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Create a Fearless Environment

Create a Fearless Environment for Your Employees

September 25, 2018

When the ego is abandoned, two things happen: It creates a more human connection between leaders and their teams, and it fosters an environment where people are fearless, as well. In hierarchical relationships, a fearless environment is not just important for the growth of a business—it’s essential.

Improve Your Body Language

Improve Your Body Language at Work

September 19, 2018

The way you walk, the tone of your voice, the look in your eye—these are all signals read by the people around you. And based on those cues, employees will model the behavior and perform at varying levels. Patti Wood says you can model an inspiring leader by asking yourself these three simple questions.

Hiring a Millennial Manager

Vision: What to Consider When Hiring a Millennial Manager

September 18, 2018

Travis Fitchie was only 20 years old when he was promoted to the manager position at Apland's Auto Body. Jodie Apland, vice president of the shop, and Mike Apland, president of the shop, witnessed Fitchie raise the shop's sales through a "bite-your-fingernails" stage. Here is why and how the Aplands decided to hire a millennial manager.

Create a Culture Where Everyone Relies on One Another

September 18, 2018

By achieving interdependence, you create a system where you rely on all your staff members and they rely on you in return. Marie Peevy discusses how to best develop that kind of culture.

Presenting Case to Carrier

How to Best Present Repairs to Insurers

September 13, 2018

Melissa Steinken

Clint Marlow, Allstate claims representative, shares how shops can best present their repair case to insurers and bypass some lengthy conversations.

Effective Pay-Per-Click Campaigns

4 Crucial Elements for Effective Pay-Per-Click Campaigns

September 12, 2018

Melissa Steinken

Pay-per-click ad campaigns are nuanced, and the advertisements’ quality scores have a big impact on the effectiveness of the campaign. Here are four things to keep in mind for your digital advertisements.

How I Did It: Robert Molina

September 11, 2018

Robert Molina is this year's FenderBender Award winner in the Executive category. He led his $12 million body shop beloved by his Miami community by investing in people and technology and instituting a customer-first mentality. Here's how he built his massive, technologically advanced operation.

Ways to Increase Touch Time

8 Overlooked Ways to Increase Touch Time

September 10, 2018

Melissa Steinken

Leroy Rush, Sherwin-Williams business development manager, and other collision industry veterans share how to eliminate wasted time during the repair process and increase the hours worked on each vehicle.

The 2018 FenderBender Awards: Craig Dale

September 6, 2018

Melissa Steinken

A man behind the scenes, Heppner Auto Body's facilities maintenance manager has been a driving force behind the six-shop Minneapolis operation's long-term success. That's why Craig Dale is the 2018 FenderBender Award winner in the Wild Card category.

The 2018 FenderBender Awards: Travis Fitchie

September 5, 2018

Melissa Steinken

Travis Fitchie, a 20-year-old shop up-and-comer who turned a shop into a $1 million business, is the 2018 FenderBender Award winner in the Manager category.

The 2018 FenderBender Awards: Robert Molina

September 4, 2018

Robert Molina built a $12 million body shop beloved by his Miami community by investing in people and technology and instituting a customer-first mentality. Here's how he built his massive, technologically advanced operation.

The 2018 FenderBender Awards

September 1, 2018

Talent. Determination. Goodwill. Passion. These are the attributes that define the industry’s finest—and they’re what we look to honor each year with our annual FenderBender Awards. Here are five unique, innovative professionals pushing the collision repair industry forward.

How It Works: Bodyshop Booster

August 30, 2018

Kiley Wellendorf

Bodyshop Booster is an online damage assessment tool that allows customers to send vehicle photos to body shops.

Snap Shop: Campus Body Salon

August 27, 2018

Melissa Steinken

Take a virtual tour of Campus Body Salon, a shop that became heavily customer-focused after moving away from DRPs.

How I Work: Donielle Lopez

August 23, 2018

Kiley Wellendorf

When it came to turning a flailing shop around after taking over, Donielle Lopez looked for intimate ways her mom-and-pop shop could find success. As a result of her daily approach to management, she doubled revenue in just one year.

3 Keys to Effective Mentorship

3 Keys to Effective Mentorship

August 22, 2018

Melissa Steinken

Jerod Guerin created a work family through his leading style. Here are his three keys for effectively mentoring staff members.

Aftermarket vs. OEM Parts

Adapt: ACA on OEM vs. Aftermarket Parts

August 21, 2018

In July, two bills that sought to expand restrictions on aftermarket parts were passed in Rhode Island. On this episode of CollisionCast, Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association, and Tom Tucker, director of state affairs for the association, discuss why they believe those bills set a bad precedent for the collision repair industry.

CSI Mistakes to Avoid

6 CSI Mistakes to Avoid in Your Shop

August 20, 2018

Melissa Steinken

There are several factors that could be negatively impacting your shop’s CSI score. Here’s a list of six mistakes to avoid in order to gain 100 percent satisfaction across the board.

Steps to Conducting a Reinvestment Plan

Creating a Multi-Year Shop Investment Plan

August 16, 2018

Melissa Steinken

In order to successfully revamp his shop without incurring significant debt, Tim Kilkeary put into motion a five-year capital reinvestment plan in order to update the facility and the shop’s equipment.

Identifying Your Ideal Customer

5 Steps for Identifying Your Ideal Customer

August 15, 2018

Melissa Steinken

In order to identify your shop’s target demographic and ultimately form an ideal customer profile, it begins with taking an internal look at the shop. Here are five steps to identify your optimal customer.

Finding the Right Manager

Vision: Finding the Perfect Manager for Your Shop

August 14, 2018

From hiring the right manager to keeping tabs on their performance, there's a lot that goes into finding your right-hand man. Here's everything to consider. Here are some tips from Steve Morrow, owner of Capitol Collision Center, on how to find the perfect manager.

Make it Personal

Getting Personal with Employees

August 10, 2018

We can cultivate a positive culture by caring for individuals, writes Kevin Rains.

Supporting Staff Through A Loss

How to Help an Employee Through a Loss

August 9, 2018

Melissa Steinken

A shop leader should not assume an employee going through a major loss is going to shy away from wanting to talk about it. Psychologist Lisa Kaplin shares tips for how to help an employee through a loss in a thoughtful and appropriate manner.

Kevin Conner

How I Did It: Kevin Conner

August 7, 2018

Conner Brothers Body Shop has become a beloved, embraced body shop in the Chester, Va., community. Owner Kevin Conner details how he grew that operation and how he built himself back up after his father sold three of the family's four body shops.

A Balancing Act with Finances

A Budget Balancing Act

August 6, 2018

Melissa Steinken

Edward Bao, financial planner, teaches how to take steps to interpret a balance sheet correctly and make informed business decisions.

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