At the 77th Annual Convention and Exposition of the Automotive Recyclers Association of the United States, which took place on a virtual platform from November 11 to 13, an experienced body shop is sold detailing the expectations of body shops to recyclers.
Tim Wall is the owner of TNT Body Shop in Virginia and has 30 years of experience in the field. The ARA invited him, on behalf of the 9,000 U.S. recyclers it represents, to explain what recyclers need to do to meet its needs.
“As repairers, we are caught between the customer, who wants genuine parts when repairing his precious car, and the insurer, who wants the best possible price, he said at the outset. For us, the recycled part is the ideal solution, because it is a genuine part, but at a better price.”
Like a new piece
But for this solution to be interesting for body shops, Wall insists on delivering parts whose quality exactly meets the description. “If we’re promised A-quality, and we get a dented or damaged part in transit, it doesn’t work. We estimate that it will take less than an hour of preparation before we can send a recycled part for painting. If we have to put extra time into it, we risk refusing it because it will distort our estimate. Either that or we give a call to the recycler to adjust the price accordingly, which is not pleasant for anyone.”
Illustrating his remarks with photos of recycled and original parts when they arrived at his workshop, he explained the nature of the competition. The quality of the part, its cleanliness, the care is taken in its packaging and its delivery on time promised, made all the difference. “Recyclers need to be inspired by what original new parts dealers do,” he says.
He advocates better communication between the recycler and its customers, to get a clearer picture of their expectations. He also mentions the important role of the delivery person, who is the ambassador for the recycler and who must be professional and attentive.
More expensive for quality
When the time comes to order recycled parts, the TNT workshop will not necessarily put the cheapest part in its estimate. “I prefer to pay more for a quality part that I won’t waste time on. Plus, a lot of my decision will be based on the quality of my relationship with this supplier. And if the insurer wants the cheaper part, I’ll explain to them that there may be a surcharge if the part is not up to par. Or, if I refuse it, they may pay the full price for an original part and have to deal with their customer for a delay in the delivery of the vehicle. »
For Tim Wall, the recycled part is interesting for all parties. Insurers save money compared to an original new part. And the body shop can add hours of work to those parts, which makes a higher margin than the profit they make from simply selling a part.
