37 YEARS
WEST EDITION
AUTOBODY
Vol. 37 / Issue 1 / January 2019
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Insurance Fraud Ring Led by Body Shop Owner Revealed in Sacramento, CA Detectives from the California Department of Insurance arrested four people early the morning of Nov. 16 for allegedly ripping off four auto in-
Credit: CA Dept. of Insurance
surers for more than $34,000 by filing fraudulent insurance claims. One additional suspect was taken into custody Thursday, Nov.15. All suspects were booked in the Sacramento County Jail. Investigated by the Urban Auto Fraud Task Force, which is supervised and led by the California Department of Insurance Enforcement Branch and includes the California Highway Patrol and Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, See Fraud Ring, Page 10
Collision Repair Industry Associations Make 2019 New Year’s Resolutions by Chasidy Rae Sisk
Since the Babylonians began the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions over 4,000 years ago, people around the world have kicked off each new year by making a promise to improve some aspect of their lives. The collision repair industry is no different, and associations around the country have begun thinking about what they can do to improve their organizations in 2019. Fortunately, some of these industry leaders were willing to share their 2019
New Year’s resolutions with Autobody News. Increasing membership, expanding educational offerings and pursuing legislative initiatives were all largely important to associations and the industry in 2018. Collision repair professionals can anticipate seeing these efforts extend into 2019 with renewed vigor. Elijah Winans, board member of the North Carolina Association of Collision and Autobody Repair (NCACAR), would “like to see our membership, attendance See Resolutions, Page 32
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CAA Meeting Discusses New BAR Regulations, QC App, Counterfeit Parts by Victoria Antonelli
On Wednesday, Nov. 7, the California Autobody Association (CAA) Los Angeles and Orange County chapters met at Fix Auto Anaheim North in Anaheim, CA, to discuss recent confusion about OPT-OEM parts. The meeting kicked off with registration and a meet-and-greet from 5:30 p.m.–6 p.m., followed by a TexMex style dinner from 6 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Around 75 people attended from across Southern California. A little after 6:30 p.m., Melanie Allan, CAA Los Angeles president and VP of business development and sales at Craftsman Collision in Long
Beach, read the rules and regulations and introduced the four speakers. MyQCIQ App David Caulfield, who hosted the meeting at his Fix Auto Anaheim North shop, took the microphone first. He discussed his 43 years of experience and how recurring industry issues compelled him to strike out on his own and open the 23,000-squarefoot specialized collision services center in February 2018. “I’m trying to turn the tide in the collision repair industry; I’m on your side,” David said to the collision shop owners. “I didn’t want to See CAA Meeting, Page 14
Holidays Holidays y Caliber Collision, ABRA (Auto Body Repair of America) To Merge Caliber Collision (“Caliber”) and ABRA Auto Body Repair of America (“ABRA”) recently announced a definitive merger agreement that brings together the companies’ teams, brands and operations to better serve their customers and insurance clients. The combination joins two complementary leaders in the $47-billiona-year collision repair industry. “This combination will allow us to offer even greater satisfaction for our valued customers and insurance clients while creating new opportunities for the talented teammates of both companies,” said Steve Grimshaw, Caliber Chief Executive Officer. “With more than 1,000 stores in 37
states and the District of Columbia, we look forward to providing customers and insurance clients with the flexibility and convenience that come with the broadest geographic coverage in the United States and a full suite of services.” The combined company will offer customers and clients a single solution with more offerings, including dedicated non-drive, express and aluminum-certified and high-line repair centers. Customers will also benefit from increased choice, as substantial opportunities exist to expand the companies’ offerings, such as glass, mechanical, diagnostic See Caliber Collision, Page 26
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CONTENTS CA Approves Waymo’s Autonomous Vehicle Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 CAA Meeting Discusses New BAR Regulations, QC App, Counterfeit Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 CAWA Receives Grant From UAF To Implement Scholarship Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Insurance Fraud Ring Led by Body Shop Owner Revealed in Sacramento, CA . . . . . . . 1 Mike's Auto Body Celebrates Grand Opening in Vallejo, CA; Starts Benevolence Season . . 10 PPG, Mike’s Auto Body Host CA Prisons’ Auto Body & Paint Instructors . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Toyota To Replace Burned Tundra as a Thank You to Brave Nurse in CA . . . . . . . . . 12 WA Body Shop Helps Repair Family Car After BB Gun Shooting Attack . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Car Program to NABC Recycled Rides . . . . . 64 Attanasio - 3 Shop-Friendly New Marketing Ideas for 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Anderson - A Reasonable Price for a Vehicle Scan Depends on What You’re Including . . . 38 Attanasio - Are You Forgetting About Half Your Customers by Not Catering to Women? . . . . 46 Ledoux - The 1960s – Associations, Leaders and Poor Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Phillips - AkzoNobel Performance Group Highlights Importance of Working on Business, Not in Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Phillips - How to Prepare and Negotiate Better Deals With Industry Partners . . . . . . . 34 Phillips - SCRS Red Carpet Awards Breakfast at SEMA Recognizes Collision Industry . . . . 60
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Axalta Increases ColorNet User Productivity . . 33 Caliber Collision, Abra Auto Body Repair
Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Vicki Sitarz Online and Web Content Editor: Rochelle Beckel Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Editorial/Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes
Serving Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the collision industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2019 Adamantine Media LLC.
Accuvision-3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Hyundai of Seattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists, LLC. . . . . . . 9
Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 68
Anchorage Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram . . . 34
Industrial Finishes and Systems . . . . . . . . 35
Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 65
Kearny Mesa Subaru-Hyundai. . . . . . . . . . 57
AutobodyLaw.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . 54-55
AutoNation Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram-Fiat. . 8
Kia of Carson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
AutoNation Collision Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Killer Tools & Equipment Corp . . . . . . . . . . 39
Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 17
Matrix Automotive Finishes . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 69
Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . 68
Capitol Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 66
Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 68
Certified Automotive Parts Association . . . . 6
Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . 60
Chevrolet of Anchorage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . 41
Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram of Seattle . . . . 63
Moss Bros. Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . . . . . . . 31
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Nicolosi Distributing, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Colortone Automotive Paints . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 59
Courtesy Chevrolet San Diego. . . . . . . . . . 45
Pacific Best, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Reducing Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Cutter Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram. . . . . . . 16
PaintEx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Martin Senour Introduces Pro Filler Body Filler . . 17
Dave Smith Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Penske Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
OH Community Devasted After GM Announces
DCH Auto Group Temecula . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 60
Del Grande Dealer Group. . . . . . . . . . . 18-19
Pro Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Dent Fix Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Puente Hills Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
of America To Merge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Collision Industry Leader Shelly Jones Launches Performance Sales Solutions. . . . 26 Collision Repair Industry Associations Make 2019 New Year’s Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 David Rogers Is the 2018 BodyShop Business/ASE Master Collision Repair & Refinish Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 GM To Cut Work Force, Halt Production at Multiple Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 IAA Announces Opening of New Flint, MA,
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Board During SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 AkzoNobel Turns Over Keys for Refurbished
Branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 I-CAR, CREF Award TX Auto Collision Program With Laptops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 IGONC Learns How To Drive Growth Through Digital Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 JTA Joins FL Polytechnic University on Driverless Vehicle Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Kyle Tucker Named 2018 SEMA Battle of The Builders Winner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Mark Olson Teaches WMABA About
Plant Closings, Lordstown Will be Hard Hit . . 27
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
REGIONAL
Autobody News P.O. Box 1516 Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com
Phillips - Subaru of America Prepares to
Polyvance’s New Tool Aids in Removing Dents . 45
Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
RBL Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Launch Its Certified Collision Center
PPG Completes Acquisition of SEM Products, Inc. 22
Downtown Motors of LA (Audi, VW) . . . . . . 51
Riverside Kia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Network Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Registration Opens for the Annual HD Repair
Eckler’s Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Robaina Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Enterprise Rent-A-Car. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Sierra Chevrolet-Honda-Subaru . . . . . . . . 50
Equalizer Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
First Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . 62
Ford of Kirkland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Symach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 61
Tacoma Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram . . . . . 25
Galpin Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
The Bay Area Automotive Group . . . . . . . . 53
Glenn E. Thomas Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep . . . 21
Tonkin Parts Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 12
GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Vintage Flatz/Cumberland Products . . . . . 26
Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts
Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 64
Sisk - ARA Hosts Magical 75th Annual Convention and Exposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Sisk - Mike Anderson Presents ‘Using the Subaru Technical Information System (STIS) – Part 1’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Samsung Ponders Training Self-Driving Cars With Brain Waves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 SEMA Honors Collision Repair & Refinish New Product Award Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Tariff Rate Increase Put on Pause Amid
NATIONAL AAPEX 2018 Keeps Attendees Ahead of the Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 AASP National Elects New Executive
New Discussions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 YANG Holds Town Hall, Happy Hour During AAPEX 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37
Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . 58
Hyundai of Kirkland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
YesterWreck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
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Samsung Ponders Training Self-Driving Cars With Brain Waves by Daniel Golightly, Android Headlines
Samsung’s efforts in the self-driving automotive industry appear poised to continue growing, based on a recent patent for a new autonomous driver training model published by WIPO. The patent itself applies primarily to an “apparatus” and methodology for training a self-driving vehicle’s AI that utilizes machine learning and a combination of human driver metrics and traditional sensor information. The data for the former is tracked and pulled from several sources within the vehicle itself while a human is in control; that includes information such as grip strength and positioning taken from the steering wheel and brake or throttle pedal movement. However, it also seems to include headset-gathered metrics, with Samsung explicitly indicating measurements taken via eye-tracking and a brain-wave electrocardiogram. The former of those is self-explanatory, but the latter is more closely related to and encompasses technologies more often associated with EKG, ECG or EEG measurements taken in a medical setting. Samsung’s description of the ap-
paratus indicates that the electrocardiogram information would be used to assess the changes in a driving environment and dangerous driving circumstances in combination with those other metrics. However, it would also be compiled with the driver’s use of turn signals and their “manipulation” of the vehicle’s horn, stereo or other instruments in order to build a set of patterns in driving behavior to start from and improve on. That would be further underscored by metrics gathered from cameras, LiDAR, radar and navigation data in order to compile a more complete picture from which to create an autonomous driving model for the AI to work with. Background: Although Samsung recently started filling out its portfolio in terms of AI automotive innovations, technologies and platforms, this is a relatively big step for the company. Previously, the vast majority of its ambitions could summarily be collected under the umbrella of “supportive” technologies. For example, at CES 2018 in January, the company introduced a new series of self-driving technologies that sought to make the industry more modular. To that end, the ‘DRVLINE’ platform encom-
passed both hardware and software but could be put together piecemeal and was intended for use by current OEMs in the automotive industry and service industries rather than meant for use by Samsung to create its own vehicles. For the most part, all of its technologies and press releases have centered around a similar concept, building solutions that align with the self-driving vehicle industry without taking on the tasks of building out its own subsidiary to become an active manufacturer. Bearing that in mind, the company has also applied for and received an autonomous vehicle testing license in its home country. Specifically, that was awarded way back in mid-2017, but that doesn’t mean this new patent isn’t geared in the same direction. In fact, this may be among the first indications that Samsung wants to do far more than simply provide components and associated software for others in the race for AI vehicle dominance. Instead, if it puts these patents into place, the company may be preparing to compete more directly with companies such as Alphabet’s Waymo, which builds its own systems for use with another manufacturer’s vehicle platforms
JTA Joins FL Polytechnic University on Driverless Vehicle Research by Bill Bortzfield, WJCT
The Jacksonville, FL, Transportation Authority is continuing its push into the world of autonomous vehicles with a new alliance. JTA is joining forces with Florida Polytechnic University’s Advanced Mobility Institute, which focuses on advancing and testing driverless transportation.
This video screengrab shows a conceptional rendering of the U2C autonomous vehicles that are planned to replace the existing Skyway. Credit: JTA
“AV technology holds great promise for the whole transportation industry, but it’s very likely that public transportation will take advantage of it before the generic passenger car 4
marketplace,” said Rahul Razdan, senior director for special projects at Florida Poly, located in Lakeland. “At the Advanced Mobility Institute,
street level, expanding the system to the sports complex, Riverside, San Marco and Springfield. “JTA is excited to collaborate with Florida Polytechnic University to explore autonomous vehicles and connected vehicle technologies,” said Nat Ford, CEO of the JTA. “Florida Poly and its Advanced Mobility Institute are strong scientific advisors in this ground-breaking technology.” JTA is calling the Skyway modernization project the U2C, which stands for JTA tested this autonomous electric vehicle in June. Ultimate Urban Circulator. Credit: Joslyn Simmons, WJCT News The U2C ties into a larger we pay particular attention to the project with several agencies to turn Florida industries that can absorb this Bay Street in downtown Jacksonville into an “innovation corridor.” It would technology earlier.” The mutual agreement includes bring together a series of cameras, senfostering the development of AV tech- sors and autonomous vehicles to imnology in downtown areas, university prove traffic flow and improve safety. JTA and other local agencies are campuses and other controlled setpursuing a $25 million federal grant to tings. That in turn dovetails with JTA’s help turn the program into a reality. As part of the project, JTA has plan to modernize and expand the Skyway with autonomous electric ve- been testing driverless EVs on a test hicles that would run on existing ele- track it built that runs next to Metrovated Skway tracks as well as on politan Park near Bay Street. Called
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
rather than selling them to the OEM. Impact: Setting that aside, most autonomous training programs depend primarily on the use of LiDAR, radar and cameras coupled with accurate mapping data and hundreds of thousands of miles of test driving. Ordinarily, the AI is accompanied by a human driver just in case the system fails to respond or any softwarerelated issues arise. Samsung’s concept approach is different in that it combines those with a direct real-time analysis of a human driver, going as far as reading their brain waves. While there are a lot of obvious ways that that could go horribly wrong, it may provide autonomous drivers with a much better way to handle non-autonomous vehicles sharing the roadway. Moreover, it could help improve a self-driving vehicle’s “situational awareness” and improve how other unknowns in an environmental setting are responded to if Samsung chooses its human drivers responsibly and carefully. We thank Android Headlines for reprint permission. https://www.android headlines.com/2018/11/samsungself-driving-cars-training-brainwaves.html
the AV Test & Learn Track, JTA has also on occasion offered test rides to the public to show off the potential of driverless vehicles. JTA has also announced another testing phase that will convert a portion of the existing Skyway between Jefferson Street station and its underconstruction transportation center into an elevated test track for autonomous vehicles.
JTA shows off one of its driverless EV test vehicles. Credit: JTA
“We’re excited to collaborate with the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, sharing with them our scientific research and expertise on autonomous vehicle technology,” said Florida Poly President Randy Avent in an email to WJCT News. We thank WJCT for reprint permission.
autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
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PPG, Mike's Auto Body Host CA Prisons' Auto Body & Paint Instructors by Ed Attanasio
On Dec. 5, PPG Automotive Refinish and Mike’s Auto Body welcomed instructors from the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (CDCR) for a full-day event. The day included presentations from vendors, tours of Mike’s Auto Body’s Antioch, CA, facility and its Auto Damage Assessment Center and Training Center (ADAC), as well as product demonstrations by its training program director, Lupe Algood, and a “get to know” session with CDCR’s superintendent, Shannon Swain. The CDCR is operated in conjunction with the Division of Rehabilitative Programs within the Office of Correctional Education (OCE), an organization that offers 317 various academic and educational programs at 35 of California’s adult state prisons. The goal of OCE is to provide offenders with needed education and career training as part of a broader
Body, coordinated the event. There were 15-plus CDCR auto body and paint instructors and administrators in attendance.
Dearlove kicked off the day with an opening statement. “Our common denominator is training students to work in the collision industry and helping them build successful, lifelong careers,” he said. “We can’t make it in this business by ourselves, so partnerships are essential, and that’s why today is so mutually beneficial for all of us.” After training the CDCR instructors on painting techniques at the PPG Training Center in Concord, CA, earlier in the week, Hengemihle saw the importance of the meeting. “The instructors had a lot of questions for the vendors and trainers, so we know that a lot of useful information was shared,” he said. “The CDCR is updating its curriculum and undergoing a lot of big changes. We’re excited to play a role in train-
Instructors, vendors and other collision repair industry leaders attended the CDCR meeting held at Mike's Auto Body on Dec. 5
effort to increase public safety and reduce recidivism. Fifteen of its programs involve training inmates on how to become metal technicians and painters so that they can attain careers in the collision repair industry after they have been released. All adult schools in the CDCR prisons are fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) to ensure the highest level of education. There is currently a wide range of different auto body and paint programs available that are 6–18 months in length. When completed successfully, graduates receive industry-recognized certifications. Rob Hengemihle, regional manager for PPG, and Dane Dearlove, marketing manager for Mike’s Auto 6
ing these teachers to pass this information on to their students through their programs. PPG is pleased to support initiatives that help provide a pipeline of skilled painters to the collision industry.”
Mike’s Auto Body CEO Brennan Rose also saw great value in the meeting. “At Mike’s Auto Body, we understand the real lack of qualified technicians in our industry and have made a conscious and large financial effort to grow our own team members to ensure we have highly qualified technicians to carry us into the future,” he said. “We are extremely fortunate to have strong partnerships supporting us in this venture as we transform young, talented people into organized, efficient, quality
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
technicians.” Michael Valdez, director of career and technical education at the CDCR Office of Correctional Education, is a former metal technician who oversees the program and supervises all of the auto body and paint instructors.
