Hammer & Dolly August 2022

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CONTENTS August 2022

20 COVER STORY

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

HOW THEY SEE US: CHANGING THE PERCEPTION OF THE INDUSTRY Why don’t consumers like us?!

NATIONAL FEATURE 8 FALL-ING FOR SEMA: SCRS REVEALS RDE AGENDA

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK Are you ready for Vegas?

NATIONAL NEWS 14 CCC RESPONDS TO INDUSTRY’S DATA SHARING CONCERNS

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK Invest in your team’s future.

WMABA FEATURE 16 LIFEBLOOD OF THE INDUSTRY: WMABA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR APPEARS ON BODY BANGIN’ PODCAST Jordan Hendler bleeds collision.

DEPARTMENTS 4

President’s Message

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Executive Director’s Message

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WMABA Member Application

12 WMABA Golf Outing Notice 17 WMABA Sponsors

INDUSTRY ADVICE: ASK MIKE

32 HOW CAN SHOPS OVERCOME THE PUSH AND PULL OVER P&M?

34 Advertisers’ Index

Mix it up by getting paid properly.

August 2022

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Steven Krieps (304) 755-1146 skrieps@live.com

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

“ROADS?! WHERE WE’RE GOING, WE DON’T NEED ROADS!” What do we do with new untrained hires in a collision center? Do we throw them to the wolves after an “extensive” walkthrough of the facility to see if they will make it? Do we pair them up with our “best tech” to train them – while expecting increased output? Or is it some

getting wet if you’re not willing to fix the broken pipe in the ceiling overhead.

Once a new hire begins their journey with your company, take the time to guide them. Watch them to identify their strengths and

messy combination of the two? Tech schools are not generating enough entry-level workers, so you may need to become your own training center, but approaching this correctly is very important.

We are now in a time where the up-and-coming workforce can earn $15-$16 per hour flipping chicken or stocking shelves while playing with toys. In my opinion, we aren’t doing a good enough job of outlining expectations or showing them there is a viable path to higher pay and more opportunities. We need to demonstrate the possible progression of a career…not just a job. Allow them to understand the amount of time and effort you would like to invest in them, but don’t beat them over the head with it.

The work must still be done, so you need a plan to address the inevitable: the new guy who constantly disappears into the void, who shows no improvement after several weeks and ultimately either quits or complains that you don’t pay enough. Yes, you start pay at minimum wage because, in your mind, you have to train them from the ground up and likely provide tools. You’re not wrong.

Unfortunately, paying minimum wage usually gets you minimum level of effort in return. But at the same time, you can’t complain about

weaknesses; if you want to be a true leader, you must learn different management styles and adapt to people. I’m not suggesting you be a pushover or change everything for one new employee, but you felt this person was worthy of joining your team and you expect their best efforts, so shouldn’t you give them yours in return?

Before you hire them, make sure you know exactly what you want them to do and have a clear plan for progression. Providing lists of tasks and expectations helps prevent them from running out of things to do. If you believe telling them to “just clean up” or push a broom to keep busy will keep them engaged, just accept the fact that you will continue going through hire after hire. You and your team must embrace how later generations require different leadership styles.

Training periods can be a big issue – and costly – as we all know. Most training organizations have increased the cost, reduced the actual training side and increased the frequency in what feels like a run on the bank. But when it comes to pairing an untrained technician with a veteran tech, you must read between the lines

WMABA OFFICERS

PRESIDENT Steve Krieps

steve@gregclineauto.com 304-755-1146 VICE PRESIDENT Rodney Bolton

boltonconsulting61@gmail.com 443-386-0086 TREASURER Kris Burton

kris@rosslynautobody.com 703-820-1800 SECRETARY Phil Rice

phil@ricewoods.com 540-846-6617 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Torchy Chandler

Torchy Chandler torchy.chandler@gmail.com 410-309-2242

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Don Beaver (donbeaver3551@gmail.com) 443-235-6668

Bill Hawkins (hawkinswilliamjr@gmail.com) 510-915-2283

Barry Dorn (bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com) 804-746-3928

John Shoemaker (john.a.shoemaker@basf.com) 248-763-4375

ADMINISTRATION

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jordan Hendler (jordanhendler@wmaba.com) 804-789-9649 WMABA CORPORATE OFFICE P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116

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CONTINUED ON PG. 31 STAFF PUBLISHER

Thomas Greco thomas@grecopublishing.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Alicia Figurelli alicia@grecopublishing.com

EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR

Alana Quartuccio Bonillo alana@grecopublishing.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Chasidy Rae Sisk chasidy@grecopublishing.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Donna Greco donna@grecopublishing.com

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Joe Greco .joe@grecopublishing.com

PUBLISHED BY TGP, Inc. 244 Chestnut St., Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110 973-667-6922 FAX 973-235-1963

Reproduction of any portions of this publication is specifically prohibited without written permission from the publisher. The opinions and ideas appearing in this magazine are not necessarily rep­re­sen­ta­tions of TGP Inc. or of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA). Copyright © 2022 Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.­­ Stock Images courtesy of istockphoto.com.

August 2022

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S

Win or lose, get your head in the game!

MESSAGE

What Would it Take For You to

Be a Real Fan? Have you ever been to a sporting event where there’s one fan who’s full tilt crazy with excitement? Just looking at them makes you feel more team spirit. Or, have you felt the noise of the crowd as the opening song begins and thousands begin chanting all in one booming voice, overwhelming all your senses?

