State Farm has scheduled three training sessions in August throughout New Jersey for its Select Service shops. The sessions are designed to benefit shops, the insurer, customers and two equipment suppliers that will be participating.
“We believe it is our responsibility to help our Select Service shops develop the best efficiencies, production methods and quality systems to improve their work,” says Pete Fryzel, a field inspector for State Farm.”
Vince Castaldo, estimatics team manager, adds, “The training is a building block to help shops and to support their growth. We want the shops to be competitive in costs and remain competitive against their local competitors. We want them to stay in business and prosper.”
Castaldo and Fryzel organized and will be hosting the training, which will be offered at three locations Aug. 19-21. It’s not the first time they arranged training for Select Service shops. Last year, they partnered with I-CAR to promote training for State Farm’s Select Service shops and other auto body repairers in New Jersey. State Farm purchased in advance prepaid training vouchers, which it passed along to its Select Service shops at a discount.
“We sold 975 coupons for training to 116 shops in less than a year,” Castaldo says. “The training we are offering this year is another piece of the puzzle. Our State Farm and I-CAR discount program will continue in 2008 and 2009 as it is well received. We are now about to roll out the New Jersey class schedules for the next 12 months.”
The Aug 19-21 training will have representatives from Chief Automotive Technologies and Car-O-Liner on hand to offer information, training and discounts on their equipment. Attendees also will be able to see a demonstration of the Chief VIP system. Chief plans to offer a 30-day free trial of its VIP system, which incorporates the ALLDATA Collision program, according to Castaldo.
Fryzel and Castaldo decided to offer the latest training sessions based on conversations with shop owners and on changes they have observed in the industry.
“All manufacturers are dramatically increasing the amount of high-strength/ultra high-strength steels and are making significant process changes to incorporate advanced metals, such as dual phase steel and boron steel into the vehicle structure,” Castaldo says. “This is greatly impacting the training, equipment and OEM repair recommendations necessary to properly repair the modern vehicle.”
Castaldo mailed a letter inviting all N.J. Select Service shops to attend one of the three sessions. They will be held Aug. 19 at the State Farm Operations Center in Parsippany; Aug. 20 at Brookdale Community College in Linwood; and Aug. 21 at Camden County College in Blackwood.
It is “highly recommended” that all Select Service shops in the state participate in one of the sessions, Castaldo said. But attendance is not mandatory to maintain Select Service status. The training is designed for shop owners, technical managers, estimate writers, “A” techs and unibody frame repairers.
“This is a win/win situation for all parties involved,” Fryzel says. “The shops will prosper from improved training and technical information access, and we will have happy customers.” In addition, Chief and Car-O-Liner will gain exposure to an audience of potential customers.
