At the inaugural Collision Next event in Anaheim, CA, repairers, industry experts and partners nationwide gathered in September for practical conversations about the pressures shops face today and the opportunities ahead.
“Our industry has reached a point where owners and leaders need more than information,” said event organizer Dan Carranza, founder and chief executive officer of Accelerate Growth Partners LLC. “We are drowning in information, and we need to pause, come together, exchange ideas, share wisdom and take action.”
A place to step back and decide what’s next
After more than three decades working in the collision industry, Carranza recognized that industry leaders needed a place to step away from daily demands, examine what is changing, and make decisions about what they will do next.
As a result, he created the Collision Next program for modern, forward-thinking owners and leaders. His vision was for attendees to “See What’s Now. Prepare for What’s Next.” This included sharing new ideas, bringing energy to the event, and offering dynamic educational sessions not available at other industry conferences.
Continuous education matters most, according to Carranza, when leaders can turn it into a clear action for their teams.
“My goal was for people to leave with a stronger connection, a useful insight, and a decision they could put into action in their businesses,” he said.
Throughout the day-and-a-half event, presentations and panel discussions focused on connecting, learning, growing, and leading.
“Those four actions build on one another,” he explained. “Connect with people who broaden your perspective, learn what is changing and what is working, grow by applying those lessons and measuring the results, and lead by giving your people a clear direction and helping them succeed in it.”
Transformation starts with one decision
In his opening message, “One Decision That Will Change Your Life,” Carranza shared his family story. After his grandfather was killed in 1961, Carranza’s father and uncle came to the United States to build a future for their families.
“Their sacrifice changed the trajectory of our family,” recalled Carranza. “As a child, I made a declaration that one day I would take care of my parents.”
That commitment has shaped how he approaches work, leadership, and opportunities.
“We are all one decision away from total business and, most importantly, personal transformation.”
According to Carranza, transformation begins with a decision. “It becomes real through the actions that follow. The same is true in business,” he pointed out. “We can recognize a cycle that is holding us back, decide to lead differently, and then build the habits and systems that support that decision.”
Carranza challenged Collision Next attendees to make one decision, connection, and learning and to carry that forward. He also encouraged attendees to tap into their own story and revisit their “WHY.”
“We do not get burned out because of what we do; we get burned out because we forget why we do it,” he commented.
Why time with peers matters
Carranza stressed the importance of holding educational and networking events like Collision Next.
“Collision repair owners are making consequential decisions while managing the immediate needs of customers, employees, and partners,” he said. “Time with peers gives them a chance to compare what they are seeing, challenge assumptions and learn from people facing similar pressures.”
Carranza said that preparing for what’s next also takes relationships.
“An owner may come away with a new approach to a business problem, but the connection with another operator or expert can help them work through it long after the event ends,” he added.
Ultimately, he said a shop’s performance depends on more than the decisions a business owner makes. Instead, it depends on whether the team understands the vision, trusts its leaders and executes consistently.
“That is the work I care deeply about as a business transformation architect: aligning people, strategy, and disciplined execution so growth can last,” he said.
Carranza sees Collision Next as a platform for continued connection, leadership development, and business performance improvement. “My vision is to unite forward-thinking owners, leaders, and industry partners who are committed to elevating our industry,” he said. “When leaders change, businesses transform.”
His hope is that attendees remember the conversations they had and point to something they changed because they were there.
“If the event helped an owner lead a stronger team, make a clearer decision, or build a more resilient business, we will have done something meaningful,” he added.
Optimistic but realistic
Event emcee Cole Strandberg, managing director of National Business Brokers, said the lineup of speakers and panels was amazing and the event seemed to strike a chord with the forward-looking leaders of collision repair.
He described Collision Next as optimistic but realistic, acknowledging some of the industry’s challenges and identifying what can be done to succeed.
“There was optimism, but not sunshine pumping, which was refreshing in today’s environment,” said Strandberg. “There were real insights on growth, technology, operational efficiency and what you can do to thrive in the future of collision repair.”
One of the main takeaways Strandberg gleaned from the event is that organizations are thriving despite many headwinds that are out of their control. “Why not you?” Strandberg asked attendees.
Throughout the event, he noted the conversations focused on bringing new revenue through the door. He said the technology panel was fascinating, covering AI and robotics and the role each will play now and in the future.
The marketing panel, hosted by Daniel Burkholder from Body Shop Marketing, provided some “rubber-meets-road” insights on tactics and what is and isn’t working. He said the ADAS panel, moderated by Doug Higgins at Collision Advisory, differed from other ADAS panels by spending most of the time on the business case for tackling ADAS calibration opportunities and challenges.
“Overall, the key takeaway is that while the times feel dark right now, there are levers we can pull to turn these headwinds into tailwinds,” said Strandberg.
Start with the problem, then find the technology
Craig Stevens, director of Solutions Delivery for CCC Intelligent Solutions, asked attendees to view the conference through a very specific lens during the first part of his presentation, “The Lens.”
“I reminded them that they were surrounded by peers, vendors, and various other industry experts all there to help them be even more successful in their businesses,” he shared.
Stevens challenged attendees and the industry to identify the problem they are looking to solve and then find the technology to address it by asking themselves two questions:
- What problem do I need to solve?
- What barrier could this help me remove?
His presentation included market statistics from CCC’s Crash Course showing the current state of consumer affordability and how the person at the front counter might carry a lot more anxiety about repair decisions than shop owners and managers realize.
He also addressed how focusing on “Capture, Communication, and Consumer Financing” can help shops lower consumer anxiety and become trusted advisers.
“Technology isn’t replacing the relationship; it’s removing the barriers to the relationship,” he noted.
Stevens encouraged attendees to commit to a process when they return to their shops. “Adopting new technology without a defined process for everyone creates inconsistencies rather than successful solutions,” he said.
In addition to his presentation on the first day of the event, Stevens hosted three 75-minute breakout sessions the following day about the move to CCCONE.COM, recent enhancements to Mobile Jumpstart (like the AI Photo labeling feature) and the available Integrations in the company’s Secure Share Marketplace.
Work mix is shifting
Some industry trends for 2027 and beyond were discussed by Mike Anderson, owner of Collision Advice.
“We are seeing work mix change on fewer higher severity repairs in excess of 96 hours due to ADAS and total losses,” he explained. “This means the amount of repairs that require welders, rivet guns, and frame equipment is less.”
As a result, Anderson said shops need to evaluate labor rates for the operations required to use that equipment to ensure a return on investment (ROI). In addition, shops should increase labor hours on small- to medium-size jobs to focus on not-included operations on bolted-on parts.
“Response time matters,” he stressed. “Whoever the vehicle owner connects with first will gain an upper hand in capturing that customer’s business. This means being available after hours.”
He advised shops to focus on understanding what mechanical labor operations are included according to the OEM repair procedures.
Shops should also retrain office staff on how to answer the phone and interact with the vehicle owner. Rather than only talking about insurance process, he recommended asking whether customers are paying out of pocket or filing an insurance claim and if they want the shop to help them decide.
Anderson recommended that shops list all software products they use and schedule training with each information provider to ensure the business maximizes any new features that they may not know about. “Work smarter, not just harder,” he emphasized.
Expanding to two events in 2027
Carranza plans to expand Collision Next in 2027, with a spring event in Orlando, Florida, serving the East Coast, followed by a fall event in Southern California. Updates will be available at www.collisionnext.com.
For more information, email Dan Carranza: https://dancarranza.com/.
Stacey Phillips Ronak