By Caitlin Choi

Vancouver, British Columbia -- July 9, 2012 -- Do you want to improve profit margins in all categories? Then one of the best things you can do is discuss best practices in a group setting, according to Mike Srigley of Quality Assured Collision Services. QACS had its mid-year meeting recently where members were introduced to new management programs by Audatex.

Held at the Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel in Victoria on June 22 and 23, the meeting featured presentations by Audatex’s Sanj Gaheer and Lucas Erasmus. Approximately 30 key staff members were in attendance.

Mike Srigley of QACS said he thought to bring in Gaheer and Erasmus after attending a seminar on the programs a few weeks prior. He was impressed with what he saw and wanted a more in-depth look at the systems.

The Autowatch program is a system that allows customers to track the progress of their vehicle’s repair online. Upon dropping off their vehicle they’re given a code that gives them access to pictures and reports via the QACS website.

“It will tell them if it’s in approved estimate, repair, final detail or ready and we can attach pictures to it,” said Srigley. “If they so choose they can add that to their Facebook, so their buddies on Facebook can go into the system and track the repair of that vehicle as well.”

Since the June meeting, Srigley said QACS has decided to demo the program. In the meantime, they’ve arranged for another, more detailed presentation in the near future.

“When they’re showing in a group they can only briefly touch on it, so we’re trying to get them [Gaheer and Erasmus] to come out and get more in-depth on what they can do,” he said. “One of the shops may run it for a few months just to see how well it works but we’re in early talks.”

Despite a large showing at the midyear meeting – which is hosted three times a year – Srigley said they are important in that it’s one way that members stays up-to-date.

“We try and keep the group ahead of the curve so they can be better informed and make better decisions when they need to do something,” he said.

In addition, the meetings serve as business talks to supply financial data to coordinators, which then gets reviewed as a group.

“It’s a good way to learn best practice and help improve profit margins in all the different categories,” he said, “Be it labour, material, sublet parts and so on.

“We’ve been doing it for a number of years now and I’m proud to say that if you use Canadian statistics we’re in the top ten in Canada in our gross profit margins in most cases.”

QACS next midyear meeting will be held in September in Kelowna, British Columbia. Srigley said they plan on getting supplier Bill Williamson of Caruk and Associates to come and talk to members about new equipment that has come out.