Wisconsin Automotive News Spring 2015

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The Official Publication of the Wisconsin Auto Collision Technicians Association Ltd.

Spring 2015

Plus:

WACTAL Spring Conference Auto Body Legal Fight Hits Roadblock www.grecopublishing.com

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2014-2015 WACTAL BOARD of DIRECTORS President Larry Terrien MJ Collision Center larry@mjcollisioncenter.com Vice President Mark Williams Williams Auto Body mark@williamsautobody.com Secretary/Treasurer Ronnie Goss Goss Auto Body, Inc. ronnie@gossautobody.com Directors James Bryhan Bryhan's Body & Paint Specialists Eileen Haberman Glen's Auto Body, Inc. Randy Johansson FinishMaster Art Krolikowski Reedsburg Auto Body Inc. Mike Miyagawa M & M Auto Body Inc. Michael Taylor Zimbrick Chevrolet-Sun Prairie

Spring 2015

Vol. 2 Number 3

CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ........................................................5 WACTAL’s Spring Conference a Success!

by Larry Terrien LOCAL NEWS ....................................................................7 Letting Your Customers Decide: Consumer Choice Bills Hit Legistaure

by Jacquelyn Bauman NATIONAL NEWS ................................................................9 Auto Body Legal Fight Hits Roadblock in FL TALKING TECHNICAL ................................................................10 Where It All Went Wrong

by Larry Montanez III, CDA & Jeff Lange, PE WACTAL “RECRUIT-A-MEMBER” PROGRAM ..................................12

Tracy Black Dean’s Auto Body, Inc. Association Administration Sue Peterson wactal@execpc.com / info@wactal.com (800) 366-9482 Lobbyist Jolene Plautz jplautz@aol.com

PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.

WACTAL MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ................................................13 Body Crafters Auto Body, Brodhead, WI

by Jacquelyn Bauman FEATURE STORY ................................................................16 Education, Networking and Fun Dominate WACTAL 2015 Conference

by Jacquelyn Bauman WACTAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION ........................................18

244 Chestnut St., Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110 PHONE: 973-667-6922 • FAX: 973-235-1963 ADVERTISING: 973-667-6922 • alicia@grecopublishing.com PUBLISHER: Thomas Greco (thomas@grecopublishing.com) DIRECTOR OF SALES: Alicia Figurelli (alicia@grecopublishing.com)

ADVERTISER’S INDEX Axalta Coatings ............................................................................................................................................................OBC Body Shop Supply........................................................................................................................................................IFC Buerkle Hyundai ..........................................................................................................................................................12

MANAGING EDITOR: Jacquelyn Bauman (jacquelyn@grecopublishing.com) EDITOR: Joel Gausten (tgpjoel@verizon.net) ART DIRECTOR: Lea Velocci (lea@grecopublishing.com) OFFICE MANAGER: Donna Greco (donna@grecopublishing.com) www.grecopublishing.com Wisconsin Automotive News is published quarterly by Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc., 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110. Distributed free to qualified recipients; $48 to all others. Additional copies of Wisconsin Automotive News are available at $5 per copy.

Reproduction of any portions of this publication is specifically prohibited without written permission of the publisher. The opinions and ideas appearing in this magazine are not necessarily representations of Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. or of WACTAL. Copyright © 2015 by Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. Cover image © www.istock.com

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Dent Clinic....................................................................................................................................................................6 Dentsmart ....................................................................................................................................................................14 International Autos Waukesha ......................................................................................................................................15 LKQ ..............................................................................................................................................................................IBC Morrison’s Auto Parts ..................................................................................................................................................4 Straight and Square ......................................................................................................................................................14 West Bend Mutual Insurance ........................................................................................................................................8 Zorn Compressor & Equipment ....................................................................................................................................15

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

WACTAL’s Spring Conference a Success!

The WACTAL spring conference was held in Green Bay on

March 6-7 and was a big success. (See story on page 16.) For

those of you that attended, thank you very much! I hope you got as much out of it as I did. For those that did not, where were you?

I heard many different excuses as to why people could not

attend, but it all comes down to a matter of priorities. I get many

phone calls and emails with questions about what is going on in

the industry, and what WACTAL is doing about this or that. These questions always come from shops that do not attend. The industry is changing at a tremendous pace, and it is more

important now than ever to get involved. The only way we are

going to make positive changes in our industry is to join together in one unified voice. Get involved, stay informed and let your

voice be heard!

