FenderBender - September 2022

FENDERBENDER.COM / SEPTEMBER 2022

EXAMINING EXPANSION

PAG E 62

Strategies & Inspiration for Collision Repair Success

SPREADING YOUR MESSAGE

PAG E 70

COMMUNICATING WITH CUSTOMERS

LEADING

PAG E 6 0

THE WAY CELEBRATING THE 2022 FENDERBENDER AWARD WINNER PAG E 32

A Proud History Mike Schoonover has carried on his family’s legacy through personal and professional challenges while maintaining high standards and being a visible member of his Minnesota community.

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Go for performance.

Leave the dust behind.

Introducing

3M™ Cubitron™ II Net Abrasives For Automotive Repair

Get the job done sooner with 3M™ Cubitron™ II Net Abrasives, the fastest-cutting and longestlasting net abrasive discs and sheets in the world.

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CARBON FIBER PULL BARS Lightweight for single tech ease of use and 3 times stronger than steel.

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DEDICATED STORAGE DRAWERS Tools are separated and organized keeping them ready for dedicated use and making them easy to locate.

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CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 0 9 . 2 2

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V O L U M E

2 4

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N U M B E R

0 9

32

2022 FENDERBENDER AWARD WINNER MIKE SCHOONOVER

Community and family legacy are priorities for this Minnesota operator

BY MATT HUDSON

Printed in the U.S.A. COPYRIGHT ©2022 BY 10 Missions Media LLC. All rights reserved. FenderBender (ISSN 1937-7150) is published monthly by 10 Missions Media, LLC, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104. FenderBender content may not be photocopied, reproduced or redistributed without the consent of the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS Send address changes to: FenderBender, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104.

September 2022

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CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER

QUICK FIX

13

10

DRIVERS SEAT Celebrating nominees

11

PAST THE PAGE Two MSOs make big news

13

BREAKDOWN Power of teamwork

18

NUMBERS

The state of certs

21

LIGHT HITS

Student finds career

September 2022

6

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STRATEGY

COLUMNS

58

29

THE SOP

THE BIG IDEA

Thinking about certs

Examining your shop’s culture

60

BY K E VIN R AIN S

LEADERSHIP

CASE STUDY

Looking at expansion

Following the rules

BY JASON BOGG S

72

Wide open communication

62

74

OUTSIDE THE LINES

COLLISION COURSE

Making the difficult decisions

BY TIFFANY ME NE FE E

65

ADAPT

Tech and the aftermarket

70

62

SALES+MARKETING

Gaining media coverage

MAKE EVERY JOB A JOB WELL DONE.

Metalux LV is a new Low VOC paint that delivers ™

collision-quality color at an affordable price.

Backed by Axalta, it’s easy to use and provides the high-quality results you’ve come to expect from Metalux.

VALUE YOU CAN COUNT ON.

metalux.us

Copyright © 2022 Axalta Coating Systems, LLC and all affiliates. All rights reserved.

September 2022

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CONTENTS

ONLINE EXTRAS

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

3M

Axalta Coating Systems

Equalizer

Podium

AAA Auto Parts

Bosch

FinishMaster

PPG

ADAPT

CAPA

Keco Body Repair Products

ProColor Collision

AkzoNobel

CCC Intelligent Solutions

Kent Automotive

Pro Spot International

ALLDATA

Car-O-Liner

Launch Tech USA

ATA/Dan-Am Company

Associated Bank

CARSTAR

LKQ Corporation

Spanesi Americas

AUTEL

Collision Repair Education Foundation

Maaco

SUN Collision

Auto Data Labels

Enterprise

Mitsubishi

TechForce Foundation

EDITORIAL

Matt Hudson Content Director Todd Kortemeier Editor Hanna Bubser Digital Reporter Leah Marxhausen Special Projects Editor Jason Boggs Contributing Writer Noah Brown Contributing Writer Lindsey Gainer Contributing Writer Tiffany Menefee Contributing Writer Mike Munzenrider Contributing Writer Kevin Rains Contributing Writer Peter Suciu Contributing Writer

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

READ WHAT THE PROS READ

Jordan Beshears Steve’s Auto Body Sheryl Driggers Universal Collision Greg Lobsiger Loren’s Body Shop John Magowan Ernie’s Auto Body Stan Medina Certified Collision Works

ART AND PRODUCTION

Zach Pate Creative Services Director Jonathan Ricketts Art Director Olivia Curti Graphic Designer Morgan Glisczinski Graphic Designer Emme Osmonson Graphic Designer

SALES

Chris Messer Vice President and Publisher 651.846.9462 / cmesser@10missions.com Andrew Johnson Associate Publisher 651.846.9459 / ajohnson@10missions.com Marianne Dyal Marketing Strategist (National Accounts) 706.344.1388 / mdyal@10missions.com Chad Hjellming Marketing Strategist (National Accounts) 651.846.9463 / chjellming@10missions.com Bob Marinez Marketing Strategist (National Accounts) 216.533.8747 / bmarinez@10missions.com Martha Severson Marketing Strategist (National Accounts) 651.846.9452 / mseverson@10missions.com Kyle Shaw Marketing Strategist (National Accounts) 651.846.8480 / kshaw@10missions.com Dan Thornton Marketing Strategist (National Accounts) 734.676.9135 / dthornton@10missions.com Sean Thornton Marketing Strategist (National Accounts) 269.449.0257 / sthornton@10missions.com Kenzie Verschoor Associate Marketing Strategist (National Accounts) 651.846.9472 / kverschoor@10missions.com Matt Harper Regional Sales Manager 651.846.9551 / mharper@10missions.com Melody Todd Senior Marketing Strategist (Regional Accounts) 651.846.9468 / mtodd@10missions.com Autumn Morey Customer Success Representative 651.846.9460 / amorey@10missions.com Jen George Client Service Specialist 651.846.9465 / jgeorge@10missions.com

FENDERBENDER

Mariah Straub General Manager and Production Manager Meghann Moore Bookkeeper and Client Service Specialist Meghan Horan Community Development Associate Tiffany Fowler Senior Digital Media Strategist Karley Betzler Administrative Assistant

HOW TO RE ACH US

571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104 tel 651.224.6207 fax 651.224.6212 web 10missions.com The annual subscription rate is $72 (U.S.A. only) for companies not qualified to receive complimentary copies of FenderBender.

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

BACK IS SUE S

Past issue single copies are $8.

Go to fenderbender.com/backissues

LET TE RS TO THE E DITOR

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

editor@fenderbender.com

ARTICLE RE PRINTS

For high-quality reprints or e-prints of articles in this issue call 651.846.9488 or email reprints@fenderbender.com.

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

September 2022

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

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PA ST T H E PAGE

VIDEOS

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PODCASTS

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WEBINARS

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NEWS

CRASH CHAMPIONS ABSORBS SERVICE KING WITH NEW INVESTMENT

@fenderbendermag September 2022

@fenderbendermag

In the press release, José E. Feliciano, co-founder and managing partner, and Colin Leonard, partner of Clearlake, offered the following statement: “This investment was driven by our thematic-based approach to investing in the automotive aftermarket and our specific identification of the collision repair sector as an ecosystem at a historical inflection point. The proliferation of vehicle technology has put unique demands on the shop operators to invest in OEM certifications, equipment, and most importantly their personnel to deliver safe and efficient service. We are impressed by Matt and the Crash Champions leadership team and admire their commitment to customer service and re-investment in both their operations and talent.

It is exciting to partner with them to create this differentiated national platform, and we look forward to utilizing our O.P.S. framework to unlock the inherent value of this combination and position the platform for continued strong growth.”

Prior to the deal, the Crash Champions network extended to 20 states with more than 200 locations. The press release noted that no operational disruptions are expected. More details of the transaction were not disclosed.

@fenderbendermag 10

fenderbender.com/linkedin

fenderbender.com fenderbender.com

UNSPLASH

CR ASH CH A MPIONS A NNOUNCED that it will acquire Service King Collision with the help of a strategic investment from Clearlake Capital Group.

The deal gives Crash Champions a total network of 550 locations across 35 states and the District of Columbia, according to a press release. The total company workforce will be more than 9,200. All locations will operate under the Crash Champions name.

“Today is an exciting day for Crash Champions and another major milestone in our growth stor y,” said Matt Ebert, founder and CEO of Crash Champions, in the release.

“This strategic combination further enhances our ability to ser ve our customers and insurance partners while creating advancement opportunities for our team members across both organizations.”

The investment from Clearlake is described as growth capital and marks the investment firm’s second transaction in the collision repair industry, the release says. Clearlake was a main partner in Service King’s prior debt recapitalization.

Going forward, Crash Champions will oversee and manage the acquired network of shops.

DRIVER’S SEAT

A COMMUNITY OF WINNERS

This month we celebrate a few owners by name and many more helping to raise up the collision repair industry In addition to taking some time to honor our award winner, you’ll find more of our resources for the day-to-day operations of your shop in the rest of this month’s pages. They don’t hand out awards simply for showing up to work each day, but maybe they should. Thanks for showing up for your employees and your customers each and every day.

THERE’S AN IMPLICIT understanding that comes with handing out awards. The person who wins is of course deserving, but so are their fellow nominees. “It’s an honor just to be nominated,” goes the gracious response, and depending on your level of cynicism you may take that at face value or dismiss it as cliche, but it’s true.

Anyone in the conversation for an award should feel honored, not just 2022 FenderBender Award winner Mike Schoonover (p. 52) but also runners-up Ryan DeMarco (p. 74) and Cliff Sullivan (p. 76), as well as all the other distinguished owners and operators nominated by their colleagues. There are cases to be made for so many people, cases that were made passionately in nominations. In these challenging times there are a myriad of owners who have overcome professional and personal setbacks to succeed.

But there can only be one winner, of course, and Mike Schoonover exemplifies that resiliency owners have had to have over the past few years. Carrying on the family business, growing it through tough times, is a story I think you’ll enjoy reading.

The same goes for Cliff Sullivan, who may have been nominated specifically for how he successfully navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, but who was able to do so because of the culture he’d established across decades. And then there’s Ryan DeMarco, an owner still in his late 20s who has already made a name for himself with early success. I hope you’ll join me in celebrating their achievements.

September 2022

TODD KORTEMEIER

EDITOR

tkortemeier@endeavorb2b.com

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Automotive Technology Summit

THE COUNTDOWN TO THE 2023 ADAPT AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT STARTS NOW DATES AND LOCATION FOR 2023 ADAPT SUMMIT WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON! JOIN THE UPDATES LIST TO GET FIRST ACCESS TO NEWS. LEARN MORE AT A DA P T S U M M I T.C O M

NEWS

Q U I C K

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IDEAS

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PEOPLE

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TRENDS

F I X

A NA LYSIS

UNSPLASH

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

I T ’ S T H E B E G I N N I N G of a new school year, and that means that class is in session.

For technical schools like Lincoln Tech, this goes beyond getting students back into a classroom.

It’s about setting students up to succeed in a career, which the school approaches in a multitude of ways.

