Maximizing Opportunities

Thinking outside the box when it comes to repairs coming into your shop

When it comes to collision repairs, today’s environment of lower claims volumes, means that you need to be open to different opportunities. Casting a wider net when it comes to the types of repairs you’re willing to accept provides a greater chance to earn extra business, boost revenue and enhance your reputation. Yet, how you approach this, will often determine the eventual outcome. 

A good example concerns towing. There are shops that today, simply don’t want to accept that kind of work, the heavy hits, that take more time to repair and are more likely to be borderline total losses. Yet there are often big advantages if you do accept all types of work. 

Priority shop

When you advertise that and communicate the fact to your insurance partners and even non DRPs that you’re open for all types of collision repair work, as well as local towing companies (if you don’t have one in house), this provides an opportunity to be a priority shop when a collision is reported and a claim filed and have that vehicle brought into your facility.

Even if the vehicle in question ends up being written-off as a total loss, you still need to take responsibility for providing a smooth, seamless experience for that customer. When a vehicle is towed into the shop with significant damage, the first thing you need to do is perform a complete dismantling and full blueprint for repair. You also need to write an estimate. The reason for this, is that should the vehicle be written off by the insurer, the shop will still be paid for the time spent dismantling and blueprinting that vehicle, and the technician and the shop will receive compensation for those hours spent on that process. Once the estimate is completed, a vigorous audit of that estimate provides the opportunity to properly assess what can be repaired on that vehicle rather than replaced. 

“The next time you come across a vehicle in which the airbags have gone off or has significant suspension damage, don’t discard it because you think it might be written-off.” 

– J.R. Martino

Lower cost, more control

The more you’re able to repair, the more your shop and technicians can earn on that repair, the lower the total cost is likely to be and the more control you have over the process, since you’re likely to spend less time waiting on replacement parts. Nevertheless, in today’s environment, you also need to make sure you’re properly following OEM procedures on that vehicle to ensure that the OEM calls for repair as opposed to replacing panes and parts.

Even if the insurer does declare the vehicle a total loss, besides dismantling and blueprinting, there are other opportunities to earn business, including charging for storage of the vehicle, plus the time it takes to research OEM repair procedures, as well as any pre-scans that need to be performed prior to beginning the teardown and repair process. 

Additionally, there are also opportunities to build a good relationship with the customer even if the vehicle is written-off as a total loss. Often, if the customer is looking to replace their existing vehicle with a similar one and the tires are in good condition, they can be pulled off and in some cases used on that replacement vehicle. You can also provide a service to the customer to erase all their information from their old vehicle, since neither you, or they will want that information still available on the vehicle when it is towed and taken to a salvage facility or recycling yard. 

Referal opportunities

There are also opportunities for you to work and refer your customers to local dealers you have relationships or affiliations with, particularly if the customer is seeking to get a replacement vehicle quickly and efficiently. Doing so can be a great way to earn a customer’s trust and confidence, generating referral and repeat business, even if you didn’t end up fixing their vehicle. 

So, the next time you come across a vehicle in which the airbags have gone off or has significant suspension damage, don’t discard it because you think it might be written-off. It might just be the opportunity you’re waiting for to earn extra income and create a customer for life. And who knows, if the process is handled fast, efficiently, and professionally, the result can be a very effective way to enhance your shop’s reputation via one of the most effective marketing methods available—word of mouth referrals  and recommendations via friends and family members. 

Bio: J.R. Martino is Vice President and Managing Partner at Budds’ Collision Services, one of North America’s most progressive collision repair facilities You can reach him at [email protected]