I heard a Sunday sermon recently, about how we participate in church versus a sporting event, and the comparative concept really got me thinking about the association. What kind of fan are we? Do we have Team Spirit and how engaged are we with our players? This may be the place where your inner voice is saying, “who’s got time for all that?” Tell that voice to sit down [shut up] for just a second, and stay with me.

In this issue, where my guest appearance in the Body Bangin’ Podcast is covered, I talk about how vastly different an experience is watching a game on TV versus being in the stands. Just the shared energy alone makes a huge difference in the outcome of how you feel afterwards – win or lose. Win or lose. Think about that too; are we still supporting – cheering - when the team is on a losing streak?

So, what makes a Real Fan? Traits that come to mind: Fans clear their schedules to go to the Games Fans wear the Jersey Fans get there before Kickoff and are the last to Leave Fans pay the cost of Admission Fans are Loud Fans motivate others to Cheer Fans know the Players Fans Never give up Hope Fans stand up for the outstanding plays Fans don’t go alone, they take others Fans buy the merch, to support their Team Fans don’t want the game to end…

Maybe you are the one wearing the face paint, or maybe you were once a fan of our industry and have lost your spark. If you’ve lost your way in this industry and feel the drag of your heels on the way to work, then I’m talking to you. If you’re an all-in cheerleader of all things collision, I’m talking to you too.

I’m constantly in awe at the near-miraculous job you do. That said, if you get your teeth kicked in enough, you’re going to quit smiling. This is the hardest industry I know of, and yet the most amazing. No other industry takes such broken things and puts them back together like nothing happened, while dealing with adversity at every step and in the face of requirements a factory full of engineers would have a hard time complying with.

Sometimes our team loses.

At times, we feel every effort is an uphill battle. Take legislative defeat, as an example. That’s the hardest loss we feel. Or when good shops sell because they “can’t take it anymore.” But, this is OUR industry and these are OUR people. No, not people, players.

Professional players, at that. The NFL has a pinky finger’s worth of the talent our industry has.

Other times we win!

Let’s take that previously mentioned list and see what we can do today. Clear your schedule for the next WMABA event. Come to the next meeting ready to cheer, engage and be willing to put yourself out there as a jersey-wearing finger-waiving industry maniac. Because, amidst an event or other WMABA endeavor, you may find yourself going, “Wow, I really wish I would have done this sooner!”

Put on the jersey, paint your face, get your fan group together and let’s get to the game! Win or lose, we can share the energy to advance to the playoffs every time! H&D

Jordan Hendler

(804) 789-9649 jordanhendler@wmaba.com

Check the WMABA website and newsletters for regular updates and reports from the Executive Director’s perspective.

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August 2022

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NATIONAL

FEATURE FALL-ING FOR SCRS Reveals RDE Agenda October 31 - November 4

Time does strange things – it’s surreal to think that summer is nearly over, but for collision and automotive repair professionals, the return of fall means one thing: It’s almost time to head to Las Vegas for the 2022 SEMA Show!

Renowned as one of the world’s largest and most exciting automotive shows, SEMA 2022 will be held November 1-4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, featuring the industry’s latest products, innovations and trends from thousands of vendors. The Show’s plethora of networking and educational opportunities offer even more

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reasons for repairers to book a hotel room and schedule a flight – and auto body professionals seeking the most relevant education, training, discussions and networking won’t want to miss the lineup planned by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) for its week-long Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, beginning Monday, October 31 and extending through the end of the Show.

“We’ve worked really hard to take feedback from our attendees and develop a lineup for the 2022 series that speaks to the topics that matter most to collision repair businesses,” said SCRS

The nation’s top training awaits.

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. “We’ve got an incredibly diverse and talented group of presenters who are positioned to provide meaningful contributions to the attendees. SCRS has been unwavering in our goal of using this series, and the elevated platform at the SEMA Show, to help repair businesses succeed by arming them with tangible solutions and knowledge to improve the way they conduct their business and deliver on repairs that align with the heightened sophistication and complexity of today’s vehicles. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone in Vegas!”

SCRS returns to this year’s Show with a calendar filled with

five days of educational delights as over 30 of the industry’s favorite subject matter experts – including Pete Tagliapietra (Datatouch), Dave Luehr (Elite Body Shop Solutions), Robert McDorman (Auto Claim Specialists), Danny Gredinberg (Database Enhancement Gateway) and over two dozen more – will share insights on everything from ADAS and data security to estimating, negotiations and marketing.

Add in courses on joining operations, glue pulling and paint shop digitalization for a full slate of training opportunities for the entire shop.

CONTINUED ON PG. 10 August 2022

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NATIONAL FEATURE CONTINUED FROM PG. 9 Filling a shop with employees serves as many facilities’ biggest challenge these days, but most discussions about the workforce shortage focuses on filling positions that require a high degree of specialized skill, such as technicians; however, the lack of qualified help to fill other critical roles often goes unaddressed. Mike Anderson, president of Collision Advice, will examine how building internal skilldevelopment programs can lessen the need to engage in an extensive search for an experienced repair planner as he teaches shops how to “Build Your Next Repair Planner In-House, from Scratch!”