Lincoln Tech establishes partnerships with brands to expand upon the hands-on training offered to its students

By HANNA BUBSER

September 2022

13

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ARE YOU READY FOR THE 2023 FENDERBENDER MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE? NEXT YEAR’S DATES AND LOCATION WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY! JOIN THE UPDATE LIS T FOR NEWS ON THE TOP BUSINESS BUILDING EVENT FOR THE COLLISION REPAIR INDUS TRY. F E N D E R B E N D E R C O N F E R E N C E .C O M

QUICK FIX

September 2022

these relationships and being associated with these premium brands is helpful.”

The partnerships help Lincoln Tech to keep things consistent across all of the campuses that have collision repair programs, which includes six of its 22 campuses across the country.

These locations include: East Windsor, Connecticut; Grand Prairie, Texas; Indianapolis; Melrose Park, Illinois; Nashville, Tennessee; and Denver.

“Whether you’re a student who attends our East Windsor campus in collision, or whether you’re a student who attends our Grand Prairie campus, what you experience over the program and the products you use … are virtually identical,” Nyce explains.

“It’s very similar to how a franchise model would work.”

Discover New Perspectives

Global Finishing Solutions, a manufacturer that provides paint booths and finishing environments for multiple industries, is in one such partnership that brings the brand’s products to some of

15

Fill a Critical Need

AkzoNobel is another example of a Lincoln Tech partner as the school’s exclusive source for paints and refinish coatings.

This partnership will apply to all six of the Lincoln Tech locations that offer collision repair programming. It’s a partnership that came naturally as Rich DeCamp, district sales manager at AkzoNobel, explains.

“We were already servicing two locations for a number of years and had a strong relationship with them, as well as a track record of support,” DeCamp says.

In addition to products, AkzoNobel will also provide Lincoln Tech with technical training that complements the collision program and the AkzoNobel Acoat Selected e-learning training academy, which is a suite of online learning classes.

fenderbender.com

UNSPLASH

Founded in 1946 in Newark, New Jersey, the school came into existence through the motivation of helping World War II veterans find jobs. Initially, this focused on the automotive and diesel industries.

Today, Lincoln Tech offers areas of study that include transportation, automotive, collision, heavy equipment repair, skilled trades such as welding and electrical and even cosmetology and medicaloriented fields of study.

Lincoln Tech has a network that allows them to support their students.

This includes establishing partnerships with trusted industry brands. Chad Nyce, Lincoln Tech’s chief innovation officer, explains how this is applicable to the school’s collision repair and refinishing programming.

“Students want to know that, when they’re coming to Lincoln Tech, they’re going to be using some of the best tools and equipment and products that are on the market,” Nyce says. “That really does make a difference. We believe that they’re literally the best in their industry, so, having

Lincoln Tech’s campuses.

This includes two side downdraft paint booths and a paint mix room that were recently installed at Lincoln Tech’s Denver location, and GFS products that will soon be installed at the Lincoln Tech Nashville campus.

Lance Watkins, senior territory manager at Global Finishing Solutions, sees this collaboration as mutually beneficial.

“The ultimate goal is that we want to gather feedback from the Lincoln Tech students about the performance and the usability of our equipment,” Watkins says.

“Having never before used automotive painting equipment or anything like that, students will bring a fresh perspective and give us some ideas.”

GFS will also train Lincoln Tech instructors on its REVO Accelerated Curing Systems at all six of the campuses that offer collision repair programs.

“By them teaching these kids already how to use accelerated curing, and what the benefit of that is, I think that’s a huge kudos to Lincoln Tech for making that investment,” Watkins says.

Overall, Watkins is confident that working with Lincoln Tech to bring GFS products to students will have a positive impact.

“It’s important to us because all of these students that will be going through the Lincoln Tech program are not only getting trained properly, which is the most important thing,” Watkins says. “But they are also getting to use GFS equipment, [which] is also very important.”

QUICK FIX

“We have a history of providing more than just a can of paint,” DeCamp says.

“Providing hands-on training as well as educational services is what we specialize in, and that’s a good fit for what Lincoln Tech is trying to do.”

The reach that Lincoln Tech has in regards to training future technicians is a motivating factor for AkzoNobel, as it not only utilizes the brand but also supports the industry overall.

“We’re looking to support the industry as much as we can, especially at a critical time with the technician shortage, and ultimately create more interest in the industry and the critical roles the trades play in our workforce,” DeCamp says.

Global Finishing Solutions and AkzoNobel will also provide product support to Lincoln Tech’s Kindig Academy, which is a six-week fabrication and finishing course held at Lincoln Tech’s Denver campus. Both brands have a partnership history with Dave Kindig of Kindig It Design.

GFS is providing an Excel Worksta-

tion at Kindig Academy that acts as a safe and controlled environment for sanding, priming and some painting.

AkzoNobel has worked with Kindig on the Modern Classikk paint line. This line is derived from the Sikkens refinish brand from AkzoNobel, which will be used at Kindig Academy.

Understand the Impact

Global Finishing Solutions and AkzoNobel are not the only partnership pursuits of Lincoln Tech, but they are two examples that show the impact of teaming up.

Peter Tahinos, senior vice president of marketing at Lincoln Tech, points out that bringing successful brands into the educational sphere allows for realistic experiences to occur.

“We try to create a real world environment in our schools so that students are using the same equipment that they’ll use in the field once they graduate,” Tahinos says. “Whether it’s paint or tools or

whatever it might be, we’re always trying to create that environment that mimics the real world that they’re going to face once they get out of school.”

Another hope for promoting these hands-on product and project experiences for students is that Lincoln Tech can effectively set up its student body for a lasting career. This is especially crucial these days, considering the on-going labor shortage in the industry.

“When students come to us and are interested in any of our programs, we really take a lot of time to help them understand what the jobs in these different industries look like. The last thing we want to do is have a student come, and we train them for a year, and then they get out into the job and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is not anything like I thought it was going to be,’” Nyce says. “We really do spend a lot of time making sure that our students understand the job prospects that are out there for them and the different types of places they could work.”

FOLLOW WHAT THE LEADERS FOLLOW CONNECT WITH FENDERBENDER FOR THE L AT E S T C O L L I S I O N R E PA I R C O N T E N T September 2022

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FOLLOW WHAT THE LEADERS FOLLOW. CONNECT WITH FENDERBENDER FOR T H E L AT E S T C O L L I S I O N R E PA I R C O N T E N T September 2022

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QUICK FIX

NUMBERS

STATE OF THE CERTS T H E 2022 F E N D E R B E N D E R I N D U S T R Y S U R V E Y revealed much about the state of the industry and where things are trending. And while the largest segment of responders—34 percent—reported no revenue from DRPs, more than half also reported having no OEM certifications.

Here’s a breakdown of where shops stand on certs in 2022.

(Percent of overall survey respondents)

47%

9%

8%

No certifications

No certifications,

1 certification

but planning to get some

14%

5%

16%

2-3 certifications

4-5 certifications

6 or more certifications

Become A Certified Auto Glass Technician Today!

September 2022

18

512-807-3526 AUTOGLASSACADEMY.COM fenderbender.com

WHY FRANK’S COLLISION MADE THE SWITCH

BUSINESS PROFILE

FRANK’S COLLISION Columbus, Georgia Frank Wilcox ~ Owner

4 40 5 5 69

LOCATIONS EMPLOYEES PAINTERS PAINT BOOTHS VEHICLES PER WEEK

Frank Wilcox

“With the help of PPG’s Trend Tracker, we went from losing money on paint and materials to making a profit and keeping our P&M down to around 5.5%.”

“We greatly reduced redos using the Envirobase system.”

“PPG is more like a family relationship— they’re always on your side and will go out of their way to help.”

PERFORMANCE YOU CAN COUNT ON The PPG Logo, Envirobase and the Multiple Cubes Geometric Design are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. ©2022 PPG Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.envirobase.com

PERFECT FIT. PERFECT FINISH.

GENUINE MITSUBISHI PARTS. Mitsubishi not only offers quality vehicles but quality crash parts too!

Choose Genuine Mitsubishi Parts for quick, efficient delivery to help keep you and your customers happy. For inventory information and to find out about price reductions on all models, contact your local dealer today.

QUICK FIX

LIGHT HITS

Despite the industry-wide labor shortage, young people like Mya Julius are still motivated to carve out their careers in collision repair.

According to WNYT News 13, the 19-year-old Julius is enrolled in the Hudson Valley Community College Automotive Technical ServicesAutobody Repair associate degree program. The school is in Troy, New York.

Julius, who grew up in Cambridge, has loved working on cars since she was young thanks to the influence of her grandfather.

“I spent a lot of time with my grandfather growing up,” Julius said to WNYT. “He had a lot of older cars and tractors and he’d always talk about fixing them up and all of the cars that he had when he was growing up. I loved it. I loved the idea of that.”

The Hudson Valley Community College program covers many different components of collision repair, from detailing to structural to non-structural repair and more.

Although the automotive aftermarket is mostly male-dominated, Julius doesn’t necessarily give much thought to gender in the field.

“I never really had a problem with it. I never really looked at it as an obstacle.”

Julius said.

Julius is still a student, but she is already working in the industry. Hudson Valley Community College is hopeful that more young people like Julius will follow suit and explore repair-oriented opportunities.

JASON WONG AWARDED US CARSTAR FRANCHISEE OF THE YEAR

CARSTAR has announced Jason Wong as the United States 2022 Franchisee of the Year.

According to a press release, the honor was bestowed upon Wong at the opening ceremonies of the CARSTAR Conference 2022 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville on July 13, 2022.

“This is incredible, what an honor to

September 2022

Power of Education The Hudson Valley Community College collision repair program offers an education in a wide spectrum of specialties in the industry.

be named as the CARSTAR Franchisee of the Year,” said Wong in the press release. “Thank you to the team at CARSTAR—the leadership from Michael Macaluso and Dean Fisher, the operations team and our team at CARSTAR Auto World Collision. I texted them first thing to say it was a team award, not the franchisee of the year award but the FRANCHISE of the year.

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This shows that the CARSTAR way works and all the CSI and KPI measurements prove the performance.”

Wong joined CARSTAR in 2018 and has locations in San Jose and San Francisco, California.

The Canadian 2022 Franchisee of the Year was announced to be the CARSTAR Centennial Auto Group, which is led by Ezra, David and Robert Kember.

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VINCENT GIORDANO/HVCC

19-YEAR-OLD FINDS CAREER OPPORTUNITY THROUGH HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

QUICK FIX

SOUTHEAST COLLISION CONFERENCE HONORS INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

The Southeast Collision Conference honored 10 industry professionals at an awards ceremony.

According to a press release, the recently held conference was hosted by the Carolinas Collision Association, Gulf States Collision Association,

and Tennessee Collision Repairers Association in late June 2022 in Richburg, South Carolina.

The three associations chose a collective of 10 collision repair professionals to honor at the conference’s opening awards ceremony.

