Feature stories
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A Comedy of Under-Indemnification: Starring Progressive Insurance
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing “Ill deeds is doubled with an evil word.” – The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, Act 3, Scene 2 Art imitates life, and sometimes, life imitates art. When William Shakespeare penned The Comedy of Errors toward the end of the 16th century, it’s highly unlikely that even the Bard could have imagined a connection between his first tragicomedy and the interactions between collision repair shops and certain insurers in 2023. Yet, it’s common for insurers to treat the topic of under-indemnification as comedic when it is, in fact, quite a tragedy for the shops contending with the challenges it poses as well as the consumers…
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Valiant Hearts: ABAT Members Donate Repairs to Local Mom
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing If an auto body professional is asked why they pursued a career path in this industry, their explanation will almost always include some variation of “I wanted to help people.” So, when ABAT Executive Director Jill Tuggle turned to social media to post a plea on behalf of a local mom-in-need, it’s really no surprise that association members jumped at the opportunity to lend their aid. “A local ministry I volunteer for has a specific need. Please let me know if anyone is willing to help,” Tuggle addressed the Texas Collision Industry group on Facebook, requesting assistance for Valiant Hearts, an organization…
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Six Years of Service: A Q&A with AASP/NJ Past President Jerry McNee
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing During AASP/NJ’s 2023 Annual Meeting, the association elected a new president (Ken Miller of 821 Collision; North Haledon) for the first time since 2017. Although Past President Jerry McNee will continue serving the organization and the industry as collision chairman, New Jersey Automotive sat down with him as he reflected on his six years of service as AASP/NJ president and took a look at what the future holds in his new role. New Jersey Automotive: What were your greatest accomplishments during your time as the AASP/NJ president? Jerry McNee: In one respect, I don’t know that I can claim any “great accomplishments” because my goal was…
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Mission Win-Win: Why U.S. Military Veterans Make Great Shop Employees
Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Army. Navy. Air Force. Marines. Automotive and collision repair shops? At first glance, one of these things obviously does not belong in this list, but U.S. military veterans who have found a career in repair facilities just may offer a different perspective on the matter. In honor of Veterans Day on November 11, AASP-MN News spoke with several local veterans about the similarities and differences between military and shop life, how military training lends itself to a successful repair career and what shops can expect when they hire a veteran. Loyalty. Efficiency. An affinity for training. What employer wouldn’t gladly hire an employee…
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EV Charging Stations: A New Revenue Stream for Your Shop?
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing “Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future…the future is EV.” Shops have been receiving this message for the past few years, and while some have invested in upgrades to their facilities, tools, equipment and training, many more have turned a deaf ear to the news. Yet, consumers are forging ahead with the purchase of EVs in many areas of the country, begging the question not only of “who will repair these vehicles?” but – more pressingly – where will drivers be able to charge them? While the total number of EVs in the US increased from 1,019,260 to 1,454,580 from 2021 to…
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Becoming a Shop of the Future: A WMABA Roundtable Discussion
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing From electric vehicles (EVs), ADAS and diagnostics to OEM certification, DRPs and consolidation, the future of the collision repair industry is rife with challenges for shops that want to remain competitive amidst these never-ending changes. Retaining employees has become even more important than attracting clients, but simultaneously, no business can be successful without maintaining a superior level of customer service. So, how can an auto body facility navigate the myriad aspects of the business to become a “shop of the future”? WMABA Board members Barry Dorn (Dorn’s Body & Paint; Mechanicsville, VA), Kris Burton (Rosslyn Auto Body; Alexandria, VA) and WMABA…
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Tackling the Tough Topics: An Executive Director Roundtable
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing The collision repair industry grows increasingly complex year after year…and sometimes day by day! From dealing with insurers to educating consumers to enhancing your shop’s abilities through training initiatives, these struggles may seem insurmountable, but with a little knowledge and preparation, shops can tackle the toughest trials and tribulations. Few individuals understand exactly what shops are facing each day as thoroughly as the leaders of the nation’s most influential associations who graciously shared their thoughts. We discussed some of the most pressing topics shops are facing with AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant, AASP/MA Executive Director Lucky Papageorg, AASP-MN Executive Director Linden…
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Is Inflation Good for Your Body Shop? Part 2
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Rising interest rates and inflated prices often cause shoppers to tighten their purse strings, an action that can create a lot of economic uncertainty for small business owners, but in a country that relies heavily on their personal vehicles, the auto body industry may be a bit more resistant to recession concerns than other industries, allowing shops to take advantage of different opportunities that simply don’t exist in other areas. As discussed in last month’s New England Automotive Report, inflation may actually be a positive thing for body shop owners…as long as they’re charging the right amount for their labor and following…
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Is Collision Repair Recession-Resistant? Part 2
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing Everyone who operates a business does so with the goal of making a profit, but when economic uncertainty abounds, small business owners may worry about their ability to remain operational. As mentioned in the May edition of Hammer & Dolly, the auto body industry may be a bit more recession-resistant than other businesses, providing shops with a chance to take advantage of different opportunities that others may not enjoy. What exactly makes this industry so much more fortunate than most? To begin with, though many consumers drive less, Americans continue to rely heavily on their personal vehicles, and the combination of inflation…
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Are You Agreeing to Share Customers’ Data with China?
