SEMA - Thursday

Thursday  @ SEMA

Today was a little frustrating for me, some computer issues, but other than that SEMA was fantastic.  I eased my frustration by meeting up with my friends Crystal Stangeland and Margaret Klemmer from Autoshop Solutions Inc where we were able to catch up on some of my clients websites.  I learned a long time ago, probably from somebody like John Maxwell or Anthony Robbins that you should only do the things you do well and leave the other things to people that do them well and I must say Autoshop Solutions do websites well.  Like any other tool you have in your businesses toolbox your website’s effective needs to be able to be measured.  If you don’t think you are getting the most out of your website get a Free Website Analysis and find out where your website stands in the e-world!

Right and Wrong Ways to Repair New Metals

I was only able to attend one SCRS Repairer Driven Education courses today, and due to my computer issues and my desire to get my newsletters out in a timely fashion I almost missed this one.  I am glad I made it and I must say Dave Gruskos from Reliable Automotive Equipment Inc. did a fantastic job of keeping my attention.  People are talking a lot about adapting to the new metals used in vehicles, in reality the “new” metals have been around since 2000 we are just now beginning to understand how to work with them.  One of the things I was able to take away from this class I kind of already knew and that is heat is the enemy to high strength steel.  I did learn however, that the white smoke you see when you are Mig-welding is the metal’s corrosion protection properties burning away, probably knew this also, just did not realize the effect.  Mig-Brazing solves this because the brass and zinc in the corrosion protection actually works together to preserve the corrosion protection.  After Dave told us this he let us know that Mig welding is not the preferred method to repair vehicles, spot welders are the recommended to bond the new metals.  The plug welds used to join panels actually weakens the metals and Mig welding is not compatible with the dissimilar metals used in the overlapping construction used in today’s vehicles.  There are some manufacturers that do not want you welding on their vehicles at all and have developed a variety of rivets to accomplish repairs.  Dave talked about self-piercing rivets and flow-form rivets that have to be punched out, not drilled.  You use adhesives in conjunction to the rivets to create a solid repair.  He also gave some advice, since the adhesives can cost up to $400.00 a tube, and the rivets are a little pricey also that you should order all the items from the dealer that is providing the replacement panel.  When you do that it provides the part number, cost and retail price so you can bill the items correctly through your repair invoice.  This course had a lot of information in it and I could not possibly cover it all here but I want to leave you with probably the most important thing I took away.  Air bag reaction; air bag reaction timing is measured in milliseconds and the timing is critical to occupant safety.  Dave had a couple of videos showing the effects of a slowed reaction in air bag timing.  The result was disastrous, the air bag actually deployed late, the occupant’s head (actually a melon) hit the steering wheel and then the air bag deployed.  As I said a disastrous result causing frontal lobe damage and then snapping the head back as the air bag deployed.  The difference in reaction was caused by the use of a plug weld instead of the spot weld that was used during vehicle manufacturing.  Kind of changes the meaning of restoring the vehicle to pre-accident condition, it is not just in appearance, it has to be restored to original function also.

