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Looking for tips, tools and resources to help your business, defend your positions or do your part for the industry? Here’s a collection of links to sites, documents and information you may find interesting and useful.

— Motor Information Systems has released a revised edition of its Guide to Estimating (http://tinyurl.com/7zhbvr3), its explanation of what is and is not included in its estimating labor times (the system used by CCC Information Services). Revisions made in the February 2012 version are highlighted in blue within the guide.

The new guide, for example, indicates that recalibration of the steering angle sensor is not included in Motor labor times. Bumper labor times are now shown to include lamps when mounted to the bumper but not include optional equipment lamps or those not mounted to the bumper. Labor times for fender inner panels are now shown to include grinding, filling and smoothing welded seams up to 150 grit sandpaper. The guide adds electrical wiring to the list of non-included items on frame labor, steering column overhaul, trunk lid, lift gate and quarter panel times. Hinge pillar glass and moldings are now listed as included in cowl, hinge pillar and dash panel times.

— I-CAR has actually lowered the cost of its online training (http://tinyurl.com/7rsb2sb) to make it comparable (on an hourly basis) to the fee for its live, classroom training. There are now more than four dozen online classes available, some vehicle-specific (such as “Ford F-150 Frame Replacement”) and others more general (such as “MIG Brazing”).

Atlanta Dent Company, the paintless dent removal company in Roswell, GA, has expanded and grown their business to include interior restoration, full detailing, and paint. They have expanded into these other services to become a complete source for automotive reconditioning for their 250 plus wholesale accounts, including collision centers, body-shops, and automobile dealers, plus thousands of retail customers.

Owners Troy Loupe and Roy Taylor incorporated Atlanta Dent Company in 2000. With more than 40 years combined industry experience they grew the company to 14 mobile technicians specializing in dings, dents and hail. They also added a management staff and an office team.

In March 2008, Troy and Roy acquired the local franchise for Interior Magic International Inc., a complete automotive interior reconditioning company. ADC was just chosen as co-franchise of the year for Interior Magic, which has more than 40 franchises in 17 states and is recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top 500 franchises in the US for 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. It was ranked as the number one “automotive reconditioning franchise” in Opportunity World Magazine in 2009. They currently have six certified technicians who service the metro Atlanta area providing highest quality work for cigarette burn repair, leather repair, stain removal, alloy wheel repair, windshield chip repair, carpet dying, vinyl repair, odor removal, headlight restoration and more. These additional services have exceeded their client’s expectations. Magic Finish, a division of Interior Magic,  offers full detailing services to new and used automotive dealerships.  With more than 30 employees, they have interior and exterior services that follow a comprehensive checklist to deliver a quality product.  “Quality First. Every Car, Every Time.” By streamlining the detail department, and providing extras like custom floor mats, they have satisfied a needed service in the automobile industry.

Airbrush artist JoAnn Bortles, who owns Crazy Horse Custom Painting, and lives in Waxhaw, NC, started airbrushing her art onto motorcycles as a teen in the seventies on a dare. A lifelong interest in art led her to Parson’s School of Design in New York City, but she eventually had to return to suburban Connecticut to help out her parents. She had taken welding classes in high school and became a certified welder after returning home. She worked various factory jobs for the next few years until the words “If you’re such a hotshot artist, why don’t you try and paint my bike tank?” jolted her into the world of custom painting.

To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.

Her painting career really took off after the unexpected death of a friend in 1993. Her friend David had always pushed JoAnn to take her painting to the next level, saying she should be more serious about her talent. After he passed away unexpectedly JoAnn decided to honor his memory by taking a crack at becoming a professional custom painter. So she moved to Florida, which then, as now, was a hot spot for custom painting and honed her craft.

“Being around all these great painters made me really want to up my game,” said JoAnn. While in Florida JoAnn met and married her husband (now ex-) and they moved to Waxhaw in 1996. When she got to North Carolina, JoAnn realized it was a totally different game and since she was relatively unknown in the area she had a hard time finding people who would let her paint their cars.

Bobby Alloway loves the color black. Alloway, who has been building and painting hot rods for years, was named the 2011 Autorama Builder of the Year at the 59th Detroit Autorama earlier this year. The award was just the latest in a long series of coveted accolades for the painter, including Goodguys’ Street Rod and Street Machine of the Year, the Don Ridler Memorial Award, America’s Most Beautiful Roadster, plus countless others. He was inducted into the Rod & Custom Hall of Fame in 2004.

To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.

“It s rich, classy and doesn’t ‘hurt’ any car,” says Bobby.  “No one ever says, ‘that s an ugly color’ when it s black.”

Some painters avoid black because of its reputation for being unforgiving in calling attention to even the tiniest of flaws. Alloway maintains that the prep and painting process should be the same, regardless of whether the car is red, blue, white or black. What is the secret to his flawless finishes? “The key is to not be in a hurry,” says Bobby. “Don’t take any shortcuts.”