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing Today’s vehicles are complex supercomputers on wheels that include continually advancing technology that improve drivers’ safety and convenience, but those same systems that enhance the driving experience also collect a plethora of data about the vehicle and its owner. Social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, vehicle identification numbers…personally identifiable information (PII) is “any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred,” per the US Department of Homeland Security’s website, and in today’s digital economy, PII is so valuable that it has often been dubbed “the new gold.” Over the past several years, the collision repair…
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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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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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Progressive Poaching Body Shop Repair Planners
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Collision repair shops face many challenges every single day, and some of today’s biggest include the ongoing workforce shortage and the need to contend with insurance adjusters who repeatedly insist that they “don’t pay for that.” Ironically, those same companies that don’t approve shops’ repair plans because they dislike the way shops’ “estimates” are written have been attempting to steal repair planners from Texas shops! Two shop owners have recently dealt with Progressive’s poaching attempts, and they want to make others aware of what’s happening. ABAT President Burl Richards (Burl’s Collision; Henderson) first brought the matter to light. “Two years ago, we…
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Is the NJ DOBI Protecting Insurers or Consumers?
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) is responsible for regulating the state’s insurance industry (along with its banking and real estate industries), yet insurance companies’ abuses run rampant in the Garden State. And despite attempts to alert the agency to disregarded regulations and other evidence of poor behavior on the part of carriers, DOBI continues to willfully ignore these abuses that negatively impact New Jersey consumers. Attorney Michael Jurista (Jurista Law LLC) has been in contact with DOBI on numerous occasions on behalf of his clients. While initially hopeful that DOBI would be neutral in investigating complaints, his…
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Is Collision Repair Recession-Resistant?
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing It’s nearly impossible to turn on the news or even scroll through social media without hearing about rising costs, inflation and even the possibility of an economic recession. Although these concepts are bound to terrify any small business owner, what may be a detrimental downturn for other industries actually opens up the door to many opportunities for collision repair shops, and while no industry is truly recession-proof, industry experts suggest that auto body shops may be a bit more resistant to economic uncertainty than other fields. So before letting those fears overwhelm you, check out some of their valuable insights. “When…
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Appraisal: An Issue of Life and Death
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing At first glance, it may appear like Right to Appraisal is a pecuniary matter, but as Ware Wendell (Texas Watch) stressed during a recent installment of the consumer organization’s podcast, In Conversation: Auto Appraisal with Robert McDorman, auto appraisal is “literally an issue of life and death. It’s about getting to a fair number that allows repair professionals the time they need to do the job the right way, to make that repair as safe as possible so that, heaven forbid, if we’re in another collision, the vehicle will perform correctly and protect its occupants, that it won’t come apart at the seams.”…
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Winter Is Ending: A Bright Economy on the Horizon for Shops
Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Inflation. Increasing interest rates. Recession. These scary concepts likely leave small business owners cold with dread about the future, especially during the darkest part of the year. But is economic uncertainty as detrimental to automotive and collision repair shops as to other industries? In short, no! Although no industry is truly recession-proof, some are more resistant to economic changes than others, and fortunately, this appears to be one of them. Industry leaders explain why shops should be looking on the bright side. “When interest rates rise and there are fears of a recession, I recognize how easy it is to become overwhelmed…
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Commonwealth Collision Repairers Contemplate SCRS Blend Study Results
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing It’s no secret to collision repair professionals that blending a panel necessitates more time, skill and even material than a simple refinish job; however, for decades, shops have been forced to accept half the labor hours on a blend, based on formulas utilized by the major information providers (IPs). Although Audatex, Mitchell and CCC each define refinish times differently, all three IPs utilize a uniform blending formula of 50 percent of refinish time on two-stage refinish, with CCC and Mitchell allowing 70 percent of refinish time to blend three-stage colors – formulas which have finally been demonstrated to be a…
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Doing It His Way: A Celebration of John Mosley’s Life
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Few people get to leave this world on their own terms, but true to who he was as a person, John Mosley, age 69, shed his mortal coil on December 21 just how he lived his life: his way. An aviation aficionado who owned and flew historic airplanes, Mosley was even more devoted to Carolyn, his wife of 48 years and his children, Patty and Daniel. In addition to owning Clinton Body Shop, Hangar 360 Aircraft Services and John’s 360 Coatings, Mosley served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and was a founding member of…
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ADAS All Over…But Where Are the Calibrations?