Michael Valdez, director of career and technical education at the CDCR Office of Correctional Education, talked to auto body and paint instructors during a one-day meeting at Mike's Auto Body
“I know this industry well because I was in it for many years,” he said. “The state needs more and more collision professionals, so we are in the right place at exactly the right time. By meeting with industry leaders and top vendors, we are cre-
ating a bridge between what we’re currently doing and what the industry is doing. Mike’s Auto Body is one of the best MSOs in the country, and they are learning a lot about us and vice versa, so it’s two-way learning, and these several days of training are invaluable. Our goal is to train our instructors to teach things where the need is the strongest while creating good habits and copying what companies like Mike’s Auto Body and PPG Automotive Refinish are doing.” Leading vendors were on-hand to offer technical information about their services and products, including Chris Springer, national accounts and industry relations manager for SATA; Kristen Meehan, territory manager, Northern California/Northern Nevada for Western States Marketing; Dennis O’Keefe, senior account representative for 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division; Joel Smith, owner of Precision Collision; and Chuck Leed, marketing rep for PDX Marketing, which represents Iwata and SEM.
autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
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Swain was appointed by Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. last October after serving as deputy superintendent since 2014. She was a subject matter expert of correctional education at Synergy Correctional Technology Services from 2012–
Shannon Swain, CDCR's superintendent of correctional education, talked about her organization's vision and long-term plan
2014 and served in several positions at the CDCR Parolee Educational Programs, operated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education from 1989–2012, including principal, program manager, project coordinator and teacher.
Swain outlined three main things that she and her department want to achieve as part of a long-term plan.
8
“Educating these inmates in collision repair is both fantastic and appropriate, and our overall goal is to help our students thrive,” she said. “The first thing we want to do is embrace technology, which means we want to improve our infrastructure and have full wireless connectivity in every prison. During the last two years, we have worked to invest in the right tools for our auto body and paint programs, from paint booths to paint guns and all of the tools and equipment required. “Second, we want safety to be paramount for both our teachers and our students and adhere to all of the state codes and requirements. And third, we want to set up our students for good careers with excellent wages by training our teachers how to exhibit pro-social behavior. That includes fostering great customer service, good attitudes, open communication and a work ethic so that they can learn the skills they need to excel. California is leading the way in prison education, so we also want to show the rest of the world what we’re doing and hopefully get them on board as well.”
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
CAWA Receives Grant From UAF To Implement Scholarship Program Representing the automotive parts industry, CAWA was awarded a $25,000 grant from the University of the Aftermarket Foundation to implement a scholarship for high school automotive instructors in 2019.
According to CAWA President and CEO Rodney Pierini, “The program would consider financial assistance, accreditation support, access to automotive products for classroom use and access to industry training for the teachers. This grant will allow CAWA the resources to establish the program
and serve as a model for others to implement because we believe it’s a first in the country to provide this type of support for our high school automotive teachers.” “We are very pleased to award a grant to CAWA to help institute its new high school automotive instructors scholarship program,” said Roger McCollum, AAP, grant committee chairman, University of the Aftermarket Foundation. “Automotive instructors provide a valuable service to our industry. By providing them with funds to enhance classroom programs, pursue certifications and access industry tools and educational materials, they will be better equipped to encourage and educate the next generation of professional technicians.” For further information on the automotive high school instructors scholarship program, contact programs@cawa.org.
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SEMA Honors Collision Repair & Refinish New Product Award Winners by Ed Attanasio
If you’ve developed a cutting-edge piece of equipment, tool or product that can help body shops do a better job, SEMA will give you an opportunity to have it honored and recognized throughout the automotive industry worldwide. Considered the Academy Awards for automotive product innovators, the SEMA New Product Awards can almost guarantee success for an established or growing business that captures one of these highly respected awards. This year, more than 3,000 products were entered into 16 different showcase categories to be considered for the awards. Winners were judged on a wide range of criteria, including quality, marketability, innovation, technology and consumer appeal, among others. The first place award in the Collision Repair and Refinish Product category this year went to ITW Evercoat for its OPTEX Color Changing Body Filler and Putty, while the two runners-up were Bonding Solutions for its Like90 Gun Cleaner and Scangrip for its NOVA-UV S.
Rage OPTEX changes colors from pink to green, indicating to the body shop technician that the repair is properly catalyzed and ready to sand. The color-changing technology is also available in putty. Both body filler and putty are available through Evercoat distributors or jobbers.
“The collision repair industry is changing, and body shops are looking for ways to increase productivity and reduce costs,” said Steve Levine, ITW vice president and general manager. “With the color-change feature of Rage OPTEX, the body shop technician doesn’t have to keep checking the repair—when the repair turns green, the technician knows it is ready to sand, taking the guesswork out of the repair and increasing productivity. Plus, Rage OPTEX is formulated with ECORESIN technology, allowing for fewer steps in the repair process and faster and easier sanding.” Bonding Solutions was honored
as a runner-up for its Like90 Gun Cleaner, a company that has captured many SEMA New Product Awards over the years. Bonding Solutions National Sales Director Bill Kernahan was delighted about the coveted award. “We saw a definite need for a gun cleaner that is environmentally compliant and easy to use, and our Like90 Gun Cleaner is ideal in both categories,” he said. “We performed extensive testing and conducted a lot of research to come up with this product and predict big things for it. SEMA sets the standards in this industry and is the #1 platform for new and emerging products, so we’re honored and obviously pleased to receive this award.” The Like90 Show Gun™ Aerosol Spray Gun Cleaner is a high-power, low VOC aerosol spray gun cleaner that comes with convenient two-way spray top that allows wide-fan spray and super-focused stream through a straw. It’s formulated for both solvent and water-based paints and designed to remove hard, cured paint build-up from spray guns, thereby extending equipment life. It works on metal, plastic and composite sur-
faces and meets California VOC requirements. Scangrip was named one of the other runners-up for its NOVA-UV S that utilizes UV LED curing technology to enable painters to work faster and more efficiently, as the curing time between each operation is reduced significantly. Its new range of LED solutions for UV curing is applicable for curing of UV cured primers and UV cured body fillers and designed to handle any small or largesized paint repair work, according to the company’s marketing collateral. The system comes in two models as both a UV-Pen and a UV-Light and features faster curing—only one minute through high-performance. They both are rechargeable; they have a long lifetime of more than 30,000 hours and low energy consumption with no excessive heat generation. “We are very proud to be selected as runner-up in SEMA’s annual New Product Awards competition,” said Martin Kjaer Petersen, sales & marketing director at Scangrip. “It encourages us to keep pushing back the boundaries of LED lighting and battery technology, creating new and specialized work light solutions.”
autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
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Mike's Auto Body Celebrates Grand Opening in Vallejo, CA; Starts Benevolence Season by Ed Attanasio
On Oct. 26, Mike’s Auto Body hosted a Grand Opening ribbon-cutting event and gave away its 73rd vehicle to Veteran USMC Ryan Mason at its Vallejo, CA, location.
Mike’s Auto Body was welcomed by the City of Vallejo with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
The festivities were kicked off by Benevolence Program Coordinator Sal Contreras, who welcomed the 100-plus attendees. A ribbon-cutting ceremony followed with CFO Ragen Ortland, CEO Brennan Rose and Vallejo Chamber President and CEO James Cooper. At every Mike’s Benevolence presentation, there is an invocation Continued from Cover
Fraud Ring
which will prosecute the suspects, the case involves suspects attempting to collect from their auto insurer by falsely claiming their vehicles were stolen when they in fact were found in the possession of an accomplice who owned an auto body repair shop. “Our multi-agency task force has proven very effective in investigating and prosecuting organized insurance crime rings,” said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. “These crimes hurt every consumer because in the end, we all pay for these crimes through higher insurance premiums.” The seventh suspect and ring
by Contreras followed by a performance of “America the Beautiful” by the American 113 Legion Post from Napa, featuring bagpipe player and
sors made presentations during the ceremony. Mike’s Auto Body Marketing Director Dane Dearlove shared the shop’s story of Benevolence,
“We do this to make a real difference in the communities where we do business for all of the right reasons, and it’s now become a part of our legacy,” — Dane Dearlove Mike’s Auto Body technician Kristopher Muse. The St. PatrickSt. Vincent High School choir then sang the national anthem under the direction of Ryan Lee. The big moment of the day was when Mason received a 2016 Hyundai Elantra that was completely restored by the team members at the Vallejo location, all of whom donated their time. Mason did four tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, is married and has a 5-month-old daughter. He was wounded in action and suffers from PTSD. Before receiving the vehicle, he often had to walk to and from his job. Several other speakers and spon-
leader, Hector Whitley, owned the body shop, located in Sacramento County, and was arrested in 2016 after Rancho Cordova Police and the Sacramento County Sheriff traced a stolen vehicle’s LoJack signal to his body shop, where they found several suspicious vehicles partially dismantled and stripped. The California Highway Patrol’s auto theft investigation team was called in to serve a search warrant and discovered additional vehicles reported stolen, weapons and illegal drugs in the shop. Dylan Allen Dudley, owner of the original vehicle reported stolen, admitted to investigators that he filed a false police report in an attempt to get his insurance company to pay the claim for his vehicle.
Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan welcomed Mike’s to the city, Assemblymember Tim Grayson (14th District) presented the Rose family with a
Veteran USMC Ryan Mason received a 2016 Hyundai Elantra as part of Mike’s Auto Body’s Benevolence Program
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plaque, and East County Veterans Support Services founder/CEO Josie Monaghan and Hertz Area Manager Manny Bernal spoke prior to the presentation of the 2018 Benevolence car to Mason. Dearlove discussed the importance of the company’s Benevolence program and its role in the Bay Area. “We are making history today with our Benevolence Program. Benevolence is just a word, [and] talk is cheap, but Mike’s Auto Body puts action behind its words to make it work. It starts at the top and works its way down, which means that many of our employees and vendors get involved. We do this to make a real difference in the communities where we do business for all of the right reasons, and it’s now become a part of our legacy,” Dearlove said. “After sharing Ryan’s story, we all agreed Ryan is worthy of receiving the Benevolence car this year,” Contreras said. “As a veteran combat Marine, Ryan has honored our country with four deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. By receiving this car, Ryan will not have to walk or take the bus to work anymore.”
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Toyota To Replace Burned Tundra as a Thank You to Brave Nurse in CA by Paulo Acoba, Tire Meets Road
NOTE: This blog was originally published on Nov. 12, 2018.
Toyota certainly didn’t have to gift Nurse Allyn Pierce a new truck for his bravery, but it’s doing it anyway. If you’re a Californian, the past few days have been an absolute nightmare; people have been uprooted
Toyota will replace this burned Toyota Tundra as a thank you to a brave nurse in California.
from their homes as fires ravage their communities from all sides. But with all tragedies, heroes are born, and Nurse Pierce was defi-
nitely one of them. Even though his Toyota Tundra was literally burned on all sides, Nurse Pierce drove his Tundra through the fire and back to his post where he and countless nurses, doctors and medical professionals assisted those who were left behind in Paradise, CA.
Nurse Pierce is OK, but he lost his home, and although his Toyota Tundra still runs and drives, the exterior suffered some serious fire damage. To say thank you, Toyota USA is gifting him a new Toyota Tundra to replace the one he lost. Check out
the amazing story on Twitter. I can only imagine how Nurse Pierce felt when he thought his life was going to end and then decided to help others when he had the opportunity to save himself.
Having read dozens of stories of bravery these past few days, I know most of these amazing people say, “I was just doing my job; I’m no hero—it’s what we do.” But on the contrary, they all are heroes the moment they risk their own lives to save someone else’s. If that’s not the definition of a hero, I don’t know
503.546.6900
Hats off to you, Toyota.
We thank Tire Meets Road for reprint permission
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If you’re inspired by this story and do want to give, the Pierce family did lose their house and are accepting donations through their GoFundMe.
877.787.2787
503.546.6950 Fax
12
what is. And to Toyota, thanks for being an outstanding example of a way to spread that little bit of good cheer in some truly depressing times. I know some people will say this is a publicity stunt and all, but I say it’s setting an example of how other corporations can think of helping in their own way if they can.
autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
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Continued from Cover
CAA Meeting
do it the old way anymore. Too much time has been wasted sitting at the roundtable discussing the same topics—KPIs, profitability, tech shortages, financial issues, etc. “The only way to stop living in yesterday is to leave the traditional shop thinking behind and tackle these problems head-on, creating the body shop of the future. Shop owners need to stop fearing change and start embracing it.” He went on to say that his number-one priority is sustained cleanliness. He explained that employees can’t function properly in clutter, so in his shop there is no clutter, no dust and no chemical smells. “Cleanliness sells,” he said. “Our shop is just as spotless on any given day at 2 p.m. as it is for this meeting tonight.” He achieves this level of cleanliness daily by employing full-time, well-trained housekeeping personnel. “I wanted to change the game,” he said. “I owed it to myself, our cus-
tomers, our insurance partners and our employees.” David also employs customer care “hostesses” who answer the phone, greet customers and walk them through their check-in, interim
MyQCIQ app
and check-out procedures. They are the one and only point of contact at his shops. “The hostesses are energetic, social and empathetic when it comes to meeting my high customer service standards. They are often hired from other industries, so they don’t have
s
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JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
the auto body mindset bogging them down,” he explained. “They are used to putting the customer and insurance partners first.” To reduce the risk and liability associated with inferior workmanship, each technician at David’s shop perfects one skill instead of being okay or good at several of them. “We have nine different departments making up the entire repair process,” he explained. “I went ahead and broke tradition on day one, and it has worked out exceptionally well.” He said technicians can become an expert in any skill set from structural to metal work with eight to 12 months of in-house training. “The new generations are not willing to put in the decades of training traditionally needed to become a technician,” he said. “They want to see the beginning and end of the requirements for the career they’re entering into, and we display that clearly.” He said his facility has addressed
T
s
s s
and implemented simplified processes for all KPIs. Therefore, life in the collision repair business has reached his desired expectations. “Work is fun again,” he said proudly. From parts being delivered on time by Uber drivers to vehicles smoothly transitioning from process to process with skate technology, David said his team is steadfast on changing the industry as we know it with new technologies, enhanced processes and a positive attitude. David’s brother, Bob Caulfield, also known as “The QC Guy”, took the microphone next to discuss and demonstrate a whole new approach to quality control. Bob is the business development manager for the myQCiQ.com app. “Given the complexity of today’s vehicles, it’s more important now than ever for shops to verify the quality of the products and services they sell,” Bob explained. “The use of old QC paper checklists to accomplish this, often just pencil-whipped, isn’t working anymore.” David’s latest invention, myQCiQ, “The Modern Way to QC” for
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15
the collision industry, is a simple representative from the Riverside and easy-to-use yet powerful mo- field office, began his portion by bile QC tool that standardizes the going over new documentation reQC process. quirements effective as of Sept. 13, “It empowers shops to quickly 2018. and easily view, verify, track, grade Wright stated that estimates, and report on the quality of the prod- work orders and invoice changes ucts and services they sell,” Bob said. can now be done electronically, “RO/estimate data from the shop’s which was previously prohibited. estimating/management system auto- Also, listed parts on an estimate are matically flows into the app, ready to assumed to be new unless stated othQC.” erwise. Crash parts are assumed to He added that myQbe OEM new, unless stated CiQ currently works with otherwise. Lastly, after a CCC ONE, CCC Secure teardown, customers must Share™, Mitchell Repairbe given an estimate. Center and Mitchell estiWright summarized the mating. BAR documentation reBob demonstrated how quirements: 1. Estimate 2. easy it is to QC, line by line, Authorization 3. Diagnosis Bob Caulfield, with myQCiQ. The app al- business develop- or Work 4.Invoice. lows the auditor to pass or ment manager for Wright emphasized that the myQCiQ.com fail each line item on the the customer must be deapp RO. If the item doesn’t meet fined before beginning the quality control standards, the app re- repair process and that shop employquires the user to take a photo of the ees and/or insurance representatives failure and document the reason. cannot act as the customer. Also, the Once corrected, the app requires the odometer reading and customer-reuser to take a photo of the correction quested repairs must be recorded beand document the resolve type. Text fore the customer signs/ authorizes alerts are automatically sent to the an estimate. Wright said this is importechnicians to notify them of each tant because of warranty terms. The pass/fail event. specific job, prices and parts needed After all the repair lines have must also be itemized on the estimate. been passed, the auditor is prompted The only six legitimate, recognized to complete a list of customer care terms for labeling parts are: new, used, items in order to verify such items as rebuilt, reconditioned, OEM new vehicle cleanliness and radio presets. crash part and non-OEM aftermarket When all items for the RO have been crash part. passed, a customer quality checklist Wright stated that the customer is automatically generated to give to signature and date are required for the customer and insurer, showing authorization. For oral authorization, them all the products and services the date, time, name, phone number, performed on the vehicle. additional costs and reason must be Bob said myQCiQ’s powerful included, and for electronic authorinew “lists” feature allows zation, the date, time, name, for virtually unlimited SOP, phone number (able to revehicle make, insurance carceive texts) or email address rier and other vital types of are required. Shop employlists to be added and veriees must be able to prove that fied. In addition, the app authorization came from the also includes several reportcustomer, unless a designee is ing options to help drive assigned. If no authorization Rob Wright, quality control process imis obtained and recorded or a Bureau of Automotive Repair provements. they do not follow the estiFor more information, (BAR) representative mate requirements, shop embased in the visit myQCiQ.com or con- Riverside, ployees cannot proceed with CA, office tact Bob “The QC Guy” at the job because they techni1-844-469-7247. cally have no contract. Regarding work and diagnosis, Wright said that only estimated and New BAR Regulations The next speaker, Rob Wright, a authorized jobs can be performed and Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) that the customer must be made aware 16
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
of any extra work—or a change in the originally estimated and authorized work—before it is performed, even if it’s being done for free. If the amount the customer is being charged increases or the repair method is changed, the estimate must be revised. For invoices, Wright stated that parts and labor must be itemized in a way that the customer can understand. All repairs and authorizations must be noted on the invoice, as well as any warranty terms. For proof of authorization, invoices and other records need to be kept for at least three years, and warranties need to be stated in writing. Wright also recommended that on estimates, work orders, invoices, outside parts purchase receipts and sublet labor receipts, shops maintain the same work order / RO number throughout the job, so all documents can be linked together with a unique identifier. Lastly, each customer needs a paper and/or electronic copy of the invoice. Wright ended his portion by explaining AB 2392, which is legislation pertaining to towing and storage fees effective Jan. 1, 2019. Wright stated that in the future, towing and
storage fees must be reasonable, and rates must be comparable to those charged by the California Highway Patrol, local police and other local facilities. Unreasonable towing and storage fees include admin fees, filing fees, security fees, dolly fees, load and unload fees and pull-out fees. For further questions, industry members can visit BAR.CA.GOV. OE, Aftermarket, Gray and Counterfeit Parts William “Andy” Forsythe, brand protection for Nissan Group of North America (NNA), closed out the meeting by discussing the everconcerning issue of counterfeit parts in vehicles and the effort NNA has made to combat it. He started by defining three types of parts outside of OE genuine parts: aftermarket, gray market and counterfeit. “Aftermarket parts are marketed as a directed OE replacement; gray market parts are authorized and/or manufactured by a different country. Counterfeit parts may be faulty, unsafe parts marketed to mislead the customer,” Forsythe explained. According to the Auto Care As-
sociation, in 2015 counterfeit car part sales raked in $143 billion globally. This number is expected to double by 2022. Forsythe stated that this issue began about 25 years ago when the Internet was born; therefore, one-onone transactions have been declining. “No one can check the inventory of a company on the other side of the globe,” said Forsythe. “Social media and the ability to easily pay for products online have also added fuel to the fire.” Forsythe added that advances in design and manufacturing technology have made it easier to replicate parts. “All counterfeit auto parts are potentially dangerous,” he explained. “Counterfeit components may fail at highway speeds, which may cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles.” Forsythe stated that 17 states have passed laws making it illegal to knowingly install counterfeit airbags in vehicles. “Obama traveled to Beijing in 2015 to discuss the issue of counterfeit parts,” he added. “In March 2018,
and again three weeks ago, I went to the White House and met with members of the current president’s staff to discuss automotive parts counterfeiting and possible solutions.” He added that 90 percent of automotive counterfeit parts originate from China and can be shipped through countries like Taiwan, Mexico and Brazil and enter the U.S. through posts along our coasts and borders. Forsythe said law enforcement recently conducted counterfeit auto part investigations in the following states: New Mexico, Missouri, Florida and California, to name a few. He reiterated that using OE genuine parts is the best way to avoid acquiring counterfeit parts masked as aftermarket or gray market. “ALT OE parts may not qualify,” he said. “They may not be built to the same federal standards; [they] may be gray market, but could also be counterfeit.” He added that ALT OE parts carry no OE warranty, or warranty period. “However, even though Nissan does not recommend the use of gray
market parts, the importation and sale of gray market parts is legal,” Forsythe emphasized. “But keep in mind that counterfeit parts lack regulation or accountability and may be manufactured using child labor.” Forsythe added that when a part fails, the customer won’t care where the part came from; they’ll just blame the shop. “When in doubt, ask questions. Your reputations may be at stake,” he said. “Always disclose the source of parts and all applicable warranties at the time of purchase and/or transaction.” For more information, visit A2C2 .com. The meeting concluded around 10 p.m. with Allan thanking the speakers, guests and those who helped organize the meeting. For more information on the California Autobody Association, visit http://calautobody.com/about-caautobody-association/.