On the other hand, it’s hard to pay a repair planner (or anyone else) when you’re not effectively billing for your services – a problem many shops contend with, largely due to insurers’ insistence on compensating only for the “prevailing rate.” During “What is a Prevailing Rate, and How Do You Define Yours?” AkzoNobel Senior Services Consultant Tim Ronak will be joined by Tony Adams, services consultant for AkzoNobel, in a discussion about this frustrating concept. Attendees will learn where carriers obtain the data used to determine “prevailing rate,” and they’ll walk away with the information needed to calculate the amount they need to charge for their business to operate effectively, while navigating rising inflation.

Every business wants to improve performance and enhance optimal productivity, but few shops know how to achieve those goals.

BASF Business Development Manager and WMABA Board member John Shoemaker and BASF Business Solutions and Performance Group Manager Braxton Ewing partner for a roundtable discussion, “Untap Your Potential by Understanding Your Performance!” as they’ll explain how collision facilities can utilize the data already at their fingertips: key performance indicators (KPIs) which help owners and managers understand how their shop stacks up against others in the industry. Benchmarking current performance allows shops to set realistic goals to amplify their results, improve performance and ultimately, achieve success.

And that’s just on Monday, October 31 – before the SEMA Show even officially starts! RDE will deliver nearly 20 more classes on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the series doesn’t stop there.

The 2022 SEMA Show also features SCRS’ OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit, where auto body professionals can

learn about the latest automotive innovation, design and technology during three special panel discussions with leaders in the field. This year’s OEM Summit will follow a similar formula to previous iterations of the event, highlighting how modern vehicle development influences repairability as each session’s speakers explore what’s coming (or has already arrived!) – from alternative fuels to safety to vehicle materials and design – and offer suggestions to help the industry prepare for these emerging trends.

The 2022 RDE series wraps up the last day of the Show with the IDEAS Collide Showcase, touted by SCRS as a “one-of-a-kind event” that features 10 fast-paced presentations “designed to either stimulate thought or resolve a specific business challenge” as each speaker explores ideas and concepts “aimed at rattling the status quo and offering conceptual keys to resolve existing market challenges.” The Showcase will feature Jeff Peevy (I-CAR), Scott Broaddus (Irongate Capital), Tom Allen (Condition Now), Dave Gruskos (RAE Inc.), Brady Haislet (3M), Rudy Romero (Larry H. Miller Collision Centers), Greg Peeters (Car ADAS Solutions), Ryan Mandell (Mitchell International), Mike Anderson (Collision Advice) and more!

Education is the name of the game at SEMA, and few entities offer as much information condensed into one day as the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), which will hold its final meeting of the year on November 1 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.

A quarterly forum consisting of participants from all segments of the industry, CIC provides attendees with an opportunity to discuss and explore the issues that most impact their businesses, seeking to form consensus on various concerns through discussion, research and extensive interim committee work; CIC recognizes that all such findings are non-binding and must be accepted voluntarily. Meetings are open to all interested parties from any segment of the industry, including repairers, insurers, paint/material companies, equipment suppliers and manufacturers, OEMs, data providers, trade association representatives and more.

Of course, the 2022 SEMA Show offers much more than education…you won’t want to miss out on the exhibitors’ booths, the car shows or the celebrity appearances, but you can’t enjoy all the fun and excitement unless you’re in Vegas the first week of November. So, what are you waiting for? Schedule a flight, book a hotel room and start planning your personal agenda now!

Registration is now open to automotive and collision industry professionals for the 2022 SEMA Show at semashow.com. Sign up for SCRS’ RDE series at scrs.com/rde, and learn more about CIC at ciclink.com. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts Going to the SEMA Show, and attending the Repairer Driven Education, is more than just an experience you need to have; it’s an internal shift you didn’t know you needed. Like finding a new gear, these sessions will be invigorating and inspiring in unexpected ways. This is the change you’re needing to see the future through refreshed vision! Get your tickets. What are you waiting for? -Jordan Hendler

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2022

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SAVE THE DATE!

August 2022

August 2022

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NATIONAL

NEWS

Understand who has access.

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

CCC Responds to Industry’s Data Sharing Concerns Where does shop data go, and who can access it?

Last month, WMABA shops shared their reservations related to data access, and Hammer & Dolly explored this touchy topic with several collision repair industry leaders who shared their insights, warnings and advice (check it out at bit.ly/HD0722data). This month, Dan Risley, vice president, quality repair and market development at CCC Intelligent Solutions, weighs in on data privacy and sharing concerns.

Hammer & Dolly: Who collects data, and why? How is it shared, and with whom?

Dan Risley: As part of normal business, collision repairers often need to share estimate data with third parties in order to complete repairs. CCC enables collision repairers to share data with third parties and offers the ability to limit what data is shared.

Today, many repair facilities store EMS extract on their servers and may make those EMS extracts available to third parties. In response to industry concern with assuming unexpected risks by passing – knowingly or otherwise – consumer and complete estimate data to third parties directly, or through the use of “data pumps,” in exporting EMS data, CCC offers technology solutions to allow collision repairers to limit the information shared with third parties relevant to the intended use case.

H&D: Are entities paying for or being paid for this data?

DR: CCC does not sell consumer data. Collision repairers routinely need to share data with third parties, such as part suppliers, insurers, etc., in order to complete the repair as part of the ordinary course of doing business. Data is shared through CCC for that purpose.

H&D: Are consumers aware of data being shared, and have they given permission?

DR: Collision repairers communicate directly with the consumer, their customer, to obtain any necessary consent.

To assist our collision repair customers, CCC provides tools to help them in their compliance efforts. For example, the CCC Data Privacy Center gives repair facilities, amongst other features,

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the ability to request CCC DELETE a consumer’s data upon their request.