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Between rear cameras, blind spot monitors, emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and many other systems, ADAS is everywhere, often lurking beneath the surface of today’s vehicles from bumper to bumper. But like so many things, it’s easy to fall into the pattern of “out of sight, out of mind,” yet ignoring the need to calibrate these important safety features can have catastrophic consequences for your customers…and your business. For at least the past several decades, collision industry leaders have preached the necessity of pre- and post-repair scans, and their efforts have finally paid off. According to the 2022 “Who Pays for…
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Is the TDI’s Head Stuck in the Sand?
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing The battle over Right to Appraisal has been raging since 2014 when State Farm petitioned for – and won – the ability to remove the Appraisal Clause from their policies in the Lone Star State. Yet, GEICO’s recent petition was rejected, and advocacy groups like ABAT and Texas Watch seek to ensure that continues to be the case, guaranteeing Texas consumers maintain the ability to combat under-indemnification issues when necessary. During the House Insurance Committee’s public hearing on Right to Appraisal in September, collision professionals joined consumer advocates in drawing a clear line in the sand to indicate their belief that mandatory…
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WE LIKE MIKE: New Jersey Automotive Honors Industry Icon Mike Anderson
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing WE LIKE MIKE: New Jersey Automotive Honors Industry Icon Mike Anderson Americans have become more polarized than ever before in recent years. DRP or OEM-certified facility. Single shop location or multi-shop operator (MSO). Manufacturer or aftermarket parts…Collision repairers have even more reasons to bump heads. Yet, despite the many sources of contention within our industry and society, there’s ONE thing that everyone can agree on: Mike Anderson (Collision Advice) is an amazing human being, and our world would be a much better place if more people emulated him. Whether you know him personally or have had the pleasure of sitting in one of his engaging seminars…
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Are DRPs Doomed to Go Extinct?
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing The concept of a direct repair program (DRP) seemed pretty great when insurers first introduced it: They’d refer claimants to a contracted shop in exchange for certain concessions, such as reduced labor rates or free storage. But over the decades, insurers’ efforts to control costs led to shops giving more…and receiving less. At the same time, advancing vehicle complexity far outpaces the rate at which insurers adjust their contracts – and their willingness to pay for necessary procedures – limiting many shops’ ability to keep pace with the future that’s raging around us. Are DRPs too archaic to survive the Big…
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The Right to Appraisal: The New Alamo
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing In 1836, Colonel William B. Davis used his sword to draw a line in the sand, inviting those who would defend the Alamo to the death to join him. Nearly 200 years later, a similar line was drawn in Texas over the inclusion of Right to Appraisal in automotive insurance policies – and while no one has been asked to lay down their life, there are lives at stake…the lives of Texas drivers and their families. ABAT President Burl Richards (Burl’s Collision Center; Henderson) and ABAT Board member Robert McDorman (Auto Claim Specialists) joined consumer advocates, insurance industry representatives and the Texas Department of…
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Are Referrals “The Right-Thing” Resistant?