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Martin Senour Introduces Pro Filler Body Filler
PRO Filler Body Filler from Martin Senour is a premium line of lightweight filler, fiberglass reinforced filler and putty. The professional-grade product offering provides reliable, high caliber performance in any repair. Body shops seeking a straightforward, cost-effective solution to auto body repair look to the PRO Filler line for a quality product that will promote shop productivity. With professional grade adhesion, elimination of micro-pinholes and industry-leading sanding properties, PRO Filler is a versatile system fit for any repair job. “The complete PRO Filler line allows for seamless repair,” said Nick Dowling, product manager, Martin Senour. “It’s an asset in any job that requires a product with strong adhesion and smooth application.” The PRO Filler line is Martin Senour’s premium body filler technology. Its performance-driven formula provides dependable application that contributes to increased productivity.
autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
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DEL GRANDE DEALER GROUP San Jose main distribution center with remote distribution centers in Sunnyvale, Fremont and Concord! Capitol Buick GMC Russ or John
Capitol Mazda Ralph or Alex
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All DGDG dealers are now participating in PartsTrader.
DGDG Collision Parts Center The largest family-owned automotive group in the bay area. Speak with any of our wholesale parts professionals and you will see what everyone is talking about. From up to date inventories tailored to your specific needs, to multi-level product support to get you through a job start to finish, we will go out of our way to exceed your expectations.
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CA Approves Waymo's Autonomous Vehicle Testing
stand, the vehicle will stop and contact Waymo fleet and rider support The California Department of on how to proceed. Waymo’s test vehicles are reMotor Vehicles has granted Waymo the state’s first permit to test au- stricted to parts of Mountain View, tonomous vehicles on public roads Los Altos, Sunnyvale, Los Altos Hills and Palo Alto, in Northern California. “We will gradually begin driverless testing on city streets in a limited territory and, over time, expand the area that we drive in as we gain confidence and experience to expand,” company executives wrote in a blog post on Medium. Waymo hopes to launch Alphabet-backed-Waymo has been testing an autonomous ride-hailing driverless vehicles in Phoenix since last year. service in Phoenix by the Credit: Waymo end of the year in addition to without a safety operator in the dri- expanding its California testing grounds in the Bay Area. ver’s seat. We thank Auto Rental News for Alphabet-backed Waymo launched its first driverless vehicle reprint permission. test program in Phoenix last year. The DMV’s permit allows test vehicles to operate day and night on SUBSCRIBE TO OUR city streets, rural roads and highways with speed limits of 65 mph. YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Vehicles are equipped to safely drive in fog and light rain. If a vehicle encounters a situation it doesn’t underby Staff, Auto Rental News
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JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
WA Body Shop Helps Repair Family Car After BB Gun Shooting Attack by Kevin Kim, KHQ
The owners of American Way Auto Body in Spokane Valley, WA, replaced the back window of a
family car, free of charge, because they said it was just the right thing to do. “It’s just something that we saw on the news, and you feel bad for people like that, you know? You don’t understand why somebody does something like that,” said Chet Creal, co-owner of the shop. Alexis Eller-Doughty was driving with her family, including her two sons. She said she pulled into a gas station, and then a car cut
her off while she was driving toward a pump. According to EllerDoughty, that’s when someone from the car fired several pellets from a BB gun at her car and shattered her back window. She was concerned about replacing the window with winter getting closer, as she was unable to afford a replacement for the family car. That’s where John James, Chet and American Way Auto Body came in. James reached out to KHQ, telling them he wanted to help because he felt like it was the right thing to do. “That’s amazing,” EllerDoughty said. We thank KHQ for reprint permission.
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autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
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AAPEX 2018 Keeps Attendees Ahead of the Curve
ucts and parts in 5,539 booths. For automotive service professionals, Mobility Garage added new and advanced training programs on electric and alternative fuel vehicles, as well as shop equipment and technology. AAPEXedu offered 50-plus sessions and new forums on important topics, including the leading trends and outlook for the industry, retrofitting and servicing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), new mobility models, and emerging vehicle technologies. A special general session for automotive service professionals tackled a critical issue: buildThe latest new products and innovations from 2,511 ing rewarding careers for exhibiting companies were on display for attendees automotive technicians at AAPEX 2018 in Las Vegas and ensuring they have the AAPEX represents the $740 bil- skills to repair vehicles equipped with lion global automotive aftermarket new technology. Within the Technology of Toindustry and took place Oct. 30–Nov. morrow section, the Secure Vehicle 1 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. The event included a sold-out Interface (SVI) was unveiled, showtrade show with 2,511 exhibiting ing attendees a solution that ensures companies from around the world vehicle data interfaces always endisplaying thousands of new prod- able safe, secure and standardized With the automotive aftermarket undergoing significant evolution and change, AAPEX 2018 featured the latest new products and innovations, advanced training by industry experts, and current and futuristic technology demonstrations to keep attendees ahead of the curve.
Kyle Tucker Named 2018 SEMA Battle of The Builders Winner
Kyle Tucker was crowned the winner of the fifth annual SEMA Battle of the Builders® competition for his 1969 Chevy Camaro during SEMA Ignited, the official SEMA Show after-party designed to celebrate the builders and showcase products from the trade-only show. Tucker’s ‘69 Camaro (sponsored by exhibitor ARP) beat out the amazing builds of Top 4 finalists Eddie Pettus (1932 Willys aircraft refueling truck, BASF), Rod Nielsen (1972 Mazda R100, Tire Stickers) and Young Gun Kyle Kuhnhausen (1972 Nissan 240Z, Young Guns Regional Winner from Goodguys). All four builders will be featured along with many other SEMA Show builders in a new episode of the TV special “SEMA: Battle of the Builders.” Hosted by Adrienne “AJ” Janic and racer Tanner Foust, the fifth annual “SEMA: Battle of the Builders” TV special will air on the Velocity Channel at 10 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2019. 22
The 2018 SEMA Battle of the Builders competition included submissions from seasoned builders and new customizers, representing an elite group of individuals who demonstrated extreme talent, creativity and craftsmanship in modifying cars, trucks and SUVs. The program was expanded this year to recognize winners in each of the four different categories. Tucker also won the Hot Rod title, Pettus earned the Truck/Off-Road honor, Nielsen scored in Sport Compact and Kuhnhausen scored in Young Guns (for builders 27 years and younger). Industry experts RJ DeVera (Meguiar’s), David Freiburger (Motor Trend Group) and Fred Williams (Motor Trend Group) narrowed down the field of nearly 300 entries, an increase in participation from last year, to the Top 10 in each category before selecting the Top 12 builds overall. The 12 finalists then took over judging duties and voted to name Tucker the overall winner.
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
consumer access and control of the data their car generates. A Virtual Vehicle Challenge provided a friendly competition among attendees to test
their skills as they journeyed into a virtual garage, selected automotive parts and installed them on a vehicle. AAPEX 2018 welcomed two keynote speakers to this year’s event: CNN’s John King and political strategist Karl Rove. The two shared their views on the midterm elections and how tariffs could impact the automotive aftermarket industry. The event drew 48,603 targeted AAPEX buyers, and 161,938 automotive aftermarket professionals were in Las Vegas during AAPEX and the SEMA Show. To see AAPEX 2018 highlights and headlines, visit AAPEX TV and daily broadcasts from Oct. 30 and Oct. 31. AAPEX 2019 will be held Tuesday, Nov. 5 through Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, NV.
PPG Completes Acquisition of SEM Products, Inc.
PPG announced that it has completed its acquisition of SEM Products, Inc. SEM is a leading manufacturer of repair and refinish products used primarily for automotive and other transportation applications. The company is known for various flagship products that offer convenience, including Color Coat, the original flexible coating and mixing system; Bumper Coater, the first product to restore original equipment manufacturer (OEM) finishes on plastic bumpers and cladding; and Dual Mix, a twopart cartridge system for adhesives, fillers and sealers. A leader in repair and refinish products for 70 years, SEM Products, Inc. is committed to manufacturing innovative and superior professional products. The company is headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
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YANG Holds Town Hall, Happy Hour During AAPEX 2018 by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Oct. 31, during AAPEX 2018 in Las Vegas, NV, the Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) held two successful events: the YANG Town Hall and a YANG Networking Happy Hour.
YANG’s Networking Happy Hour in Las Vegas attracted more than 200 YANG members and mentors
According to David Pinkham, YANG liaison for the Auto Care Association (ACA), “Feedback from both events was incredibly positive. The auto care industry has so many talented young people who appreciate being part of a thriving professional network and will always take advantage of the opportunities
YANG has to offer. Professional development and networking are two key opportunities offered by YANG, and we greatly appreciate our members’ participation.” The day began with YANG offering complimentary professional headshots from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m at the Sands Expo. At 3:45 p.m., more than 100 attendees gathered at the Venetian Hotel for the YANG Town Hall, an AAPEXedu session featuring guest speaker Stacy Nadeau. Pinkham shared, “Stacy spoke about the importance of self-talk and provided some tangible tips for how to bring your best self to work every day.” The evening concluded with YANG’s Annual Networking Happy Hour and was held at Buddy V’s in the Grand Canal Shoppes. More than 200 YANG members and mentors attended the happy hour. “AAPEX continues to be the single best opportunity for YANG to engage with large numbers of our members and supporters from across the country,” Pinkham said. “The primary purpose of these events was to engage the YANG membership at
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AAPEX through professional development and networking. By offering events that fulfill both goals, we provide tangible value to both the YANG
Stacy Nadeau provided tips on bringing one’s best self to work every day during YANG’s Town Hall on Oct. 31, held during AAPEX
member and their employer. Thank you to the YANG members and sponsors for allowing us the opportunity to continue to host these events and thus increase YANG’s recognition within the broader automotive industry.” For more information about YANG and its upcoming events, visit autocare.org/what-we-do/professional -development/young-auto-care-network -group/.
Registration Opens for the Annual HD Repair Forum
Registration for the 2019 HD Repair Forum opened Monday, December 10. The inaugural HD Repair Forum proved a great success. “Attendees, speakers, industry leaders, and sponsors alike were relieved to see the heavyduty collision repair industry come together and begin to gain momentum in the progress to alleviate gaps that exist within the heavyduty collision repair process,” said Brian Nessen, co-founder and director of the HD Repair Forum. This year’s conference will follow a similar format to last year’s event with keynote speakers, presentations from OEMs and other industry experts, followed with unique access to equipment suppliers, break-out sessions, and networking opportunities. The event is set to take place Tuesday and Wednesday, April 2 & 3 , 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Collision Industry Leader Shelly Jones Launches Performance Sales Solutions by Chasidy Rae Sisk
Shelly Jones’ dedication and desire to positively impact the collision repair industry are apparent in everything she does. She serves as chair of the St. Louis I-CAR Committee and as president of Women in Automotive and Collision (WAC). “I have met great people through participating in these organizations. I have a lot of connections that have helped open doors for me. Whether I’m chairing a meeting or participating in an advisory board meeting, I am always a brand ambassador for the company that I work for,” she said. She believes that her experiences with these organizations will serve her and her customers well in her new business venture. She recently launched Performance Sales Solutions (PSS) with the goal of establishing the company as “the most recognized and respected sales solution for suppliers and buyers in the automotive industry.” In her new role, she represents the top parts suppliers, equipment suppliers and service providers as she strives to
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connect them with buyers in the St. Louis, MO, metro area. PSS provides a sales and marketing service for suppliers in the automotive industry that sell to collision and automotive repair shops. The suppliers that team up with PSS are listed on the company’s website, receive social media presence on the PSS Instagram and Facebook pages and have sales representation in the field. According to Jones, “PSS provides a cost effective way to increase sales and online marketing, and I’ll only work with one client per category of service or product. For instance, PSS represents Quick Dent in the PDR category, so we would not represent any other PDR company. “We hope to be the most recognized and respected sales solution for suppliers and buyers in the automotive industry. My reputation is important to me, so I am driven to do a good job for my clients and their customers.” For more information on PSS, visit Performance SalesSolutions.com or contact Jones at 314-920-6710.
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
Caliber Collision
scanning and calibration services and the broadest network of OEMcertified locations in the U.S. Grimshaw continued, “We plan to maintain all existing centers from both companies as we develop and execute a plan to work smarter, generate growth, offer expanded services, drive operational excellence and reward talent across the organization. Recognizing the critical importance of top talent to our success, we will be retaining all teammates in the field at both Caliber and ABRA centers, and we look forward to creating a culture that supports our teammates as they expand their careers across a larger organization, accelerated by industry-leading development programs.” “Our industry becomes more complex every year,” said ABRA CEO Ann Fandozzi. “The combined company will invest in the equipment, training and technologies that will allow our teammates to build their careers while continuing to meet
and exceed our customers’ needs for years to come.” Both companies remain completely committed to serving valued insurance clients through the companies’ partnership programs while maintaining and expanding strategic relationships with a single point of contact.The company is also committed to continuing to serve ABRA’s 59 franchisees with an even greater level of attention. The transaction is expected to close in early 2019. Grimshaw will lead the combined company. During the transition, customers and insurance clients should expect to see no disruption to the service and repairs they receive at both companies. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. As part of this transaction, private equity firm Hellman & Freidman LLC—ABRA’s majority shareholder since 2014—will become the majority shareholder of the combined company. Both OMERS and Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. (LGP) will remain significant minority shareholders in the combined company. OMERS currently owns a majority stake in Caliber and LGP owns a minority stake.
