedly and with vigor on your behalf. H&D

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Contact these Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealers for all your parts needs: BOB BELL FORD 7125 RITCHIE HWY, GLEN BURNIE, MD 20161 Phone: 410-689-3038 Fax: 410-766-1275 www.bobbell.com

PLAZA FORD 1701 BEL AIR RD, BEL AIR, MD 21014 Phone: 410-879-3367 Fax: 410-877-7248 www.plazaford.com

HAGERSTOWN FORD 1714 MASSEY BLVD,HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740 Phone: 800-200-0276 Fax: 301-733-0603 www.hagerstownford.com

WALDORF FORD 2440 CRAIN HWY, WALDORF, MD 20601 Phone: 301-843-3028 Fax: 301-843-0334 e-mail: parts@waldorfford.com www.waldorfford.com

SHEEHY FORD 5000 AUTH RD, MARLOW HEIGHTS, MD 20746 Phone: 301-899-6300 Fax: 301-702-3650 www.sheehyford.com

KOONS FORD OF ANNAPOLIS 2540 RIVA ROAD ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401 Phone: 410-266-3083 Fax: 410-224-4239 www.koonsford.com

TED BRITT FORD 11165 FAIRFAX BLVD, FAIRFAX, VA 22030 Phone: 703-673-2420 Fax: 703-870-7982 www.tedbrittparts.com

© 2014, Ford Motor Company

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NATIONAL

NEWS Legal Actions, Anti-Steering Efforts Highlight NORTHEAST® Leadership Meeting

On March 20, industry representatives from across the country gathered at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ for the 2015 NORTHEAST East Coast Resolution Forum & Leadership Meeting. Considering the many issues currently impacting the collision repair industry, it was not surprising that the afternoon gathering (held before the opening of the 2015 NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show) saw in-depth discussions on various activities in the legal, regulatory and consumer outreach arenas.

Tony Passwater, executive director of the Indiana Auto Body Association (IABA), shared some of the many ways his organization is making inroads in establishing better communication between

ABAC President Tony Ferraiolo provided an update on the class action suit filed by his association and hundreds of body shops against the Hartford Fire Insurance Company.

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consumers and collision repairers. Recently, IABA launched a website, ihavebeensteered.com, that uses an animated video and other media to warn consumers of insurer steering. The site also includes a form that consumers can fill out to share their experiences with this practice. They can also provide this information by using a special toll-free number, 855-NO2-STEER(ing).

“If you ask the consumer to fill out a complaint form, [they say], ‘I don’t know...I don’t want to do that,’” he offered. “But if you used the words, ‘I’d like to know what your experience was,’ that is a little bit different.”

Passwater said that he would forward any information received by consumers outside of Indiana to their respective state associations and expressed hope that the ihavebeensteered.com effort will help the industry gather useful information on instances where consumers’ rights were violated.

“We all know [steering] happens daily, but we haven’t been doing a very good job documenting it,” he said.

In legislative news, Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC) President Tony Ferraiolo detailed his association’s efforts to support a bill that would amend a current state regulation that he says creates a “double taxation” issue for shops by making them pay a tax to the vendor at the point of purchase for paint and materials, in addition to paying a state tax on those products.

“We’re watching what’s going on legislatively and we’re supporting this bill for the paint and material tax because it’s a benefit to all the shops,” he said.

The paint and material taxation issue has been a focus for the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) as well, who have used their regular Affiliate Association calls to take a look at different approaches to regulating paint and material tax across the US. The research, led by Howard Batchelor of the Georgia Collision Industry Assocaition (GCIA) in collaboration with SCRS, demonstrated that in some states, this tax is representing a cost to the business instead of being paid to the jobber or the state and then collected on the estimate. In other states, there may be regulatory barriers that prevent the business from collecting the tax on the repair order at all.

Ferraiolo credited SCRS for providing ABAC with examples of other states that were also facing the taxation dilemma.

“The more information we share about what’s going on out there, the better,” he said. “Our legislators want to know what other states are doing.”

Additionally, Ferraiolo provided an update on the class action suit filed by ABAC and hundreds of body shops against the Hartford Fire Insurance Company for (according to an association press release) “engaging in unfair business practices by using its in-house employee appraisers and network of Direct Repair shops to artificially suppress Labor Rates paid in the State of Connecticut.” In November 2009, a Supreme Court jury in Stamford awarded the shops $14.7 million for compensatory damages. Three years later, a Connecticut Superior Court judge awarded an additional $20 million in punitive damages. The Hartford appealed the order, with closing

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Industry issues discussed in New Jersey.

BY JOEL GAUSTEN

Vermont-based shop owner Mike Parker discussed his $53,000 legal victory against Allstate.

arguments heard on January 13. The final verdict is expected to be heard this calendar year.

Mike Parker, president of the Vermont Auto Body Association (VABA) and owner of Parker’s Classic Auto Works in Rutland, informed attendees of his recent $53,000 victory against Allstate for short-pays in a multitude of areas including paint and materials, sublet markup and P-Page operations.

Initially filed in October 2012, the suit enabled Parker’s Classic Auto Works to stand in the shoes of 70 Allstate insureds and request compensation for the work performed at the shop.

“We, Parker’s Classic Auto Works, did not sue Allstate,” he explained. “We took the Assignment of Money Due [option]; it gives us the opportunity to do any legal measure that the consumers themselves can do to collect the money, including suing the insurance companies.”

