By CRM staff
Toronto, Ontario — November 27, 2018 — The results from our end of the year bodyshop performance are in. While it seems that shops have been pleased with the work they have been doing over the past year, the independent shops didn’t seem too happy about the designated repair programs and how they are ultimately impacting their business.
When we asked bodyshops how they felt about their performance in 2018, a majority responded with relatively good. While some others felt neutral, there was a small amount of responses that felt it was dreadful.
The biggest cost for shops over year has been materials and consumables. That doesn’t mean to say that some felt training had a huge impact on the business funds as well.
“The training cost is killing me, and the cost of tool upgrades, crazy,” commented one shop owner.
But as for OEM certifications some of the smaller, local shops felt they were not affordable.
“The OEM certification requirements currently exceed the financial reach of smaller shops, especially those in rural areas. OEM’s need to set different levels of certification to retain these shops, if not then these shop owners and their employee’s will certainly leave the trade. It would be a shame to lose these people as for years have proven they are included with the best of the best in collision repair,” shared another shop owner.
Beyond OEM certifications, direct repair programs posed as the biggest problem for independent shop owners, and a majority of the responses said they have not enrolled with a DPR over the past year.
“As an independent shop, we have continued to lose relationships with insurers that we have support from for over 20 years. This has been for no reason, other than the fact that insurers are looking for facilities that offer them fast and cheap service, with little regard to prosper repairs following OEM procedures… DRP should be discontinued,” an anonymous shop owner responded.
“I’m an independent collision shop owner and Insurance companies never respond to any applications I fill to join their repair programs,” said another independent shop owner.
“They have their regulars. They only want to deal with the big guy, so they control the small guy. A god dam shame,” commented a shop owner.