SCRS Keynote Session

The SCRS Keynote Session: Mission Control – Flawless Execution in Business Combat was presented very well by former Marine fighter pilot Patrick “Lips” Houlahan from Afterburner Inc.  Lips (yes, he said he got his name from the MASH character) presented a “Mission Planning” process that defines continuous improvement process very interestingly through a flight planning scenario.  He told us you have to #1 Determine the Mission Objective, #2 Identify the Threats, #3 Identify Your Available and Required Resources, #4 Evaluate Lessons Learned, #5 Develop a Course of Action and #6 Plan for Contingencies.  He took us through a Win process that indicated you first must Plan, then Brief the plan, Execute the plan and then Debrief to determine the results.  It is through the debrief process that the stage is set for continuous improvement.  Each person gets a say in the debrief, you learn about mistakes that occurred as well as the successes.  Lips stated that it is in the debrief that you learn the things you want to keep doing, things that should not happen again and develop an action plan to ensure you grow from the experience.  Reminded me of a Production Meeting where you review the production status of the repairs in progress and regroup if you needed.  Lips illustrated that the Mission Objective should be; Clearly defined, Measurable, Achievable and Supports the future picture.  The Threats should be identified by; Internal or External and by those that are Controllable or Uncontrollable.  Identifying your Available and Required Resources should include the Resources needed to achieve the objective, either mitigate or eliminate controllable threats, and categorize your resources into: Training, Leadership, People, Clients and Customers, Fiscal Resources, Systems and Technologies.  Evaluation of Lessons Learned is a very valuable step in the plan because it is there that you can review the successes and failures to evaluate the achievement of the objective.  People have asked me what makes me a good consultant, I tell them it is because I made mistakes, broke them down and learned from them to develop a new game plan.  The biggest step in this is to admit your mistake and do what you need to do so it does not reoccur.  I remember making mistakes in the shop, one of the techs would call me out on it and I would admit, Yep you are right, what should we do to fix it, making the tech part of the solution.  Great presentation and I certainly did not do it justice in my little recap but I had to share what I saw and hope you enjoyed it.

SCRS Afterburner Party

First I will say “What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas”.  SCRS had a closing party in the Las Vegas Hilton, Sky Villas suite and I must tell you it was amazing.  It was the suite Elvis would stay at when he came to Vegas.  A very large four-bedroom suite that gave you a very picturesque view of Las Vegas.  One of the bathrooms had two showers and two of the others had wet rooms with roman tubs and huge showers.   The bedrooms had TV’s that popped up from the footboards.  It was a perfect networking opportunity as I met several friends that I only get to see at conventions.  I could tell you more but in remembering my opening statement let me just tell you is was a great time and I thank SCRS for inviting me.

The SEMA Report - Wednesday

Wednesday @ SEMA

I was able to catch up with some LinkedIn friends for breakfast today.  It is great to see people you have communicated with on a social network in person and discuss things face to face. Larry Montanez from P&L Consulting LLC and James Moy a fellow consultant discussed several issues that I am sure are on the top of your mind, substandard shops and getting paid for what you do.  We all agreed that I-CAR role based training is a true asset to our industry and a step in the right direction.  The discussion moved to getting paid for what you do and we all seem to believe it is dependent on how you document your damage appraisal.  It has to be clear, concise and factual.  Don’t ask for things you are not going to do, but make sure you document everything you to return the vehicle back to pre-accident condition.  As far as substandard shops it seems they will fall to the side as more and more shops are educating themselves, using the proper equipment and taking action against those that are not preforming repairs correctly.  I believe if you stay focused on your shop, keep your mind on your business, you will prosper as those less quality shops fall to the side.

Nitrogen…..Really!?!

There seems to be a belief that you need to convert to nitrogen to spray waterborne effectively.  I have been doing quite a bit of reading on the subject and can’t really find anything to substantiate the belief.  While I was here at SEMA I thought I would do some checking and found Bob Maurer and Michael Camber from Kaeser Compressors and we talked about the advantages and disadvantages.  We agreed that what you really need is low moisture content in the air.  Nitrogen on by itself can’t provide clean moisture free air, it still has to be filtered and have the oil removed so you still need some kind of system to perform that task in addition to the nitrogen equipment.  I figure most shops air handling equipment is due for replacement already and using the thoughts from my ABRN you can systematically replace the items as you can afford them.  To make sure you are buying what you need Kaeser will provide a free Waterborne Paint Evaluation.  Take them up on it and make smart choices, you will probably find that nitrogen is not really necessary.

EPA/OSHA Regulations

This is one area I think some shops really need to spend a little more time checking.  I talked to Joseph J. Kenny II, President of Safety Regulation Strategies Inc, and Compliance Specialist Ryan Sharkey who carry the same thought.  To keep everybody informed on the new laws they have a free newsletter, follow the link to subscribe.  When I was reviewing their website I found some interesting information about OSHA and how they created a new Severe Violator Enforcement Program and increased penalty amounts for workplace injuries.  Just when we thought we were caught up by finishing the 6H requirements a new thing to worry about.  Speaking about 6H, I am still seeing people spraying more than 3 ounces on the shop floor, EPA has people looking, I don’t believe anybody I have seen lately can afford the fine, there are many solutions to reach compliance so please pick on.

