Frank Phillips, the collision repair program manager of Rivian and veteran of the collision industry, speaks with us about the Rivian vehicles and how their collision program works which is very impressive!

They simplified the collision repair program with 4 levels and the support sounds awesome! One shop is not expected to do and be everything. What a concept!
They do have some parts that are restricted to only certified shops.

Rivian has 3 products: SUV (R1S), pick-up truck (R1T) and the Amazon Delivery Van (EDV) with 30k units on the road today.

In 2023 Rivian anticipates they'll get out an additional 50k units on the road so be on the lookout!!!

If you are in SoCal there is an experience center in Venice beach where you can check out the R1S & R1T!

Rivian also provides insurance directly through their company and wants their shops to perform OE repair procedures so the vehicle is repaired properly. ;)

Apply to be a certified Rivian collision repair facility: https://rivian.com/support/article/certified-collision-centers

Reach out to Frank Phillips directly:
Frank's Email: [email protected]
Rivian Website: https://rivian.com/

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Thank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! They have incredible customer service and their 5-star reviews give you a taste of the service AFTER the sale. These guys are amazing if you are looking for new or refurbished equipment!
https://lombardequipment.com/

The SE Collision Conference was a hit as were all 20 episodes that came from this conference! On the last episode of this series we talk with the conference committee which includes Jordan Hendler - Executive Director of the Washington Metro Auto Body Association (WAMBA), Josh Kent - Executive Director of the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA), Kyle Bradshaw - President of the Carolinas Collision Association, John Shoemaker - BDM with BASF, Phil Rice - GM of Huber Collision, and Brian Davies - owner of Bodyworks Plus and past president and founder of CCA.

The committee shares their favorite takeaways and the beauty of growing our industry as a whole.

To watch John Shoemaker's episode #73 on "You're Losing Money on Your Labor Rates":
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-73-youre-losing-money-on-your-labor-rates-with-john/id1558234037?i=1000611436784
Youtube - https://youtu.be/Va6DeoumprU 

If you are looking to do a collision conference in your area they give very insightful ideas to help you do that!

To attend the SE Collision Conference in 2024 make sure you stay tuned for the release date!

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Thank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! They have incredible customer service and their 5-star reviews give you a taste of the service AFTER the sale. These guys are amazing if you are looking for new or refurbished equipment!
https://lombardequipment.com/

The SE Collision Conference was a hit as were all 20 episodes that came from this conference! On the last episode of this series we talk with the conference committee which includes Jordan Hendler - Executive Director of the Washington Metro Auto Body Association (WAMBA), Josh Kent - Executive Director of the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA), Kyle Bradshaw - President of the Carolinas Collision Association, John Shoemaker - BDM with BASF, Phil Rice - GM of Huber Collision, and Brian Davies - owner of Bodyworks Plus and past president and founder of CCA.

The committee shares their favorite takeaways and the beauty of growing our industry as a whole.

To watch John Shoemaker's episode #73 on "You're Losing Money on Your Labor Rates":
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-73-youre-losing-money-on-your-labor-rates-with-john/id1558234037?i=1000611436784
Youtube - https://youtu.be/Va6DeoumprU 

If you are looking to do a collision conference in your area they give very insightful ideas to help you do that!

To attend the SE Collision Conference in 2024 make sure you stay tuned for the release date!

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Thank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! They have incredible customer service and their 5-star reviews give you a taste of the service AFTER the sale. These guys are amazing if you are looking for new or refurbished equipment!
https://lombardequipment.com/

We are talking with 2 all-stars in our industry today! We've got Ron Reichen - president of Precision Body & Paint that has 5 locations in Oregon.
We are also talking with Barry Dorn - owner of Dorn's Body & Paint, Dorn's Automotive Service, and Dorn's Specialized Transport in Mechanicsville, VA.

Ron & Barry had a panel discussion at the SE Collision Conference called "Repairer to Repairer" and they share with us some of the HOT TOPICS that shops wanted to chat about. 
1) Overcoming Objections. 
My favorite quote from Ron, "We can't fix today's vehicles in a dungeon with a rock and a stick for peanuts."

• establishing yourself as the expert (taking into account the subconscious impressions). WE ARE THE EXPERTS - we need to appear as such and present ourselves as such.
• bucking the indoctrination
• pull the OE procedures
• read them
• provide the needed documentation
• know the policy language and limitations & educate the guest
• provide a repair plan - stop with the photo estimates

2) Combating the "Lack of Talent"

• creating a culture of development
• marketing to your people internally
• know your people and interact with them
• be a part of your shop's every day activities
• hands-on with your people at all times
• recruit internally first
• pair new team members with a mentor
• "date a few times before marriage"
• key point is their personality and their attitude

3) Blend Study - You can take advantage of this TODAY!
The study found that blending a panel takes 31.59% more time than a full refinish of the same panel, on average, rather than the 50% less time allocated in the three estimating systems.
Read the full study here: https://scrs.com/blendstudy/

Reach out to Ron or Barry directly:
Ron's Email: [email protected]
Ron Reichen with Precision First - Website: https://precisionfirst.com/
Barry's Email: [email protected]
Barry Dorn with Dorn's Body & Paint - Website: https://dornsbodyandpaint.com/

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Lombard Equipment has incredible customer service and their 5-star reviews give you a taste of the service AFTER the sale. Call them today!
https://lombardequipment.com/

Scott Ayers works for SCRS and the BOT Tool (Blueprint Optimization Tool)! At the SE Collision Conference Danny Gredinberg and Scott Ayers talked about how to "Write Your Strongest Sheet".

