Highly Commended
Awards 2002The standards displayed by this year's nominations were outstanding, not only in terms of presentation but in terms of business acumen and enthusiasm. Below are the shops that were highly commended by the judging panel.
Blackburn Motor Body, Melbourne
Last year's AAMI Autobody Repairer of the Year has few equals in Australia. The levels of equipment and presentation as well as workflow and staff management are extremely impressive. Despite this, general manager David Cole and managing director Bruce Bennett are not content to sit on their laurels, deserved as they are. A new vehicle presentation area, wash bay, mechanical area and parts delivery area have all been built within the past 12 months and the management team does not intend to stop at that.
This Melbourne 'super-shop' would hold its own against any international competition and deserves to be recognised as an industry benchmark.
Careys Accident Repair Centre, Melbourne
Managing director Stephen Corrigan has built a state-of-the-art facility of which he can feel justly proud. The presentation of both the front-of-house and the workshop are superb, particularly the 'showroom' within the reception area.
Corrigan is yet another within the industry who does not believe in standing still: he has plans to expand his workshop if an insurer or car maker can supply the capacity and he has plans to set up a conference room for industry training and meetings. Careys Accident Repair Centre is a high-class facility which work providers would do well to take note of.
Allan Doyle Crash Repairs, Adelaide
Allan Doyle has been a stalwart of the Adelaide collision repair industry for many years, and ably aided by daughter Lisa as well as Jason Marshall and workshop manager Geoff Hall, has created a fine facility. The shop is extremely efficient (averaging between 125 and 146 per cent efficiencies per week) and management is able to monitor performance in real time through BMS. Allan Doyle Crash Repairs has a fine reputation in Adelaide and rightly so.
Inkerman Panels, Melbourne
Owner Andy Holzer says the key challenge in running a successful bodyshop is to fully understand the requirements of the customer -- be they the insurers, the people who pay for the repairs, the drivers of the vehicles or the fleet managers who provide much of the shop's work. "We need to appreciate their current and future requirements, and then to translate this into deeds, with a cohesive team of dedicated and highly skilled professionals, all excelling in their area of expertise," he said. Have a chat with Andy while taking a tour round his excellent shop and you will know this to be true.
Paull & Warner, Perth
Faye and Neville Paull have a focus on the corporate client and service many major fleets in and around Perth including Coates Hire, Xerox and Orlando Wines. The couple aim to further improve the business by adding a new fascia and taking a marketing plan to more corporate clients. The shop won the Best Small Business Award from its local Chamber of Commerce recently and because of the huge commitment to customer service, Paull & Warner's reputation deservedly precedes it.
ER McNamara, Sydney
Robert Alibrio and Sam Egiziano took over what they politely refer to as a "dump" and have turned it into a well presented, modern facility. An NRMA Preferred Smash Repairer and recommended by AAMI, the business is also increasingly targeting fleet work. "We have done well to take it from where it was to where it is now in three years," said Alibrio, "Organisation didn't exist. Since then we have added lots of new equipment and created a good reputation for ourselves. Word-of-mouth is our best advertising."