"Surround yourself with successful people, and you free yourself up to do what you need to do."

The rise of the single point of contact.

Mike Harber’s efforts to fight DRP demands on his shop’s repairs snowballed into all-out war with the insurance industry. Could his business survive?

Frank Todaro needed to change the staff mentality at Schmidt’s Collision & Glass for it to grow and succeed. Would change require firing his staff?

Wendy and Russell Kelly leaned on affordable creative marketing tactics to grow a new shop during the depths of the recession.

Premium costs are rising for shops, but you can implement some simple process changes to avoid paying too much.

Greg Bedford restored his father’s neighbor’s 1952 Buick Super two-door hardtop after the owner gave him $100 to take it.

Free loaner cars maintain customer loyalty and help generate referrals.

Mark Torres paired his passion for collision repair and teaching by setting up a high school class in his shop.

Bill McElroy caught a bug to restore a Corvette at 19—and ended up doing it twice.

Including a virtual tour on your shop’s website will open up your facility to potential customers and insurance partners, boosting their confidence in your business and giving you a leg up on competition.

Instead of retiring, Roland Kuroda recommitted to his family-run shop and the industry, positioning his business for long-term success.

Amid a rash of OSHA inspections, Kurt Danielson turned the tables by inviting inspectors to his business. In the process he boosted morale and shop productivity, and put his shop in the industry’s top tier for safety.

Darrell Amberson combined his passion for the past and hands-on work while restoring a 1946 Dodge WC pickup.

The shop director honed in on seven key areas to turn an unprofitable collision center with a 60-day cycle time into a valuable dealership asset.

Trubilt Collision Center was struggling with employee theft and had hit a sales plateau. Then Jerry Salter brought on his son and daughter full time. Now the family-run business is growing again, thanks to more efficient processes and new initiatives.

Facial recognition software can prevent labor losses and keep employees honest about hours worked.

When the leaders of Pohanka Collision Centers began blueprinting, they also committed to changing the company’s culture. The result? Cycle time dropped, revenue increased, and customer satisfaction index scores passed 95 percent.