OH Community Devasted After GM Announces Plant Closings, Lordstown Will be Hard Hit by Tara Molina, Kaylyn Hlavaty and Amanda VanAllen, News 5 Cleveland, Associated Press, and others
The General Motors plant in Lordstown will stop production in March of 2019, sources confirmed. The closing is devastating news for many in Mahoning Valley, who’ve relied on the General Motors Lordstown plant for more than 50 years. “They get $2.3 billion in profits this last quarter, gonna have $10 billion for the year. This is what they do to us now? After a huge tax cut. What more do you want from the American people?” Congressman Tim Ryan said to News 5. According to city officials, for every factory job cut, seven others are affected, so it’s not just the estimated 1,500 who work at the plant facing uncertainty come 2019, it’s all of the businesses who call the area home. “There won’t be one neighborhood, one school, one church that’s not affected by this closure today,” Ryan said. “This has been the plant that’s held this community through a
lot of ups and downs.” The community considers Lordstown’s GM plant their 6.2 million square foot heart, beating since 1966. Small businesses like Nese’s County Cafe, a popular local breakfast and lunch spot, were abuzz with Monday’s news of uncertainty. “This community is going to go down. This place. Lots of people just bought homes,” former General Motors employee Carmela Deno told News 5. Deno worked at the Lordstown plant for more than 40 years before retiring over the summer after two of the three shifts in the factory, amounting to 3,000 jobs, were cut. Nearly 600 employees at the plant opted to retire early or accept a buyout after the company announced the elimination of the second shift. Deno raised her family, that now includes grandchildren, here. “My work helped me raise my son,” she said. Some of her family still works there, she said. “My nephew is very sad. He has three kids.”
Officials said folks who work at the plant were called into a meeting Monday where they were told the plant will be idle as of March 1, the Chevrolet Cruze will stop production, and no new product will be allocated. In April, GM said a decline in Chevrolet Cruze sales is to blame for the employee reduction at the Lordstown plant. The decision is part of the company’s steps to improve business performance, realign manufacturing and reduce salaried workforce, according to their press release. Lordstown Mayor Arno Hill and the President of the Union (UAW Local 1112) David Green are both holding onto the glimmer of hope General Motor’s choice of words offered. “It was non-allocated or in-al-
located and that just means that there’s no product to announce to put in this plant right now,” Mayor Hill told News 5. “I’m holding out for the best.” “We’ve got a great workforce and we’ve proven ourselves. So, I am hopeful that between March and September we get some positive news,” Green said. It’s that hope that will keep this area alive for the next few months. “I hope we get a new car. I don’t care what it is. As long as we get a new product. For these people to get back to work,” Deno said. GM announced Monday that it is slashing 14,700 factory and whitecollar jobs in North America and closing five factories, including the Lordstown factory, according to the Associated Press.
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Media and Publicity for Shops
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
with Ed Attanasio
3 Shop-Friendly New Marketing Ideas for 2019 So, you’ve tried it all: conventional advertising, email marketing, digital advertising—maybe you even bought a billboard or hired a plane to write your name in the sky. Now it’s time for you to devise another plan to re-energize your efforts while embracing the ever-changing technology within the world of digital marketing. I always tell body shops to work in threes because I’ve seen positive results from doing it that way. Marketing is a huge universe that can overwhelm you quickly, so doing things in handfuls rather than armfuls keeps your marketing focused and targeted.
Vlogs A vlog is a blog that contains primarily video content and represents a small but rapidly growing segment of the blogosphere. Some shops that have been blogging for years have included video content from day one, but most of them are just joining the vlogosphere now. Vlogging is becoming more popular as equipment becomes more affordable and editing becomes easier with a wide range of user-friendly software programs that you and I can use without being a techie. Both Yahoo! and Google now feature large video sections and many MP3 players support video, so you can create and post vlogs within minutes. Anyone with a video-capable camera and a computer with a highspeed connection can create vlogs to publish and distribute online. Many vloggers use their personal devices in the paint booth or out on the shop floor, for instance, and post content without any editing, in most cases. Painters and body technicians have been using vlogs for quite some time now with great success. If you check out YouTube, you’ll see that The Gunman, Refinish Network, Motivated Painters and Donnie Smith are extremely popular YouTube Channels that get a ton of traffic. The ones that seem to be viewed the most are 2–3 minutes in 28
length, direct and focused on one particular subject rather than several topics. People have short attention spans because they’re bombarded by media all day long, so the best advice is to create vlogs that are simple and to the point. Gabriel Merino, a painter and the creator of Motivated Painters, started out with one simple video that he produced on his cell phone back in mid-2016. Since then, painters from 128 different countries have flocked to his YouTube channel. He first began producing videos with his Android phone and then with a GoPro camera, he said. “I started to make videos showing the struggles I was having with painting and techniques,” he said. “I was shocked that even one person would watch my first video at first. I didn’t have a clue about how to do it, and the video is terrible, but it’s still up on YouTube. After a while, I got better at it and the production values improved. Our viewers are shocked because they think that we used expensive video equipment and sophisticated editing programs to make them. The technology is easy to attain, and you don’t need to be a videographer or a film editor to do vlogs that look great.”
Online Advertising Online advertising has gained popularity among more and more shops throughout the past few years because it’s an ideal outlet to reach their target audience quickly and cost-effectively. Shops of all sizes want to reach out to their prospective customers by promoting and advertising their businesses using Google AdWords, Yelp, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and StumbleUpon, among others. Because the number of people using the Internet increases every day, shops utilizing online advertising are tapping into an emerging medium, as opposed to TV, radio and direct mail, which are losing users daily. By taking advantage of online advertising, small businesses such as body shops
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
have the opportunity to describe their services in a detailed manner that educates the customer and hopefully makes their decision easier. By using technology that is easy to acquire without having to be a computer guru, online advertising is financially sensible for many shops. Online ads can be monitored easily from your computer, personal device or cell phone, which helps you analyze how your advertisement is performing quickly. Shops can interact with users easily on the Internet through websites, blogs and social media to build confidence and trust. One of the best things about online advertising is the fact that you can pay as you go conveniently and easily while managing your budget with just the click of a mouse. You also can see rather quickly whether or not it is working for you. Angel Iraola, owner of Net
Business Consulting & Solutions in Santa Rosa, CA, has seen online advertising campaigns that have garnered excellent results for many of his clients. “Online advertising helps drive potential customers to your website, which is always the goal,” he said. “It is an ideal medium for body shops that want to reach their target audience quickly without spending an arm and a leg. We sit down with each client and target their specific area because we’ve learned over the years that people will only travel 3– 4 miles to get any product or service, including collision repair.” Manage Your Reviews It happens to the best shops—you get another one-star snarky review from a customer you couldn’t please, even though you tried everything you
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I-CAR, CREF Award TX Auto Collision Program With Laptops Auto collision and management technology at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen, TX, was recently awarded a Progressive Insurance laptop grant by the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) and the Collision Repair Education Foundation during the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
The SEMA Show is the world’s premier automotive specialty products trade event. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one location and provides educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events and networking opportunities. With this grant, TSTC’s auto collision and management technology department will receive 10 laptops by the end of the year to use for Continued from Page 28
3 Shop-Friendly
could to placate them. It’s not the end of the world, so don’t fret quite yet. First off, if the review violates guidelines, you can report it and have it removed like a wart. If it’s a case of a disgruntled customer and you’re aware of the situation, you should respond promptly. Many shops let a bad review sit there for weeks or months in some cases, and that’s never a good idea. You should always privately email each reviewer, whether good or bad. Unfortunately, as part of a builtin spam prevention tool, you are allowed to send only one email to each reviewer until that reviewer responds. Reviewers can also block a shop from emailing them, so be prepared for that if it transpires. Sometimes it’s better
training purposes. “Every student in our program will benefit from these laptops,” said TSTC auto collision technology lead instructor Jose Vasquez. “This is a huge upgrade and a big deal for our program. We are very grateful to have received this award.” Vasquez said this award is part of a group effort within departments at TSTC. “Everyone from administration [to] statewide leads to the marketing department helped make this award possible,” said Vasquez. “And we are so thankful that everyone was able to do his/her part to help prove our need.” The laptops will be implemented for training in the program’s estimating/shop management course. Vasquez said these laptops, which will be equipped with estimating and management programs used in the industry, will allow his students to quickly research auto body parts and write up repair estimates for class assignments and live projects in which students will research damage, parts and estimate repairs for vehicles brought in by folks from the surrounding communities.
to hire an objective third-party to ask an angry customer to take down their bad review or add a few stars after rectifying the situation. Beware—never sign on using a fake name to post a review or comment on your own Yelp page. You could risk your shop’s reputation by posting 5-star reviews about you and your crew or by replying angrily to negative ones on your page. One day, a shop owner I interviewed saw a bad review and was ready to blast the customer online before I told him to relax and take a deep breath. The next day, he contacted the disgruntled individual and was able to turn it into a positive experience by simply showing him that he cared. Even an unhappy customer is reasonable when approached in a compassionate and honest way, so always reach out to everyone who offers you a review, whether good or bad.
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“Our priority is to prepare our students for the industry, and these laptops will allow them to experience firsthand what they will see when they begin working. This is industry-recommended training,” said
Vasquez. “This will improve students’ training and will make their research and estimates instant instead of the manual way we’re doing things now.” TSTC auto collision and management technology and I-CAR, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the information, knowledge and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs, have a long-running partnership. I-CAR has provided students from TSTC’s auto collision program with scholarships, tool grants, U.S.
Armed Forces veteran grants and grants for TSTC shop upgrades. “We are honored to provide TSTC in Harlingen with the Progressive Laptop Grant and other assistance throughout the year. This is a well-deserved award,” said Melissa Marscin, director of operations and administration for the Collision Repair Education Foundation. “TSTC’s collision program has proven to be great, and we know these laptops will help them become an even better program. We hope that this donation will help them improve their access to ICAR training, estimating and vehicle service information.” Vasquez said he is thankful for everything I-CAR has done for the program and his students. “Year in and year out, as a member of their foundation, I-CAR has helped us improve our training and kick-start careers,” said Vasquez. Auto collision and management technology is offered at TSTC’s Harlingen and Waco campuses and offers certificate and associate degree tracks. For more information on TSTC auto collision technology, visit tstc.edu.
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Resolutions
and engagement increase in 2019. There are just a few carrying the flag for many here in North Carolina. Our purposes and initiatives are solid, but we will need a greater presence (through numbers) to achieve our well-intentioned goals.” Jess Crump, vice president of Women in Automotive and Collision (WAC), shared, “I hope to see 2019 bring more new members, familiar faces, students and young technicians, and of course, more events where we can reach people. I also hope we can discuss the possibility of setting up a scholarship program in our future.” For Bob Pulverenti, executive director of the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina (IGONC), the goal for 2019 is to “find a way to increase attendance at local chapter meetings. The more people we can get to come out and network with each another and vendors, the better it is for the industry.” AASP/MA’s New Year’s resolu-
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tion is “increasing membership with a focus on educating the consumers in Massachusetts as to their rights in the repair process, which is critical to our continued movement towards success,” according to Executive Director Lucky Papageorg. Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg hopes to bring more value to member businesses in 2019.
has the potential to impact people’s lives in very meaningful ways. We are building solutions to let our members leverage the collective buying power of the association membership to offer more comprehensive benefits while lowering costs. The programs will provide access to more competitively priced, quality healthcare plans from major carriers that allow small businesses to offer best-in-class benefits (including medical, dental,
The association’s goal, he shared, is “to help our member businesses do more to support the health and quality of life of their employees. We believe small businesses deserve better—better benefits, better healthcare and certainly better costs. 2019 is going to welcome the launch of the SCRS Benefits Marketplace, a group health benefits program exclusively for SCRS members. We are really excited about this program because it
vision, voluntary life, short-term and long-term disability, HSAs and much more). It is something that has resonated exceptionally well with the industry in our pre-rollout surveys. “Aside from healthcare, we also intend to launch industry-first retirement solutions for employers looking for ways to offer their employees retirement benefits while reducing the administrative burden and mitigating the fiduciary risk and respon-
“There is strength in numbers, and we all need to come together and educate each other to better our industry,” — Jerry McNee
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
sibilities.” ASA-CO hopes to re-engage members to better focus on legislative initiatives. “We will focus on re-establishing the importance of what ASA does for the automotive community as a whole with an eye on re-engaging our membership to help it grow. It is true that ASA-CO became complacent over the years and seemed to have lost touch with its base, and we aim to change that for the betterment of our industry,” shared Brad Pellman, chair of ASA-CO. “ASA is our voice in Washington that ensures that we may continue to have all the service and repair data available on an ongoing basis. This protects us and our industry nationwide with the right to repair.” ASA Northwest has similar designs. “One of ASA Northwest’s New Year’s resolutions is to work on legislation for the Don’t Drip and Drive program through the state of Washington and the Department of Ecology. We have been working on the Don’t Drip and Drive program since 2011 in the Puget Sound region. With
the upcoming 2019 year, ASA Northwest is looking forward to helping expand the program statewide,” noted Jeff Lovell, president and executive director of ASA Northwest. Lovell also hopes to expand the association’s educational offerings in 2019. “ATE (Automotive Training Expo) was designed by ASA Northwest to educate and train the automotive industry,” he said. “This program has provided our educators (near and far) with exceptional training that they are unable to get elsewhere. Due to the high demand for automotive training, ASA Northwest will be adding an additional training opportunity in Spokane called ATE – EAST, which will be held Oct. 4–5, 2019.” ASA Northwest Chairman of the Board Butch Jobst added his desire to “fully implement an educational coalition to bring our industry to both our region’s educators and the public in general. The complexity of our industry is mostly unknown by our education system and much of the general population.” Ricki Garrett, executive direc-
tor of the Mississippi Collision Repair Association (MSCRA), said, “Our goals for the new year include having more training opportunities for our members and making the SARC Conference the best collision repair conference ever.” ASA-MI President Ray Fisher sees 2019 as a year when consumer education can and should expand to new heights. He said the association plans on “emphasizing the importance of awareness, communication and education to our internal and external customers. As vehicles with various levels of automation and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) increase in our vehicle population, it is our duty as professionals to inform the consumer and public the procedures necessary to fix these vehicles properly so that their systems once again work properly. Awareness, communication and education are paramount in 2019, and going forward, it must be a part of every estimator, manager and owner’s job description! “Reimbursement for proper repairs should not be denied, feared or ignored, but rather welcomed. As an
industry of professionals, we cannot overlook the procedures necessary to fix the vehicle to pre-loss condition—there are millions of American families counting on us to do our job as an expert! Predictions are that severity will increase, but initial studies of these systems also show that double digit decreases in bodily injury and accident frequency are occurring. We must understand that that is where the savings will take place to offset, not omitting a procedure, which could have catastrophic results.” Burl Richards, president of the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT), provided an inspirational thought for industry unity: “Share, share, share information with everyone in the collision industry, as your successes will help others know that they are not ‘the only ones asking.’” AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee agreed. “There is strength in numbers, and we all need to come together and educate each other to better our industry,” he said. With these association leaders leading the charge for 2019, the industry is in for another year of progress and inspiration. Happy New Year!
Axalta Increases ColorNet User Productivity
Axalta has added ColorCoach, a video tutorial system, to its ColorNet® Color Retrieval System for North American refinish customers. ColorCoach provides users with helpful tutorials of system functionality and color tool use from inside the ColorNet application to maximize productivity in the shop. “Our color retrieval technology provides a single destination for customers to efficiently locate their desired color formulas,” said Troy Weaver, Vice President, Axalta North America Refinish. ColorCoach is an embedded function on the ColorNet toolbar that can be activated through a simple click of a button. Video topics include color formula retrieval with the Acquire™ Quantum EFX spectrophotometer, the vehicle’s VIN, fan decks and more. ColorNet Web systems have been updated to include this functionality so customers can begin using it today.
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Tips for Busy Body Shops with Stacey Phillips
Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.