Larry Terrien President Wisconsin Auto Collision Technicians Association Ltd. (WACTAL) WAN

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Letting Your Customers Decide: Consumer Choice Bills Hit the State Legislature As a member of WACTAL, part of your dues goes towards creating or supporting legislation that will help to better your industry. On March 27, bills were introduced in the State Assembly and Senate that could potentially help to make a major difference in the collision repair field.

Assembly Bill 119 and its companion Senate Bill 93 were both referred to their respective insurance committees. These bills, referred to as Consumer Choice Legislation, would essentially serve to provide that consumers, not the insurance companies, have the right to select the motor vehicle repair facility to which a car is sent.

The Assembly Bill was introduced by Representatives E. Brooks, Tittle, Knodl, Kerkman, Murtha, Mursau, Bernier, R. Brooks, T. Larson, Skowronski and Quinn. In the Senate, it was sponsored by Senators Marklein, Ringhand and Bewley.

As many shop owners are familiar, the practice of steering by insurance companies is all too rampant in the collision repair field.

In the bill, there are two definitive and common procedures that the “Prohibited Practices” section seeks to eliminate. These Senator Howard Marklein practices are as follows: No insurer may require that, as a condition of the coverage…repairs to a motor vehicle must be made by a particular contractor or repair facility. For purposes of this section, a consumer has the right to select the motor vehicle repair facility of his or her choice.

No insurer may fail to initiate or conclude with due dispatch an investigation of a claim for repairs to a motor vehicle on the basis of whether the repairs will be made by a particular contractor or repair facility.

Local

NEWS

by Jacquelyn Bauman

The key aspect of this bill falls within this section, where it states, “…a consumer has the right to select the motor vehicle repair facility of his or her choice.”

“I don’t work for the insurance companies, I work for the customer,” says WACTAL Board member Art Krolikowski, who has been instrumental in working with Representative Ed Brooks on this initiative.

“We have been trying to get this legislation passed for years and I think we’re finally there. Almost every other state already has Senator Janis A. Ringhand laws like this in place. But the legislators agree on the language, the association agrees on the language, and finally we’re getting somewhere.”

In the “Initial Applicability” section of the bill, it assures that all claims made under a motor vehicle insurance policy from the effective date of the bill forward will be affected by this legislation. It also notes that if an insurance policy is already in effect by the time the bill is considered effective, it will only apply to claims made under the policy on the date after which the policy is renewed.

This bill is the first step to removing the influence of the insurance companies and taking back control of the collision repair industry. It is your WACTAL membership that funds initiatives like this one. For more information on the association, visit www.WACTAL.com.

To read the full text of the bill, visit http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2015/proposals/ab119.

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When you run a business, you know. The most valuable things

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And it’s all backed by the knowledge and experience of an independent insurance agent.

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This program is endorsed by the Wisconsin Auto Collision Technicians Association.

To find out more, contact an official supplier of the Silver Lining®.

For the name of an agency near you, visit thesilverlining.com.

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Insurance UPDATE

Tips for Protecting Your Business

by John Moake, West Bend Insurance Company

From an insurance perspective, automotive repair shops have a variety of exposures. The first is to the property. The second is liability, most notably injuries your customers could sustain while at your business. The third is workers’ compensation or injuries to your employees. And finally, there are exposures caused by products. West Bend Mutual Insurance Company shares these suggestions for protecting your property, customers, and employees:

Property Primary property exposures include gasoline storage, flammable liquids, oily rags, and parts-washing fluid. To try to prevent losses caused by these exposures, here are some suggestions: • “No Smoking” signs should be posted throughout the building.

• Oily rags can spontaneously combust so they must be stored in airtight, selfclosing metal cans that starve off oxygen.

• Welding and torch work should only be done as needed and only after determining that there are no flammables or combustibles in the immediate area.

• When using parts-washing fluids, use a Stoddard solvent held within a designated wash tank with a self-closing lid connected to a fusible link.

• Gasoline should NEVER be used to clean any type of part.

General Liability The main exposure is unsupervised customers in the shop area. Typical exposures to customers include damage to clothing, as well as slips and falls or other injuries.

• Customers should wear personal protective equipment if they’re going into the shop area.

• Management should escort the customer into the shop to show what repairs are needed.

• Afterward, the customer should return to the lounge area to wait for repairs to be completed.

• Customers should never be unsupervised within the mechanical repair areas.