H&D: How can shops protect themselves and their customer data from being inadvertently shared (and protect their business from potential liability concerns)?

DR: Collision repairers need to take proactive measures to protect their data. Repair facilities should check which applications, if any, they have given access to EMS extracts. They can remove previously configured EMS paths individually or in bulk.

Additionally, repair facilities can choose to use other CCC technology that enables collision repairers to limit the data that is shared using the CIECA BMS data standard.

H&D: Why is EMS still being used instead of converting to BMS which would provide shops with greater control over data/data segmentation?

DR: CCC provides collision repair customers with the option and flexibility to choose what is best for their business. Given the better control over what data is shared, we believe collision repairers will want to move to technology using a CIECA BMS data standard.

Data sharing presents many possibilities – both positive and negative – for shops to consider, and knowledge is power. At Hammer & Dolly, we want to provide the auto body industry with the information needed to safeguard their businesses. What do you need to know? Reach out and let us know how we can help provide the knowledge you need! H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts The escape of information from the shop is a huge concern, and more so than I think we are even aware of today. The aggregation of data - and even repair procedures and prices - is one of the gold mines of our industry. Data is where the real money is. And just consider all the possibilities of who is after it. While CCC has resources, it is still the sharing to third-parties that causes many issues for repairers.

Intentional or not. -Jordan Hendler

August 2022

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Find your tribe.

FEATURE Lifeblood of the Industry:

WMABA Executive Director Appears on Body Bangin’ Podcast “I AM collision; if you cut me, I bleed car,” WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler described her passion for the industry during her appearance on the Body Bangin’ podcast with Micki Woods (Micki Woods Marketing).

“Jordan is all things body shop and another female in the industry I look up to. She’s a great influence in this space, has a passion for the industry and is a proponent for many wonderful things,” Woods introduced her guest, citing Hendler’s role in WMABA as well as her involvement in the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) as providing “a wealth of knowledge acquired by hearing from all the different pieces of the collision repair puzzle.”

The dynamic duo dove into the benefits of association membership – and more importantly, involvement in the organization, especially as it pertains to industry conferences and other opportunities that allow collision repair professionals to gather for education and networking.

“Participation is the whole point of joining associations for shops and vendors; we’re better together,” Hendler explained.

“Being able to unify our resources and work on issues in our local markets or even nationally allows us to collaborate to improve the industry for everybody.”

She went on to compare association involvement to watching a sports game: “Whether you watch it on TV or you’re in the stands, the experience you have is vastly different. On TV, I may or may not get excited enough to put my jersey on and paint my face, but it’s completely different when you’re a fan at the game. Attending industry conferences is like being in the stands – you’re able to talk to vendors about their products and share information and experiences with colleagues who become friends. That’s the most important thing…when the boat runs aground, people need to know who to turn to and who’s in their corner.”

“It’s that camaraderie and locking arms that we’re all in this together,” Woods agreed. “I always take that away from

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conferences and symposiums. We’re part of the collective, part of the whole, and it just pumps me up because it’s so exciting. The energy of being there is so vastly different, and you pay attention at a different level when you’re physically present.”

Although virtual training options have become more plentiful in recent years, Hendler and Woods concurred that there’s no replacement for in-person events.

“You’re unencumbered by someone walking into your office while you’re trying to focus,” Hender pointed out. “Our minds wander all the time, but the shared energy at a live event is an important factor for the memorability of everything we learn.”

“Conferences are not necessarily about what the person on stage is saying so much as about what it sparks for the individual that creates an ah-ha moment to take back to the shop to marry with that facility’s procedures,” Woods astutely observed. “With fewer distractions, you have the capability to start thinking and let subconscious thoughts bubble up to the surface, which is something we all need: a way to get away but still plug in.”

Talking about perspective and how rarely shop owners really think about their shop, Hendler recommended that shop owners walk across the street from their business and look at it from the perspective of a new client bringing their car in.

“Do you see trash or a bush blocking something? Do you have a clearly marked customer entrance? It’s all about perspective, and this is no different. You cannot have a perspective of a national industry that you’re a part of every day until you walk out of your shop and drive or fly to one of these events. It’s the most valuable thing you can do for personal growth in management.”

“We learn so much just hearing from other people,” Woods added. “We’re often so trapped in our minds. Hearing other people’s perspectives – their experiences and what they’ve learned – is awesome.”

CONTINUED ON PG. 23

WMABA THANKS

YOU

WMABA thanks their generous supporters of the

LEVEL 1

Corporate Sponsor Program for 2022!

We encourage YOUR SUPPORT of those who SUPPORT US! For more information about the sponsorship program, please contact Executive Director Jordan Hendler at (804) 789-9649 or email jordanhendler@ wmaba.com

www.wmaba.com

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COVER STORY

How They See Us: Changing the Perception of the Industry 20

August 2022

Overcoming an absence of understanding and trust.

BY CHASIDY RAE SISK

For an auto body shop to sell repairs to consumers, the collision professional must first sell the potential customer on the shop itself. Tragically, that sale often presents the largest hurdle in the process. Why? Often, shops struggle to convince customers that they’re the right repair facility because the average consumer perceives automotive shops unfavorably!

“The average consumer views the collision repair industry in a negative light,” believes Micki Woods (Micki Woods Marketing).

“Many feel that shops are trying to scam them, and there is general mistrust related to many different factors. The most common are bad past experiences, a lack of understanding that leads to assuming the worst and horror stories from friends or family.”