SCRS Repairer Driven Education

I was able to spend some time with my friend Mike Anderson on his birthday by attending his negotiation course, Educate – Don’t Alienate!   In this two-part course Mike told us that you need three things to be successful in negotiating; Trust, Respect, and Confidence that you are being credible.  Let me explain that last one.  Have you ever been in the position when you went and asked the technician what he needed, didn’t check it out for yourself and presented it to the insurance company only to find that you did not need it?  Kind of kills the trust and respect thing doesn’t it?  Moral to this story is you need to inspect what you are going to negotiate so you maintain your credibility.  Mike used a Steven Covey quote to stress a point in negotiation, Seek to understand, then to be understood.  He explained that the comma is there for a purpose, it is to make us stop so the recipient has a chance to process what we are telling them.  Along with this he suggested we learn about the other party, it is a true benefit if you know what their concerns or interests are.  If you know what an insurance adjuster is measured on you can direct your negotiation toward that end and create a win-win situation.  Knowing what an insurance adjuster is grading on would seem to be pretty handy, kind of knowing what button to push but in a positive way.  I could fill this complete newsletter with the information Mike provided by SEMA is a big show and I wanted to tell you the other things also.  I will close this off with a thought Mike left us after we watched a scene from the movie Road House, where Patrick Swayze was a “cooler” and it was during a meeting he had with the bar bouncers and he kept repeating they should be nice.  Mike related that to negotiation, be nice, when you let emotions control the situation nobody is winning, you are actually digging a whole and that trust and respect thing is heading south.  So think about this next time you are up against an insurance adjuster, just be nice and understand their side and put yourself into a position where you both can win.  We had a little extra time after the class so Mike reviewed some of the items available on his website.  His website is actually a web catalog of his experiences and he offers them to anybody who wants to utilize them.  Take advantage of Mike’s experience and check it out.

Tuesday @ SEMA

This is what greeted me when I arrived at the SEMA show today, and the sights only got better!  

I walked into the collision area immediately bumped into Barry Dorn, SCRS Past Chairman and Aaron Schulenburg SCRS Executive Director.  The SCRS is presenting a large slate of classes through their Repairer Driven Education program.  I attended the Load Leveling class presented today and was real impressed with the course content.  Tomorrow I will be attending a two part session titled  Educate NOT Alienate: The Key to Successful Collision Negotiations presented by Mike Anderson.  I will fill you in on that class tomorrow.

Frame Machine Strategy

  

I talked frame machine strategy with Mike Ramey of M.R.E Inc where we discussed the feasibility of having several small pulling platforms similar to Chief Automotive's EZLiner Express instead of  two or more frame machines.  The design of new vehicles utilizes a crush zone type construction so mostly what we are doing now is jigging vehicles rather than heavy pulling.  A vehicle can be placed on a small pulling platform, measured and align, have the affected structure removed and replaced right in the technician's stall.  There is not a need to move the vehicle to the frame machine.  You can purchase about three of the small pulling platforms for the price of one frame machine.  Utilizing three small pulling machines rather than doing all the pulling on one frame machine will eliminate an area of constraint and improve cycle time.  You will still need one full-size frame machine for pick-ups and SUV's but your techinicians will enjoy having pulling capabilities right in their stall with their individual platforms.

 

Mobile Car Dollies

 

I stopped at DJS Fabrications booth when their Mobile Car Dollies caught my eye.  These dollies are the sturdiest dollies I have ever seen.  They will work with the wheels on or off, will clamp to the pinch welds and have special attachments for vehicles with out pinch welds.  Doug Symiczek has thought out this product quite well.  He has ramps to get over the threshold of paint booths, ramps designed to work with most frame machines and has a rack to store the dollies when they are not in use.  These have to be the safest dollies around and they are designed to allow one person to move a car around the shop.

