In the next issue of Paint & Panel NRMA reflects on two years of its now national network.
Head of Supply Chain, Roy Briggs also has some strong opinions on what's been going on in NSW with the parliamentary inquiry and recent television news pieces.
"For the past five years we have been working toward building a new way of working together. It’s boring, repetitive and not what some repairers want to hear, but it’s fact. Technology and innovation is changing our industry. There are a declining number of repairs. Repairers are competing with repairers. As an insurer who doesn’t own repair shops, we sure don’t compete with repairers. The evolution of Rapid shops? A repairer came up with that concept. Entering into meaningful contracts with insurers to deliver certainty of volume and income in return for high quality, faster repairs? Repairers asked for that.
"Despite what some vested interests might want to portray, quality of repairs has never been better for our customers. The implementation of our Quality Framework more than three years ago was an industry first which remains unrivalled. Are we, or the Partner or non-Partner repairers who fix our customers’ cars, perfect? No, they are not. No human is. Which is why it is both surprising and disappointing the industry appears hell-bent on attacking itself to satisfy old grudges.
"In the same way repairers are competing with repairers, repairers and industry “representatives” are now attacking their own. The current campaign being waged amid the background of a Parliamentary Inquiry is full of self-interest, petty personal battles and very light on substance. It actually contributes nothing to sustainable quality of repairs, and it puts the people we are supposed to be supporting and protecting – the customer – in the middle of an ugly and unproductive situation.
"If we are going to have a serious discussion about quality, sustainability, standards, business management – the list could go on and on – why are repairers attacking repairers for cheap TV mileage?.
"These are real issues, and I would love nothing more than to have that real discussion. But that would be addressing the problem, and for some individuals that doesn’t fit the current agenda.
"So what is the agenda? I know what the agenda should be. The agenda should be built around the customer, not around self-interest and settling old scores. The agenda should be to nurture and foster a sustainable smash repair industry, not trying to destroy legitimate and talented business people who have committed the ultimate crime of investing in their businesses and want to do things differently – and better.
"The fact of the matter is that the real agenda is being driven by a minority who seem intent on taking the industry back 20 years. It’s the same arguments, the same behaviour. But this time it’s really not about insurers, although those engaged in driving the agenda would like everyone to think so. This is repairer on repairer. An attempt to punish those who dare to be different, those who dare to progress our industry, and those who dare to throw down their weapons and have made the choice to work together with insurers - not in conflict - in the interests of motorists.
"For those who pursue the old agenda, where no-one benefits and nothing really changes, the time is rapidly approaching for a good, hard re-think.
"I’m thinking that probably won’t happen, because the only industry participants who benefit from behaving like people did 20 years ago is the abject minority. Themselves."