FenderBender - March 2021

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CONTENTS

MARCH

0 3 . 2 1

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V O L U M E

2 3

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N U M B E R

0 3

Follow the Leader T.J. Ball, right, manager of Carlos Paint and Body Shop, says he follows owner Carlos Olalde’s lead when it comes to attention to detail and dedication to employee education.

FEATURE

CASE STUDY

29 46 2021 FENDERBENDER BEST WORKPLACES DRP OR BUST? NOT AT THIS SHOP.

Nominated by their employees, these four shops have created work environments where staffers learn, support each other and thrive.

Independent shops can feel like they have to rely on direct repair programs to survive, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

This is how one shop made the break.

J & J STUDIO

BY MARAYA KING, MIKE MUNZENRIDER, AND NATALIE RYDER

BY MARAYA KING

Printed in the U.S.A. COPYRIGHT ©2021 BY 10 Missions Media LLC. All rights reserved. FenderBender (ISSN 1937-7150) is published monthly by 10 Missions Media, LLC, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104. FenderBender content may not be photocopied, reproduced or redistributed without the consent of the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS Send address changes to: FenderBender, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104.

March 2021

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CONTENTS

MARCH

QUICK FIX

11

PAST THE PAGE

15

ANALYSIS

18

THE LIST

Acquisitions listen and more

Tesla gets into collision repair

13

17

BREAKDOWN

Benefits of repairing advanced materials

ADAPT

DRIVERS SEAT

‘Company culture’ means something

NUMBERS

17

LIGHT HITS

GM to focus on EVs, Feds too

22

How to step back

19

CCC is going public

21

Cars as a home away from home

22

SNAP SHOP

March 2021

DANIEL J. SMITH

Fender Mender in Summerville, S.C.

6

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STRATEGY

COLUMNS

39

IDEA SHOP

Capture more customers

42

HUMAN RESOURCES

48

Personality tests can help avoid tough hires

48

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Empathy—the secret to your success

25

THE BIG IDEA

Two bosses, two approaches

BY K E VIN R AIN S

45

PROCESS DRIVEN

Outsiders can help inside your shop

BY RYAN CROPPE R

56

OUTSIDE THE LINES

French cooking and collision repair

BY JASON BOGG S

GETTY

42

PLASTIC REPAIR YOU CAN COUNT ON Polyvance® equipment and training will help you repair more plastics, keep more labor hours in your shop, and improve your cycle time.

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CONTENTS

ONLINE EXTRAS

CL ICK ON THE L OGO BEL OW F OR PRODUC T INF ORMATION

ADAPT

CAPA

Polyvance

AUTEL

FenderBender Management Conference

ProColor Collision

2020

Auto Job Central

AutoNation

Industrial Finishes

Mitsubishi

Spanesi Americas

TechForce Foundation

Toyota

March 2021

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EDITORIAL

Bryce Evans Vice President, Content and Events Anna Zeck Editorial Director Mike Munzenrider Associate Editor Maraya King Staff Writer Miranda Jama Marketing Services Manager Nora Johnson Special Projects Editor Jordan Wiklund Special Projects Editor Jason Boggs Contributing Writer Ryan Cropper Contributing Writer Kevin Rains Contributing Writer

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Sheryl Driggers Universal Collision Jesse Jacobson Heppner’s Auto Body Greg Lobsiger Loren’s Body Shop Stan Medina Certified Collision Works Tiffany Menefee Pronto Body Shop Louie Sharp Sharp Auto Body

COLLISION C A S T

FenderBender’s

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ART AND PRODUCTION

Zach Pate Art Director Mitch Bradford Graphic Designer Morgan Glisczinski Graphic Designer Fue Vang Graphic Designer Lauren Coleman Production Artist

SERIES WITH NEW EPISODES EACH MONTH. Explore the industry’s biggest trends & most pressing topics.

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Chris Messer Vice President and Publisher 651.846.9462 / cmesser@10missions.com Andrew Johnson Associate Publisher 651.846.9459 / ajohnson@10missions.com Nathan Smock Marketing Strategist 651.846.9452 / nsmock@10missions.com Erik Gustafson Marketing Strategist 651.846.9485 / egustafson@10missions.com Shayna Smith Customer Success Representative 651.846.9460 / ssmith@10missions.com Jen George Client Service Specialist 651.846.9465 / jgeorge@10missions.com

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ADVANCE. DISRUPT. HOW I DID IT. MSO PODCAST.

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Go to fenderbender.com/backissues LET TE RS TO THE E DITOR editor@fenderbender.com ARTICLE RE PRINTS For high-quality reprints or e-prints of articles in this issue call 651.846.9488 or email reprints@fenderbender.com.

Opinions expressed in FenderBender are not necessarily those of 10 Missions Media, and 10 Missions Media does not accept responsibility for advertising content.

LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE SEARCH “COLLISIONCAST” IN APPS FOR APPLE AND ANDROID

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E M B RAC E T E C H N O LO GY. G R OW YO U R B U S I N E S S . OW N YO U R F U T U R E .

Automotive Technology Summit M AY 9 - 1 1 • N A S H V I L L E

GAIN INSIGHT ON: • S H O P A N D I N D U ST RY C H A L L E N G E S • A DAS T E C H N O LO GY A N D I TS I M PACTS • AU TO N O M O U S V E H I C L E S A N D M O R E !

E X PA N D YO U R K N O W L E D G E W I T H A DA P T

R E G I S T E R N O W AT A DA P T S U M M I T.C O M

THE ADAPT: AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT IS A THREE-DAY EVENT PROVIDING SHOP OWNERS AND OPERATORS WITH A UNIQUE, UNMATCHED OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN DIRECTLY FROM INDUSTRY LEADERS ON THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND PRESSING TECHNOLOGY TRENDS DISRUPTING THE AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET

2021 ADAPT: AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMMIT SPONSORS: PLATINUM SPONSOR: OVERALL PARTS SOLUTIONS GOLD SPONSORS: CTI+WTI, MOTOLOGIC, NISSAN, TECHNET SILVER SPONSORS: AUTOLEAP, AUTOMOTIVE TRAINING INSTITUTE, AUTOVITALS, BROADLY, CARSTAR, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, NAPA, OPUS IVS, PACIFIC WESTERN BANK, SOFTWARE STATUS SOLUTIONS, SOLID START

VIDEOS

PA ST T H E PAGE

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PODCASTS

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WEBINARS

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NEWS

PODCAST PRO

COLLISION C A S T

Recurring CollisionCast guest DJ Mitchell, vice president of growing Florida MSO Mitchco Collision Repair, recently discussed on the podcast what he considers when looking at an acquisition, and how he

@fenderbendermag

brings a new shop into the brand’s fold. The weekly CollisionCast is always chocked full of tips.

FENDERBENDER.COM/PODCASTS

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Cool Runnings

Are you nourished by your feed? Get more of the good stuff by finding FenderBender on Facebook, where you’ll find magazine stories, video interviews, daily industry news, and more.

Tips, insights, and relatable stories can all be found under the “Running a Shop” tag.

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ACQUISITION EDITION

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Supporting the Local The ProColor PROcess is a winning formula.

A proven business model for almost 20 years, ProColor Collision provides an alternative to independent body shops that want to join one of the fastest growing networks in the world.

Local business owners are supported by a team of sales, operational and marketing professionals, and backed by proven tools and ongoing training programs.

ProColor Collision is committed to helping shop owners grow their business in their communities while leveraging strong established relationships with global insurers, suppliers and fleet companies.

PROsper with the PROs Find out more at procolorusa.com

ProColor Collision franchises are not currently being offered for locations in Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington or Wisconsin, or to residents of these states.

DRIVER’S SEAT

A FIGHTING CHANCE

Your team is the key to overcoming adversity O N E O F T H E T R U E H O N O R S of being the editor of this magazine is getting to tell some of the genuinely inspirational, deeply personal stories and experiences that shop owners are generous enough to share with us. Recently, I had one of those conversations, talking with a shop owner about a Great Recession-era expansion gone wrong, and the following five years that nearly ended the business, causing plenty of wreckage in the process. There were several moments during that conversation that moved me but something he said at the end, while reflecting on the lessons learned, really stuck with me: “Back then our culture wasn’t strong enough to let the team in. I think today, they’d fight with me. Actually I don’t ‘think’—I know.”

He said that last line with real conviction, the kind that can only come from having a team that’s experienced adversity together, and triumphed.

In recent years, “company culture” has become a buzzword so ubiquitous that, at times, it’s borderline lost all meaning. And I get that. Working on your culture is hard, and sometimes it can feel fruitless. When there’s so much to tend to in a given day, worrying about whether your employees are having fun at work doesn’t always feel very high on the to-do list. But that shop owner’s remark boils down to why culture is so important: When the going gets tough, will you have people fighting alongside you?

It’s with that thought in mind that we set out once again to find the shops with some of the best workplaces and culture in the industry. Although this is our second year putting out the call, the nominations couldn’t

March 2021

have been more different this year. Story after story told how employees had helped each other out, how the boss had kept the lights on, how, despite the drop in business, the team managed to come together and give back to the community.

It certainly made choosing four businesses to profile for the Best Workplaces feature (p. 29) difficult, but also all the more valuable. There are plenty of reasons why the four chosen shops are successful, but a strong team is undoubtedly the foundation.

Adversity can reveal true colors, and I hope that in your shop, what came to light last year was just as gratifying as what our Best Workplaces honorees described.

ANNA ZECK

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

azeck@10missions.com

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2021 FENDERBENDER INDUSTRY SURVEY THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE LOOK INTO COLLISION REPAIR

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A NA LYSIS

SHOPS WEIGH IN ON TESLA’S MOVE TO COLLISION REPAIR

Automaker now does light repairs; certified shops have mixed reactions

T E S L A I N L A T E J A N U A R Y S E N T a message to drivers of its vehicles announcing that it would provide light collision repair services at Tesla Service Centers “as an alternative option to a body shop.”

Meanwhile, independent collision repair shops have invested huge sums of money and time to get their technicians

UNSPLASH

By M A R AYA KING

March 2021

15

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QUICK FIX

What’s Happening?

Tesla CEO Elon Musk had been hinting since 2018 that the carmaker planned to offer collision repair services for its cars. On January 28, Tesla drivers received a message from the company titled “Collision Repair is Here.”

The message detailed various procedures now offered at Tesla Service Centers, including fixing minor dents, scuffs, scratches, along with repairs for suspension and axle damage, front and rear bumpers, hoods, and more.

Tesla president of automotive Jerome Guillen also revealed the automaker is planning to add 46 more service centers in the first half of this year to its existing 140 facilities.

What Do Shops Say?

A number of shops declined to comment or did not return requests for comment. Others say they are taking the news in stride.

Andrew Suggs, president of MSO European Collision Repair, says he invested $3.5

March 2021

million to be able to repair Teslas—three of his four shops in the southeast U.S. are certified to do so.

The initial equipment investment cost $500,000, then he sent eight of his technicians to California for hands-on factory training, which they are required to repeat every 18 months to retain certification.

According to Suggs, there are three Tesla Service Centers in his area, which he says doesn’t bother him at all. He says he gets referrals “all day, everyday” from the service centers, because, “nine times out of 10, they can’t line up the door anyways, and come to me.”

