Strategic Growth and Strong Partnerships

In teaming with Fix Network, Premium Auto Group has seen major momentum in its reputation and collision repair footprint.

“Work hard, take care of the customer, build strong relationships and constantly look for ways to improve.” These are core fundamentals that have helped drive Premium Auto Group from a single location automotive service repair facility into a multi-shop operator in the collision repair sector that services insurance, fleet, corporate and retail customers.

Azad Daya, who owns an operates the business with his brother Faiz, says the success and growth of Premium Auto Group (Fix Auto Mapleview, ProColor Collision Etobicoke North, ProColor Collision Guelph, ProColor Collision Barrie) comes back to a willingness to identify opportunities and evolve.

“Collision repair has changed dramatically,” says Daya. He notes that today, repairers need to be able to thoroughly understand advanced technology, changing vehicle substrates and construction, as well as advanced electronic diagnostics and ADAS calibrations. Plus, there’s evolving expectations from both OEMs and insurers related to the actual repair process. Additionally, for those businesses like Daya’s that have significant  fleet repair contracts, that business continues to evolve and then, of course, there’s ever changing consumer expectations around not only the repair itself but all stakeholders involved in the process.

Natural, evolutionary process

It’s one reason why, says Daya, a natural step in this evolutionary process for Premium Auto Group was partnering with Fix Network. “This has really enabled us to scale our business,” Daya explains. He notes that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, back in 2020 was a key milestone for the businesses, one where, given the lockdowns and lower repair volumes driven by social distancing, there was an opportunity to look within the organization and see where changes could be made to advance the business and secure its future.

“When COVID hit we had maximized our partnership in the fleet sector, but when we looked at where we were in the insurance collision business, we identified a real gap within the organization that wasn’t enabling us to insulate ourselves against some of these unpredictable market conditions and the impact that had on our cashflow,” Daya explains.

This, he says, is what led to conversations around joining an established collision repair network. ‘What attracted us to Fix Network, was that it was different. It had been built in a unique way with a unique corporate structure and team. There was a very strong brand energy with Fix and what they offered was something that aligned very well with what we wanted to do and where we felt we could take our business.” Daya explains.

A big part of that was the ability for Premium Auto Group to strengthen its resources and recognition not only within the collision repair industry, but also the local and broader community as well. “We felt that Fix Network has done a really great job in terms of not only brand recognition, but also market evaluation,” explains Daya. “Being able to identify markets and then promoting franchisees to excel and really grow with established brands like Fix Auto and ProColor along with the systems, support and training was something that really aligned with us, and something that would have been difficult for an independent organization to replicate on its own.”

Daya himself joined the business at 26 years old after graduating with an MBA from Queens University. His father, Shanif, had emigrated to Canada from Tanzania in 1972, where he’d had a small shop repairing and servicing motorcycle engines. In Canada, he worked as a technician doing mechanical servicing and repair work on cars. Later, he got involved in the collision repair space, working with fleet customers to fix their vehicles and built up a significant body shop business. Eventually he was able to acquire his own location to perform the work. By the second decade of the 21st century, however, Shanif was looking to transition out of the business and that’s where Azad and his brother Faiz really started getting involved.

A big advantage

“The fleet contracts really built our book of business at this location,” says Daya, as we sit inside the boardroom at ProColor Collision Etobicoke North, located at 10 Fasten Drive, not far from Toronto Pearson International Airport. With its modern renovations and state-of-the-art upgrades, the facility has come along way since it was first purchased back in 1987.

Since partnering with Fix Network, Daya says a big advantage has been the ability to scale the business, which has now reached eight locations, with more scheduled to open in the near future. “We really feel that Fix Network cultivates a particular mindset, from the way the network supports its franchise partners through to its regional, national and global conferences,” Daya explains. He notes that these events bring together franchisees from across the board and represent incredible networking opportunities, allowing them to measure their own progress against others in the network and help identify challenges and opportunities to move forward. “This really is a chance to openly engage with each other,” says Daya, noting that other members within the network that have gone through similar challenges often share experiences and tips to help others. “Sometimes it’s not things you may necessarily have thought of, but by implementing them, you can change direction and find that ability to scale and identify new markets and opportunities.”

Daya says that Fix Network’s ability to identify new market opportunities, combined with strong, robust partnerships with insurers and other key stakeholders, along with proven, proprietary, standardized systems and procedures represents a highly effective approach for those operators looking to expand and grow their footprint. He looks at the opportunity to open additional locations, including a ProColor location in Barrie, Ontario as a prime example of that.

Furthermore, on the training side, Daya says that Fix Network’s approach to training and skills development, including the creation of purpose built training centres, offers a major advantage. At Premium Auto Group, Daya explains that there has been consistent focus in ensuring staff are up-to-date when it comes to OEM certification and the latest in vehicle technology and repair procedures. “Having active involvement in new technology and encouraging our staff and technicians to develop and advance their skills is extremely valuable,” says Daya, and being part of a network that actively promotes that, represents a unique and exciting opportunity to grow and advance.

Strategic focus

Going forward Premium Auto Group will continue to focus on growth, but that focus will become increasingly strategic. “We’re looking at opportunities to expand our collision footprint while developing new models around rapid repair, fleet services, intake centres and centralized production,” explains Daya. He also notes that technology has and will continue to dramatically change the collision repair industry. “ADAS, advanced data, diagnostics, growing vehicle complexity and new technologies will become increasingly important. Our objective, is to build an organization capable of adapting to those changes rather than reacting to them,” he says. “And most importantly, we want to be able to do that alongside strong strategic partners like Fix Network.”

“Our objective, is to build an organization capable of adapting to those changes rather than reacting to them. And most importantly, we want to be able to do that alongside strong strategic partners like Fix Network.”

– Azad Daya, ProColor Etobicoke North

A level playing field

With access to repair information providing a highly contentious issue in the automotive service sector, Premium Auto Group has made it a priority to focus on safe, effective repairs, as well as advocating for consumer choice when it comes to deciding who and when fixes the vehicle. Recently, Daya and his team had the opportunity to meet with Member of Parliament Dominque O’Rourke at their Guelph location. The discussion included not only the critical role collision repairers play as local employers and community partners, but also the need to ensure safe, quality repairs, as well as being advocates for consumer choice. Daya says that while businesses like his don’t manufacture the vehicle, they still need to have the ability to repair it back to factory condition. Not only does that require having access to the right repair information from the OEM in order to perform those procedures correctly, but that consumers who choose to bring their vehicle to a preferred collision centre have confidence and peace of mind, knowing those repairs will be performed safely and correctly, each and every time.