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Praxis v. Practice: NJ Law Seeks to Alleviate Vo-Tech Teacher Shortage
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing As shops seek to fill their facilities with qualified talent, the lament about the technician shortage has been heard from coast to coast for years, but rarely does anyone talk about a related problem that contributes to the lack of qualified talent available for body shops to hire: the teacher shortage! While it seems that there are fewer teachers filling classrooms each year in general, vo-tech schools seem to suffer the most from the dwindling profession. In fact, the lack of skilled trades teachers has led to several programs shutting down once their instructors retired simply because there was no one…
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New Faces at the ADALB: A Q&A with Carl Garcia
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing During the October meeting of the Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board (ADALB), two new members sat at the table: Carl Garcia (Carl’s Collision Center; Fall River) and Vicky Wei Ye (Bos Insurance Agency). The meeting ran without interruption, and the recent additions briefly introduced themselves at the end of the meeting after weighing in on Board business – and even voting on the revocation of an appraiser’s license! But who are these new Board members, and what are their qualifications? New England Automotive Report reached out to Garcia and Ye to request an interview. Although Ye did not respond to our request,…
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Lessen the Learning Curve with SOPs
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Training new employees can be stressful – even if you hire an experienced estimator, painter or technician, it’s unlikely they’ve ever done things the way YOU want them done at YOUR facility…after all, they’ve never worked for YOU before, and everyone does things differently. There’s always a learning curve when a new employee joins your team! Someone who is competent (or even highly skilled) could struggle to assimilate into your shop culture simply because your processes are different than what they’re used to. But what if there was a way to help them get accustomed to your way of doing…
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An Eye Forward: Does Specialization Give Shops an Advantage?
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing “Back in the day.” “When I opened my shop.” “Years ago.” Attend any collision industry event, and you’re sure to hear stories that begin in one of these ways and which proceed to lament the technological advances that have made it so much more challenging to run a successful auto body shop in the present day and age. After all, properly repairing vehicles requires investing in specific tools, equipment and training – all of which vary drastically depending on the vehicle make and model. But those challenges also present a unique opportunity when it comes to specialization. Because modern vehicles are…
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MNCARS: Bridging the Gap in Promoting Automotive Service and Collision Repair Careers
Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing “Why can’t I find any qualified help for my business?” This question is asked repeatedly by both automotive service and collision repair shops all across the country, and fortunately, this conundrum is being tackled by multiple organizations: TechForce Foundation, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) and Minnesota Careers in Auto Repair and Service (MNCARS) are just a few entities working to fill the void left in shops as the baby boomer generation finally starts to consider retirement. All three non-profits support future repair professionals through scholarships, in-person events and other resources. Despite the synchronicity that exists between those working on alleviating the…
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Moving Forward: A Q&A with New AASP/NJ President Ken Miller
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing At AASP/NJ’s 2023 Annual Meeting, the association elected a new president for the first time since 2017. Last month, Past President Jerry McNee (Ultimate Collision Repair; Edison) reflected on his six years of service, but what about the future of the organization? That lies in the capable hands of current President Ken Miller (821 Collision; North Haledon) who sat down with New Jersey Automotive to share his thoughts on what association members can expect moving forward under his leadership. New Jersey Automotive: What industry experience do you bring to your new role as AASP/NJ President? Ken Miller: I started my career in this industry 35…
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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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My Little Pink Pickup Truck
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing My 20-year-old bonus kid recently bought her first car: a 2003 Lincoln Town Car Executive. So, basically a bus that’s the same age as she is – and also the same age as my high school diploma. I bought my first vehicle back in high school, as soon as I turned 16 and got my license, with help from my Poppop who found it and loaned me the money. Each month, I’d write him a check for $85 and fill out a coupon from a receipt book that my mom bought me so that she could teach me about responsibilities. But…
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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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Shops Stand Strong Against Economic Downturns (Part 2)
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing It may be scary to think about an economic downturn, but as discussed in last month’s New Jersey Automotive (at grecopublishing.com/new-jersey-automotive-august-2023), auto body shops often encounter these uncertainties in a different way than other industries, and experts even suggest this industry may be “recession-resistant!” One of the factors that supports this thinking is the average American’s continued reliance on their personal transportation. At the same time, consumers are less apt to take on more debt by making large purchases like new cars. Inflation and increasing interest rates have collaboratively created a situation where buying a new car is incredibly prohibitive: by the end of…
