Weathering the Storm — Together

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. The collision repair business is a tough one for many right now. 

CCC's Crash Course Report recently reported total loss claims reached a record high of 23.1%. Repairable claim volume declined by 9.7% in 2025, while non-comprehensive volume was down 8% for the year. And to be honest, most observers look for that to get worse before it improves.

But historically, it's also been a resilient one. From a purely selfish standpoint, my livelihood depends on it, as it has for much of the past almost 30 years. But that means I'm invested in your success, too.

So do you have a game plan to weather the storm? If your business has slowed and you have not already, it's time to turn to outside assistance to see what you can do to get you through the next couple years of a down market. That can be as simple as starting with a CPA who understands our business. There are a number of collision repair-specific firms, including our own columnist, Mike Anderson's Collision Advice, that can identify where you should first make improvements.

From a basic standpoint, how are you engaging with your customer base? Are you relying only on Little League sponsorship to keep your name in front of them? Or are you spending time with local media to educate them on their rights as a consumer? If your smaller town has been the victim of increased media consolidation (see, it affects my business, too) with little local coverage, are you leveraging social media? If you do have media outlets, have you tried to make yourself available as the local expert on all things collision or even basic finish care? Establish yourself as the subject matter expert, and it will help you be top of mind when they need you.

When they experience a loss, as you know, it's a stressful time. They may have even suffered an injury to them or their loved one during the collision. They need to be armed with the knowledge that their insurer may try to steer them to their preferred shop, bypassing you in their decision-making process when they're consumed with the shock of a traumatic event and the hassle of spending money (even if it's just their $500 deductible) and logistics of getting to and from work and their kids' activities. In a world that seems to increasingly be consumed with artificial intelligence, automation, people still prefer to buy from people, for the most part.

We're here, we hear you, and we want to help you make money, save money, and work smarter. As always, drop me a line if you have an idea of something that can help your fellow repairers.