 

Paint Prep Cart

Goliath Carts has done it again.  I have told you about their Estimating Carts in other newsletters but now they have designed a Paint Prep Cart.  This cart holds anything you could possibly need to mask a vehicle.  The paper changes with ease and it has spacers to make sure the tape stays centered.  Just like the estimating cart the paint prep cart has been well thought out and was name the NACE new product of the year.  That is two years in a row that Goliath Carts has earned this award and I say earned it because they really did their homework and created two great products.

 

PreFab Ads

 

I was invited to a social mixer held by Chuck Jessen of PreFabAds.com where he described his ad program. 
He has developed eleven ads specially for the collision industry, the most famous of which is the "Sledgehammer".  I know you have seen it, a scorned woman takes revenge on her boyfriend's car, only to realize she has the wrong car when he drives up along side and asked her what she is doing.  It has won several awards, been viral on YouTube and America's funniest commercials.  I have previewed all of the ads and you can do the same by clicking on the link above, all are direct and to the point and would work in any market.  The thing I really liked about this program is your contract ensures your competition cannot run the same ad, you are guaranteed exlusivity in your market for the term of the contract.

 

That was my day at SEMA and tomorrow's calendar shows to be just as busy and exciting.

Sleeves or Reinforcements - AutoPro Workshop Blog post - Where Professionals Gather for Better Business

Another great tip for the Database Enhancement Gateway.

Sleeves or Reinforcements - AutoPro Workshop Blog post - Where Professionals Gather for Better Business

Sidewalk Talk - Rhode Island Internet Marketing and SEO Blog: Maximize Discovery by Halting Stop-Word Usage

This is some great advice from my friend Chris Sheehy at the Sidewalk Branding Co.

Sidewalk Talk - Rhode Island Internet Marketing and SEO Blog: Maximize Discovery by Halting Stop-Word Usage: With so few precious characters to use for META Data - maximize your META by putting a stop to stop-word usage. Simple words such as: ...

How to Maximize Sublet Profits

Attempting to increase profit in any collision center is a struggle and I do not believe it is going to get easier anytime soon. I know most are looking at every opportunity to gain a nickel or dime in any area possible. That is what every shop should be doing to maintain profitability. One area that is often overlooked is sublet repairs. It is an area that is most of the time gray on an estimate with pricing based on an "average" for your particular market. If you look at sublet repair closely you will find it is an area with great potential for increased gross profit. There are two ways to increase your gross profit on sublet repairs – one is doing the work yourself and the other is through smart purchasing.  Just as insurance companies work to negotiate their best price for repairs you should also work to negotiate your best price on the sublet services you purchase. One of the best opportunities to stabilize your sublet profits is to develop vendor partners that will provide discounts for loyalty and volume. Even if the discount is only 10 percent or 15 percent, it will give you an edge towards increasing your profits. Remember it's the nickels and dimes that will keep you profitable, so no discount is too small and very valuable to your success.

For the complete article visit: http://abrn.search-autoparts.com/abrn/Training/How-to-maximize-sublet-profit/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/745384

Paint Manufacturer Involvement

Paint manufacturers becoming more involved with your business by expending a lot of effort and money to keep your collision center profitable.  Their sponsorship of NACE and SEMA is clearly evident in all the literature and without their assistance some of the programs at those events would not be possible.  When you see your jobber, thank them, their assistance is far deeper than a paint discount.  I was talking to a customer the other day who was asking some advice on marketing.  I asked him if he had checked his paint manufacturers value-added programs and looked at the tools available.  He had not so I googled his paint company and found a large resource for growing a collision business.  I also had meeting this week with a jobber and a shop owner who needed help reducing his paint expense.   Again, looking to the manufacturer we found a paint system that would meet his needs and allow him to grow into a more premier line.  All the paint major paint manufacturers have programs to assist you so I hope you are making good use of them.  Just send me an e-mail if you have trouble finding out about them, I will get the information for you and get you some contact information.