As CARSTAR North America kicks off 2018, it marks a year of continued performance improvements and growth across the network. In conjunction with its insurance partners, CARSTAR and its store locations have measured ongoing gains in customer service, operational excellence and brand awareness.
Key CARSTAR milestones in 2017 include:
- Record revenue across the networkof nearly $850 million, which again made CARSTAR the largest MSO in North America
- Continuous growth in same center sales for the last 61monthsandimproved franchise profitability across the system
- Expansion through new store growth, including opening operations in North Carolina and South Carolina, marking more than 80 new locations in 2017 – with 49 in the U.S. and 31 in Canada – and the 500th store last January
- Industry-leading KPIs including length of rental and NPS scores
- Expansion of Driven Brands' procurement programs with Meineke Car Care Centers for mechanical repairs and 1-800 Radiator and A/C for product sourcing
- Continued growth of cross-border insurance program and CARSTAR Care Center to accommodate insurance carriers and their customers across North America
- Expansion of the CARSTAR insurance program with significant DRP growth across North America, reflected in that some 90 percent of CARSTAR transactions are driven through insurance work
CARSTAR outlines strategic growth plans for 2018
For this year, CARSTAR and Driven Brands continue to focus on growing the CARSTAR network across the U.S. and Canada, delivering continued operational improvements and providing purchasing efficiencies. Key initiatives include:
- Driving unit growth across the U.S. and Canada through aggressive store development, with a goal of 600 locations by mid-year
- Increasing organic growth at its current locations through the CARSTAR Proprietary EDGE Performance Platform, operating efficiencies and new fleet and insurance programs
- Continuing to execute against performance-based agreements with the major insurance carriers and secure more of these relationships
- Launching a national consumer brand campaign that showcases CARSTAR as the most trusted, premier provider of collision repair services
- Leverage the Driven Brands synergies for efficiency and cost-savings
“This year, we saw a number of our top store owners expand to new locations and grow their businesses, and we welcomed many great new owners to our system,” said Macaluso. “We are confident in the continued strength of the economy and in our business model for delivering success in the year ahead."
