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Printed in Autobody News On July 20th, AASP/NJ shared preliminary details for its virtual 2020 NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show. Originally scheduled for March 20-22, this year’s event was postponed until August 21-23, but when the association decided to cancel the in-person trade show in June, they announced that they would host a free virtual event instead. “We are really excited about the virtual show,” AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee said. “With the cancellation of the in-person show this year, we looked for a new way to get our exhibitors in direct contact with our attendees so that 2020 wouldn’t be a lost year. It obviously won’t be the same as face-to-face,…

Printed in Autobody News As shops focus on providing a safe environment for both customers and employees during the COVID-19 outbreak, AASP/MA has received notice of a variety of collision repair industry related concerns. As a result, AASP/MA Executive Director Lucky Papageorg requested “immediate steps to stop exploitative practices being employed by insurance providers” in a letter to Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance Gary Anderson, which was copied to Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Attorney General Maura Healey. “As the ‘first responders’ meeting the needs of the motoring public, the collision repair industry and the customers we serve are subjected to the potentially life-threatening exposure of the pandemic…

On January 16, the Kukui Corporation hosted a webinar for shop owners entitled “How to Grow Your Money and Use It Along the Way – Just Like Banks,” featuring wealth strategist and owner of Big Life Financial, Derick Van Ness, who addressed a common entrepreneurial dilemma: “Do I invest my money, or keep it available to grow my businesses?” During the webinar, Van Ness explained how to do both by building a personal banking system that allows collision and automotive repair shop owners to use their money to prospect with almost no extra effort. He described “how to create financial certainty to allow business owners to compound profits by coercing…

Printed in Autobody News In addition to the risk COVID-19 poses to people’s individual health, shop owners and personnel should also be aware that the global pandemic poses increased risks for cybercrime. “The increase in cyber risk during COVID-19 is very real. Many cyber criminals were starting to focus on attacking phones and PDAs, which tend to have less cyber protection thus make for easier targets. The exponential growth in use of social apps has provided new rich targets for their devious actions,” said David Willett, underwriting value creation executive at ProSight Specialty Insurance. By the middle of April, cyber-risk specialists had identified more than 70,000 malicious COVID-19 domains, and these cyber…

Printed in Autobody News Collision repair industry associations around the country may take different stances on various matters, but one shared commonality is the intent of improving the businesses of their members. The global pandemic is impacting various communities and even individual businesses in different ways. Several association leaders graciously agreed to discuss some of the challenges they’ve seen, as well as some of the solutions they’ve presented, while helping member shops navigate the current situation to the best of their ability. Addressing the impact COVID-19 has had on shops so far, the consensus appears to be that there is no consensus. Some shops are experiencing significant reductions in workload,…

Printed in Autobody News New York has been one of the areas hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 15,000 deaths from COVID-19. When the governor closed schools March 16, Anthony DeMieri, owner of Frog Hollow Collision in Bethpage, NY, made the business decision to close his shop doors, even though collision repair shops were deemed essential. “It was a health decision,” he said. “I’m in the middle of New York. It’s a war zone, and these guys just don’t get it. They think it’s a joke, but it’s not a joke.” Frog Hollow Collision is located just outside New York City, but the shop’s employees live in Brooklyn and Queens.…

Printed in Autobody News The Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) hosted its 5th Annual Texas Auto Body Trade Show at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sept. 20 and 21. Attracting hundreds of collision repair industry professionals from Texas and around the country, the show broke every previous year’s attendance record, with attendees excited to network with peers, engage in invaluable educational seminars, and learn about exhibitors’ latest products and services. ABAT also used the opportunity to publicly announce its decision to merge with the Houston Auto Body Association (HABA) to create a larger united front and better serve the industry at-large. ABAT and HABA have had a close relationship…

Printed in Autobody News Business ownership always has its ups and downs, but the current economic climate has added loops and twists leaving many folks feeling nauseated. Dan Taylor, of Transformers Institute, addressed “Riding the Emotional Roller Coaster as an Owner,” during a recent installment of a collaborative series of technical and management classes focused on necessary topics for navigating business operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series is hosted by the Carquest Technical Institute and Worldpac Training Institute (CTI+WTI.) “It has been an unbelievable six weeks—we’ve never seen anything like this,” Taylor began, recalling his first roller coaster ride when he was 10 years old. “As we started the ascent, I was pretty relaxed,…