Here are some tips from the master himself:

How much money are you losing each year by not charging for Feather, Sand and Fill (aka Feather, Prime and Block)? If you’re charging nothing, I can guarantee you $5,000 more in yearly profits if you follow this advice and start getting compensated for the necessary work you’ve always been doing.

To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.

Feather, Sand and Fill is a non-included procedure that takes the surface from 150-grit level smoothness to the condition of a new, undamaged panel that can then begin the refinish process. The labor and supplies used with with feather, prime and block may fluctuate based on the nature of the repair area and should be considered when deciding which work needs to be performed. I will address the issues many shop owners have in getting insurance companies to pay for this procedure, the laws involved, and possible solutions to consider.

In 2006, the Collision Industry Conference Estimating Committee defined feather, prime and block as “non-included refinish operations that complete the process from 150 grit to the condition of a new, undamaged panel... The body/paint labor and materials necessary to prepare the repaired area from 150 grit to the condition of a new undamaged part is a valid and required step in the process. The labor and material allowances for these operations requires an on-the-spot evaluation of the specific vehicle and damage.”

OK, I really do fix cars for a living. I take a car that’s acting up, locate the problem, and make the appropriate repair. Sometimes I haven’t a clue where to look when I start, but with a few proper tools, a little ingenuity, and a whole lot of experience I’ll find the problem eventually.

To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.

It’s like finding Waldo, that nerdy little guy dressed in red and white who travels a lot and specializes in challenging people to locate him. He sometimes hides in plain sight. You’ll usually have to look closely to find him. Except my “Waldo” doesn’t wear a red and white cap to give himself away. My Waldo is usually something to do with a component or part that has failed, or has decided to be difficult. I sometimes think that these weird repair jobs that end up at my shop are like an elaborate game of “who can find Waldo first?”

I’m not always the first guy to try and find Waldo. A lot of times a customer will take their car to a relative or next door neighbor, or they’ll find the cheapest shop or the closest garage in their area. I’ll hear a customer tell me they always go to a certain shop for all their repairs, so they think nothing of going to a specialist for repairs. But, when that doesn’t work it’s time to ask for a recommendation for a shop that can make the repairs. Now, of course, this isn’t true of everyone. A lot of people have a family mechanic they have used for years, while others believe the dealership is the only place to go for repairs. Whichever or whatever way works for each and everyone is just fine with me. One way or another somebody has to find Waldo.

A small motor oil spill incident at the I-CAR Tech Centre in Appleton, Wisconsin in the spring of 2011 has raised our awareness of the many considerations involved with a material spill into the environment. What started as an accidental collision between a snowplow and a 55-gallon drum of waste oil on an adjoining property resulted in an experience we would never want to repeat.

To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.

There were several steps and decisions that had to be made to assure proper cleanup. What was more stressful than what we knew about the incident was what was unknown. How far had the spill traveled? Was the groundwater contaminated? What public agencies might have to be involved? How much was this all going to cost?

We thought we’d share our experience to perhaps benefit another facility that might encounter a similar incident.

The collision repair industry has too many body shops. I’m not sure anyone would seriously dispute that. The sooner we can rid ourselves of 15,000 body shops, the better all of us will be. Yes, it’s true, all of us will be far better off. This includes insurance companies, vendors, body shops themselves and consumers.

To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.

How can we make this happen at a faster pace? That may be beyond the limited scope of this mastermind, but it wouldn’t be an Insider article without a recommendation or two, so buckle up and get ready.

The car manufacturers should further develop their certification programs and join together as one voice to educate consumers at the point of purchase. “If your car is in an accident, you must take it to an OEM Certified Repair Facility to guarantee a proper repair. Taking your vehicle to a body shop outside the Certified program could result in an improper repair and compromise your safety.”

Sadly, that statement isn’t some trumped-up idea to scare people. It’s a fact and the motoring public should know that while there are more than 35,000 body shops in the country, too small a percentage are prepared to repair aluminum, identify substrates, weld “exotic” metals and use proper-sectioning procedures.

Environmental legislation and increasing restrictions on VOC emissions continue to transform the coatings industry and collision repair business. Waterborne paint systems have become more prevalent as the best way to radically reduce greenhouse gasses. At BASF, this environmental breakthrough has also become an opportunity for product and service innovation to add superior value, helping increase shop safety, productivity, quality and, ultimately, customer satisfaction.

To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.

Innovative BASF Products Leads
As a world leader in automotive refinishing products, BASF introduced one of the first waterborne systems with the launch of the Glasurit® 90-Line™ in 1992. Ahead of its time, the high-performing 90-Line began a revolution that has not only made many collision repair shops more environmentally friendly, but has improved quality and throughput — through ease-of-use, low material consumption, fast-drying formulas, better hiding and easier blending.

