Recent Columns
- Techs of the Future: How to Grow Skilled Technicians & Improve Performance in Your Collision Repair Facility
- Survey Data Focuses on Auto Body Shop Employee Recruiting Methods
- Lawmakers in 3 States Tackle Topics Impacting Collision Repairers
- Changes Ahead for Collision Repair Shops Based on AI, New Automotive Finishes
- From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Auto Body Shops Can Take Control of Credit Card Processing Fees
Columns
Techs of the Future: How to Grow Skilled Technicians & Improve Performance in Your Collision Repair Facility
Written by Stacey Phillips
Auto body shop owners and managers across the U.S. are struggling to attract, motivate and retain skilled technicians in their facilities. Many say this has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Survey Data Focuses on Auto Body Shop Employee Recruiting Methods
Written by John Yoswick
Despite the growth in online recruiting sites and tools over a number of years, auto body repair shops continue to find word-of-mouth and referrals as their best source of new employees.
Lawmakers in 3 States Tackle Topics Impacting Collision Repairers
Written by John Yoswick
Lawmakers in multiple states have taken action in recent weeks on legislation impacting auto body shops, including new regulations related to labor rates, non-OEM parts and public disclosure of regulatory citations against shops.
Changes Ahead for Collision Repair Shops Based on AI, New Automotive Finishes
Written by John Yoswick
The impact for collision repairers of artificial intelligence (AI) and changes in automotive finishes were among the topics discussed by presenters at the Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA) conference held in September in Nashville.
From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Auto Body Shops Can Take Control of Credit Card Processing Fees
Written by Mike Anderson
It came as no surprise to me our “Who Pays for What?” surveys have found the vast majority (95%) of collision repair businesses accept payment from customers by credit card.
Shop Strategies: Marketing Effort at Tony’s Body Shop Pays Off
Written by Stacey Phillips
Tony and Isabel Flores opened Tony’s Body Shop in Oxnard, CA, in 1965. Considered to be hard-working business people by their friends and family, the couple taught their children good work ethics from an early age.
CCC Forecasts Future of EVs and How It Will Impact Auto Body Shops
Written by Ed Attanasio
When it comes to repairing EVs, there are auto body shop owners out there who look at them differently.
Deciding When Used Parts are Appropriate in the Collision Repair Process
Written by Toby Chess
Recently, I was training in an auto body shop in the Los Angeles area and noticed a used door for a vehicle repair in the technician’s stall.
Behind-the-Scenes DCR Systems Tour Sponsored by AirPro Diagnostics, AkzoNobel & Car-O-Liner®
Written by Stacey Phillips
Members of the collision industry recently had an opportunity to tour the DCR Systems location in Mentor, OH, prior to the July Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Cleveland.
ADAS May Not Curtail as Many Accidents if it Doesn’t ‘Age’ Well
Written by John Yoswick
In another indication the increased prevalence of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are not likely a death knell for the collision repair industry, a recently-published study estimates there will be about 790,000 “risk events” per year on the roads in the EU in 2029 attributable to reduced performance of lane-keeping assistant systems alone.
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Multiple Shifts Enable Auto Body Shop to Offer Overnight Repairs
Written by John Yoswick
A recent webinar during Automotive News’ Fixed Ops Forum promised “Five Secrets of a Body Shop That Rocks,” though not all five were too much out of the ordinary.
From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Researching OEM Procedures for the Paint Shop
Written by Mike Anderson
One of the things I think our collision repair industry has been making small strides in is researching OEM repair procedures. I don’t think we’re where we need to be on that yet---every repair on every vehicle every time---but we’re making small strides.
Honda Increasing Crash Parts Production, Transitioning Certified Auto Body Shops Over Time
Written by John Yoswick
Collision repair shops reporting difficulties in getting replacement parts this year may be glad to hear Honda is ramping up parts production.
Are Some Major Players Getting Cold Feet About SEMA?
Written by Ed Attanasio
With a rise in COVID-19 cases in Clark County and the State of Nevada’s indoor facemask mandate again in full force, there are understandably some concerns among collision repair-related companies about whether or not to participate in the 2021 SEMA Show.