CollisionCast

How to Build a Better Brand

Your logo isn’t a brand—you are the brand, says Amy Anderson. And as the marketing director for the six-location Heppner's Auto Body in Minneapolis, she has quite a bit of experience in that realm. Building Heppner's "brand" has been a long, deliberate process that has had its ups and downs and alterations, but the brand she and her company finalized has helped set it apart in its market. In this interview, she covers how the shop defined its brand and how you can get your employees and customers to buy into that brand.

From Military Service to Collision Repair

Rich Lawson, estimator at Rick Hendrick's Collision Center, talks about his post-military transition into the collision repair industry and the impact this job opportunity has had on his life.

Grow Your Own Talent

Tired of feeling the strains of the collision repair industry’s talent shortage, the leadership team at G&C Auto Body, an 11-facility operation in California, decided to take matters into its own hands. In this episode, G&C CEO Shawn Crozat details the company’s technician and estimator apprentice programs and how growing its own talent has allowed the now $50 million-per-year family business to continue to expand.

Examining OEMs’ Increasing Influence on Collision Repair

With consolidation making the collision repair industry more competitive each year, many body shops are feeling pressure to attain OEM certifications. Mark Bochenek, I-CAR’s OEM Business Development Manager, gives his views on just how vital it is for body shops to become OEM certified.  

Build a Better Industry

Darrell Amberson, a FenderBender columnist and president of operations for LaMettry's Collision in the Twin Cities, discusses the importance of industry involvement, the future of diagnostic scans, and a little drag racing.

Mike Anderson’s Wish List for 2017

With a new year comes new challenges—and new goals. While 2017 is sure to provide the collision repair industry with myriad challenges, FenderBender columnist Mike Anderson prefers to look to the solutions repairers can implement to not only improve their own businesses but also make the industry stronger as a whole. In this podcast Anderson discusses the 10 most critical issues that need to be met with resolutions in 2017, and how each and every shop operator across the country can help.

2016 Education & Training Survey

A long-time advocate of collision repair industry education, Jeff Peevy of the Automotive Management Institute has preached for years the importance of regular training, both for shop operators and their teams. The benefits of developing a company culture focused on continuous improvement are many, and Peevy says FenderBender’s 2016 Education & Training Survey directly reflects that. The report compared the training commitments of shops and shop operators to the many key performance metrics that are the lifeblood of these businesses. The results? Shops that commit themselves to continuous improvement do indeed improve—and outperform those that don’t.

Improve Marketing and Culture with Philanthropy

Grant Sunday, owner of Don’s Body Shop in Olathe, Kansas, has excelled in an area many business owners struggle finding the time to fill: philanthropy and grassroots marketing. And while any bit of philanthropy can benefit a business, Sunday is showing there are ways to get creative with your local efforts, from hosting Cub Scouts for building pinewood derby cars, to providing internships for local deaf students, to donating cars to the local fire academy. Sunday is proving that thinking outside the box isn’t just good exposure—it’s good for shop culture, and it's good for business.  

Pre- and Post-Repair Scanning

Matt McDonnell, owner of Big Sky Collision and A&D Auto Body in Montana, discusses why his shop began performing routine vehicle scans, the challenges he's faced—and the victories. 

Build a Customer-Focused Repair Process

2016 FenderBender Award Winner Kyle Wharff, owner of Ace Sullins CARSTAR, boasts industry-leading customer service numbers. His shop owns a 100 percent Net Promoter Score, 97 percent of customers come from repeat customers or referrals, 100 percent of customers report felt they were kept informed and received their vehicles on time, and there have been zero comebacks in 2016. And because Ace Sullins owned the top performing CSI scores at CARSTAR so many years in a row, Wharff was awarded the Esurance Lifetime Achievement Award. He details his customer-focused repair process and what sets him apart from other shops.