How to Prepare and Negotiate Better Deals With Industry Partners With the collision repair industry in- comes to personal expenses, such as creasingly becoming more competi- buying a house or a car, he said it’s tive and margins getting thinner, it’s typical to conduct research and make more important than ever to negoti- price comparisons. However, many ate better deals with industry part- times shops are unprepared when neners, according to Eric Newell. gotiating large business purchases, Newell, the market area man- such as a frame machine or spray ager for asTech, recently shared tips booth. on how to prepare for negotiations Newell said that it is an acquired with industry partners durskill and sets the tone for ing the Society of Collision the entire process. “I can Repair Specialists Repairer guarantee that your counterDriven Education Series part or negotiating party is held at the SEMA Show in also preparing,” he said. Las Vegas, NV. Newell shared a 2014 “Preparation is invaluquote from Yannick Feder, able,” said Newell. “If you Eric Newell, market an experience purchasing exarea manager haven’t done the work beecutive: “More than 80 perfor asTech fore you get to the table, it’s cent of the negotiations are going to prove very difficult to be done without an underlying method successful and have an outcome that and often end in sub-optimal results leads to more profitability for both or worse, a stalemate.” parties involved.” “That means that 80 percent of Newell offered advice based on the time, people show up at the table his experience over the years work- with no clue as to how they are going ing as the chief operating officer to reach their target,” explained (COO) for a six-shop MSO in North- Newell. “That’s when you start newest Indiana prior to joining asTech. gotiating out of emotion. When you He was also involved in the firefight- negotiate out of emotion, you’ve lost ers’ union in Indiana for nearly a before you even walk in the door.” decade as well as the union’s negotiNewell advised attendees to focus ating team. their time and energy on preparing so
The Seven Sins of Negotiating
1. Pride - Be prepared to compromise. 2. Glutton - Don’t bite off more than you can chew. 3. Anger - Handle objections calmly rather than getting into arguments. 4. Covetousness - Prioritize needs and wants. 5. Envy - Know your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. 6. Sloth - Do your homework. 7. Lust - Don’t look desperate to settle. “Through that experience, I was able to equate a lot of things that the unions did—because they are very good and strategic at negotiating— and convert it to our industry,” he said. During his presentation, Newell asked collision repairers and insurers if they recalled the last significant purchase they had made. When it 34
that both parties are more apt to come to an agreement. At the same time, he cautioned against finalizing a negotiation without careful consideration of the cost. “Maybe the agreement isn’t going to work, and that’s ok,” he said. “Be prepared to walk away. Many people feel that if you walk away from a negotiation, you’ve lost, and
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
that’s typically not the case. You’re making an intelligent business decision. If you walk into a negotiation, you shouldn’t come out worse off than you were before.” As business owners, some type of negotiation is taking place every day, whether it’s with vendors, customers, insurance companies, technicians/employees, the landlord or the bank. There needs to be value added on both sides of the table, according to Newell, otherwise it will never work. “Negotiations can be difficult,” said Newell. “If we could improve the way that we can communicate what we’re looking for, I think we would yield better results.” Taking Steps to Prepare Newell said the first step is to establish a team composed of everyone in the organization who is involved in
the negotiating process. The “lead” is the primary negotiator and main contact between both parties. Then there is the “support” team that can assist with information-gathering and be part of a committee and/or board to ensure everyone is aligned. “Do not have too many cooks in the kitchen or it can convolute the process; you’ll run into problems and the message often gets diluted,” advised Newell. Next, you’ll want to define your target and ensure it is precise, laserfocused and strategic. “If your part discount is 1 percent and you want to go to 1.25, that’s your target,” explained Newell. Targets need to be achievable and realistic to achieve the negotiation. “Remove all emotion from your target,” advised Newell. “Targets need to be based within the business and See How to Prepare, Page 56
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866-411-4759 714-434-5270 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 kleines@autonation.com
AutoNation Honda Roseville Roseville
800-262-3201 916-783-5628 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5:30 autonationhondaparts@hotmail.com
Barber Honda B a ke r s f i e l d
661-396-4235 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30 bestchoice@barberhonda.com
First Honda S i m i Va l l e y
888-523-0698 805-584-6646 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-5 hondaparts@firstautogroup.com
Galpin Honda Mission Hills
800-GO GALPIN 818-778-2005 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-2 mteeman@galpin.com
Honda Cars of Corona Corona
800-557-3652 951-734-9045 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-5 terry.love@pscauto.com
ACURA CALIFORNIA
Acura of Fremont F re m o n t
888-435-0504 510-431-2560 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 mike.ohare@acuraoffremont.com
Acura of Pleasanton Pleasanton
888-985-6342 925-251-7126 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-6 mitch.cash@hendrickauto.com
36
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. CALIF O R N I A
CALIFORNIA
IDAHO
WA SHINGTON
Larry H. Miller Honda
McCurley Integrity Honda
Honda of Hollywood
Pacific Honda
Hollywood
San D i e g o
800-371-3719 323-466-3205
858-565-9402
Boise
R i ch l a n d
jgardiner@pacifichonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6 parts@hondaofhollywood.com
San Francisco Honda
888-941-2218 208-947-6060
800-456-6257 509-547-7924
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-4 hondaparts@mccurley.net
San Fra n c i s c o
Honda of Oakland
415-913-5125
Oakland
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5 partsws@sfhonda.com
Findlay Honda
Scott Robinson Honda
702-982-4260
Honda of Pasadena
Torra n c e
Pasadena
310-371-8320
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-5 fsanchez@findlayauto.com
800-433-0676 626-683-5880
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6:30; Sat 7-5 mluna@scottrobinson.com
510-547-8047 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-8; Sat 7-6
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4
Honda of the Desert Cathedral City
760-770-0828
N E VA D A
L a s Ve g a s
Selma Honda
Findlay Honda Henderson
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-5 mpartridge@honda111.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-4:30 hondapartsmgr@selmaautomall.com
Larry Hopkins Honda
Sierra Honda
Sunnyvale
Mon r ov i a
408-720-0221 408-736-2608
800-322-8540 626-932-5614
Ta c o m a
888-497-2410 253-474-7541 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 bgregory@southtacomahonda.com
Henderson
888-234-4498 702-568-3531
Sel m a
800-717-3562 559-891-5111
South Tacoma Honda
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 fhhparts@findlayauto.com OREGON
Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-5 parts1@hopkinsdirect.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 parts@sierracars.com
Metro Honda
South Bay Honda
Montclair
Milp i t a s
800-446-5697 909-625-8960
877-475-1142 408-324-7460
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 7:30-4 wholesaleparts@metrohonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 parts@southbayhonda.com
Lithia Honda of Medford M e d f o rd
888-471-7445 541-770-3763 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7:30-6; Sun 10-5 medfordhondaparts@lithia.com WA S H I N G T O N
Hinshaw’s Honda Auburn
253-288-1069 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-4:30 rickb@hinshaws.com
Ocean Honda Santa Cruz
831-464-1800 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4:30 mickw@oceanhondasantacruz.com
CALIF O R N I A
AutoNation Acura of South Bay Torrance
310-784-8680 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 iwashitas@autonation.com
Bakersfield Acura Bakersfield
661-381-2600
CALIFORNIA
IDAHO
WA SHINGTON
Metro Acura
Lyle Pearson Acura
Mont c l a i r
Boise
Fife
800-446-5697 909-625-8960
800-621-1775 208-377-3900
253-926-3331
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 wholesaleparts@metrohonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6 acuraparts@lylepearson.com
Acura of Honolulu
Findlay Acura
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 bakersfieldacuraservice@yahoo.com
Henderson
866-931-9086 808-942-4557
877-770-5873 702-982-4160
Marin Acura
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 Johara@lithia.com Tokuda@lithia.com RayleenGarcia@lithia.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 jmoore@findlayauto.com
Corte Madera
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 johnny@hinshaws.com
N E VA D A
HAWAII
Hon o l u l u
800-77-Acura 415-927-5350
Hinshaw’s Acura
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@marinacura.com autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
37
From the Desk of Mike Anderson with Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson is the president and owner of Collision Advice, a consulting company for the auto body/collision repair industry. For nearly 25 years, he was the owner of Wagonwork Collision Center, an OEM-certified, full-service auto body repair facility in Alexandria, VA.
A Reasonable Price for a Vehicle Scan Depends on What You’re Including I get asked quite regularly by both shops and insurers, “What is a reasonable charge for a vehicle scan?” Our “Who Pays for What?” surveys have found there’s not much consistency for what collision repair-
house charge a flat fee. Just over 40 percent charge up to one labor hour at a mechanical labor rate. But the remaining 35 percent of shops conducting scanning in-house were all over the map. There was similar variety in
Up to one hour of mechanical labor is the single most common charge among shops for conducting a vehicle scan in-house, according to a 2018 “Who Pays for What?” survey, but almost 70 percent of the industry uses a different pricing methodology
ers charge. In 2018, of about 1,000 shops responding to the survey, about 1 in 4 of those who perform scans in-
38
whether and how shops bill for their labor—such as hooking up the vehicle—when they use a remote scan-
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
ning service. So whenever I get asked, “What’s a fair and reasonable charge for scanning?” I just say it depends on what steps you’re including as part of that charge. I’ve been asking people in my classes to write down all the steps involved in scanning. Only a handful of people are able to list all the steps. Think about it:
labor time included or do you lineitem it separately?
• You have to gain access to the vehicle battery. Depending on where
• You may have to allow the vehicle to get to operating temperature. This might not often be an issue in Southern California or other warm
the battery is located in the vehicle— under the hood, under a seat, in the trunk—you may have to remove trim or other items. Is that additional
climates. But if you’ve pulled the vehicle in from outside during the dead of winter, in many parts of the country it may take some time to get that
• You need to access the battery because you have to hook up battery support in order to ensure you have the proper voltage to perform the scan.
vehicle up to operating temperature.
• Only then can you locate the port and hook up your scan tool to perform the output or functionality test. How long that test takes, to send a signal out to all the different modules and determine if any diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) have been set,
only indicate how many key cycles have occurred since the DTCs were set. Either way, this data helps determine if the DTCs were related either to the accident or (for post-repair scans) the repair process. • Then you have to record any DTCs. There may be only a few. I re-
that process a little easier, but most do not. For each DTC, you can generally find a flow chart to help you determine which one of potentially several causes led to the DTC. You have to diagnose which is most likely and then narrow that down.
• Once all that work is done, you generally need to test drive the vehicle. More and more automakers have very specific test drive requirements. • After that, you may need to conduct another scan to ensure the DTCs have been cleared and have not reoccurred.
What shops charge for their labor when using a remote scanning service, such as asTech or AirPro Diagnostics, also varies widely according to a 2018 “Who Pays for What?” survey
can vary by make and model, how many modules the vehicle has, etc.
• Next, you have to record the “freeze-frame” or “snapshot” data. Some vehicles indicate the exact date, time and vehicle mileage when any DTCs have been set. Others may
cently saw a vehicle scan that showed 57 DTCs. There could be more than 100. • Next, you have to research what caused each of those DTCs. Some OEM scan tools integrate with the OEM repair procedures, which makes
So a vehicle scan is a lot more than just hooking up a scan tool. Knowing what is a reasonable charge requires knowing which of the above steps you’ll be including. I can’t tell you what to charge. But given that some of the steps can vary widely from vehicle to vehicle, I think the fair thing is to include the basics in your base charge for scanning—pulling the vehicle in, letting it get up to operating temperature, hooking up the scan tool and record-
ing the DTCs. I think it’s also fair to then lineitem the related procedures that vary more widely vehicle to vehicle. Certainly the diagnostic time required to trouble-shoot all the DTCs varies based on the number and complexity of those codes. I don’t see how that can be included in a basic scan charge rather than being itemized out based on how much time is required for each particular vehicle. I think the industry should move away from a simple set charge for every scan. Instead, I’d suggest defining what’s included in the base charge and then adding line items for the diagnostic work and other variables.
Your leading source for WESTERN Collision Repair News! western.autobodynews.com
autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
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In Reverse with Gary Ledoux
Gary Ledoux is an industry veteran with 48 years’ experience in the automotive and OEM collision parts industry. His column appears exclusively in Autobody News. He can be reached at YesterWreck@yahoo.com
The 1960s – Associations, Leaders and Poor Management Anyone who lived through the 1960s knows what a turbulent time it was politically, socially and culturally. There were some profound changes in the collision repair trade as well. Born in the mid-1940s, the industry was starting to “come of age.” Unlike today in the 21st century, when industry metrics are plentiful and easy to find, it was difficult to find accurate numbers on anything in the 1960s. The number of shops had been growing almost unabated since 1946. By 1969, there were an estimated 75,000 body shops in the country, but nobody had a figure on their size in terms of either square footage or number of employees. Earnest Rowe, then marketing service manager for DuPont Automotive Refinish Division, surmised that despite the great number of shops, most were very small operations, and most overworked. The universe of shops consisted of independents and a few dealer-owned shops, and none of them had to go begging for work. Back then, the average hourly labor rate for collision repair was $4.50 to $5.50 per hour. In a trade magazine article, a shop owner noted labor rates had only gone from $4 to $5 per hour in 1951 to $4.50 to $5.50 per hour in 1963. Yet, insurance company adjuster salaries had gone from $225 per month to $450 per month. He questioned why labor rates had been frozen for so long. Another unidentified shop owner was quoted as saying, “…problems have existed in this business for a long time. We have been talking about them, but what the heck are we doing to correct them!” Part of the change that the collision industry experienced in the ‘60s was the almost simultaneous emergence of three key elements. The first was the evolution and proliferation of auto body associations. Smart shop owners saw the industry becoming more complicated and knew that they had to band together. The second was emerging leaders. With any organization, espe-
40
cially those operated by volunteers, leaders eventually emerge. And thus, certain people within the industry began to stand out and assume leadership roles, bringing elements of the industry together. And last, but certainly not least, was the advent of the nationally distributed collision industry trade magazine so the leaders could have a voice and shops would know what was going on. Soon, leaders and those willing to support them would have an answer for the shop owner who asked, “…what the heck are we doing to correct the industry’s issues?” One of the earliest industry leaders to begin suggesting industry solutions was Art Fox, president of the Independent Garage Owners Association (IGOA). He began calling for more oversight of auto body shops, suggesting that all shops be licensed on a nationwide basis to ensure competent repairs. He noted that barbers in his home state of Iowa were subject to more legal oversight than the technicians who worked on cars were. But the emergence of industry associations and leaders had a dark side. An article appearing in a 1969 trade journal provided one long-time shop owner’s vision of the collision business over the past 20 years. He noted that during the period from 1959–1964, as the collision associations began to emerge, insurance companies began to see them as a threat and refused to do business with shops that were part of an association or displayed an association emblem on their shop. Some associations were able to put the spotlight on labor rates, and the rates went up slightly in the local area. However, parts discounts to insurers got out of hand, and despite the increased labor rates, shops lost money on parts and many began to go bankrupt. It is also assumed that those same shops were not run well financially to begin with and the parts discounts were the “last straw.” It was also difficult, if not impossible, to recover costs for paint and supplies.
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
Despite the bankruptcies, more shops opened up. To compete with the established shops, they not only offered parts discounts, but also kept the labor rate artificially low. Things got bad—and then got worse for many. According to the veteran shop owner writing the 1969 article, to stay in business, he borrowed $50,000 to stay afloat, not knowing how he would pay it back. From 1964—1969, trade associations became stronger and insurance companies began to accept and even work with the associations to make the industry better. But things did not get better for all shop owners. Many were poor businessmen and could not control their own businesses or finances. Technicians left for better working conditions. Owners suffered. Despite the best efforts of emerging industry leaders and organizations,
another hallmark of the industry in the 1960s was an undercurrent of unrest. It seems owning a body shop during this period was politically tough. The shops fought with the OEs, insurance companies and one another. They had what seemed like a multitude of small local auto body associations that didn’t always work together. Shop owners were looking for answers. The business, as it was in the 1960s, was simply not sustainable. In the post-WWII economic boom, car sales skyrocketed—as did the number of collision and mechanical shops to serve them. This created a lot of competition between shops, which spawned a rather odd phenomenon—the super-cheap service. On the collision side, it was the $29.95 paint job. The concept undoubtedly attracted some work to the shop, but many shop owners thought See The 1960’s, Page 68
autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
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OE Shop Certification with Stacey Phillips
Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.
Subaru of America Prepares to Launch Its Certified Collision Center Network Program Enrollment opens Jan. 1, 2019 Subaru of America is currently preparing to launch the Subaru Certified Collision Center Network to independent shops across the country. Nicole Riedel, wholesale parts specialist for Subaru of America, recently shared information about the program requirements and what collision repair facilities should expect. Riedel reviewed the program and all its onboarding elements during a recent webinar hosted by Dave Luehr’s Elite Body Shop Academy. This included information about tools and equipment, facility standards and the training and technician requirements. “We’re excited to begin offering our certified collision network to independents across the country,” said Riedel. “For the last few months, we have been conducting a pilot pro-
gram and initial launch with our retailers, and now we are preparing to launch the program to the public. On Nov. 28, we announced to our waitlist that enrollment will open on Jan. 1, 2019.”
What are the main goals of the Subaru Certified Collision Network?
Q:
The goals of the Subaru Certified Collision Network are a little different than what some people think. Rather than it being about selling parts or going after aftermarket companies about the parts they sell, we’re not trying to go against anything negative. Instead, the program centers around proper and safe repairs. We at Subaru really care about our owners; we consider the Subaru family one big happy family. We love dogs, we love kids, we love the outdoors and we just want to spread the
A:
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love to the collision industry. One of the ways Subaru has set out to serve vehicle owners better is to make sure that at the time of an accident they are getting treated the same way they would throughout
health, community, environment and animal organizations—to set Subaru apart through our deeds and the deeds of our partners and to be unlike any other car company by doing what is right and good, just for the sake of doing it. We’re asking our collision partners to make this commitment as well. The Subaru Love Promise is supported by five different initiatives focused on the Environment (Subaru Loves the Earth), Health & Wellness (Subaru Loves to Care), Community (Subaru Loves to Help), Education Subaru of America is preparing to launch its certified (Subaru Loves Learning) collision center network program and Animal Welfare (Subany Subaru experience: with love, aru Loves Pets), where we partner respect and integrity. We also want with charitable organizations to do to ensure that the collision centers in- philanthropy, volunteerism, etc. terested in doing the right thing for As part of the terms and conditheir owners are being elevated to a point where everyone can know that about them. Not all collision centers are created equally, and we want to raise the flag and provide awareness of the facilities out there that are doing a really good job.
Q: A:
Who should join the Subaru Certified Collision Network?
We encourage anyone who believes in the same values as Subaru to jump on board with our network, and we can fulfill the Subaru Love Promise together. Non-Subaru dealers can take part as well, as long as they have the required equipment and follow our processes. How would you explain Subaru’s Love Promise, and what does it entail?