In addition to being awarded $35,091.58 for the short-pays, Parker also received $18,167.69 in pre-suit interest. This pre-suit interest is a matter of law in Vermont. The rate was set by the legislature at 12 percent per annum and accrued from the date each invoice was presented to Allstate to the date of the jury verdict on February 18. H&D May 2015

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The national association updates the collision repair field.

NATIONAL

BY JOEL GAUSTEN

NEWS SCRS Details Improved IP Relations at Spring Open Meeting

On April 7, members and leaders of the WMABA-affiliated Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) gathered in Atlanta, GA for their Spring Open Meeting. The afternoon gathering offered a vast array of news and updates that demonstrated the national association’s ongoing progress in representing the needs of their state affiliates and the industry atlarge.

In addition to celebrating their largest membership and strongest financial position in history, SCRS reported success in working with the industry’s three major Information Providers (IPs) — Mitchell, AudaExplore and CCC — to address issues and concerns from end-users. In his report to attendees, SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg discussed efforts to respond to member complaints regarding “evergreen clauses” in current IP subscriptions. With all three Providers, contract terms automatically renew for subsequent periods; depending on the agreement, those auto-renewals can sometimes last the same length as the initial term (one year, three years, month-to-month, etc.). The parties are obligated to give written notice of termination prior to expiration of the then-current term; however, none of the programs currently provide reminders of the auto renewal prior to the deadline. SCRS has fielded concerns from shops that have missed the 30-day window because they are not given proper reminders (similar to those given by McAfee or another popular products that utilize auto-renewal terms) that their subscriptions are about to renew automatically. This has resulted in some facilities going into another term when they no longer wish to do so.

SCRS recently sent letters to each IP on behalf of members facing this issue. During the meeting, Schulenburg read direct responses from each of the companies aloud. While CCC and Mitchell responded that they believe their current auto-renewal formats help avoid disruptions in a shop’s daily operations by keeping a subscription going instead of suddenly shutting it off when the term expires, AudaExplore has announced changes to how they handle these renewals. As a result of the SCRS letter, new AudaExplore contracts beginning June 1 will continue to have an evergreen clause; however,

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The new SCRS Board of Directors (left to right): Luis Alonzo (Director At-Large), Mark Boudreau, Michael Bradshaw, Domenic Brusco, Andy Dingman (Chair), Brett Bailey (Secretary), Ron Reichen (Immediate Past Chair), Paul Val, Dustin Womble, Rodes Brown, Kye Yeung (Vice Chair). (Not pictured: Bruce Halcro, Treasurer)

subsequent renewal terms will now only be for one year, regardless of the initial term length. The company plans to apply this new policy retroactively to existing client contracts on a case-by-case basis. Although Schulenburg acknowledged AudaExplore’s efforts as a move in the right direction, he noted that SCRS would still “love to see a notification process from all Providers so that customers are informed to the auto-renewal taking place.”

In other news, Schulenburg noted positive developments in the industry’s push to have feather, prime and block acknowledged as a non-included refinish operation. According to reports received from SCRS members, State Farm has started addressing the procedure in their field-written estimates in a number of different markets across the country.

“It’s been explained to us that it has been identified [in the estimate] by actually reducing the repair time on repaired panels, and then introducing the feather, prime and block as a repair operation on an additional line,” he explained. “It’s an interesting development that it’s now being defined on their estimates, [although] it is still not necessarily recognized the way CIC defined it in 2006 as a non-included refinish operation.”

Additionally, Schulenburg announced that SCRS has received word from AudaExplore that the company will be releasing a new feature on their estimating program that will actually provide for feather, prime and block as a refinish operation. In the updated program, feather, prime and block will be a separate material rate and defined in the refinish category. The release date for the new product was not announced at press time.

“As far as I’m aware, [AudaExplore] are the first Information Provider to address what has been a decades-long issue on behalf of repairers,” he said, eliciting applause throughout the meeting room.

In his Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) Report, Past SCRS Chairman Barry Dorn shared the encouraging news that the system has received 8,000 database inquiries since its launch in late 2007. The industry’s ongoing use of the DEG platform has enabled repairers to address discrepancies in the labor times offered in the products by the IPs, which has resulted in more realistic hours and compensation in thousands of collision repair jobs across the country.

“That’s all because of us,” Dorn said, referencing the room and indicating the effect of proactive information sharing from the industry.

The SCRS Open Meeting also included a special multi-slide Education Committee presentation (given by members Toby Chess and Kye Yeung) on the proper techniques and procedures needed to handle a BMW 3-Series quarter panel replacement, as well as an update by Georgia Collision Industry Association Executive Director Howard Batchelor on his group’s activities on behalf of his state’s collision repair community. Additionally, SCRS elected their new Board of Directors, which now includes former WMABA President Mark Boudreau.

More information on SCRS is available at www.scrs.com. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts

It is really great to have a Board member of WMABA elected to the Board of SCRS. We are very proud they have added our longtime colleague, Mark Boudreau! - Jordan Hendler

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Richmond BMW 8710 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23294 800-237-0130 Direct: 804-527-6860 Fax: 804-965-6254 www.richmondbmw.com

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BMW of Rockville 1396 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 301-984-8989 Fax: 301-984-1710 www.bmwrockville.com

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NATIONAL

NEWS Repairer Roundtable Offers Perspectives on Future Demands

From top: Steve Marks, industry technical support manager for I-CAR; Dave Gruskos, president of Reliable Automotive Equipment; Ken Boylan, global training manager for Chief Automotive Technologies

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Vehicle designs and technologies are changing at an exponential rate, but is the collision repair industry moving quickly enough to develop the procedures, facilities and skill sets necessary to handle these advancements?