Workers’ Compensation Injuries are routinely caused by lifting, burns, carbon monoxide, and oil spills.

• Hernias and back injuries can be prevented by using proper lifting equipment and equipment stand tools.

• Proper personal protective equipment can protect against burns from welding or torch work.

• The carbon monoxide exposure is more prevalent during winter months when doors are closed; consequently, flexible exhaust hoses should be slipped over exhaust pipes so fumes are routed outside. This helps prevent a carbon monoxide buildup inside.

• An oil slick or grease spot could cause a slip or trip. Promptly cleaning up these spills and spots, as well as using sand or an oil absorbent, will reduce these loss potentials.

Product Liability Only first-rate and OEM-quality parts should be used in part replacement.

Faulty installation of aftermarket parts is a huge concern.

• Automotive mechanics should hold ASE designations with a least one master certified mechanic on staff to oversee all repairs.

• Mechanics should only work in areas in which they’ve been properly trained.

The master mechanic should do a final inspection and test drive the customer’s vehicle.

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Spring 2015

National NEWS

Auto Body Legal Fight Hits Roadblock in FL The collision repair industry’s efforts to take on insurers in court has suffered a blow.

In a controversial January 21 order by US District Judge Gregory A. Presnell, six of seven counts were dismissed without prejudice in A&E Auto Body, Inc., et al. v. 21st Century Centennial Insurance Company, et al., one of the more than 20 antitrust suits currently consolidated in the Middle District of Florida.

One of the counts in the case, “quasi-estoppel,” was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that the plaintiffs cannot refile a revised argument for it. “Quasiestoppel” prevents one party from taking a position inconsistent with a position that was previously advocated, regardless of whether the party to be estopped intended to misrepresent or conceal facts. According to the ruling, Florida courts have long recognized that equitable estoppel serves only as a defense, thus making it unsuitable as a plaintiff argument: In Count III, the Plaintiffs seek to have quasi-estoppel applied in regard to the repair estimating databases... The Plaintiffs allege that the Defendants “have relied upon and asserted the validity/authority of the databases … when it has been to their respective advantage” but that, in other instances, the Defendants “have refused to compensate and/or fully compensate Plaintiffs for materials expended and work performed, including labor and labor rates, upon reliance of these very same guides, claiming that they are unnecessary to complete the work at hand”...The Plaintiffs seek to have the Defendants estopped from denying the applicability and reasonableness of the repair databases...However, while Florida courts recognize the doctrine of quasi-estoppel, they do not recognize it as a cause of action. The Plaintiffs do not seriously attempt to argue to the contrary, and do not cite any cases in which a Florida court has permitted anyone to bring suit on the grounds of “quasi-estoppel.” The Court’s research has also failed to uncover any such cases.

Additionally, the Judge denied the relevance of the much-discussed 1963 Consent Decree to the A&E case: ``In the Amended Complaint, the Plaintiffs repeatedly refer to a consent decree entered in a 1963 suit between the United States on one side and three insurance trade associations on the other. (Doc. 167-5). Although some of the practices at issue in the consent decree are alleged to have occurred in the instant case, none of the parties in this case were parties to the 1963 case, and the Court does not find the 1963 consent decree to have any relevance to the instant case.

In a January 22 report on www.RepairerDrivenNews.com, plaintiff legal counsel Allison Fry (Eaves Law Firm) stressed that the Judge’s ruling applied only to the Florida suit. The story noted that Judge Presnell’s subsequent rulings “would apply to each of the states in the [Multidistrict Litigation] separately with regards to their arguments and state law,” although “the Judge’s decision on the federal antitrust issues in one state could have repercussions on others.” The full text of Judge Presnell’s order can be read online at www.repairerdrivennews.com.

Despite this setback, the case has not ceased its progress. During a March 6 status conference, the plaintiffs stated that they would file a motion for leave to file a third amended complaint in their lawsuit. Look to future issues of Wisconsin Automotive News for updates as this story develops.

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Talking

TECHNICAL

By Larry Montanez III, CDA and Jeff Lange, PE

Where It All Went Wrong: STEERING, PARTS ISSUES, LABOR RATES, TRAINING, EQUIPMENT & MORE We are hearing all sorts of confusion over information provided about equipment, parts issues and a lot of other stuff. We never seem to understand why so many people in the business - many of whom are hugely successful - fall prey to the rumors and let others outside of their business tell them how to run it. The funniest thing we heard was from the DRP facility owners who complained about steering more than the non-DRP facility owners. We asked, “What has you so upset?” They all answered the same: “The programs we are not on. We are losing a lot of business due to steering.” We then asked, “But isn’t that how you get business from the insurers you are working with?” “Yeah,” they replied. “But that’s different.” Well, that conversation gave us an idea for an article.