Printed in Autobody News As a result of the economic issues related to COVID-19, many shops are experiencing reduced volume. Industry experts recommend shops take advantage of the downtime by working ON their business, instead of IN their business. Shop Marketing Pros released two videos to provide tips for Search Engine Optimized (SEO) writing and taking great photos. Sharing a template he uses when writing SEO content for clients’ blog posts, Brian Walker, who co-owns Shop Marketing Pros with his wife, Kim, said he’s a “big proponent of teaching the how.” “This is something you can learn to do, instead of having someone else do it for you,” Walker said. “This template is…

Printed in Autobody News As the U.S. strives to prevent the spread of COVID-19, most states have instituted some version of a shelter-in-place order. Many businesses are experiencing a decrease in workload, including collision repair shops and related businesses. While furloughs are happening, experts advise against it, especially in light of aid offered by the U.S. government, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provides small businesses with forgivable loans to keep employees paid. Most shop owners are doing everything they can to maintain their employees, including pursuing less traditional schedules and duties. Industry leaders agree that looking for the opportunities within the current situation will help collision repair professionals…

Printed in Autobody News CIECA on April 6 hosted a special edition of its monthly CIECAst webinar, “How Our Industry is Addressing Challenges Created by the Coronavirus.” The webinar featured leaders from a variety of segments in the collision repair industry, including Mike Anderson of Collision Advice, Mitchell International’s Debbie Day, Shan McMillon of Cocoa Auto Salvage, Don Porter from United Recyclers Group (URG) and Dan Risley from CCC. The CIECAst webinar scheduled for April 21, “The Importance of OEM Certifications,” featuring CARSTAR’s Connor Smith, has been postponed until August. “CIECA constantly looks for ways to help the collision repair industry approach evolving issues, increase efficiency and meet the needs of its customers,” said Ed Weidmann, CIECA’s executive director. “This broadcast is aimed at addressing the many issues created…

Printed in Autobody News COVID-19 has ravaged the U.S. for more than a month, but even as social distancing separates us physically, people around the world have come together to support and aid one another. In the collision repair industry, equipment suppliers, paint manufacturers and industry associations have been hosting free informative webinars related to the ongoing crisis and updates on legislation, as well as other important topics. Also, as essential personnel, collision repairers around the country have been hard at work, repairing ambulances, police vehicles and the vehicles of medical and other essential personnel. Greg Murphy of Murphy’s Auto Body Frame in Crossett, AR, reported his shop was repairing three police vehicles.…

Printed in Autobody News Tractable, an A.I. photo estimating company, announced Feb. 27 it raised $25 million to expand into new markets and enhance research and development initiatives on its software.  The investment was led by Georgian Partners, with participation from existing investors, including Insight Partners and Ignition Partners.  Combined with the $30 million previously raised, Tractable has raised $55 million. Tractable currently operates in nine countries but plans to use the recently secured funds to expand into new markets.   It also plans to use the funds to invest in research and development to ensure its software is the best available A.I. on the market.  “Our mission at Tractable is to bring A.I. breakthroughs…

Printed in Autobody News The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) reiterated it is offering free retirement savings plan consultations to collision repair industry businesses in partnership with Virginia Asset Management, during a Feb. 26 webinar entitled “SCRS 401(k) Plan: Everything You Need to Know about Switching from an Existing Plan.” “SCRS is really excited to share information about our Multiple Employer Retirement Plan (MEP), a customized 401(k) plan solution created specifically for SCRS members,” said SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. “Our goal is to increase retirement savings for industry professionals.” Schulenburg encouraged collision repair industry businesses to take advantage of this opportunity.  “There’s no fee for the one-on-one conversations with SCRS’s financial advisors to evaluate…