This was the primary concern addressed during the April 8 Repairer Roundtable in Atlanta, GA. Hosted by SCRS and moderated by Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg, the morning event was highlighted by a special panel discussion featuring Ken Boylan (global training manager for Chief Automotive Technologies), Dave Gruskos (president of Reliable Automotive Equipment) and Steve Marks (industry technical support manager for ICAR) that offered a frank exchange between the speakers and audience members on how the changing landscape of automobiles will impact the repair industry moving forward.

Naturally, the Roundtable kicked off with a look at the most important step in any repair process – education. Boylan opined that a culture of “swiss cheese learning” in and out of the collision industry has allowed students to pass through holes in the educational system without truly having the comprehensive skills and knowledge they need in the field.

“Personally, I don’t want someone welding on my car who got 70 percent on the test; I want somebody who got it 100 percent of the time,” he said. “Maybe the paradigm shift is in how we educate, and what the level of education needs to be before someone starts working on the car.”

As more complex automobiles enter the marketplace, shops will need to work harder than ever to ensure quality control in their processes. Marks noted that constant evolutions in vehicle composition have done away with the black-and-white thinking of the past. In his mind, shops will soon face repair bays full of vehicles comprised of mixed materials.

“It’s going to be a whole new area to work with because we won’t have the luxury of taking an aluminum car and putting it into the aluminum

area or a steel car in the steel area,” he said. ”What do you do when you have three different materials on the same car? As materials are being worked on [for] a particular vehicle, you’re going to have to make sure that cleanliness [is being achieved]. You’re also going to have to know the properties of each material you’re working with.”

In light of these anticipated changes, WMABA Board member Mark Boudreau (Spectrum Auto Painting & Collision Center, Arlington) suggested that instead of having a separate labor category for aluminum, the major Information Providers should have one for “advanced materials.”

“Maybe an ‘aluminum repair station’ is not what’s going to be happening in two or three years,” he observed. “Perhaps it will be a ‘multiple material station.’”

Past WMABA President Barry Dorn questioned what the future of automobile structures might look like.

“If you could look into your crystal ball and look forward ahead just two years, what would you see as far as vehicle substrates?” he asked the panel. “Where is it going?”

“A good guess would be outer skins at 6,000 aluminum, the inner pillars would be boron and the inner shell of the car will be regular steel,” replied Gruskos. “The front half of the car is going to be aluminum...There is going to be a tremendous amount of riveting. I personally think you’re going to see a lot of areas of the car go [with] carbon fiber because it’s just so light. They have to put in steel to have the strength, but to pick up the lightness, it’ll be carbon fiber.”

Mark Allen, collision programs and workshop equipment specialist for Audi of America, cautioned attendees to avoid ‘generalities’ in identifying the procedures necessary to properly handle repairs in 2015 and beyond.

“There are different steels; there are different aluminums and different carbon fiber materials,” he said. “What you think is a repair process for one material [and] one manufacturer does not apply to all.”

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Open discussion highlights education and the industry’s future.

To illustrate his point, Allen stressed that Audi does not suggest any pulling on heattreated aluminum.

“It’s not acceptable; it will cause cracks,” he stated. “I’m not going to tell you how to fix our colleagues’ cars...Heating to 500 degrees might work okay on military-grade aluminum, but I have to tell you that on aerospace aluminum, you don’t do that. Know your materials.

If you have a question, pick up the phone and call the manufacturer.”

Although the Repairer Roundtable offered valuable information and insights for the proactive industry members in attendance, WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler voiced concerns that the conversations held in the room were not effectively reaching the shops that most needed to learn about and embrace the new culture surrounding vehicle repair.

“How do we keep them from being able to do the repairs they are ‘generalizing’ and putting back out on the road? What can we do as an industry to protect the cream of the crop from the bottom of the barrel?” she said.

Hendler expressed equal dismay over shops that make the investment to join certified networks but do not follow through on the procedures and equipment usage recommended for those specified vehicles.

“There are shops within every one of those networks that are capable – they bought all that shiny new equipped – but they have it over there [in the corner] like a trophy and don’t even use it because they’re bowing to another master,” she observed. “Who is going to be checking to make sure that not only are they capable, but doing it?”

“People who don’t want to do it the right way are going to find a way to not do it the right way; unfortunately, there are too many of them out there,” replied Schulenburg, who suggested that the industry’s best recourse is to continually get relevant content out to those professionally minded shops currently engaged in getting information, and expand that into a broader audience.

Above all, the ability to successfully navigate this new world of collision repair will come from greater cooperation and education between the inter-industry and the motoring public it serves.

As Allen said, “There’s not one group in the industry that’s responsible to be a moral compass. As manufacturers, we try to take the lead and say, ‘Okay, this is what we see you

should do for your business to do proper repairs and take care of the people who work for you.’ But ultimately, it’s not us; it’s everyone – the body shop, the insurance company and the consumer.” H&D

BY JOEL GAUSTEN Executive Director’s Thoughts It’s unbelievable how much information comes out at these national meetings that EVERY repairer needs to know. We do our best to give you the resources that we can, but there’s just no way to make shops go do it on their own. - Jordan Hendler

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COVER STORY SCRS HONORS WMABA NATIVES, DORN RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD BOUDREAU GAINS SCRS BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ SEAT SCRS Honors Barry Dorn

During the 2015 SCRS Corporate Member and Industry Awards Luncheon in Atlanta on April 8, the association honored WMABA Past President and current Board member Barry Dorn with a 2015 SCRS National Lifetime Achievement Award for his years of tireless dedication and service to the collision repair industry.