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Steering Steering is the direction or redirection of customers to a particular repair facility. This, as many of us know, is illegal in most states and is next to impossible to prove. One main reason is that most of the repair facilities have no audio recordings and no corroborating witness, and the other main reason is the facilities allow this to happen. How? That is an easy one. Most of the facilities allow the customer to go home and call in the claim, which allows the call center representative to read off their word track to get the customer into one of their controlled DRP facilities.

Moreover, even in the case where the shop has the customer call from the facility, most shop personnel do not know the law and how to handle the call-in center representatives.

Losing a customer to steering is 90 percent the fault of the shop - not the insurance companies. The insurance companies are only doing what they need to do, while you are not. Setting up SOPs and word tracks

are not hard, but the change to using them must be installed. Take control of your business.

Parts Issues Parts usage, OEM, aftermarket, used, procurement… The topics go on and on.

Parts are a main component in the repair of a vehicle, as almost every job will require them in some way. Over the past few years, we have heard about the online parts ordering system required for DRPs on some of the insurance programs. Well, parts should not be an issue for the following reasons (which are all directed at the facility owners): 1. Most of the OEMs have position statements against using aftermarket or used parts. Being forced to use aftermarket and used parts - even though the OEM says no - is solely your fault. In many cases, the repairs may be classified as inferior or unsafe due to your choice of parts usage.

2. Being required to order parts from an online system is your own choice, not someone else’s. Nobody is forcing you to do anything except you. You decided to be part of a program and you agreed to those terms.

3. Employing used structural non-bolted components is not only stupid, it is unethical and, in some cases, potentially criminal (negligence).

Labor Rates If you are not happy with what you are getting paid, then change it. One of the biggest misconceptions in the industry is that insurance companies pay repair facilities and have a say in how vehicles get repaired.

Insured individuals and claimants receive money from insurance companies to

reimburse themselves for the amount charged by the repair facility. The repair facility is solely liable for the repairs. Training and equipment investments have risen dramatically over the past few years, and Labor Rates have remained stagnant in the same time period. Another mistake many repair facilities make is not knowing their true cost of business and what their hourly rate needs to be to cover their costs. We have seen in some areas a $20-$25 swing in Labor Rates between insurance companies. For example, in one area we know of, the lowest amount an insurer is attempting to pay is $44 per hour and the highest is $65 from another insurer. That is a $21 swing or 32.4-percent difference. That is a lot of money that you potentially are leaving on the table. We recommend talking to your accountant about what you need to charge to pay your overhead and make a profit. You may be surprised at the amount they tell you.

Training Training has been imperative for the past eight years, and each year the importance increases. We are in an era of the most technologically advanced vehicles, requiring the most advanced materials and equipment we have ever seen; all the while, insurance companies are trying to force unrealistic repair and cycle times to keep rental costs down. Many repair facilities do not want to waste money on training their employees, and technicians don’t want to train because no one will pay them. Both entities complain they don’t have the time to train, and insurers will not pay for the procedures anyway, so why bother? This is the major reason we are seeing a rise in improper repairs and post-repair total losses. A certain amount of training should be required to simply apply for a job. We suggest that

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I-CAR create a package deal on some of their online classes that techs must take prior to applying for a job. Facility owners should then enforce a basic amount of training to work in the industry. Facility owners must raise the bar and hold their employees - and themselves accountable.

Equipment During many visits to repair facilities across the country, we feel like we are in an episode of American Pickers. Many of the shops are like walking into a time warp back to the 1980s, because most of the equipment we see belongs in the Smithsonian Museum of American Collision Repair History. In a recent article, we saw some scary survey results.

Some of the results are as follows: 30 percent do not train at all.

9 percent do not have an electronic estimating system.

12 percent do not use OEM repair information.

11 percent do not own a frame rack.

47 percent do not own a three-dimensional measuring system.

45 percent do not own a resistance welder.

