CARSTAR Collision Services has recently added seven new franchise locations - two of which are operated by multi-store CARSTAR owners, bringing the number of shops in the CARSTAR network to 270 throughout the United States and 110 in Canada. CARSTAR expects to add 100 new franchise operations this year. 

John and Shirley Pole, EZ Auto Body CARSTAR, have opened their second CARSTAR operation in Arizona. In addition to Arizona, the new franchises are located in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida and Washington.

"We are very pleased to bring these new franchisees into the CARSTAR family and welcome the expansion of the others," said Dick Cross III, CEO and chairman of the board. "The company is experiencing continued growth with quality operators."

Under the direction of CARSTAR Franchise Development Director Jeff Hendler, CARSTAR Managers of Business Development Tim Jensen, Todd Poretta and Bill Relea secured the arrangements for the new franchisees.

Strong performance in 2005

This news follows on the heels of reports that, while much of the collision repair industry is smarting from diminished sales in 2005, CARSTAR enjoyed a solid year of growth.

CARSTAR posted a system-wide sales increase of 6 percent in 2005, as compared with sales the previous year. This, despite the industry as a whole suffering a 5-10 percent sales decline. CARSTAR shops in Connecticut, Ohio, Nebraska and Florida were particularly strong with double-digit increases.

"We knew this would be a challenging year, so we remained focused on our primary goals of improving the customer experience, enhancing our insurance relationships and supporting our franchisee network," stated Cross. "We turned a corner in 2005 and have high expectations for this upcoming year. We are blessed to have the best operators in the business and attribute our success to them."

In addition to sales growth, the company added 32 franchise operations.

"Through our franchise development efforts, we were allowed to tell our story and recruit many extraordinary franchisees to the CARSTAR family," said Cross. "Given all the challenges a collision repair owner faces today, we are starting to be more recognized for what we are: a solution to the future of the industry."

Fueling much of the sales growth was CARSTAR's powerful insurance led by Vice President/Director of Insurance Dan Young. In 2005, with expanded relationships, the insurance group improved sales six-fold, to end the year near the $50 million mark. CARSTAR offers a solid-value proposition that includes a full-time insurance department, regional service managers strategically placed across the United States, performance-focused results, and a proven track record of providing industry leading cost containment, cycle times, and completely satisfied customers.

"It just goes to show that as CARSTAR strategically grows, more and more insurance companies have confidence in our abilities to handle their insurance work on a local level," said Young. "They know we can deliver."

New ad campaign

CARSTAR Collision Services is telling Americans to "chill out" with its new marketing campaign, Relax, We'll Take It From Here™. The multi-media advertising campaign has been introduced to all 270 CARSTAR stores in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

With the industry's top rating in customer service, according to the company, CARSTAR can back up the advertising message. The company is renown for providing exceptional service through the repair process. This campaign is designed to remind the public and the insurance community that CARSTAR is more committed to this high level of performance than ever.

"Our customers have very busy lives and the last thing they want to do it is deal with the hassles of getting their car repaired," says CARSTAR President Dan Bailey. "Our repair process is designed to be as accommodating as possible so that we provide the least interruption to our customer's lives."

In many instances, the process of having a customer "relax" begins with CARSTAR's free 24/7 accident assistance program. This allows anyone in the country to call 1-800-CARSTAR for immediate assistance, whether the car is in the driveway or on the highway. Within minutes, a tow truck will be dispatched from the CARSTAR network, eliminating the stress from the very beginning of a mishap.

If there is not a CARSTAR nearby, arrangements will be made to tow the car to another reputable facility. As a national company, CARSTAR also has partnerships with several national and local insurance companies in America, allowing them to work directly with many customers' insurance providers, saving the customer time and effort. And with a national relationship with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, CARSTAR stores can seamlessly arrange for a local rental car for their customers.