BETTER TOGETHER
Chris Dacus knows cars; his wife, Kena, knows business. Together, they make the perfect team.
BY LINDSEY GAINER
BY NOAH BROWN
LKQ Corporation
I-CAR
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WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS?
The collision repair industry is changing. Are you?
NATIONWIDE, WORK HAS SLOWED. Still, there remain reasons to be optimistic about the outlook of the collision repair industry. Despite a slightly dimmed outlook among respondents to the annual FenderBender Industry Survey, 60% of respondents still expect their sales to grow in the next five years, with 18% expecting them to remain flat.
Our survey in recent years has pointed to a possible return to DRPs in terms of revenue reported and the number of DRPs, and from all sales categories, from under $250K to $5M+. The majority, 36%, reported having one to three DRPs, closely followed by 32% who report no DRPs. At the peak, in 2023, 44% of survey respondents reported they have no DRPs. This reversal could signal some shop operators’ desire to pump up volume as it comes off an all-time high.
Of course, this is not a universal viewpoint. In response to our question, “What’s the biggest misconception about today’s collision repair industry?,” DRPs were on the mind of one shop operator who expects his business to grow and also plans to eliminate the arrangements.
[It’s a misconception] that DRPs are profitable, when all they are is a race to the bottom with a shortage of technicians and pay. If the insurance company is allowed to steer to DRPs and behind the scenes regulate payouts, this industry will continue to collapse to the point of the government stepping in for total regulation, as they are trying to do with healthcare.”
Whatever your plans are, we at FenderBender want to help you get there with our strategies and inspiration. Support your state and national associations, who work behind the scenes to monitor and implement legislation that benefits all collision repairers. And if you have your own success story that you think could aid another repairer, won’t you drop me a line and let me know about it? We’re in this together, and as “they” say, “A rising tide lifts all boats.”
JAY SICHT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF jsicht@endeavorb2b.com
HOW INSURERS JEOPARDIZE REPAIR QUALITY
By PETER SPOTTS
INSURERS ARE NOT BOUND BY the same consumer protection laws that collision repair shops must follow, and Erica Eversman, J.D., from the Automotive Education & Policy Institute, stressed the importance of knowing how insurers try to get consumers to circumvent those laws and put repair quality at risk.
During a May Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Illinois webinar, Eversman explained how repairers in Illinois must accurately represent the repairs the car needs. Insurer estimates do not matter, and repairers must get consent from the consumer before beginning work.
“It would be a violation of consumer protection law for a repair shop to say you need an entirely new motor when that’s not the case and all you need are your brakes replaced,” she said.
Eversman explained two main tactics insurers use to interfere with the estimate process: They tell the consumer to give the repairer the insurer’s estimate and tell the shop to perform repairs per the estimate, and they attempt to dictate repairs without liability by trying to control costs or denying pre/post scans that would be negligent for the repairer to not perform.
“It’s illegal in Illinois for the repairer to do so. [The repairer] must prepare their own estimate. It must get the consent from the consumer,” she said. “We’ve had problems particularly when the insurer has agreed to an initial amount and the consumer comes back with additional damages … [the insurer] didn’t put the money aside for.”
She said insurers can dictate repairs if they accept liability for first party repairs, but they want to dictate without accepting the liability. Eversman also warned about insurers directing consumers to direct repair providers that offer faster repairs and a “guarantee” on
repairs, but all shops warranty their work. . Eversman said insurers promote DRPs as top-quality participants, but they are often the lowest common denominator to save on costs.
Eversman investigated an insurer in the Columbus, Ohio area and discovered more than 50% of the DRP shops were not legally operating shops, which is a violation of consumer protection law.
“They had not registered and done the things necessary with the collision repair board and over 50% of them were on one or more insurance companies preferred networks,” Eversman said. “So, the insurers were steering people and recommending shops as top quality who in fact were violating the law and were not permitted to accept money to do consumer repair work.”
She said there’s a big discussion among departments of insurance and legislators around possibly promoting managed repair networks, which already exist in the form of the direct repair network. The insured agrees to use only an MRN shop in exchange for lower premiums, warranty on repairs, and free rental/replacement vehicles.
One attendee asked how a shop can inform consumers legally that insurers can’t legally tell them that a body shop will “repair according to our estimate.”
“You can do so by posting your requirement that you are statutorily required to prepare info and convey it to the consumer,” Eversman said.
Aftermarket Parts
Raise Questions
Eversman discussed IL H.B. 2472, a bill that went into effect this year. It requires insurers to use OEM directives on parts and repair procedures.
She discussed the four different types of replacement parts:
• New OEM, also referred to as genuine parts
• Used/Salvage OEM, also referred to as like, kind, and quality or junkyard parts
• Remanufactured OEM, also referred to as refurbished or rebuilt
• Aftermarket or imitation, also referred to as replacement quality parts
“Technically anything you’ve put on the vehicle after it has been released from the manufacturing line is an aftermarket part,” she said. “It would be very helpful if we could redefine what an aftermarket part is. It could be made better, there are opportunities here.”
Certified parts are routinely decertified. Consumers are not informed and are at risk of not receiving a different, conforming part. If the repair has already taken place, the repairers are not paid to remove the noncertified part and install a new one and the consumer is driving around in a now improperly repaired car.
“Unfortunately, that includes headlamps, which are governed by a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. It is one of the few replacement safety standards that exists under federal law,” Eversman said. “It wasn’t all that long ago that 100% of the previously certified headlamps were decertified and these things have to conform. Absolutely no question, the federal law says so. No consumer was ever notified, they were never provided with an option to get those headlights replaced, so we had people driving around in defined unsafe vehicles.”
Visit FenderBender.com/news for daily updates from around the collision repair industry.
BY MARGJOHNSONVA
SIMULATED CYBERATTACK SPOTLIGHTS AUTO BODY SHOP DANGERS
One phishing attack is all it takes to close your shop.
By PETER SPOTTS
IT ONLY TAKES ONE phishing scam to sink your collision repair shop. Collision Industry Conference attendees experienced a simulation of a phishing attack and its consequences during the presentation “From Threat to Safety: Navigating Data Vulnerability and Mitigation Practices” on April 30 in Richmond, Virginia.
StoredTech’s Aleks Pavlinik, chief information security officer, and Allan Polak, director of growth and development, created the fictional Lucky Bob’s Shop to illustrate the data privacy concerns collision repair shops must remain cognizant of. They cautioned that 60% of small businesses close within six months of a successful cyberattack and 90% of successful cyberattacks come from phishing.
“There are some things you can do to prepare [for a breach], but what we really want to do is prevent it from happening,” Polak said.
In the simulation, Lucky Bob clicked a link and provided information as requested by one of his tool vendors. The email looked legitimate, but there was one extra letter in the address. Pavlinik warned that typos in phishing attempts are becoming less common as more advanced technology gives hackers more dangerous spoofing capabilities. They can also use AI to craft more realistic emails.
“What they’re doing now is using nonsynthetic characters to simulate the alphabet. To you, it looks correct,” he said. “It’s pretty scary out there.”
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See what sets Cromax® XP apart from the competition. axalta.us/xp
Cyber Specialists
From left, Trent Tinsley, Brian Burbridge, Allan Polak and Aleks Pavlinik respond to audience questions about cybersecurity threats and mitigation during a panel at CIC on April 30 in Richmond, Virginia.
All of Bob’s company documents were encrypted in cypher text, which is data encrypted in electronic files as random rest. Employees were locked out of company systems, phones got disconnected, and hackers threatened to destroy or leak customer data unless Bob paid a $50,000 ransom. Polak and Pavlinik asked the audience if they would pay or not pay. Most attendees said they would not pay, but the outcome was mostly similar between the two choices.
If you fall victim to a phishing scam, the loss of data, recovery costs, insurance company claim contests, loss of revenue, reputation damage, and loss of customer, vendor, and employee trust will happen regardless of a ransom payment. Paying the ransom does not guarantee file access and strengthens the position for the insurance company to contest your claim.
“There is no good option here. Most of the implications are the same,” Polak said. “How do we tell the IRS we paid $50,000? What line item is that?”
Recommended cybersecurity measures include performing all mandatory scheduled
software updates for computers and firewalls, having strong multi-factor authentication, comprehensive employee training, VPNs, and token theft protection. Pavlinik said he moved StoredTech completely away from passwords in favor of FIDO keys, physical devices that use public key cryptography for authentication. Biometrics is another option.
“Passwords are a dead, failed technology because we’re human and humans are not good at remembering things,” he said.
Multi-factor authentication is also not as safe, as the running cost to access a personal phone is about $5,000, Pavlinik said. If they don’t have access to your phone, they might call and ask for the authenticator number.
“Most people will comply. Social engineering attacks bypass technical security,” he said. “Humans are always the weakest link.”
Employee education and vigilance is crucial to avoiding phishing attempts. The presenters stressed the importance of encouraging employees to slow down and take their time because phishing attempts rely on an urgent call to action to get a response.