How can you repair vehicles with no measuring equipment, frame equipment or a resistance welder? Many repair facilities are still trying to structurally repair vehicles by anchoring the vehicle by the rocker panel mating flanges. Forget the German vehicles; look at some of the Dodge and Jeep automobiles that say in their repair information that their pinch welds are not strong enough to hold those vehicles during structural realignment, as the mating flanges will fail. Those select vehicles, like the European and German vehicles, require six- to eight-point anchoring.

Procedures Every OEM (except Hyundai and Kia) offers repair procedures. And starting with the model year 2015, Hyundai and Kia will offer repair information for their vehicles, too. The OEMs produce repair information due to the complexities of the replacement processes and substrates they are using. All of this is done to ensure safe, proper repairs. Not following the OEM repair procedures could cause the vehicle not to react in the manner in which it was designed in a subsequent collision event.

Spring 2015

Ignoring OEM procedures could cause a shop owner and/or technician to be held liable for any injuries from a collision event. If an insurer refuses to pay for a procedure or follow an OEM position, then you as the shop owner must take action to ensure those OEM requirements are followed. You can never say, “They didn’t pay, so I didn’t do it.” Remember that insurance companies never have a say in the repair process. Do you have a say in how much coverage is offered, or how much premium is charged?

We implore you as industry owners, technicians and leaders to take control of what you actually have control over: Your business and how it operates. Please, never lose sight of the main reason you are in the collision repair business - to ensure the consumer/vehicle owner and any occupants who are in a vehicle that it was repaired in a safe and proper manner to make sure it will react the way it was designed to in a subsequent collision event.

We hope this article has helped the industry to better understand what went wrong, who is at fault and who can change it.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Larry Montanez III, CDA is co-owner of P&L Consultants with Peter Pratti, Jr. P&L Consultants works with collision repair shops on estimating,production and proper repair procedures. P&L conducts repair workshops on MIG & resistance welding, measuring for estimating and advanced estimating skills. P&L also conducts investigations for insurers and repair shops for improper repairs, collision repairability and estimating issues. P&L can be reached by contacting Larry at (718) 891-4018 (office), (917) 860-3588 (cell), (718) 646-2733 (fax) or via email at larrygoju@aol.com. The P&L website is www.PnLEstimology.com.

Jeff Lange, PE is president of Lange Technical Services, Ltd. of Deer Park, NY www.LangeTech. net. Jeff is a Licensed New York State Professional Engineer who specializes in investigating vehicle and component failures. Lange Technical Services, Ltd. is an investigative engineering firm performing forensic vehicle examinations and analysis for accident reconstruction, products liability and insurance issues. Jeff can be reached at (631) 667-6128 or by email at Jeff.Lange@LangeTech.net.

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Member Program

“Recruit-a-Member”

For each member an existing WACTAL member recruits, the sponsoring (existing) member will receive a one-time $50 credit toward their membership dues.

There is no limit on the number of members an existing member can recruit.

If the dollar amount of the credits exceeds the sponsoring member’s annual dues, the excess amount will carry forward to subsequent years.

No monies will be paid out and credits cannot be cashed out.

Credits cannot be split amongst multiple members.

The sponsoring member’s individual and business name must be listed on the new member’s Application for Membership as the sponsoring member.

If the new member had been a WACTAL member during the prior calendar year, no commission will be allowed.

This program can be rescinded or amended without prior notice. In the event the program is rescinded or amended, credits for applications received after the change will be processed under the new program. No credits will be issued if the program is rescinded.

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Body Crafters Auto Body Brodhead, WI

From working out dings on his 1968 Cutlass to a 7,500-square-foot facility, Randy Johnson, owner of Body Crafters Auto Body in Brodhead, has come a long way. Wisconsin Automotive News recently sat down with Johnson to hear about his journey, the obstacles along the way and the successes that he now enjoys.

Wisconsin Automotive News: Let’s start at the beginning. How did you get your start in the collision repair industry?

Randy Johnson: I always liked cars. Growing up I had two of them, a nice car for summer driving and a cheap one for winter driving.

My winter car was a 1968 Cutlass that only cost me $100.

I would put dents in it just so I could take them out. At 16 I took some night classes, which helped to grow my interest in it.

I liked working with my hands.

After so many years of running the shop, you get away from that, but I enjoy working with the customers too and I get in the shop when I can.

Johnson: We’ve been members since 1994. I even have a plaque around the office to commemorate our membership. We got involved with WACTAL because we wanted to be part of an organization that helps support our industry. They have always been helpful and supportive to us.

WAN: Is your shop involved in any other communities?