Printed in Autobody News National labor and employment law firm FordHarrison recently hosted “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update—Is Your Business Ready for the Employment and Employee Benefit Changes?” The March 20 webinar offered useful information regarding main issues employers are facing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as best practices to help those businesses mitigate the associated employment law risks, said Aaron Schulenburg, SCRS executive director. During the webinar, three partners from FordHarrison informed attendees how to prepare their businesses to deal with the worldwide pandemic, and they discussed the employment laws impacted by the virus, as well as the impact of the Family First Coronavirus Response Act on employers. The webinar presenters included Sami Assad from the Hartford,…

Printed in Autobody News The Automotive Training Institute (ATI) on March 24 interrupted its regularly scheduled webinar series to share valuable information related to the current pandemic, “Top 5 Ways to Thrive During the COVID-19 Outbreak.” ATI Senior Instructor and Coach Chris Brower discussed how to protect staff and customers, make customers feel safe, control expenses, maintain cash flow and “thrive in this challenging time with the right mindset.” The webinar originally scheduled was “The Secret Tech.” Brower opened the webinar with some encouragement for attendees. “The coronavirus has impacted all of your businesses, the market, the industry, but during times like this, you have to realize that we will come out of it,”…

Printed in Autobody News ASA hosted a briefing March 31 to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, its impact on the automotive repair industry and the $2 trillion stimulus package, signed into law March 27. Hosts Ray Fisher, president/executive director of ASA, and Bob Redding, ASA’s Washington, D. C., representative, welcomed a special guest: U. S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-GA, a senior member of the U. S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over many automotive and collision repair industries. “We’re all facing challenges related to (the coronavirus) as individuals, as families, as businesses,” Fisher said. “COVID-19 has already begun affecting the automotive and collision repair industry, and ASA has been very busy…

  Printed in Autobody News Shop Marketing Pros and AASP-MN on March 25 presented a free webinar, “How Do I Market My Shop in a Crisis?” Taught by Kim Walker of Shop Marketing Pros, the webinar helped shops understand what to say, where to say it and how to say it during a crisis. Webinar sponsor AASP-MN invited AASP-PA and IGONC to attend as well, and all three associations heavily promoted the informative session to their members. As a result, more than 100 collision and automotive repair industry professionals registered to learn about the timely topic. Walker began by explaining she and her husband, Brian, are past shop owners and now own a marketing company. When it comes to the…

Printed in Autobody News On Feb. 13, CIECA offered a CIECAst webinar entitled “Utilizing Technology to Thrive and Not Just Survive in 2020” with Mike Anderson of Collision Advice.  Topics included eliminating human disruption, how AI will impact collision repair facilities, electronic quality control checklists, text reminders, customer updates using technology and much more. CIECA Executive Director Ed Weidmann began the webinar by welcoming attendees and introducing Anderson. After covering antitrust and competition guidelines, Anderson dove into a discussion about eliminating human disruption. “It is no secret that more and more admin tasks are being added to collision repair facilities,” Anderson said. “Due to this fact, we, as collision repairers, must find ways to utilize technology to…

Printed in Autobody News The 43rd installment of AASP/NJ’s NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show is scheduled to take place at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ on March 20–22. The largest automotive services show on the East Coast, NORTHEAST attracts thousands of automotive and collision repair specialists eager for the event’s educational offerings and the opportunity to visit well-known vendors on the trade show floor.  AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant stated, “We are once again looking forward to NORTHEAST. I can’t wait to attend the trade show, because it’s the number one place to see every new type of equipment and any new service being offered to our industry. There is no…

Printed in Autobody News On Jan. 15, ASA’s January 2020 installment of its Webinar Wednesday series featured Becky Witt, AMAM, George Witt Service in Lincoln, NE, and former AMI president and instructor, who presented “Would You Take a Job for $200 an Hour?” Based on a university-level cost accounting class, the webinar was applied to an automotive shop to provide better understanding of how pricing should be determined as well as tools to increase profits. Witt explored how the way people look at things impacts behavior, how shops leave money on the table because they don’t recognize the value in the transaction, and the use of cost accounting principles that can open new methods to increase profits.…