Those individuals included:

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September 2022

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• GSCA 2021 Most Improved Shop of the Year, Mississippi – Richie’s Collision Center of Hattiesburg, Mississippi • TCRA 2021 Most Improved Shop of the Year, Tennessee – Wallace Collision Center of Bristol, Tennessee • CCA 2021 Most Improved Shop of the Year, North Carolina – Statesville Collision Center of Statesville, North Carolina • CCA 2021 Most Improved Shop of the Year, South Carolina – Prestige Collision Services of Pendleton, South Carolina • CCA 2021 Board Member of the Year – Ted Martin of Bill Black Chevrolet in Greensboro, North Carolina • CCA 2021 Tech of the Year – Marc John of Statesville Collision Center in Statesville, North Carolina • CCA 2021 Painter of the Year – Kirt Martin of Palmetto Paint and Body Works in Camden, South Carolina • CCA 2021 Estimator of the Year – Michaela Hood of Galeana’s Collision Center in Columbia, South Carolina • CCA 2021 Detailer of the Year – Zack McClure of Starnes Collision Center in Charlotte, North Carolina • CCA 2021 CSR of the Year – Ashley Stukes of Big Chris Collision in Aiken, South Carolina “The greatest act of love and community that you can show is selflessness, and I think everybody here understands the importance of that,” CCA President Kyle Bradshaw said at the ceremony, according to the press release. “Seven years ago, there was nowhere we could go to network and bounce ideas off each other. But a couple people employed selflessness to get this association started, and others gave selflessly—our members and sponsors have given their time and financial resources. We want to reward those who are selfless in their organizations.”

Those chosen to be recognized were selected based upon their motivation and efforts to “do the right thing,” according to the press release.

This year was the inaugural year of the Southeast Collision Conference and plans are underway for another event in 2023.

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The ProColor team of industry professionals are dedicated to performance excellence offering the sales, operational and marketing support needed to take business to the next level.

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

The ProColor PROcess is a winning formula.

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

ProColor Collision USA LLC, 650 Pelham Blvd, Suite 100, St. Paul, MN 55114 ® Registered Trademark of MONDOFIX INC.

QUICK FIX

Driven Brands has announced that Jose Tomás has been elected to its board of directors.

According to a press release, Tomás is the chief administrative officer for TelevisaUnivision, which is the leading Spanish language content and media company in the world. He also has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in management from Florida International University.

The election of Tomás, which went into effect on July 11, 2022, brings the board’s total to nine members.

“We’re thrilled to have Jose join our board of directors,” said Jonathan Fitzpatrick, CEO and president of Driven Brands, in the press release. “He brings a wide breadth of experience, diverse perspective and keen focus on operations, people and culture that will be invaluable as we continue to grow Driven. His election also marks an important milestone in Driven’s journey as a public company as the majority of our directors are now independent.”

Additionally, the board has changed the Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to have only independent directors. Tomás will serve on both committees.

QUARTER OF AMERICANS WANT AN EV, SURVEY SAYS

A survey from AAA has revealed that onequarter of Americans are likely to buy an electric vehicle for their next car purchase.

According to the Lane Report, the greatest percentage of the individuals who responded to the AAA survey are millennials, making up 30 percent of those who would buy an EV. The AAA survey showed that 77 percent of people desiring the EV route want to do so because of high gas prices. Overall, the survey found that one in four Americans want their next car to be fully electric.

“The increase in gas prices over the last six months has pushed consumers to consider going electric, especially vehicle owners within that 26- to 41-year-old age group,” said Lori Weaver Hawkins, public affairs manager, AAA Blue Grass, according

September 2022

to the Lane Report. “They are looking for ways to save and automakers continue to incorporate sought-after styling and the latest cutting-edge technology into electric vehicles, which appeals to this group of drivers in particular.”

Regardless of the intention to go electric, the survey showcased certain hesitancies as well. Range anxiety is still prevalent, with 58 percent of respondents concerned about running out of a charge while driving.

Additionally, 60 percent cited high purchase prices as a concern, 55 percent said the cost of battery replacement, and 31 percent said the inability to install a charging station where they live. Fifty-five percent of respondents fear that EVs are not suitable for long-distance traveling, and 60 percent worry that there are not enough places to charge the vehicle.

NABC HOSTS EMERGENCY EXTRICATION DEMONSTRATION IN NASHVILLE

In June, the National Auto Body Council through its F.R.E.E. program hosted a hands-on extrication demonstration for Nashville first responders.

According to a press release, the event was put on by the NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication program as well as Gerber Collision & Glass, Nissan North America, and Genesis Rescue Programs. Over 30 first

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responders were in attendance from the Nashville Fire Department and other nearby areas.

“As a Nashville resident, this NABC F.R.E.E. event was extra special,” said Kyle Mederios, chair of the NABC F.R.E.E. committee. “Being able to witness firsthand the scenarios first responders are presented with and the quick, precise thinking they must perform gave me an even greater respect for them. As a result of this event and our great partnerships with Gerber Collision & Glass, Nissan North America, and Genesis Rescue Systems, we’re already working to host another event soon.”

The goal of events such as these is to help first responders have a full understanding of everything from advanced vehicle technologies to latemodel vehicles in order to help them with rescue and emergency situations.

First responders are the first people on the scene of an accident, so understanding how a vehicle works can be crucial in helping them achieve their mission. The NABC F.R.E.E program aims to help them navigate these challenges.

This event took place on June 25.

Gerber Collision & Glass in Nashville hosted the event at its location. Nissan North America provided the vehicles that were used, and Genesis Rescue System provided the classroom education as well as the extrication demonstration.

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UNSPLASH

DRIVEN BRANDS ELECTS JOSE TOMÁS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bosch ADAS Calibration System The complete solution that enables shops to recalibrate vehicle camera and radar systems with confidence, speed, efficiency, precision and a vision for the future.

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You can count on Bosch, the global leader in diagnostics, to deliver a full range of solutions that work together to make your service process precise and simple.

Solutions for every job. boschdiagnostics.com

N O M AT T E R H O W refined the approach a tech takes to research, information gaps in the automotive aftermarket are inevitable. Seeking out up-to-date and relevant information is a huge part of conducting a successful repair on every vehicle these days, but the research process can be a daunting task to complete on top of all the other daily demands.

S PA R E PA RT S

STREAMLINING REPAIR RESEARCH

By NOAH BROWN AND HANNA BUBSER

September 2022

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UNSPLASH

QUICK FIX

Hopping on a computer and clicking onto the first online search engine that pops up can seem like the easiest route, but on a platform as vast as the world wide web the options are endless—and in this case, that isn’t always a good thing.

The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair understands not only the existence of knowledge gaps, but

September 2022

also takes into account something else: how precious time is when it comes to conducting a repair.

Time is not always on your side. As a working professional in this industry, you don’t always have hours to dedicate to getting an answer on a complex repair or guidance on difficult detail.

In fact, you rarely have time for that.

But at the end of the day, you still deserve access to the information that can help you towards a job done.

Scott VanHulle, manager of RTS and OEM relations for I-CAR, says that having this kind of vetted information is incredibly helpful in the long run.

“There are a lot of things that if you’re not doing it and you’re missing it, you may not have a problem for a while,” VanHulle says. “But one day it will happen, and that’s going to be a problem that you don’t want to have.”

That’s why I-CAR has the Repairability Technical Support system. It is an online database that takes the guesswork out of repair research by providing access to vast amounts of information to help guide even the toughest repair questions.

“Every one of these vehicles is different. Each model year is different … we pride ourselves on only having up-to-date information.” He says.

VanHulle notes that the system has updated information that gets refined through the input of its users. This system is open to anyone for use and does not currently require a login.

“We gathered together this information after thousands and thousands of hours of research from all these different areas that might trigger some of these different calibration events,” VanHulle explains. “And [we] put it into one location so that when you’re writing that repair order … you can find that information upfront and you’re not trying to scramble on a Friday afternoon.”

A massive pull for utilizing the RTS system is that it offers a more streamlined approach to research, which in turn saves time.

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Basically, it can do some of the initial grunt work for the user. Across an industry where information is constantly changing, it is important to have resources in your back pocket that provide guidance and solutions to more than one problem at a time.

VanHulle sees the value in resources such as these and believes that the RTS system can be one such tool.

“It’s really there to help people find the information that’s out there and identify any of those gaps and help get those closed,” he says.

The rise in ADAS prevalence and new vehicle technology often not only requires an individual to absorb new information, but also could require adapting some of the repair procedures that are already familiar.

“A simple job is no longer simple with all the calibrations that need to be done,” VanHulle says.

That is why the RTS system goes straight to the source and refers heavily to OEM procedure.

“Our main focus is always ‘what does the OEM say? What does the OEM provide?’ So [that’s what] we are always going for … directing people how to get to that information and how to interpret that information,” VanHulle says.

VanHulle explains that finding a repair procedure with the RTS system could take five minutes compared to blindly researching for three hours or more.

Ultimately, the best strategy for staying informed starts with knowing where to do your research and using those tools to your advantage. You never know what changes could happen next in the aftermarket.

“If you’re not using the RTS website, you’re going to be missing some of those important steps because the amount of information out there is a little overwhelming at times,” VanHulle says. “So you really need to dive down to make sure that you’re not missing a vital step when all of the sudden systems aren’t available or something’s not working properly.”

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COLUMNS

THE BIG IDEA

The Secret Sauce of Culture Attracting and retaining talent through intentional culture building I want to return in this month’s column to a topic I used to talk about a lot but haven’t in a long time: culture. Culture is a word that is getting thrown around a lot these days—and for good reason! I think we are discovering the truth of what Peter Drucker said long ago, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” If you have the secret sauce of a great culture, the strategy will take care of itself.

Another reason culture is so important is the talent pool of workers seems to be shrinking. Perhaps that’s a generational thing. Or maybe it’s because so many people got a life reset when COVID hit. I’m sure there are many reasons. I’m also sure this situation is way more complex than any one thing or some simple explanation. But the reality remains: the talent pool is shrinking. And this is hitting our industry especially hard. Many of us have been fighting for years to find and keep enough workers to do the work that was coming at us. But what is it that draws and then keeps people engaged with a shop? In a word, culture.

Fewer people are willing to just work a job for a paycheck. They want the environment they work in to be fulfilling, fun even. They want their job to have meaning and be tied to a higher purpose than simply making the owners more money!

And they want to be productive. They really do!

People aren’t wired for meaningless work where they sit around and just do the minimum to collect a check. If that’s your view of people then you are the problem. Deep down people want to be productive but they need the tools, the opportunity, the affirmation, and the environment to support that. So, if our plan is simply to just “pay more and expect more,” we are going to lose in the end. No matter how much marketing and sales we do, if we don’t have talent to get the work out it won’t matter. We’ll just have the same issue: more opportunity than capacity.

We have to get culture right. Our shop’s longterm survival depends on it. But how? How do we get culture right?

JILL MATTHEWS

Only two things are needed: 1. Understand what culture is 2. Understand how to influence it First, what is culture? Every shop has values.

Sometimes these values are not stated. Other times they are declared but not adhered to. But in the best shops, they are both clear and reinforced

September 2022

regularly throughout the organization. That is culture—living out the values and scaling them throughout the whole shop. Things like quality craftsmanship, caring for customers with empathy, being generous to the communities we work in, and offering opportunities for our team to get training and advance in their careers. These are all examples of values. And these values get communicated in the way we hire, fire, review and retain talent. They get expressed by good boundaries—like what we will or will not tolerate. And keep in mind, values are not aspirational (that’s vision) Values are more discovered than made.

You already have them. Now it’s time to see if they really represent who you are and will help you build the kind of team and business the world needs more of. And one that will attract and retain talent.

So, how do we influence it?

Here’s my very simple perspective on influencing culture.

