Automotive Excellence SUMMER 2025_01_09-22-2025_DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 23
relationship between the two parties. Threats
and intimidation may and often do accompany
these actions, resulting in the payer demanding
that the consumer “move their vehicle to a more
cost-friendly repairer.”
Thinking this through a bit further, the independent repairer is typically alone in their resistance
to a multi-billion-dollar company that has the
power of the purse over their customers or policyholders. That imbalance may result in these
third-party payers telling their customers that
“they won’t pay because the operation isn’t reasonable and customary.”
Who decides that? Who identifies particular operations that they wouldn’t be
responsible for, even though they
are essential to repairing the
vehicle properly?
The independent repair
needs assistance for
these situations to find
the proper position and
accompanying steps.
Collision repair associations
can be that voice. They have
the power to change the status
quo if all are willing to join together
and take a stand. Can this create shortterm difficulties or setbacks for some or all?
Maybe. But it can also show that independent
businesses can come together for a common
cause and unite for change.
So why now? There is a time and place for moving
forward against tyranny. That sounds a bit dramatic, but if you are the independent business
being squeezed out of work or having to deal
with retribution by third-party payers for not
“rolling over,” it is a daily struggle; it is real.
tion accountable for pushing back on the activities that are keeping the repairer from achieving
their goals.
Challenge the status quo. Challenge those who
feel that their way is the only way. Challenge
those who help keep their top-tier executives
making millions in bonuses, while they keep
the independent repair looking happy with the
scraps and leftovers.
Words have power, associations have power, and
association members share in that power. The
collision industry needs to push back, set standards, and change the rules. The rules that this
industry should be making, and third-party
payers should be following. For those
repairers who want to discount
jobs to gain market share, the
associations will be watching.
They will be watching things
like repair quality and who
isn’t performing up to the
industry quality standard.
There should be an effort
to isolate those who do improper repairs and let them
deal with the fallout.
The customer is the key. Repairers need to make sure that they
are working for the customer. Trust
and empathy must be provided to the customer. Repairers fix cars, but families ride in
them. The catastrophe that can result from a
bad repair is endless.
Support associations that support safe and
proper repairs completed with a quality-first
mindset so that the consumer understands that
the industry is on their side.
This approach will force the ecosystem to adapt,
grow, and become self-supporting.
Operating as an association with goals and
strength in numbers, change can be made. The
solution is in the members holding the associa-
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