August 7, 2018—The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) kicked off the first day in Atlanta with an announcement of the next chairman and a discussion of several key issues facing the industry.
A New CIC Chairman
Jeff Hendler, administrator for CIC, announced Jeff Peevy, the current president of Automotive Management Institute, as the next CIC chairman, starting in the spring of 2019.
Guy Bargnes, current CIC chairman will serve his last meeting in October in Las Vegas.
A Call for Better Maintenance
Before the announcement, Toby Chess, part of CIC’s technical committee, discussed the importance of maintenance, which he called the “forgotten word. He talked about the importance of following OSHA procedures to save a shop from fines and possibly being indicted for a crime.
If a shop does not have an evacuation plan, then in some cases the owners could be indicted for manslaughter, Chess said.
Maintenance discussed included compressors, respirators, lifts and jacks, air blowers, and spot welders. Chess said lifts and jacks need to be inspected once a year.
The Rise of Mobile Estimates
The Insurer Relations Committee brought the discussion back to service and convenience for the customer in terms of going mobile.
Yet, “We’re in the business of service,” said Matthew McDonnell, owner of Big Collision Center.
Doug Irish says that the the shop and insurer needs to set the expectation with the customer and inform him or her that taking a photo of vehicle damage remotely and receiving an estimate from the shop is not the end of the process.
Off-Retail Locations
Two possible, future visions for the collision repair shop could be “off-retail” locations in which body shops can rent retail space for store fronts and offer a type of concierge service for the customer’s vehicle and OEM-specific locations, Mcdonnell said.
A Goal for More Car Donations
The day closed with a presentation from Bill Garoutte, the president of the National Auto Body Council. Garoutte called Mike Anderson, founder of CollisionAdvice and industry consultant, to the stage for an impromptu speech. Anderson said the goal for the next year’s symposium is to give away 300 cars in one day. The donation would be in partnership with NABC.