A second-generation shop owner, Dorn’s extensive history as an industry advocate and leader includes (but is certainly not limited to) active participation in SCRS, serving a variety of positions including Chair during his 10-plus years with the group. Additionally, he has served as an active Board member and past President of WMABA, the former Virginia Auto Body Association and was one of the forefathers of the Database Enhancement Gateway. “[Barry’s] list of accomplishments and activities serves as an inspiration to anyone who wants to know what one individual is capable of,” offered SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg during the award ceremony. “Any one individual can make a change and make Aaron Schulenburg (left) and Jeff Hendler (right) present former WMABA President this industry better.”

Barry Dorn with the 2015 SCRS National Lifetime Achievement Award.

Not surprisingly, Dorn is moved and humbled by the honor.

“I want to thank all of my mentors over the years who have helped me become who I am and guide me down a path that I couldn’t venture down without their help,” he says.

“People like Lou DiLisio, Jeff Hendler, March Taylor, Toby Chess and Gary Wano. Men who helped me understand that I can’t do what I do for SCRS for my own personal gain, but I do what do for the betterment of the industry and at the will of our membership. My wife, Jordan, and my kids, who deal with my frequent travel and hectic schedule along with the numerous phone calls at night and during weekends. My co-workers at Dorn’s, who make it possible for me to be gone and do what I do to help the industry. My mother, who I lost last year. She forged me into who I am. She taught me to stand up for what was right, work hard at whatever I do and to be honorable, humble and to never give up.

Lastly, I want to thank Aaron Schulenburg and the Board, both present and past. All of you make it possible for me to learn what I do, each day. I am truly blessed to know and work with all of you, and I can’t thank you enough for all that you do for this industry. All of you are like my brothers and special to me in many ways.”

Dorn wasn’t the only WMABA member to receive recognition during SCRS’ time in Atlanta. Mark Boudreau of Spectrum Auto Painting and Collision Center in Arlington was elected to the SCRS Board of Directors. Being a current Board member for WMABA and past president, Boudreau said he was impressed by what the SCRS board had accomplished. “This [SCRS] Board gets things done,” he said, adding that it was not afraid to take a stand. Boudreau also noted that observers have no idea of Mark Boudreau gives a passionate speech for the “complexity” of running a modern body shop. H&D his candidacy before being elected to the SCRS Board of Directors.

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Industry leaders are recognized for their contributions.

BY JOEL GAUSTEN

John Bosin (right) accepted the SCRS Collision Industry Non-Individual Achievement Award on behalf of I-CAR.

Georgia Collision Industry Association Executive Director Howard Batchelor (right) received the SCRS Collision Industry Individual Achievement Award.

Jeff Hendler adds a SCRS Past Chairman Pin to Outgoing Chair Ron Reichen.

Michelle Coombs accepted the SCRS Lifetime Honorary Membership Award on behalf of her father, Gene Hamilton.

Bob Jones, recipient of the 2015 SCRS Regional Lifetime Achievement Award

Some of the Corporate Members who help make SCRS a success

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CIC

RECAP CIC Grapples with a Changing Industry If there was an ultimate takeaway from the April 8-9 Collision Industry Conference in Atlanta, GA, it was that getting the repair industry up to speed on the changes going on around it will be no easy task.

With procedures and technologies evolving rapidly in recent years, the CIC Definitions Committee used their April 8 slot to host a special panel discussion on whether or not it was time to revise and update its existing “Class A” Shop Requirements document. The topic led to considerable debate over CIC’s place as a governing body over the national collision repair industry.

“We’re not an organization; we’re not an entity,” offered Committee member Rick Tuuri (AudaExplore). “We’re just a conference...All we can do is share our thoughts and hope that the world adopts [the document].”

“If you’re going to go down the rabbit hole, you have to get very detailed and very complex,” added panelist Aaron Clark (Assured Performance). “It begs the question, is this body the right group to even engage in [this] type of product? I’m challenged by that.”

“I think the document when it began [had] great intentions,” shared panelist Barry Dorn. “The

Gary Ledoux of Honda encouraged CIC to take on revising the Class A document.

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concern is, as products advance, this document needs to advance along with them.

The issue is, if we’re not going to advance it, should we keep it?”

Gary Ledoux, assistant national manager for American Honda’s Collision Parts Marketing group, opined that CIC is the perfect arena for a revision of the “Class A” requirements.

“We have some of the best minds in the industry in this room who come to these things every time,” he said.

Bringing the talk to the CIC floor, an audience poll revealed that more than 80 percent of attendees were in favor of having the Class A shop document segmented into separate categories to reflect different levels of repair complexities, while more than 80 percent were also in favor of the Class A shop document having a specific list of recommended tools and equipment (excluding any specific brand endorsement).

Additionally, 60 percent were in favor of the Class A document having a specific list of training requirements or equivalency. The “Class A” discussion was slated to continue at the July CIC meeting in Detroit.