“I agree with most industry experts that the public’s perception of the industry is negative, largely due to years ago when shops had a history of being less than professional and, in some cases, less than honest,” suggested Lee V. Rush (Sherwin-Williams).

“We’ve also seen negative media coverage of our industry which perpetuates that perception and gives the consumer a negative impression of shops, collision repair and our industry as a whole.

“The high cost of repairs feeds the lack of trust as consumers see an estimate and refuse to believe we’ve given them a fair price for simply bumping into someone,” Rush continued. “Combine that with the fear of not really understanding what we do, and we can see why many customers are reticent about trusting shops. We continue ‘enjoying’ that reputation, whether we deserve it or not, and to be fair, it’s not just our industry – lawyers, car salesmen and mechanical shops contend with a similar stigma.”

Maylan Newton (Educational Seminars Institute) sees it a little differently.

“The public doesn’t view the industry in any direction until they need work done on their car. Then, their thought process trends toward negativity because of how the industry is portrayed in the press in general.”

“I don’t think the average consumer actually views the collision industry either way,” John Shoemaker (BASF) agreed. “Collision centers fall under the same category as a funeral home; most people don’t know anything about them until they need one and find themselves scrambling to find the right shop, generally based on the recommendations of friends or neighbors. The only ones who have an opinion are those who’ve needed a repair in the past – and their opinion will be based on their experience with that particular shop.”

The impetus for improving the public’s perception of the collision repair industry lies firmly with the shops. Marketing plays a vital role for any business desiring to increase profitability, but shops can also utilize these tools to improve the overall image of collision repairers and the industry at-large…before a potential customer even steps foot in their facility.

CONTINUED ON PG. 24 August 2022

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WMABA FEATURE CONTINUED FROM PG. 16

Although Hendler wears many hats, her role as executive director of WMABA fills her with “such pride. Our association is 50 years old, and it has done and gone through so much. Associations are the lifeblood of this industry. It’s amazing how we can pull national-level speakers into local events to create opportunities that aren’t always easily found.

“It usually takes chaos to grow membership, which is crazy but true,” she continued. “When times are good, when shops have a backlog and things are going well, they don’t think they need us as much, but when an industry catastrophe happens, such as the tsunami of electric vehicles, could cause a measure of chaos where people think, ‘Oh my gosh, I have no idea what I’m doing. I want to understand and do it right.’

That’s when they realize they need to get involved.”

“That’s one of the things that COVID

taught us: how quickly things can shift unexpectedly,” Woods suggested. “When you have a tribe to be able to lean on and pull from, it really can help you weather storms.

Even when things are going well, we can always be better; we can always do better. I love those personal conversations where you get all these little pearls of wisdom. And that’s one of the benefits that conferences and events provide…that shift of perspective that we all need.”

Hendler particularly appreciates when industry professionals are “recognized and noticed for rising to the top and setting themselves apart simply from doing things right and with passion. Passion is the differential of all things.”

Check out the entirety of episode 39 of Body Bangin’ at bit.ly/BBlifeblood. H&D

THOMAS GRECO PUBLISHING

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COVER STORY CONTINUED FROM PG. 21

“Collision centers need to market their value,” Shoemaker stressed. “Every collision center does or offers something different than the one down the street, and they need to capitalize on that difference as a way of promoting value to a consumer. Most importantly, shops need to foster word-of-mouth referrals by making each customer’s experience the best possible.”

Woods concurs that “the best kind of praise comes from other people! I recommend each shop solicit frequent and recent testimonials on the major review sites (Google and Yelp), so prospective customers can hear directly from other consumers.”

Social media frustrates many of us, yet it’s another valuable tool that shops can’t afford to ignore when it comes to correcting the industry’s perception from a distance.

“If you make the customer feel comfortable right from the start, the experience will stay positive through to delivery of the repaired vehicle.”

“Showing your employees’ faces on social media, your website and elsewhere online creates a stronger feeling of connection to your shop for the consumer,” Woods advised. “If shops can show that they are involved in the local community, consumers will feel the shop is part of their ‘team.’ Shops that participate in local events and support local organizations can showcase their involvement by posting photos to social media and tagging the places or organizations they’re partnering with. This is a great method for building brand awareness.”

“It’s important that shops project a positive outlook on these platforms and in all forms of advertising; we need to promote the finished product,” Newton emphasized. “Customers don’t want to see damaged cars; that’s negative imagery. Any kind of traffic accident or body damage is traumatic, and we want the customer to stop thinking about that trauma. Positive imagery of happy families driving away in their repaired vehicle helps shops move away from the negativity and guide customers to focus on what the shop will provide, about how the collision repair facility will make them whole by restoring their safe, reliable and dependable transportation.”

Although Rush agrees that a shop’s online presence requires

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significant attention for shops eager to “wow the consumer,” he feels that shops need to pay attention to the first point of contact before the customer enters the shop – which often occurs through a phone call. He offered a tip: “Smile before you answer the phone or make the call; customers can sense your mood through the tone of your voice.

“First impressions are powerful and critical. It may be our 20th call today, but it’s the customer’s first call to us…and it’s our only chance to make a strong first impression. We need to portray an overwhelmingly high level of professionalism within a few seconds when we answer the phone because that’s often how we ‘meet’ that customer. Body shops have come a long way when it comes to developing proper greetings and scripts because they realize they need to explain their process and training, as well as develop an emotional connection, in just a few minutes. What’s different from your shop’s script than the shop down the road? We need to consider that to make sure we’re standing out from the competition.”