“Telling our teams to slow down is very important because they’re always working fast to solve issues for customers,” said Brian Burbridge, senior vice president, strategic accounts at Caliber Collision.
Mitigation strategies can reduce the chances of a successful attack. Zero Trust Architecture reduces it by 40%-90%, strong multi-factor authentication 99.2%, anti-virus and extended detection and response 99%, 24/7 managed SOC 85%, token theft monitoring and protection 80%, sign-in protection 99.9%, security awareness training 80%, and updating software and hardware including firewalls 80%.
The presenters emphasized the importance of there being no single strategy that offers 100% protection from phishing attacks because cybersecurity is like an onion, and you need layers on layers on layers to fully secure your business.
The presentation ended with a QR code to scan for more information. It was a fake that notified the 22 audience members who scanned it that they could’ve compromised their personal device had it been real.
LIGHT HITS
BASF NAMES AUTO BODY SUPPLIES AND PAINT 2025 JOBBER OF THE YEAR
The Automotive Refinish division of BASF Coatings presented the 2025 Jobber of the Year award to Auto Body Supplies and Paint at the ColorSource Conference in Clearwater, Florida.
Founded in 1976, ABSAP is on the verge of celebrating its 50th year in business. The milestone reflects its dedication and commitment to excellence in all aspects of its business and operations. ABSAP continues to grow with locations across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, with plans for further expansion, according to a news release.
As ABSAP approaches its 50th year, Founder and Owner Kay Ryalls said their commitment to the mission of supporting the refinish industry with the same care and attention is the same as it was on day one. “We’re honored to be recognized as Jobber of the Year — this award is a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and passion our entire team brings to the table every single day,” Ryalls said. “As a third-generation, familyowned business, this recognition means the world to us. It validates not only the legacy we’ve built over the past 49 years, but also the values we’ve carried through generations: integrity, service, and partnership.”
COLLISION ADVICE AWARDS SPARTAN OF THE YEAR TO K-CEPS AUTO BODY
K-ceps Auto Body earned the distinguished Spartan of the Year title by Collision Advice, according to a news release. The accolade recognizes K-ceps’ unwavering commitment to safe, OEM-compliant repairs and its exemplary leadership within the collision repair sector.
The Spartan of the Year Award is part of Collision Advice’s Spartan 300 program, which brings together like-minded professionals dedicated to upholding the highest standards in vehicle repair. The program emphasizes safe and proper repairs, continuous training, and a collaborative approach to industry advancement. Membership in the Spartan 300 requires adherence to rigorous criteria, including OEM certifications and a commitment to ongoing education and excellence.
“We are overjoyed and humbled to receive the Spartan of the Year Award,”
said Chris and Adam Speck, co-owners of K-ceps Auto Body. “This recognition reflects our team’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to delivering safe and proper repairs. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mike Anderson and the entire Collision Advice team for their unwavering support and guidance.”
K-ceps Auto Body also achieved Collision Advice’s award for 100% OEM parts usage for two consecutive years, underscoring their dedication to quality and manufacturerapproved repair methods.
K-ceps Auto Body has been a cornerstone in the Granville and Johnstown areas for more than 20 years, offering a range of services from collision repair to full vehicle restoration.
DON’T MISS THE INAUGURAL MUSIC CITY COLLISION CONFERENCE
The inaugural Music City Collision Conference finalized its lineup of speakers who will deliver two days of informative presentations, panels, and discussions on the hottest industry topics.
The event will take place in the Southwest Conference Center in Nashville, Tennessee, from September 26-27. The two-day gathering promises to bring together the best minds in the collision repair industry for education, collaboration, and inspiration.
Featured speakers include Collision Advice’s Mike Anderson, Coverall Law’s Sean Preston, Garmat’s Rick Selover, Veco Experts’ Mark Olson, High Lift Financial’s Matt Di Francesco, Consolidation Coach’s Laura Gay, Elite Body Shop Solutions’ Dave Luehr, Enterprise Mobility’s Mary Mahoney, Discovery Leadership’s Mike Jones, and Car ADAS Solutions CEO Greg Peeters. Visit mytcra.com for more information or to register.
ASCENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES LAUNCHES ‘ASK BURKE PORTER’ WEBPAGE
Ascential Technologies launched an “Ask Burke Porter” webpage dedicated to providing the latest expert-driven advice and intel for all aspects of advanced driverassistance systems.
It features frequently asked questions, the option for users to submit their own in -
quiries, and other insightful content covering the industry’s most critical ADAS topics.
In addition to expert insights, the page features a Burke Porter-hosted podcast, ADAS Garage, that dives into trends, challenges, and innovations that shape the future of vehicle safety and automation. Each episode will discuss and explore relevant, complex ADAS topics, making it a great platform for technicians, engineers, DIYers, and tech enthusiasts.
“The purpose of the page is to accentuate the growing importance of ADAS and deliver clear, useful information to users, reinforcing the need for proper calibrations and testing to ensure the safety and performance of vehicles on the road,” said Brunno Moretti, president, ADAS Solutions by Burke Porter, an Ascential Technologies offering.
On the “Ask Burke Porter” page, users can watch Sentric ADAS overview and calibration videos, offering users a deeper look into the technology, processes, and innovation that drives the company forward.
For more information, visit testandmeasure.ascentialtech.com/transportation/ ask-burke/. To ask a question or suggest a topic for Burke Porter to address, fill out the form on the page and submit it to Ascential Technologies ADAS experts.
BASF SEEKS BUYER FOR ITS $6.8B COATINGS BUSINESS
BASF SE has placed its coatings business for sale, valued at about 6 billion euros, or $6.81 billion, reported Bloomberg News late Friday, May 30. According to that report, private equity firm Carlyle Group and paint maker Sherwin-Williams are mulling over a joint bid.
Other firms, including Advent, Bain Capital, Blackstone, CVC Capital Partners, Lone Star Funds, and Platinum Equity, are reportedly either evaluating or interested in purchasing BASF’s coatings unit.
According to Bloomberg, earlier this month a BASF spokesperson said that the German chemical maker would “explore strategic options for the remaining coatings activities.”
The Carlyle Group acquired DuPont Performance Coatings, later renamed Axalta Coating Systems, for $4.9 billion in August 2012, selling its remaining shares by 2016.
Sherwin-Williams completed its $11.3 billion purchase of Valspar in June 2017.
NUMBERS
A RETURN TO DRPS?
THE POPULARITY OF DRPS with collision repairers responding to our annual FenderBender Industry Survey has waxed and waned over the years. But results from the past two years point to increasing DRP popularity in both revenue reported and the number of DRPs. The number of shops reporting no revenue from DRPs in recent years was at its lowest in 2018, at 30%. After a peak of 44% in 2023, that declined last year to 39% and 32% this year, the lowest it has been since 2018.
These statistics are from the 2025 Industry Survey, which was completed by shop owners and operators.
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SALES THAT ARE A RESULT OF DRPs:
NUMBER OF DRPs PER SHOP SURVEYED
BRIDGING THE INFORMATION GAP FOR TECHNICIANS
Jason Bartanen created Collision ProAssist to use a modern platform to connect technicians with expert information.
By PETER SPOTTS
JASON BARTANEN has spent decades working to get technicians the information and tools they need to perform safe and proper repairs. He’s identified an information gap for many technicians and launched his new company, Collision ProAssist, to fill the void.
Collision ProAssist uses the Discord platform to host BackBay, a social hub for technicians to share their experiences, get up-to-date information on tools and repair techniques, and, most importantly, ask questions and get answers directly from the OEMs and tool manufacturers.
Bartanen’s collision repair journey started in his grandfather’s body shop. Growing up in a family of educators and repairers, his passion for cars and learning fueled his career. He joined I-CAR as a technical writer in 1996 and helped launch the Repairability Technical Support Portal and many other learning initiatives over 23 years. He also spent six years working at Collision Hub. He left in May to pursue his latest venture.
Bartanen spoke with FenderBender about how BackBay supports technicians with the information and resources they need.
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How did you identify the need for Collision ProAssist and decide this is the answer?
I’ve long been a technician advocate. I’ve always tried to think about the technicians, first and foremost, going back to my I-CAR curriculum development days. I was always trying to focus on what is going to resonate with technicians. What
is going to be most impactful for them? I go to events like SEMA, CIC, and regional and state association meetings, and I’ve always noticed the people who aren’t there are the technicians. There are lots of owners, managers, and industry leaders at those events and the quality content that is there rarely, if ever, makes its way back to the technicians working on the cars daily. I think about my 22-yearold nephew who is a collision repair technician, and he is not at those events. If he wants to connect with people I know, he has a lot of work to do. Recognizing most technicians are busy people and they’ve got lives outside of work, I was looking for a way to help support them and develop a tool they can use inside and outside the shop. I was looking for a way to connect those industry leaders and subject matter experts directly to the technicians.
