WHAT THE DRIVEN BRANDS GROUP PRES. AND EVP THINKS OF THE FUTURE
When it comes to the North American collision scene, Michael Macaluso is the go-to guy. The group president and executive vice president of Driven Brands Paint, Collision and Glass says the industry has seen more signs of change in the last 10 years than the past 100 combined. One of the main changes Macaluso says he’s witnessed in his 14-year career has been the shift toward insurance-based procurement. “When I started in the industry, the procurement side of things wasn’t that prevalent in auto claims,” Macaluso told Collision Repair during a June check-in. “And certainly in the past 10 years, that’s accelerating the industry’s opinions one way or another.”
For Macaluso, though, such a change was more than predictable. “It’s the natural progression and maturity of any industry. You look, look across any supply chain, it’s natural to happen. We have to embrace it; you have to accept the fact of that reality.” Contrary to popular belief, however, the current procurement landscape isn’t as grim as some pessimists like to presume. “There’s certainly a way to use technology—the technology-driven claims process—to grasp the opportunities in these changes. The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated a lot of technological advancements in our business that can assist us in a great way. Moving forward, we need to embrace change, not hide from it and stay stuck in our old ways.
“Ultimately, collision centres, insurance partners, franchises, the customer—we’re all aligned on the same idea. We want a safe, proper repair and we want it done as quickly as possible, with the best experience.” And for the immediate future, Macaluso has but one strong statement he suggests members of the trade hold close. “Dream big, work hard, stay humble. Focus on the opportunities we have at hand, as an industry, and we can all try to win together.”
Watch the interview below!