Collision repairers know there’s a need to interact in a friendly and professional manner with their customers, but in order to have that opportunity, they must come into the collision center. Phone skills offer a great start, but what happens when the customer drives up to the shop?

“Image is very important, but most shops fail to realize that it actually starts about a mile away from the shop with your signage,” Newton pointed out. “Signs should look professional and clearly indicate where the customer needs to go.”

“We need to be conscientious of the first impression the customer receives when they pull up at the facility, too,” Rush added.

“Many shops don’t have many parking spaces, or they may lean parts against the counter as they unload a delivery truck. As industry professionals, we’re desensitized to the way this looks. It doesn’t seem out of place to us, but for most consumers, this makes them uncomfortable. We only have a handful of touchpoints with each customer, and managing the aesthetics of the facility can ease their mind from the onset of the process. Cultivate a showroom – and I use that word intentionally – that doesn’t look like a ‘body shop.’

Doing these things allow shops to create a first impression that drives customer confidence and trust more than anything else.”

Of course, the most effective means of building a relationship and garnering trust comes down to the good ol’ fashioned, triedand-true method of human interaction, and shops have multiple opportunities to correct consumers’ perception of the industry when they’re on site.

“Immediately greeting the customer on-site creates a first impression too,” Rush noted. “They’re typically walking in with a lot of emotion and not necessarily much logic, so how they’re treated as soon as they walk in drives their emotions, their response and their feelings about the business. Uniforms communicate a certain level of professionalism as well. We’re past the days of customers believing the shop’s employees will take care of them; they expect a $70,000

vehicle to be repaired by professionals, and professional uniforms create that impression pretty effectively.”

“Body shop customers are dealing with a traumatic experience that they rarely encounter,” Newton observed. “Are they greeted by friendly, smiling professionals who help them resolve their problem?

Even though they’ll only be in the shop for a short amount of time, we want them to be comfortable while they’re there, so make sure the shop is clean and smells good. Staff should be professionally dressed, and always offer customers something to drink while waiting for the paperwork. Dealing with insurers and supplements poses challenges for the shop, but the goal is to make it as painless as possible for the customer – when their burden becomes the shop’s burden, they’ll feel the shop is taking care of them, and that’s how we make customers happy.”

“Shops need to separate the repair from the customer and start taking care of the customer really well,” Shoemaker indicated.

“Any collision center can take care of a repair, but having the right people in place to tend to the customer’s needs has to be primary.

If you make the customer feel comfortable right from the start, the experience will stay positive through to delivery of the repaired vehicle.”

“Nothing beats a collision center team that actually cares,” Woods insisted. “Consumers can feel whether their presence is a bother or if the staff is there to care for them. Find people with warm, friendly demeanors to answer your phones and greet your guests.

Writers should be explaining and informing the guests throughout the process, so they feel like they are part of the process, which will create a more trusting relationship. Team members who go out of their way to run that extra mile mean a TON to guests, especially those who were originally leery of body shops in general.”

It’s important to continue building that rapport throughout the process as well.

“No matter how frustrating the repair cycle might be, we have to manage the customer’s experience and expectations,” Rush recommended. “Consistently update the customer on the regular cadence of progress. Providing regular updates makes it less detrimental if you do have to call them with less-than-favorable news. Conversely, if the shop only calls with bad news, that’s the only experience they have…and it’s negative.”

While shops can do many things to improve the perception of their individual businesses, it would be ideal if the industry in its entirety collaboratively made some efforts to promote collision repairers’ professionalism, extensive training and hard work.

“It would be great to be more informative as an industry,” Woods stated. “Transparency lessens distrust, and a desire to help our customers – versus focusing only on selling to them – would be a nice switchup.”

“An organization should provide information to the consumer about what to do at the time of an accident and what to look for in a collision center,” Shoemaker proposed. “Plus, they can help a consumer understand the value of an OEM-certified shop as well as

assisting them with locating a qualified shop.”

“We don’t have a national organization that advocates for us,” Rush lamented. “A lot of regional organizations do a great job in specific markets, but nobody is pulling together a public service announcement to promote the level of expertise needed in this industry or the great career opportunities that exist within collision repair. This contributes to the skilled labor shortage we’re experiencing as well.”

“Associations for collision and automotive repairers need to create general industry advertisements,” Newton claimed, referencing egg commercials that negated claims that eating eggs led to high cholesterol. “It wasn’t about a specific brand; they promoted eggs in general. Our industry doesn’t have a general plan to market the good things we do. Associations should be managing that as a way of improving our image.”

Many collision associations strive to do exactly that, and WMABA consistently maintains its position as a forerunner in its efforts by offering a webpage dedicated to providing shops with resources to educate consumers. Learn more at wmaba.com/consumer-information.

Newton proposed that associations could also collaborate to promote the industry through a nationwide campaign indicating that their members are quality repair facilities worthy of trust.

“Most industry entities don’t have enough brand recognition to make a difference, but if bigger organizations advertise the industry, it creates brand recognition, and from there, member shops will enjoy increased credibility. Most associations have standardized codes of ethics that we should be advertising to promote what we do and remove the negative stigma from the industry as a whole.”

Funding for such a campaign comes with its own concerns, but Newton believes shops must recognize the need to contribute to such an endeavor.