Similar to their Education Committee presentation at the SCRS Open Meeting held on April 7, CIC Technical Committee members Toby Chess and Kye Yeung offered a multi-slide overview of the OE procedures for the replacement of a quarter panel on a 3 or 4-series BMW. It was abundantly clear throughout the April 8 discussion that technicians are making a huge mistake if they fail to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommended processes. For example, the first thing they need to do in this kind of repair is put the car on a suitable bench and add (as Chess put it) “all the jigs to it, as per the repair bulletin from BMW.” “If this car came in your drive and your estimator went to write an estimate, how many estimators would have recommended putting this on a bench - [and] a fixture bench on top of that?” Yeung asked the audience.

Chess devoted considerable time focusing on the important differences between welding and gluing and riveting.

“When we weld, we generate heat up to 2,000 degrees, and that heat will destroy any corrosion protection,” he explained. “[With] BMW, even though the car was spotwelded, their replacement for it was glue and rivets for a number of reasons – one being corrosion protection.”

Chess stressed that technicians need to repair BMWs and any other vehicles based on OEM recommendations, as poor repairs could lead to the offending shop buying the car or paying to have it re-done properly.

“In California and a number of other states, if you don’t follow OEM procedures, the repairer is responsible,” he said. “It is paramount that we have the training to use the proper equipment. If you don’t have it, you’re going to have improper repairs.”

Of course, one way for technicians to receive proper training is through I-CAR. In a special presentation to the CIC body on April 8, I-CAR CEO John Van Alstyne gave an update on the organization’s ongoing work to bring worthwhile education to the collision industry. In addition to celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2014, I-CAR spent much of last year promoting the Ford F-150 training program it developed with the manufacturer. Van Alystyne noted that the arrival of the aluminum-intensive vehicle is indicative of a much greater trend that will soon have a substantial impact on the field.

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Quarterly conference addresses education, shop requirements and parts procurement.

“I would argue that this industry is just seeing the tip of the iceberg today,” he said. “The F-150 is one vehicle; we’ve got a whole lot of vehicles to come after [it]. What’s going to keep us ahead of this wave? It’s going to be learning.”

Additionally, Van Alstyne provided an intriguing snapshot of the current state of automotive education.

“Say we’re an industry of 35,000 shops,” he offered. “Half of those shops are in repair networks – about 12,000 of those have some sort of training requirement on them. Just under 9,000 are training with I-CAR, [and] we have 6,000 shops on either Gold Class or on the road to Gold. Seventeen percent of the industry is Gold Class or the road to Gold – that’s a pretty significant number.”

However, Van Alystyne was quick to point out that 66 percent of the industry is likely not engaged in training.

“That is not a good place for us to be, and I don’t think that’s an acceptable place for us to be,” he said.

Although the topic of insurer-mandated parts procurement has been reasonably quiet throughout the industry in recent months, that changed in a big way during a panel discussion by the CIC Parts & Materials Committee on April 9. Originally created to look at the inefficiencies of the current parts procurement system, the presentation took a different turn when panelist and North Carolina-based shop owner Clint Rogers praised the controversial PartsTrader system currently being used by State Farm referral shops for improving efficiencies at his business.

“I think there was a lot of apprehension in the industry about the PartsTrader program,” he said. “A lot of people feel like it was pushed on us. But I can tell you my situation; I wanted to give it an honest run. Before I was going to criticize something, I wanted to see how it really was. It’s hard to say something does or doesn’t work until you give it a fair shot. I switched to 100-percent PartsTrader; every ticket I order goes through PartsTrader at this point.”

Rogers also noted that he has not encountered resistance from State Farm over the types of parts he orders through the system.

“I’m not seeing a line drawn in the sand that says you have to use the cheapest part,” he revealed. “That’s not what I’m seeing in my market. If fact, I’ve almost never chosen the cheapest part. The reason is, the cheapest part isn’t always the most efficient or effective for that repair...I’m personally not getting any pushback on that. None whatsoever.”

CIC and CCIF Help Haiti CIC has always been devoted to helping the collision industry thrive. Now, it is adding its support to technicians in Haiti.

Joining forces with the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF), CIC is working to raise funds for the Haiti ARISE Technical Institute Charitable Project. According to the CCIF, the Haiti ARISE Technical Institute exists to provide quality and practical education and hands-on training in skilled trades and technical studies to the people of Haiti. The original school facility had just been completed (and had begun serving hundreds of students) before being hit by a January 12, 2010 earthquake that severely damaged it beyond repair. Part of the ongoing reconstruction process of the original school includes building a teaching facility for collision repair. The American auto body industry

BY JOEL GAUSTEN

I-CAR’s John Van Alstyne updated attendees on the organization’s goals moving forward.

Above all, Rogers credited the insurer for helping the industry embrace electronic parts ordering as a way to improve the repair process.

“It was time for us to make a change,” he said.

“Unfortunately, part of the problem was, as an industry, we weren’t driving that change. Let’s be honest... no one was pushing the electronic thing until State Farm came along.”

Despite Rogers’ enthusiasm, not everyone was convinced by his words.

“We were using electric parts ordering eight or 10 years ago,” offered panelist and Oregon shop owner Ron Reichen. “It wasn’t new to us.”

can help by making a financial investment, donating tools, equipment and supplies or volunteering at the Haiti ARISE Technical Institute.

The ultimate goal is to provide the infrastructure, tools, equipment and training to create a long-term sustainable educational program to improve the lives of thousands of Haitian families and create positive change in the community and country. Haiti ARISE is a registered charity in both Canada and the United States.

