Engine Knox: The spirit of Christmas
by Steve Knox It came to me in the wee hours of the morning. I’m 47 years old. I have a wife and two daughters. One seven years old, the other, nine years old. I run two collision centers; I have 33 employees. It’s December. I have become Santa Claus. My daughters want every toy […]
Common Cause: Canada’s collision community should stand with tow operators
Toronto, Ontario — On November 13, a black bear was struck by a tow truck driver near Owen Sound. The news was reported by the CBC.ca in a November 16th article—two days later. In it, an Owen Sound Police community service reporter is quoted delivering the sad news. “When the police arrived on the scene, […]
Female Fixers: Women in collision repair
By Cecile Bukmeier Women have been working on vehicles since they were invented—there was even an automobile Girl Scout badge created for girls who demonstrated skills in driving, auto mechanics and first aid in the early 19th century. Automobile manufacturing plants were open to hiring women to sew upholstery, assemble and final polish mass-produced vehicles […]
Collision with Fate: Why the auto aftermarket is vulnerable to systems collapse
Toronto, Ontario — This week, Collision Repair celebrated the 95th anniversary of Regina Auto Body. At the time of its founding, auto repairing—like automobiles themselves—was a relatively new concept. Obviously, it isn’t anymore. Today, even the longest-serving members of our community have careers that stretch through less than a third of the span of Canada’s […]
Public Defender: Why some repairers are ahead of the collision curve
by Andrew Shepherd In Canada, three provinces are embracing the certification of all collision repair shops against public standards. This system has existed in Manitoba since 2018, will be implemented by Saskatchewan in 2021, and is expected to be implemented by B.C. some time later. These provinces are demonstrating an exemplary commitment to collision repair […]
Editor’s Log: Priorities in Disorder
Toronto, Ontario — In January, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers fired the first shot by issuing a statement on the importance of following OEM repair procedures. “All post-collision vehicle repairs must be conducted in accordance with the repair procedures issued by the vehicle’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM), specific to […]
The Art of Correction: Employee guidance versus discipline
by Jay Perry Research shows that employees want to be productive and succeed in their workplaces. Obviously, that’s what you need them to be as well. Which of your people are perfect? Of course, the logical answer is none of them. Which is also why you need to have the right viewpoint of discipline in […]
Enriching Experience: Chelsea Stebner on the customer experience
By Chelsea Stebner “Customer experience” is a buzz word these days. Officially, it is defined as “the product of an interaction between an organization and a customer over the duration of their relationship” One of my favourite quotes is from Zig Ziglar: “If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you, […]
Editor’s Log: A pain in the ADAS
Toronto, Ontario — Last week, Reuters released a story that provided a flawed look at the conflict over ADAS between OEMs and aftermarket part makers. While the piece was most reflective of the American auto sector, it was picked up around the world. If the results of Collision Repair’s post-election survey are any guide, it […]
Editor’s Log: Lessening Labour Pains
By Gideon Scanlon Toronto, Ontario — May 17, 2019 — I was recently reminded of a classic joke about magazine editors. It goes something like this: a man asks three editors for advice about how to tell his children that their beloved family pet–Rufus–has been run down. The first, from The Vancouver Sun, advises the man […]