Does BackBay appeal to repairers with all levels of experience? Can someone who’s been doing this for 20 years find the same value as someone who is new to the industry?
It’s for everybody. Every technician out there should have questions, and I’m looking for technicians that have the humility to recognize “I need help.” I’d say BackBay is more geared toward the 18–30-year-old technician. I wouldn’t discourage the others from being involved, but I’ve seen how a lot of technicians react; I’ve talked to many of them throughtout my career and, of those that have been doing it a long time, too often they think they know everything and the old you can’t
teach anything they don’t already know – I disagree with that approach – and I’ve always had a thirst for knowledge and to learn about things. I’m looking for similar minded people that want to ask questions and do things the right way. I think back to my friend Mark Allen from Audi, who once said that technicians need to have the courage and humility to recognize that maybe they shouldn’t be doing this operation, or recognizing “I don’t know how to do this operation,” or need training on a procedure or tool. Figuring it out on your own is good sometimes, but when we’ve got a customer’s care we’re putting the lives of others in our hands, I don’t think winging it is the right approach.
What experts have you talked to and have on board?
Are they compensated in any way for participating?
No one is being compensated and they’re not paying to be there. Their dues for being involved is helping the technicians. I’ve talked to 20 to 25 different companies so far. I’ve talked to Honda, Toyota, 3M, Parker Lord Fusor, Pro Spot, Revv ADAS, CamAuto, KECO, Stickyicky [cold glue,] and others; all these
people I’ve worked with throughout my career and people that I know, trust, and recognize as subject matter and technical experts. I’m not dealing with management teams; I’m dealing with the people that write procedures, that build the tools, that train on the equipment, and the biggest thing for me is connecting the technicians directly with them.
How does the pricing structure work?
I’ve got three different levels. My BackBay Pass level is $15 per month. It gives you access to the bulk of the BackBay channels, but it won’t allow you to interact. I liken it to a newsletter because you’ll be able to see the questions that are being asked and see the conversations taking place, but if they’ve got a question, they won’t be able to interact. BackBay Pro is $40 per month. You can start asking questions and getting involved in the tech-to-tech conversations. The majority of BackBay is going to be answered by myself and these tool, equipment, and product manufacturers, but I’ve got an area for techs to interact. I want to build a community and have those techs interacting and building relationships in
a friendly environment. BackBay Premier is my $50 per month service. I’m going to throw in a BackBay T-Shirt for that, and I want to do monthly presentations, webinars, town halls, and get everybody together to talk about what we are struggling with.
Any message or final thoughts you’d like to convey to collision repairers? One final thing I want to emphasize is that although I’m facilitating this, I want this to be built by the technicians. I want them to say this is the type of content we need here, I need information on this and training on that. I want the technicians to shape BackBay. I want them to tell me and the Collision ProAssist team what they want in BackBay. I’ve got an area for them to help us improve. One of our technicians already chimed and said we need more PPE resources, so I added a PPE channel. I want this to be curated by the technicians and I’m just building it on the back end of the BackBay. It’s a tool for them, so I want them to dictate what goes on here.
For more information, go to collisionproassist.com.
PETER
A Direct Line to Support BackBay is Collision Pro Assist’s Discord server. It provides a space for technicians to communicate directly with each other, OEMs, and tool experts to get the information they need for safe, proper repairs.
Schedule for Success!
Level your incoming work and maximize capacity with a visual scheduling board.
Recently, I have had a few folks reach out for advice on how to better schedule incoming work. Even though the demand of incoming wrecked cars has slowed, “grabbing the keys” may get us the job, but it can wreak havoc on our system! Some also continue to bring cars in on Monday and Tuesday with hopes of delivery by the end of the week. In the end, the industry cycle time is 1415 days, no matter what day the car is dropped off. What is one to do or where is one to even start, you ask? Well, it all starts with the data. What is the current customer demand of how many cars are leaving, billed hours produced and dollars coming in per day? Using an example shop, we are going to find their current daily customer demand. ABC Auto Body’s management system reveals that in 2024 they made $3,000,000 in gross sales, fixed 500 cars, and billed 19,000 hours. If we divide their gross sales of $3,000,000 by 500 fixed cars, $6,000 is their average repair order. With 365 days in a year less 52 weekends and seven paid holidays, the average shop is open 254 days a year. So, 19,000 billed hours for 2024 / 254 Workings Days = 74.8 hours per day. So, this data tells us that ABC is producing around two cars or 75 hours, or around $12,000 per day. Some of the smaller shops are saying right now, “Greg, this is all great, but I don’t have a management system.” Well, I would just start with a simple Excel sheet and keep track of your outputs for these three metrics for two to three months. Then divide your totals by the working days tracked, as it’s quite simple math.
Even though ABC may be producing 10 cars per week, their inputs could be four cars in on Monday, three cars in on Tuesday, two cars in on Wednesday, and only one car in on Thursday, then nothing on Friday. ABC more than likely does not have the manpower to blueprint four cars on Monday, so two cars will sit until Tuesday. The two cars that were dropped off Tuesday will sit until Wednesday, and so on. And oh, what do we do with the two non-drives that were dropped off Monday? Sound familiar? It’s time to fix this.
In the world of Lean, the Japanese at Toyota use a term called: Heijunka = leveling or smoothing out. Heijunka is applicable to every department,
such as Blueprint, Mirror Matching, Body, Prep, Paint, Build, Detail, and QC and Delivery. For this month’s column, we are just going to focus on using Heijunka for incoming scheduling.
Even though we are in the year 2025 and technology—including AI —is moving at lightning speed, a visual management system is still superior. Our brains, IF we allow them, can move faster than anything else. At my shop, we have a visual scheduling board on our office wall that is visible by the front-end employees and even by customers. Our incoming work is not stuck inside of some computer software or anything like that. We glance at the wall to see where we have capacity for the next car and where to put the next customer for a consultation/scheduling.
We just use 36” X 24” steel sheets trimmed in black painted wood and striped with vinyl tape. They blend in nicely with our gray office walls. Each sheet represents one week of our schedule. I simply went to Walmart and bought a 3M laminator and magnetic sticky sheets from their crafts department. We then made magnetic dry erase cards that are 5.5” X 2” in different colors. The cards have just a few bits of information for RO#, Name, Insurer, Rental?, Date In, Triage Hours, Special Requests, etc. When we look at car or see photos of a vehicle to schedule, we will triage the job by a color-coded job size category. Colors are Blue =0-9.9 hours, Green =10-19.9 hours, Yellow =20-39.9 hours and Red 40+ hours.
How do we know what colors to schedule each day? For the ABC example shop, they can’t schedule 75 hours per day. If they did this, not only would they have no capacity for non-drives, but sometimes a job triaged at 20 hours after Blueprint becomes 40. At my shop, I can’t schedule over 65% or so of my capacity. So, for ABC Auto Body, instead of scheduling 75 hours each day, they should schedule only 65% of 75 hours, or about 49 hours. This allows room for non-drives and triage surprises. Some of you are thinking, “What happens when a scheduled car after Blueprint is totaled by an insurance company?” That’s relatively easy; just reach out into the future and bring in a samecolored card to fill the opening. Reach out if you need help.
GREG LOBSIGER
Greg Lobsiger has owned Loren’s Body Shop in Bluffton, Indiana, for over 23 years. He has been a member of Mike Anderson’s groups for ten years and had extensive lean manufacturing training.
EMAIL: greg@lorensbodyshop.com
ARCHIVE: fenderbender.com/lobsiger
Chris Dacus knows cars; his wife, Kena, knows business. Together, they make the perfect team.
by LINDSEY GAINER |
NICK HEMPHILL PHOTOGRAPHY
Chris Dacus always dreamed of owning his own collision shop — he was so serious about it, in fact, that he shared his aspirations with his wife, Kena Dacus, on their very first date.
“I always knew that was the direction he was going,” Kena says. “I just didn’t know it was the direction that I would be going with him at the time.”
Now, nearly 15 years later, the two are co-owners and managers of not one but two shops — operating as Dacus Auto Body & Collision Repair — and a full-service towing company, Dacus Towing & Recovery…and they’re doing it all together.
“Building this business was always a dream of mine, but I couldn’t have done it without Kena,” Chris says. “She’s been more than a partner in life; she’s been my partner in this dream. While I focus on the shop and the craft, she built the foundation that keeps everything running, from managing the office to taking care of our team and customers. Her strength, dedication, and belief in what we’re building together mean everything to me. This business reflects both of us, and I am incredibly proud of her and what we have created side by side.”
Coming Full Circle
After graduating with his collision refinishing technology and management degree from WyoTech in 2007, Chris went to work for Arlie’s in Marion, Kansas, before taking a job at Vern Winter Body Shop in McPherson, Kansas, in 2010.
After several years, Dacus approached the aging owner to ask if he’d be interested in selling. He wasn’t, so Chris made the bold decision to leave and open his own small shop about 10 miles away in Canton, Kansas, in 2014.
