CollisionCast

The Choice to Consolidate

Brother and sister Kevin Rains and Kelli Rains Back made the decision last summer to take their independently owned facilities (at the time, Rains had two and Rains Back had one) and align with CARSTAR. Rains and Rains Back talk about what went into the decision and share tips for shop owners that may be struggling with a similar decision. 

How Advancing Vehicle Technology Will Affect Your Shop

FenderBender spoke with Assured Performance CEO Scott Biggs about how telematics technology will change collision repair shops' access to OEM information and the public's perception of OEM certifications.

Attracting Students to the Collision Repair Industry

Melissa Marscin, director of operations and administration for the Collision Repair Education Foundation, discusses what shop owners can do to help the collision industry technician shortage. 

Tips for Hiring Front Office Staff

Dave Ludwig, owner of Prestige Auto Body, outlines what resources and traits shop owners should look to when hiring front office staff. 

The Importance of Tracking KPIs

Adam Grant, owner of Xtreme Collision Center in Morrisville, Vt., discusses the importance of tracking KPIs and explains why every shop owner should be doing it. 

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.