Robert Molina, owner of Collision Care Xpress in Pompano Beach, Fla., says he saw the writing on the wall and chose to invest in Tesla certification in 2016. Molina attended Tesla’s California factory training himself, and says he has invested some $700,000 into becoming certified.

“I did see this coming,” he says, referring to Tesla’s move into collision repair.

“But at the end of the day, Tesla is handling smaller cosmetic repairs, then the bigger things get sent to us.”

Molina says he’s glad Tesla Service Centers are offering repairs for the improved safety of all customers. He says his shop has

16

been repairing Teslas after non-certified shops tried and failed to repair the vehicles.

“I would rather the cars go to them than where they are going now,” he says.

What’s Next For Tesla?

Molina says he doesn’t foresee Tesla investing in structural repairs because of the high cost, “but I could be wrong,” he says.

Mostly, he expects a higher car count at his shop due to referrals from a nearby Tesla Service Center.

Suggs says he expects Tesla to continue to increase its offerings.

“I imagine they’re trying to make a onestop shop,” he says, “selling the car, insuring it, and repairing it all under one roof.”

Suggs says he guesses that Tesla’s end goal is to speed up the repair process, but he says the automaker will soon come to face similar problems as body shops do with insurance companies, unless the company is willing to bring insurance coverage for its vehicles inhouse, which is a big undertaking.

Suggs says he fears oversaturation of the market.

“There is such a thing as too much choice,” he says. “If there’s too much competition all fighting for the same work, then all we’re doing is driving down the cost.”

fenderbender.com

STEVE GLASS

and equipment up to snuff to become part of the Tesla-Approved Body Shop Network.

Tesla-certified shops contacted by FenderBender had mixed reactions to the automaker’s rare move into collision repair. The magazine will have an in-depth feature on OEM certifications in its June issue.

QUICK FIX

LIGHT HITS

GM AIMS TO SELL ONLY EVS BY 2035

General Motors has laid out a series of goals in an attempt to embrace an allelectric future.

GM announced in late Januar y its intention to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. The news came after the automaker announced another goal: to stop producing gas-powered vehicles by 2035. According to NPR, by 2025, 40 percent of GM’s vehicles will be batter y powered.

As of now, 75 percent of the automaker’s greenhouse emissions come from its internal combustion vehicles, with its production facilities accounting for the remaining 25 percent.

By 2035, GM hopes to be powered completely by renewable energy.

NUMBERS

ADVANCED MATERIALS AND NET PROFIT MARGINS J U S T 17 P E R C E N T of respondents to the 2020 FenderBender Industry Survey said “yes” when asked, “Does your business have the capability and equipment to repair advanced structural composites or carbon fiber components?” Those who answered affirmatively reported higher overall net profit margins than those who said “no.”

FORD SAYS IT WILL LOSE BIG OVER AIR BAG RECALL

Ford will recall 3 million vehicles across North America due to defects in their air bags, which were manufactured by Takata.

Takata air bags have been known to spew shrapnel upon deployment and are currently held responsible for 18 deaths in the U.S. The recall was made after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration denied the automaker’s request to forgo it.

According to The Day, Ford told the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in a filing that it expected an estimated loss of $610 million because of the recall.

Net profit margin for shops with capability to repair advanced materials

33% 33%

16%+

35%

11%-15%

24%

6%-10%

8%

1%-5% 0%

10%

20%

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50%

60%

70%

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100%

CALIBER COLLISION LOCATION SELLS FOR MILLIONS

Net profit margin for shops without capability to repair advanced materials

24%

16%+

33% 34%

11%-15% 6%-10%

MATT HAAS

1%-5% 0%

March 2021

Caliber Collision South Tryon, located in Charlotte, N.C., was sold for $7 million.

The 31,500-square-foot facilit y was purchased by a private investor from New York, according to the Charlotte Weekly.

“We’re excited to play a part in one of the largest collision repair real estate transactions in the last 12 months,” said Scott Gould, an investment specialist for Marcus and Millichap, who represented the buyer, according to the newspaper.

9% 10%

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READ WHAT THE PROS READ

QUICK FIX

THE LIST

HOW TO LESSEN YOUR LOAD

By M A R AYA KING

B A R R Y DO R N, vice president of Dorn’s Body and Paint in Mechanicsville, Va., says in order to grow your business and its employees, you have to be willing to take a step back and let them shine.

That has some fringe benefits, too—here are four ways Dorn lessened his workload.

1. Hire the right people.

Dorn says the first step toward delegating is trusting you've got the right people for the job.

2. Coach along the way.

“You can’t throw [a task] on them and hope for the best,” Dorn says.

Coach and verify along the way, he adds, to ensure your employees have the tools and information they need.

“The opportunity to read about ways to improve your business from credible owners and manufacturers is priceless.”

3. Let them find their own way.

Dorn says few employees will complete a task the same way you did, and that’s a good thing.

T O S U B S C R I B E O R R E N E W AT FENDERBENDER.COM/SUBSCRIBE

March 2021

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4. Learn from your staff.

“I learn so much from my own team,” Dorn says. Often, he adds, “Their way is so much better and so much more efficient.”

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GETTY

—Stan Medina, Owner, Certified Collision Works, Corpus Christi, Texas

BREAKDOWN

CCC GOING PUBLIC FOLLOWING MERGER OF PARENT COMPANY

By MIKE MUNZENRIDER

C C C A N N O U N C E D I N F E B R U A R Y it was going public as part of its parent company’s $7 billion merger with special purpose acquisition company Dragoneer Growth Opportunities Corp.

Per a press release, the company is expecting the transaction to yield roughly $968 million, and the combined companies operating under a new name, CCC Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc., will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange come the second quarter of this year.

Investing in artificial intelligence, Fredman said, has “been a big focus and will continue to be a big focus” for CCC, including how it can be used in shops.

Can it get too big?

Shop owners have expressed concerns to FenderBender that the platform—used by 25,000 collision repair shops, per Fredman—could get too big. State Farm late last year told its DRP shops they would be required to use CCC by April 1.

Asked about those concerns, Fredman said the company was aiming high, looking to digitize the industry. He underscored that 70 percent of the company’s revenue comes from customers of at least a decade and said CCC would continue with its focus on customers and technological leadership. He summed what CCC offers as, “Great innovations and great service,” while noting it spends $100 million annually on research and development.

With current leadership staying in place, Fredman said shops who use CCC should expect no immediate changes to the platform.

“We’re very focused on building long-term, that’s not going to change,” he said.

Cash will drive innovation.

GETTY

According to Marc Fredman, SVP of strategy at CCC, all of this is being done to further what the company can do.

“For us, we wanted to have a base of permanent capital to drive innovation for customers,” he said in an interview with FenderBender.

Over the past five years, Fredman said CCC has pushed for computer-based exchanges of information.

“We’ve really seen a big acceleration and in our business based on the desire for the whole industry to go digital,” he said, noting that COVID pushed changes in what CCC offered to the collision repair industry, including digital engagement with customers through scheduling and photos of repairs.

March 2021

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QUICK FIX

LIGHT HITS

CERTIFIED COLLISION GROUP HAD A BUSY JANUARY

Certified Collision Group announced the addition of 24 new locations, all in the first month of 2021.

According to a press release, the locations are in five states: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virgina, and Wisconsin.

ADAPT

YOUR CAR—A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

asTECH TO SUPPORT GM’S REPAIR NETWORK

asTech, the remote diagnostics service solution provider, will provide the GM Collision Repair Network with key scanning, diagnostics, and calibration solutions.

According to a press release, the GM Collision Repair Network will utilize asTech’s remote diagnostic solutions to bring customers diagnostic information, as well as calibrations of their GM vehicles.

A CES panel discussed drivers’ changing expectations of their vehicles

By M A R AYA KING

I N A R ECEN T AT T EM P T TO GET T H EI R CH I L DR EN AWAY from a screen and outside, two parents shut off their house’s WiFi connection and, much to their surprise, enjoyed a quiet house.

Once the home became a little too quiet, suspicions set in and they started looking for their wireless children, only to find them sitting in the family SUV, fully connected.

Andrew Poliak, chief technology officer for Panasonic Automotive, told this story at the beginning of a virtual event during January’s Consumer Electronics Show, to illustrate how advanced today’s vehicles are, and maybe even today’s kids.

The event, “Vehicle Tech Innovations Consumers Want,” detailed more trends that are making vehicles more homey.

BIDEN ANNOUNCES FEDERAL FLEET TO GO ELECTRIC

President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. federal fleet will be replaced with electric vehicles.

The U.S. federal fleet is made up of more than 645,000 vehicles: 245,000 civilian, 173,000 military, and 225,000 post office vehicles, according to Electrek.

A timeline has yet to be announced, but Biden said the vehicles will be electric and American-made.

COVID Pod

Carla Bailo, president and CEO of the Center for Automotive Research, said the way drivers view and use their vehicles has shifted dramatically with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People are using [their] cars as a cocoon, a COVID pod, even as an office to get out of their house,” she said. “The lighting is great, the sound is great, and you can connect.”

Poliak said today’s vehicles are shifting from the third space, which he classified as ‘home and work,’ to the second space—entertainment.

MITCHELL AND BOSCH CREATE STATIC CALIBRATION SOLUTION

Mitchell and Bosch Automotive Service Solutions announced a new computer-based target system designed to help repair facilities calibrate advanced driver-assistance systems quickly and precisely.

The static calibration system, the MD-TS21, uses Bosch’s vehicle coverage, patented technology, and cameras to automatically measure the distance and angles of targets in relation to the vehicle, per a press release. The system is controlled by the MD-500 wireless tablet.

TOYOTA

Entertainment on Wheels

Poliak said a large area of focus for both companies and consumers has been audio technologies. He said the technologies have come so far as to offer “specialized audio experiences for your car that you can’t even do from your phone.”

He also noted the increasing number of displays found in cars, some with built-in features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and even Amazon’s Alexa. Bailo offered an eye-opening stat.

“Twenty-five percent of [CAR’s] research shows that people aren’t even driving the car before they buy it,” she said. “Consumers have chosen infotainment and connectivity.”

March 2021

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QUICK FIX

SNAP SHOP

FENDER MENDER SUMMERVILLE

By M I K E M U N Z E N R I D E R

|

Photos by D A N I E L J . S M I T H

L O C AT I O N :

SUMMERVILLE, S.C.

OWNER:

CARLOS HUESCA

SIZE:

12,000 SQUARE FEET

S TA F F :

19

NUMBER OF LIFTS:

1

A V E R A G E M O N T H L Y C A R C O U N T:

165

AV E R AG E R E PA I R O R D E R :

$2,220

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$4.4 MILLION

1. CURB APPEAL

Newly built four years ago, Fender Mender Summerville is housed in a modern building with the 34-year-old MSO’s distinct logo and trademark colors, silver and blue. With clean landscaping and just a small setback from North Main Street, the facility is easy on the eyes.

“It’s got great curb appeal,” says shop manager Kevin Scott.

Adding to the appeal is the shop's punny motto, beaming out over Main: “We Come Highly Wreck-A-Mended.”