Q:
The Subaru Love Promise is a commitment that we share with our retailers and Subaru of America employees. It is a promise to do right by our community by partnering with nonprofit education,
A:
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
tions for our Subaru Certified Collision Network, we are mandating that collision centers complete at least one volunteer effort throughout the year with a 501(c)(3) organization to make sure they are reaching out and doing what they can for their communities and fulfilling that Love Promise in every regard. Donations are accepted, but they will not fulfill the requirement. Actual outreach and (volunteer) time are required. We believe this sets Subaru’s certified program apart from others. It is the heart and soul of Subaru, and it’s very important to us that we carry it out through every initiative we take. Who is handling most of the administration for Subaru’s program?
Q: A:
The core of our program is done in partnership with
autobodynews.com / JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS
43
Wadsworth International. They are handling most of the administration, all of the onsite audits and customer service. They are doing a great job with retailers and pilot shops. In addition, we elected to use the Enterprise Rent-A-Car ARMS® (Automated Rental Management System) Automotive Suite to upload all of the collision center profiles. If a collision center already has an ARMS profile, the facility can link up to it.
What is the cost of the program and what does that fee include?
Q:
There is a $3,200 annual fee that covers a one-year subscription to the AutoWatch web portal where a facility uploads its documents. An annual quality repair production audit is also included, as well as access to Subaru Technical Information System (STIS), which includes details about all of our repair procedures. Included in the cost of the program, Subaru will also manage a facility’s KPIs, such as cycle time. If a
A:
shop is struggling in any area, we’ll work closely with employees to help them improve. All participants will receive an initial welcome kit, a certification plaque, an indoor/outdoor banner, window clings, estimate sleeves and
We feel it reduces some of a shop’s liability. A lot of the liability falls on the collision centers to prove that these repairs were done properly. That can be a huge burden. When all of the information is uploaded into AutoWatch, shops have some evidence to prove that they were really doing the right thing. AutoWatch also provides real-time updates on vehicles for customers, which builds trust and helps them feel like a part of the process and secure in the work that the collision center is doing. It also offers the capability Nicole Riedel, wholesale parts specialist for Subaru of to track Customer Service America, recently shared information about the program Index (CSI). At the end of a requirements repair, customers will reaccess to profit boosters, a website ceive a survey through AutoWatch with downloadable marketing mate- where they can rate their experience rials such as fliers, email/digital ma- and we can ensure the brand experiterials and logos. Collision centers ence is being met. will also be featured on www.Subaru Does a shop need to be I-CAR .com and the ARMS profiles. Gold Class-certified? What is the importance of upYes, a shop must be I-CAR loading documentation to AuGold Class-certified, and no toWatch?
Q:
A:
Q: A:
more than two positions can be held by any one person at a repair facility. I believe I-CAR has adopted this rule as well.
Q: A:
What is Subaru’s position on scanning?
We recently changed our scanning position statement to say that pre- and post-scanning are required. Previously, it said they were recommended. We believe that this is integral since there are so many things that can happen in an accident. We know that collision centers often have a hard time pushing this through with insurance providers, and if changing scanning to ‘required’ is something that helps collision centers do the right thing, then by all means, we are happy to help out. The other aspect we are requiring with scanning is that shops can either use the Subaru-specific SSM4 diagnostic tool and update the software on their own, or use the asTech system, which is a great tool for people who are working on all different makes and models. Either of those is accepted. No other equipment is ap-
Delivering Customer Happiness
DCH Kia Parts: 951.491.2538 Toll Free: 888.474.0468 Fax: 951.491.2589
Mon-Fri: 7am-6pm / Sat: 8am-4pm 26799 Ynez Rd.
44
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
› Temecula, CA 92591
proved. The only reason we are requiring those tools is that we can measure them and make sure they are up-to-date to ensure a safe and proper repair.
Q: A:
Are there any other tooling requirements?
Rather than requiring specific brands and models, the required tools are based on specifications. If shops have a welder that meets the specs for a safe and proper repair based on STIS, we are happy to have them use that.
As an independent shop, when can I register for the program and what should I expect?
Q:
Currently, the program is open to all Subaru retailers and independent collision centers. We are opening this program to anyone who is a hand-raiser right now. We gave retailers about six months to jump on board and secure their place in their area, and those that were interested have done that. There is no referral or sponsor-
A:
ship needed from a retailer to enroll. Positions will be assigned in order of inquiry and based on market demand. We’re using many metrics in each area, such as units in operation (UIO), insurance claims data and Subaru
tion with customers. We have plenty of open space across the United States. I doubt we will turn many people away, especially from the onset, so if you’re interested, please sign up (details below). There have been rumors that the program has been pushed back. Is this true?
Q:
Definitely not. We wanted to make sure all of the retailers knew the date before we told everybody else because they had The program is open to all Subaru retailers and independent invested in the brand and collision centers have worked with us over sales to determine market demand the years to make Subaru what it has and how many collision centers we become. We felt there was a sense of can have in a given geographical area. loyalty to them to make sure they unWe’re not using the typical retailer derstood what was happening before area responsibility model because the we made the announcement to the UIO for aging vehicles are very differpublic. If you are on the waiting list, ent than a sales area. We are trying to you’ll receive an email. do what’s fair because we don’t want For more information and to to oversaturate the market. We want to sign up for the program/be added to make sure that the business and the the waiting list, email: info@subaru work is there so shops can build rela- certifiedcollision.com or call 877tionships and have good communica- 257-0046.
A:
Polyvance’s New Tool Aids in Removing Dents Body shops can turn dented bumpers into profits with Polyvance’s new 6148 Bumper Rollers kit. Most body shops throw dented bumpers away, unaware that they can be repaired. The 6148 Bumper Rollers kit makes it easier for technicians to push dents out and restore the sharp body lines common in today’s complex plastic bumper covers.
To remove the dent, the technician would first heat the bumper with a heat gun to soften the plastic. Once the entire area is too hot to touch, the dent is pushed out with the Bumper Rollers. The different rollers allow the technician to reestablish body lines of various shapes and to shrink the distortions around the edges of the original dent where the plastic was stretched.
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Media and Publicity for Shops
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
with Ed Attanasio
Are You Forgetting About Half Your Customers by Not Catering to Women? In the U.S., there are half a million women actively looking to buy a new car at any given time. They have a serious influence on all automotive purchases (85 percent), from the showroom to the service lane. Yet, 74 percent of women feel misunderstood by the automotive industry. So, how as a body shop owner or manager do you cater to this significant percentage of your customer base? Shops all over the country have had great success thinking outside of the box. Many have produced series of how-to videos, sponsored networking/educational sessions at their facilities on a quarterly basis, embraced social media because women use sites such as Facebook and Instagram more than men do, and promoted community nonprofit organizations that appeal to women, such as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) and Toys for Tots. We interviewed several female body shop owners to find out how they’re getting 5-star Yelp reviews from female customers and getting recommended to their female customers’ friends and colleagues. Kathy Mello is the owner of TGIF Auto Body in Fremont, CA. She is the president of the California Autobody Association (CAA), a member of the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) and well-known for championing women who strive to enter the industry. An incident she encountered prior to working in the collision repair industry many years ago opened her eyes and taught her a valuable lesson. “I had the first-time experience of getting an estimate after backing into a basketball pole at my child’s school,” she said. “There were no rear-view cameras on Volkswagens
back then. I went to the shop that my insurance company recommended (this was prior to DRPs). I announced myself to two ladies who were sitting at their desks in a halfway-decent office. One of the ladies called an estimator, who walked out to my vehicle without a word. I swear, he grunted several times and then wrote some things on a clipboard as I followed him. “I sat in my original waiting spot as he did his thing. The two ladies talked with each other as they worked. I was basically invisible. The estimator completed his work and handed me a copy without a word. I said thank you and exited. “When I began playing a role in the company my husband founded, I vowed that we would never treat anyone like that, no less a woman. As a result, we have a pleasant office with unisex decor. There are fresh flowers on most days provided by a local florist and a refreshment bar. We start by asking questions right away, not only about the claim and the vehicle, but about the people involved. Another important question is, ‘What is your greatest concern?’ We want to remove any anxiety if we can.” Tiffany Silva, owner of Accurate Auto Body in Richmond, CA, is president of the CAA’s East Bay chapter and is also on the organization’s board. “I don’t feel that we necessarily cater only to women,” she said. “I feel that we cater to each customer who walks through the door. Perhaps because I am a woman, I know how important it is to make sure that each customer feels that we are providing exceptional customer service and treating everyone equally. “My office staff asks each customer if they would like us to go over
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their estimate with them line by line. We strive to make sure every customer understands the repairs needed to their vehicle. We don’t just simply hand them paperwork and expect that they’ll understand the terminology in the estimate. I believe this is the most important element in providing excellent customer service. Another important thing is to take the time to explain and educate not only about the claims process, but exactly what is required to repair the vehicle properly. We make sure that no questions or concerns go unaddressed. Although these are standard procedures, they may be more pertinent with a woman, particularly if she is doing this for the first time.” Nancy Friedman, president of Telephone Doctor Customer Service, trains automotive companies on how to enhance the customer experience and cited several main ways to
RN SOUTHE
achieve it. “First, we want to be listened to and valued,” she said. “Making eye contact is important, so don’t keep looking at your watch and other people when you’re talking to me. Smile—because we’re suckers for that, and use the same handshake you do with a man. We don’t want a wet fish handshake that offers three fingers; we hate that. And one last thing: Put a hook in the ladies’ room so that we can hang up our bags. It sounds like a little thing, but the little things add up. “In short, how can you make your shop more attractive to female customers? For one, women care about the cleanliness of your facility and like shops that cater to children because they’re usually in tow. If you have a little kiddie section with toys and books, that also goes a long way with the ladies.”
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Mike Anderson Presents ‘Using the Subaru Technical Information System (STIS) – Part 1’ by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Tuesday, Nov. 27, Mike Anderson of Collision Advice presented the sixth webinar in his “Learn to Research, Research to Learn” series, during which he explored “Using the Subaru Technical Information System (STIS) – Part 1.” He was joined by Nicole Riedel, whole sale parts specialists for Subaru of America, as well as Subaru technical service representative J. J. Marino and director of parts Dave Zastrow. The webinar was created by Collision Advice in collaboration with Subaru. After reading the antitrust guidelines, Anderson reiterated that he decided to host these webinars because the results of his annual “Who Pays for What?” surveys, conducted in conjunction with the Crash Network, led him to determine that shops are not researching OEM repair procedures 100 percent of the time as they should be. As a result of this finding, Collision Advice has been hosting monthly webinars, each one focusing on a different OEM, to raise awareness of the resources each OEM offers to research repair procedures. Anderson plans to guide attendees on a step-by-step tour of each specific OEM’s website and advise on how to improve search results. He will also demonstrate how to research some common procedures needed by collision repairers, explore the differences between an OEM scan tool and aftermarket scan tool and investigate OEM parts information and support tools. In addition to an explanation of how to register, log in and use the STIS website, the first part of the Subaru webinar series included a review of the additional features offered on the Subaru STIS website, a discussion of Subaru’s requirements pertaining to scanning and an exploration of Subaru’s certification program. Anderson began by explaining that Subaru’s position statements are available at oemonestop.com and crashrepairinfo.com, but they are not available within STIS. He emphasized the importance of looking at the OEM position statements before each repair, showing Subaru’s position statements on pre- and post48
scanning and the use of aftermarket windshield glass for Subaru vehicles equipped with Eyesight. Moving on to how to access Subaru repair procedures, Anderson directed attendees to Techinfo.Subaru.com, pointing out that it’s important to use Internet Explorer (IE) 11 or newer for all website features to work optimally. Users can register by clicking “purchase and create
On the bottom right side, you can access your five most recently saved reference links, but an extended list is available by clicking “show more,” though Anderson warned that the number of saved reference links is limited. If you get maxed out, you will need to delete some to make room for the new ones you want to save. Exploring the icons used on STIS, Anderson explained that the down-
subscription,” which will take them to the registration page to complete the process. Subscriptions are available for three days at $34.95, 30 days at $299.95, or one year at $2,499.95. Two experiences are available: the online reference or the service diagnostics, which is available by PDF versus HTML. Once you click on Information, you can select Special Tool Information, which takes you to information about purchasing Subaru’s scan tool, Subaru Select Monitor (SSM), as well as the minimum computer operating requirements. Anderson advised, “When I was in the OEM repair procedures and I was trying to find documentation to educate an insurer about why I needed to scan a vehicle or utilize a scan tool, sometimes I would just use the term Subaru Select Monitor or SSM as a key search term.” Under Information, the Immobilizer Key Access area of the website is only available to NASTF members and authorized dealers, but at the bottom of the page, you can click on Technical Information System to access STIS. After logging into the website, the upper left-hand quadrant shows the five most recently posted documents on STIS; clicking “show more” will provide an extended list of the past 90 days. In the upper right-hand quadrant, the Quick Reference Search allows you to use an advanced search (using the vehicle’s VIN number) or a quick search. At the bottom left side, users can see their five most recently viewed items.
ward-pointing arrow is for viewing and downloading. Hovering over the icon allows you to view the description, while clicking on it launches a new window as a PDF that you can download, print or save. He noted that the Chrome PDF viewer plug-in must be enabled to launch in a new window and reminded attendees that IE is the preferred browser. The star icon allows users to save frequently used docu-
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
ments to the Saved Reference Links for easy access, while the X icon removes items from Saved Reference Links. Under Online Reference, users can select the type of publication they want to view, including owner manual, service manual, bulletins and more. Using the VIN number is most accurate, but if that’s not available, using the model year, carline and trim is another option for searching. When performing a keyword search, Anderson sarcastically quipped that “only the first 500 relevant documents will return, so I recommend selecting a publication type or model to narrow down the search.” Noting that all OEM websites’ search features work differently, Anderson explained how to narrow down search results by using “and,” “or,” “not” and “minus” to specify the query. Subaru’s coolest feature, according to Anderson, is the wildcard (%) operator, which returns documents with zero or more characters in the wildcard. “Subaru has some really amaz-
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49
ing search features [that are] probably more advanced than any other OEM that we’ve so far done a webinar for,” Anderson noted as he demonstrated searching the STIS website and how to download documents. Navigating the Technician Reference Booklet, Anderson explored Subaru’s implied restrictions on rear bumper repairs for certain vehicles, stressing the need to scan a vehicle. He also showed where the booklet forbade painting of the sonar sensors because doing so can prevent the sensors from functioning properly. “I found this technician reference booklet to be invaluable to me from a collision repair perspective,” Anderson said. He then moved on to the body repair manual, found under the Service Manual tab. There are two different types of formats and layouts for the body repair manuals, depending on the year, make and model of the vehicle. Marino explained that some of the differences for the BRZ model are related to Subaru’s collaboration with Toyota on this model, which means this manual has a different feel. Scanning through the BRZ body
repair manual, Anderson looked at work notices and precautions to show that Subaru requires repair of panels related to weld burn damage and warned that they are “not-included” operations. Showing where the document instructs technicians to check for diagnostic trouble codes as a precaution for using an electric welder, Anderson reemphasized, “I really saw something that blew my mind … The only way I can check the vehicle for diagnostic trouble codes is to use a scan tool, ladies and gentlemen. This was an amazing document to me.” Under structural outline, Subaru identifies which parts are aluminum, and the damage diagnosis document illustrates how the specific vehicle is designed to divert the inertial forces and also identifies where to look for possible hidden damage. Anderson showed an example of another body repair manual to show the differences between most of these manuals and the BRZ manual. He demonstrated how to use the table of contents to link to the specific section of the document. The foreword section provides an intro-
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this to be a really valuable document and critical to my success with getting reimbursed from an insurer for a not-included operation.” The webinar continued with Anderson identifying the OEM’s requirements related to anticorrosion wax, undercoating, damping seat, insulators and plastic parts and materials. Because Anderson had received feedback that previous webinars ran too long, he announced that he was cutting off the first webinar at 45 minutes but provided an overview of what will be covered in the second part of the Subaru webinar series, including but not limited to: what to do if you can’t find what you are looking for in STIS, symbols used for one-time use parts, how Subaru’s Star Link impacts collision repairers, what collision repairers need to know from the owner’s manual, an in-depth look at the Service Diagnostics tab and an update on the Subaru certification program. Riedel then provided a brief update on the Subaru certification program. “We will be sending out an e-blast See Mike Anderson Presents, Page 58
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duction to the symbols that will be used in the manual as well as precautions about specific substrates of materials used. Highlighting a section of the manual that stated to “avoid previously welded locations,” Anderson noted that this would preclude the use of a LKQ quarter panel in the repair since it would require disregarding this caution from Subaru. Anderson continued exploring the body repair manual, looking at use of foam, the body construction section, body reference points and panel replacement, which identifies how Subaru wants each specific component repaired. As Anderson explored the body sealing portion of the document, he reminded attendees, “Keep in mind, when you want to get paid from an insurance company, the four negotiation questions are: Is it required? Is it included? Is there a pre-determined time, and if not, what is it worth? On the first basis, you have to prove that what you’re asking for is required, and what I love about this is that it shows me that on this specific vehicle make and model, it’s telling me where it’s seam sealed at… I found
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AkzoNobel Performance Group Highlights Importance of Working on Business, Not in Business by Stacey Phillips
Performance benchmarking, sharing best practices and customized training were all part of a recent AkzoNobel performance group meeting in San Diego, CA. Held in September, the AkzoNobel Acoat Selected North American Performance Group (NAPG) provided an opportunity for body shop owners and managers to work on
(l to r) Marty Heiden, Greg Griffith and Oscar Arellano
their businesses instead of in their businesses. The ultimate goal during the three-day event was to enhance the performance of both the individuals and companies through peer-topeer networking. “Imagine being with a group of
100 shop owners for the sole purpose of exchanging business growth ideas. That is exactly what happens at Acoat Selected Performance Group meetings,” said Rick Fifer, North American services manager. “Acoat Selected Performance Group members meet to share successes, find solutions to problems and make new relationships with like-minded shop owners from across North America. The wealth of knowledge and experience present at these meetings is nothing short of awe-inspiring.” There are two main components to the meetings for the body shops, distributors and AkzoNobel employees who attend. The first involves group activities, which consist of keynote speakers, idea contests, panel discussions, classes and other activities. Fifer said that many of those who attend mention how much they value the conversations that take place. “With so many people in attendance, you are sure to find someone who has solved the problems you face or has a great business improvement
idea you can implement,” he said. Sub-group sessions are the other focus of the meetings. Similar to a conventional 20 group, Fifer said members analyze financial data, formulate improvement strategies, assist one another in problem-solving and share experiences.
