More than 200 people across all segments of the collision industry attended the Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA) CONNEX conference held Sept. 23-25 in Nashville, TN — the largest attendance the annual event has ever attracted.
The meeting kicked off with an overview of “The Claims and Collision Rollercoaster,” with industry analyst Sean Carey of SCG Management Consultants offering his take on what’s happened to the industry since the pandemic — and what he sees moving forward.
Industry analyst Sean Carey offer his perspective on what’s happened in the industry since COVID and what direction the industry may be headed in the next two or three years.
One piece of good news he predicted: lower new-vehicle sales during and post-COVID now mean fewer leased vehicles will be returning now and for the next couple of years; that will mean a lower supply of used vehicles, which should drive used vehicle values up, helping reduce total losses. That in turn will also push up the amount of fleet and dealer work to repair used vehicles for that higher-priced used car market.
Kyle Krumlauf, director of industry analytics for CCC Intelligent Solutions, also shared CCC data on key industry trends, challenges and opportunities facing insurers and collision repairers.
Jim Vecchio of J.D. Power’s Autodata Solutions Division then dialed the discussion down to the role VIN-specific, as-built vehicle data can and will play in the industry moving forward. He pointed to how more precise data can eliminate manual inefficiencies and create a more transparent, technology-driven and automated collision ecosystem.
In the afternoon, a panel of chief information officers from some of the industry’s largest MSOs shared their insights on technology issues facing the industry, including AI, cybersecurity and data sharing.
Finally, Autobody News columnist Mike Anderson of Collision Advice rounded out the afternoon session of the first day with his view of the industry based on real-world observations from traveling 300+ days a year, working with all industry stakeholders.
The three-day event also included a National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides vehicle gifting and a tour of the Nissan factory in nearby Smyrna, TN.
CIECA’s event preceded the Music City Collision Conference, hosted by the Tennessee Collision Repairers Association, also taking place in Nashville on Sept. 26-27.
Stay tuned to Autobody News for John Yoswick's full coverage of the event.
John Yoswick