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Should insurer referral and program contracts be canceled? Last month, several shop owners shared their opinions on this topic with New England Automotive Report (available at grecopublishing.com/near0922coverstory), and a common trend developed: Many shops have extracted themselves from programs due to the belief that these contracts allow insurers to usurp control over their businesses – and prevent them from doing the right thing for their customers. “You have to perform repairs correctly from a liability, quality and service standpoint, regardless of what the insurer says,” according to Jack Lamborghini (Total Care Accident Repair; Raynham). “Establishing a strong customer base begins with quality repairs,…
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Is I-CAR Still Relevant? A Q&A With CEO John Van Alstyne
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing Training. Every profession changes and requires ongoing education to some degree, but these days, few industries are experiencing an incessant flux of advancing technology quite as dynamic as auto body shops have seen in recent years…which experts predict will continue for some time. The best-known training option for collision repairers – right now – is I-CAR (the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair). As “an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the information, knowledge and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs,” I-CAR’s mission is to “deliver increasingly accessible, on-demand and relevant education, knowledge, services and solutions for the collision repair…
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Are DRPs Dying?
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing The concept of a direct repair program (DRP) seemed pretty great when insurers first introduced it: They’d refer claimants to a contracted shop in exchange for certain concessions, such as reduced labor rates or free storage. But as insurers sought to expand their control over the cost of claims, their practice of “recommending” direct repair facilities reduced the amount of work available for non-DRP shops, sounding the death knell for more than a few…as though the Grim Reaper himself had come calling for or independent auto body shops in the form of insurers, yielding a scythe molded from direct repair programs…
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Is It Time to Cancel Your Programs?
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Repairing modern vehicles becomes more complicated with each passing year, thanks to advancing technology, an ever-evolving legislative landscape and the complexity of third-party relationships that many shops feel they must maintain. Of course, as independent businesses, shops reserve the right to operate the way they see fit…until they enter an arrangement with an outside entity, such as by participating in insurers’ referral and program contracts, the Commonwealth’s version of direct repair programs (DRPs). The concept of a “referral” program sounds pretty great: Insurers refer claimants to a contracted shop in exchange for certain concessions, such as reduced labor rates or…
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Filling the Tech Labor Pool: An Instructor Roundtable
Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing As summer comes to an end, shops struggle to stay afloat amidst evolving technology, ever-changing requirements and higher-than-normal workloads, but at least they don’t need to worry about drowning in the current technician labor pool. Trying to find and retain qualified help in the current workforce pool remains a hot-button – and increasingly frustrating – issue for automotive repair employers. The well of talent has dried up to offer little more than a trickle, and although a multitude of reasons contribute to the lack of qualified technicians entering the automotive and collision industries, it’s difficult to imagine this dilemma being resolved without…
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Backlog Forces Shops to Strengthen Core Principles
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Continued supply chain delays + ongoing workforce shortage = no relief from the backlog that has been plaguing Massachusetts body shops since late last year. If someone had predicted the influx of repair work that would inundate shops in 2022 just two years ago, most collision repairers would have laughed in their face. Yet, that far-fetched forecast has become a reality for many shops. Current inflation has driven gas prices sky-high, resulting in fewer vehicles on the road and fewer accidents, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation website reports there have been 55,959 accidents so far this year, as of…
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How They See Us: Changing the Perception of the Industry
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing 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…
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Protect Your Gold: Data Privacy Concerns and Solutions
Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Social security numbers. Driver’s license numbers. Vehicle identification numbers. Personally identifiable information (PII) is “any information that permits the identity of an individual to be directly or indirectly inferred,” per the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website. In today’s digital economy, PII is incredibly valuable – its position as such a prize has led to data being dubbed “the new gold.” This claim rings particularly true in the automotive industry where modern vehicles know more about their drivers than the vehicle owner knows about their car, but what happens to all this data when the vehicle is in the shop for service…
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Navigating the Storm: Shops Prepare for the EV Evolution
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing As electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly prevalent on the roads, collision repair shops have begun seeing more damaged EVs in need of repair, but are EVs really that common? How will the increase in EVs impact shops? And how can auto body repair facilities prepare for and adjust to the morphological changes in the industry’s landscape without being submerged? Industry experts shared advice about how shops can prepare for the onslaught of constantly advancing vehicle technology in last month’s New Jersey Automotive (find their tips at bit.ly/NJAEV0622), but who better to provide practical recommendations for proactively bracing for impact from the “Technical Tsunami”…
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Remembering Sheila Loftus
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing Founder, editor and publisher of Hammer & Dolly. Executive director of WMABA. Hall of Eagles inductee. Founder of CRASH Network. Co-founder of the Women’s Industry Network (WIN). One of the first Most Influential Women honorees. Any auto body professional would be proud to hold a single honorific from this list of impressive accomplishments, but Sheila Loftus never settled for mediocrity. As the executive director of WMABA and publisher of Hammer & Dolly from the early 1970s until 2007, this fearless trailblazer tirelessly advocated for the collision repair industry – even after her 2008 retirement. Her death on May 13, at age 79, struck a…
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Where Does Your Data Go, and Who Can Access It?