He didn’t start with much — around 3,000 sq. ft. and a secondhand paint booth he purchased from a local furniture store, recalls Kena, but it was his.
“We didn’t have any money. We were newlyweds at the time. Chris spent a couple of months fixing up the shop, then operated as a one-man show in the beginning.”
Kena — who has a degree in business administration from Wichita State University — was, at the time, working for a manufacturing company as a staff accountant, doing the books for Chris in the evenings.
Within just a few months, however, it became obvious the one-man operation wasn’t sustainable — after spending all day running the front office, writing estimates, and ordering parts, he’d spend all night working on the cars. Something had to give.
“That’s when we decided that I would join the business full time,” says Kena. “I didn’t know anything about vehicles in the beginning; I have no background in automotive at all. We learned together, honestly. I took over running the front office, helped with estimates, did all the ordering, and dealt with the insurance companies so Chris could actually work on the cars. That’s how we started.”
After several years, they added three additional team members, and they were quickly outgrowing the small shop.
Then, in 2017, just as they were “bursting at the seams” and considering what to do next — and in timing that can only be described as providential — Chris received a call from his former employer. He was ready to sell, and it needed to happen fast.
“We purchased the shop in about 30 days, which is wild when I think about it,” Kena says. “Essentially a month after we got that phone call, we were back working in Chris’ old shop. That’s how we got our McPherson location.”
Accountability
Chris and Kena Dacus have a personal imperative to become the best versions of themselves to lead their team effectively.
The situation couldn’t have been more perfect, to hear them tell it. At more than double the square footage and with previously established relationships with most of the existing employees, the transition couldn’t have been smoother…or better timed. Since then, business has boomed under Chris and Kena’s management, necessitating an expansion in 2020 that took the building from 7,500 to 21,000 sq. ft. They also started their towing company that same year, both to meet a need in the community and create a more cohesive experience for customers.
Becoming an MSO
The Dacuses weren’t looking to grow the business when the opportunity to purchase Crossroads Collision in Salina, Kansas, came about earlier this year — but, once again, the situation was too perfect to pass up.
“We’ve known Greg and Heike Anderson (the previous owners of Crossroads Collision) for most of the decade we’ve been owners,” said Kena. “We’re neighbors, one town over, and we’ve always considered them friends,
Segmented Repairs
Each department is equipped with the tooling needed to complete every segment of the job.
not competition. They’ve always been willing to help us over the years.”
When Greg mentioned to Chris that they were considering retiring, Kena says, it was the first time they’d really thought seriously about a second shop.
“We’ve never been out searching for more locations; that’s never really been on our radar.”
But, says Kena, knowing the high-caliber business Greg and Heike ran made the decision an easy one.
“They have great market share and a great community. Everything just fell together, and it felt like the right move, even though it wasn’t what we were necessarily looking for.”
“I’m passionate about safe and proper repairs, creating a great place to work, and helping out our customers,” Chris says. Having the opportunity now to do that in multiple locations is exciting to him, and it has him dreaming again about what the future may hold.
“Opening up this second shop has definitely made me think about where we might go from here.”
For now, however, the couple will be busy acclimating themselves to owning two shops and working to align as many processes as possible between them for ease of operations. Chris is also thinking of adding onto Salina’s existing 13,000 sq. ft. structure to better match McPherson’s layout.
“I try not to come into things narrowminded,” he says, “so I don’t want to go in there and change all their processes to our processes. I’ll figure out exactly how they do things first and then take the best of theirs and the best of ours and combine them. That’s how we got the shop that we have now, from the help and ideas of others in the industry.”
Optimizing Operations
The idea of adjusting and implementing new processes is nothing new for the Dacuses, who are always ready and willing to make changes that will improve the business.
Their four-day work week and segmented repairs are two great examples.
“We’ve been doing the four-day work week for three years now, and we’ve never looked back,” Kena says. “It’s awesome. Our team loves it. Chris and I love it. And for recruiting purposes, I think it brings a lot of value. I would 10/10 recommend it.”
The same goes for the segmented repair process the team employs, which Chris and Kena embraced after seeing how well it worked for Michael Giarrizzo at DCR Systems.
“The body side of the shop has separate areas: repair plan, mechanical, structure, frame, alignment, body, reassembly, and detail,” Chris explains. “Paint [department] is like an assembly line, starting with prep/ prime, mask, paint, then polish.”
Each department is equipped with the tooling needed to complete every segment of the job, so techs don’t have to supply their own tools.
“We were finding it hard to hire younger folks who don’t have a full set of tools or even the complete set of knowledge it requires to work on a car from start to finish,” Kena says. “It’s really opened up a lot of doors for younger talent to come into our shop, be successful, and add value.”
Once techs have mastered their assigned segment, they have the option to cross-train and float as well, based on need and interest.
“We do our best to put people where they want to be. I think it’s important for people to be doing what they want to do. If they’re happy, then they’re going to put out better work,” Kena says.
Not only have segmented repairs enhanced efficiency, but switching from commission to an hourly compensation model improved employee satisfaction and morale as well.
“When techs are working on commission, it just feels like every job is personal, because it is. It’s affecting their paycheck.
You could feel the tension in the shop under that model.”
Switching from that competitive mindset, Kena says, has made all the difference in the world. Not only has it resulted in higher quality repairs, but more camaraderie and teamwork…which in the end all ties back to higher customer satisfaction.
“Everyone works together and they know each other’s strengths, which allows them to do the right thing for the customer and hold each other accountable,” Chris agrees.
The Perfect Team
The Dacuses began their business venture in 2014 with a secondhand booth and 3,000 square feet. They’ve since grown to two locations with more than 34,000 total square feet.
The Dacuses are quick to point out that this accountability extends to them, too — it’s a personal imperative to become the best versions of themselves and lead their team effectively.
“Being a good leader is more about working on yourself than it is figuring out how to manage people,” says Kena. “It’s knowing your strengths and weaknesses, being self-aware, and holding yourself responsible.”
Much of what they’ve learned over the years, they say, has come from mentors within the industry, and programs like Mike Jones’ Discover Leadership Training and Kevin and Melissa Wolfe’s “Wolfe Pack.”
“It’s been really special to watch Chris grow into the leader he is today,” shares Kena. “When we first started out, I know stepping into a leadership role felt uncomfortable for him — he’s always been more of a quiet, behind-the-scenes kind of guy. But he didn’t shy away from it. He leaned in because he believed in what we were building and in the people around him. Over time, I’ve watched him gain confidence, find his voice, and become someone our team truly looks up to. He leads with heart, humility, and an unwavering sense of what’s right. I’m so proud of the way he’s grown — not just as a leader, but as a husband, business partner, and role model.”
A Focus on Quality and Training
Continual learning is something both Chris and Kena hold in high esteem, and they
make it a point to attend as many events and training events as possible throughout the year. Kena, especially, maintains a strong presence on boards and in various leadership roles across the industry; she’s past-president of the Kansas Auto Body Association, and was recently elected to the board of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). Both she and Chris are also members of Mike Anderson’s Spartan Group, as well as AkzoNobel’s Acoat Selected program.
“You never want to be the smartest person in the room,” she says, adding that she loves to attend events to listen, learn, and network with as many people as possible. “The relationships we’ve built have moved us forward in so many ways.”
That attitude extends outside the offices to the shop floor, too, where the team is constantly learning about new tech and repair procedures to meet OEM certification standards.
“OEM certs mean a lot to me,” Chris says. “They let our customers know we’re experts in fixing their vehicle.” And, adds Kena, they’re a great marketing tool.
“I think it’s just one more way to reassure the customer that they are in the right place. And I think consumers are going to start looking to their manufacturer to tell them where to go for repairs.”
The Dacuses currently have around 16 certifications, and they’re working toward
A Safe Place For Customers
The business has built a reputation for quality repairs and advocating for customers during a difficult time.
adding Rivian to the mix. That would make them one of only a couple Rivian-certified shops in the state. Add to that its 95% OEM parts usage and I-CAR Gold Class recognition, and it’s easy to see why the shop is a top choice among customers.
“It’s really rewarding to know we’ve built a reputation for quality repairs and that people trust us,” Kena says. “We love being a safe place for our customers, and an advocate for them in a really difficult time. All our efforts are rooted in taking care of people and doing the best that we can for them…not just for our customers, but our employees, too.”
Stay Positive, and Have Fun
It’s all too easy to get caught up in the details of running a business day in and day out, Kena says, which is why it’s so important to remember to have fun in the process. And you have to stay positive, too, Chris adds.
“At the end of it, we have to ask ourselves, did we have any fun today?” muses Kena. “Because it’s okay to have fun building something, to connect with your team and your customers. We don’t want to look back someday and realize we worked so hard that we didn’t enjoy any of it.”
And through it all, the most important thing always remains — doing it together.
“We’re better together,” they both agree.