Printed in Autobody News On Dec. 18, ASA’s monthly Webinar Wednesday featured a discussion on “What’s Happening With Data Access Policy” with Robert L. Redding Jr., ASA Washington, D. C. representative and Greg Scott from the U. S. Vehicle Data Access Coalition. The webinar began with ASA Vice President of Industry Relations Tony Molla welcoming attendees and introducing Redding and Scott. Redding began with a review of service information and vehicle data access which started with the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments which required independent repairers to have access to the same information as dealers. Subsequent EPA regulations, what Redding called “attempts at getting it right,” proceeded to the ASA and Automaker Service Information Agreement which facilitated…

Printed in Autobody News The Superior Court in Union County, NJ, denied a Motion to Dismiss filed by New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance (NJM) in relation to a class-action lawsuit filed in June 2019 alleging steering-related violations against non-DRP collision repair facilities. The lawsuit is being led by Sam Mikhail on behalf of Quality Auto Painting Center d/b/a Prestige Auto Body (now dissolved) and BMR Automotive Service, Inc. d/b/a Robbie’s Automotive & Collision Specialists. The decision means the lawsuit will proceed with NJM facing accusations on a number of offenses, including injurious falsehood and tortious interference with prospective business advantage, as well as violations of the NJ Antitrust Act, NJ’s Consumer Fraud Act, and the state’s Civil RICO Act. Plaintiffs are…

Printed in Autobody News The Certified Collision Group (CCG) experienced a substantial amount of growth and success in 2019, adding 164 affiliate shops and five new vendor partners in addition to increasing its internal team significantly. On Dec. 17, CCG hosted a teleconference to review the year’s successes and discuss plans to sustain and enhance their growth in 2020 and beyond. The teleconference featured CCG’s CEO Tom Matlack and COO Marty Evans, as well as Vice President of Affiliate Services Bob Cornelius, Vice President of Vendor Procurement Ernie Laky, Vice President of Insurance Services Chris Sestito, and Vice President of Marketing Jeff Ingalls who served as moderator for the discussion. Prior to the call, Ingalls had informed attendees via email…

Printed in Autobody News On Dec. 10, the North Carolina Association of Collision and Automotive Repair (NCACAR) and the South Carolina Association of Collision and Automotive Repair (SCACAR) announced their imminent merger, effective Jan. 1, 2020, to form the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA). According to CCA’s news release, the merger will “[open] up members and sponsors to opportunities that were previously unattainable.” Josh Kent, the executive director of CCA, explained “Merging the two associations made a lot of sense strategically. Vendors can expand their reach without paying separate memberships for each state, and that allows us to organize bigger incentives for our member shops.” CCA has retained an attorney for members, plus they are seeking lobbyist…

Printed in Autobody News On the evening of Nov. 16, the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) hosted its 2019 Holiday Gala in San Antonio. According to ABAT President Burl Richards, “The event could not have gone better. It was a great evening with over 100 people attending. Everyone had a great time engaging with one another, eating, dancing and participating in general.” During the festivities, ABAT leadership discussed the association’s 2019 accomplishments and plans for 2020. Funds raised from the event will benefit ABAT’s PAC. Richards added, “Two legislators were in attendance, along with the local county sheriff, and they all spoke about the importance of consumer safety and how they are behind our…

Printed in Autobody News On Nov. 14, the Central Massachusetts I-CAR Committee hosted its Inaugural Axe Tournament at Half Axe in Marlborough, MA, raising funds to support collision education programs through the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). According to Joshua Fuller, committee chair, “We had over 30 industry participants attend, including paint companies, jobbers, parts vendors, equipment vendors, collision center owners and managers. We raised over $3,500 for the local schools. It was an all-around great event.” At the committee’s September meeting, the group was discussing possible event ideas, and I-CAR’s Paul Hill suggested axe throwing since he had recently helped facilitate similar events for other groups. Fuller stated, “We started with an hour of…

Printed in Autobody News On Wednesday, Nov. 20, ASA hosted its monthly Webinar Wednesday featuring Jason Soto of MobileSoft Technology who discussed “The New Smartphone Consumer.” Acknowledging that there were over 257 million smartphone users in the U.S. as of 2018, Soto pointed out that this technology has changed our lives forever and focused on how business owners can capitalize on this movement. Leona Dalavai Scott, marketing and communications consultant for ASA, welcomed attendees and introduced the webinar’s guest speaker. Soto began his presentation by praising attendees for taking the time to learn more, identifying the desire to learn as a quality of leadership and a factor that contributes to success. He then noted, “The smartphone has…

