At Southern California Collision Equipment (SCCE), CEO Ian Stoffel said the team takes pride in providing innovative and reliable equipment to body shops, trade schools and other customers. SCCE team members view themselves as partners to the businesses they serve and prioritize helping them be successful through a variety of educational offerings.
“It has always been kind of a stigma for equipment providers to do what we call ‘dump and run,’” said Ian. “They sign the order and then they're out of there.”
SCCE takes a different approach, actively seeking ways to help customers navigate the changes occurring with today’s vehicles, whether it’s providing information, education or general support.
“From the beginning, our focus has been on customer service, strong after-sales support, and helping our customers grow through partnership and training,” said Ian. “Our customers have become family.”
Ian and his father, Chris, established the business in Lake Elsinore, CA, in 2010, after Ian graduated from California State University, Fullerton, in 2009. At the time, Chris was working for a different equipment distributor, and the father and son recognized the opportunity to offer a better experience for customers, especially in after-sales service.
Ian runs the day-to-day activities, and Chris works in the business a few days a week.
“I love having him around,” said Ian. “He is a wealth of knowledge and very well-respected so it's good to have him. Plus, he's funny, so it keeps us in line.”
They primarily serve California, Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona and Utah but offer a range of collision repair equipment nationwide, including blueprinting and diagnostics tools, ADAS systems, frame repair equipment and accessories, welders, collision center tools, panel and plastic repair components, AC equipment lifts, glue pulling and compressors.
“We are a one-stop shop with customers feeling comfortable knowing that they're going to get a piece of equipment that's going to work as it's supposed to in their shop and is backed up by a company that's going to take care of them,” said Jason Patterson, the strategic account specialist.
All products sold by the company are handpicked to ensure customers receive the best return and results for their investment.
“We’re not going to sell anything that is not going to make that company profitable,” said Patterson. “Everything is tested diligently and strategically picked.”
With advancements in vehicle technology, the company acknowledges the challenges faced by many shop owners and managers in determining the necessary equipment in their facilities, particularly when looking to meet OEM certification requirements.
“A lot of times a shop will end up with three, four or five different types of equipment that do the same thing,” Ian acknowledged. To help avoid this, SCCE counsels shop owners to determine their end goal.
“You have to know your market to create a game plan,” Ian advised. Otherwise, he said the business could spend a lot of unnecessary money.
Patterson works closely with Nick Cobb, the company’s COO, to develop lists of equipment needed in shops that want to get certified.
“We'll schedule out what might be the best course of action for them in the future so that they're not buying multiple things that they might not need,” said Patterson. “Ethics are a pretty big thing here for us. We’re not going to come in and try to point them in the wrong direction.”
“Whether it’s aftermarket or OEM, we tailor it to what they're trying to accomplish,” Ian added.
Ian and Chris strive to create a positive work environment, always looking for opportunities to improve the business. They value collaboration and work hard to establish and maintain strong relationships with vendors, suppliers and partners.
“We hear a lot about the frustrations in the industry, but very rarely do we see or hear tangible solutions,” Ian noted. “We work diligently to solve some of these issues to combat those frustrations.”
Prioritizing Industry Training
To help shops stay up to date on changes in the industry, SCCE advocates for continual training.
“We offer all sorts of training from the front of the house to the back,” said Patterson. This includes blueprinting, measuring, proper welding techniques, welding certification training and panel repair classes for the industry and local technical colleges.
“They are the future technicians,” Ian noted. “Without them, there's no industry. Our goal right now is safe and proper repairs, so we have to make sure that they're properly educated and set up for success.”
SCCE’s in-person and online classes are based on the company’s own curriculum.
To help shops stay up to date on the changes taking place in the industry, SCCE offers a wide variety of training.
Workshops are also held with vendors such as CCC, OEC, Revv ADAS, 3M, Repair Logic and BETAG Innovations. SCCE has a good relationship with I-CAR, which Ian said often uses their facility to educate local trainers.
“We can only drive this industry forward with education,” noted Ian.
In May, SCCE hosted a Profitability Playbook workshop designed to drive profitability during an economic slowdown. The event included CCC and other vendors.
“A lot of shops don't utilize the CCC management system as much as they should,” said Patterson, so CCC demonstrated how to track profitably. Shop owners and managers also learned about blueprinting and how to write an accurate estimate.
Patterson has found that many shops face challenges getting OEM certified. As a result, the company offers training for those interested in pursuing certifications. He and Ian have been certified by many brands, including JLR, Lucid Motors, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla.
“There are a lot of people out there who will come in and promise that once you get equipment, then you're going to get on this certification,” he noted. “Unfortunately, that's not the case.”
As a result, Patterson recommends conducting research before getting certified.
His biggest pet peeve is the fraud that occurs in the industry, particularly with repairs, and shops that knowingly engage in practices that are wrong.
“That's probably the hill I'm going to die on,” said Patterson, who emphasizes the need to repair vehicles properly.
The company supports this effort by teaching technicians how to locate OEM data.
“You need to understand that you're going to have to read a book half the time to repair this car correctly,” said Patterson. “Putting that on your estimate, making sure that you're getting paid for everything that you're doing and utilizing some of these tools is a big deal.”
With vehicles ever changing, Patterson acknowledges it’s not easy for shops to keep up.
“That's one of the reasons that these guys need to understand how important it is to read the OEM procedures and what needs to happen,” he said.
The Importance of Supporting the Industry
Ian and Patterson stressed the importance of getting involved in the industry and attending events to stay informed. “Chris has been doing that forever and I've just followed in his footsteps of trying to help out where we can,” said Ian, who recently was a judge at the SkillsUSA competition. “We want to lead by example.”
The team regularly attends the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and California Autobody Association meetings and is a member of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).
During last year’s SEMA Show, SCCE collaborated with SCRS and Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg, right, to give away an Mi300T Spot Welder.
“My dad was a big push as well as Toby Chess for us to get involved with SCRS, and I'm so glad that we did,” said Ian. “They offer so many resources that most people don’t even know about.”
During last year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, they collaborated with SCRS to give away an Mi300T Spot Welder.
“This initiative was made possible through our collaboration with Aaron Schulenburg of SCRS and the Repairer Driven Education program, as part of our ongoing commitment to advancing the collision repair industry,” explained Ian.
The winner was Shane Young of Shelter Insurance in Arkansas.
“Although thrilled to win, Shane generously chose to let us donate the equipment to support the next generation of technicians,” said Ian. “With the help of Brandon Eckenrode at the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), we were able to identify a deserving recipient, the Northeast Arkansas (NEA) Career and Technical Center in Jonesboro, AR.”
Ian and Cobb provided hands-on training to NEA Career and Technical Center instructors Jeff Smith and Bryan Albert, along with their students.
“We're excited to see the impact this equipment will have on their program and the future of our industry,” Ian noted.
Words of Advice
For the industry to prosper in the future, the team advocates working together.
Patterson has noticed that many shops are reluctant to collaborate with one another or attend the same events.
“That's kind of unfortunate,” he said. “If we all came together, there's enough work here for everybody on the shop level. But we all need to do the right thing.”
Ian’s advice to shops is to stay present in the moment and get involved in the industry.
“You could stay in your comfort zone and not do anything and just complain about frustrations that are going on or you can dive into it and grab it by the horns and go after it,” he said.
Patterson recommends stepping outside of the box and taking the blinders off.
“The market changes fast and if you're stuck in the past, you're going to get run over,” he said.
Stacey Phillips Ronak