There are some very good points made in this article. If you do not belong to a body shop association, join one, if there is not one in your local area, start one, belonging to an association of peers provides great opportunities.
Industry Involvement - FenderBender - August 2011 - United States
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Closing Sales
Some people think estimating and closing sales is the same thing. In reality there is quite a difference. The industry average for moving an estimate to a sale is between 60 percent and 70 percent, so about 30 percent of estimates are not being sold. I have talked to estimators after they have written estimates and asked them if they asked for the sale. Some reply, "I showed them the estimate." Others give me the deer in the headlight look and say they told the customer to see the receptionist to schedule an appointment. There are ways to sell the repair without writing an estimate. To review three scenarios read the complete article at http://abrn.search-autoparts.com/abrn/Training/Estimating-is-not-the-same-as-closing-sales/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/737627
Friday, September 23, 2011
Is the Collision Industry Stable?
I was at a small shop the other day and I was asked that question. I asked him if he want the short answer or the long one? He said he wanted the truth. I would suggest that the most truthful answer would be no. With excess shop capacity, driving habit changes, higher total loss average, MSO's and the everchanging DRP environment the collision industry has gone through several transitions in the last several years. Then he asked me what he should do, he has invested in a lot of equipment, repairs vehicles correctly but he still is not reaching the business targets he has set. I told him to join the club, there are many shops in his same position. I then told him what he needs to do is to keep investing in equipment and repairing vehicles correctly. One of the problems with the collision industry today is the fact that there are shops that are not investing in equipment, are not repairing vehicles correctly and cutting costs where they can to be "competitive" and meet insurance company expectations.
He then asked how he can survive? I simply told him you don't survive, you have to grow. With the current shop capacity excess you have to develop a marketing strategy that shows you are different than the other eight or ten shops in your zip code and reach the majority. You have to promote your knowledge of the information the OEM, I-CAR and ALLDATA systems provide informing the public that you are aware of the correct process to return a vehicle to pre-accident condition. You have to promote your state of the art equipment and show your ability to use it through manufacturer and I-CAR documentation. You have to develop a repair process so you can deliver a three day repair in a day and a half and not five days. You have to promote your CSI in a method the consumer will understand with valid comparisons. Last but not least you have to take care of the person behind the steering wheel and do what it takes to meet all their needs.
That is the long answer, don't even think you will survive in the collision industry today, you have to thrive! To me surviving is a very short distance from failing, the cold facts are some shops will fail, but the ones that thrive by overcoming the adversity will be here to stay.
He then asked how he can survive? I simply told him you don't survive, you have to grow. With the current shop capacity excess you have to develop a marketing strategy that shows you are different than the other eight or ten shops in your zip code and reach the majority. You have to promote your knowledge of the information the OEM, I-CAR and ALLDATA systems provide informing the public that you are aware of the correct process to return a vehicle to pre-accident condition. You have to promote your state of the art equipment and show your ability to use it through manufacturer and I-CAR documentation. You have to develop a repair process so you can deliver a three day repair in a day and a half and not five days. You have to promote your CSI in a method the consumer will understand with valid comparisons. Last but not least you have to take care of the person behind the steering wheel and do what it takes to meet all their needs.
That is the long answer, don't even think you will survive in the collision industry today, you have to thrive! To me surviving is a very short distance from failing, the cold facts are some shops will fail, but the ones that thrive by overcoming the adversity will be here to stay.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
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