Johnson: Absolutely. We try to give back to the community. For example, we’ve sponsored local sports teams in the past and I go to

WAN: So you’ve been workRandy Johnson with his 1970 Firebird, which he has had since ing on cars for a while. How did high school. you start Body Crafters? speak at an eighth grade career fair in order to Johnson: When going out on my own in get new technicians interested in this field.

1986, I had gone to the bank to get a loan, but Plus, there’s a charity called Wheels to they denied me. They told me how many colli- Prosper that the whole community got sion repair shops were in the area, how many involved in where we fixed up a car and gave small businesses fail in their first year. They it to a deserving gentleman in our area. That’s tried to discourage me, but it didn’t work. I sold actually something we have done before, but it a car that I had and bought equipment and was the first time we had done so through a started a small three-car garage. We’ve had specific charity. In the past we have also renotwo locations since then, working our way up vated a flag deposit box for local veterans. We every step of the way. I’m still at the same do volunteer work for organizations like Family bank, but now I’m on their board of directors.

Promise, which helps to house homeless families and we also do charity work through our WAN: How long have you been WACTAL church. I’ve always felt very strongly about givmembers? ing back to the community that has been so good to us.

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WACTAL MEMBER

SPOTLIGHT

by Jacquelyn Bauman

WAN: What would you say is your greatest accomplishment?

Johnson: My greatest accomplishment is definitely my family. I have three boys – 19, 23 and 25 – and they’ve all either finished a fouryear college education or are in the process of completing one. That’s my biggest personal accomplishment. My best professional accomplishment would be building a new place for my business. As hard as it was being denied for that first loan, it motivated me to work harder and dig deeper. That is a great accomplishment to me.

WAN: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received that’s worth sharing?

Johnson: It’s not really advice but it’s something one of my friends said that always stuck with me. He said he would never let money make his decisions. He would make the decision that is right and let the money take care of itself. I think that’s especially important in our line of work.

WAN: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you be as successful as you’ve been?

Johnson: My wife, Kimberly. I couldn’t have done this without her. When we first started, I was able to take the risks that I could because she had a good job. Now, she works with us at the shop, dealing with customers.

They love her. I want to get her a sign that says “therapist” for her desk because people just spill their guts to her. She’s an asset to our business. Of course, I have to thank my parents for allowing me to open up my first shop on their farm. Most importantly, I have to thank God. My wife and I definitely believe that we’re not lucky, we’re blessed. We have great employees. It’s a family atmosphere here and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Increase Your Sales and Support the State’s Most Influential Automotive Repair Association!

Get In on the Start of Something BIG! Contact Alicia Figurelli 973-667-6922

alicia@grecopublishing.com www.grecopublishing.com

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Feature

STORY

Education, Networking and Fun Dominate WACTAL 2015 Conference

by Jacquelyn Bauman

Being an active part of the collision repair industry means more than just paying membership dues to your association and waiting for things to change. Part of making a difference is getting involved in everything the association has to offer in order to increase education and begin bettering the industry by starting with your own shop.

One such example of an association event was the WACTAL 2015 Conference, held on March 6-7 at the Tundra Lodge in Green Bay. This two-day event hosted a variety of seminars covering a range of topics that affect businessowners in the collision repair industry, from replacement information labels to the multi-district lawsuits being heard in Florida to maximizing your ROI and more.

The event began with a discussion about vehicle information labels led by Mitch Warren of the Wisconsin Department of

sure that it is recognizable and be sure that it is licensable.

“Do what is right and don’t clone vehicles,” he stated. “Cloning is NOT legal.” He also told those in attendance that it is okay to remove VIN labels on used doors, as long as you reattach a new OE or nonOE label.

Following Warren’s presentation was “Taking on the Insurance Industry” by John A Eaves, Jr., the plaintiff’s attorney in the Mississippi multi-district litigation being heard in Florida which hosts shops from 36 states as plaintiffs.

“The time to change is now,” Eaves said in his seminar. “The real victim of [the insurance industry] is the customer. Steering is tortuous interference in a business relationship. The key to change is proving steering is occurring.”