All businesses have leaders. Call them founders, owners, managers—it doesn’t matter. There is someone influencing others in the organization at scale. Let’s say a shop has 12 people working in it from front to back. Someone’s job touches all 12 of those people and that person is calling the shots.

On any team there are players and there are coaches. The coaches define the culture.

Culture starts with a leader. And for the record, if you’re reading this, that’s likely you. In some capacity, you are leading others. And people are watching you and listening to you for cues on how to work—what to do next, how things get done, what you will tolerate and what you won’t. And leaders have both character and tasks. It’s the combo of who they are and what they do. Both of these influence the culture. Are you casting a vision more significant than “let’s just make it to Friday so we can play on the weekends!” Are you cutting corners on repairs to get it out the door or are you reinforcing high quality through rigorous quality control checks all along the way as vehicles move from one department to the next?

Your shop has a culture and it’s made up of your values. Your values determine what you will and will not tolerate, what you expect, how the work gets done, and why it gets done in the way it does. These are all things under your direct control. And these are the very things that make up your culture.

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KEVIN RAINS

After 18 years in the industry, Kevin Rains sold his network of shops. He now coaches body shop owners and leaders and is the author of the upcoming book Launch to Legacy: The Small Business Roadmap to Success and Significance.

You can reach Kevin at kevinrains@gmail.com

EMAIL:

kevinrains@gmail.com

ARCHIVE:

fenderbender.com/rains

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

2022

FENDERBENDER AWARD WINNER: Mike Schoonover

This operator focuses on family ties, quality work, and community service

BREE MCGEE

By M AT T HUDSON

September 2022

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

The Family Business Mike Schoonover and his wife Gayle are stewards of the shop started by Mike’s grandfather in the 1930s.

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W H I C H H I S T O R Y to start with?

Schoonover Bodyworks has an impressive one, starting in 1938 when Chuck Schoonover borrowed $50 from a Saint Paul, Minnesota, business owner to help launch the Schoonover Auto Rebuild.

The collision repair shop has been in family hands ever since. Mike Schoonover is the third-generation owner alongside his wife, Gayle.

Schoonover’s own history is intertwined with the shop.

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“I grew up in the business,” he says.

“As a kid, I would ride with dad whenever he would go into the office on the weekends and just kind of hang out.”

After college, Schoonover went to work at the shop. At various times, he was a shop runner, cleaner, parts manager, production manager, sales and front office, and executive at the company. He and Gayle officially took over as owners in 2000.

Thus began an impressive ownership history for Schoonover. Not only has

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Congratulations Mike Schoonover and the Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass team

CCC is proud to work with Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass. Mike Schoonover embodies the best of our industry with his outstanding service to his customers, and his commitment to making heart scans more accessible and affordable through the Patrick Schoonover Heart Foundation.

To learn more about the Patrick Schoonover Heart Foundation, visit playforpatrick.org.

Mike Schoonover with Maria Taylor (CCC)

F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

A Community Landmark Schoonover’s shop is known not only for quality repairs but its community involvement.

he built the operation into a modern powerhouse, he sought to help guide the future of collision repair at large.

His industry ties include serving on the I-CAR Board of Directors, CAPA Technical Committee and Board of Directors, ASA Collision Division, AASPMN Collision Committee and that Board of Directors.

The most impactful part of the Schoonovers’ history was the 2014 death of their son, Patrick, from a heart condition. In the wake of that deeply painful event, the Schoonover family has helped to raise awareness of heart health and screened thousands of kids through a foundation.

Today, Schoonover Bodyworks remains a successful, local, single-shop operation that’s going through a bit of a growth spurt. Schoonover is actively testing his expertise and leadership along the way.

“Growing this business is challenging,” he says. “We’re having to add more people. Gayle does the books, pays the bills, and she’s also the partner in this business and tr ying to make your life away from work easy—and still you know you’ve got the challenges ahead of adding more people and stress and workload.”

What shows through all those histories is a dedication to customer service and quality repair. And in the case of Schoonover Bodyworks, that dedication has stood the test of time.

That’s the mark of a solid collision repair business, and this year, it’s the setting for the 2022 FenderBender Award winner, Mike Schoonover.

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Congratulations Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass! We are proud to be your partner in paint.

F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

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SCHOONOVER BODYWORKS AND GLASS LOCATION:

SHOREVIEW, MN

STAFF SIZE:

18

AVER AGE SHOP SIZE:

14,000 SQUARE FEET

AVER AGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

132

ARO:

$2,250

TOTAL ANNUAL REVENUE:

$3.5 MILLION

An Evolving Brand

The Name on the Building A Schoonover has presided over the ever-growing business since Chuck Schoonover founded the company in 1938.

September 2022

Schoonover Bodyworks maintained its high level of quality after Mike Schoonover took over as owner. But he wasn’t afraid to make some changes. After experimenting with a mobile glass repair and installation setup, Schoonover brought glass in-house.

That coincided with another change.

“That kind of turned into, ‘As long as your car is here, we can change your oil or rotate your tires,’” he says.

Schoonover started offering some maintenance services, creating a true onestop shop that’s not as common for collision repairers. The shop offers air conditioning service, alignments, brake work, oil changes, shock and strut replacement, steering and suspension work, and more. It was a lot to take on for the 14,000-square-foot business in Shoreview, Minnesota.

Schoonover’s team became really thrifty with space when they started working on ADAS components about five years ago. The shop became an early adopter of in-house ADAS work.

“We started doing that stuff in-house maybe four or five years ago,” Schoonover says. “We do the pre-and post-scans and are able to do most calibrations in-house.”

Space concerns become acute when working with ADAS. Schoonover says that they often plan a shop day around calibration work in order to clear the space required to perform them.

The motivation to bring all these processes into the shop stems from the idea that true quality control is to have

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

A One-Stop Shop Schoonover has worked to add a wide range of services to his shop’s offerings.

September 2022

those processes happen at your business.

Schoonover doesn’t want to stake his business’ reputation on outsourced work or processes.

“Dad taught me this at a young age: The more you can do under one roof, the better you can be,” he says.

Given the ambitious service menu at Schoonover Bodyworks, it’s no wonder that the shop is due for an expansion.

It wasn’t a straightforward process. For years, Schoonover’s father still owned the building. He says that it wasn’t right to push

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for an expansion without ownership of the real estate. They ended up turning down business when the backlog grew too large.

“Years ago, we had a need to grow, because our business was flourishing,” he says. “We wanted to add more people, we were running into backlogs.”

In 2020, the Schoonovers finally purchased the building. But then came another decision. They received multiple buyout offers for the longtime family business. The incentives to take the cash and exit can be tempting. But with all the foundation the

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Congratulations Mike ~ Schoonover Bodyworks & Glass on being chosen 2022 collision repair shop

Thank you for using SATA equipment in your shop!

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As a manufacturing company, sustainable growth is of great importance to us and an integral part of our daily activities. This includes the consistent conservation of resources and avoidance of waste. As an example, we produce part of our electricity with our own solar power and have reduced our waste volume by around 20% in the last five years.

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INFO

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

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“I THINK IT WOULD BE COOL TO SEE WHAT THE BUSINESS CAN DO WITH THE DREAM THAT WE HAD OF MAKING IT BIGGER AND BETTER.” —M IK E S C H O O N O V E R

owner, Schoonover Bodyworks

Schoonovers had made in the business, it wasn’t realistic to walk away.

“I think it would be cool to see what this business can do with the dream that we had of making it bigger and better,” Schoonover says.

He and Gayle remained in place and made plans to create the space for their ambitious one-stop shop outlook. This summer, those plans turned into action, and crews broke ground to add an additional 7,000 square feet or so to the space. The shop continues to evolve in a competitive marketplace.

“I think our customers have appreciated it. We welcome competition,” Schoonover says. “A lot of folks said back in the day that big consolidators are going to drive us out of business, and I don’t think that’s the case at all. Consolidators have pushed us to be better.”

On the Rise Schoonover Bodyworks and its team of 18 employees is in the midst of an expansion.

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Industry Growth

Schoonover has a long list of industry affiliations, both locally and nationally.

Around 2007, he got an opportunity to join the prestigious I-CAR Board of Directors as

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

Doing More Schoonover has taken on leadership roles in industry associations such as I-CAR.

September 2022

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a representative from the Automotive Service Association.

A Twin Cities colleague asked Schoonover to take on that role. It was Darrell Amberson, president of operations for LaMettry’s Collision. Around 2007, Amberson had established his tenure at ASA leadership, and a board position opened up at I-CAR to represent ASA. Schoonover says he was honored to be asked to join, and he took the opportunity. The experience turned out to be worthwhile.

“Being a part of the I-CAR board of di-

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rectors on behalf of ASA was probably my most favorite, just because there were a lot of people on the board who were way smarter than me,” Schoonover says. “Executives from different companies that serve the collision repair industry. Those people were brilliant.”

Amberson says that Schoonover was perfect for the position.

“Very good operator, very conscientious,” Amberson says of Schoonover. “Very high standards of integrity and intelligence. He loves the business.”

Amberson says that the high standard

September 2022

of professionalism runs in the Schoonover family. Schoonover’s father, Dick, was among a group of Twin Cities collision repair operators who sought to elevate the profile of the industry, battling the perception of the “grease monkey” and promoting one of intelligent business leaders. Dick Schoonover passed away in 2020.

Amberson says that Mike Schoonover carries that torch, acting with professionalism and pride in the work. Part of that characteristic is the inability to let mistakes pass. Amberson tells one story about a shop visit years ago in Michigan. The visit was

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

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CONGRATS, SCHOONOVER BODYWORKS!

“WE SHOULD ALL BE WORKING ON MAKING THE INDUSTRY BETTER, MAKING IT SAFER, AND DOING RIGHT

BY THE CUSTOMER.” —D A R R E L L A M B E R S O N

president of operations for LaMettry’s Collision

part of a CAPA committee, and the hosting shop belonged to the CEO at the time.

Part of the visit included a look at test fitting for parts to ensure that they meet strict OEM specifications for thickness, corrosion resistance, and other factors.

“We’re in this room, and pretty soon Mike speaks up and says, ‘Look at this hood over here,’” Amberson says.

The hood wasn’t fitting as it should during this parts fitting presentation. It was a bit of an embarrassment for the host, but it showed Shoonover’s dedication to quality.

Though Amberson and Schoonover operate in the same metro area, it’s the larger goal of elevating an industry that binds them.

“It’s what we should be doing. When it comes to competing with the customer, we’re each going to try and make the sale,” Amberson says. “But at the same time, we should all be working on making the industry better, making it safer, and doing right by the consumer.”

All of us at Associated Bank would like to congratulate Mike Schoonover of Schoonover Bodyworks on receiving the 2022 Fender Bender Finest in Collison Repair.

Play For Patrick The Quality’s the Thing Schoonover has established a reputation for quality and accuracy in completing repairs.

September 2022

Patrick Schoonover scored the first goal in a youth hockey game on Nov. 14, 2014.

Schoonover and Gayle were at the game.

Moments after the goal, Patrick died on the ice. He had complications related to an undetected heart defect.

“When they brought him to the hos-

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Member FDIC. (8/22) PO6984

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

Play for Patrick Out of the tragic death of the Schoonovers’ son Patrick came a foundation to help identify similar life-threatening heart conditions in children.

