Vehicle Manufacturer Information - this process is critical to the repair of today's automobile. Most of this information is available on the manufacturers' web sites. It is information that shops have to access on their own. It is not available through estimating databases. Typically collision repair shops that access this information and follow these repair principles are I-CAR Gold Class shops and are involved in the industry and community.

Another tool progressive shops are using to benchmark their performance to the insurance industry is Key Perfor-mance Indicators. KPIs are used to benchmark performance in a collision repair facility. Definable KPIs are cycle time, LKQ usage, and aftermarket part usage among others.

How is the industry monitoring good repairs? What are industry standards? The most basic standard for a collision repair shop is the proper repair of the automobile. That is not a subjective or changeable goal. Repairing a damaged car to manufacturer's specifications has to be the core competency of today's collision repair shop. Estimators must be trained to ask for reimbursement for required procedures and produce the documentation to prove their necessity. Industry standards should be set in each shop that puts meaning into the words of their written warranty.

Simple business objectives

Today's collision repair business objectives are simple. Keep the work coming to the door and do the proper repair. Current business climate is moving at a break-neck pace. Hundreds of hard decisions are made every day. Decisions for the future require knowledge, dedication and resolve. The shops that are waiting for the good old days to come back better find another use for their buildings.

The automobile manufacturers are setting the pace for change. Those in the collision repair business who make the choice to be better than anyone else will stay on the leading edge of their industry.

The compelling message for today's collision repairer is: Be Better, Be More Efficient and Be Able To Adapt To Anything!

Janet Chaney has served in many facets of the collision repair industry. She is now looking after the best interests of her clients from Cave Creek, Arizona. E-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it