(l to r) Lee and Leila Bates, and Diane and Don Miller
“The close friendships—both personal and professional—created at the meetings are immensely valuable to the members,” said Fifer. “They know that anytime during the year, they can contact a known, trusted shop owner for advice. That is a good feeling.” “The performance group meet-
ings have been outstanding. I find that just getting away from the business twice a year to attend the meetings improves my perspective significantly,” said Van Takemoto, owner of Island Fender in Hawaii. “The opportunity to benchmark, to collaborate with my peers in the industry and to set new goals has really sharpened my skills as a businessman. It’s made a difference to the bottom line!” Prior to the two days of individual performance group meetings, a variety of early-bird training sessions were offered the first day of the event.
Presentation Highlights First-time attendees were given an overview of what to expect during a presentation by Sam Sherrill of AkzoNobel Coatings. “This session was designed to prepare new NAPG attendees to effectively engage in performance group financial discussions,” said Fifer. Some of the topics Sherrill highlighted included income statements and balance sheets, body shop key See AkzoNobel, Page 58
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National Associations with Chasidy Rae Sisk
Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.
ARA Hosts Magical 75th Annual Convention and Exposition From Oct. 31 through Nov. 3, the Automotive Recycling Association (ARA) held its 75th Annual Convention and Exposition at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL.
Blalock explained. “Networking opportunities are one of the main reasons that automotive recyclers and industry suppliers attend year after year. These opportunities are priceless and allow automotive recyclers to benchmark themselves and their peers in the industry in order to learn from each other. The automotive recycling industry is unique in that a large percentage of businesses are family-owned and multi-generational, which really brings a family atmosFourteen countries were repre- phere to this annual gathering. sented, with industry professionals “Speakers ranged from fellow traveling from as far away as the recyclers, governmental officials and United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, industry experts. ARA debuted new Canada, France, Germany, Hong peer-to-peer panels for both full-serKong, Japan, Netherlands, New vice and self-service operations, Zealand, Peru, Poland and South which proved to be among the most Korea. popular sessions. Our members need According to Sandy Blalock, to stay informed on the latest develexecutive director for ARA, “Nearly opments and trends in the automo900 professional automotive recy- tive repair industry. ARA’s Annual clers, industry vendors, suppliers and Convention, as well as ARA affiliate supporters made the trip to celebrate chapter association events, serve as a the association’s 75th anniversary at means of providing this type of vital the happiest place on Earth: Walt Dis- information. The networking and inney World.” formation-sharing that take place at these events also provide insight to our association leaders and staff that helps determine the direction of current and future ARA initiatives—it’s where we take the pulse of the industry.” The convention and exposition also provides ARA leaders with an opportunity to showcase member benefits and promote the associIncoming ARA President Jonathan Morrow (right) poses ation’s value by highlighting with outgoing President David Gold (left) the products and services The largest annual meeting of only offered by ARA. Talking to the professional automotive recy- members also provides the associacling industry in the world, ARA’s tion’s staff with a better understandAnnual Convention and Exposition ing of their members’ needs. provides a unique opportunity for atDuring the convention, Jonathan tendees to network with one another Morrow of M&M Auto Parts in Virand obtain top tier training. ginia succeeded David Gold from “Association-sponsored events Standard Auto Wreckers as the associlike the ARA Convention provide ation’s president. Additionally, ARA significant education and network- recognized some of the industry’s best ing opportunities, two of the most by distributing several awards. The beneficial reasons that attendees Automotive Recyclers Association of [keep] coming back year after year,” Rhode Island received the Affiliate
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JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
Chapter of the Year award, and Shan McMillon of Cocoa Auto Salvage in Florida was recognized as Regional Director of the Year. Nordstrom’s Automotive in South Dakota re-
Roger Schroder was honored as Member of the Year, and the coveted President’s Award was bestowed upon Jeff Schroder of Car-Part. Blalock added, “Many new programming features were debuted this year, including a Big Beach Bash that automotive recyclers and their entire families could enjoy. Attendees enjoyed the event, and the feedback has been positive. We have many volunteers, including recyclers and vendors, who work colAutomotive recyclers Lawrie Beacham (Australia), Ed MacDonald (Canada), Ted Taya (Japan) and Andy laboratively all year to plan a Latham (U.K). Standing is Steve Fletcher, executive program that meets the needs director of the Automotive Recyclers of Canada of our dynamic industry. I ceived the CAR Member of the Year believe the event measured up to all of award, while Gold Seal Member of our expectations.” ARA’s 76th Annual Convention the Year was awarded to Counselman’s Automotive Recycling in Al- & Exposition will take place Oct. 10– abama. CIECA’S Fred Iantorno 13, 2019 in Charlotte, NC. For more received the Apple Award, Car-Part’s information about ARA, visit a-r-a.org.
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Continued from Page 34
How to Prepare
based on numbers or an end result.” After defining the target, Newell said it’s time to gather the necessary information. “The reason we gather information is so that we can understand both sides of the process, maybe make it a little smoother and communicate that based on factual
He recommended asking the following seven questions: 1) What kind of information do we want to know? There are three types of information that Newell said are essential to find out: financial, services and operational. First, he said to find out how well the opposition is doing financially to determine if they can afford to give you a better deal. Next,
2) Where can we get this information? A variety of sources can be helpful when gathering information, including business records, the Internet, social media platforms, employees and vendors.
3) Is there anything we can learn from previous negotiations? Many times, a business will negotiate with the same person again and
4) How much business, if any, are we doing with them? Part of the information-gathering process is being realistic about how much business has been conducted and for how long with the other party and if it is feasible to negotiate any added-value services. 5) How well is the company doing? Newell recommended looking at the business’s market share, growth and reputation to learn as much as possible and help formulate a negotiation strategy. 6) What don’t you want them to know about you? IF there are issues within the business that create some exposure, Newell said to be aware of them and ensure you have the answers to address them.
knowledge,” said Newell. “Information is the foundation of creating value and without it, it is almost impossible to establish any factual negotiating points.”
learn who they currently service and what type of service(s) they provide. Last, determine how long they have been operating and their past record.
again. Newell recommended reflecting on what was negotiated, the result of the negotiation and if anything could have been done differently.
7) Who is the decision-maker? Determining and working with the decision-maker is a critical component of the process. “You need to determine if they are even capable of coming to a deal—very rarely do I negotiate with someone who can’t
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come to a deal,” said Newell. He also stressed the importance of negotiating at the table, face-to-face rather than by phone, email, text, social media or mail. After gathering information and doing research, Newell said to decide on what he referred to as the “circuit breaker” and the BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement). The circuit breaker is the number that the decision-maker is comfortable walking away from, and the BATNA is the middle ground or ZOPA (zone of possible agreement) that the decision-maker is willing to accept. “Don’t agree just to agree,” advised Newell. “Look at the long-term picture; look past next month’s bills.” What Type of Negotiation is Best Newell talked about two types of negotiations: positional and principled. Positional negotiations involve arguing based on an extreme position regarding wants, needs and limitations. The positions are almost always on the opposite side of the spectrum; therefore, it becomes necessary to make concessions to reach an agreement, according to Newell.
These negotiations tend to last longer and can often end in a stalemate. A principled negotiation, also known as an integrative negotiation, is where both parties work together to achieve a value-created agreement. In theory, this leaves them satisfied with the outcome and status of the relationship. Rather than having different positions, Newell explained
negotiation styles, which include competition, accommodation, collaboration, avoidance and compromise. A competition style of negotiation is more than likely to be adversarial. Negotiations are seen as a competition with a winner and a loser. Newell said it can be used in fast-paced circumstances.
that the parties think in terms of their similar interests. He stressed the importance of building a relationship during the negotiation process and how valuable that can be. “This is where the magic happens,” he said. He shared a statistic from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in regard to the benefits of having excellent negotiation skills. “Eighty-five percent of your financial success is due to your personality and ability to communicate, negotiate and lead. Shockingly, only 15 percent is due to technical knowledge,” he said. Newell also discussed different
“When two of these same styles come together, there is a greater risk for a stalemate,” observed Newell. The accommodation approach is a more submissive style in which a party is ready and willing to offer information and make concessions. The individual most likely places the relationship as a top priority. “This is a successful approach when mending or maintaining relationships,” said Newell. “If a company is in the midst of crisis, it’s a great strategy to avoid litigation and appease the other party.” Otherwise, he recommends using this strategy sparingly.
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Continued from Page 51
AkzoNobel
performance indicators and comparative benchmarks. Jeff Peevy, president of the Automotive Management Institute (AMi), discussed the importance of “soft skills,” which include listening, communication and interpersonal skills,
(l to r) Jason Orlando, Jen Schmid, Shane Orlando, Arica Carranza, Daniel Carranza and Richard Rychlik
and the impact they have on collision repair facilities. AMi is currently focused on supporting the development of soft skills throughout the industry. Peevy also talked about the value of industry-based professional designations and said they not only increase professionalism, but also minimize the risk when hiring new employees. Continued from Page 50
Mike Anderson Presents
this week announcing to everyone when we will be opening to independent collision centers,” she said. “We want to thank everyone for their patience. We’ve wanted to give our retailers a good running start on being part of the network since they’ve been so loyal, and now we’re ready to open up to everyone else and will be announcing that date this week.” Anderson and Riedel fielded some questions and feedback from attendees as the webinar drew to a close. This webinar is available on the Collision Advice website and YouTube channel. The second part of Collision Advice’s Subaru webinar series took place on Thursday, Dec.13 at 2 p.m. EST. Anderson concluded, “We look forward to seeing you next month. Make it a great day!”
www.autobodynews.com 58
Tyler Brunatti from Podium Corp. shared tips on helping potential customers locate a body shop while searching online. He pointed out how difficult it can often be to attract new customers and recommended being actively involved in managing a company’s online reputation in order to stand out from the competition. Two representatives from I-CAR (Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair), Jason Bartanen and Josh McFarlin, talked about some of the significant changes the organization has undergone. These include the Reparability Technical Support (RTS) initiative, I-CAR’s new vehicle and technology curriculum, the expansion of hands-on skills development and an overview of the new Professional Development Program (PDP) and Gold Class programs. Body shops also learned how to leverage OE certification during a presentation by Robb Young of Assured Performance Network. Young provided tips to those in attendance on how to capitalize on being an OE Certified Collision Repair Provider (OE-CRP) and become a “five-star business performer.”
Those unfamiliar with data analysis and net mining had the opportunity to hear from Don and Diane Miller of Body Shop Nation. The Millers explained how net mining can help shops better identify their target audience and “find their perfect customer.” They said the approach enables businesses to deliver a stronger message to potential customers.
employee and customer experiences, which he said will lead to higher sales and growth. Kevin Wolfe of LeadersWay talked about a collaboration between his company and AkzoNobel that involves leadership training for a limited number of performance group members. The final presentation during the early-bird training sessions was led by Dave Luehr of Elite Body Shop Solutions. Luehr, co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops,” talked about the six secrets he recommends body shops consider in order to be successful. Based on information from his book, which was released in 2017, the session included advice on how to “bust old beliefs” and stay out of what he referred to as “the victim zone.” He also talked about how to build a sustainable business model and provided tips on modern leadership. The next AkzoNobel North American Performance meeting will be held in Palm Beach, FL, on Feb. 20–22, 2019. For more information, contact Rick Fifer at Richard.Fifer @akzonobel.com or your local AkzoNobel representative or distributor.
(l to r) Tim Ronak, Todd Edwards, Nada Jokic, Sam Sherrill and Bob DuBreuil
Nick Schoolcraft of Phoenix Solutions Group shared insight on optimizing customer and employee experiences. Considering that many of today’s customers are becoming increasingly skeptical about collision repair facilities, Schoolcraft stressed the importance of having front-line employees focus on great customer interactions. He also talked about the key elements necessary to deliver great
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National Events with Stacey Phillips
Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.
SCRS Red Carpet Awards Breakfast at SEMA Recognizes Collision Industry The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) hosted the second annual Red Carpet Awards Breakfast during SEMA on Oct. 31. During the special event, individuals and businesses in the collision repair industry were recognized for their outstanding leadership, dedication and commitment. “It’s always a pleasure to bring up new faces and new voices to help this industry recognize greatness,” said Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of SCRS. “This isn’t an SCRS event. This is a collision industry event for every organization that wants to recognize greatness in this industry.” Awards were given out by the Automotive Management Institute (AMi), Automotive Service Association (ASA), BodyShop Business, CIECA, I-CAR, National Auto Body Council (NABC) and SCRS. “Today is about recognizing and celebrating the greatness within our industry,” said Rissa Matsumoto of Auto Body Hawaii, who emceed the event.
Automotive Management Institute (AMi) Mark Claypool, Optima Worldwide, was presented with AMi’s Collision Repair Training Provider of the Year award. Jeff Peevy, president of AMi, said the well-known industry leader has been a big supporter of the organization and leads many AMi-approved courses that have been well received. Two former board of trustees members received an award for Outstanding Dedication, Commitment and Personal Leadership: Bob Keith, Assured Performance, and Tony Passwater, president of AEII. This year, Peevy said there were close to 100 individuals who graduated from the AMi program. In addition to holding a graduation ceremony earlier this year, 11 individuals were recognized during the breakfast for earning a professional designation: Ken Brown, Bruce Burrow, Maria Carrillo, Robert Byron Gottfred, 60
Wesley Jackson, Kandie JenningsMolloy, Scott Kaboos, Tony Passwater, Carl Preston Riggenbach, John Shoemaker and Kenneth Thayer. “Learning may be defined as a transformative process of taking in information that when internalized and mixed with our experiences, changes what we know and builds
competitive advantage.”
Automotive Service Association (ASA) Roy Schnepper, president of ASA, announced the recipient of the association’s Phoenix Award, Chuck Sulkala. The award is given by the ASA Collision Operations Committee in honor of an individual in the collision repair industry who has devoted his or her career to advancing professionalism with leadership, integrity and personal strength. For many years, Sulkala has been an active participant in industry associations including AMi recognized 11 individuals during the Red Carpet ASA, I-CAR, Collision InAwards breakfast for earning a professional designation dustry Conference (CIC) on what we do. It is based on input, and NABC. process and reflection,” said Peevy. “This is quite nice,” said Sul“It is what changes us. I’m a strong kala. “It’s part of why we’re all here believer and advocate that learning and why we work together.” is the only source of a sustainable He said that regardless of what
side you’re on, where you’re from, what you do or what association you belong to, everyone is part of this industry. “I would hope that when you go home, you give a special hug to your family because they are the ones who allow you to do this, come to these meetings and do the things we do together,” said Sulkala.
BodyShop Business Sean Donohue, publisher of BodyShop Business, announced the magazine’s Multi-Shop (MSO) Executive of the Year winner: Vartan Jerian Jr., director of operations for Caliber Collision/H&V Collision Center. The MSO has been involved in numerous charitable activities over the years and was one of the first in the Albany, NY, capital region to introduce the lean production process, which drastically improved the busi-
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ness’s KPIs. Louis Giordano, Giordano’s Collision, received the Single-Shop Executive of the Year award. A member of the Long Island Auto Body Repairmen’s Association since 1970, Giordano has owned three shops and worked in both collision repair and insurance. “The winners of these prestigious awards are true collision repair visionaries who have experienced great success or innovative thinking, overcome challenges and persevered,” said Donohue. CIECA Clint Marlow, director at Allstate Insurance and CIECA’s 2018 chairman of the board of trustees, announced CIECA’s award winners this year. Andy Bober, ARMS Business Solutions, received an Outstanding Dedication award for his contribution to mobile data standards. The Outstanding Contribution award was given to Joanna Cohen, Car-Part.com, who has primarily focused on procurement and estimating messages.
Two individuals were named for Outstanding Leadership. Leslie Redfield from Genpact received the award for her work on the photo estimating committee, and Darrell Amberson from LaMettry’s Collision was recognized for his involvement with the scanning committee.
tion of its outstanding leadership, contribution and dedication to furthering CIECA’s mission in the collision industry.