2. SHOW THE WORK

Fender Mender Summerville’s lobby is a light-filled space surrounded by windows. There’s an industrial feel to it, with the air duct system above, exposed beams, and an epoxied concrete floor below.

Front office staffers sit together—there are no cubicles— which helps to create a cooperative space. That transparency also shows customers how things are done.

“They get to feel how much work we have to do,” says Scott.

3. FLAGSHIP STORE

Scott says his shop's floor is wide open with garage doors on both sides of the building for a drive-through effect. The shop has a dozen working bays, including one that houses the frame machine.

The entire shop setup is leaned out, says Fender Mender regional manager Bobby Lombardi.

“We try to implement some lean systems with the parts carts and mapping of the floor, where we have [everything] mapped out,” he says. “It’s one of our flagship stores, we’re proud of it.”

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4. BIG BUY-IN

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March 2021

In terms of operations, one of Fender Mender Summerville’s most important features is its production board, says Lombardi.

Sometimes it resides on the shop floor, other days it’s taken outside—either way it needs to be somewhere with ample room so staffers can gather around it for daily meetings, which are critical, says Lombardi. “[The meetings aren’t] the manager coming out and saying I need this, it’s everybody working together,” he says. “You’d be surprised by the buy-in from the teammates.”

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March 2021

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COLUMNS

THE BIG IDEA

Colonel or Coach?

‘The Tale of Two Bosses’

JILL MATTHEWS, GETTY

I think I’ve been bitten by a bug and have a

disease. It’s the entrepreneurial bug and I can’t quit dreaming and thinking about starting new ventures. This is, in part, due to the fact that I’ve been completely freed from the operations side of my current enterprises thanks to hiring Keith Foster as our new COO. If you haven’t read my previous columns about what a gamechanger that has been, I encourage you to check them out.

Another contributing factor is a show I binged over the past couple of days called Undercover Billionaire. The basic premise is a billionaire is dropped in an unfamiliar city, given $100, an old truck and a challenge: launch a business in 90 days that will be valued at $1 million. Otherwise, he has to invest $1 million of his own money into the venture.

It got me back in touch with the early days of launching our shops. It also made me think about what my dad did almost 50 years ago to get our family into this industry. The grit and grind of being a startup entrepreneur is both terrifying and exhilarating. In my last

March 2021

column I talked about a new venture I’m starting with my son. This month, I want to go even further out on the entrepreneurial limb and share another idea I want to launch later this year. But first, some context.

Two Bosses, Two Styles As a young man, I had two very different bosses.

Let’s call this “The Tale of Two Bosses.” The first boss I worked for was what you might call autocratic. His style was militant, very top-down.

He set the agenda—I executed his plan, his way.

I was rewarded for being a good follower who didn’t ask many questions, other than to clarify anything I didn’t understand about his assignments or his way of doing things.

The other boss was very collegial. When we worked together on projects he asked what I thought and he genuinely wanted to know. We discussed projects together. We planned it out and decided as a team who would tackle what.

He cared for me personally. He was genuinely interested in my development, both professionally and personally. It mattered to him that I

25

K E V I N R A I N S is the owner of Rains CARSTAR Group with locations in Cincinnati, Ohio, West Chester, Ohio and Lexington, Ky. He is also an industry consultant and founder of Body Shop 2.0.

EMAIL:

kevinrains@gmail.com

ARCHIVE:

fenderbender.com/rains

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COLUMNS

THE BIG IDEA

“IT HAS TO DO WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE PERSON WHO WE’RE LEADING. WHAT STYLE DO THEY NEED AT THIS MOMENT?” —Kevin Rains, owner of Rains CARSTAR Group

was not only accomplishing tasks but growing in the process.

Now, it’s important to say at this point that both of those are valid styles and have their place. In fact, I’m not going to pit one against the other. It’s more subtle than that.

It has to do with circumstances and the person who we’re leading. What style do they need at this moment, under these circumstances? It’s truly situational. When a business is in crisis, being a strong, commanding leader is needed to bring confidence and comfort to the team. Forming a committee and listening to everyone’s feelings is not only not helpful—it can be dangerous.

Leading in Uncertain Times Imagine an immediate crisis like a fire.

Would we want the firefighters to make sure that everyone was emotionally comfortable before they executed the evacuation plan?

“Hey everyone, let’s gather around and see how you’re processing your feelings about this fire before we start to evacuate.” No thanks! I want my firemen and firewomen to be decisive and just tell me when, where, and how to get out safely.

But then, afterward, when people are dealing with the trauma of going through a fire, we likely don’t need someone to come up to us and say, “Just get over it and move on!

You’re fine now, just forget about it.” That’s actually a time when we might need to process a bit. This is where the “soft skills” of active listening, empathy, and care come in. And I agree with Brene Brown, who says, “If you want to call these ‘soft skills’ after you’ve tried putting them into practice—go for it. I dare you. Until then, find a home for your armor, and I’ll see you in the arena.” Soft skills are far from easy and not for the weak. They can actually be much tougher to develop, requiring lots of time and practice.

This is why later this year I want to launch another enterprise that helps train leaders in the skills of coaching. Seasoned coaches, whether in sports or business, know when to be direct and commanding and when to have a more collaborative approach.

We all have a leadership style preference.

That’s our natural default. We’re typically good at one or the other. The challenge and the opportunity for all of us lies in developing our weak side so we can respond to the complex and exhilarating world of leading in uncertain times.

“BECAUSE I’M A TECH...

I PUSH THE LIMITS AND DO WHAT I LOVE.

”

March 2021

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RESPECT

TRUST FENDERBENDER BEST WORKPL ACES

TE AMWORK

TR ANSPARENCY

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

CULTURE AND CONTINUED INVES TMENT MAK E THESE WORK PL ACES FL OURISH

March 2021

H O W D O Y O U C R E A T E such a workplace that prompts employees to write to a magazine to boast about it?

Late last year, FenderBender once again put out the call to learn about the collision repair facilities about which staffers can’t help but brag.

The following four businesses have made their workers proud through continued investment in education, a familylike atmosphere, identifying core values, and by making sure employees are the right fit for what they’re tasked with doing.

Read on to recognize managerial achievements and for takeaways that could put your business in the running to be part of FenderBender’s Best Workplaces.

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FENDERBENDER BEST WORKPLACES

RIGHT PEOPLE, RIGHT PLACE

Putting employees into situations where they could thrive helped this MSO thrive, too

By M I K E M U N Z E N R I D E R

|

Phot os by J A S O N W I N K E L E R

I T ’ S A N U N D E R S T A T E M E N T to say Kurtis Barks, owner of Complete Auto Body & Repair, wasn’t sure about using the Culture Index Survey to better sort his MSO’s staff.

“I was totally against it,” says Barks, who owns five shops in the St. Louis, Mo. area. “I just didn’t believe that an eight-minute survey could give you so much information about someone.”

Barks finished high school two decades ago and went to work at Complete alongside his father, Bob Barks, who started the shop in 1973. He says he helped grow the business from strictly offering collision repair to offering mechanical, then full service, and by 2012, towing and loaner cars.

About 10 years ago, Barks bought out his father’s interest in the company to become the sole owner—Bob was done dealing with insurance companies and got into the RV business.

Having grown Complete Auto Body & Repair from a single location to five, with two more in the works for this year, Barks says he’s always been focused on delivering the best customer experience possible.

“I was never a body man, I was never a mechanic—I was just always at the front dealing with customers and I wanted the experience to be good,” he says.

That focus on customer experience, which Barks says he sought to cultivate through satisfied and motivated employees, who would go the extra mile for customers, in 2014 prompted him to give the culture index a go.

March 2021

No ‘I’ in Team Kurtis Barks, owner of Complete Auto Body & Repair, says staffers took pandemic paycuts to avoid layoffs, and were repaid when business stabalized.

SMALL SURVEY, BIG RESULTS KURTIS BANKS OWNER COMPLETE AUTO BODY & REPAIR

“NONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES SUFFERED ANY FINANCIAL BURDEN THROUGHOUT COVID.”

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Sandie Travis, Complete’s recruiting specialist, says the Culture Index Survey seeks to find out who new hires are, and how they’re designed.

The survey, she explains, is used to determine how employees interact with others, and their attention to detail. Travis says the survey was created by consultant Chris Lundine and that the shop pays an annual fee to use it.

Barks says what’s gleaned from the survey helps shop leaders place people in roles where they’ll excel, and with people with whom they’ll work well.

fenderbender.com

COM PL ET E AU TO BODY & R EPA I R

WHAT GOES ON INSIDE STAFF:

110

AVER AGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

2,000

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$11 MILLION

AVER AGE EMPLOYEE TENURE:

10 YEARS

For instance, he says he had people working sales roles who didn’t really want to be dealing with other people day in, day out.

He says he moved those folks to lower stress positions, “and their productivity went way up and their happiness went up,” with their pay following.

That heightened job satisfaction has led to stability, Barks says, giving him the ability to delegate to his location managers and their assistants.

Complete Auto Body & Repair’s cohesive culture was in play as the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to alter the way they operated.

March 2021

Travis says employees offered to take temporary pay cuts to save others from being laid off, or in her case, temporarily give back a raise.

“To me it was like a savings account, we didn’t lose anything,” she says.

At the same time, the company shifted to contactless service, towing customers’ vehicles to the shop while dropping loaner cars off at their homes.

“While our competition around us kept closing their doors, we kept getting traction,” says Barks.

Any employee who took a pay cut was 100 percent reimbursed, he says, and even

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technicians whose hours fell below average were made whole.

“None of our employees suffered any financial burden throughout COVID,” Barks says.

Finding a way to thrive despite the pandemic allowed Complete in June to acquire an existing body shop, which fit the MSO’s model.

Barks says how his employees reacted to the challenges of 2020 was a show of “overwhelming respect,” and he credits his staffers and their bonds with helping the business exit the year stronger.

“Without having the culture, the team we have,” says Barks, “we would have had to shut our doors too.”

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FENDERBENDER BEST WORKPLACES

RAISING ALL SHIPS Just about two years ago, Glaser convened his managers and top technicians into two off-site meetings on separate days to identify what values mattered to them as the business’s leaders and best performers.

“It was really cool watching,” says Glaser, who expected a quick and dispassionate process and instead witnessed rugged techs arguing that if having a good attitude wasn’t a core value, the rest would all be for naught.

Though there were initially more, the group came up with seven core values for Glaser’s Collision:

Good Attitude Teamwork Excellence in the Ordinary Quality Customer Service Accountability Passion

VALUE-ADDED WORKPLACE

Tasking techs and managers with identifying an MSO’s values brought everyone together

By M I K E M U N Z E N R I D E R

|

Phot os by M E A G A N J O R D A N

M O S T B U S I N E S S ’ S C O R E V A L U E S A R E S P O K E N or more likely, listed in the employee handbook—that’s not the case at Glaser’s Collision.

The Louisville, Ky., area MSO sports its seven core values on banners, toolbox magnets, and more at each of its locations, says owner Aaron Glaser.

“We’ve got the banners, so if somebody’s lacking, you can just point to it,” he says, adding his employees have permission to note when he’s not living up to the shop’s values. “They’re welcome to call me on my BS.” A second-generation shop operator, Glaser and his wife, Heather, run four shops bearing the family name. He says his parents, Gene and Susan Glaser, started the business in 1986.

