CollisionCast

Barry Snyder of Axalta Coating Systems discusses how a paint job in your body shop can affect the LiDAR technology that’s crucial to how autonomous vehicles function.

When J.R. Hubbard moved Selecta Auto Body into a new 10,000-square-foot building a few years ago in downtown San Francisco, he did so after thorough research and planning. Here's how Hubbard readied his processes, employees and customer base for his business's big change.

For this month's edition of CollisionCast's How I Did It series, FenderBender spoke with Rocky Champion, who runs the $2 million Barrett Collision Center in Abilene, Texas. Champion details how he took his father's DRP-heavy shop to a OEM-certification-focused shop, how he ensures an ROI on OEM training, and why he ultimately decided to become part of the CARSTAR model.

As millennials slowly overtake the workforce from baby boomers, shop owners will likely need to shift their management styles to accommodate the succeeding generation. Zac and Matt Ciaschini, owners of the $1.9 million Full Tilt Auto Body in Easthampton, Mass., manage a staff largely comprised of millennials, and are in a unique position to offer some advice. From leadership style to in-shop technology to creating a career path for employees, here is their blueprint for managing millennial employees.

Representatives from Garmat and Filter Works USA sit down for the latest episode of CollisionCast to discuss how to properly maintain a paint booth to increase its longevity and improve your shop's bottom line.

The California Autobody Association opposes Assembly Bill 2276—a labor rate survey bill—in its current amended form, as it throws out the previous bill's provisions that could have insurers using large areas to define a market and reusing old labor rates. Don Feeley, interim executive director for the association, spoke with FenderBender to explain the ins and outs of the bill, how the trend could spread to other states, and what individual shop owners can do to help combat the issue.

FenderBender begins its How I Did It series, which features stories from the industry’s brightest leaders, and how they built the businesses we’ve come to admire. The inaugural episode kicks off with Tiffany Menefee, who took over Pronto Body Shop in El Paso, Texas, three years ago and rose annual revenue from around $250,000 to $1 million with a focus on insurance relationships and customer appreciation. As a former employee of the insurance industry, she brings a unique perspective to how shops can grow in any community.

Several years ago, gas catalytic drying technology was introduced. The equipment is designed to dramatically reduce paint drying time by drying vehicles within minutes instead of hours. Now, Tim Beal, owner of Beal's Auto Body & Paint, has developed his own technology, called the Phoenix. He spoke with FenderBender about why he entered into the robotic paint drying arena and how his technology works.

Is a franchise right for you? That's the question Jerald Stiele, owner of Hopkins Auto Body 1, had to ask himself before joining the 1Collision Network. And now that he's settled into his new model, he's ready to talk about the process of joining a franchise and in what ways it changed his business model.

Sheryl Driggers has been in the collision repair business for a long time, and she's come to understand that it's not enough to be a leader in your shop—you have train your employees to be better at what they do individually. And that means being a coach to your employees and providing an environment where everyone is constantly learning and improving.  In this episode, Driggers discusses how she's built a culture of continuous success for her employees, and how she empowers them to strengthen their leadership roles individually.