CCIF Haiti ARISE Committee member Tom Bissonnette (Parr Autobody, Saskatoon) and Haiti ARISE Ministries co-founder Marc Honorat appeared as special guests of CIC and asked attendees for support during an April 9 presentation on the endeavor. More information on the program (including donation levels) is available at ccif.ca/Haiti_Arise_Project.html. A list of necessary collision repair items is available at ccif.ca/uploads/HaitiAriseToolsNeeded.pdf.

Marc Honorat of Haiti ARISE Ministries

May 2015

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Shop owner Clint Rogers defended his PartsTrader-sponsored participation at CIC.

Addressing the panel from the crowd, SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg voiced the frustration of those CIC attendees “who are tired of sitting in this room and fielding commercials.” To that point, he asked Rogers if he had received compensation from PartsTrader to participate in the CIC panel.

“Did you pay for yourself to enter [CIC] like everybody else?” he inquired.

Roger responded that Schulenburg’s suggestion was “way off base,” stressing that he merely wanted to offer his “honest experience with the product” and that PartsTrader’s financial contribution to his appearance was nothing more than a $200 plane ticket.

“If the product you’re endorsing paid for you to be in the room, and the rest of the panel isn’t being paid to be the room to endorse other aspects or programs, I think there’s something disingenuous to the audience about that, and they deserve to know,” Schulenburg countered.

“Did PartsTrader pay for you to be in this room?”

“Yeah,” Rogers replied.

Despite the controversy surrounding Rogers’ involvement and statements, the concept of electronic parts ordering was looked at in a favorable light throughout the morning discussion.

“From an efficiency standpoint, electronic parts procurement is the only way to go,” offered panelist and industry consultant David Luehr (Elite Body Shop Solutions.) “When you pick up a phone and call an order in – or even, in many cases, [send] a fax – you’re inviting defects in your process.”

Information on upcoming CIC events is available at www.ciclink.com. H&D May 2015

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MARKETING FEATURE

WHICH INTERNET MARKETING CHANNELS ARE THE RIGHT ONES FOR MY SHOP?

Anyone who owns a body shop (or is a part of a shop’s marketing team) has heard the mantra, “If you’re not marketing online, you’re losing out.” Every seminar and workshop in the last 10 years has had a hot new social media channel that you have to be a part of, because “it’s the next big thing.”

In 2015, there are so many online marketing options and social media platforms, the idea of getting involved in any of them can be overwhelming. Many of the shop owners I work with come to me periodically with questions like this: “I just heard someone give a speech on Instagram – do we need to be on Instagram?” Does your shop need to be on every single Internet marketing channel to have an effective online strategy?

The answer is, “No. You don’t have to be on Instagram.” Would there be a way to use Instagram to benefit your shop? Absolutely. Is it possible there are other online marketing options that would provide a better return on investment? Yes.

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To be clear, I’m not singling out Instagram as a bad investment. On the contrary, it can have great benefits for certain types of shops, in certain situations. My point is simply that you don’t have to invest valuable time and resources into every available online marketing option in order to have a strong strategy. What’s important is that you understand the marketing channels available to you and decide which will fit in your budget and which will work together to create the highest ROI. At first glance, Google AdWords may seem like the most expensive online marketing channel available, with keywords demanding upwards of $6 to $10 per click in the collision industry. But then, consider the number of hours necessary for creating new content for social media channels, or for targeting “organic” or unpaid search engine results.

How many hours of an internal employee’s time, or of your time as the owner of the shop, are required for taking pictures to share on social media, or writing new pages and posting them to your website?

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Exploring how to use technology to get the most out of your business.

BY LEE EMMONS

Before you choose your Internet marketing strategy, consider what your investment will be into each channel, in terms of both time and money. And then consider the question, “How well does each channel compliment the other?” Remember, you’re using these channels as a coordinated strategy designed to increase brand recognition for your company and generate more leads.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) There was once a time when a business could stuff a paragraph of keywords onto a Web page and, as a result, show up at the top of Internet search results when potential customers searched for their services.

Those days of easily manipulating search results are long gone, as Google has significantly changed and (for the most part) improved their algorithm.

Does this mean that search engine optimization is “dead” or no longer a viable marketing channel? No, SEO is still at the core of internet marketing and goes hand-in-hand with making sure your website is user-friendly, well-structured and technically sound.

One of the most important things to remember with search engine optimization is that Google’s primary purpose in changing its algorithm is to improve the quality of the results it provides for its end-users. Therefore, you’ll get further if your website provides a good user experience.

Here are some tips: Make sure it’s easy to navigate through your website and find information about your company and your services.

Make sure it’s very easy to contact your shop through the website, and that your phone number, contact/estimate form and address are all very easy to get to.

Make your website a place that potential customers can find out everything they need to know about your shop, without cluttering any one particular page. Structure your website so that all of the most important information can be found very quickly, but then link from your main pages to more in-depth pages about topics such as manufacturer certifications, information about your technicians or useful articles about car maintenance. Posting new content improves your search engine rankings, gives you more material to share with your followers on social media and can be an opportunity to create landing pages for paid search campaigns through Google AdWords (which we’ll get to next).