“I started out washing cars in the summertime, I’ve spent a lot of my life in the paint shop …” says Glaser. “When we started our third location in Shepherdsville, I started that store.”

His parents are now in semi-retirement, and to best lead what they started, Glaser says he works with a business coach.

“I’m a technician at heart,” he says. “I have to grow myself to grow my business.”

From his coach came the idea to codify the collision repair shops’ core values as a way to bring together what was at the time three shops with disparate cultures.

“Each building just felt different,” Glaser says. “We all had the same sign out front, but depending on the personalities in the buildings, they were all different.”

March 2021

A ARON GLASER OWNER GLASER’S COLLISION

“IT MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER WHEN EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE STANDARD IS.”

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That Glaser didn’t come from on high and unilaterally implement the core values noticeably helped how they were received.

“It was one of those of those hidden benefits, we never really planned it,” he says.

“Having the team develop it, it was really easy to roll it out.”

That the values came from the team, Glaser says, “helped us enforce it and teach it to other people,” making it more than a management tactic, but something experienced at the shops everyday.

“If we all live by this it just makes the business better,” he says, noting it literally has made business better.

“It’s really driven up all the business’ KPIs,” Glaser says, before pivoting, “when in reality we were just trying to create a better work environment.”

That cultural improvement has played out at Glaser’s Collision, making all the shops into more accountable workplaces.

“It makes it so much easier when everybody knows what the standard is,” says Glaser, who points out he’s currently looking to add more shops in the near term.

“I’m very fortunate to just have a phenomenal staff,” he says. “If we keep growing we can keep developing opportunities. Bring your friends along with you to make a much more fun ride.”

fenderbender.com

GLASER’S COLLISION CENTERS

WHAT GOES ON INSIDE STAFF:

55

AVER AGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

300

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$8.5 MILLION

AVER AGE EMPLOYEE TENURE:

6.25 YEARS

One Voice from Many Aaron Glaser, owner of Glaser’s Collision Centers, says accountabiltiy grew out of having a committee of employees identifiy his shops’ core values.

March 2021

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FENDERBENDER BEST WORKPLACES

FAMILY HELPING FAMILIES How shop operators forged a familial bond among their employees

By M A R A Y A K I N G

|

Phot os by M I R A N D A M A R R S

W I T H S O M E 4 0 E M P L O Y E E S , Auto Body Concepts provides quality repairs while providing its staff with a welcoming environment that values family.

Rheta Ghilmer was a county judge for more than 20 years before her friend, Wendy Ott, co-owner of Auto Body Concepts, called her up and asked if she’d want to work at the shop.

She says she, Ott and her husband and shop partner, Dan Ott, have been friends for more than 20 years, which is why she felt comfortable plunging into a new field, knowing they’d have her back.

“You can work for a [ jerk] anywhere, but these people are so nice,” Ghilmer says.

Just a year and a half into her position as a shop administrator, she says with a laugh, “I see myself staying here for the long haul ... or until they fire me.”

Ott says her staff at Auto Body Concept’s two North Texas locations—the first in Gainesville, and later in Ardmore— are like family.

“We’re just a small, family-owned business and [our staff ] is part of our family,” she says. “We want to make sure we take good care of them.”

Auto Body Concepts takes care of staff in the usual ways— providing I-CAR training, insurance coverage options, and paid vacations—but what makes the shops stand apart from the rest are their ability to foster a community from their shop floors on out.

March 2021

WHAT GOES ON INSIDE GAINESVILLE LOCATION

STAFF:

26

AVER AGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

130-150

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$4.5 MILLION

AVER AGE EMPLOYEE TENURE:

7.5 YEARS

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Wheels and Meals Auto Body Concepts not only hosts meals for employees over which they can bond. Most summers, the shop rents a local pool for an employee pool party.

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AUTO BODY CONCEPTS

FAMILY-BUILDING CONCEPTS

WENDY OTT CO-OWNER AUTO BODY CONCEPTS

“WE WANT TO MAKE SURE [OUR EMPLOYEES] KNOW HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO US AND THAT WE NOTICE WHAT THEY DO.”

WHAT GOES ON INSIDE ARDMORE LOCATION

STAFF:

12

GRAB A PLATE AND COME TOGETHER

AVER AGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

30-50

Each November, Auto Body Concepts invites its staff, vendors, suppliers,

and their families to share a Thanks-

ANNUAL REVENUE:

giving potluck. Co-owner Wendy Ott

$2 MILLION

says the Thanksgiving potluck is one of the highlights of the year, “Where the guys can all get together and

AVER AGE EMPLOYEE TENURE:

bring their favorite dish from home.”

March 2021

2+ YEARS (OPENED 4.5 YEARS AGO)

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Ott says everyone at the shops spends a lot of time together, so it’s important for staffers to break up the days and celebrate where they can. Whether that means bringing in birthday cupcakes, ordering a celebratory lunch, or even meeting up after work hours with employees and their families, says Ott, “It’s the little things that go a long way.”

Ghilmer says the Otts show their dedication to their employees’ families by allowing them to leave work if their kids are in need. “We all help each other and lift each other up,” she says. “We are one big family.”

In more traditional years, Ott says the shops host a variety of events and invite everyone, including vendors.

“We enjoy getting to know [our employees and vendors] and know about their families,” she says, noting that with the onset of the pandemic, such festivities have been put on hold.

Still, says Ghilmer, staffers continue working together because of the bonds that have been made.

“Times are hard, but you still [work] because you love the people you work for,” she says. “I’m not the only one who feels that way, everyone feels that way.”

What most businesses would view as team-building exercises are baked right into the culture at Auto Body Concepts, even existing outside the shop walls.

During summer, Ott says she and her husband will rent the local public pool for their staff and families to enjoy a night of swimming, grilling, and drawings for prizes.

“We always treat them like they’re a part of us,” she says.

Between its two locations, Auto Body Concepts rarely has an open position that’s left unfilled, Ott says. People enjoy working at the shops so much that there’s hardly any turnover, with some staff members working there for 30 years.

“I hope they know how much they mean to us,” Ott says. “They’re here every day busting their butts for us. We want to make sure they know how much they mean to us and that we notice what they do.”

fenderbender.com

FENDERBENDER BEST WORKPLACES

DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME

Dedication to quality, education and support brings this small staff together

By N A T A L I E R Y D E R

|

Phot os by J & J S T U D I O

PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING, AND GENEROSITY C A R L O S O L A L D E S A Y S he could spend 24 hours per day

working at his shop because he enjoys repairing cars and cares about the service he provides to his community.

“Nothing is a rush. You don’t rush anything,” he says.

“Everything is one pace, because I like to do it one time only.”

This has been one of the guiding principles for his namesake business, Carlos Paint and Body Shop. Olalde says his team could work on more than four or five cars a week, but he doesn’t want to pressure his small team and open the door to mistakes.

Nestled between Dallas and Austin, Texas, Carlos Paint and Body shop is located in the 3,000-person town of Hamilton.

Olalde has worked on cars since he was 13 years old, and eventually started his shop by himself in 1996.

From those solo beginnings, Olalde employs a tight-knit team of three: shop manager T.J. Ball, Olalde’s brother, Jorge Olalde, and a new addition, who’s been shadowing Olalde on the shop floor, Madison Hailey.

With 25 years of dedication to his shop, Olalde says he expects that same commitment from his employees, while supporting that commitment by paying for employees’ certifications and training.

March 2021

TJ BALL MANAGER AND ESTIMATOR CARLOS PAINT AND BODY SHOP

“ONE OF MY BIG THINGS IS, IF I’M GOING TO DO SOMETHING, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I AM DOING IT THE CORRECT WAY.”

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Olalde brought on Ball three years ago to get help managing the front office. Ball says he moved his family from Fort Worth, 100 miles away, because Olalde offered him a better opportunity than his position at the time, and he hasn’t looked back.

“I have been a manager for close to 15 years of my life,” says Ball, “and I can tell you right now, when you’re managing, and treat people like family, not just employees, you get a lot more stability from them and better work ethic from them.”

Olalde values continuing the education of his employees and maintaining their necessary certifications so they can continue to provide great service to the Hamilton community.

“My last two shop owners; they weren’t interested in continuing education courses,” Ball says. “They didn’t care if I knew what I was really doing.”

Olalde recently paid for Ball to take a 10-session general manager’s course.

fenderbender.com

C A R LOS PA I N T & BODY SHOP

Serve Through Education Carlos Olalde, owner of Carlos Paint and Body Shop, says that by supporting his employees’ continued education, he can provide better service to his community.

T.J BALL, MANAGER OF CARLOS PAINT AND BODY SHOP, SAYS TRAINING AND SUPPORT HELPS EMPLOYEES DO A NUMBER OF THINGS: • Care about the work.

• Be motivated to complete tasks.

• Feel they are contributing to the company’s success.

• Be included in advancement of the company.

March 2021

Each year, Olalde pays for his brother’s recertifications so he’s always up to speed at the shop.

Ball says he mirrors how Olalde operates when he’s managing the shop, saying, “If I am going to do something, I want to make sure I am doing it the correct way.”

Throughout Ball’s career in shop management, he says a lack of education and support from ownership would lead to unproductive work environments.

He says Olalde is willing to work with him and invest in his education and maintain the shop’s annual certifications. Because of that, Ball says Olalde is the best boss he’s ever had—he genuinely cares about his employees’ wellbeing and the quality of work being provided to Carlos Paint and Body’s customers.

When it comes to Olalde’s values of patience, understanding, and generosity, Ball says he could go on all day. Those values all work together to treat employees as if they’re family, he says, which, in turn, makes them a successful team.

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STAFF:

4

AVER AGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

16

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$600,000

AVER AGE EMPLOYEE TENURE:

8 YEARS

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HOW TO INCREASE YOUR CAPTURE RATE

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Get ahold of potential customers the first time they enter your shop

C A P T U R E R A T E is one of the most important KPIs for collision repair shop owners to hone in on, but if your employees lack sales skills, it could be hurting your bottom line.

Capture rate is a percentage based on the number of repair orders that result from estimates written. If your shop writes $1 million worth of estimates in a year

March 2021

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STRATEGY

and does $650,000 in sales, your capture rate is 65 percent. A good benchmark is a capture rate of 75 percent to 85 percent.

And while it’s based on a simple formula, increasing your capture rate is anything but, requiring you and your employees to sharpen sales techniques, employ empathy, and most importantly, start conversations.

Robert Rick, strategic account manager at Axalta Coating Systems, says to start every interaction with the assumption that customers have a need that your shop can fill. By listening to them and applying appropriate sales techniques, he says walk-ins can quickly become customers.

Here are a few surefire ways to make an impression and capture more customers the first time around.

A s Told To M A R A Y A K I N G

Talk to the customer.

In the shop setting, cars are often seen as customers and not the people who drive them. As sales professionals, we need to remember the basics, and that means talking to customers.

I believe you need to slow down before you can speed up. We encourage each of the shops we supply to take an extra three minutes upfront with customers to hear what brought them in and how they are feeling.