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GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION
The collision repair industry needs more technicians. It’s time to take technician development into your own hands.
By NOAH BROWN
Most kids growing up have an idol. Whether it’s the quarterback of their hometown football team, an author who captured their imagination with each book they published or the lead actor from their favorite movie, there is someone who sticks in their mind and becomes the example of success they aspire to.
My idol growing up, like many kids my age from St. Louis, was Albert Pujols, the future Hall of Fame first baseman for the Cardinals. He was the best player in the majors at the time, and he embodied everything a kid could want to be.
Idols are important – they give people something to believe in, to rally behind. But eventually, there comes a point when we all have to face reality and accept that our idols are just that – idols. Their success, though inspiring, isn’t attainable for the average person.
Instead, we all reach a point in our lives where we need to figure out what we want to be doing. When we make that decision, we need to find people that are willing to show us the ropes and guide us through that journey.
We need mentors.
In my junior year of high school, I was thinking about what I wanted my life postgraduation to look like. Despite my admiration for Pujols, I decided that sports weren’t for me (okay, okay, it really wasn’t a decision. There’s a reason I’m a writer, and it’s not because I can bat .300 and average 40 home runs a season). I knew I liked writing and telling stories, and my English teacher recognized that. He encouraged me, gave me extra projects to work on to hone my craft, and he helped fuel my desire to get better.
Throughout every stage of my professional career, I’ve had at least one person I’ve considered to be a mentor in my corner. They’ve all had different approaches, but they’ve all cared about my success, and they’ve all helped push me to be better than I am.
Regardless of whether someone’s a ball player, a writer or a body technician, they will be more successful if they have someone with experience in their field helping them. A 2023 Forbes article i highlights the advantages of mentorship, including expanded networks, relevant experience and increased opportunities to advance their careers.
Keys To Success A mentorship program must be well-supported with meaningful efforts to create awareness.
“Having a mentor is more than just setting and achieving goals,” the article says. “it’s about having someone in your corner who can provide valuable feedback, encouragement and support to help you grow both professionally and personally.”
The automotive aftermarket is in a constant state of flux, and it’s changing rapidly. Andrew Vaccaro, director of apprenticeships and training programs with Caliber Collision, says that while there are a number of ways shops can attempt to keep up, establishing and maintaining an apprenticeship or mentorship program is a highly effective way to make sure your newer technicians are receiving the education and building the relationships they need to become highperforming team members.
“As modern cars continue to become more complex, and the required skills become more technology-focused, this industry demands more highly skilled workers,” Vaccaro says. “Apprentices have a tremendous opportunity to join an industry during a significant transformation.”
In with the Old and the New The automotive landscape is filled with a blend of old and new. Shops need to have the ability to work on 30-year-old cars as well as cars that just rolled off the lot yesterday.
It’s a similar scenario to the people working on cars. Scott Benavidez is the owner of Mr. B’s Paint & Body in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is chairman of the board of directors for the Automotive Service Association. He says that shops are most effective when they embrace a blend of old and new.
“The older technicians have a lot of information with them, a lot of institutional knowledge,” Benavidez says. “And kids these days aren’t afraid of the technological advancements. They’re not scared to plug a computer into the car. You need both.”
Benavidez says that while it isn’t always easy getting younger generations to collaborate with and listen to older generations, there is generally an eagerness to learn and an eagerness to teach from both sides.
Vaccaro agrees, and he adds that mentorship opportunities at Caliber have resulted in greater workforce retention for their shops because it gives further career options for our technicians that previously didn’t exist.
Though it has several avenues through which technicians can volunteer, Caliber has a formal mentorship program called the Technician Apprenticeship Program, or TAP for short. Anyone that is interested in becoming a technician can apply online for an inshop mentorship with a Caliber technician.
“The industry needs new, innovative ways to bring more technicians into the field and make sure they have the training required to meet today’s standards,” Vaccaro says. “It is a competency-based program, so in addition to working in a real-shop setting, apprentices also complete all the necessary industry-standard certifications and training to be proficient in the industry.”
Mentorship requires a large investment. Vaccaro says Caliber has invested around $65 million into TAP since the program’s inception. Though most shops won’t spend nearly that much money on an apprenticeship program – Caliber has more than 1,800 locations across 41 states – it still needs proper resources to be effective.
If you invest properly, though, Vaccaro says the results speak for themselves. Caliber has graduated around 2,300 technicians through TAP, and anyone who com-
pletes the program receives immediate job placement at any Caliber location.
Vaccaro says investing in mentorship doesn’t only benefit your shop, but the industry as a whole.
“We’re focused on leveraging our industry strengths and leadership to usher in a new generation of skilled technicians, but overall, we want to promote the health of the industry,” Vaccaro says. “Developing skilled technicians who become experts in their craft is a win for the entire industry and provides a sustainable talent pipeline for Caliber.”
Third-Party Vendors
Another benefit to having a formal mentorship or apprenticeship program is that it gives you an opportunity to partner with third-party training vendors.
In addition to having TAP, Caliber also partners with 3M for some training modules. Andrew Robinson, key account manager for 3M’s Automotive Aftermarket Division, says his company works with OEMs on “multiple levels,” which helps them keep their training modules on the cutting edge.
“We work diligently every day on developing products and training to ensure we provide the best materials and precise application instructions to achieve proper repairs and the best OEM replication possible,” Robinson says. “TAP students can rely on the 3M training team to keep them
up to date on the latest applications and processes in collision repair.”
On a more basic level, third-party training partners can also help teach the basics, easing the burden of catching new technicians up to speed. Robinson says 3M helps teach apprentices how to pull repair procedures, the proper preparation of bare metal and plastic substrates, corrosion protection, and other fundamentals.
This helps ease some of the burden of developing curriculum, and it also provides your mentoring technicians with more guidance on what they should be teaching mentees.
On a more local level, it also provides a great opportunity for community outreach while still building your own talent pipeline. Benavidez and his shop have partnered with a local high school to restart the school’s automotive shop class. He says that a lot of young people these days aren’t exposed to vehicle repair like they were when he was a kid.
“We used to be able to get directly inside the engine compartments of cars in our driveways with our dads,” Benavidez says. “You can’t do that with modern cars.”
By having the school teach the basics in a hands-on shop class, Benavidez says his shop is giving students a much-needed opportunity to see a different kind of career path than just going to college, and it secures a stream of competent potential employees that can come into his shop and continue to learn.
“Our industry needs people,” he says. “These kids want to work right now.”
A Lot to Offer
Mentorships, if executed correctly, can be a very beneficial two-way relationship. Vaccaro says it’s essential to make sure any mentorship program your shop tries to implement is well-supported and that meaningful efforts are made to create awareness.
It’s also essential to get buy-in from your current technicians, as they’re the ones who will be teaching any apprentices.
“What makes TAP so unique and impactful is that our experienced technicians want our apprentices to succeed,” Vaccaro says. “TAP provides them with an additional opportunity to share their knowledge with young men and women, providing them with a stable career while creating a lasting legacy in the industry.”
If you can get that buy-in with your current technicians, it becomes significantly easier to implement a mentorship program.
Though mentorship programs aren’t the silver bullet to the industry’s technician shortage, they can be a key tool in combating it. The industry has changed a lot over the last few decades, and Benavidez says that change is for the better. If shops can get prospective employees in as apprentices, they’ll quickly learn just how good a life they can make in the automotive aftermarket.
“We’re not out of the game,” he says. “We have a lot to offer.”
Building A
Talent Pipeline
Mr. B’s Paint & Body has partnered with a local high school to restart its shop class.
HOW TO REPAIR A BAD REVIEW
When a customer complains online, be ready to shift into gear.
By CAROL BADARACCO PADGETT
A NEW GOLF R is said to go from 0-60 mph in about 4.6 seconds – just like that. And when something goes wrong with a customer’s repair, it feels like that’s how fast they can post an online review.
If a Google or Yelp review of your services isn’t good, you need to know about it at an equally impressive speed. Because the internet travels at the amazing speed of everywhere, all at once.
Here’s how collision repair shops can combat a negative review and drive a more positive narrative.
The Backstory
If it hasn’t happened to you yet, eventually your shop will get a bad review. Warranted or not, a customer will be unhappy and say so online in a Google or Yelp review.
Sometimes though, it’s just one out of a sea of positive reviews about you, so does it really matter?
“Every review is important,” says Megan Fulkerson, digital strategist and managing partner of 3P Marketing in Evansville, Indiana, a company that works in the collision repair space.
Adding perspective, Fulkerson says, “But if you have a multitude of good reviews, then one isn’t really detrimental. People may look at it like it’s odd a person had such a bad experience compared to all the good ones.”
And yet, she stresses, don’t avoid dealing with bad reviews, even if there’s just one.
“Ignoring it is not good. Address it. Keep level-headed and move the conversation to an offline platform,” Fulkerson advises.