September 2022

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pital, they weren’t able to revive him,” Schoonover says. “He had two issues with his heart, and even if it happened when he was in an emergency room and that happened with his heart, they wouldn’t have been able to bring him back.”

It was a devastating blow to the family, their friends, and the Minnesota youth hockey community. Through the pain and healing processes, a community of professionals started rallying around the case. A family member was seeing a cardiologist, who offered to help educate others on heart

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health and regular checks. That’s how the Foundation started.

“That was when we met with that cardiologist, and we decided that we didn’t want another family to feel what we were going through,” Schoonover says. “We started a foundation in Patrick's name and started doing heart screenings.”

The Patrick Schoonover Heart Foundation is the result of the work by the Schoonovers, volunteer cardiologists, and a network of supporters. The Foundation sets up heart screening events for kids to iden-

September 2022

tify potential issues—like the one that went undetected in Patrick.

Through spring 2022, the Foundation has held 25 screens for 4,178 kids. More than 500 of those kids were found to have elevated blood pressure or some signs of an abnormality, leading them to pursue other health checks that are potentially life-saving.

“Those 4,100 kids have been screened.

A lot of them have been screened and they know that they’re OK,” Schoonover says.

“And there are more kids who now know

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

September 2022

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“WE DECIDED THAT WE DIDN’T WANT ANOTHER FAMILY TO FEEL WHAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH.” —M IK E S C H O O N O V E R

owner, Schoonover Bodyworks

that they have an issue that needs to be dealt with, either severe or minor. And they’re going to pay attention.”

The foundation encourages those athletic kids to Play for Patrick. That extension of help to others is right in line with Patrick’s character, Schoonver says.

“We like to think that he’s helping and looking out for other kids,” he says. “In real life, he was one that would look out for other kids or other teammates. Just a competitor and great all-around kid. We feel as though he would be happy.”

The Family Business

The Family Legacy Schoonover values his shop’s history as a family-owned business and what that means to his customers.

September 2022

Schoonover is extremely proud of the family business. He says that their focus is to sharpen their single-shop operation to be the best and most comprehensive offering for the local clientele, who view local ownership as a strong incentive.

“With everything that’s gone on in the past couple years in the world, the appreciation for family-owned businesses has gone up dramatically,” Schoonover says.

While it can be a selling point to have ownership under the same shop roof as the customer, it also means that the engine for

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F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D

A Hands-On Approach Schoonover takes pride in keeping a close eye on the details of operations in his shop.

growth must come from within. That’s the challenge for detail-oriented, driven operators like the Schoonovers.

The family business is flourishing, and it’s also extending into other industries. It’s funny how life events ripple over time. Back in 2014, the Schoonovers’ daughter, Anna, played in a high school lacrosse tournament days after Patrick’s death. It was an emotion-

September 2022

al time, but that tournament helped her to land a spot on a Division I college team.

That college education helped Anna to develop and pursue a passion for cardiac care. Now a working professional, she works for Medtronic, a large medical device company, helping to improve the cardiac products there.

“Her whole purpose was her brother,”

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Schoonover says. “And now she’s in cardiac care, and now Medtronic is aware of what we’re doing through Play for Patrick and Anna.”

So what is the family business for the Schoonovers? It might not be limited to one line of work, but when a Schoonover sets their mind on a task, the track record shows that they will do it right.

fenderbender.com

CONGRATULATIONS! Mike Schoonover and the Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass Team for being selected for the

2022 FenderBender Finest in Collision Repair Award!

FinishMaster has been serving Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass since 2015 as their trusted distribution partner. It is an honor to support this well-respected, family-owned collision repair shop, and to see the positive impact they continue to make on other families’ lives through the Patrick Schoonover Heart Foundation.

We are committed to continue being the key factor in their success through our team’s support, services, and premium product offerings.

Thank You for your ongoing partnership with the FinishMaster Team!

THE

F I NEST

AWARD A

IR

IN

CO

LLISION REP

WE ARE HERE TO HELP, FROM START TO FINISH! follow us @finishmasterinc

866-711-5235 • FINISHMASTER.COM/WECANHELP

F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D RU N N ER U P

FENDERBENDER AWARD RUNNER UP: Ryan DeMarco This impressive young operator gets results

By M AT T HUDSON

R YA N D E M A R C O started at All County Collision when he was 18 years old. But his relationship in the family business went back much further.

DeMarco’s father, Richard, opened the Eustis, Florida, shop two years before DeMarco was born. He grew up in and around the business. So it was no wonder that by age 18, DeMarco went to work there.

“I was working as an apprentice under one of the body men,” DeMarco says.

He had plans to train up for a technician role, but Richard had other plans, urging DeMarco to go off to college. He did that and earned his degree before returning to All County.

Upon his return, DeMarco was officially the shop’s estimator. But he was handling all aspects of the operation.

“I like to call it baptism by fire, but by six months he kind of tossed everything at me and stepped back,” DeMarco says about taking the reins from his father. “And it’s been a learning process from there.”

In late 2021, he took over the owner-

September 2022

ship role at 27 years old. And through his hard work, close studying, and leadership skills, the shop has seen impressive revenue growth and sets a standard as an I-CAR Gold Class shop.

Big Ambitions

DeMarco is a young shop owner, but he credits the experience within his shop that’s helped them succeed.

“When I was estimating, I was lucky to have a 20-year tech in the shop,” he says.

“So that if I had a heavy hit I could take the time and go over it with him.”

That kind of attitude helped him win the respect of his colleagues. DeMarco has found that leadership respect doesn’t adhere to age, but he needs to be on his Agame to succeed in a competitive industry.

DeMarco represents the next generation who will take the industry forward.

“It is a cool feeling,” he says. “I think I'm at a bit of an advantage in my age. A lot of competitors are thinking of retirement.”

The shop is seeing results from DeMar-

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co’s leadership. Operating in a growing area just outside of Orlando, the shop has expanded its customer base and maximized process efficiencies.

“We’ve improved the process to handle higher capacity,” DeMarco says.

“There were times at $1 million in revenue when it seemed that it was all we could do.”

DeMarco brought excellent techs to the team and trained them to write their own supplements, he says. The company improved its DRP scores to get work that way.

He also spearheaded an effort to increase marketing, in particular on the review and referral fronts. When competitors have 20 or so reviews, All County Collision has 200 mostly positive reviews online.

Finally, DeMarco got serious about sourcing parts.

“I hired a parts manager to take the time to search instead of just calling and ordering parts, we have a flowchart to check the OEM,” he says.

Under DeMarco’s leadership, All County Collision went from being a million-dollar shop to a $1.6 million shop.

Now it's on track to surpass $2.5 million in revenue.

In nominating DeMarco for an award, Richard DeMarco chalked the success up to a dedication to process.

“Recognizing and setting SOPs to increase cycle time. Maintaining the highest level of customer satisfaction,” Richard DeMarco wrote. “Works 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. then works on any unfinished estimates or supplements at home until late.”

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Congrats, Schoonover Bodyworks!

Congratulations to Mike and the entire team over at Schoonover Bodyworks for winning the 2022 FenderBender Award.

This only confirms what we at Podium and the Shoreview, MN community already knew: Schoonover just does it better.

They’ve combined the personal touch of a family-owned business with tools like Podium to create an unmatched experience. We can’t wait to watch as Schoonover Bodyworks continues to raise the bar for body shops everywhere.

“Podium makes things more efficient for us. We’re more productive. A five minute phone call is now just a quick text.

- Mike Schoonover, Owner

podium.com/schoonover

F EN DER BEN DER AWA R D RU N N ER U P

FENDERBENDER AWARD RUNNER UP: Cliff Sullivan A leader in good times and bad

By TODD KORTEMEIER

ing to run this business, and keep not only the staffing and our facility safe but equally if not more important, the guests safe.”

The story of how Sullivan was able to do that is part of the reason why he’s a 2022 FenderBender Award runner-up. But it’s because of all the decisions, all the processes, all the team-building that came before in his nearly three decades running Premier that allowed the shop to not just survive but thrive through COVID. That broader story is why Sullivan is so-honored this year.

A People Business

one KPI that any shop owner is familiar with. But the concept of touch took on new meaning to operators and to the world at large upon the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. When it came to touch time in the sense of interaction between employees, between customers, that metric by necessity had to go to zero in March 2020.

Cliff Sullivan remembers it well. The owner of Premier Coach Automotive in Thousand Oaks and Camarillo, California, even remembers the day. It was March 15, a Sunday. It was the day before Ventura County—sandwiched between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles—was to implement its form of lockdown restrictions. It also happened to be the day Sullivan’s grandson was born.

“Sunday at about noon, I went upstairs in my office, closed the door, and I spent about four hours,” Sullivan recalls now. “My goal, the end goal, was to figure out how am I going to run our business, how are we goTOUCH TIME IS

September 2022

Sullivan’s orientation to collision repair came early on when he entered the industry at the age of 24. Now 53, Sullivan admits he could barely change a tire or perform an oil change then, but he realized something early on that allowed him to be successful very quickly.

“When I got into this business I realized very, very early on that it’s not a car business,” Sullivan says. “It never has been a car business. It’s a people business … And once I recognized that, the rest of the business became easier.”

That focus on people continues to guide Premier, which Sullivan bought by the time he was 26. That goes for guests—never “clients” or “customers”—as well as employees.

Sullivan reports that 80 percent of his crew have worked there 10 or more years, and 20 percent have been there at least 20 years.

Unprecedented Times

Sullivan says that without getting his employees to buy in, nothing that he came up with in his office on March 15, 2020, to handle the emerging pandemic would have mattered. But Sullivan did have a plan and

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it centered around one word: touchless.

Staying apart was the only way to keep employees and guests safe.

For employees, Sullivan broke co-workers into teams to limit the possibility of spread. For customers, Sullivan had to find a way for guests to bring their cars in without any face-to-face contact. Through presterilized rental cars, bagged and sanitized keys, electronically signed documents and so much more, the shop pulled it off and never had to shut down.

“The only person that didn’t collect a check for about 13 months is me,” Sullivan says. “We gained people through that.”

Part of the Community

To Sullivan, serving the community is a responsibility. And that’s not only through providing repair services. It means donating pallets of water to local high schools for football games. It’s sponsoring the GIVE – MENTOR – LOVE Foundation benefitting victims of human trafficking.

With two locations in Ventura County, and possibly a third on the horizon, Premier is a fixture within the community.

“Over the years we’ve done a good enough job, and a good enough job, and a good enough job, and an outstanding job, and an outstanding job and now it’s just not a question. They come see us,” Sullivan says.

Sullivan says he was set to retire three years ago but his kids asked him to stick around. Whenever that day of retirement comes, Sullivan knows he’ll be leaving Premier safe and in good hands.

“I’m not bragging, I’m just being honest,” he says. “I’ll put this shop up against any shop in the nation on quality, speed, customer service, you name it. We’ll beat ‘em.”

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CONGRATULATIONS ALLDATA applauds you and your team for this well-deserved win!

Mike Schoonover Schoonover Bodyworks & Glass

We’re so proud to have served for more than 15 years as your collision repair information provider and are truly honored to be recognized as your “Preferred Partner.”

Please accept ALLDATA’s enthusiastic congratulations.

