Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Last month, New England Automotive Report explored the ineffectiveness of the Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board’s (ADALB) actions regarding its never-ending review of proposed revisions to 212 CMR 2.00 et seq (available to read online at grecopublishing.com/near0325coverstory). But are those regulations even enforced? Anyone who has witnessed their handling of complaints in recent years has certainly asked this question, and it seems to be a topic worth exploring more closely. Disorder. Mayhem. Hullabaloo. These are all synonyms for madhouse, which Websters defines as “a place of uproar or confusion.” Thus, the term madhouse certainly seems to apply to meetings of the Auto Damage…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing ADAS features have become pretty standard on most vehicles; in fact, around 95 percent of light duty vehicles manufactured in 2023 came equipped with automatic emergency braking, according to CCC Intelligent Solutions’ 2024 Q1 Crash Course Report (bit.ly/CCC-CC2024q1). These days, around 70 percent of vehicles being brought to a body shop require at least one calibration, but there’s a lot of debate about whether it makes more sense to sublet this task or to bring calibrations in-house. Simple answer: there isn’t one! It all depends on your business model and what makes sense for each shop.  “Calibrations are an absolutely integral part…

Published in AASPMN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Running a successful automotive repair business is similar to playing a game in that respect – only whether you win or lose ultimately comes down to whether or not the shop is successful, and the best way to “keep score” requires monitoring and tracking certain key performance indicators (KPIs). But with so many moving parts, how does a shop owner or manager know which KPIs are most important? Last month, AASPMN News explored this subject on behalf of collision repair facilities (available at grecopublishing.com/aasp0325coverstory), but while mechanical shops share some of the same KPIs, they typically need to look at things a little differently. Jeff…

Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing “I can’t find help for my shop.” “No one wants to be a technician anymore.” “Kids these days just aren’t interested in collision repair.” Nearly every shop owner in New Jersey and across the country shares the same complaint, but it just may be time to recognize the issue doesn’t lie with the next generation – shops are largely to blame for this ongoing problem! Although the number of collision repair educational programs have dwindled in recent years, the remainder report high interest in collision technology; however, instructors often fail to get the support they need from the industry to keep students engaged…

Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing It’s commonly said that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” but how crazy is it to repeat the same actions and yield NO results? Yet, that’s exactly what happens at the Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board (ADALB) meetings time and time again! Seated under the Division of Insurance (DOI), the ADALB is charged with the regulation of motor vehicle damage appraisers in the Commonwealth. Although the Board is charged with a laundry list of duties, the bulk of its agenda in recent years seems to be consumed with two specific responsibilities: maintaining…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Getting in a car crash tends to be a traumatic experience for any driver, but when their insurance carrier – the entity sworn to make them whole after an accident – adds insult to injury by under-indemnifying them for the claim, many vehicle owners find themselves shivering with apprehension as to how they’re going to get their car repaired or afford a replacement. But then a ray of light appears amidst the clouds for those who learn that they have the ability to contest value through their policy’s Appraisal Clause without being forced to pursue costly litigation.  Unfortunately, few consumers realize they…

Published in AASPMN News – Thomas Greco Publishing How do you measure success in your shop? Some owners define success simply by looking at the dollars they have in the bank, while others take a more holistic approach of measuring a variety of key performance indicators (KPIs); however, with the many changes that shops have been forced to make in recent years – due to the pandemic, technological advances, the lengthening average age of the vehicles and changes in consumer behavior – it’s easy to fall into a pattern of collecting a ton of data and never doing anything with it. Those numbers mean something, but if your shop’s KPIs have become…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Your car is mangled, and your body aches…You just got into a minor car accident, but the initial damage may not be the most painful part of this experience! For many vehicle owners who’ve been in an accident, the real agony occurs at the hands of their insurance carriers – the entity contracted to indemnify them for their loss – due to tactics designed to increase insurer profits at the expense of their policyholders. Whether the vehicle is repairable or deemed a total loss, there’s an incredibly high likelihood of receiving a settlement offer that does not truly cover the cost of…

Published in AASPMN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Artificial intelligence (AI) is often viewed as a future technology, yet AI already plays many important roles in the automotive industry. Some ADAS, such as crash avoidance systems and lane assist cameras, utilize predictive AI algorithms to enhance safety on the roadways. Vehicle manufacturers have implemented AI in the design, development and assembly of today’s vehicles. Insurers rely on AI for photo estimating and total loss triage.  And AI technology also offers opportunities for automotive and collision repair shops to improve their businesses. Who doesn’t want to work smarter, rather than harder? Shrewd shop owners around the country have begun embracing AI…

Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing “Without risk, there is no reward” – perhaps this well-known and often-repeated saying helped you find the courage to pursue your dreams of a career in the collision repair industry or even open your own shop. But while some risks are worth taking, others simply expose your business to liability and endanger your livelihood. Between technological advancements in today’s constantly changing vehicles, environmental requirements and workplace safety concerns, it’s necessary to recognize the various accountabilities that fall on shops and identify methods to circumvent those potential liabilities to protect the business.  As Warren Buffett said, “Risk comes from not knowing what…

Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Imagine: A wife goes to the store and purchases a gallon of milk. She pays the bill and goes home, but weeks later, her husband – who never does the grocery shopping and has no clue what amount is reasonable to pay – writes to the store to demand a partial refund and insists his wife overpaid. Seems pretty ridiculous, doesn’t it? Yet, the absurdity of a similar situation is less laughable. For the past several years, shops across the country have been receiving communications from the Wilber Group, demanding partial reimbursement for invoices paid to those repair facilities by insurers…

Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Change is inevitable, and 2024 was a year of many changes for Minnesota automotive and collision repairers. From technological advancements and differing hiring practices that impact individual shops to the AASPMN’s decision to hire a new legal team and the dissolution of the national AASP organization, things look a lot different than they did a year ago. However, amidst the many transformations in the automotive landscape, one thing remains constant: AASPMN persists in its efforts to champion shops and pave the way forward to advance and improve the industry in the North Star State. As AASPMN builds on last year’s momentum to…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing With 2025 underway, businesses around the country are examining their budgets and determining which investments to undertake. To deal with ongoing challenges related to advancing technology, Texas collision repair shops likely plan to allocate funding to a number of important business needs, such as tooling, equipment, training, certifications, employee benefits and so forth.  But what about the challenges related to shops’ continuous struggles with insurance companies – how can repairers budget for ways to address confrontations with appraisers who under-indemnify claims or refuse to pay for the parts and procedures necessary to safely and properly repair customers’ vehicles? By joining ABAT and…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Quality and safety are undoubtedly the most important aspects of performing a proper collision repair, but for a shop to convince customers that they will take care of their vehicle the right way, it begins by building trust.  San Antonio Collision Center (San Antonio) assures customers of their trustworthiness by striving to exceed expectations from the beginning of the process. They understand that accidents are stressful for their clientele, so they focus on providing a courteous and honest environment where vehicle owners can rely on qualified technicians to restore each car to its pre-accident condition. Although San Antonio Collision Center was founded…

Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Up and up and UP!  From east to west and north to south, drivers all over the country have seen significant increases in their auto insurance policies. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI), the cost of motor vehicle insurance in the first half of this year rose by nearly 21 percent compared to the first half of 2023, an annual trend that has intensified since the pandemic. The average cost of premiums in the first half of 2019 saw an increase of just 1.6 percent compared to the previous year, yet from the first…

Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Good employees are hard to find and expensive to keep…but replacing them can also be costly in more ways than the financial aspect, since you never know exactly who you’re getting until you’ve already hired them.  Once you’ve built a successful team, it is imperative that you keep them. Yet, employee retention is one of the industry’s largest struggles these days, as owners contend with other fields seeking to “steal” valuable workers. To compete with these entities, shop owners must find ways to keep employees engaged and motivated in their jobs, an effort that largely relates to the culture that has been developed in…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing A machine is defined as “an apparatus using or applying mechanical power and having several parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task.” Machines work by accepting an input, transforming or modifying it in some way and then releasing the output of its efforts.  Most discussions and examples of a “machine” will include references to automobiles, a vital piece of the collision repair industry, yet there’s an even more important machine that plays a role in this field: the shop itself! Each repair facility (apparatus) requires several parts (employees) to use or apply their power to function together…

Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing One bright afternoon in August, Ashley*, a 19-year-old college student, drove down the Parkway on her way home from a shopping expedition with her mother, who was a passenger in her car. When the traffic in front of her slowed down, Ashley slowly engaged her brakes – but the person behind her did not. CRASH! Pulling to the side of the road, Ashley exchanged information with the other driver, but when she attempted to file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company, she learned that they had not paid their insurance bill and their card was invalid; they were uninsured. …

Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Last month, AASP-MN News shared how two schools’ automotive technology programs are thinking outside the box to address the challenges they face in providing students with the tools and knowledge they need to become successful shop employees after graduation, but with today’s technology advancing faster all the time, several enlightened educators have seen the opportunity to take things a step further by creating new initiatives that specifically target some of the industry’s changing demands.  These schools have taken the initiative to offer unique courses that address shops’ developing needs. Two years ago, Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Moorhead) received a $349,652 grant from…

Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing It’s no secret that the majority of new vehicles being sold today include ADAS. In fact, around 95 percent of light duty vehicles manufactured in 2023 came equipped with automatic emergency braking, according to CCC Intelligent Solutions’ 2024 Q1 Crash Course Report (available at cccis.com/reports/crash-course-2024/q1) – and experts anticipate that number will continue rising as consumers increasingly rely on these types of safety systems.  With cars being produced with a growing number of electronic components, it’s no wonder that the majority of repairs necessitate calibrations to maintain those components’ functionality following an accident, though the frequency of shops performing calibrations does…

Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing If it seems like your auto insurance premiums increased more than ever last year, you aren’t too far off base. Nationally, premiums rose by approximately 20 percent in 2023. That means insurance coverage costs rose six times faster than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate of 3.4 percent, outpacing nearly every other common consumer cost and reflecting the largest annual increase since 1976. And those rate spikes are anticipated to continue in 2024 with predictions indicating an increase of 12.6 percent nationwide…and New Jersey drivers could see one of the highest increases of up to 34 percent! Insurance premium prices…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing It’s hard to believe that 10 years ago, ABAT did not officially exist yet. But in the association’s earliest days, it set out to address some pretty specific matters impacting collision repair shops in Texas. Since its inception, ABAT has made some huge strides for the auto body world and is still going strong as it celebrates a decade of dedication to this industry. In early 2014, the idea began to take hold during an estimating seminar at Paint Works (Tyler). Burl Richards (Burl’s Collision Center; Henderson) and Chad Neal, owner of Paint Works, had engaged in several conversations about the need…

Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing Catastrophes may strike without warning, but being proactive can help shop owners avoid becoming the next tragedy. Unfortunately, a lot of collision repair facility owners do not have enough coverage through their business insurance, according to David Willett of Spark Underwriters. “From a risk management standpoint, it’s just as important to make sure your insurance policy reflects today’s needs as it is to send your technicians to training or to invest in current tools; it’s an aspect of running a fine-tuned, efficient business,” he insists, recommending an annual review of one’s policy at a bare minimum, though his company monitors their…

Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing Just like drivers purchase auto insurance policies to cover them in the event of a loss, shop owners invest in business insurance that will protect their assets if the unthinkable happens…but is it enough?  According to Peter Kelyman of Wheaton Body Shop (Wheaton, MD), it probably isn’t, especially if your policy was written years ago and simply renewed without being thoroughly reviewed! Unfortunately, Kelyman learned this lesson the hard way when his shop went up in flames – literally! He agreed to share his story with Hammer & Dolly in hopes of preventing other shop owners from suffering a similar scenario.  Kelyman first…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing The collision repair industry’s workforce shortage keeps coming up again and again as shops struggle to staff their facilities with qualified help, but at the same time, stories abound of technicians leaving the industry for other fields – even for jobs at Amazon or McDonald’s! Many experts believe the industry’s problem isn’t recruitment but retention, and even with an unlimited supply of incoming technicians, it will never be enough if the work environment isn’t a place where people want to stay. It’s all about developing a work culture that keeps employees happy and motivated and, in turn, results in higher customer satisfaction.…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Over the past decade, ABAT has done some truly great things for the Texas collision repair industry. Whether the association is hosting local training sessions that feature nationally renowned educators, bringing the best vendors and speakers from around the country to the annual Texas Auto Body Trade Show, educating legislators at the Capitol in Austin or challenging the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to protect consumers’ rights, there’s no doubt about it – ABAT continues to do everything possible to support auto body repairers in the Lone Star State. Earlier this year, ABAT celebrated its double digits (check it out at grecopublishing.com/txa0224coverstory). Now,…

Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Protecting your shop’s assets requires forethought and preparation, and these days, data is often considered more valuable than gold. Headlines over the summer featured a cyberattack against CDK Global – used by 15,000 dealerships – which led the software to be shut down for weeks, causing parts supply disruptions across the country. Although CDK’s situation has been resolved, the data breach raises concerns about what level of risk cybercriminals pose to automotive businesses. A 2023 report conducted by CDK (bit.ly/CDKreport2023) indicated that 17 percent of dealers experienced a cyberattack in the previous year. And cyberattacks prove increasingly costly. Citing research…

Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Collision industry leaders consistently emphasize the importance of performing a “complete and proper repair” in accordance with OEM recommendations in order to restore a vehicle to its pre-accident condition, but – for a variety of reasons – shops may not be performing every single task. Are all those repairs necessary? If the vehicle is still “driveable” without addressing those issues, is it “good enough”…or should shops be refusing these partial repairs? Last month, AASP-MN News explored this subject with experts on the mechanical side of the industry (available at grecopublishing.com/aasp0824coverstory). Now, the conversation continues with two leading collision consultants: Mike Anderson (Collision Advice) and…

Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing It’s the dream for many – open your own auto body shop to provide a nice life for your family. One day, when you retire, your children will take over to continue your legacy. Sounds lovely, but sometimes life has other plans. Although no father intends to burden his 22-year-old child and her new spouse with a floundering business, there’s no doubt that the late Roland O’Haran Sr. would be extremely proud of his daughter and son-in-law, Jenn and Kyle Goad, for turning a struggling shop into a success story by overcoming the odds after being unexpectedly thrown into ownership. O’Haran,…

Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing “Complete and proper repair” – it’s the golden standard that gets emphasized and reiterated in industry documentation and training events, and in a perfect world, of course every shop always performs every single task associated with restoring a car to its factory or pre-accident condition. But in the real world, various factors may create scenarios where shops do NOT address every item on that extensive list. Sometimes, it’s accidental; the shop fails to properly diagnose all the necessary repair items. Maybe the aftermarket warranty company or insurer debates whether certain repairs are truly necessary, or perhaps the customer refuses to invest in something they…

Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Navigating the rapidly advancing technology of the collision repair industry has created many challenges for shops as they struggle to keep pace with all the changes happening on what seems like a daily basis. These days, properly repairing vehicles requires investing in specific tools, equipment and training – all of which vary drastically depending on the vehicle make and model.  It can be difficult to see the forest for the trees, but technology truly presents some amazing opportunities for those who are willing to take a step back and embrace some different ways of proceeding. The path forward may look…

Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” Henry Ford’s famous quote speaks to a level of integrity that many aspire to achieve…many, but not all. Over the past couple of months, David Osburn (David McDavid Ford Collision Center; Fort Worth) noticed something odd related to parts pricing. “Insurers began writing estimates that called for opt-OE parts from [a Central Texas Ford dealership] due to the lower price, but when I called the dealership to order the part, I was told that my cost would be the same as for an OE part, even though the MSRP for the opt-OE…

Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing What is artificial intelligence (AI)? Cinema and literature depict computer programs and robots assuming human-like personalities and taking over the world. While most of us recognize the fictional aspect of the science-fiction genre, plenty of misconceptions and fears related to AI abound, even as it becomes an increasingly integral part of everyday business. Although we often fall into the habit of viewing AI as “the future,” it is actually being used today in myriad ways that can benefit collision repair facilities – from damage analysis to improving the customer experience, AI tools offer the ability for shops to work smarter, not harder. “AI…

Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Maybe you’ve already been approached by a consolidator and are considering their offer. Perhaps you are interested in getting out of the business and debating whether that’s the route you want to take. Or it’s possible that the idea of handing over the shop keys to someone else isn’t even on your radar – yet. Whatever your current situation, only one thing remains consistent in this business: change is inevitable. And the best way to successfully tackle what comes next is to be prepared for the various possibilities. For any business owner, the day will come when it’s time to close up…

Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Fearless and outspoken. Dedicated and loyal. Passionate and relentless.  Auto body professionals and friends used these words over and over as they reflected on the legacy and impact left on the industry and their own lives by Sam Mikhail, longtime AASP/NJ Board member, who passed away on March 12 at the age of 80. “Sam was determined to make the industry better and willing to do whatever was necessary to make that happen,” AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant shared. “He was dedicated, relentless, direct and to the point, and he was willing to put in whatever effort necessary to accomplish his…

Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Consolidation is nothing new in the collision repair industry; it first caught repairers’ attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s when Caliber, Gerber and Service King entered the market in California and Texas, purchasing independent shops and converting them to their brands. But since 2013, “big” has gotten even bigger, spreading all across the country, as increasing technology and the rising cost of doing business make the idea of selling the keys to the shop for a pretty penny more palatable to mom-and-pop operations pursued by the deep-pocketed consolidators and multi-shop operations (MSOs) interested in expanding their footprint.  Over…

Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing After three years under the leadership of Past President Steve Krieps (Greg Cline Auto Body; Winfield, WV), who bid adieu to his role in last month’s Hammer & Dolly (available at bit.ly/HD-0324), WMABA has a new head honcho, current President Kris Burton (Rosslyn Auto Body; Alexandria, VA), a dedicated collision industry professional whose affiliation with the association spans more than two decades.  What can members expect as WMABA moves into this new era? Burton sat down with Hammer & Dolly to help readers get to know him a little better as he shares his thoughts on what he hopes to accomplish as he takes the reins.…