When I-CAR first announced its Training Subscription program for Gold Class shops in 2019, Melissa Laiserin, co-owner and general manager of CARSTAR Michael’s Collision in Phoenix, Ariz., met the news with a combination of excitement and hesitancy.
“I was on the fence to enroll; it was a little unclear early on what I was buying – what was included and how it would work,” she said.
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But as more details emerged, Laiserin’s analysis of the subscription program’s ROI moved her off of the fence, to signing on with gusto.
A no-brainer
“As part of our Gold Class renewal in 2018, we made a huge investment in getting all of our technicians up to Platinum status,” she said. “Unlimited Subscription was hands-down the most cost-effective way to send my techs through ProLevel® 1, 2 and 3, and provide training to literally everyone in the shop. It was such a no-brainer – we wanted it and knew we had to subscribe.”
Prior to enrolling, Laiserin, who co-owns CARSTAR Michael’s Collision with her husband Michael, would have to prioritize technicians training based on a fixed annual budget, which only afforded training to key techs. “With Unlimited Subscription, we offer training to front office staff, car porters, and others,” she said. “It helps them grow, helps our employee retention efforts, and it also ensures greater skills and knowledge depth of our certified techs. Should someone leave, we can back-fill the position easier and more quickly.”
22 classes in 5 days
Case in point: Jamie Summer joined the business seven years ago as a temp employee, answering phones. She was later hired full-time, advancing into customer service. With the Training Subscription program, combined with I-CAR’s free and discounted courses through its Industry Relief Efforts, Summer successfully completed 22 classes in just five days!
“As an essential service business, we were open, but like others, were also slow,” she said. “So I could sit at my desk very focused and take online courses that were interesting. I had a number of ‘lightning bolts and aha moments’...and in five days, I became ProLevel 1 in Estimating.”
The recognition means a lot to Summer. “I like the validation when I talk to an insurance estimator; I can speak with greater confidence.”
Laiserin joined in, adding, “Without Unlimited Subscription, we probably couldn’t have done that – and now we can offer Jamie and others ProLevel 1, 2, and 3 without worrying about prioritizing specific individuals or added expenses.”
“Think about it this way – there is an I-CAR course available that every employee in your shop could benefit from,” she said. “Do a cost analysis like I did – consider your employees and the training investment on an ‘á la carte’ basis versus an Unlimited Subscription. Then look at associated added-value the Subscription program offers; unlimited training for not only technicians but your entire staff, the ability to improve employee retention, as well as increase your bench-strength with role-ready staff. In almost every case, signing up for Unlimited Subscription is truly a huge opportunity.”