This Saint-Eustache shop has continually reinvented itself to develop a business strategy covering a wide range of services.

In 1996, Claude Laforme launched a mobile automotive refinishing network. Since then, his son Sylvain has taken over operations and established a permanent, fixed-location shop. With the support of his brother Dominic he continually adds new layers of expertise to the business.

“This anniversary is meaningful,” says Sylvain Laforme, speaking from his private office adjoining the shop where he can step away from the constant buzz of daily operations. “Our business has undergone a profound transformation over these three decades. It’s rare for a business in our industry to survive this long.”

The Saint-Eustache shop hasn’t just survived all these years. It has thrived. Several winning strategies made that possible, starting with a shift away from paint touch-up work toward becoming a full-fledged collision repair facility. That evolution continued when the shop joined the CSN Collision network, gaining valuable support without giving up its independence, when it comes to business decisions.

Surrounding yourself with the right people

There is no question that Laforme is a natural entrepreneur. Over the years, however, he has made a point of surrounding himself with specialists and colleagues to advise him on operations and investments.

“On that note, I have to say that joining CSN Collision has been tremendously beneficial,” he says. “The organization gives us access to key expertise, as well as all its performance indicators, allowing us to benchmark ourselves and keep improving. On top of that, the collision repairers in the CSN Collision network form a truly dynamic community, always eager to share solutions to the challenges we face in our day-to-day operations. For a business that wants to grow, it’s an ideal environment.”

And as if that weren’t enough, Laforme also brought on business strategy consultant Patrick Champagne. Together, the two make a remarkably effective team, and their chemistry shows. Laforme genuinely values the fresh, objective perspective his advisor brings. “We go over our goals together, and he has the discipline to analyze the numbers and guide me toward the best solutions, both for growing our operations and making them more efficient,” says Laforme.

The family business has built an enviable reputation grounded in trust with its customers. That reputation for excellence is essential today, as work with insurance partners is central to sustaining operations. In fact, CSN Retouche Rapide has developed transparent relationships with insurers, carefully monitoring their performance reports to identify areas where the shop can improve.

“The results speak for themselves,” Laforme says with satisfaction. “We are among the top-performing shops in the network, and while the overall number of vehicles to repair is declining across Canada, we continue to see steady growth in our volumes.”

The CSN Retouche Rapide team consists of six employees in the shop and three in the office, including Dominic, who handles estimating. Claude “Papi” Laforme, founder and co-owner alongside Sylvain, still comes into the family shop every day to handle messenger and courier duties.

The team may seem modest in size, but it is highly skilled and deeply committed. Training is a priority here, keeping pace with evolving demands, particularly around vehicle electrification and sound environmental practices. In that regard, the shop recently earned Clé Verte Platinum certification, which allowed it to join the ranks of CAA-Québec recommended garages.

Diversifying activities

Behind this shop’s success is a deep commitment to keeping pace with evolving technology, reflected in the large number of manufacturer certifications it holds through the CCC program. But Laforme has clearly understood that in an industry tied to seasonal cycles, putting all your eggs in one basket is a risk factor. Over the years, he has built agreements with fleet managers to ensure a steady, reliable flow of work. He has also cultivated strong relationships with dealerships and resellers in the region who regularly send their own vehicles and those of their customers to this shop with its well-earned reputation.

“With our analytical tools, we can see slower periods coming,” adds Patrick Champagne. “So we can launch targeted local promotional campaigns for our services during those quieter stretches.”

A vision for the future

When asked where he sees himself in ten years, Laforme replies without missing a beat: “I’d love to have my shop under the warm Italian sun.” That quip is followed by a laugh and a more serious answer: “I’ll always be here pushing my collision repair shop forward. I believe that by then, we’ll have all the manufacturer certifications, along with the tools and skills to honour them. Expanding the shop to accommodate growth in the coming years is not out of the question. But what’s certain is that everything must move in the direction of diversifying our offering, raising the quality of our services, and above all, building customer loyalty by maintaining an impeccable reputation.”