Moreover, the fact that approximately 70 percent of all new cars are finished with waterborne paint make 90-Line an ideal system for repair. And when it comes to quality, it’s reassuring to know that the world’s finest automobiles—including Mercedes-Benz and BMW—have waterborne paint. In addition, ultra-luxury cars such as Maybach and Rolls Royce are hand sprayed at the plant with 90-Line.

For collision repair centers that demand high productivity, superior quality and cost efficiency, BASF’s R-M® automotive finishes continue to be the right choice. R-M’s low-VOC waterborne basecoat—Onyx HD™ — has been used by many independent collision repair centers and car dealerships for almost two decades. The system brings next-generation processes into the shop, while offering excellent versatility, durability and cost effectiveness along with superb color matching with BASF’s proprietary COLOR-MAX® system. And, Onyx HD does all this while meeting today’s most stringent VOC regulations at local, regional and national levels.

The combination of R-M’s fast drying primers, high gloss “no-bake” clears and Onyx HD low-VOC waterborne basecoat reduce cycle time and energy consumption while helping preserve the environment. Being green with Onyx HD can actually save you some green, helping make the business case to switch to the waterborne system.

It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Yet, with today’s digital cameras in cell phones, even, pictures are worth less than a dime a dozen. Yesterday’s promotional pieces, flyers, brochures and even website pages, all may have nice photos, but people are less impressed with them these days. To really make an impact on a potential source of referral business, you need to get them to come to the shop and see the real thing. One live contact is easily worth more than a thousand pictures.

To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.

With spring arriving, this could be a good time to spruce up the shop and push for some live visits by referral coordinators you’ve been chasing. Over the winter some aspects of your shop may have fallen into disrepair or worse. Getting an entire shop showcase-ready is generally not an easy task. Spare parts storage and the paint mixing room may have become major eyesores. Walk through the shop and imagine you have an insurance executive or dealership owner walking along with you. Try looking at your place from his or her eyes and take some notes. These could be the improvements that make the difference in how your shop is valued as a place to refer customers.

A few standard interior-decorating measures can make a major difference in how your shop is perceived. If you often have spare parts or some other eyesore in your office or waiting area, a useful device to hide that kind of thing is the room divider. These are generally just a couple of free-standing 2’x 6’ or 3’x 6’ panels hinged together, but depending on how they’re painted or covered with fabric or used to display promotional posters, they can be a significant visual asset in an otherwise drab room. If the office or waiting area is uncomfortably small, a mirrored wall gives an illusion of larger space and also reflects light to brighten a dimly lit room.

Although a body shop is in the automotive painting business, it’s surprising how many shops fail to adequately paint their buildings, driveways and equipment. Just painting the spray booth doors makes them look newer and better maintained at a glance. The same is true of the paint storage room. Older equipment like ancient frame machines and welding equipment can be spruced up quickly with a coat of the metallic paint you use on vehicles every day. Dealership shops are more likely to have identifying signs over bays indicating body work, frame work, welding, etc.

Dealership driveways also usually have painted lines to direct customers to various parts of the facility. But an independent shop can add a perspective of professionalism by adding a few signs around to designate how various bays are used and perhaps some painted lines on driveways. These simple cosmetic measures will make a major difference to visitors accustomed to well organized and generally very clean offices.

While these improvements might be made to impress  an insurance executive or dealership owner, other changes might be added for more specific visitors. Some shops have begun to take advantage of the “baby boom generation” achieving the status of “seniors,” and looking for ways to alleviate physical problems that can come with aging. Special handicap access elements around the shop can assist an older person taking a shop tour and the shop could profit from offering and installing handicap-assistance devices like power running boards. Driving schools have begun to multiply as public schools drop driver training classes. Some shops invite student drivers in to look at heavy hits to alert them to what can result from hazardous driving. A shop showcase might add a display to that effect. Also a shop that caters a bit to mothers and parents should consider adding some child-entertainment items that could be emphasized when showing a mother or parent around the shop. This kind of convenience can make a major difference when a prospect is comparing competitor shops in your area.

While all of these improvements would significantly help sell your shop to prospective referral source visitors, the impact on shop personnel shouldn’t be overlooked. Sprucing up a work bay and perhaps making some improvement in the appearance of standard worker clothing tells a technician his or her work is valued and especially appreciated at this time. This same technician is likely to also present a better P.R. image when people are coming through on a tour. Efficiency studies have shown that personnel in general perform better in well organized, attractive spaces. You may have started out to simply make improvements to impress anyone coming through on a shop tour, but you could also be pleasantly surprised to find that your improvements have reduced cycle time and made a major difference in your financial bottom line.