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing Cars know more about their drivers than vehicle owners know about their cars these days. Many benefits come from the ever-increasing technology turning our transportation into supercomputers on wheels, such as improvements in safety and convenience factors, but those same systems that improve the driving experience also pose potential privacy hazards by collecting – and potentially sharing – vehicle data. What a scary thought! Data sharing concerns grow even more frightening for collision repair shop owners who often find that their data has been accessed without their knowledge or consent. Data pumps constantly monitor the estimate management standard (EMS) export routine,…
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Investments in Consumer Education Pay High Interest
Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Do your customers understand what’s involved with repairing a vehicle and running a shop? Do they know how heavily shops invest their time, energy and funds into training, tools and equipment? They may appreciate having safe, reliable transportation, but do they actually recognize the complexity of today’s vehicles? Last month, AASP-MN News talked to consumers to find out exactly what they know…and the initial results were underwhelming to say the least (check it out at bit.ly/AASPconsumer). Yet, after a brief educational session, many consumers developed a better grasp of how much training, effort and expense goes into automotive and collision repair. Education…
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Is Every Appraiser Really Your Enemy?
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Want to watch a shop owner or estimator’s blood pressure rise? Merely utter the phrase “insurance appraiser!” Many shops engage in contentious dialogue with appraisers during the appraisal process. As the expert in the repair, it can be quite frustrating to have your Labor Rate be challenged, to have OEM required and recommended procedures be rejected or to be told you’re “the only one.” On the other hand, appraisers argue that they can’t pay more because the Labor Rate is set by the insurance company, they uphold viewpoints that seem contradictory to conducting a safe repair, or sometimes they merely…
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Surviving the Storm: Who Will Repair Vehicles in 2030?
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Although experts predict that the increase in safety features will reduce accident frequency, repair complexity is apt to lead to increasing severity – and repairers can expect these trends to magnify as electric vehicles (EVs) become more prevalent. Collision repairers have been bracing for the “Technical Tsunami” for nearly a decade as a dwindling number of shops are inundated with constantly advancing vehicles while simultaneously struggling to process unprecedented high volumes of repair with a limited staff. Although experts predict that the increase in safety features will reduce accident frequency, repair complexity is apt to lead to increasing severity – and…
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2009 CREF Scholarship Winner Pays It Forward
Most people have settled into their career by the time they reach the age of 39, so switching careers at such a stage in life may seem like a daunting prospect – especially when the choice was not of your own volition – but Susan Bock saw the challenge as an opportunity to expand her knowledge and examine her options. Bock worked at an insurance agency for over 16 years, but in January 2009, her boss informed her that he had to let her go due to downsizing. “It was quite a shock as insurance was really all I had ever known career-wise, but I realized this would be a…
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OEM Repair Procedures: Debate Over Recommended vs. Required Continues
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing “Review and follow the OEM repair procedures on every car, for every reason, every time.” The instructions sound simple enough, yet collision repair shops often encounter challenges in regards to insurer reimbursement, largely based on which of two simple words the vehicle manufacturer opted to use: required or recommended. Since “required” translates into “essential or indispensable,” repairers experience less pushback when performing those procedures, but what about “recommended,” a word that merely means “advised or suggested”? For many, this subtle shift in semantics grants permission to skip a process, but industry leaders disagree and have expressed the opinion that the two…
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TDI Responds…but Do They Ever ANSWER?!
