AUTOFIXBLOG.COM: Recent Comments

Comment on The Accuracy of the State Farm Prevailing Survey Depends on You!

Luz Rubio — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:07:31 GMT

Happy New Year to everyone, Best wishes on a successful 2010. Just as a reminder, if your cost of doing business has changed, you need to update your information on the survey.

Comment on The Accuracy of the State Farm Prevailing Survey Depends on You!

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:13:20 GMT

Just a reminder to all that if there have been any changes in your cost of doing business, you may want to update your survey on the State Farm B2B website.

Wishing you a successful New Year!!!!

Comment on Cycle Time Is A Joke And A Lie!

Bill — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:56:52 GMT

Although I agree with your comment, however, the reality is that there are many shop owners and managers that do not understand how to deal with issues related to cycle time pressure. Knowledge is the key to navigation, I believe the article sheds some light on th subject for those that need a few more arrows in their quiver.

Comment on Cycle Time Is A Joke And A Lie!

Bob Isham — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:36:17 GMT

Why all the fuss about "cycle time"? The vehicle is "done when it's done". The majority of delays are caused by insurers who write horrific "low ball" sheets. It takes St.Farm 3-10 days to reinspect. One estimate was $700 and repairs were just under $7,000. ALL THE DAMAGE WAS VISIBLE.

No shop is sitting around causing a job to be delayed. We can normally fix a car faster than an insurer can write a check and we have a saying, "no tickee no laundry".

So don't fret cycle time. It is what it is and if the insurer bitches tell them to go pound sand. Insurers spend so much time and money "micro managing" the repair/cycle time when the reality is that it is the insurer, not the shop, that is delaying the repair.

I wonder if the rocket scientists at the insurance companies ever figured out that putting deadlines or penalties on repair times cause some shops to take shortcuts and can have an effect on the quality? Oh--I forget--they don't care.

I find it comical that my Audatex system asks the exact date, hour, moment and "second" that a car is dropped off but it does not have space for a 5 digit telephone extension.

Comment on Am I The Only One?

Hermann — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:19:59 GMT

    Well I may not be 100 correct Bob, however I have been listening to same issues from Body shops since 1988,hence my reason as a vendor to become involved and interested in the collision industry, my recent point was to stir the pot, get people to come forward with facts that they already know, business is different now(unless you live in a cave) , more so than it has ever been, to survive one must analyze daily and be in a position to move quickly, the insurance companies know this and because they are strong together they keep you constantly on the defensive.
    In order for independent owners not to be constantly on the defensive, owners,and managers need to work together for the common cause, set aside any personal issues, and get involved on the nasty political end of this industry.
However if you can side track all that nasty political stuff, and figure out how to keep your businesses intact with out labor rate or labor time issues, then more power to you, My understanding is that unless you want to be out, or gobbled up, then you need to speak out unafraid of the issues your confronted with daily.
    I believe that is the reason for the ASA and Associations across the nation.

Comment on Am I The Only One?

Bob in Mesa — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:58:38 GMT

Francine, I'm sure whatever you told him he had coming. We have also been forced to tell Geico customers they will have out of pocket costs if we do their repairs.

There is an article in Body Shop Business this month (Take your Customers Back)that was written by a shop owner in California. He actually rewards customers for switching to insurance companies that handle claims fairer. Interesting....

Comment on How to Overcome the Top Ten Negotiating Tactics

Bob in Mesa — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:44:04 GMT

This is an excellent article. Anybody writing estimates also spends a lot of time in negotiations. Tactic #4, for example, we hear all the time. "I'm not allowed to include that on my estimates......" Maybe they are not allowed but it doesn't hurt to ask to speak to the "higher authority". You just might call their bluff.

It would be pretty hard to read this article and not do a better job in day to day negotiations.

Comment on Am I The Only One?

bud — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:04:22 GMT

First of all I am confused. I thought I was the only one,but I couldn't agree more.The Gecko adjuster tried to put on aftermarket structural components on our customer's car and said they didn't care if it didn't react the same way in a accident.They told me I didn't see the whole picture and they make a lot of money doing this.They actually told me there pay would be affected by writing OEM parts. Evidently it's so easy a CAVEMAN can do it.I think we should start holding the adjuster more accountable for the decisions they make.What would happen if our industry repaired cars how the insurance companies wrote them. How many procedures would not get done? How many lawsuits would there be? How many unsafe repairs would be made? Why do we work for free!!! Bud

Comment on Am I The Only One?

Bob Isham — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:30:35 GMT

While I also appreciate the fact that Hermann contributed to the discussion I think his thoughts are way off the mark.
We need a robust discussion and not everyone can step out and shout from the highest mountain that Geico sucks. Any discussion is better than no discussion.

As for comparing last years numbers with todays I still feel this is a important business tool. I am confident everyone has Quickbooks or some similar version and we have learned to trim overhead, watch expenses and try to earn a profit.
Numbers also motivate us to do better.

Yes the times are tough but most shops are finding ways to survive so they can prosper when things turn around.

Geico is hurting our industry. They are steering, chiseling and refusing to pay fairly for repairs. Geico is unethical and intentionally taking advantage of a weak market.

Geico makes me sick but let us remember that "there is more than one way to skin a cat and every dog has his day.". We need to all remember that "what comes around goes around".

Let's be positive and keep the chatter going both anonymously and by posting your names.

Comment on Am I The Only One?

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:14:42 GMT

I have to agree, we need robust conversation whether they are posted anonymously or named. In my opinion it doesn't matter, what matters is that we are communicating for the purpose of better understanding our options. Please spread the word and tell people in our industry to participate at any level they feel comfortable.