Start with a question as simple as, “Do you have any children?” or “Do you feel comfortable driving your vehicle?” Asking with sincerity opens the discussion, puts the customer at ease, and shows that you are invested in them.

Layman’s terms save lives.

Too often, we tend to talk in industry jargon, which can lose the attention and trust of a potential customer. I encourage shops to try to talk in layman’s terms as often as possible— keep it simple.

Talking human to human, at a level of communication everyone can wrap their arms around, develops a sense of transparency and honesty that will help your shop retain customers. It sounds unconventional, but talking through the repair process at a third- or fourth-grade level will help you capture more customers.

Show, don’t tell.

Our sales representatives have two screens at their desks: one for them and one for the

March 2021

customer. Something as simple as turning the screen around so customers can see what you’re doing helps to build trust.

Walking customers through the process, even the parts selection page, makes them feel included and builds trust in your company. Even if not communicated, your customer could be thinking, “The last guy didn’t tell me I had that option,” which gives your shop an advantage.

I also recommend delaying the print key for as long as you can. Once you hit print, the interaction is over, but as long as you hover on that page, you can continue chatting with the customer.

Call to Action.

Ending customer interactions with plans for a follow-up appointment increases capture rates more often than not.

As Americans, we tend to go out of our way to make sure we show up for an appointment. We know this at Axalta, and that’s why we push the shops that we supply to to wrap up all of their conversations with a follow-up of some kind.

Verbal calls to action are highly effective: “I can’t wait to see you back in here on Thursday,” or “Could I give you a call Tuesday morning to go over your options?”

Traditional methods, like thank you notes, go a long way as well. When you send a thank you letter, be sure to include your unstapled business card to give the customer a reminder of who they spoke to and the interaction that was had.

Adding a personalized message, like, “I hope your kid won the game,” can also go a long way.

Make time for a post-mortem.

Another way to increase your capture rate is by conducting a post-mortem. To do this, sit down with your manager and figure out which customers left your shop and why.

If you wrote four estimates that day but only received two repair orders, go through the process and figure out where the differences were in the interactions that made you money, and the ones that lost money.

We recommend sending a follow-up letter or giving potential customers a phone call to make sure they got their questions answered, and to make one last pitch for why they should choose your shop.

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REAL STRATEGIES FOR COLLISION REPAIR SUCCESS

“This magazine has been a key component to our organization in keeping us up to date with new vehicle trends and technologies in our forever evolving industry.”

—Jonathon Best, Vice President, Fender Mender Collision, Charleston, S.C.

T O S U B S C R I B E O R R E N E W AT F E N D E R B E N D E R . C O M / S U B S C R I B E

STRATEGY

HUMAN RESOURCES

TESTING TO HIRE?

Personality assessments can help you ID the right candidate for the job

By MIKE MUNZENRIDER

aiming to understand candidates’ learning styles and how they interact with others.

Over time, though, his use of the assessments fell off, leading to a string of what he calls “tough hires.”

“There has to be a better way,” McSherry says he remembers thinking, and with that, roughly two years ago, he reinstated the personality test and hasn’t looked back.

While such tests and assessments can offer insights into how potential hires think, there are factors to consider before you dive in and begin using them to hire at your shop.

There are many types of tests on the market—not all valid or useful for hiring—and using them incorrectly could have legal ramifications. Beyond all that, just how much stock GETTY

B O B M C S H E R R Y C L E A R LY T H I N K S the personality test he uses for hiring at his auto body shops is effective.

“I took one for myself and it explained me perfectly,” says McSherry, owner of North Haven Auto Body in North Haven, Conn. “This is you on paper.”

He began using an assessment for potential employees years ago, he says,

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should one put in a test, especially when you’re used to hiring by gut instinct?

Which test to use?

At least one of the best-known personality tests, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, isn’t valid for hiring—it’s too broad.

That’s according to Claudia St. John, president of Affinity HR Group, which provides human resources support for automotive industry businesses. Still, “there are a gajillion behavioral personality tests out there” that are valid, she says.

Both St. John and McSherry make use of TriMetrix HD, an assessment created by TTI Success Insights. The assessment looks at an individual’s behavioural styles, personal motivators, acumen, and competencies.

St. John says her firm boosted its recruiting retention rate for other businesses from an unacceptable 70 percent, to 93 percent using TriMetrix HD. That rate does the job.

“For us, that’s plenty, because stuff is just going to happen,” with the remaining 7 percent of hires that don’t work out, says St. John.

TriMetrix can be most useful for mid-level and higher employees, says St. John, noting there are other assessments better suited to less complicated jobs.

“I just think you need to find the one you like and go with it,” she says. “Because if you’re not testing you just do not know what you’re hiring.”

Once you’ve found a test you like, you need to make sure you’re applying it in a way that won’t lead to legal troubles down the line.

Using a test that isn’t valid could also create liability, says St. John.

Darrin Murriner, co-founder and CEO of Cloverleaf, a team-building and microcoaching program, says that just like any other hiring tool— background and credit checks, etc.—assessments must be applied equally to candidates.

“Don’t worry about it as long as it’s part of a broad-based hiring or selection process,” he says.

How much weight to give it?

McSherry says the assessment isn’t make or break for candidates, at least not always. ”It’s made me not hire some people,” he says.

Under normal circumstances, the test is another part of the hiring process.

“It’s a pretty cool tool—I’m old school; you always lead with your gut,” says Mc-

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Sherry, a fan of the New York Yankees.

“It’s just like baseball. Analytics are a great tool and [the assessment] is a great analytical tool.”

The HR professionals agree, saying that it’s only one piece of the hiring puzzle, though they don’t agree on what proportion it is of the complete picture.

St. John says the assessment results should make up one-third of your hiring decision—the other factors are a candidate’s experience and how they showed up for the interview (as in, did you like them?).

For Murriner, a behavioral assessment should only make up 20 percent to 25 percent of your hiring decision. He says skills and competencies and experience, coupled with how the interview process went, and the results of a skills test (ask the candidate to produce something), should be given equal weight.

No matter how much weight is given to testing, remember that no potential hire is a sure shot, no matter the assessment’s results.

McSherry says, in his experience, the wildcard is a candidate’s life prior to an interview or assessment.

“I honestly think the report nails how people think,” he says, “but there’s no report that will come up with what happened to that person that morning.”

What else can it do?

Personality tests aren’t free, but McSherry says they’re well worth the money. He uses a firm that charges him $300 per TriMetrix HD assessment. “‘That’s crazy, this is too much money,” he says imagining someone’s reaction.

“But think of what the costs are training this person” who, three months down the line proves to be a bad fit, he asks. “Three hundred dollars is [a drop] in the ocean— it’s nothing.”

Murriner says assessments can be used in other ways during the hiring process, mined for questions for interviews, for instance, and can also have life after a candidate is brought on. He says that so much goes into the hiring decision but there’s much more after—career and development plans, for instance.

All that you learned in the hiring process, assessment information included, says Murriner, “can be translated to make sure that person can be successful after they’ve been hired.”

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Assessments and ‘Micro-Coaching’ FenderBender columnist Kevin Rains says

he hasn’t used behavioral assessments for hiring, but he does use them for team and

culture building. He does so with the help of a

company called Cloverleaf and its co-founder and CEO, Darrin Murriner.

Murriner says employee mistrust can

arise from misunderstandings with their

managers. By taking information gleaned

from employee behavioral assessments, he says Cloverleaf can come up with manage-

ment and coaching tips for leaders, tailored to each employee.

“Those are important relationships, and

how [managers] approach those relationships should be informed by those behavioral

patterns we see in those personality tests,” Murriner says.

The tips are all about the style and approach

to leading individual team members, he says, and are delivered in ‘bite-sized, actionable

insights”—thus, the term “micro-coaching.”

Cloverleaf delivers the insights by integrat-

ing with technology—through your shop’s

calendar or email systems—inserting them into the day.

For instance, says Murriner, if someone

were about to walk into a meeting, the Clo-

verleaf message would come through their calendar and remind them that the person

with whom they’re meeting is most persuaded by data.

Murriner calls such moments of micro-

coaching and the insights they can give a “critical element of success.”

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COLLISION C A S T

T H E N E W, REVAMPED COLLISIONCAST W E E K LY EPI S OD ES FEATU R I NG SHOP OWNERS, SP E C IAL G U ESTS , LEAD I N G INDUSTRY V ENDORS A N D F E N D ER B EN D ER COLU MNISTS

LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE

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PODCASTS

STITCHERfenderbender.com POCKET CASTS

COLUMNS

PROCESS DRIVEN

No Body Shop Experience? No Problem.

Folks from outside the industry can be an asset It’s not uncommon for folks to consider themselves collision repair industry “lifers.”

You know the types—maybe you are one—shop owners who learned the business watching over their father’s shoulder as a kid, technicians whose first job was sweeping the floor, folks who couldn’t stop thinking about cars so they made it their career.

There’s good reason that so many of us have devoted our lives to this. It’s needed, fulfilling, and an ongoing challenge as vehicles become more complex and the procedures to repair them follow with increasing complexity. You can really build something, build a business, grow as a person and leader.

Sometimes, it can feel like you’re either on the inside, or on the outside, though this past year, with all its extraordinary happenings has begun to tilt my perspective, especially when it comes to who to hire.

Better Customer Service Tourism is a huge part of the Alaskan economy, so with the shutdowns and slowdowns and lockdowns of the last year, that sector has struggled mightily. And, unfortunately, like so many other places, the local restaurant scene here in Anchorage has suffered too.

What that’s meant for my shops is that I’ve hired more restaurant people—hosts, servers, bartenders and so on—in the past 12 months than I have the rest of my life.

It’s been stunning how many people from other industries outside collision repair have been approaching us for jobs—in a time full of changes it’s been one of the biggest I’ve seen. Lots of these people thought they’d be lifers in their industry—sound familiar?—but due to these tough times they’ve been forced to move on.

It might seem strange to say there’s a sliver of opportunity in this for other business owners, but it’s true. These out-of-work tourism folks, these former waiters and bartenders, I think they know customer service better than others.

Skills Translate I recently hired two young women who’d worked in tourism their entire careers, and they say they’ll never go back.

It’s been a good reminder of something us collision repair lifers can sometimes lose sight of: You

March 2021

don’t have to hire people with experience in the body shop world.

Take these two young women as an example.

They used to spend all day on the phone booking reservations and solving problems. Sound familiar? It made for a much smoother transition to the body shop world than I’d expected, but if you know how to work the phone, you can work it anywhere.

It really solidified the fact we can hire great people with a skill set that is customer related.

Good Under Pressure The more I think about it, the more it makes sense to seek out employees with customer service-oriented backgrounds. A couple decades experience repairing cars is great for the shop floor, but it’s not a sure thing it does much in the front office when dealing with customers who need comfort and help.

Take a bank teller, for instance—that person’s job, day in and day out, is (or was, for now) face-toface helping people, solving customers’ problems.

Or what about someone who worked at Disney World? They’re working under intense pressure— this might be a vacation that someone’s been saving for for years—and they’re expected to do their job without breaking a sweat, all the while with a smile on their face.

With a little training, these folks can handle the phone in your body shop. After all, most folks aren’t looking for in-depth details about their repair. They want to know when their car will be ready, they want trust and empathy.