We wish you every success as you continue to inspire the entire industry with your innovation and commitment.

ALLDATA Collision® The #1 choice for collision repair information. Everything you need for safe and accurate repairs, direct from the OEMs.

Visit ALLDATA.com or call (888) 531-4092

©2022 ALLDATA LLC. ALLDATA, ALLDATA Repair, ALLDATA Collision, ALLDATA Diagnostics, ALLDATA Shop Manager, ALLDATA Tech-Assist and ALLDATA Mobile are registered trademarks and Automotive Intelligence, ALLDATA Manage and ALLDATA Community are marks of ALLDATA LLC. AutoZone is a registered trademark of AutoZone Parts, Inc. All other marks are property of their respective owners.

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WORK SMARTER

S T R A T E G Y

THE SOP

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CONSIDERING OEM CERTIFICATION

Make sure getting certified makes sense for your shop

September 2022

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IN A QUICKLY EVOLVING collision repair industry, one of the best things you can do for your body shop is to make it stand out.

Becoming OEM-certified is one way of doing that, but there’s much to think about before you put in the time and money pursuing certification from the

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hottest new EV line, or your favorite luxury vehicle maker.

“There’s nothing guaranteed, like referrals, from being on a certification program, but it is something that can help separate your business as a repair professional from the body shop down the street,” says Tony Adams, who, prior to becoming a business services consultant for AkzoNobel Coatings, spent more than 30 years at Weaver’s Auto Center in Shawnee, Kansas, in a variety of administrative roles.

Before beginning a path toward certification, Adams says, shops need to consider the fleet of vehicles in their area, what capital investments they’d need to make, how to recoup their investment, and more.

Here’s what to consider when you’re considering certification.

As told to MIKE MUNZENRIDER

UNSPLASH

Brand Choice

The first thing I would look at is the current fleet of vehicles that I’m working on–what brands come through my shop most often.

If my No. 1 brand is Ford, then I’m looking into becoming part of the Ford Certified Collision Network. If my No. 2 brand is Nissan, I’m looking into Nissan certification, and so on.

Another angle is to see what opportunities are out there. Let’s say I have a strong

September 2022

relationship with the Volkswagen dealership down the road. Could I leverage that connection to get more business by becoming VW-certified?

Market Thoughts

If pursuing certification makes sense in terms of the cars on which you work, or there’s a clear opportunity, the next thing to consider is if there’s enough demand in the market for you to recoup your investment. If you’re in a market with lots of higher-end vehicles, maybe it can sustain another Jaguar-certified shop alongside a competitor who is already certified. If you’re in a different market, perhaps a rural area, probably not. Also, certified work may not be the same as your retail rate, you may need a specialty rate to make up the costs.

Equipment Costs

What costs need to be considered? There’s the investment in equipment and tooling, and there are strategic ways to approach it.

Does your existing equipment align with the required equipment for a given certification? If I’m going to look into multiple certifications, I want to know if a particular squeeze-type resistance spot welder is going to work for all three in order to avoid buying multiple welders.

Human Factor

Training is another cost to consider. You need to determine who you’d want to

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train, their time away for that training, the ongoing costs for future training, and again, how you can recoup that cost.

Remember, it’s not just an equipment investment, there’s also an important human factor.

Self Promotion

Here’s a big piece that shops often forget about: They put a lot of work into OEM certifications and they think the work is just going to come in the door, but you have to work and let consumers know that you have that specialized training and tooling for that specific automaker.

Mike Anderson at his events will often call a certified shop, tell them he needs work done for one of their OEs, and the person on the other end of the line never says the shop is certified! Shops really need to promote their certifications and their advanced training and everything else that comes with it.

Again, leverage dealer relationships too, communicate with those service departments, those service advisors, let them know you’re their certified shop.

Bottom Line

There’s no rule of thumb or a formula to make sure certification makes sense for your shop, but if you consider your market, your investment and how to recoup it, and then promote the certification once you have it, your shop should benefit.

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STRATEGY

KEEPING THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN

How to effectively communicate with customers to build trust and profitability

By L I N D S E Y G A I N E R

September 2022

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Honesty is the best policy.

Both Probst and Sloan agree that being up front and honest in every customer inter-

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UNSPLASH

LEADERSHIP

A S W I T H A N Y R E L AT I O N S H I P in life, the success of a relationship between a business owner and their customers is largely dependent on effective communication.

Communication opens doors—it’s what lands you the job, builds customer relationships and makes a business thrive.

In the auto body repair industry, open, honest communication is of the utmost importance. When someone has been in an accident, emotions and stress are at an all-time high. They need to know they can trust you and your shop to help them through the entire vehicle repair process from start to finish, and keep them informed at regular intervals along the way.

“Customers have accidents one out of every seven years, and most are not familiar with the vehicle repair process,” reminds Mark Probst, owner of Probst Auto Body in Dieterich, Illinois. “As a collision shop, we need to take time with our customers and explain the process.”

“The first phone call or visit should focus on showing empathy, assuring the customer you’ll take care of everything,” he says. “Part of the process may be explained, along with getting them in another form of transportation and getting them scheduled. A second conversation should happen once insurance information is verified, and to remind them of their appointment. Finally, on the day of drop-off, any concerns they have should be addressed. This would also be a great time to address how the repair process is handled. The more communication and preparation you have up-front the better you can ‘set the stage’ for what all should happen and address potential problems you could run into.”

While accidents and restoration projects may bring people into the shop, it’s the experience they have once they’re there that will determine whether they return.

“It can make or break your business,” says Bob Sloan, owner of Sloan Product, a custom body shop in North Canton, Ohio.

“Communicating with your customers creates a relationship and brings loyalty.

Once you’ve earned their trust and respect, you have a life-long client for whatever they need.”

action is imperative—especially if something has changed or not gone according to plan.

“Honest communication is always best,” says Probst. “No question, always reach out to the customers as soon as something changes or goes wrong during the process that may contradict something you originally told them. Most people understand that stuff goes wrong and you may be delivering them bad news, but what people aren’t OK with is when something goes wrong and no one has communicated to them what happened.”

Probst recalled a time when one of his staff members accidentally scratched a panel on a truck that was in the shop for repair, in an area that was nowhere near the original damage. They began repairs on the scratch without notifying the customer, but the customer happened to stop in to check on progress and saw what had happened.

He later told Probst that he wasn’t upset the truck was scratched, but was upset no one had notified him.

“This is a perfect example of why it’s always best to communicate with the customer and be honest,” says Probst. “Typically if you’re honest and don’t make excuses, customers will understand. They may not always be happy about what happened, but the fact you were honest lets them know you have integrity and no matter what you’re doing the right thing.”

Sloan agrees, adding that you should never over-promise and under-deliver.

“Always be upfront and honest from the very beginning of a repair or project.”

Communicate during the repair.

Once a customer has dropped off their car, they’re fully relying on you to keep them updated, something Probst and Sloan both make a priority.

“Not only does communication build trust, it also helps the customer understand the repair process … it’s all part of exceeding expectations,” says Sloan.

“I provide an overview of how the process will go for their particular job from the start,” he adds. “Once the vehicle gets through the first step of the repair—typically when body work is complete and it’s ready to be scheduled for the paint booth—I let the customer know. At that point, I give them an ETA for completion

September 2022

day. Then, a day or two prior to completion, I provide another update via phone, email, or text—whatever they prefer. Most of our customers these days prefer to be contacted via email or text. We determine that from the very first communication when they request a repair estimate.”

Emails and texts allow Sloan to send progress photos to customers throughout the repair process, providing a more personalized approach.

“It gives them a behind-the-scenes look at their repair, which people really appreciate,” he says. “The amount of information I share really just depends on the client and what the repair or project is and how extensive it is, but being able to text or email photo updates helps me keep a good balance of communicating and being able to answer questions and educate the customer about the process.”

For larger projects or repairs, Sloan also invites his customers to stop by the shop and check on the progress in person. Probst also maintains certain “touch points” during the repair, but leaves room for flexibility depending on the circumstance.

“Our first, main contact point with every customer happens after we do a complete teardown and blueprint of what is needed to repair the car,” he says. “This helps us set the stage for the rest of the repair. During the next few days we are waiting on confirmation of insurance approval and parts delivery times. Once these items are confirmed, we update the customer with a better idea of repair times. When repairs are started and everything has been approved and verified, we update the customer on a case-by-case basis. This could be once a week, twice a week, etc.”

Probst’s team holds daily release meetings to review every vehicle in process, to give the customer service representative the information she needs to decide who to update. Then, when they’re close to finishing the repair, they let the customer know the vehicle should be ready to pick up within a couple days so they can plan accordingly.

As for what details Probst shares?

“We go over repair concerns first and any information related to the length of repair time,” he says. “This may include quality of parts, any necessary OEM required procedures, sublet repairs that are

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needed, anything denied by insurance, any possible delays we could encounter, etc. We try to make sure there are no surprises for the customer. I don’t believe there is a need to get ‘too technical’ unless the customer asks for more information.”

Who should handle customer communication?

As a shop owner, the choice to handle customer communication yourself or delegate the role to another person on your team certainly isn’t an easy one, and each option has pros and cons. One way isn’t better or worse than the other—the key is finding what works best for you personally, based on your preferences and goals for your business.

Probst and Sloan take two different approaches, both equally effective for the nature and scale of their operations.

Sloan runs what he describes as a “small-ish family shop,” and handles the majority of contact with customers himself. He likes that it keeps him closely connected to his clientele and his community, but everyone on his team is cross-trained to communicate with customers when needed.

Probst—who runs a larger shop with multiple locations—handled customer communication directly for a long time, but decided to step away from it at the recommendation of a consultant to focus on other areas of the business.

“I was very hesitant at first to make the transition,” he admits. “I wasn’t sure how I would pay another person and I wasn’t sure what my ‘new role’ would be if I wasn’t involved with the customer. Once I did remove myself, though, I found I had more time to spend on marketing, community relations, finance, production issues, etc.

Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I ever made to hire people to handle the front office.”

However you decide to do it, Probst recommends all owners develop their communication skills through education, training, and mentorship/consulting.

“Read books and learn about people and personalities,” he says. “I highly recommend enlisting the help of consultants and mentors, and attending trainings.

There are great coaches out there to sharpen your skills, which will make you a better person/owner.”

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STRATEGY

business in five or 10 years, and how do you plan to get there?

The Challenge

APPROACHING ADVANCED VEHICLE REPAIR

It’s time to start thinking about investments—but don’t get overwhelmed

By PETER SUCIU

A N Y O N E L O O K I N G T O T A K E O N an expansion is reminded that Rome wasn’t built in a day. However, what is often forgotten is that the Eternal City grew haphazardly with no clear-cut plan. That resulted in a terrible fire that destroyed much of the city, while floods were a constant fear.

Though we can hope that a shop owner won’t face actual fires or floods (or attacks by barbarians), a lack of a plan when considering an expansion could still lead to untold stress and headaches.

The failure to address the future can also

September 2022

spell doom for a shop.

“In a nutshell, you have to consider what you hope to accomplish,” explains Darrell Amberson, president of operations, LaMettry’s Collision. “There are a lot of ways to tackle this.”

While there are certainly no crystal balls, and honestly who could have foreseen a global pandemic, followed by massive inflation and record-high gasoline prices, shop owners still need to consider how to address an expansion with what they already know.