“McDonald’s franchises in Southern California alone have a $100 million marketing budget, but if shops across the country contributed just $100 each month, we could create TV and radio ads that would promote associations as the guiding light toward shops doing jobs correctly.

“The world is changing, and we need to change with it,” Newton continued. “We can’t keep thinking like we did five or 10 years ago.

We need to promote individual shops and our industry as a whole, and associations have a great opportunity to build trust and then direct consumers to their website to choose who they’ll do business with.”

Because, ultimately, the customer relies on the individual shop, no matter how they reach the facility.

“People talk about the experience, not the repair,” Rush reaffirmed. “We want to meet more than their minimum expectations; we should be looking to create a memorable and differentiating experience. While 80 percent of companies believe they provide superior customer service, only eight percent of consumers agree.

CONTINUED ON PG. 26 August 2022

25

COVER STORY CONTINUED FROM PG. 25

Why Join WIN? WIN offers education, mentoring and leadership development opportunities to build critical skills for success in the collision repair market.

• Local/Regional Networking Events • Annual Education Conference • Educational Webinars

• Scholarship Program • School Outreach Program • Most Influential Women (MIW) Award

• Mentoring Opportunities womensindustrynetwork.com

Who’s right? The customer is because it’s their perception, and that means we need to do a better job of managing it by reviewing our business from the customer’s point of view, so we can establish better processes to improve their experience.

“Quite frankly, it’s up to us,” he emphasized. “Each customer’s experience and overall perception of your shop is based on their interactions with it, from first contact to vehicle delivery. All these touchpoints determine how that customer views you…and quite possibly, the entire industry. We’re the best people to help ourselves.”

Changing the public’s perception of this industry may seem like a daunting task, but the opportunities to improve our image are endless.

How will you positively impact your customers’ impression of collision repair? H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts Recent Example: When I was just at the Southeast Collision Conference, Mike Anderson called four shops who stepped up in the meeting, to see what their receptionist would do receiving his call. He pretended he had a Nissan (in an accident), and all were Nissan certified. All were shocked to find the response to someone wrecking their Nissan was to call their insurance company first, without ever once mentioning their certification or their expertise in that particular vehicle. Knowing how you want to be represented starts at that first “ring”. -Jordan Hendler

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An association fostering the exchange of ideas and providing a voice and support for the collision repair professional.

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Steven Krieps srkrieps@live.com 304-755-1146

VICE PRESIDENT: Rodney Bolton rbolton@aacps.org 443-386-0066

SECRETARY: Phil Rice phil@ricewoods.com 540-846-6617

TREASURER: Kris Burton kris@Rosslynautobody.com 703-820-1800

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PAST PRESIDENT: Torchy Chandler torchy.chandler@gmail.com 410-309-2242

Position Your Business as a Leader!

Just like equipment and training, WMABA membership is not only a commitment to excellence, but also a valuable investment.

WMABA is recognized both regionally and nationally as the key forum for the exchange of ideas concerning the D.C., MD, VA and WV collision repair industry. It is the venue to discuss, learn about and impact evolving standards and policies in the technical, administrative and legislative fronts of our industry.

Shops and industry supporters can best develop themselves and their employees by actively engaging in the association and its activities.

Automotive collision repair facilities in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. who are willing to adopt WMABA’s Standards of Membership and offer a guarantee to their consumers are encouraged to engage their business as an active member of the association. For over 40 years, the WMABA membership of professional collision repair businesses and affiliates have committed to operating at a higher standard on behalf of their industry and their consumers. Over the years, WMABA has proudly represented the collision repair industry at hearings on Capitol Hill, in Annapolis, MD, and Richmond, VA as well as almost every national collision repair event. While WMABA has a rich history of dedicated men and women serving the local collision repair community, WMABA also boasts numerous past and current accomplished Board members who represent our membership at the national level.

WMABA offers current and dynamic discussion forums on topics facing collision repairers, technical information and educational seminars, opportunities to network and discuss pressing topics with leaders of the collision repair industry, an arbitration program that works with consumers to help resolve issues they might have, apprenticeship programs, legislative representation and the ability to receive and contribute to one of the nation’s leading collision repair magazines, Hammer & Dolly.

Barry Dorn bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com 804-746-3928 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Jordan Hendler jordanhendler@wmaba.com 804-789-9649

Bill Hawkins hawkinswilliamjr@gmail.com 510-915-2283

John Shoemaker john.a.shoemaker@basf.com 248-763-4375

“

Contact Executive Director Jordan Hendler to find out how WMABA can amplify YOUR voice in the collision repair industry.

August 2022

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE CONTINUED FROM PG. 4 on a personal level. Will their characters mesh? Hopefully, you know your technicians and won’t give them an apprentice knowing full well of the clash to come, without addressing it. Believing that we are all professionals and adults may be correct in theory, but it does not always work. Having open conversations up front lays a foundation of understanding and expectation.

During the apprentice phase, the business must be able to absorb the production loss which comes from this type of setup. The concept that two people will produce double the work is mere fantasy in this scenario. In the beginning, your veteran needs to be able to slow down, take the time to actually show, explain and answer questions. If they still have to get that car out today, every day, they cannot and will not take the time to teach your new hires…and you will be dealing with high turnover yet again.

From my perspective, in most cases, we can’t seem to simply accept what is and adapt, because we don’t understand. It seems wrong to us since that’s not how we were taught or how we did things. We simply must find a way to work with the changing social times in order to create a productive future – or there won’t be one. H&D

August 2022

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INDUSTRY

ADVICE

ASK MIKE:

How Can Shops Overcome the Push and Pull over P&M? This month, we “ASK MIKE” to share his thoughts on how facilities can better address price increases in paint and materials with insurers and consumers.