It’s not hard to find people who can give that experience.

Soon to be an Asset There’s something else to consider, too. At some point, the number of people vaccinated will be enough to put this pandemic to bed, and it’s hard not to think that business will be back to normal—or booming—once society gets moving again.

So if you’ve laid-off or reduced your staff, now could be the time to start looking around at gaps you’ll eventually need to fill.

There are folks out there who’ve worked in other industries who have valuable experience. It’s always good to remember you don’t have to pass them over just because they’re not collision repair lifers, too.

In fact, they could be just who you’re looking for.

45

R YA N C R O P P E R is the

owner of Able Body Shop, with four locations in Anchorage, Alaska, and Total Truck Accessory Center.

EMAIL:

rcropper@ablebodyshop.com

ARCHIVE:

fenderbender.com/cropper

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STRATEGY

CASE STUDY

BREAKING UP WITH DRPs

It can be scary, but there are ways to thrive without direct repair programs

By M A R AYA KING

M I K E S C H O O N O V E R , owner of Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass in Shoreview, Minn., recommends shops rely on direct repair programs “as little as possible.”

Schoonover’s shop, which was once heavily reliant on insurance companies to send work its way, has now removed itself completely from four DRPs and is profiting like never before. Though it was difficult, Schoonover says he couldn’t be happier with his decision and anticipates other shops will follow suit.

The Backstory

The Problem

Schoonover says he knew for some time that being a part of a DRP was not his first choice, but he says the problems continued to pile up.

“The only new customers I got were vehicles that were towed in,” he says. “Over the years, insurance companies saw DRPs booming, so the shops took on more responsibility while insurance companies closed their claims offices.”

Schoonover says the negatives overwhelmingly outweighed the positives, but it wasn’t until a particular repair in July of 2019 that he made the decision to leave all his DRPs. His staff had been working to replace a windshield on a vehicle and per the OEM repair procedure, the vehicle’s front-facing camera needed to be recalibrated to ensure proper

lane departure warnings. Schoonover says the DRP with which the vehicle came in told him he could not charge for the calibration.

“Instead,” he says, “they told me it would be OK for the customer to drive to the dealer and have the dealer perform the calibration.”

He says he was infuriated that the insurance company would allow a customer to drive a vehicle that had not been properly calibrated, and therefore, was not safe to drive. And then, it happened again.

After an almost identical situation occurred, Schoonover says he called the insurance company, “went up the chain to get answers,” and what he found was that they simply did not care.

“I knew I could no longer affiliate myself with insurance companies that were entirely price-driven,” he says.

GETTY

Schoonover says in mid-2019 some 80 percent of his shop’s work came from DRPs. At first glance, that amount of business may look like a boon, but Schoonover says his lot was often full of non-drive vehicles.

“Our estimators would spend half a day taking photos, uploading them, and filing condition reports to insurance companies,” he says, “only to find out the car was going to be a total loss.”

Schoonover says he was conscious of the increasing amount of responsibility his shop was taking on from insurance companies. He knew something needed to change, but he was a part of four DRPs and leaving each of them felt like too big of a risk to take.

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SCHOONOVER BODYWORKS AND GLASS OWNER:

MIKE SCHOONOVER

LOCATION:

SHOREVIEW, MINN.

SIZE:

14,000 SQUARE FEET

STAFF:

14 (16 PRE-COVID)

AVER AGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

161 (198 PRE-COVID)

AVER AGE REPAIR ORDER:

$1,458 ($1,675 PRE-COVID)

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$2.8 MILLION ($3.9 MILLION PRE-COVID)

The Solution

Schoonover says he made the decision to remove his shop from all of its DRPs in August 2019. The process took almost two months to complete from the time he told the insurance companies he was done, to when his shop finished its last DRP repairs.

In choosing to make the move, Schoonover says his shop had to find new ways to keep customers coming through its doors, and more importantly, coming back.

In order to remain profitable, Schoonover says he focused on improving the shop’s closing ratio, investing in the latest technology and equipment, and marketing. He says he has an annual marketing budget of $45,000 and has increased the shop’s online presence by sponsoring a local podcast.

March 2021

Even before he decided to leave behind DRPs, Schoonover decided to bring calibration work in-house. The shop in late 2017 began replacing outdated equipment, spending around $65,000 to bring ADAS calibrations into the shop, which he says in the end will be his biggest investment.

Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass can perform ADAS calibrations from start to finish, on-site. Schoonover says calibrations were a big selling point for him because, while they are becoming increasingly popular on newer models, they also ensure passenger safety, and that’s what his business is all about.

In addition to calibrations, Schoonover says he can now charge for other services that DRPs wouldn’t pay for, including administration and storage fees.

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Schoonover says the shop has also focused on customer service. It uses Podium, an interactive management platform, and CCC ONE, an estimating tool. He says he replies almost immediately to any request that is submitted on CCC’s forum, which has helped increase the shop’s capture rate. Also aiding the shop’s 80 percent capture rate is its strong online reviews.

“We focus on educating customers and we are very honest,” he says. “I don’t offer cheap paint jobs.”

Before leaving the DRPs, Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass employed 16 people.

“We kept adding staff and equipment to make the insurance companies happy,” Schoonover says.

But since leaving direct repair programs, he was able to cut a production estimator, an apprentice body technician, a parts person, and a detailer. Now, with a staff of 12, the shop is providing the same quality of service with a smaller payroll.

The Aftermath

Schoonover says his shop had a record first quarter 2020, with gross profits trending 20 percent higher than when it was in DRPs. He says numbers subsequently dipped due to COVID-19. Compared to the first three quarters of 2019, Schoonover’s gross profits on overall sales are up 2 percent for 2020.

Parts gross profits are up 2.4 percent compared to 2019, and labor sales are also up by 1.3 percent.

The largest increase he says he’s seen is in miscellaneous gross profit sales, which increased almost 7 percent due to additional fees for materials, supplies, storage, and more.

The Takeaway

Schoonover says he had been wanting to “rip the DRP Band-Aid for years.”

Now that he has, he says his shop is more profitable and that he sleeps better at night knowing his guys are the ones making the decisions when it comes to vehicle repairs.

“I would suspect a lot of independent shops will pull the plug [on DRPs] because their profitability will go up,” he says.

What started as a daunting task turned out to be the greatest decision for his shop and its customers, Schoonover says.

“I strongly recommend shops deal with their own customers and own their market, not the insurance company,” he says. “I’m happy we did.”

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STRATEGY

CUSTOMER SERVICE

EMPATHY: THE SECRET TO STELLAR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Put yourself in customers’ shoes to gain their trust and business

GETTY

By M A R AYA KING

EMPATHIZING WITH CUSTOMERS can be just as beneficial to a business’s bottom line as a perfectly-executed repair, says Loren Margolis, an executive leadership coach and the founder and CEO of Training and Leadership Success.

By putting customers first, listening to their concerns, and empathizing with their situation, she says, collision repair shops can increase their business and their quality of work.

“If you think about it, the reason someone walks into a [collision] repair shop is because they don’t feel safe,” Margolis says, “and that is the perfect opportunity to be empathetic.”

Donna Stobart, an administrator at Kevin Ball Auto Body in Leadington, Mo., is known by both clients and coworkers for her stellar customer service and inviting tone.

She says one of the cornerstones of customer

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service is active listening. One of the ways she listens is by treating customers as if they’re old friends.

Empathy may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about customer service, but by being empathetic, your bottom line could begin to reflect the quality of your interactions.

It all starts with a curious mind, caring heart, and these helpful hints.

Let them tell you their story.

“Listening,” says Margolis, “it sounds so simple and basic, but it is the basis of showing empathy.”

Listening is an ability we all have, but when it comes to sales it should be a skill, and Margolis says to truly listen, you have to make your hands still.

“Put down your phone, the tool in your hand, whatever it is, just make your hands still,” she says.

The second commandment of listening is eye contact. Margolis says this shows that you’re actively listening and that customers have your undivided attention.

The third rule is to not interrupt.

“Even though you’re the car expert and you can probably assume what they’re going to say next—don’t,” she says.

The final step to effective listening is to mirror what the other person says. Margolis points out this can be as simple as saying, “So based on what you’ve told me …”

Stobart says to get people talking she treats them like she has known them forever.

“Tell them you’re glad they are OK and offer them a beverage,” she says.

Then, as he or she is describing their situation, Stobart says to remember a minor detail, or two, to which you can circle back.

“When they come to pick up their car later, you can mention the grandparent they told you about,” she says, noting it shows not only that you were listening, but that you care about them and not just their business.

Read the customers.

Stobart says one of the biggest boons to customer service is being able to read people.

After someone has experienced a traumatic event, such as a car crash, they’ll want to talk about it.

“Women are more willing to open up and tell you things right away,” she says, “But the men want to tell you things, too.”

March 2021

Much of the time, customers just want someone to listen, so shop employees must be willing to start a conversation.

Stobart says that at Kevin Ball Auto Body the owners take time to watch videos on conducting top-tier customer service, and pick up tips by reading industry magazines.

But for someone who has worked in a shop for decades, it may be harder to shift your perspective. That’s why Margolis has five simple words to reframe the conversation: “Put yourself in their shoes.”

This can be done in a variety of different ways. If you’ve ever experienced a collision, say, “I’ve been there, I can relate to the stress you’re feeling.” It shows customers that not only are you listening to what they have to say, but it lets them know they are not alone.

Margolis says making comments that may seem frivolous, such as “How are you healing?” can strike a chord with someone who’s obviously distressed, and put them at ease.

Even if you haven’t been in a collision, she says almost anyone can relate to having their sense of freedom taken away. Bringing your vehicle into a repair shop is like losing a part of your life that you’ve become reliant on, she says, and that’s scary.

By assessing a customer’s needs, as well as their attitude, shop workers can show empathy and get their customers to walk away thinking, “Wow, they really listened to me.”

Margolis says that’s exactly how you win repeat business.

Show empathy without being condescending.

Margolis recalls a time in her early 20s when a car behind her hit an icy patch, causing it to ram into the back of her vehicle. She says she and her father went to the local collision repair shop and what ensued was an interaction she still remembers years later.

“The technician talked to me and not my dad,” she says. “He said he would fix [my car] and have it run just like it used to so I could feel safe driving it.”

Margolis says she even remembers thinking as she left the shop, “He must have a daughter too.”

What may sound like an easy and routine interaction is, unfortunately, a rarity for some women who bring their vehicles in for repairs.

Margolis says to be mindful of the language you use when interacting with female customers.

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“Don’t call me ‘sweetheart,’ ‘honey,’ or ‘dear,’” she says.

The most important thing to remember is to treat women with the same amount of respect you would treat a male car repair expert, says Margolis.

Stobart says she’s seen similar issues at Kevin Ball Auto Body. In some cases, older gentlemen come into the shop and only want to work with another man, she says. On the other hand, she says some of its estimators have needed a little extra training, particularly when it comes to being patient, to help women who’ve brought in their vehicles.

“Men don’t want to sit and listen,” she says, “so we’ve worked with [our estimators] to develop a rapport.”

Regardless of who walks through your door, treat them with understanding and respect.

Marolis gets straight to the point: “Don’t treat people like they have no idea what they are talking about.”