Printed in Autobody News On Oct. 16, ASA’s Webinar Wednesday focused on “Countering the Dealership Overtime Exemption,” which was presented by ASA’s Wage and Hour Attorney Brian Farrington of Cowles & Thompson in Dallas. He covered the basic elements of the FLSA Section 7(i) overtime exemption, which practices can lead to ineligibility for the exemption, and how to recognize when applicable state law can prevent shops from using the exemption. Tony Molla, vice president of industry relations for ASA, introduced Farrington, reminding association members that they have the ability to contact Farrington for advice. Farrington began his webinar by explaining that the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) is the basic wage and hour law…

Printed in Autobody News On Sept. 27-29, the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina (IGONC) hosted its 2019 Automotive Service and Technology Expo (ASTE) at the Embassy Suites and Convention Center in Cary, NC. According to IGONC Executive Director Bob Pulverenti, “This was the largest ASTE ever. Shops attended from 23 states as well as Canada, and vendor booths space sold out early. We had Carm Capriotto creating live and recorded podcasts throughout the event, providing insight into the running of a business and where our industry is headed, as well as videos created by Frank Leutz of Wrench Nation featuring a technician retention deep dive.” Associate Executive Director Tricia Sauls added, “The event was amazing, far exceeding our expectations. We…

Printed in Autobody News The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) hosted its inaugural Top Tech Mentor and Mentee Competition at Ranken Technical College in St. Louis on Saturday, Sept. 28. Christen Battaglia, director of strategic partnerships for CREF and event organizer said, “The goal of the competition was to recognize the performance of the next generation of collision technicians and their mentors on critical skills necessary to repair today’s high tech vehicles. Mentor and mentee teams performed and were tested on competencies the industry has deemed necessary for an entry-level technician. CREF wants to promote mentoring and celebrate the companies and people who are preparing the next generation of collision…

Printed in Autobody News This fall, the Montana Collision Repair Association (MCRA) announced its partnership with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) to support the state’s only collision repair training program at Montana State University (MSU) – Billings City College. MCRA President Paul Flores stated, “The MSU-Billings Collision Program is the only post-secondary automobile collision repair and refinishing program available in the state of Montana. The collision repair industry is in a unique era of growth, consolidation, and advancement in technology. At the same time, the industries talent pool lacks the volume to support the extensive personnel needs of collision repair facilities.” MCRA offers its support of MSU-Billings’ auto collision repair and refinishing program…

Printed in Autobody News The Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC) returned from summer break on Sept. 26 when nearly 100 attendees gathered at the USS Chowder Pot IV in Hartford, CT, where they received updates on the association, learned about future plans, and enjoyed a presentation on “Creating a Non-Negotiable Final Bill,” delivered by Scott Simmons of CollisionAdvice. ABAC President Bob Amendola kicked things off by thanking attendees and sponsors for their continued support and attendance before introducing ABAC Legal Counsel, Attorney John Parese, who provided an update on the industry’s efforts to preserve the 1963 Consent Decree. Parese explained, “The 1963 Consent Decree is the culmination of litigation the United States Department of Justice initiated against…

Printed in Autobody News As AASP-MN continues to promote the passage of legislation that would require insurers to pay for OEM-mandated repair procedures, the association invited Representative Ruth Richardson (DFL – Mendota Heights, MN), who authored the bill in the House, to a recent meeting which was held at Heppner’s Auto Body in Inver Grove Heights, MN. “Procedures such as pre- and post-repair scans ensure that damaged vehicles returning to the road have been properly repaired,” said Kevin Walli, AASP-MN lobbyist. “Coincidentally, the meeting took place the day that Auto-Owners Insurance issued a notice that it would pay a shop’s mechanical rate for pre-repair and post-repair scans,” Walli added. “Auto Owners is taking the lead in the insurance industry…