By Steve Knox
Recently, I reached out to try and get people within the repair industry to connect and share the issues they face on a regular basis. The idea was to have a group of like-minded individuals sharing their troubles so, perhaps, we could work toward solutions as a community.
It had been my understanding that no group like this existed. But to my surprise, I soon discovered that it does, and it’s thriving. While browsing political commentary, recipes, and pictures of my friend’s families on Facebook, I thought I should see if there are any bodyshop groups out there. I discovered that there are quite a few of them.
Naturally, I put in a request to join some and was easily accepted. The fun was just beginning.
The first post that caught my attention was a detailed step-by-step video of a guy installing a used quarter panel. I’m telling you it was like he was throwing steak at starving dogs. He was attacked from every angle. How could he do such a thing? Didn’t he know that the owner of the vehicle would die if this panel was used? What about the flange around the wheel well? How about the rust protection? What about weld spots? Oh, the humanity!
I moved on to another post asking which estimating system was the best. Everybody had their favourite, and the rest are just plain junk. The next post I looked at was how to repair bullet holes in a car that had been through a drive-by shooting. Yikes!
One of the most interesting posts I have seen yet was someone asking for advice regarding the replacement of a structural panel. Through this discussion, OEM guidelines were quoted, and best practices were shared. Print outs of the dimensions, even detailed photos of how some had done this procedure in the past. If I was looking for a community of like-minded folks in the collision repair field, I just hit the motherload.
Social media has made the world a lot smaller, and that’s a good thing. How many businesses would you have to call to find someone who has performed a partial replacement on a certain frame rail? Post the question on Facebook and watch the advice flow in. Also watch the opinions flow in on why you should or shouldn’t do it, how many hours it takes versus how many you’ll get paid, where the rust-proofing should be sprayed, and so on so forth. There is no end to this fountain of knowledge.
So, in closing, I suggest you get out your tablet while you sip your Saturday morning coffee and wade into the waters of collision repair social media. It’s really fascinating what new tips you might learn or what advice you could offer another repairer in trouble. Just remember that you may have to use the roll eyes emoticon a time or two, as everyone’s opinions are valid, but not always right.