Make sure that you have Google Analytics set up to track traffic to your website. And very importantly, make sure you have it set up to track goals, such as when someone submits a contact form or calls in after finding your website. This will help you track the number of leads that your online marketing efforts are generating, and as a result help you track ROI. (Here is an excellent beginner’s reference guide from Moz: moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo)

Google AdWords Pay-Per-Click search engine marketing through AdWords can seem intimidating to companies that aren’t familiar with it, or that haven’t tried it. The idea of paying between $6 to $10 per click (which can be the range for keywords like “collision repair” and “auto body shop”) can sound very expensive in comparison to social media marketing and organic SEO. However, when done correctly, Google AdWords campaigns can be one of the best, most direct ways to get access to a customer who is ready to make a purchase. AdWords is also one of the most measurable and targeted forms of Internet marketing, allowing you to market to a specific neighborhood, or to people with an interest in a specific vehicle manufacturer.

Some important things to think about when you get started with Google AdWords:

Make sure you have conversion tracking set up. This is especially important for AdWords, and will allow you to know when someone has called or submitted a contact form after clicking on one of your ads. You can then use this conversion data to make adjustments based on which campaigns are providing you with ROI, increasing your budget to ads that result in leads and pausing or replacing ads that are costing you money without resulting in sales.

Create user-friendly landing pages for your campaigns. When people click on your AdWords ad, it takes them to a specific page on your website. You’ll want that page to be as relevant to the ad they’ve just seen as possible. (For example, if someone clicks an ad for paint repairs, they should go to a page with relevant information.) This not only increases their chance of contacting you, but it also improves the rankings of your ads in Google results.

Social Media Marketing Social media marketing is an affordable way to build brand awareness and engage with an audience of past and potential new customers.

It can also be one of the most confusing and overwhelming marketing channels. With so many different platforms, people can get easily overwhelmed with posting, tweeting, sharing and commenting.

The best thing to do is to start small and build your brand well on just a few of the social media platforms that make sense for your business. There is no use in having accounts on 15 social media platforms if you don’t have the time or content to post on all of them regularly. It’s better to master a few social media profiles and build your following on each of those first than to create a dozen profiles that never get any attention.

For example, you could start with a Facebook page and commit to regularly posting relevant updates, articles, photos and videos. Set a budget for advertising through Facebook, which allows you to boost and sponsor particularly relevant or exciting posts or special offers.

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Facebook gives you the ability to target by demographic and interest, allowing you to build a following in your service area, relevant to the specific capabilities of your shop.

If you have the aluminum certification for the 2015 F-150, create new content and promoted ads tailored to social media users with an interest in that vehicle. With all forms of social media, think of yourself as building a community united by common interests relevant to the services you provide.

Any social media platform – when done right – can have a powerful impact on your business. However, to do it right requires that you engage with and give back to your followers, so be realistic about the time you have to commit to each channel.

Email Marketing One of the most cost-effective online marketing and (customer relationship management) channels is email marketing. Sometimes given a bad rap thanks to spammers, email marketing is, in truth, highly effective and inexpensive.

You can set up simple email campaigns in an email service provider (free and/or inexpensive options include Mail Chimp, Constant Contact and Exact Target). Most of these ESPs have easy-to-use interfaces that don’t require any HTML knowledge. Here are some useful pointers to keep in mind: Use discount offers and website content in your emails. Customers and prospects alike will appreciate emails with special discounted service offers, and the new pages you’re creating on your website can be repurposed as useful email content. And if your email audience feels that they receive useful content in the emails you send them, they won’t feel that you’re sending them spam.

Email marketing provides a tremendous return for the cost – which is often pennies for 1,000 sends.

A great way to cross-promote your social media and email channels is to add in social media share buttons in your emails and add email sign-ups on your Facebook page and website.

Provide multiple opportunities for your customers and prospects to stay in touch, and you will see engagement soar.

Video Marketing Last but definitely not least on our list of online marketing channels is video marketing. Relevant and interesting video content can be posted on your website, posted on social media platforms, embedded into email campaigns and, of course, added to the company YouTube

page.

Did you know that YouTube has become the second most popular search engine after Google? It’s true: According to SocialMediaToday, more people search on YouTube than on Bing, Yahoo, Ask and AOL combined. All the more reason to utilize video as a marketing and advertising tool.

Custom video content can tell your company’s story, showcase compelling firsthand testimonials and provide relevant content for social media. Video can make your approach (in every area of your marketing strategy) more successful. For example: SEO – Video embedded on your website can help your search engine rankings, as well as improve the user experience. Visitors to your website would much rather watch a video than read the text on the page, so embedded video will make your web pages much more engaging.

AdWords – Videos can be used in highly targeted video ads through Google AdWords, displaying targeted advertising to Internet users on YouTube and in the Google Display Network, in your service area, with relevant interests.

Social Media Marketing – Videos can provide perfect content to share to social media. Not only can you share links from YouTube, but with platforms like Facebook, you can upload the video file directly and create ads tailored to video advertising.

Email Marketing – Videos also provide great content to include in emails. Content like videos and interesting website content will make it feel more like you’re providing a useful newsletter, as opposed to “spamming” your audience.

Lee Emmons is vice president in charge of AP Media based in Sykesville, MD. His public relations and marketing efforts on behalf of collision repair shops throughout the Mid-Atlantic have gained industry press coverage for those shops in trade publications and local media. He and his agency are certified Google Partners, with certifications in AdWords and in Google’s Video Advertising Advanced Certification. Marketing for auto body shops has become his passion and personal area of expertise. You can visit his company’s website at AbsolutePerfectionMedia.com.

