Published in Autobody News Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just a vision for the future; it’s here now, and as it becomes more prevalent in the collision repair industry, body shops need to prepare to navigate its integration into various technologies… or risk being left behind. During the June CIECAST, “The Future of AI in the Collision Industry,” Driaan du Toit, Vice President of Business Development at Solera, and Evan Davies, Solera’s Chief Technology Officer, shared insights on the ways that AI is currently used in the collision repair industry, as well as its future uses. du Toit began by acknowledging, “We all know the world has changed significantly over the…

Published October 1, 2019 in Autobody News Jeff Buckley, owner of My Father’s Shop in Midlothian, Texas, has partnered with ATEQ TPMS Tools & Solutions for the second year to give away three ATEQ VT36 tools to deserving automotive high schools, technical centers or colleges. Buckley stated, “I am so honored and excited to be involved with great companies that believe in giving back. It means a lot for the instructors to have the latest technology to teach on today’s vehicles. This is a great concept to support the schools; we are investing in the future of our industry.” ATEQ will donate two tools, while Buckley will contribute a third tool. Buckley explained, “My…

Published in Autobody News On May 13, House Bill 2534 passed the Texas House of Representatives by a vote of 91-50. If signed into law, the legislation requires insurers to include appraisal clauses on all automotive policies, but it also includes the untraditional stipulation that the loser refunds the winner’s appraiser’s fees and expenses. All other appraisal expenses, including umpire fees, are split evenly between the two parties. Representative Travis Clardy (R – Nacogdoches) sponsored the bill, and prior to the House’s vote, he explained, “House Bill 2534 has to do with the Right of Appraisal. This is a longstanding tradition in the Insurance Code, but this will make it…

Published in Autobody News When a customer dropped off her collision-damaged 2019 Subaru Ascent on January 20, John Baker, manager at Wallace Collision Center in Bristol, TN, had no clue that the vehicle would not be repairable, that it’d be at the shop for six weeks, or that the vehicle manufacturer would need to mediate with the insurer on the consumer’s behalf! Fortunately, by doing their due diligence and researching all OEM repair procedures on every vehicle, Wallace Collision Center ensured that the customer’s safety was at the forefront of every conversation, and the level of customer service provided by the dealer-owned, Subaru-certified shop inspired her to maintain brand loyalty…

Printed in Autobody News “You get to decide what you want to charge and what line items to put on an estimate,” Kristen Felder of Collision Hub stated during an estimating training session, taught by Larry Montanez III of Collision Hub and hosted by the Mississippi Collision Repair Association (MSCRA). She noted, “Getting paid is part of the process that has to start at the beginning when you write your preliminary estimate.” MSCRA Executive Director Josh Kent welcomed attendees, thanked association sponsors, and introduced the evening’s trainer. After reading the antitrust statement, Montanez examined the six steps to completing a damage report: gather information and data, look up procedures, report…

Published in Autobody News Baker’s Collision Repair Specialists in Mansfield, Ohio was recently recognized by the Ohio EPA for achieving its E3 (Encouraging Environmental Excellence) Achievement Level, obtained for “completing pollution preventing activities that decreased emissions from painting operations, initiating activities in management commitment, employee involvement, energy efficiency, continuous improvement and recycling.” DeLee Powell, president of Baker’s Collision, is proud of the accomplishment which she views as “acknowledgement that they recognize the efforts that we have put forth. We are honored to be recognized for doing something that is good for our business and, in turn, good for our community and the environment. At Baker’s, we’ve always benefitted from being…

Published in Autobody News On June 8, the Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF) hosted a Professional Development Workshop on Emotional Intelligence (EI) called “The Heart of Great Leadership” at the VisTaTech Center at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, MI.  Corinne M. Smereka, who is in charge of Workforce Training Solutions for the Schoolcraft Business Development Center and is also co-chair of AWAF’s Professional Development Committee, taught the session, which was attended by more than a dozen industry professionals.  Smereka explained, “Emotional intelligence is critical for enhancing leadership abilities. In fact, studies have found that 67 percent of all competencies deemed essential for high performance were related to EI. “Most people achieve technical and…

Published in Autobody News by Chasidy Rae Sisk The new year has arrived in full force, and though many of 2020’s challenges have not yet been completely eradicated, progress occurs daily. The National Auto Body Council® (NABC) saw progress last year, despite the many health and societal concerns that froze much of society, and their leaders are hopeful that this year will be even better. Newly elected Chairman Clint Marlow of Allstate joined NABC® President and CEO Bill Garoutte to share the organization’s “very positive” outlook for 2021 with Autobody News. For NABC, 2020 concluded with its annual meeting, which included executive committee and board elections. During that meeting, three…

Printed in Autobody News On November 19th, Carfix owner Mike Allen hosted the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina’s (IGONC) monthly Tireside Chat, “Politics, Guns, Religion and Other Things You Should Never Talk About in Your Shop.” According to IGONC Executive Director Tricia Sauls, “The open forum discussion went very well, with about 20 individuals participating – both members and nonmembers. We covered many topics including shop talk, loaner cars, cyber security, and credit card processing fees. It was neat seeing how the conversation developed and touched on so many key issues that the participants were passionate about.” “The response to the November Tireside Chat was positive,” Sauls continued. “With…

Printed in Autobody News The Mississippi Collision Repair Association (MSCRA) and the Georgia Collision Industry Association (GCIA) recently hired the same new executive director: Josh Kent, Executive Director of the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA) and the Tennessee Collision Repairers Association (TCRA). Kent promised, “I bring passion and drive to my new role, as well as my experience with CCA and TCRA.” Kent’s professional involvement with the position of executive director began in 2016 with the North Carolina Association of Collision and Automotive Repair (NCACAR), followed by 2018’s South Carolina Association of Collision and Automotive Repair (SCACAR); the two combined to form CCA in January 2020. Kent was hired by TCRA…

Printed in Autobody News If you own a collision repair business, you will eventually have to ask: “Is it time to sell?” Rick Schwartz of Schwartz Advisors discussed this important decision during “Tips on Selling Your Business,” on October 21st as part of ASA’s Webinar Wednesday series. Tony Molla, ASA vice president of industry relations, introduced Schwartz and the presentation: “While it’s not uncommon to have a succession plan in place, changing circumstances can and often do require a different strategy. It’s an individual decision that can only be made by a business owner.” Beginning by looking at mergers and acquisitions (M&A) over the last decade, Schwartz pointed out the…

Printed in Autobody News With 2020 quickly coming to an end, most collision repair shop owners have likely already begun to think about their marketing plans for next year, but Kim Walker of Shop Marketing Pros knows, “It’s easy to get so focused on the here and now that we forget about the future, but it’s time to think about what you want to accomplish in 2021 and how to plan for that. What are your overall business goals? You need to know your goals in order to determine your marketing plans.” In Shop Marketing Pros’ newest class, Walker explains how aligning your overall business goals with your marketing plans…

Printed in Autobody News On October 15th, the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) hosted its 2020 Annual Dean Griffin Memorial Skeet Shoot at Elk Fork Shooting Sports in Dallas, Texas. Jill Tuggle, Executive Director of ABAT, shared, “The event turned out amazing and definitely exceeded our expectations! We were overwhelmed by the response and had the largest attendance we have ever had with around 90 participants.” “We also sold a record number of raffle tickets,” she added. “The top team won cooler bags, the top shooters won $1,800 in Cabela’s gift cards, and our top two raffle items were a Black Rain AR rifle and a SKB shotgun. Everyone…