Glen Haberman (left), John A. Eaves, Jr. (center), Steve Rainville (right w/ back to camera)

I-CAR Senior Director-Field Operations & Segment Development Jeff Peevy

Transportation. During this discussion, Warren talked about reconstructed vehicles and answered questions regarding vehicle inspections, reconstructed inspections and more. Warren informed the audience that the Department of Transportation’s attorney reviewed the current law and agreed that it is in need of updating. As it stands, there are four main types of replacement vehicles: homemade, reconstruction, replica and street modification. Warren’s advice was simple: Be

Eaves explained the cornerstone of the multi-district lawsuit, the 1963 Consent Decree. In the 1960s, insurers were encroaching on the collision industry, which resulted in 265 insurers signing a Federal AntiTrust Consent Order drafted by Attorney General Robert Kennedy, stating that the insurance companies were not supposed to tell shops how to do their jobs. Before this time, mechanical and body labor rates were nearly the same amounts, which goes to show the interference

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that the insurance industry has had on the auto body repair field. Eaves urged others to get involved in their battle to help better their day-to-day business.

“The best reason to join the lawsuit is to protect what you have,” he said “Unity is your greatest strength.”

Eaves’ seminar was followed by a cocktail hour and dinner where guests had the opportunity to mingle and relax with friends and peers.

When dinner was over, they were treated to an entertaining presentation, “There’s More to the Game than Blowing Up the Ball,” by Pepper Burruss, head athletic trainer for the Green Bay Packers. Through stories about the Packers and Lambeau Field, Burruss shared bits of humor and wisdom that were entertaining, informative and fun.

Saturday began with the option to either attend I-CAR’s Aluminum

Clay Matthews & Aaron Rodgers jerseys. Items brought in

by Pepper Burruss.

Exterior Panel Repair and Replacement course, or a WACTAL membership meeting. At the membership meeting, Consumer Choice Legislation was discussed. This Bill would improve consumer choice in Wisconsin. Currently, Janis Ringhand has signed the Bill as a co-sponsor. (For more information about this piece of legislation, see page 7.)

When the meeting was finished, guests were able to attend a presentation by I-CAR Senior Director Jeff Peevy titled “Maximizing the ROI of Everything.” During this, he discussed the difference between a Spring 2015

training culture and a learning culture, explaining to members in attendance how they should consistently ask their employees what they have learned in a week, month or year.

“There needs to be a willingness to learn and a willingness to share,” he said. He also advocated for the active interaction with I-CAR when dealing with questions or the search for information on how to accomplish a particular job.

The last seminar of the conference was “General Motors SRS & Safety Systems” by Jim Mickle of General Motors where he explained the proper process for airbag replacement on GM vehicles.

To close out the event, guests were able to take a tour of Lambeau Field. This tour included stops at the press box, visitor’s locker room, view from the tunnel and more.

Lambeau Field view from tunnel

This event could not have happened without the help of the conference sponsors. Special thanks go out to APS Tower Paint Company, Inc., Auto Data Labels, Inc., Auto Paint Specialists, Broadway Automotive, I-CAR, LIC Incorporated and PPG. For more information on upcoming events from WACTAL, visit www.wactal.com.

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WISCONSIN AUTO COLLISION TECHNICIANS ASSOCIATION, LTD. W226 S1742 State Road 164 S Waukesha, WI 53186 PH: 262-542-7707 or 800-366-9472 FAX: 262-542-0906 info@wactal.com

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP Business Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________________________ City ______________________________________

State ______________Zip ______________________

Contact ____________________________________

Title__________________________________________

Phone ____________________________________

Fax __________________________________________

Email ______________________________________________________________________________________ Preference for communications from WACTAL: Number of Employees (including owners):

Number of years in business: __________________

Email

Fax

Technicians______

Mail

Office______

Date of Application: ____________________________

I hereby apply for membership in the Wisconsin Auto Collision Technicians Association, Ltd. I promise to abide by the association’s By-Laws and Code of Ethics. I understand that any signs, decals or emblems provided by the association remain the property of the association, and I agree to return them to the association upon termination of membership. I understand that the use of the association logo and identification is authorized only as long as my membership is maintained.

Authorized Signature __________________________________________________________________________ DUES: Membership dues are based on the number of employees, including active officers, partners & owners.

Part-time employees count as 1/2. Annual dues schedule is as follows:

Sole Owner, No Employees 2-4 Employees 5-9 Employees

$145 $235 $275

10-15 Employees 16-19 Employees 20-29 Employees

$325 $375 $445

30+ Employees Associate Member School Member

$495 $250 $250

WACTAL accepts Mastercard & VISA. Contact the WACTAL office if you wish to make payment with Mastercard or VISA.

Sponsoring Member __________________________________________________________________________________

03/2013

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Spring 2015

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