The BOT Tool is a tool that's been out for about 3 years with about 300 shops using it!
You would write your repair plan, export it and then upload it to the BOT Tool . The BOT tool would analyze it and provide you the non-included operations that are found in the motor guide to estimating that you can choose from that you think would apply to the repair plan you are creating.

This can help you have consistency with your repair plans and present you with missed opportunities!

Bot Tool Video #1: https://youtu.be/31CqWeBVA6U
Bot Tool Demo: https://youtu.be/JIuKDe5aZmQ

Danny spoke about using the free DEG tool in episode #70 and you can find his episode here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-70-write-your-strongest-sheet-with-danny-gredinberg/id1558234037?i=1000610854819
The DEG website is here where you can submit an inquiry: www.DEGweb.org

Reach out to Scott with the BOT Tool directly:
Scott Email: [email protected]
Website: https://scrs.com/bot/

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Thank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! They have incredible customer service and their 5-star reviews give you a taste of the service AFTER the sale. These guys are amazing if you are looking for new or refurbished equipment!
https://lombardequipment.com/

BeTag is an equipment manufacturer that manufactures small damage equipment, outer panel equipment, plastic repair - anything on the exterior of the vehicle is what they repair.
 
One thing that Keith is excited about is their program to develop technicians in your shop. As most shops are struggling to find higher level techs, BeTag created a training program so a shop could take that C tech/apprentice/journeyman and move them up via quality training. 

Shops find that those technicians skill level and quality is greatly improved in a short amount of time!

This has been a huge help to shops that are having a hard time finding higher level techs. Train the ones you have!
(And you don't have to be a customer of BeTag to take advantage of this training.)

Reach out to Keith at BeTag directly:
Keith Email: [email protected]
BeTag Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-egan-ba40ba41/
Website: https://www.betagnorthamerica.com/

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Thank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! OH WAIT - THIS IS THEIR EPISODE!
https://lombardequipment.com/

Capital equipment are major spends in your business! This is not something to take lightly. We speak with the owner of Lombard Equipment, Kevin Lombard, and Dave Caron where they share some incredible information with us!

Here are their warnings:

• Don't purchase online 
• Speak with someone prior to buying - know do's and don'ts of the equipment
• Do training IN PERSON (not via video)
• Do training IN YOUR SHOP
• Make sure the company you are buying from is asking a lot of questions of YOU
• Find a company with exceptional customer service
• Ask the right questions from the equipment including...

1. Find out about their warranties
2. Does the equipment company provide loaner equipment if yours goes down?
3. Who is going to do the training and what does that look like?
4. What does the service after the sale look like?

Reach out to Lombard Equipment directly:
Dave Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lombardequipment/
Website: https://lombardequipment.com/

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Thank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! Selling equipment for over 30 years who not only does training IN your shop they do hands-on training ON YOUR EQUIPMENT! :)
https://lombardequipment.com/

Blake Farley has 3 locations with Relentless Collision in Raleigh, Durham & Cary, NC and is attending the SE Collision Conference for the first time plus he brought his team! Listen in as he shares his takeaways so far...

He's a member of SCRS and the CCA he is a mover and shaker and doing AMAZING things!
If you'd like to join the Collision Cocktail Hour that Blake and I talk about you can find info and RSVP for the next free, monthly meeting here: https://collisioncocktailhour.com/

Reach out to Blake Farley directly:
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-farley-78b49033/
Website: https://www.relentlesscollision.com/

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Thank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! Selling equipment for over 30 years who not only does training IN your shop they do hands-on training ON YOUR EQUIPMENT! :)
https://lombardequipment.com/

One of the platinum sponsors at the SE Collision Conference was CAS (Connected Automotive Systems) and Joe Maitland talks with us about their diagnostic scan tools and how they bridge the gap between aftermarket and OE scan tools PLUS all the other things they can help with!

Reach out to Joe Maitland directly:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://oemtools.com/

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134

Thank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! Selling equipment for over 30 years who not only does training IN your shop they do hands-on training ON YOUR EQUIPMENT! :)
https://lombardequipment.com/

Josh is from AirPro Diagnostics and spoke at the SE Collision Conference about how you can do ADAS Calibrations in house! Most shops do not know what that would look like so they shy away from it. Josh feels like it's something a shop can do and start doing it in small bites.

When you sublet it you are giving up quality, profit, cycle time, cost, etc. You could be some or all of it in-house. But how? Listen in to find out more...

Reach out to Josh McFarlin directly:
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-mcfarlin-6069138/
Website: https://airprodiagnostics.com/

Support the show

For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here: https://collisioncentermarketing.com
Email Micki directly at [email protected]

Join the Body Bangin' Facebook Group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/989546031854134