A Festive Faux-pas: Drivers wrapping vehicles in holiday lights leads to driving infractions and damaged paint
Toronto, Ontario — A new festive trend fa-la-la-ing its way across North America and Europe is seeing drivers covering their vehicles in lights, resulting in tickets, paint damage as well as the expected dose of holiday cheer. Photos and videos showing the decorated vehicles are becoming more and more common on social media as the […]
Reliable Rides: Subaru has the most reliable vehicles, says Consumer Reports study
Toronto, Ontario — According to a new study from Consumer Reports, which calculated predicted reliability ratings for vehicle brands, Subaru has leads as the most reliable vehicle in North America. This year’s report specifically gathered data on more than 300,000 vehicles from the 2000 to 2024 model years, with a few 2025 models introduced early […]
SASKATCHEWAN | REGIONAL NEWS
PARTNERED PLACEMENTS The Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre (Sask DLC) has extended partnership agreements with the Saskatchewan Automobile Dealers Association (SADA) and the Saskatchewan Association of Autobody Repairers (SAAR) to help offer work placement options for high school students. Both associations have signed a two-year partnership extension with Sask DLC to enhance learning opportunities through work […]
REGIONAL NEWS | ALBERTA
OLYMPIC EFFORTS On September 14, CARSTAR Ellerslie, part of the CARSTAR Johnny K Group, held an Olympic-themed Staff Appreciation Day–dubbed the JKCG Olympics–where staff competed in a variety of activities to foster team spirit and camaraderie. Johnny Kloeckes, owner of six CARSTAR locations in the Edmonton, Alta., area, spearheaded this event. An advocate for community […]
REGIONAL NEWS | BRITISH COLUMBIA
IMPOUND INSIGHTS The Automotive Retailers Association (ARA) has announced significant updates to the Impound Lot Operators (ILO) program, as recently announced by Road Safety B.C. (RSBC). As noted in a recent press release, the new rates–as well as a revamped rate-setting methodology and other administrative changes–mark a major milestone for ILOs. These updates specifically include […]
TIME CRIMES
DON’T LET YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE INDEX TURN INTO A CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION Column by STEFANO LIESSI Customer service, customer satisfaction index and client service are all familiar phrases we hear every day. They are also words that are often touted boisterously by many that lack the actual skill to provide it. The irony of CSI […]
REPAIR CARE
LIKE A DOCTOR, THE BODYSHOP IS ALL ABOUT PROVIDING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO REPAIRS Column by CHARLES AUBRY Imagine you’re hammering away on your patio when suddenly—BAM! You hit your thumb with the hammer. What do you do? Off to the hospital, of course. Once you arrive at the ER, the doctor doesn’t just glance […]
SHIFTS AND STRIKES
A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF CURRENT INDUSTRY CHALLENGES Column by GREG HORN, CHIEF INDUSTRY RELATIONS OFFICER, PARTSTRADER In recent months, the automotive industry has faced significant challenges that highlight vulnerabilities within its infrastructure. From a massive ransomware attack on CDK Global that disrupted operations for thousands of dealerships, to the impact of labor strikes and supplier […]
DRIVING CHANGE
SIMPLE STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS Column by ALYSSA MARCHESE The urgency of addressing climate change has never been clearer, and businesses across all sectors must step up to decarbonize. By making conscious decisions about utility usage, wastage and overall operational efficiency, collision repair centres can play a significant role in this transition. The automotive repair […]
WORD OF MOUTH IS DEAD!
Story by BY RICK FIFER, ACOAT SELECTED BUSINESS SERVICES, AKZONOBEL Most collision repairers will list word-of-mouth as a core component of their marketing strategy. But how can word-of-mouth be part of a strategy? It’s incredibly difficult to measure and all but impossible to manage! Relying on word-of-mouth as part of a marketing strategy is like […]