We at Hammer & Dolly hope you find the following exchange useful, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you have a question for Mike on this or any industry-related matter that he can answer in a future issue.

Hammer & Dolly: As we’ve discussed before, the cost of virtually everything is on the rise these days. This time around, let’s talk specifically about paint and materials. The fight between shops and insurers over payment for paint and materials is nothing new, but what are you seeing out there in terms of this push and pull amidst all the other economic issues affecting the industry at the moment?

Mike Anderson: First of all, pretty much every paint manufacturer has had a price increase in the last few months.

With paint and material reimbursement, people are generally getting reimbursed one of three ways. One, they use the multiplier method: ‘I have 10 hours of paint labor on my estimate times $30 an hour, so I collect $300 in materials.’ The second way people get reimbursed is through an invoicing method – either on an invoice from their paint mixing scale or an invoice from a company like Mitchell RMC, Paint Logic or something along those lines. The third is a combination of the previous two methods. Several paint companies now have an interface with their paint mixing scales and CCC’s management system.

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CCC’s system automatically pushes how much you collected in materials on the estimate to your paint mixing scale. Then, you can set it up so that if your painter mixes more than, say, 70 or 80 percent of what you collected in the Mitchell liquid, it pushes an invoice back to the estimator that says, ‘Hey, you’re going to spend more than you collected, so you might want to submit an invoice.’ Some paint companies make what is called ‘an estimator’s guide to special colors.’ An estimator can get a printout from the paint mixing scale that says, ‘These are all the paint codes that are three-stage or four-stage or have limited-use toners in them. Estimators could request that the paint companies identify which paint codes might have more expensive toners in them.

It’s also important that people understand what is and isn’t paint and materials. Things like seam sealer, double-sided tape, nuts, bolts, clips, fasteners, weld-thru primer, cavity wax – all that stuff should be charged out as a part on the estimate; that’s not paint and materials. Collision Advice actually built a software program that takes the jobber’s statement and puts it into an accounting summary so people make sure they’re allocating the proper things to paint and materials.

There are four main KPIs you really want to look at. One, what is your average paint labor hour per estimate? Two, what are you collecting on the estimate for paint and materials as a percentage of sales? Three, what is your cost as a percentage of sales? Fourth, what are your average paint hours per every $1,000 in sales? If someone’s doing a lot of rental cars, GEICO ARX [Auto Repair Xpress] work or dealership-internal work, then they’re doing smaller jobs and their average paint labor hours may not be very high. If you look at average paint labor hours per $1,000 in sales, it ends up being around 3.1. Depending on which state you’re in, the industry average is probably around 9.4 to 9.7. I see some best-in-class shops that average 12 to 15 hours. Those are usually not DRP shops.

Knowing what it costs and collecting what you deserve.

By the way, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists [SCRS] has letters available from various state insurance commissioners in regard to which states have paint and material caps and thresholds. These letters are available to members on their website, along with other survey responses from Departments of Insurance, reports and legislative information. Repairers can gain access by joining SCRS at scrs.com/ join-scrs.

H&D: Those are obviously ways to figure out what the costs are, and shops can determine what to charge from there. Because the world is always changing – and prices change as a result – what kind of push and pull are you seeing in terms of shops going to insurers and consumers to say, ‘These prices are justified, but they have been increasing and we need them to be paid’?

Mike Anderson is an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) and the former owner of Wagonwork Collision Centers, two highly acclaimed shops located in Alexandria, VA. He has served as a member of many industry organizations throughout his career, including the WMABA Board of Directors, the Mitchell Advisory Board, the MOTOR Advisory Board, the ASE Test Review Committee, the National Auto Body Council, the Collision Industry Conference and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists.

Additionally, he is a past Virginia SkillsUSA chairman, serves as a facilitator for Axalta Coating Systems’ highly recognized Business Council 20 Groups in both the US and Canada and facilitates numerous courses for Axalta Coating Systems’ Educational Series.

He currently offers expert industry consulting via his latest venture, Collision Advice (collisionadvice.com).

MA: Most paint companies distribute a letter that you can send to your thirdparty payers and say, ‘Hey, we’ve had increases in what we pay; therefore, you’re going to see increases in what we charge.’ It’s also important that you communicate to your customers – at the start of the repair – that there could be some out-of-pocket expense if the insurance company doesn’t want to pay for it. It’s important that you send a letter to every insurance company you work with, and it’s important that you follow that up with a phone call as well. You also need to involve the customer in that discussion from the very beginning.

MA: Shops really need to involve their customers more – especially in today’s world of virtual negotiations where you can’t even talk to someone. You have to copy the customers on those emails. You have to let them know what’s going on, especially when they’re going to have to pay out of pocket.

H&D: We’ve been hearing a lot from shops that are taking consumer awareness to the next level by actually copying their customers in on any emails they send to an insurer during the repair process. What are your thoughts on that practice?

MA: Just have really good, constant communication with your jobbers, paint manufacturers and distributors, and ask them for some kind of notice. This is important, because shops can’t just start charging new prices tomorrow. H&D

H&D: Not every shop out there is prepared for drastic cost increases.

In terms of paint and materials, what methods or practices can facilities put in place to not only anticipate an increase but be ready for it when it comes?

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