Join this episode of the CollisionCast, in which Mike Brockway, owner of Dabler Auto Body & Collision Repair in Salem, Oregon, talks with Editor-in-Chief Jay Sicht about some of the challenges facing the collision repair industry today, including pushback from insurers on certain line items, and how he plans to meet the challenges in the coming months.

Beginning in May, 3M is rolling out its new Front Office Collision Repair Training course.

Intended for repair planners/estimators, adjusters, collision repair shop managers and owners, the focus of the three-day course is on foundational processes in the body repair and paint shop areas.

The course is aimed at helping these front office professionals better understand the repair process and promote accurate repair plan/estimate writing and communication to insurance claims for higher quality repairs.

In this CollisionCast episode, sponsored by AMAROK, Editor-in-Chief Jay Sicht sits down with AMAROK Enterprise Development Manager Jackson Skey to talk about how improving your collision repair shop's security can be a turnkey solution that can give your customers peace of mind their vehicle is being cared for. It can even save time and reduce vehicle damage because vehicles may not need to be jockeyed around just so they can be stored inside each night. 

To learn more about AMAROK, click here!

Women are not well represented in collision repair, and there’s one organization that aims to support women in this male-dominated field.

Liz Stein, vice president of strategic initiatives at Certified Collision Group and current WIN chair, and Cheryl Boswell, CFO and partner for DCR Systems and a past WIN chair, discuss the importance of WIN and its impact.

Following OEM procedures closely is needed not only to ensure proper calibrations of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS,) but can also help seed up works in process (WIP.) Hear how the co-founders of Lightning Auto Service advocate for proper procedures and some steps they've taken to reduce friction with insurers. Check out some of the resources they've made available here. 

Caliber Collision doesn’t just combat the tech shortage with their Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP); they’re also changing the lives of active-duty service members by giving them a smooth transition not only to the collision repair industry but also to civilian life.

Andrew Vaccaro, director of apprenticeships at Caliber Collision, discusses Caliber’s work in their Changing Lanes initiative.

Focus Advisors is a mergers and acquisitions firm specializing in the collision repair market and helping MSO owners achieve maximum value through a strategic exit. President Chris Lane and Senior Associate Madeleine Roberts Rich join the CollisionCast to discuss how collision repair business owners can help prepare for a sale.

An Abra location in Minnesota participated in a program that gives hands-on collision repair experience to public school teachers so they can apply what they learn to their own teaching.

Danyell Wendland, an Abra operations manager, discusses how the program went and what the goal was.

Donald Trump has long been an EV critic. How might his newly close ties to Elon Musk influence his position on EV policies and regulation? And how might proposed tariffs affect the auto parts supply chain? For insight, we talk with Abey Abraham, managing principal at consulting firm Ducker Carlisle, where he leads the company's automotive and materials practice.

There are many ways to pay for the things you need in your shop, including financing.

Paul Knowlton, an automotive service and collision repair equipment sales executive from Huntington National Bank, sat down with FenderBender to discuss why someone should consider financing, even if they have the cash on hand.