Eavesdrop for good.

Another straight to the point statment from Margolis: “Customers are not stupid.”

When they’re sitting in the waiting room looking at their phones, they are also listening.

“They will absolutely hear how other customers are being treated,” she says.

When shop employees address customers in the waiting room, Margolis says it should be treated as a customer service demonstration. That’s why it’s important to treat each customer like they are your first of the day. Something as seemingly trivial as repeating someone’s name can make a world of difference for your bottom line.

“People will not go to your shop if they feel like a number,” she says. “There is a direct link between empathy and customer service and the amount of business you get.”

Hold each other accountable.

Stobart says she and her colleagues at Kevin Ball Auto Body have worked together long enough to develop a constructive rapport.

She says they’re not afraid to say things like, “You may have rushed through that one,” if it means providing better service.

Showing empathy and providing holistic customer service aren’t just one person’s responsibility. For your shop to be as successful as it can be, each staff member must learn how to communicate effectively and put customers’ needs first, ahead of any repair order.

fenderbender.com

READ WHAT THE PROS READ

“The opportunity to read about ways to improve your business from credible owners and manufacturers is priceless.”

—Stan Medina, Owner, Certified Collision Works, Corpus Christi, Texas

T O S U B S C R I B E O R R E N E W AT F E N D E R B E N D E R . C O M / S U B S C R I B E

SPECIAL PRODUCTS, OFFERS AND EVENTS

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

The system recognizes the positioning targets and calculates the current angle, distance and offset position of the frame to the vehicle. The technician simply follows the onscreen instructions to move the frame or adjust its angle until the current values match the required values. Once the required position values are achieved, the system displays a bright green check mark for easy verification. The vehicle is now ready for calibration. Compare that setup with one using mechanical tools such as plumb bobs and measuring tape that takes 40 minutes on the average.

The alignment Pre-Check capability uses the IA800’s camera system and targeted wheel clamps attached to all four wheels to determine the vehicle’s current alignment specifications.

Then it compares them with the vehicle manufacturer’s allowed tolerances. Ensuring a vehicle is correctly aligned—especially one that has been involved in even a minor collision—is essential to ensuring a correct ADAS component calibration. If within OE-specified tolerances, the technician can proceed to optical positioning of the frame to the vehicle. If the vehicle is shown to be out of the OE’s tolerance range, a 4-wheel alignment is recommended. The IA800 system is incredibly user-friendly; the tablet displays vehicle-specific, step-by-step instructions for the technician. It’s a true game-changer for pre-calibration setup in both speed and accuracy.

AUTEL’S IA800: INTELLIGENT ADAS OPTICAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

Expansion package enables vehicle-toframe placement in as little as 1 minute Autel’s new IA800, Intelligent ADAS optical positioning system enables technicians to drastically cut the setup process prior to ADAS component calibration. The IA800 employs six high-resolution cameras and ADAS positioning software to transform Autel’s Standard Calibration frame into a rapid yet precise frame centering and vehicle distancing unit, enabling technicians to accomplish frame-to-vehicle placement in minutes.

Wheel clamps with camera targets are attached to the rear wheels and a standing target component is placed in the front or to the side of the vehicle, depending on the vehicle make, model and year. The MaxiSYS tablet, now placed securely on the frame, is paired with the cameras.

PHOTOS COURTESY COMPANY

For more, visit www.maxisysadas.com or call 1.855.288.3587.

As ADAS recalibrations become more complex and time consuming than ever, it is critical for technicians to have an efficient and highly accurate recalibration system. Each vehicle requires its own type of targets specific to its unique hardware layout. Using the wrong equipment or following incorrect procedures can lead to serious issues. Whether ignoring an error message or giving an improperly calibrated vehicle back to a customer, the stakes are high.

With the desire and experience to solve these challenges, Bosch has put exceptional thought into the design of its DAS 3000 ADAS recalibration system, a new advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) recalibration solution that intuitively guides technicians to recalibrate vehicle ADAS systems.

Using state-of-the-art vision positioning and vehicle-specific guided instructions, the DAS 3000 gives technicians the confidence to efficiently calibrate their customer’s vehicle in minutes. Designed with the technician and both current and future ADAS technologies in mind, the DAS 3000 is one of the most precise and fastest calibration systems to set up and is compatible with a large range of vehicle makes and models. Bosch DAS 3000 takes the guesswork out of ADAS recalibration, giving technicians time back to expand their services in new and valuable ways. As the world’s largest automotive supplier and a longstanding leader in ADAS cameras and sensors, Bosch has a unique understanding of vehicle ADAS systems.

SAVE TIME AND GUARANTEE ACCURACY WITH BOSCH DAS 3000 ADAS RECALIBRATION SYSTEM

Increase efficiency and reduce comebacks with the DAS 3000

Learn more at boschdiagnostics.com/adas.

March 2021

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NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

CAR-O-LINER® CAR-O-TRONIC® VISION2™X3 DAMAGE ANALYSIS

Increase customer satisfaction and reach a better bottom line Utilizing Car-O-Tronic® Vision2™x3 to diagnose and document suspension before you begin a repair is the key to delivering a great customer experience and reaching a better bottom line. Checking suspension up front allows accurate blueprinting, estimating, avoiding extra trips to the alignment machine and parts delays. You do not need to be a wheel alignment specialist; stick to what you know best and rely on your Vision2™ to be your expert guide for the rest. Make it easier to exceed expectations and deliver a superior repair on budget and on time with Car-O-Tronic® Vision2™x3 in your shop.

• Works with EVO™ anchoring, fixturing, and holding systems • Info center for online software and data updates, news, support, and interactive training Usability • Easily identify control points with automatic measuring point photos • Photograph damaged areas and simply make them part of your reports • Email/print before and after repair reports • Real-time data delivered (3 times per sec) – real-time pulling • Bluetooth wireless communication from PC to measuring slide • Zoom of screens for easy view

Features & Benefits Measuring • Suspension diagnosis • 3D upper and lower body measuring with data • LED light identifies the correct measuring point when near position • Comparative and absolute (tram gauge) measuring modes • Compatible with nearly any frame system

Please visit car-o-liner.com for more information.

UPDATE TO CCC® REPAIR METHODS

Advances in ADAS technologies have given drivers a level of safety and assistance like never before. But that safety and convenience has created more complexity for repairers.

Without the most current information on vehicle construction and repair from the manufacturer, and without the ability for your staff to easily access it, it is nearly impossible to perform a proper repair.

publication of updated processes and delivery of enhanced content exactly as it appears on the OEM website.

Accessible via desktop or mobile instances of CCC ONE®, technicians can easily access OEM procedures at the vehicle when performing repairs. Users can even bookmark their most commonly used processes for quick and easy reference.

“I love the updated Repair Methods in CCC ONE. I can get to the information I need quickly and navigating between sections is so simple,” says Andrew Hill, Shop Manager at Sherrill’s Paint & Body in Birmingham, AL. “If I am looking at procedures for a quarter panel and need to swap over to a door, it’s just point and click. It’s a great tool for us.”

Enter the new CCC Repair Methods.

Designed like today’s leading search engines, the new interface allows users to enter a part description, diagnostic trouble code or operation to find comprehensive and relevant information. The search isn’t limited to just one procedure; it captures all mentions of the phrase (including diagrams), prioritized by relevance as you would expect from an internet search. This helps to provide a more complete picture for your technicians.

The digital, connected interface helps collision repairers keep pace with OEM updates. In 2021, OEMs are transitioning to faster

For more information on CCC Repair Methods, visit cccis.com/repair-methods.

CCC Repair Workflow and CCC ONE are registered trademarks and CCC and the CCC logo are registered service marks of CCC Information Services Inc. All rights reserved.

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More robust search feature makes access to OEM procedures easier than ever

SPECIAL PRODUCTS, OFFERS AND EVENTS

ACHIEVE PREMIUM RESULTS ON BOTTLENECK PROJECTS

TRUE 7000V Clearcoat can increase your paint shop efficiency on the busiest days Body shops often find themselves facing a repair that is ideal for a “speed” clear (especially one that doesn’t sacrifice quality for production). The new TRUE 7000V Clear from Industrial Finishes has been designed to address spot and panel repairs without the need for baking while providing swift air-dry capabilities. It is as close to a “lacquer dry” product as possible while still yielding TRUE 2K polyurethane properties. TRUE 7000V Clear can help shops that need to finish a bottleneck project without sitting all day in a booth.

Field testing has included several successful applications outside at temperatures as low as 50° Fahrenheit. The ability of TRUE 7000V Clear to handle various conditions is extraordinary, especially when a spray booth is unavailable or very fast work needs to be done.

TRUE 7000V is ideal for body shops without baking booths that also desire high productivity since it can air-dry quickly and yields top-notch results. The TRUE 7000V Clear is also cost-effective, needing only one activator. Its mix ratio is 4:1.

Some important characteristics of TRUE 7000V Clearcoat are: • Can be applied over all high-quality solvent-borne and waterborne basecoats • VOC compliant; ready-to-spray VOC 2.0 #/gal.

• Easy application; 2 coats, no flash necessary • Fast dust-free time; 10-15 minutes at 75° F. • Can be sanded and buffed in 60-90 minutes at 70° F. • Long-term exterior durability of 5-10 years • Perfect for parts and small repair areas • Use with TRUE 701VQT activator

TRUE Performance Products, including TRUE 7000V Clear, are available exclusively at Industrial Finishes and Systems. For more information, visit industrialfinishes.com or call 800.531.1305.

ScanSafe is a multi-brand, OE-endorsed J2534 scan tool with 5” touchscreen that ensures complete repair of vehicular technologies affected by collision. With ScanSafe, collision repair facilities have a single device that caters to the vehicle’s technological needs throughout the repair, including a pre-repair scan while the estimate is being written, during the repair as issues are being addressed, and post-repair to set calibrations and ensure the vehicle is safe to return to the road.

ScanSafe integrates with CCC ONE® estimating software and provides in-depth OEM scanning, QuickScan™, programming and ADAS calibration remotely performed by our collision experts using OE-approved technology. With ScanSafe, collision repair facilities have:

COLLISION SCANNING IN YOUR HANDS

ScanSafe™ is an OE-endorsed scan tool that provides a complete picture of vehicle systems impacted by collision.

• On-demand access to OE scanning, QuickScan and module reprogramming when you need it; a scheduled appointment is not required • Satisfaction of OE position statement requirements pre- and post-repair • Estimation workflow integration with CCC ONE® plus works with other industryleading estimation programs • Easy use for non-technical personnel, removing the need for experienced staff with a single easy-to-use tool • Elimination of the expense in maintaining all OE manufacturer software subscriptions With ScanSafe, collision shops get consistent results, reduced cycle time, and the confidence that you have ‌correctly performed a quality repair, every time.

Check out opusivs.com/products/scansafe for more information.

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NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

The new 6119 Dent Driver kit from Polyvance is a specialized tool set to help the auto body technician remove dents from plastic bumpers. The kit includes two pairs of different sized tools (four tools total). The ends of each Dent Driver tool have different shapes to help work out the knots and stretched areas often found around the perimeter of bumper dents. The variety of sharp edges, sharp points and blunt points on the Dent Drivers gives the technician just the right tool to conform to the task at hand.