The Challenge
Fulkerson acknowledges that sometimes collision repair shops can get into the weeds with an unhappy customer — both in person and online — which will lead to an argument that goes round and round. So, she advises shop owners to investigate a repair before responding.
“Familiarize yourself with the situation first,” she stresses. “The goal is to mellow things out and show you want to make things right.”
Sometimes, though, a negative review will be flat-out inappropriate in its wording or a shop owner may have no record of the customer ever visiting the shop in the first place. But either way, you must keep emotions in check and avoid confrontation, which will only do more damage.
Realize, as well, that occasionally a customer will be untruthful about what actually
happened. Even then, Fulkerson says, a shop owner must avoid posting a hostile response or bantering with a customer online and on social media. Because if they do, it will only come back to bite them in the arena of public impression.
The Solution
First off, realize that most collision repair shops — no matter the caliber of their employees and their work — will receive a bad online review at some point. Fulkerson says she gets calls for advice about bad reviews at least once every three months.
“Sometimes, not responding sounds like the most passive way to just let a review [die off],” Fulkerson notes. “But we tell owners to respond back online and say they’d love to discuss it further. Otherwise, the shop looks guilty if they don’t respond or it looks like they don’t care.”
The goal: get a phone number where you can call the customer who posted the review. Next, Fulkerson tells her clients to examine the details of the repair in their customer management system and make themselves familiar with the job. Once a shop owner is up to speed on the repair, it’s time to pick up the phone and call the customer.
“Respond within 24-48 hours and ask to speak with the person,” states Fulkerson. “Say, ‘I’m so-and-so, I’m familiar with your repair, and I’d like to talk to you about it.’ Then, address their concerns and show them you want to make things.”
But, what do you do if the review is totally bogus?
“If something in the review is inappropriate or you have no record of them as a customer, you can report it to Google or Yelp and ask that the review be taken down,” Fulkerson says. “Unfortunately, there’s nobody you can call, you just have to report it through the platform.”
One important caveat: do not report a customer’s review if it is truthful. Always remain above board.
Also, in the event a negative comment about your shop isn’t a review at all, but is instead a post on social media, Fulkerson says the same tactics apply. “Again, respond back in 24-48 hours and ask to speak to the person,” she advises. “Don’t banter on social media or any other platform.”
The Aftermath
Collision repair shops today — just like all businesses — must continually adapt to a culture that’s constantly connected online.
To adequately deal with this fact, Fulkerson says it’s important to designate an employee to monitor online reviews and mentions of the business. It’s the only way a business will be able to promptly respond.
“Someone in the organization needs to check on all new online reviews so they’re addressed,” she says. “If things are set up correctly for the Google platform, an email comes to notify that a new review is there.”
She adds, “We think it’s good to respond to the good reviews, too. Something like, ‘We appreciate you allowing us to repair the [car model and make].’”
Ultimately, the goal is to protect the reputation of your business and to market yourself wisely.
The Takeaway
A negative review will happen at some point. Some may be spot on – where your business genuinely made a mistake – and occasionally a bogus review will appear. As a shop owner, you will find out the truth when you review the complaining customer’s repair work.
When the fault is yours, own it.
“Mistakes occur in the repair world,” Fulkerson states. “And it all goes back to the initial response from the shop. Admit your mistake if there is one, swallow your pride and tell the customer your shop should’ve done a better job on something. and do what you can to rectify it. Some shops provide a loaner at their expense.”
Then, once the situation is cleared up, don’t beat a dead horse.
As Fulkerson puts it, “After you’ve admitted responsibility and done what you can, stop giving life to that situation. And if it affected the entire organization, maybe plan a fun team-building activity.”
Bad review or not, displaying community goodwill is always a smart idea for your business.
“Maybe you hold a car care clinic or donate to the park or Little League,” Fulkerson adds. “Do a positive reframe of mind and focus on the future collectively.”
OPTIMIZE
YOUR PARTS GROSS PROFIT
Parts represent nearly 40% of sales. With increasing pressure on all margins, refining your parts handling processes can optimize your performance.
By STEVE TRAPP
THE OBVIOUS PLACE to start when targeting an optimal parts margin is the discount that’s negotiated. You need to first ask yourself, “Am I a good customer?” “Do we provide clear information for the vehicle’s options and specific parts needed for the repair?” “Have we proven to be a loyal customer and try to buy from a
FILE PHOTO/ COURTESY OF JOHN BAKER, WALLACE COLLISION CENTER
single source?” “Do we know the annual spend on the parts for the vehicle lines that dealer services?” Can you say with certainty, “We purchased $115,000 last year on the makes you supply”? “Do we have a low “shop-caused” return rate – below 3%?
Approach the dealer from a win-win perspective showing genuine concern for the level of service provided. Meet the dealership staff. How knowledgeable are they? How willing are they to use VIN decoding to ensure they know the vehicle options so you get the right parts? Do they understand cost/ profit-matching, and are they offering to do so when possible? Are their trucks delivering on a routine that gets parts to you when needed, or could you be pushed to earlier on the route? Are they willing to put your estimate line number in the bin # or other part of their invoice to reduce your time spent receiving parts? Finally, will they offer a marketcompetitive discount percentage, so you can invoice using the “receive all” feature of your management system?
Purchase Most from a Primary Vendor
After you agree to buy from the dealer, do a meet-and-greet with them to build relationships. Commit to being a proactive customer and minimize “hotshot” parts orders. Don’t take them for granted; they are a crucial partner in your business’s success. Reward them for their commitment by requiring your staff to buy most of the parts from them, even if the shop may have to occasionally eat a bit of margin. Review the purchases level internally and with them periodically to ensure the relationship remains positive. As part of this agreement, seek to get them to limit delivery and restocking fees.
Order Using Automated Parts Procurement System = Never Call in a Parts Order
One way to ensure you get paid for all the parts on a vehicle is to enter the part line in the estimating system and to use the designated parts procurement tool to place the order. Phone
orders should only be accompanied by an automated request simultaneously.
Cost/ Profit Matching, NOT Price Matching
This is a tricky issue which costs quite a few shops a lot of gross profit on parts. In short, you are agreeing to buy an OEM part from the OEM supplier. In exchange, the OEM supplier is agreeing to provide you the same gross margin/cost as the alternative vendor.
NOTE: Example parts discounts below were kept the same, to make the example easier to follow.
If you bought an OEM part which wasn’t price matched: $500 - $350 cost (reflects a 30% discount) = $150 profit on OEM part
If you would have ordered an aftermarket part: $400 – $280 cost (30% discount) = $120 profit on aftermarket part
If the dealer agrees to cost/profit match, the dealer must price the product where their adjusted list price allows the shop to make the same $120 as they would if they bought the part from the aftermarket supplier. In this case, the new list price is $400 and your cost would be $280. Thus, they have matched the cost/profit of the aftermarket supplier.
Conversely, if you merely purchased the OEM part on your normal discount you would be reimbursed $400 and pay $350. You would earnonly $50, which is a gross profit of 12.5% and a loss of $70 in parts profit on a single job!
Parts Storage
As vehicles are disassembled, we recommend two tables for parts to be stored: R & I and R & R. ONLY after the part line has been added to the estimating system are the parts to be stored properly on a parts cart. Parts carts should have a standard for where parts are stored on their shelves. Parts to be replaced should be marked in red or orange Uni Posca markings to visually remind the technician that the replacement part has not yet arrived. A PVC pipe should be attached to the cart for moldings to be stored flat and unable to be marred. J-hooks can hold larger parts so the parts for a vehicle are stored as a “kit.”
If you have the replacement part and can transfer parts to it, that is preferred, so time spent bagging and tagging is limited and missing parts are immediately identified. Glass should have the RO number added in Uni Posca marker and stored in a glass rack.
Limit Lost, Broken or Damaged Parts
Delicate parts should be shrink-wrapped, and if many parts are stored on a shelf, the entire stack could be shrink-wrapped so the cart can be transported without them falling off. Small parts like emblems should be stored in a container where larger parts cannot damage them. Every effort should be made (to include using small soft blankets on trim) to avoid damage to parts.
Parts Price Increases are Known
One of the nice features of the various parts procurement systems is the ability to get automated updates on part price increases. As you repair plan is the preferred moment to update the estimating system to avoid a parts price increase supplement later. Hold the supplement until the parts prices are verified, as it will save time and ensure you get paid the updated list price!
Checking Parts Status
The shop parts person needs to proactively give thought to when they need the parts. It may be ASAP, or it may be one day prior to the vehicle’s arrival. If the dealer parts person feels the dealership cannot meet that EDD, then they need to proactively call the shop and inform them. This is especially important if it is a critical part so the shop can adjust incoming vehicle schedules accordingly.
Parts Receiving
Dealers need to understand your expectation of a win-win delivery and the driver’s expectations. Receiving the parts is NOT the act of dropping them off and getting an invoice signed; it is so much more. Here are the steps to best-case delivery process:
1. Parts are brought into the parts room and counted to be certain the number purchased matches the invoice (they may still be on the truck or were never loaded)
2. Look at each box to review the part number (if the part number is different than you ordered, that is an instant trigger to verify the part closely). Also examine the box for obvious signs of damage (which should trigger you to open it and verify it is not damaged).
