Highlighting the different ways body shop estimators put an estimate together was highlighted by a recent De Beer Quality First seminar.
The seminar was conducted by De Beer Refinish national business development manager Murray Howell, who started the day by asking all the bodyshop owners and managers to write several estimates using images provided.
There was much discussion on the repair methods and how they would structure the estimates, and all the participants were astounded to see such a wide variation in the estimating ideas and methods from different regions and states.
Quality First is a bodyshop consultancy program focused on the continuous improvement of the body shops profitability.
After Howell’s opening, the seminar heard from three guest speakers: Rod MacDougal of IAG, Greg Colli and Hussy Hasan
MacDougal presented the NTAR estimating methodology and spoke about where NTAR was placed today and the plans IAG had for its future.
Colli, the second speaker for the day, address the Code of Conduct, discussing where the code began, how it has evolved and the changes the code has made to the industry.
He also spoke of examples where the code has been used and effective in supporting body shops in their quest to repair motor vehicles with quality and safety and be paid accordingly. Hasan rounded off the discussions, highlighting many of the things that estimators forget and overlook when writing an estimate, which in turn, cost huge amounts of money and profit, as these are the things repairers end up doing for free.
Howell said profit starts at the front end of the business with writing a complete and accurate estimate. You can purchase the latest in technology and even implement time saving production processes, however, if you are not writing an accurate and profitable estimate you are just going backwards, he said.
Among those attending the seminar was Bryson Shaffer of Ken Shafer Smash Repairs, who said the speakers were very informative & relevant.
“One speaker was not really ‘industry liked’ (IAG insurance); this, I believe, was intentional by Murray and it really spiced up the day and created more interest in the speech and made QF members pose more questions...a smart move as it wasn’t just another speaker telling you what you want to hear from a particular side of the industry,” Shaffer said.
“The diverse locations that QF shops came from were great. Even though we were from differing markets - this diverse mix was all QF businesses and all have very similar ‘day-to-day’ highs and lows. So this seminar unnaturally had a perfect environment where we can easily communicate. This communication promotes unity which is one of the greatest positives that the body repairers needs.
“There was plenty of relevant content from estimating methods and operations (very important and should be ongoing), customer service, OEM parts and alternate, paint usage and methods.”
..and more.
Graham Smith of Blacktown City Smash Repairs said the networking was the greatest outcome he took from the seminar.
“Contributing how our business operates to discussions I feel really helps the other shops gain a broader understanding of our industry,” he said.
“I really enjoy the ‘mateship’ that has been built between the Quality First shops and the phone calls the week after to share knowledge is great.”
Fam Karras from Karras Prestige Smash Repairs said the greatest benefit from any meeting is unity.
“Talking to other repairers and discussing how we all do business. We all run our business differently - but some of us do it better,” he said.
“ The methodology of quoting would have to be the best part of this meeting, or in fact the best thing has that ever happened to this industry.
“On the day, I realised the dramatic inconsistency of quoting vehicles. By the end of the day I saw the enthusiasm and desperation of repairers to lift their antics in the Methodology of their quotes as there was a huge discrepancy in their quoting.
“In our industry we have had no guide by anyone or organisation to direct us in quoting. “This has always been a weak link and we have been self taught or have been shown by our predecessors only. For someone to rise up and take the opportunity in guiding repairers has to be commended.”
Garry Maher from L&M Smash Repairs described the day as “excellent”.
“The estimating tools presented were really impressive. It also raised the point that established tendering assessing methods are leading to lower quality repairs,” Maher said.
“Repairing to a standard – not to a cost is something that we are really proud of. The opportunity to network with other like-minded shops was fantastic. The openness in sharing operating techniques really helps us all raise our level of quality.”