Simply put, where do you see the

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GETTY

CASE STUDY

We can’t predict if there’ll be another pandemic, and we don’t know if the pain at the pump will result in drivers ditching their big trucks, but we do know that the automotive world is always evolving.

Considering where you want to be in that world is the question. That can even include what cars you may want to see roll into your shop, and which ones you’ll have to turn away.

“Is there a particular brand or brands you want to work with, and you can go from there,” Amberson tells FenderBender. “But, do you also hope to rely on the dealer to perform some of the work, such as calibration?”

That is a very big part of the conversation, adds Bud Center, I-CAR director for technical products and curriculum.

“Shop owners need to have a plan,” says Center. “And they need to consider what mix of cars is coming in the door today.

We often hear of shop owners investing in equipment without properly analyzing their current business and the marketplace and then not seeing those vehicles come in to allow them to utilize the equipment. You have to have a plan, and you have to know your market.”

In addition to the market conditions, you need to make sure the equipment you actually choose can handle the job.

“About one in five calibrations fail,” Center also warns.

“We see many aftermarket tools that claim to be factory approved, but frankly we see some issue with it,” says Amberson. “Some equipment was off by anywhere from 1 mm to 10 mm and required correction. This is why you also need that training.”

Training certainly needs to be a considerable part of that plan—otherwise, shops can be left with equipment that can’t be properly employed. Moreover, it is also impossible, say the experts, to invest in everything at once. Even if the budget would allow for it, such an expansion may not be advisable.

“A lot of what you are investing in will also be outdated in a couple of years,” says Amberson.

The final consideration in any expan-

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sion is making sure you even have the room to handle any new equipment you might be considering.

“You have to think about your facility,” says Center. “Not every location is going to have the space required to perform ADAS calibrations.”

PEXELS

The Solution

With the plan in place, shop owners can determine what equipment they’ll use, and what training they’ll need to provide to actually use it. This can begin with knowing the market, and the demographics.

“You need to consider what are the most common vehicles in the area, as well as what you’re already commonly working on, and then you can start your growth from there,” says Mike Anderson, owner/ president of CollisionAdvice Consulting Services. “It is also important to note that not investing isn’t an option. This is especially true of the calibration tools. If you are doing $150,000 or more in monthly business, there should be no reason not to invest in the tools and technology.”

There also needs to be that consideration of aftermarket vs. factory scan tools, and today there are a number of manufacturers that will sell the tools to do the calibrations. Choosing a quality scan tool is critical, otherwise, the money could be wasted.

“It should be the best replacement when possible,” says Amberson. “It may not matter whose tools that you use, but you need to get the target in the exact spot the manufacturer specifies. Most OEM scan tools would be able to do that, but some aftermarket products won’t have the ability to get into all the modules on a vehicle. It may not even be clear which modules you’re not getting into.”

Shops should also take advantage of whatever opportunities that the OEMs are currently providing.

“There is a lot of training available from the OEMs for both certified and non-certified shops,” Anderson continues. “Training is absolutely necessary, and you may have to do some research because there are so many myths around calibration.”

“I-CAR’s educational programming includes an optional ADAS role which includes 14 online courses and two handson courses where students receive expert

September 2022

instruction in ideal learning conditions including all of the necessary tools, equipment, and facilities,” says Center.

Once those facets are understood, the next step is focusing on how any equipment can be incorporated into the shop.

“This is where we recommend ‘bland’ walls, dimmable lights, and of course plenty of space,” adds Amberson.

And if you’re even thinking about taking on electric vehicles (EVs) in the shop, there are other considerations that will need to be addressed.

“EV stalls will need to be larger,” says Center. “It is safe to say you’ll need, at minimum, one and half the amount of space for an EV stall.”

The Aftermath

Following any upgrade or expansion, there will likely be some second-guessing on whether the right decisions were made. Yet, this is where proper planning also helps— so that you don’t feel like equipment acquisitions and the requisite training that comes with it were wasted effort.

“I don’t think there is really ever a case where training is wasted,” says Amberson.

“And when it comes to equipment, if you approach this conservatively, at best you purchase something you don’t use as much as you may have thought you would. It is still necessary to take these risks, but also understand that expansion is something

63

that is going to be ongoing and that in time things will need to be replaced.”

Such upgrades and expansion should be seen for the opportunities that they can provide.

The Takeaway

A well-planned and well-executed expansion can allow a shop to grow, and provide quality service to the customer for years to come.

“You can start with the aftermarket calibration tools, and based on your needs and finances and willingness to grow you can determine what brand to focus on,” suggests Amberson.

“Many shops will find that they’re going to invest in the equipment for the cars they’re most commonly fixing,” adds Anderson. “This will have other advantages.

Repetition is key, and the more you do, the better you’ll get at it.”

With these investments in the shop, the business can also expand its services.

“This could include working with rental car companies, or glass companies that do replacements and then you can provide the calibration,” says Anderson.

“You have to understand where you want your business to go,” concludes Center. “You could dive in and you can tackle multiple vehicle lines, and even EVs, but you have to remember that every vehicle you choose to service may require an investment in specialized equipment and training.”

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STRATEGY

ADAPT

UNSPLASH

THE AFTERMARKET EFFECT

Mike Tanner of the Auto Care Association explains how emerging technology could be an aftermarket advantage

By H A N N A B U B S E R A N D N O A H B R O W N

September 2022

65

I N D U S T R Y-W I D E C H A N G E is not something that can be taken in all at once. Rapidly shifting technologies and the processes that bind those shifts are vast and feel more and more frequent these days.

When looking at this phenomenon in the context of a repair shop environment,

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it can be difficult to determine the best place to start. Preparing for the future can be a daunting task, especially when some of the most impactful changes, such as ICE vehicles becoming more obsolete, won’t be seen for several decades.

Mike Tanner, director of vehicle communications with the Auto Care Association, believes that technology offers great opportunities for shop owners, and if the industry works together there is much to look forward to.

“It’s not all doom and gloom. The aftermarket is very good at adapting,” Tanner says. “The cars must be repaired.

They must be repaired on a timely and a cost-effective basis. The consumers are going to push for that. The aftermarket will adapt and do that.”

Tanner has valuable insight into this situation because he works in the emerging technologies group at ACA. This group was founded around five years ago and aims to address and assess new technologies.

Working alongside the emerging technology committee, which is made up of ACA members, the group determines what technologies are high and low risk and then performs research to establish an approach.

Two areas that the group has determined to be priorities include access to vehicle data and ADAS calibration standardization.

Tanner says that it is important to identify these areas, and it is crucial to get the aftermarket involved in the discussions that occur industry-wide because of the role it plays.

“The aftermarket has developed a fantastic ability to adapt quickly to change. They’ve shown that over decades. It’s amazing,” Tanner says. “[The aftermarket has] a unique perspective and a long history of adapting because they have to deal with what is given to them. They don’t have a lot of inf luence on the designs of the vehicles that are being put onto the market.”

Hearing from the aftermarket in terms of new vehicle design is especially important, Tanner says, because repair is an inevitable and overlooked part of the process. “[The manufacturers] don’t always look at how this vehicle is going to be repaired or … how it’s going to be maintained after it’s out of warranty.” Tanner says.

In the grand scheme of things, Tanner believes that it is more efficient for the aftermarket to be in a position of influence during the initial development process rather than have to adapt to the vehicles later down the line, even though he acknowledges that adaptations are something that the aftermarket is absolutely capable of doing.

Tanner points to areas such as ADAS, which require shops to learn about different manufacturers, different procedures for implementation, and more. It can be a costly process for shops to navigate, which can lead to shops choosing to outsource ADAS calibration and repair work.

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STRATEGY

into play, which is an element that Tanner says is important to both the repair shops and the customers alike.

“The vehicle manufacturers have been saying for years that the vehicle is basically a computer on wheels … if that’s the case, then vehicle owners are used to having control over who has access to their data that’s created by their phone or their computer. It shouldn’t change just because it’s a vehicle,” Tanner says.

Ensuring that this data can be accessed fairly is a big component of the Right to Repair movement, which continues to be a hot topic across the industry. Tanner wants to see all sectors of the automotive industry come together over these standards to make the largest impact possible.

“Our proposal is to implement standardization for secure data architecture,” Tanner says.

Tanner explains that this standardization is far-reaching as well, because as we look to the future there are still many services that the aftermarket can

provide to electric vehicles and softwaredefined vehicles alike, such as tires, ADAS calibration, brake services, battery services, battery coolant, steering, suspension and more.

“All of those areas will still be there, and then there’s other things that we’re not even aware of yet,” Tanner says.

But at the end of the day, it all comes back to data.

“If we don’t have access to that data, there’s nothing that we’ll be able to do.”

Tanner says.

There is reason to be hopeful, Tanner explains. The technology to connect vehicle data to those who are repairing it is already at play in the industry. Tanner says that, at this point, it’s about getting sectors to come together in a more collaborative way.

“All of the technology exists in the vehicle today to do that. They have hardware security modules in the vehicle that would support this,” Tanner says. “We feel like it’s just a matter of everyone getting

together and agreeing on the policies and governance. But the technology is no longer an excuse for not allowing access to the aftermarket to maintenance repair data.”

When looking into the future, Tanner believes that this kind of openness to communication is vital. Discussions among industry members can be a great jumping-off point, and Tanner will have the opportunity to help conduct such a conversation at the ADAPT: Automotive Technology Summit this fall in DallasFort Worth, Texas.

He will have a spot on the “Securing High-Tech Repairs” panel, during which panelists will discuss how to maintain cybersecurity for all repairers, and how to keep customer data safe.

As overwhelming as that topic may sound, Tanner wants all of the Summit attendees to know that the aftermarket is resilient, and there is plenty to look forward to.

“It’s important to remember that there are a lot of challenges out there, and the aftermarket will evolve,” Tanner says.

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SA LES+M A R K ETING

SECURING MEDIA COVERAGE FOR YOUR SHOP

A step-by-step guide

By LINDSEY GAINER

September 2022

70

T H E M O R E P E O P L E W H O A R E familiar with your business and the services you offer, the more potential customers you can attract. It’s simple math! And these days, the way most people get to know a brand or service is through media outlets—places like social media channels (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter), local news stations, print publi-

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PEXELS

STRATEGY

cations and their corresponding websites, radio and podcasts. Forging a connection with potential customers through these channels is essential for success, and it’s not as hard as you may think to put your shop on the media map.

Don’t be shy.

Traditional media coverage by a TV station or print publication happens in one of two ways—you either seek it out yourself by initiating contact and “pitching” yourself to a media outlet, or the outlet itself takes an interest in something you’re doing and contacts you directly to feature your shop in a segment or article they’re creating. While the second option is certainly enticing, it’s not how you should expect to gain most of your traction. In order to get your shop on people’s radar, you need to actively pursue opportunities for media coverage.

If you’ve never pitched yourself or your shop in this way before it can be intimidating at first. Keep in mind, however, that you’re doing the media outlet a service by informing them of something that might be of interest to their audience … so they’ll be happy to hear from you.

Pitching a media outlet directly saves them the work of having to discover the idea themselves—it’s a win-win situation for you both! They have a great story for their audience, and you’re increasing your shop’s visibility and brand awareness at the same time.

