At SEMA, AkzoNobel highlighted its user-friendly, visual Carbeat tool to support shop managers who want to achieve higher levels of efficiency.

Tim Ronak, who has been providing sound management advice to U.S. body shops for years, took the time to explain this platform exclusively to AkzoNobel customers.

“The concept behind this planning and tracking tool is to add value to our offering to body shops. If our shops are successful, we are successful,” Ronak states.

According to Ronak, the Carbeat tool can reduce cycle time by two to five days.

There are already about 125 Canadian shops are taking advantage of this platform to manage and track their activities.

It allows them to document and analyze every step of the production cycle, from scheduling appointments to delivery to the customer, and through all stages of production.

“Real-time tracking of each step and measurement on comparative grids sheds light on problem areas; where time is being lost,” he says.

“They can take action to correct it or even ask us for advice to guide him toward solutions.”

Access to this shared platform is at no cost to this paint manufacturer’s customers.