3. Place on your receiving table. Open each box and 720-degree mirrormatch the part, looking closely at the entirety of the exterior and interior of the part comparing mounting points and features.
4. If a wrong or damaged part is uncovered, call the vendor immediately and have them remove the line from the invoice and have them email an updated invoice for you to sign instead of signing the invoice with the wrong or damaged part. Ask
them to reload the wrong or damaged part to avoid the steps to return the part.
5. Have the vendor review and sign the return slips for parts pending return
6. Sign the invoice and the driver continues on.
7. Place the received parts on the parts cart and dispose of the damaged part (unless a core is required or there is reason to keep it) and dispose of/recycle the box for the new part.
Why is it acceptable to throw away the box as we receive parts? It is assumed we have verified we need the part and don’t plan on returning it. If it turns out it is not functioning or damaged, we need to order a new part, and that comes in a box we can use for the return!
Returns: Limit
“Just in Case” Parts
During COVID due to parts shortages, we may have developed some bad parts order-
ing habits. One we need to stop is the ordering of parts “just in case.” Asking vendors to procure this part from its manufacturer, to deliver them, receive them, store them and pay for them, only to go through the eight to 10 steps to return them and receive the credit is quite a cost – just in case. Take the time to perform an advanced inspection prior to ordering parts for the vehicle.
Used Parts
Salvage parts are another area where parts margin can be boosted. One of the most important criteria when selecting a part is the color of the donor vehicle. If the color matches, there is less prep and less basecoat to change the color, but you do have to also consider parts quality. Most salvage yards are members of ARA, and they grade their parts as they post them as available. As you order from preferred yards (or any yards), that grade needs to be considered. If you order a “B” or “C” part, expect to closely inspect the part
Preventing Damage
Delicate parts should be shrinkwrapped. The entire stack can be shrink-wrapped so the cart can be transported without parts falling off.
FILE PHOTO/COURTESY OF JOHN BAKER, WALLACE COLLISION CENTER
and then receive it at the higher list price. Then negotiate a labor parts credit that reflects fair reimbursement (2.0 hours * $80 = $160 labor credit off invoice) for repairing any dings and dents the part may have on it. Also, deduct some percentage (i.e. 20% - .4) of that 2.0 hours for materials and then create a 1.6-hour repair line on the estimate to reimburse the technician for those repairs.
Focus on Aftermarket Parts
Obviously, all aftermarket parts need to be closely mirror-matched and fit-tested before they EVER get painted. This slows the overall repair cycle, so it should be considered when selecting the part type. Beyond following the above processes relative to body parts, an often-underemphasized area of the aftermarket parts category relates to the clips, fasteners, bulbs, and fluids or stock parts classified here on the estimating system. As you disassemble, it is important when you identify
the as-damaged or lost (at accident scene or elsewhere) to use the bar code reader in your clip and fastener system or the kit or individual item in the 3M Repair Stack tool. Then generate an invoice for these parts to assure you get paid. Many repairers are too “busy” to get paid for this. But they walk away from aftermarket parts sales and profits.
Reconciliation
If you did all the above steps, the reconciliation of the monthly vendor statement should be a breeze. Byreceiving complete parts orders and ensuring accurate discounts,the invoices should be accurate. Immediate returns and the reissue of invoices should prevent tons of dealer-caused returns. Having them sign the return receipts should make it easy to prove the date of the return pick-up and therefore the credit expectation. Once the statement is reconciled, the AP payment is scheduled, and hopefully promptly!
Prompt Pay
All of the part suppliers want to get paid in a timely manner., Be a smart operator and budget cash flow to be able to fully pay these vendors in the “X” day window (billed on the 25th and paid by the 10th) they require to earn an additional percentage (often 2%) for paying promptly; this only enhances the discount and thus the final margin on the monthly profit and loss statement.
Conclusion
With parts being 35-48% of sales and margins between 25 and 39%, there is a lot of opportunity to negotiate better, store parts better to prevent damage, order only the parts necessary, receive only useful parts, get paid for labor credits, and other improvements to optimize parts profits. This requires someone to focus on these processes and stay on top of them daily so the individual jobs’ parts margins add up to the goal you have set for yourself!
CREATING A SHARED VISION
Andrew Suggs, Dan Dent, and their partners are working to make sure their platform, Collision Vision, becomes a meeting ground for every player in the collision repair space.
By NOAH BROWN
THE TYPICAL SHOP OWNE r or operator makes dozens of decisions, juggles numerous questions and requests from employees, and puts out several fires on a daily basis.
Think about your typical week. If you had to write down each decision you made and each task you had to keep track of, how many sheets of paper would you need? My guess is, in a week, you’d be able to fill up a whole notebook.
Dan Dent has been in the automotive industry for almost 20 years, and he sees
the same thing happening in collision repair shops across the country. Between managing relationships with vendors, dealing with insurance companies, making sure their shops are compliant with local, state and federal regulations, and making sure their employees are taken care of and doing good work, Dent says it’s a miracle that vehicles are repaired.
“I’m astonished how they get it done,” Dent says. “The challenge they take on and go through each day is just amazing.”
Success is hard to come by in the collision repair industry. Shops aren’t built overnight –literally and metaphorically – and very rarely can someone come in and lead effectively without experience.
“It takes a mind that’s been part of it for quite a while,” Dent says. “That learned experience is really what drives them getting good at what they’ve done.”
It also takes someone with experience to realize that if they’re going to run a successful shop, they can’t do it alone.
Andrew Suggs grew up in the industry working with his father. In 2018, he purchased five collision repair facilities from his dad, and he saw firsthand just how much of a grind staying on top of the day-to-day responsibilities could be.
“The business aged [my dad] a lot when he was in it. And now that he’s out, he looks 10 years younger,” Suggs says. “We always ran very lean, and we were very successful in doing that, but that comes with a lack of extra time. You get stuck in the minutiae of the business.”
Suggs is the co-founder of Collision Vision, a platform that he describes as a “CRM [customer relationship management platform] on steroids.” It’s pretty simple on the surface; it’s an all-in-one portal that helps shops track everything from OEM and technician certifications to employee training and proper tooling required for a job.
It’s a tool that’s designed to help shops catch up with the times.
“It’s not anything that’s super groundbreaking,” Suggs says. It’s just bringing everything up to 2025. The fact that no one has done it up to this point is kind of surprising.”
Building a Sandbox
Collision Vision wasn’t initially a CRM platform. After Suggs sold his shops, he caught up with industry colleagues Jimmy Lefler and Matt McDonnell. Those two had also sold their collision shops, and each was off doing their own thing in the automotive space.
“I was just catching up with Matt randomly, and he was telling me about one of the companies they had started, which was an augmented reality company,” Suggs says. “They were using HoloLens technology to build out training and repair procedures.”
Suggs says he was impressed by the use of AR tech to bring “repair procedures to life” through an AI scan tool that assessed damage and instantly pulled up the necessary repair info.
Suggs and Lefler decided to invest in McDonnell’s company, but they ran into one big problem as they were developing the tool.
“Basically every OEM that we talked to said ‘yeah, we’re not giving you access to that kind of data,’” Suggs says.
Undeterred, the trio continued to workshop. After a conversation with Collision Advice’s Mike Anderson, they decided to start focusing on building out structural virtual audits with the intention of gaining the trust of OEMs once they were established. As they worked, though, it started looking like they might just be building another website for shops to have to log into.
Sugg’s experience as a shop owner with no extra time in the day gave him pause.
“I don’t want another website. I don’t want another portal or whatever you want to call it,” he says. “I would be adamantly against it as a shop owner.”
Building on that experience, Collision Vision eventually turned into the all-inone portal that it is now. Suggs describes Collision Vision as a “sandbox” that allows shops and their employees to log in and find everything they need for training, certification status, necessary tools for jobs and certifications, and much more.
Come Play with Us
Collision Vision is constantly partnering with individual vendors, training providers and other essential players in the industry to keep bringing the latest requirements for repairing vehicles all in one place. Dent, who was hired as CEO of Collision Vision last year, says the platform is really the first time that so many different players have come together for the betterment of shops.
“That’s one of the great things about Collision Vision,” Dent says. “It’s driving efficiency, partnership and collaboration for anybody who wants to be part of it.”
With Collision Vision, shops can create profiles for each of their technicians as well as their shop as a whole. For individual
techs, they can list all of the trainings and certifications they have received, and the platform will automatically show any other trainings they might need to gain another certification or to stay certified.
For the shop, if they’re interested in becoming OEM-certified for a specific make, the platform automatically populates every training that your technicians need to go through to achieve that certification.
