Kits Crash Repairs

Awards 2002

AAMI Autobody Repairer of the Year (Small Shop)


Kit Anderson has built a solid reputation on the Gold Coast for honesty and quality. He has been careful to back this up with a strong business approach.
Although Kit Anderson has been running a bodyshop in the same street for over 17 years, he has definitely not stood still. He opened his present shop eight years ago and has worked hard to turn it into the excellent facility it is today.
Kit recently implemented a payroll incentive scheme through Auto-Quote and although he found the necessary changes tough at first, the effort has proved to be well worth it. "It is an extremely useful, even vital, tool for us now," he says. As a result of implementing the new system and adapting workflow and work practices to increase productivity, the business has gone from 85 per cent efficient eight months ago to an industry best practice average efficiency of 130 per cent.
The only condition on using such a system, says Kit, was that it has to be fair. "If the goals aren't achievable then it will have a negative effect on everyone."
Kits Crash Repairs is an extremely well presented business, with a large reception area with calming water feature, plenty of magazines and comfortable seating. Under the harsh summer sun of the Gold Coast, customers also appreciate the large awning covering the quoting area. The technicians in the shop appreciate it too as it keeps the workshop cool and dry.
It's not enough these days just to provide great customer service and workmanship however. If you don't understand your business you will not prosper. Kit is the first to admit this and that is why he has made sure he has a firm grasp on his business. "The first thing you have to do is job cost. If you don't know how much each job costs you, you are in trouble. Unless you can measure it, how can you manage it?" he says.
Glasurit's ebenchmarking program has been a great help to Kit in that he has been able to measure his shop's performance across key variables with other shops in Queensland (where Kits Crash Repairs is running first in terms of gross profit margin). "We're all here for profit and profit is not a dirty word," Kit says. "Insurers might think it is but you have to realise a profit on your investment or what's the point?"
The Gold Coast has experienced a population boom and with it, a dramatic rise in the number of accidents. Despite this, competition between repairers is fierce and there are between six and 10 quality repairers fighting for the same business says Kit. To diversify, Kits Crash Repairs provides a paintless dent repair and plastic welding service, and the business has recently purchased a tow truck and leased it to a towing company in order to try and improve the mix of work the shop deals with. "We are currently getting a lot of small jobs but we need to get a better mix of parts and labour sales. We are aiming for more $5000 - 15,000 jobs -- hence the tow truck," Kit says.
The workshop is well equipped with the latest panel and paint technology; a painter has recently completed a Glasurit spot repair course and one of the two Seetal down draft baking ovens has the IRT overhead rail infra-red curing system installed. Another rail system is in the process of being extended across the whole prep area. The latest Car-O-Liner Mark 5 and Car-O-Tronic computerised measuring system has been installed in the panel shop.

This year's AAMI Autobody Repairer of the Year Award recognised five very good small bodyshops as Regional Winners.
Who: Kit Anderson
What: 9 employees
Auto-Quote
Car-O-Liner
Glasurit
Seetal, IRT
Where: Ashmore, Gold Coast
When: Present shop opened 1994