The curved, ergonomic shape of the Dent Driver tools fit readily into the hand to maximize their force and minimize fatigue.

The 6119 Dent Drivers complement Polyvance’s other dent removal tool options. The typical dent removal process would be to first heat the dented area with a heat gun to soften the plastic.

The main part of the dent would be popped out using the 6148 Bumper Rollers kit. Then the stretched areas around the edges of the main dent would be worked with the Dent Drivers. A Dent Driver can be used on each side of the bumper simultaneously to shrink stretched plastic. The Polyvance 6450 Bumper Bag Plus can also be used as a soft dolly to support the opposite side as the technician works the dent with the pointed edges of the Dent Drivers. Polyvance offers several free instructional videos on dent removal on its YouTube channel.

MAXIMUM VERSATILITY FOR SIMPLE DENT REMOVAL

The 6119 dent driver kit makes dent removal a breeze

For more information, check out polyvance.com.

has a couple ounces in it, all of the paint will be sprayed from the cup down to the last drop. The cups can be used for mixing, spraying, and when the job is complete, storage.

RPS Cup Benefits Bendable: The RPS cups have the built-in flexibility of the cup lid which allows painters to tilt the cups forward or side-to-side to spray at many different angles. This flexibility assists in making the RPS a great solution for more difficult paint jobs (excluding the 0.3 L minijet version).

Clean: Removing the cup from the spray gun is a clean process.

When the paint job is finished, squeeze the RPS cup and close the vent cap to create a vacuum inside. Now turn the spray gun upside down and pull the trigger to empty the material passage, ensuring easy gun cleaning and a tidy workplace.

REVOLUTIONIZE PAINT SHOP EFFICIENCY & REVENUE

Save time, money and resources using SATA® RPS® Multipurpose Cups SATA® RPS® Multipurpose Cups save not only time, but paint and cleaning materials, too. The SATA RPS cups have a unique venting system that plays into the efficiency of the overall SATA system.

The vent allows for an even flow rate, for constant color match and constant film build, so whether the cup is entirely full, half full or just

Refillable: The design of the cup allows for simple and clean refilling, and the paint strainer can be exchanged by a spare strainer at any time.

To try the cost-effective SATA RPS cups in your shop, ask your local SATA dealer for samples.

For a demonstration check out satausa.com or call 800.533.8016.

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Safe: Occasionally during the paint process the material cup may accidentally knock into the vehicle or panel stand. Due to the robust threaded connection between the cup and the lid, there is no chance the cup will detach from the gun.

SPECIAL PRODUCTS, OFFERS AND EVENTS

parts orders. Corrosion protection contamination and burn-through concerns are eliminated. Door panels, headliners and fender liners all remain in place during repairs.

Technicians have a variety of tools conveniently positioned in a custom rolling cart that easily moves to the vehicle. The PULL UP! repair system includes a wide array of steel-reinforced suction cups, slide hammers, thread pivots and combination bars to address the most complicated repair scenarios. Rocker panels, doglegs, outer quarter panels, pillars and bodylines are ideal for the PULL UP! repair system to restore the original panel’s shape and appearance without intrusive part replacements.

The PULL UP! repair system’s optional Electro Puller provides the flexibility of consistent pulling or thrusting capabilities during repairs. With the Electro Puller, technicians can pull or push to exacting standards during the straightening process. Combining the Electro Puller with the optional Minidozer eliminates the need for a bench or lift during low-angle repairs (such as rocker panels).

The PULL UP! repair system comes in two configurations: Standard and Full. The Standard package comes with all the tools and equipment necessary to repair small to moderate damage types. The Full package incorporates everything in the Standard package and includes additional tools and crossbars to address significant and complex damage types.

SPANESI PRESENTS THE PULL UP! REPAIR SYSTEM

Increase touch times and decrease parts orders Spanesi, an innovator in collision repair equipment, has released its revolutionary repair system. Spanesi’s innovative PULL UP! repair system is designed to be the least intrusive method available to repair cosmetic and structural damages to vehicles. The PULL UP! repair system incorporates an exclusive glue formulation to pull up to 5 tons while being flexible enough to repair even the smallest damage.

Straightening processes are performed from the panel’s exterior surfaces on steel and aluminum substrates. Without using heat, welding tabs onto panels, or removing coatings, technician efficiency improves with increased touch times and decreased

For more information concerning the PULL UP! repair system, contact Spanesi Americas, Inc. at 224-SPANESI (224.772.6374) or email sales@spanesi-americas.com.

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FENDERBENDER MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE

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SEPTEMBER 13–15 • HYAT T REGENCY MINNEAPOLIS

THE 2021 FENDERBENDER MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE SPONSORS: AutoCenter Sales, Automotive Training Institute, Axalta Coating Systems, BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, CARSTAR, I-CAR, Intrepid Direct Insurance, Lancer Insurance, Matrix Electronic Measuring, OPUS IVS, Podium Corporation, Pro Spot International, Reliable Automotive Equipment, Robaina Direct, Spanesi Americas, TCF Bank

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COLUMNS

OUTSIDE THE LINES

Want More Peaceful Repairs?

Let’s Look to French Cooking.

Take mise en place out of the kitchen and apply it in your collision repair shop

Set Yourself Up To answer what is surely the next logical question— “Why isn’t it done more often then?”—I believe the simplest answer is also the correct one: We’ve done things a certain way for far too long and developed poor habits.

I believe our industry’s greatest strength, the ingenuity of the technicians, is also our greatest weakness.

You can put just about any challenge in front of a body tech and they can solve it. If we can get by with the way we’ve always done things, it makes it more difficult to see our full potential if we made improvements.

When I work in the kitchen, I don’t possess the same skills to get myself out of jams like our technicians do.

If I have the temperature too high on the pan, I tend to overcook, instead of adding oil to bring down the temp or adjusting the flame. But our highly skilled, highly trained technicians? They can easily adapt when we don’t have everything in place for them—they’re our seasoned line cooks, if you will.

The issue, however, is that we can’t solely rely on the skills and quick thinking of our technicians anymore.

Whether you are focusing on being more profitable in 2021 or moving in the direction of repairing a vehicle per OE repair procedures, the effort at the front end of the repair process is becoming more critical. We can no longer

March 2021

afford to not make all the decisions needed on the front end, or we’ll suffer a chaotic, potentially unsafe end to the repair.

For example, if we don’t determine what calibrations are needed on a vehicle before we start repairing it, we will likely make costly decisions at the end of the repair. Taking a vehicle for a test drive and confirming that the blind spot monitors are working is not an accurate assessment that we did the repair correctly. Using a scanner, reading OE repair procedures, and/or using a service like adasThink on the front end helps ensure that we include a line to calibrate the blind spot sensor post-repair on the estimate. This prepares us to make consistent, profitable, and safe repairs.

When it comes to parts, there is a long list of ways that shops decide the timing of allowing a vehicle into production. The old way was to start the job when some parts arrived. On the other end of the scale I knew of a shop that would test fit every single part, including nameplates, and wouldn’t start work on the vehicle until it had 100 percent of its parts, including info labels.

While the first example seems archaic and the second example might seem insane, the bottom line is you have to define the system that will work best for your company and communicate it well enough that everyone completely understands.

At our shop, we don’t allow a vehicle into production unless we have all the parts needed to get the vehicle through the paint booth. If there is a missing info label or a decal, we will proceed while waiting for those parts. While that might not be a perfect system, everyone here can understand it and follow the rule. You will use less time and energy to complete a profitable, safe, and stress-free repair.

Peaceful repairs Early in my cooking journey, the kitchen would look like a bomb went off upon finishing a recipe. That’s before I understood the value of mise en place. The other night I finished making a meal that I had never made before only to find that the entire kitchen was cleaned up before the meal was even finished. Mise en place made all the difference.

Similarly, I can remember a time when it felt like a fire drill getting last-minute items done as each vehicle neared completion. Panicking to find a sublet vendor to get a dash light cleared or driving 45 minutes to pick up the last part was the norm. Now, the research procedures completed up front and the parts system we’ve put into place have allowed a peaceful end to the repair. Again, mise en place made the difference.

Whether you’re cooking a meal, or performing a collision repair, it pays huge dividends to make all the decisions up front and make sure you have everything you need to complete the job.

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J A S O N B O G G S is the

owner of Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders in Woodbury, N.J. He has attended the Disney Institute and Discover Leadership, and has studied lean manufacturing processes.

EMAIL:

jason@boggsauto.com

ARCHIVE:

fenderbender.com/boggs

fenderbender.com

STEVEN PARKS

One of my favorite cooking terms is mise en place. It’s a French term that can be translated a few different ways, but it basically means that you have all your ingredients out, measured, cut, diced, etc. before you start cooking.

Committing to getting all the ingredients prepped and accounted for at the start of cooking has made me a far better cook (Writer’s note, though: just because I love it, doesn’t mean I’m great at it. In fact, I’ve been known to take a recipe that calls for 45 minutes of work and turn it into a two-hour ordeal. Just ask my wife about a certain 10:30 p.m. Valentine’s Day dinner!). I can relax and focus on technique instead of looking for that jar of dijon mustard that’s hiding in the back of our fridge—or worse yet, realizing I am missing an ingredient altogether.

So, why am I mentioning cooking and mise en place?

Well, I actually believe it really correlates to our industry. How many times have we started on a repair without all the parts, or the OEM procedures, or the paint mixed? How about working on a vehicle without having all the hardware needed to put it back together?

Before I get ahead of myself, I do admit that getting all the ingredients prepared and ready before cooking is an easier task than doing so at the start of a collision repair. However, I’d argue it’s far more important and valuable to do so in our profession.

TOUCH

electronic measuring system

DAMAGE DIAGNOSTICS, LIVE PULLING AND DOCUMENTATION The initial evaluation of the damaged vehicle is the first step of the repair process. Repair diagnostics can be performed on any lift, bench, or surface. Structural, mechanical and suspension parts can all be measured while on or off of the vehicle. Detailed pre-repair documentation shows the extent of the vehicle’s damage. Technicians perform live pull operations, with real-time feedback, while returning the vehicle to OEM specifications.

Post-repair documentation provides your customers the peace-of-mind to know their vehicle has been properly repaired.

spanesi-americas.com/products/damage-diagnostics/touch

Spanesi Americas, Inc. 123 Ambassador Dr. STE 107 Naperville, IL 60140

224-SPANESI (224-772-6374) www.spanesi-americas.com facebook.com/spanesiamericas

G E N U I N E

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Q U A L I T Y

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R E L I A B I L I T Y

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F I T

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V A L U E

Toyota Genuine Throttle Body Assemblies provide uncompromising quality. They’re engineered and matched to specific Toyota vehicles to help restore optimum factory performance. Trust in Toyota to provide accurate fit and reliable operation. When it comes to revitalizing engine performance and improving your shop’s efficiency and bottom line, don’t settle—choose a Toyota Genuine Throttle Body Assembly.

EXCLUSIVELY FROM YOUR TOYOTA DEALER

» toyotapartsandservice.com For complete details about Toyota’s warranties, please refer to the applicable Warranty & Maintenance Guide or see your Toyota Dealer.