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Use a Coordinated Online Marketing Strategy Use a combination of these online marketing channels to increase your brand awareness, drive sales and benefit your bottom line. Some of the platforms mentioned in this feature (like social media) are more effective for branding, while some (like Google AdWords) are especially effective at converting website traffic into leads. All of these platforms should be working together to generate sales.

For example, use branding to stay at the forefront of potential customers’ minds so that when the time comes that they need a repair, they already know and trust you enough to give you a call or submit a request for an estimate.

Your goal shouldn’t be to use every online marketing channel you’ve ever heard of. Your goal should be to use the right combination as a coordinated strategy to get the best ROI for your business. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts

This approach is what works best in our industry: Don’t be everywhere; be everywhere you can be effective. I see repairers in our area range from having nothing to having everything online, and those who are most effective implement the viewpoints Lee has outlined. One more thing: Mobile-friendly websites are now getting Google’s preference. - Jordan Hendler

Industry Mourns Loss of Beloved I-CAR Instructor

Last month, the collision repair education field took a serious blow with the unexpected passing of Johnny Dickerson, a nationally recognized welding expert and I-CAR instructor for over three decades. Like many others in the industry, Dickerson got started in collision repair at a young age and took over his family’s business in Texas, all the while working towards the betterment of the industry through local and national associations and initiatives.

Over 30 years ago, Dickerson became an I-CAR instructor and for the past 10 years had worked as a member Johnny Dickerson of the I-CAR Field Operations team, most recently as Performance Training Coordinator. According to a press release, Dickerson “helped lead efforts to shift I-CAR’s Welding Training & Certification courses to an in-shop event, kept the program up to date and helped make the program the best collision repair welding program in the country.”

Many peoples’ lives were touched by Dickerson, as his influence was far-reaching. One such person was WMABA President Don Beaver, who received his welding credentials from Dickerson and spent four days with him in Wisconsin at the I-CAR tech center for welding boot camp.

“He was one of those guys who always had a funny story to share,” says Beaver. “He taught me a lot in those four days. We used to speak quite often by phone. He really was a huge asset.”

Dickerson is survived by his wife Mary, their two sons and two grandsons. In lieu of flowers, the Dickerson family has requested donations be made to the Friendship House, 620 W. Ave. “D,” Garland, TX 75040 (phone: 972-272-1010). H&D

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Don Beaver

PRESIDENT’S

(443) 539-4200 ext. 17061 Dbeaver@antwerpenauto.com

MESSAGE WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT? This past weekend, we had really nice weather that had a lot of people in good moods after a long hard winter.

The windows in the house were open and I could hear the neighbors’ kids yelling and squealing, running around in the yard. My wife had started her annual spring cleaning and was singing while she worked. I love to hear my wife sing. I could smell the other neighbors grilling and stopped and thought, it’s the little things like this that are important. It’s not always about the almighty dollar. Really, it’s not even close. It also made me think about how quickly these little things can

be snatched away without a moment’s notice. Every day, we have the obligation to help preserve these little things. Every day, we hold peoples’ lives and their families’ lives in our hands, and that is a massive responsibility. We owe it to everyone on the roads to restore vehicles back to their original safety and integrity. We have the obligation to use quality parts and materials. We have the obligation to use vehicle manufacturers’ repair procedures and recommendations. If we don’t, we may be responsible for someone’s loss of what’s really important. When you are tasked with repairing a wrecked vehicle, remember what’s really important before you start your repairs. Am I going to worry about that dollar, or am I going to worry about those kids on their way to soccer? It just makes you ask yourself, what really is important? H&D

WE NEED YOUR LEGISLATIVE CONTRIBUTION! I appreciate WMABA working on my behalf at the state capitol(s)!

Here is my contribution to the legislative efforts.

P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116

Name: ______________________________________Company: __________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________ City:____________________________________________State: ______________________Zip: ________ Phone:

______________________________Email:

Donation Amount: Check Enclosed

$50

$100

____________________________________________ $500

Other ________________

Credit Card (Visa, Amex, MC)# __________________________________________________________ Exp: ________

Name on Card: ______________________________Signature: __________________________________ 46

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Air-Tech Products ................................25 Alexandria Toyota ................................21 All Foreign Used Auto..........................41 AP Media ............................................45

Audi Group ..........................................13

Audi Silver Spring ................................IBC

Axalta Coating Systems ......................OBC

BMW Group ........................................26-27 BMW of Silver Spring ..........................IBC BMW of Fairfax....................................3

CAPA ..................................................22

Car-Part.com ......................................25

Chesapeake Automotive Equipment ..41

Empire Auto Parts................................21 Ford Group ..........................................19 Future Cure ........................................29

GM Parts Group ..................................18 Hendrick Honda ..................................37

Honda Group ......................................30 Hyundai Group ....................................48

Koons Ford ..........................................37 Malloy Auto Group ..............................7

Mazda Group ......................................49 MINI Group ..........................................31 Mitsubishi Group..................................34 Mopar Group ........................................23 Nissan Group ......................................9

NUCAR................................................11

O’Donnell Honda ................................50 Packer Norris Parts ............................8

Porsche Group ....................................35

Porsche of Silver Spring ......................IBC PPG ....................................................IFC Russel Toyota ......................................?

Safety Regulations ..............................50 Sherwin-Williams ................................4

Subaru Group ......................................47

Toyota Group ......................................40 VW Group............................................36

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