“It consolidates down the chasing of ‘How do I get certified?’” Dent says. “That’s one of the biggest headaches for a shop. If you’re interested, where do you go look? You go look on the internet, and it’s not really easy to find half the time. So, what we’ve done is kind of consolidated it into a platform so they can see everything.”
Additionally, using the AI scan tool through the platform, shops can register each and every piece of equipment they have, and it will automatically keep track of when each piece of equipment needs to be serviced based on information provided by vendors.
The platform also uses AI to pull and consolidate hundreds, if not thousands, of pages of documents online related to a specific certification or tool that a shop can look for and puts it all in one place.
Vendors also have access to their own portals, where they can upload their own documents and training requirements.
Suggs says the Collision Vision team has backed into something much bigger than it ever envisioned for the platform, but he and Dent both say the larger goal for the team has remained the same.
“If it doesn’t add value and it isn’t a benefit for the collision center, we’re not going to do it,” Dent says. “That’s what we’re really focused on, is how can we make things better for the shop?”
Suggs says Collision Vision is a tool built by shop owners for shop owners, and its sole purpose is to make daily life more manageable.
Suggs says the unique part of Collision Vision is that it provides common ground for every player in the industry to come together and work for the betterment of the shops.
“None of these people talk to each other, and the shop’s the only one that’s getting screwed,” Suggs says. “With Collision Vision, we can take all these different entities and say, ‘You guys need to come play because it’s good for your customer.’ And so that’s what we did. We build this giant sandbox that everybody can come and play in.”
Strong-Armed for Loyalty: When Your Jobber Becomes the Problem
Small business owners already face enough challenges. The last thing we need is to be bullied by vendors who think they’re too big to fail.
As a business owner in the collision repair industry, relationships matter. We rely on consistent support, trustworthy partnerships, and product quality to keep our operations running smoothly. For years, I’ve maintained a solid relationship with this paint company, using their premium line of paint with excellent results. The product speaks for itself — high performance, excellent durability, and strong OEM alignment. But while the paint has never let me down, my relationship with my jobber that supplies it has become a different story.
It’s one of the largest vendors in our region that has been supplying me with both paint and parts. In theory, this should have been a win-win partnership. Unfortunately, over the past year, that relationship has soured due to questionable business practices, lack of local support, and, most recently, a blatant attempt to strong-arm my business when I began exploring other paint options.
Let me be clear: I wasn’t planning to jump ship. Another paint company approached me, and I gave them the professional courtesy of hearing them out. That’s what responsible business owners do — we assess our options to make the best decisions for our operations. I wasn’t unhappy with the product I was using, but I’ve had persistent issues with my jobber. Chief among them: they have knowingly sold me expired paint. Not once, but multiple times.
In a city of nearly a million people, that this jobber has almost no local representation is baffling. I run a busy shop, and when I have questions or issues, I need someone who can respond quickly. That simply doesn’t happen. My “sales rep” is basically a delivery driver with no experience who, through no fault of her own, has been forced to carry the burden of this company’s customer service failures.
So when my jobber caught wind that I was considering switching paint lines, I expected a conversation. Maybe an effort to understand what wasn’t working. Perhaps even a proactive solution to earn back my loyalty. Instead, they sent that same delivery driver to deliver a message that can only be described as a threat: if I moved my paint business elsewhere, I could expect my parts discounts — negotiated years ago based on the volume of parts
I buy — to be slashed. No more returns, even on unopened products bought less than 30 days ago.
Let that sink in.
The discounts I earned through my buying power are being held hostage. The message is clear: “Stay with us, or pay the price.” This isn’t a discussion; it’s blackmail. And the messenger? A sweet pregnant woman with no power in this situation, doing her job while having to deliver their ultimatums that should’ve come from someone in a position of leadership. Shame on my jobber.
This isn’t how good business is done.
Small business owners like me already face enough challenges — shrinking margins, labor shortages, and increasing OEM complexity. The last thing we need is to be bullied by vendors who think they’re too big to fail. And let’s be honest — both companies offer high-quality paint systems. But the one trying to win my business has shown me more professional respect in one meeting than my jobber has in the past two years.
What this experience has taught me is that loyalty in this industry often flows one way. When you’re a consistent, high-volume customer, vendors love you. But the moment you start asking questions or thinking independently, suddenly the relationship changes. Instead of earning your continued business, some companies try to trap you in it.
That’s not loyalty. That’s control. I battle enough of that with the insurance companies.
I haven’t made my final decision on switching paint lines. I still respect and value the paint manufacturer and the strong relationships I have built with them. But my relationship with my jobber? That’s broken. And I don’t know if there is anything they can do to rebuild the trust they’ve torched.
If there’s a message here for other shop owners, it’s this: never let yourself be bullied into staying quiet. Speak up. Demand transparency. And don’t be afraid to explore options that truly serve your business — not just the bottom line of a supplier who thinks you owe them something.
Because at the end of the day, we don’t owe our loyalty to companies who only value us when they’re afraid of losing us.
EMAIL: tiffanykaymenefee@gmail.com
ARCHIVE: fenderbender.com/menefee
Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement
In today’s market, these are survival skills that help you build connections long before any accident occurs.
As shop owners, we have generally focused inward for years on production metrics, DRP negotiations, technician shortages, and preparing for rapidly advancing vehicle tech. Regardless of your business model, all these efforts would be considered in the interest of running a shop, no doubt. But if you’re only looking inside your walls to grow your business, you’re leaving big-ticket value on the table. Let me share…
The Power of Intentional Collaboration
We’ve all heard some variation of “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” In this industry, I think the truth runs much deeper: it’s who you choose to know and what you do with that relationship.
Strategic partnerships go beyond vendor contracts and referral swaps. I’m talking about aligning with organizations, suppliers, educators, and even competitors in a way that creates shared wins.
Here’s a real-world example: At our locations, we don’t just ask our paint manufacturer partner to support our growth; we bring them in as stakeholders in our training and quality control process. This turns a once-transactional relationship into a performance accelerator. They benefit from being deeply tied to a high-performing shop, producing invaluable real-world feedback. In return, we benefit from their expertise, resources, and credibility extending beyond our internal resources. In turn, it fast-tracks our team’s internal development.
If you’re in a city, plug into your chamber of commerce, but don’t just show up; show out. Bring ideas. Host events. Collaborate on workforce initiatives. Align with trade schools, high schools, and job placement programs. Don’t wait for the opportunities to find you; go find them first.
Community Engagement is a Long Game
I’ve learned the hard way that community engagement isn’t about logos on Little League jerseys or being mentioned in a press release. Those things are fine, but real engagement means being known for what you do when there’s nothing in it for you. In our case, we’ve leaned hard into education, giving school tours of our facility, sponsoring tools for entry-level students, and even offering internships to show what a career in collision can look like. The ROI isn’t always instant. But the long-term brand equity, reputation, and trust that builds? Priceless. Remember, all these relationships have relationships, and people generally love talking!
When customers know your brand before needing a repair, you’re winning. You’re heading in the right direction when your community sees your business as a contributor, not just a service provider.
We
Can’t Afford Continued Isolation
Let’s call it like it is: Many shop owners wear isolation like a badge of honor. “No one understands our grind.” “No one works as hard as we do.” That may be true, but it’s classic victim mentality and incredibly limiting.
Some of the greatest operational shifts I’ve made came from candid conversations with shop owners across the country. Not the ones pretending they had it all figured out — the ones in the trenches, who were willing to share. Those relationships started at conferences, through 20 groups, or with a simple, “Hey, can I buy you a coffee?”
You don’t have to go it alone. And frankly, you shouldn’t.
Here’s a Challenge from Me to You:
Stop waiting for strategic partnerships or community opportunities to knock. Go create them. Be the one who starts the conversation. Be the one who invites others in. Ask yourself:
• What organizations in my area align with our values and customer base?
• Which local schools, charities, or events could benefit from our time, tools, or talent?
• Which vendors or suppliers could I deepen a relationship with, not just for cost but capability?
• Who in my market or state can I connect with, learn from, or mentor?
• If you approach these questions with authenticity instead of an agenda, the opportunities will come.
My Final Two Cents
In an industry built on the aftermath of collisions, the leaders in our markets build connections long before any accident occurs.
Strategic partnerships and community engagement aren’t soft skills anymore. They are survival skills that are non-negotiables in today’s market. They future-proof your brand, fortify your team, and earn you the kind of loyalty that no coupon or marketing gimmick ever could.
So, stop thinking about your shop as a standalone business. Start treating it like a hub of talent, innovation, and a tool to make a much larger community impact than you could ever accomplish individually.
BRYANT has been the owner of DB Orlando Collision since August 2011. A 20 group leader, in-demand conference speaker, and award-winning shop owner, Bryant takes a nontraditional approach to process implementation, lean process development, and overall operational experience while remaining dedicated to his staff’s personal and professional development.
EMAIL: drew@orlandocollision.com
ARCHIVE: fenderbender.com/bryant
DREW
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