I-CAR

by Autobody News Staff

With today’s cars loaded with new technology, and diagnostics and OE repair procedures playing a larger role every year, I-CAR training is undoubtedly more important now than ever.

At Szott M-59 Collision Centers in White Lake and Waterford, MI, every customer can rest assured the entire crew at this mega-busy auto body shop is trained.

The company achieved I-CAR’s Gold Class recognition in November 2021, an achievement made more attainable with the all-inclusive Get to Gold Class training package.

While other collision repairers stress I-CAR training but don’t make it mandatory, this company’s Body Shop Director Kyle Kuzdek makes it a priority. And that helps all Szott M-59 Collision Center locations maintain top CSI numbers and consistently get a plethora of five-star reviews online year after year.

To make sure the crew of 24 employees continues their education and are poised to perform consistently at a high level, Szott M-59 Collision Centers acquired an I-CAR training subscription, upon completion of the Get to Gold Class package. The annual subscription provides unlimited training to every employee in both the shop and office. Employees also benefit from full access to Repairability Technical Support (RTS) and Ask I-CAR as part of their Gold Class shop benefits.

In charge of three locations and with a new one opening soon, Kuzdek, 45, entered the industry selling paint jobs for a retailer when he was 19. By relentlessly pursuing training and education during his entire career, Kuzdek has been able to refine his customer service skills and set himself up for success.

“If I want to be a good leader, I feel like I have to be able to know as much as I can,” he said. “That way, I can show my crew how to do things, instead of just telling them. Training has been instrumental in my career because through I-CAR I’ve learned how to write estimates, perform diagnostics, blueprinting, job management—everything I need to be an effective manager is available from I-CAR.”

The subscription is available to Szott M-59 Collision Centers as a Gold Class business. Another Gold Class benefit is an assigned I-CAR customer care representative who works with the shops on a continuing basis.

“Having someone working with us is a big plus,” Kuzdek said. “Everyone we’ve worked with at I-CAR has been very responsive and proactive about helping us and answering questions, and being there if we need them. We get unlimited access to all of I-CAR’s online training for everyone here, regardless if they’re a veteran or a new hire. We’ve taken advantage of all their classes, including their Intro Series, where we can train our front office personnel about the basics of collision repair with an emphasis on customer service.”

Kuzdek leverages his company’s Gold Class achievement and I-CAR subscription to motivate his people and maintain a company culture that focuses on continual self-improvement.

“I tell them to learn a little more every day because if you’re not moving forward, you’re moving back,” he said. “I also encourage them to share the information we get from I-CAR with the rest of the crew because we’re only as good as the team. We hold meetings all the time to disseminate what we know with each other. I-CAR is perfect for people who want to develop new skills or those who want to refine and refresh their existing ones.”

With more than 300 online classes available to his estimators, production managers and non-structural, structural, refinish, electrical/diagnostics and mechanical techs, Kuzdek knows he can check all of his boxes when it comes to top-notch training.

“The curriculum is so comprehensive, it’s really impressive,” he said. “They also offer in-person skills courses—handson development courses—and a welding training and certification, all included in the Get to Gold Class package. You can learn every theory in the book, but some things are best learned by doing them yourself. The instructors at I-CAR are some of the most knowledgeable people in this industry, but their real talent is knowing how to distill the information and communicate it effectively to my employees.”

To help body shops keep up with diagnostics, ADAS and new OE procedures, I-CAR updates its curriculum on an ongoing basis. In October 2019, it did a major overhaul of its curriculum and systems, and now it’s all about an occasional tune-up.

“This industry is changing every day, and the shops that aren’t ahead of the game will be left behind,” Kuzdek said. “We value our Gold Class recognition and I think the insurance companies and our customers feel the same way. We have an obligation to fix these cars based on OE procedures and return them back to their owners in safe and pre-accident condition. Our ongoing commitment to training illustrates our dedication to doing things right, and our crew can see it every day.”

The crew at Szott M-59 Collision Centers is a highly knowledgeable and skilled team that continually pursues ongoing education through its I-CAR subscription.

Szott M-59 Collision Centers

Location: White Lake & Waterford, MI

(888) 427-9407 www.szottm59collision.com

Company At A Glance...

Type: Collision Repair Facility Employees: 24 In Business Since: 1994 Number of Locations: Three

Combined Production Space:

66,000 square feet

Body Shop Director Kyle Kuzdek motivates his team to pursue training through I-CAR, which contributes to consistently high CSI numbers.

The crew at Szott M-59 Collision Centers recently captured first place at this year’s Detroit Motorama with this customized Dodge Magnum hot rod.

I-CAR

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