What should you pitch?

When it comes to deciding what types of things to pitch, marketing expert Jennifer Filzen—owner of Rock Star Marketing in Monterey, California—suggests looking for opportunities that will present value to an outlet’s audience.

“The best thing you can do is lead with value,” she says. “If your story offers value to the community—like a celebration where everyone’s invited, or the attendees get to learn something new, or if the story helps people feel safer—chances are better that you’ll pique the outlet’s interest for a time slot or article.”

Is your shop celebrating a milestone anniversary? Just opening and having an open house for the community? Hosting a customer appreciation day or holiday celebration? Offering a new service or spe-

September 2022

cial that people can’t find anywhere else?

Or perhaps you’re growing your business or expanding to additional locations, or you’ve recently won an award or participated in community service … these are all great (and valuable) opportunities for media coverage.

When Modern Body Shop in Athens, Georgia, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, it secured both digital and print coverage on the cover of the local Sunday newspaper simply by sending out a press release.

Jake Sapp, assistant manager and grandson of the shop’s founder, Gene Sapp, says it was important to the family that they set aside a day to invite the community to come together and celebrate the milestone.

And, having worked in the nonprofit world before joining the team at the shop, he knew how important it was to gain publicity around the event.

Sapp already had contacts at a couple of the local papers, so he emailed them a press release directly and his efforts paid off in a big way.

“The Athens Banner-Herald decided to run a nice profile on the shop and event,” Sapp says. “It was featured on their website and the front page of the Sunday paper. We shared the link to the online feature on our social media channels and I sent it to some contacts directly as well. It definitely helped bring awareness to the event.”

“Securing this kind of press coverage is a great way to stay involved in the community,” adds Sapp. “When you get press it puts your shop at the front of people’s minds, and they’ll be more likely to remember you when they need the services of a body shop.

It also adds legitimacy to your business in the eyes of potential customers.”

How to reach out and secure coverage.

Once you’ve identified one or two ideas you’d like to pitch, start by considering whether you know anyone directly or through an acquaintance who works for a media outlet in your area, like Sapp did. If you do, use that connection as a starting point and work from there. If you don’t, that’s OK. Think of local TV and radio stations, newspapers, magazines, or websites that might be interested in what you have to share, and visit their websites to find their contact information (often found at the

71

very bottom of the site, in the small print).

Some will have general email addresses or numbers you can call, and many will list directories of their reporters, writers, hosts, etc. along with their contact information—go ahead and send an email or give them a call directly.

You may also want to consider putting together a short press release that shares all the details with the reporter up front, as Sapp did. He recommends doing a quick Google search to find a template online, or finding someone willing to write it for you if you choose to go that route.

Following up is important too, something Sapp did several times to ensure he was on the media outlet’s radar.

Media coverage can also be purchased when you invest in advertising. If you find you’re unable to gain traction through “free” coverage, it’s worth exploring paid avenues.

Additionally, consider signing up as a source on a website like Help A Reporter, which matches reporters with sources who possess expertise in the subject matter they’re working on. If your skillset and expertise match a journalist’s need, they may contact you to contribute to their story.

Regardless of what kind of coverage you secure, though, be sure to get the most “bang for your buck” by sharing it on your website and social media channels once it airs or is published.

Consider hiring help.

If these suggestions sound great but you just don’t know how you’ll find the time to implement them, consider hiring someone to focus on your media coverage and marketing initiatives.

“If you are a shop with multiple locations or have big revenue goals, you might have an in-house person who can handle everything for you,” says Filzen. “However, if that in-house person is doing other things for your business, they will lack the time and attention necessary to do a terrific job promoting your media.

“Small shops tend to lack time to focus on media, so they can definitely use help from experts. Therefore, shop owners should consider hiring a marketing agency or contractor whose sole focus is to promote their business. Outsourcing is not only likely to produce better results, but a firm or contractor will also come with fewer strings attached than a full-time employee.”

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COLLISION COURSE

How Firing My Best Technician Liberated My Shop Sometimes the most unimaginable move is the right one The collision repair industry is hurting for skilled technicians and firing a skilled tech is pretty unfathomable for most shops. I am always reading articles and blogs about how to attract skilled technicians, how to cross train, apprentencing technicians and how there is just a general lack of collision repair schools. We can all agree good technicians are just hard to come by.

I cannot state enough the importance of having good skilled collision repair technicians, but along the same lines we know how critical it is to have a good shop culture. Shop culture affects our entire shop and in my personal opinion it can critically affect shop flow and employee retention. So what happens when one of your best technicians is wreaking havoc on your shop culture? Well let me tell you that’s what I had to deal with at my shop.

My best technician had been with me for almost five years and I depended on him heavily. If I needed something done on a car right then he would do it. If I needed him to come early or stay late or come in on a weekend he would do it. He was fast. He was skilled. He was committed to the shop.

All the other technicians and staff seemed to like him. Overall he was an excellent repair technician.

So why did I fire him?

Dynamic is the word that comes to mind. His dynamic within the shop was throwing everything else off.

It started off very small where I didn’t see what was happening, but he started to believe that the shop and myself needed him more than he needed the shop and the job. If you’ve been in the industry long you all can think of one technician that comes to mind when I say this. He started to become a playboy, strutting around the shop like a rooster preening his feathers. It began with taking small liberties of the freedom I allotted him because he was such a good technician and someone I relied on. Those small liberties began to grow.

When I saw what was happening I put a stop to it. I spoke to him. I addressed the issues and was hoping that would resolve things but his energy had changed. Everything seemed to be running smoothly and the same as before but it wasn’t. He wasn’t happy. He felt like I was now taking advan-

September 2022

tage of him because I put a stop to those liberties he was taking. His energy and how he felt about the shop changed, which changed the whole dynamic in my shop. But it was so hard to pinpoint because everything seemed normal.

I was terrified to fire him. What if I was wrong and he wasn’t the issue with the shop? I didn’t know when and where I would find another skilled technician. I didn’t know how the other employees would react. I was afraid that it would make them feel insecure in their positions at the shop if I was firing my best technician. I was concerned about shop flow and if we would be able to get the same amount of vehicles out that we were used to. I was worried about the shop culture. I was just worried that I hadn’t tried all I could do to save this valuable employee and that I was going to make a wrong decision.

Finally though, I did fire him. He started taking liberties again and I couldn’t justify keeping him. It was affecting morale, affecting shop flow and causing me a huge amount of stress.

And it was one of the best decisions I have made in the shop to date.

I had no idea how one person and their personality and energy could so negatively affect a shop. I was worried about the shop’s productivity but everyone, without me having to ask, pulled together and we kept our shop flow the same. Yes we had to work some extra hours until we found a replacement technician, but everyone stepped up and did that willingly. The shop morale and shop culture changed for the better within one week of my letting my best technician go. The employees are closer knit now and morale and culture is better than it ever has been. It still leaves me dumbfounded how I can let my best technician go and the effect it had on the shop was an instant benefit, not a drawback.

Moral of the story is don’t let one employee, even if it is your best technician, hold your shop back. Yes, it is scary to let someone you really depend on go, but you and your shop will rebound.

Letting my best technician go was one of the best decisions I have made because my shop and my team are stronger now than we ever were.

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TIFFANY MENEFEE

has more than 20 years experience in the insurance business and now runs a collision repair shop in El Paso, Texas.

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tiffanykaymenefee@gmail.com

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COLUMNS

OUTSIDE THE LINES

The Importance of Rule Following Remember why your shop has rules in the first place and the Czech Republic working with Ukrainian refugees. It was an amazing trip and hopefully someday I’ll discuss the trip in this column. However this month I want to talk about my travel experience as I flew in and out of Berlin, Germany.

There was a church in Berlin which offered us the use of their van during the trip. We gave away 50,000 free books to children and the van was perfect for our mission.

Driving in Germany is a pure joy. My wife has relatives in Germany so I’ve visited and driven there before. Everyone, and I mean everyone, follows the rules there. German efficiency is not just a saying, it’s poetry in motion. The left lane in Germany is purely for passing drivers. They move over immediately after passing a vehicle. I live in New Jersey, and every lane is considered a passing lane here. And we also get those drivers who do the speed limit while cruising in the left lane.

Even bicycle riders in Germany use hand signals to let people know when they are turning. And the best part about it is everything works smoothly.

I’ve never experienced a traffic jam in Germany.

With everyone obeying traffic laws, people just move along without getting in anyone else’s way.

When I was walking with a German friend on the sidewalk I accidently stepped into the bike path. He let me know, immediately, that if I didn’t get off the bike path that I would be hearing the bikers ring their bells letting me know I was in their way.

I would not mind driving for a profession in Germany. To put that into perspective, I lived a quarter mile from our collision center, and if I could afford it I’d fly there every day instead of driving. Driving is not an activity I enjoy. Yet with everyone following the rules in Germany it becomes a very enjoyable endeavor.

So, it got me thinking about how well we follow rules in the shop, from a rule as simple as where, or where not, to park a vehicle to something like mixing the paint for the repair in the beginning of the repair process versus making the paint while the vehicle is sitting masked up in the booth. Every time we would break rules in the shop it would hurt our efficiency.

I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to blow a gasket because a vehicle would be sitting in the paint booth masked up while the paint team was struggling to get the color matched. We

September 2022

made the decision in 2008 to verify the color and mix the paint for each repair during the blueprint stage. Yet in 2022, with mostly the same team, we would find ourselves breaking the rules and paying the price.

Another example of me breaking the rules came in our hiring processes. I learned to interview people at least five times before hiring them. It worked out so well that I hired a bunch of people, following our hiring rules, between 20042006 and then we didn’t need to hire anyone for over a decade after that. We would hire someone if the right person came along, but that was just adding to the team, not filing a void. In 2020 a body tech moved into our area from out of state.

I went through our normal interviewing process and eventually hired him. He turned out to be one of the best hires I ever made. Just after deciding to hire him a painter moved into our area from out of state as well and asked to interview with us. Feeling like things were going so good for us, I broke the rules and hired him during the second interview. That hire did not turn out well. I had to fire him after a frustrating year.

So why do we break the rules? I think our culture accepts rule breaking. In fact sometimes it’s even rewarded. I think we don’t realize the consequences of breaking rules until it’s quite painful.

The Germans figured out a long time ago that following the rules, even the tiny ones, was beneficial for all. I think we are such an individualistic society that we do what’s best for us, not the good of the whole.

When I look back over the best periods of our company, it’s when we are following our own rules that we wrote together as a team. We would often stop the system, sit together and talk when the pain of not following the rules had become unbearable. We’d all agree that we weren’t going to let it happen again. Somehow we’d find ourselves having the same conversation again a year later.

It’s likely that there are rules, or processes, your team has devised together that aren’t getting followed on a regular basis at your shop. If you are wishing your team efficiency was better, take a look at what rules are not being taken seriously. Have a review with the team about why those rules are in place and commit to sticking to them before the pain gets too difficult to bear. It will pay huge dividends in the long run.

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J A S O N B O G G S ran Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders in Woodbury, N.J., for nearly 25 years. He has attended the Disney Institute and Discover Leadership, and has studied lean manufacturing processes.

EMAIL:

jason@boggsauto.com

ARCHIVE:

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