I-CAR Tim O’Day, I-CAR’s chairman of the board of directors, announced the I-CAR Chairman’s Award, which is presented to the individual or organization that has made a significant or extraordinary contribution to the I-CAR organization. I-CAR honored Clark Plucinski, who has nearly 50 years of experience in the collision repair industry. Plucinski is currently the executive director of the (l to r) Clint Marlow, CIECA chairman of the board; Pete Tagliapietra of NuGen IT, recipient of the Electronic Collision Repair EducaCommerce Company of the Year award; and Fred Iantorno, tion Foundation (CREF) CIECA’s executive director and chairman of the CertiNuGen IT was named the Elec- fied Automotive Parts Association tronic Commerce Company of the (CAPA). Year. Pete Tagliapietra, business “Our wonderful industry is development manager, accepted the filled with many success stories by award on behalf of the company. people who have not only made their Marlow explained that CIECA’s marks, but also have fulfilled their board of trustees extends this award commitment to helping others estabevery year to a company in recogni- lish their own careers,” said John
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Van Alstyne, CEO and president of I-CAR. Jeff and Jeanne Silver, CARSTAR Mundelein, were presented with the Russ Verona Memorial Award, which recognizes a business that demonstrates a strong dedication to training and reinforces the positive image of the collision repair industry. CARSTAR Mundelein has held a Gold Class designation since 1996 and was chosen based on the owners’ extensive industry involvement, their dedication to training and the promotion of career opportunities at schools in and around their local community. Van Alstyne then shared information about the Jeff Silver Award. Silver served as the CEO of I-CAR and is considered a pioneer of the I-CAR Gold Class and Platinum recognition programs. The award, presented to Rick Cope, Cope Collision, was established “to maintain Jeff’s amazing legacy, a true and deep passion for training and professional growth,” said Van Alstyne. He said Cope is a strong proponent of continuing education, and his shop has been I-CAR Gold Class since 2007.
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National Auto Body Council (NABC) NABC Awards Committee Co-chairs Marie Peevy, owner of Automotive Training Coordinators, and Debbie Teter, Garmat’s director of sales and marketing, presented the NABC awards.
John Mosley (left) and the Mississippi Collision Repair Association received the SCRS Affiliate Association Award. Aaron Schulenburg, SCRS executive director, is pictured on right
Peevy said the Body Image Award, which was given to Moppert Brothers Collision, recognizes a positive, attractive and well-designed facility. “Harry and his brother Steve continually work to certify their shops and repair vehicles to OEM proce-
dures,” she said. Kevin Thomas, Town East Ford, received the NABC Award of Distinction, which celebrates extraordinary efforts by individuals who give of themselves to others. As a result of the business’s strong culture, Teter said Town East Ford has very little turnover and the shop’s CSI is continually over 95 percent. Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Schulenburg announced the recipient of the SCRS Affiliate Association Award, which is given very infrequently to associations that stand out amongst others. “Normally it is reserved in instances where other associations look up to one of their peers for the work they have done or for the stage they have set in the industry,” explained Schulenburg. John Mosley and the Mississippi Collision Repair Association were recognized. “This particular organization worked with state regulatory bodies and with other industry groups to develop a consumer guide to insurance
and auto body repair through a very collaborative effort that ended in a product,” said Schulenburg. “I think all in the industry can look to and utilize it as a reference book for their own states.”
The March Taylor Memorial Fund Kina’ole Award was given to Petra Schroeder. She is pictured with Gary Wano (l), who received the award in 2017, and industry veteran Jeff Hendler
Jeff Hendler, SCRS historian, then presented the March Taylor Memorial Fund Kina’ole Award to “Collisionista” Petra Schroeder, who retired from Axalta and remains very active in the industry. Hendler
said the award honors the name and spirit of March Taylor. The Hawaiian word “Kina’ole” means “Doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, to the right person, for the right reason, with the right feeling, the first time.” Hendler is an administrator of the March Taylor Memorial Fund, which was created when Taylor suddenly passed away after a scuba diving accident. “He was a mentor to many and friend to all of us,” said Hendler. “The award was not for March, but it’s about the spirit of March. It’s an award that is presented to people who absolutely embrace March’s spirit—Kina’ole.” He said Schroeder has that same spirit and is a mentor to many in the industry. “I had the pleasure to know March much too late in my life, but in the short time I had the pleasure of knowing him, it was just amazing,” said Schroeder. “It means a ton to me to receive this today and to be able to be in front of you. Thank you so much—you have no idea what it means to me.”
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AkzoNobel Turns Over Keys for Refurbished Car Program to NABC Recycled Rides
This holiday season, even more people in need and the organizations that help them are getting support for getting around, thanks to the merger of two recycled car programs. AkzoNobel is handing over the keys for its Acoat® Selected Benevolence Program to combine it with the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) Recycled Rides™ initiative. The latter has its roots in the AkzoNobel program. “Our program has enabled collision repair professionals across the nation to help thousands of their neighbors in need during the holiday season by presenting them with reconditioned cars,” said Rick Fifer, AkzoNobel central business services manager for automotive and specialty coatings. “By combining our customers’ efforts with the NABC Recycled Rides program, our industry will now be able to kick its community support into even higher gear.” The Original Driver The recycled car initiative started in the late 1990s, when Dave Adams, owner of Dave Adams Classic Collision in Orem, UT, saw mechanically sound vehicles with minor body
damage go to salvage yards. Looking to turn the corner for disadvantaged neighbors, Adams and his technicians decided to donate their skills to recondition these vehicles
refinish products and a big red bow for each donated car. Since then, this community relations effort has helped technicians recondition and donate more than
and gift them to community members in need. The program took off. Adams and his team found it rewarding to help others, vehicles were saved from the scrapyard, community members gained transportation, and Adams’ shop received positive attention. In 1999, Adams shared his success story at the AkzoNobel Acoat Selected North American Performance Group conference, a semi-annual event that brings together collision repair professionals. AkzoNobel decided to help and announced that it would sponsor any group member following in Adams’ footsteps by providing Sikkens brand
500 cars, providing as many families with the means to get to work, school, stores, medical appointments and more. Inspiring Others In 2006, the National Auto Body Council took notice of the positive impact the Benevolence program made and asked for AkzoNobel’s guidance to help create its renowned NABC Recycled Rides program. Since launching it in 2007, NABC members have donated nearly 2,000 vehicles to individuals and nonprofit organizations. This year, AkzoNobel and the NABC are merging their programs,
so even more community members will get access to the transportation they need for their daily lives. “Our NABC Recycled Rides program is the perfect way to exemplify the professionalism and integrity of the collision repair industry,” said Bill Garoutte, president and CEO of the National Auto Body Council. “By bringing AkzoNobel’s Benevolence program participants into the NABC Recycled Rides program, we are uniquely positioned to provide the gift of transportation to even more deserving people in need.” “We are incredibly proud of our Acoat Selected members who have helped others through our Benevolence program, which has come a long way over the past 19 years,” added Fifer. “Now, we’re just as proud to officially transition it to the NABC Recycled Rides program and help even more people.” How To Participate Collision repair shops interested in participating in the NABC Recycled Rides program can find more information at https://www.nationalauto bodycouncil.org/recycled-rides/.
GM To Cut Work Force, Halt Production at Multiple Plants by Andrea Hinds, Williamson Source
As part of a restructuring, General Motors will stop production at five plants and cut its salaried work force by 15 percent (an estimated 14,000 workers, reported AP). Assembly plants in Ontario, Canada; Detroit, MI; and Warren, OH, and propulsion plants in White Marsh, MD, and Warren, MI, will stop operations. GM will cease the operations of two additional plants outside North America by the end of 2019. The locations of these plants have not been disclosed yet. “The actions we are taking today continue our transformation to be highly agile, resilient and profitable, while giving us the flexibility to invest in the future,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “We recognize the need to stay in front of changing market conditions and customer preferences to position our company for long-term success.” 64
GM now intends to prioritize future vehicle investments in its next-generation battery-electric architectures. As the current vehicle portfolio is optimized, it is expected that more than 75 percent of GM”s global sales volume will come from five vehicle architectures by early in the next decade. The company plans to stop building several models now assembled at those plants, including the Chevrolet Cruze, the Cadillac CT6 and the Buick LaCrosse, reported Reuters. In the midst of announcing a cut of roughly 14,000 jobs, GM confirmed it will add a third vehicle—a Cadillac crossover—to its production line-up at its Spring Hill plant in 2019, reported CBS. We thank Williamson Source for reprint permission.
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JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
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AASP National Elects New Executive Board During SEMA
IAA Announces Opening of New Flint, MI, Branch
tional Board had confidence in me to fill the position. I would like to work to see all trade associations work During the AASP National Board’s more closely together and provide semi-annual meeting in Las Vegas more benefits to members.” during the SEMA show, AASP Elder stated, “I look forward to elected its executive board. being a part of the board and The executive board inworking to make a difference cluded well-known industry for our member shops throughprofessionals from around the out the country.” country. AASP/MA President Adams shared, “I am honMolly Brodeur was elected as ored to be elected the new secretary/treasurer, and Bob president of AASP. I look Pulverenti, executive director forward to working with the of the Independent Garage board and their members to Owners of North Carolina provide them with my 30(IGONC), will serve as execplus years of business experiutive director chair of the naence in the automotive repair tional organization. industry. One of my main The role of vice president AASP National elected its new executive board during SEMA goals is to facilitate a dialogue will be filled by AASP/NJ’s in Las Vegas. (l to r) Bill Adams, Bob Pulverenti, Tom with our affiliates across the Tom Elder, and Bill Adams Elder, Molly Brodeur. Credit: Thomas Greco Publishing country to see what works of New York will serve as and what doesn’t as to how president of the board. Brodeur said, “I am honored their associations relate to individAASP National’s administrator, Judell Anderson, CAE, shared, to serve as an executive board ual members. Along with that, I “The new executive committee is member of AASP National. My would like to expand the membermade up of stellar individuals with goal is to support the board as we ship from areas around the country extensive experience and a commit- provide information, educational that currently do not have represenment to advancing the industry. I opportunities and resources to our tation. The more ideas that we can bring to the table, the more of a posam eager to work with them to affiliates.” Pulverenti shared, “I am thrilled itive impact we can have to grow strengthen AASP affiliates’ capacity to better serve the auto service and that the members of the AASP Na- business.” by Chasidy Rae Sisk
Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (IAA) recently announced the opening of its new facility in Flint, MI. The new branch is IAA’s third strategic location serving the northern Midwest market of Michigan. The site boasts a new state-of-the-art facility and its 18 acres allow for future expansion. “At IAA, we are always working to improve the customer experience, and this new facility, with the latest auction technology, allows us to upgrade the buying and selling experience for our customers who previously visited our Bay City facility,” said John Kett, CEO and president of IAA. The new IAA facility in Flint replaces the IAA Great Lakes facility in Bay City, MI. IAA Flint will host auctions on Tuesdays, with preview days held every Monday.
www.autobodynews.com AUTOBODY
Tariff Rate Increase Put on Pause Amid New Discussions by Jordan Scott, glassBYTEs.com
The United States will not raise the rate of tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products to 25 percent on Jan. 1, 2019, as previously planned, according to a statement from the White House.
Tariffs will remain at the current 10 percent rate imposed on Sept. 24, 2018, for at least another 90 days. The update came after a sideline meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit over the weekend of Dec. 1–2 in Buenos Aires. President Trump called the meeting “highly successful.” In return for the halt on a tariff rate increase, President Xi has agreed to purchase a yet-to-be-decided-upon, “very substantial” 66
amount of products from the U.S. According to the White House statement, the purchases will “reduce the trade imbalance between our two countries.” The two leaders agreed to begin negotiations on forced technology transfers, intellectual property protections, non-tariff barriers, cyber intrusions and cyber theft. President Trump cited forced technology transfers and a lack of intellectual property protections as reasons for the tariffs. Both parties agreed to try to complete the negotiations within the next 90 days, otherwise the 10 percent tariffs will be increased to 25 percent, according to the White House. Auto glass-related materials on the list of products subject to the tariff include: • • • •
Various float glass products Glass mirrors Glass frit Laminated safety glass
We thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.
JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
collision repair shops that we represent.” The newly appointed executive board members shared their reactions to being elected as well as their goals.
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Continued from Page 40
David Rogers Is the 2018 BodyShop Business/ASE Master Collision Repair & Refinish Technician David Rogers, an ASE-certified collision repair technician from New York Mills, MN, was recently honored with a national achievement award as the BodyShop Business/ASE Master Collision Repair & Refinish Technician of the Year.
At the ASE annual awards event are Tim Zilke (from left), David Rogers, Jason Stahl and Ted Hayes. Submitted photo
Fifty-two automotive professionals were recognized on Nov. 14 at the Fall 2018 Board of Governors meeting of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) held at Pier Sixty-Six Hotel and Marina in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The ASE annual awards spotlight top scorers on the ASE Certification tests from among the ranks of the approximately quarter-million ASE-certified professionals
nationwide. “Dave, who is the body shop manager at Nyhus Chevrolet-Buick in Staples, is one of the outstanding ASE-certified professionals recognized annually by different segments of the automotive service and repair industry,” said Timothy Zilke, ASE president & CEO. “Each of these elite technicians is presented with an industry-specific award recognizing their achievement.” “ASE has honored extraordinary industry professionals from across the nation for more than 40 years. This is made possible by the support of our many award sponsors, whose ranks include some of the best-known names in the industry. We are proud to partner with BodyShop Business to recognize Dave’s commitment to excellence in providing the very best in vehicle repair services to his extended community. This dedication is reflected in the talented professionals we recognize each year, and Dave represents the best of the best.” We thank Pioneer Journal for reprint permission.
The RIGHT
The 1960’s
that the concept was illegitimate and gave consumers a poor impression of the industry. Harry Wright, president of the IGOA, railed against those shops, both mechanical and collision. He purported that shops were promising ridiculously inexpensive jobs, only to either turn around and charge the customer two to three times as much or do virtually nothing for the cheap, agreed-upon price. He noted that garages that continue this practice continue to “denigrate the automotive repair business and put the industry in a negative light.” The IGOA and other associations continued to fight this wherever and whenever possible. The 1960s also saw the increasing involvement of insurance companies, spawning another trend that continues today to a certain degree— the shop owner who “has had enough” and gotten out of the business. Stories like this one started to pop up all over the collision trade magazines: “After running a three-man body shop for
over 25 years, Linwood King of Raleigh, North Carolina was tired of the insurance companies harassing him for parts discounts, asking him to lower his labor rate, asking him to cut corners and driving customers from his shop. Rather than fight anymore, King stopped doing body work as his main source of business and stopped dealing with insurance companies. Instead, he turned to mostly mechanical work with some small body jobs on the side—small enough that they were customer-pay and did not involve an insurance company. All work was done for cash, on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.” Most had a similar story—it was tough to get started at first. But after things evened out, the shop typically had a smaller volume of business but made more money with less stress, and the owner could sleep at night. Throughout the ‘60s, industry leaders called for shop owners to clean up their businesses and make them more pleasant and aesthetically pleasing to customers, as well as workers. Many owners stepped up and modernized their shops, bringing them out of the ‘60s and onto the edge of the 1970s.
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The Dealers Above Are Original MINI Parts Distributors ©2018 MINI, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The MINI name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.
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JANUARY 2019 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com
IGONC Learns How To Drive Growth Through Digital Marketing
Mark Olson Teaches WMABA About Reducing Liability
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Nov. 6, the Triangle Chapter of the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina (IGONC) gathered for BBQ food and an educational presentation at Autoshop Solutions in Apex, NC. Autoshop Solutions Sales Director Tony Mercury presented “Driving Growth Through Digital Marketing.” According to IGONC Executive Director Bob Pulverenti, “Our members always look forward to getting a chance to learn more about digital marketing. Many have found
Tony Mercury presented “Driving Growth Through Digital Marketing” during IGONC’s November Triangle Chapter Meeting
it really useful for gaining new customers, plus we are always glad to get the opportunity to tour one of our vendor member’s offices and learn
more about their day-to-day efforts to help garage owners be as successful as possible.”
IGONC Executive Director Bob Pulverenti poses with Margaret Edmunds Palango, chief business development officer at Autoshop Solutions
The monthly meeting was held as part of IGONC’s monthly commitment to promoting the community and providing members with educational seminars. Additionally, the meeting served as a networking event. “A big part of being in an association is the community,” Pulverenti pointed out. “Autoshop Solutions provided a BBQ dinner for all the attendees, and a nice crowd was in attendance. The meeting was hosted at the offices of Autoshop Solutions, and they have always been a great supporter of both the IGONC and ASTE.” For more information on IGONC, visit igonc.com.
On Oct. 25, the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) hosted a training seminar featuring Mark Olson of VECO Experts to discuss “Shop Process, Culture and Quality Control While Reducing Liability.” Hertz sponsored the meeting, which was held at the Springhill Suites in Sterling, VA. This well-attended meeting was held “for attendees to gain knowledge of proper processes and implementation or execution of quality control measures that gives them reduced liability and better practices for quality repairs,” WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler shared. Olson also discussed the proper process for ensuring consistent and thorough repair documentation, which he called the “Bulletproof File.” According to Hendler, “Mark far exceeded our expectations for his presentation. The content was of the highest quality and easy to understand, while also being accessible. Some speakers give the end objective without a clear path of execution, and he was able to do both! Attendees seemed surprised by the
Original Thought #78
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amount of information they were able to get from this meeting. Mark wasn’t giving them new information but packaging it in a way that was relevant to their issues and processes. “WMABA strives to bring national, quality speakers to our area as often as [time] permits with our members and leadership. When we have a
Mark Olson of VECO Experts presented a seminar to WMABA
meeting, trust that a lot has gone into that so that any meeting you attend with us is valuable to your daily business. This is not information you will receive directly into your own shop without a high price tag. If you want quality materials from the best there is, the best thing to do is to come to the association meetings. The association can bring them in, and you just have to show up!” For more information on WMABA, visit wmaba .com.
• Original BMW Parts & Accessories When you repair a BMW, use the parts that are identical to those used in Series production – and just as reliable. Choose Original BMW Parts and Accessories. Because you can’t repair your reputation.
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