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Since ABAT began in 2014, association leadership has been in constant contact with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) in relation to consumer under-indemnification. Attempts to rectify the situation repeatedly meet with frustration on ABAT’s part as TDI continues to turn a blind eye to insurer abuses. “It seems like TDI is actively deciding not to do anything,” ABAT Executive Director Jill Tuggle claimed last month (catch up on the story at bit.ly/blindTDI). “Any attempt by TDI to downplay or disregard indemnification issues is disingenuous and appears to be an attempt on TDI’s part to distort the facts.” In hopes of getting to…
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Tech Shortage Solutions: Shop Owners Engage with Local Schools and Students
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Collision repair industry professionals around the country struggle to find and retain qualified help, but with the average technician age now exceeding 50 years old, it’s obvious that a lack of young people entering the industry is driving the tech shortage. Last month, New England Automotive Report featured insights from three local collision repair instructors whose various experiences yielded a cohesive message: “Schools and industry have to work hand in hand,” according to Kenneth Stukonis (Assabet Valley High School; Marlborough). “Engagement from local shops is great because they help us and our administration understand which tools and equipment to buy and what…
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TDI Turns Blind Eye to Consumer Under-Indemnification
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing If an employee in your shop blatantly refused to perform the job you hired them to do, they probably wouldn’t maintain their position for very long. That’s generally the case at any job, in any industry; however, when it comes to some state agencies governing the insurance industry – the entities tasked with protecting consumers from unfair business practices and under-indemnification – it seems that employees are encouraged to shirk their duties and protect the insurers, rather than the consumers who are being injured. In the December 2021 edition of Texas Automotive, ABAT accused the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) of being…
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Forget About the Price Tag and Focus on Proper Billing
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing Unless you’ve been living under a rock (and growing your own food), it’s impossible to ignore the rising costs in every area of life – from groceries to gas and everything in between. With inflation hitting a 40-year record high of 7.5 percent, everyone is feeling the impact, especially shop owners who are contending with rising costs from every angle, including paint and materials, for which they aren’t being properly reimbursed. “Raw materials is the main issue,” according to John Shoemaker (BASF). “On top of that, a limited number of items are able to enter and leave the ports, making transportation…
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Parts Authorization, Indemnification and More—Documentation Part 3
Published September 23, 2014 in Autobody News Over the past two issues (see August and September Autobody News), industry attorney Erica Eversman has offered some insights into the various types of documentation that collision repair facilities can use to protect their interests and help them obtain proper compensation for work performed. In the final installment in this series on repair documentation, Eversman helps explain the purpose for and how to use the Parts Notice/Authorization and the Indemnification/Hold Harmless Letter, with a few additional documents. The Parts Notice/Authorization is an important form for repair shops to utilize since most states have statutes pertaining to the use of used or aftermarket parts which requires the…
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Repair Documentation Series, Part 2: Assignment of Proceeds and Writ of Replevin
Published August 22, 2014 in Autobody News Repair documentation plays an important role in your collision repair business, but many shop owners are not very familiar with what they need to protect their interests, so I’ve turned to an industry-leading attorney to provide crucial information on what you need to know about documentation in the collision repair industry. Last month, Erica Eversman, Chief Counsel for Vehicle Information Services, Inc. and founder of the Automotive Education and Policy Institute, a non-profit organization geared toward educating consumers, explained how collision repair facilities can use the Authorization to Repair and Repair Contract to receive proper compensation from insurers in legal battles. While those…
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How to Write an Authorization to Repair and Repair Contract—Documentation Part 1
Published July 29, 2014 in Autobody News When I first started to write about the collision repair industry, I was astonished by the plethora of issues that can arise on any given day, but what surprised me the most was the difficulty that so many repair facilities face when trying to receive proper compensation for the work they have (already performed); after all, I fully expect to be paid for the work I do, and as a consumer, I would hope that the people who repair my vehicle receive the same consideration. Unfortunately, I now know that is not always the case, but I’ve also learned that there is a…
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What Cars Say: “We Need More Female Technicians!”
Written on behalf of the Collision Repair Education Foundation. Printed in Body Shop Business In recognition of Women’s History Month, author Rachael Alfonso has partnered with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) to raise funds in support of female collision repair students. When industry supporters purchase a copy of Alfonso’s new book, “What Cars Say,” through the dedicated link, a portion of the sale will be donated to a fund for future female technicians. “This is a great book for any auto enthusiast,” Brandon Eckenrode, Director of Development for CREF, said. “The Foundation is proud to endorse Rachel, a female automotive professional and author, and we’re excited to announce a…
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New Jersey Collision Repair Professionals Want Schools to Put Students First
Published in Autobody News John Truman, owner of Truman Muscle Car Parts in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, has been fighting to save local collision repair education programs since 2014, when he learned that his alma mater, Atlantic County Institute of Technology, had discontinued its high school auto body program. “In the last seven years, auto body education programs closed in Atlantic and Cumberland counties. The collision repair industry is poising to shut down – we need new techs NOW; however, many of the vo-tech auto body programs are dying. Once they’re gone, they’re gone for good. It’s impossible to bring them back!” Truman stressed. Truman’s passion for the collision repair…