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More Delays at the ADALB
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Not much happened during the July 12 meeting of the Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board (ADALB). The Board was scheduled for a hearing to review the potential revocation of Justin Forkuo’s (290 Auto Body; Worcester) appraiser license, but since Forkuo’s attorney was unable to attend the meeting, the hearing has been postponed until the next ADALB meeting. Moving on to “other business,” Board member Peter Smith (MAPFRE) broached the topic of out-of-state appraiser licensing, explaining that there’s an issue with the system used; the system will not allow an automated renewal for appraisers who do not have a residence in…
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Jury Gives State Farm a Quarter Million Reasons to Do the Right Thing
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing A Rusk County District Court jury recently gave State Farm a quarter million reasons to be a better neighbor to its policyholders when 12 Texans found the insurance giant had knowingly or intentionally engaged in unfair and deceptive acts or practices in Joseph Wayne Collins v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, awarding the plaintiff $248,517.59! Collins’ journey to this decision began over three years ago when he took his 2009 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck to Burl’s Collision Center (Henderson) to repair hail damage. Although the vehicle owner wanted the truck repaired, State Farm declared it a total loss and initially offered $13,450…
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Shops Stand Strong Against Economic Downturns (Part 1)
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing Thoughts of inflation, recession and rising interest rates often fill small business owners with fear, but for collision repair shops, there may be less cause for concern since this industry is better equipped than most to stand strong against economic downturns. Of course, no business is truly recession-proof, but some may resist market uncertainty better than others. Industry leaders share their thoughts on how shops can weather the economic storms and continue to thrive. “When interest rates rise and there are fears of a recession, I recognize how easy it is to become overwhelmed with fears, but I’m not afraid,” insists…
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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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On-the-Spot” Blending Options: CCC Responds to SCRS Blend Study
Published in New England Automotive Report – Thomas Greco Publishing Since late 2022 when the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) unveiled the results of its highly anticipated study, collision repairers have been anxiously awaiting the responses of the three major information providers (IPs), all of which promised to conduct their own research and provide updates. (If you’ve been living under a rock, get caught up on the basics of the blend study here.) As reported in New England Automotive Report in March, CCC “committed that based on the recent database inquiries regarding MOTOR’s guidelines for blending adjacent panels, and in accordance with MOTOR’s standard operating procedures, MOTOR will conduct observational studies of…
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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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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…
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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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AASP/NJ Helps Shops Dodge a $2 Million Boiler Bullet – for Now
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing If your shop is not currently worried about spending $2 million on an electric boiler, make sure to thank AASP/NJ! Since Governor Phil Murphy unveiled New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan (EMP) in 2020, few clear answers have been provided to clarify how much each component of the initiative might cost families and businesses. One of the first planned provisions, introduced in December 2021, called for the replacement of all fossil-fueled (gas or oil) heating systems to be replaced with electric boilers after January 1, 2025, and the first 8,000 facilities to be impacted included those with an existing New Jersey Department of Environmental…
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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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SCRS Blend Study Steals the Show at CIC
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing “More innovation happens in challenging times than in good times,” Outgoing Chair Darrell Amberson opened the most recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC), held in conjunction with the 2022 SEMA Show last month. It’s impossible to deny that the past few years qualify as “challenging,” but it’s also pretty evident that these have been pretty innovative times as demonstrated repeatedly by industry leaders who presented on topics from safety inspections to data access to solving the workforce shortage and everything in between…including a hilarious encounter of the claims process variety (flip to page 4 for a recap on the Estimating and Industry…
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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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Change Creates Opportunity: CIC Considers Current and Coming Concerns
Published in Hammer & Dolly – Thomas Greco Publishing In the collision repair industry – as in life – the only true constant is change. But change is scary, especially when it comes to all the evolving technologies on the horizon. Industry leaders examined current trends and explored future shifts that shops can expect at the most recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Pittsburgh, PA. Few topics bridge the gap between the present and the future quite like ADAS and EVs…so much so, in fact, that CIC decided to add a half-day special session specifically focused on helping repairers “Elevate Your Understanding” with four adventure stations honing in on specific…
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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…
