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Not-So-Good Hands: Allstate Drops the Ball on P&M Rates, Sublet Scan Costs
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Don Harvey, manager for a North Jersey body shop, had been receiving compensation from Allstate Insurance on sublet-paid vehicle scans as well as paint and material costs for quite some time without experiencing any issues, but that changed earlier this year when he submitted a virtual assist supplement that has yet to be resolved, over three months later. In response to the supplement, Allstate’s Ruby Felton promised to “get back to me and send the supplement, but she never called me to discuss any differences,” reports Harvey, who provided an invoice for the sublet scan and a vehicle-and-color-specific copy of the…
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Is Inflation Good for Your Body Shop? Part 1
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing For the past two years, Americans have seen some of the highest rates of inflation they’ve ever witnessed, creating a feeling of dread among small business owners from coast to coast. But for auto body shops, these fears may be in vain since the public’s need to hang onto their cars longer has actually resulted in more work for many facilities. Although no industry is fully recession-proof, collision repair may be more resistant to these economic dilemmas than other fields. By embracing the opportunities that exist – and collecting fair and adequate compensation for the difficult work you perform – your business…
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EV Safety, Supplements and Repair Planning Take the Stage at CIC
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing “We’ve got a problem in this industry, and that problem is that we collectively suck!” Chairman Frank Terlep opened the most recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC), held in Richmond in conjunction with other industry meetings. “We’re only scanning 50 percent of the vehicles we repair? With 40 to 60 percent of vehicles being ADAS-equipped? We’re only putting calibration lines on 10-12 percent of repair orders? We’re putting people in cars that aren’t being fixed right. We have to fix this sh#t right because it’s our responsibility to take care of the consumer and the consumer’s car!” Issuing a challenge to the…
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Summer is Coming: Finding Opportunities in Uncertain Economic Times
Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Economic uncertainty can be terrifying for small business owners, but as discussed in the April issue of AASP-MN News (available at grecopublishing.com/aasp-news-april-2023), what may be a detrimental downturn for other industries actually opens up the door to many opportunities for automotive and collision repair shops. While the possibility of a nationwide recession still looms, this industry is fortunate to be a bit more recession-proof than most. Why? Well, for starters, while Americans continue to rely heavily on their personal vehicles (especially in the wake of COVID which has enhanced distrust of public transportation), consumers are less apt to take on more debt by making large…
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Shop Calls on Labor Rate Hero for Aid against Insurance Bullies
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Under-indemnification: Any collision repair professional can affirm that this issue runs rampant among insurers who pressure shops to accept lower rates or even reduce the quality of repairs. But shop owners have grown increasingly fed up with carriers’ attempts to bully them into submission – and the most savvy often turn to National AutoBody Research’s (NABR) Labor Rate Hero for data and support to get paid what they deserve. Greg Melartin (Matt’s Body Shop and Tire Service; Spring Valley, MN) found this to be a very effective route earlier this year when Progressive Insurance underpaid a claim by $416.57, rejecting the…
