From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Auto Body Shops Can Take Control of Credit Card Processing Fees

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published October 1, 2021

It came as no surprise to me our “Who Pays for What?” surveys have found the vast majority (95%) of collision repair businesses accept payment from customers by credit card.

All of us as consumers have become accustomed to the convenience of using credit cards, and enjoying the rewards---cash back, travel points, etc.---we can receive by paying our bills with them.

But have you stopped to look recently at what it’s costing

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Researching OEM Procedures for the Paint Shop

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published September 8, 2021

One of the things I think our collision repair industry has been making small strides in is researching OEM repair procedures. I don’t think we’re where we need to be on that yet---every repair on every vehicle every time---but we’re making small strides.

But one thing I think even fewer people are thinking about and doing is researching OEM repair procedures from a refinish perspective.

One example: This will hopefully not come as

An Autobody News reader recently emailed me a question he had about daily release meetings at his shop.

I always like hearing from shops because that’s often where I get ideas for this column. So let’s talk a little about release meetings: when they should be held, who should attend, what should be discussed.

I want to start with the caveat that some people tell me they think release meetings are a waste of time. I disagree. I think they are critical for a shop’s success. And I suspect people who think that probably aren’t leading---or aren’t attending---good release meetings.

When thinking about release meetings, I suggest thinking about a football game. At a football game, the play comes from the sidelines out to the quarterback on the field. The

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Use Tech to Kick ‘Timesuckers’ Out of Your Collision Repair Shop

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published June 29, 2021

I was writing an email to one of my collision repair clients recently, and used Google to try to find a different term for “waste of time.”

One of the results that popped up was “timesucker,” defined as “an activity to which one devotes a lot of time that might be better or more productively spent doing other things.” Spending time on something that doesn’t create value for you.

There’s actually a noun for that.

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Scanning---It’s Not Just for DTCs Anymore (and Never Was)

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published June 1, 2021

Those of you watching TV back in the 1970s probably remember the slogan, “It’s not just for breakfast anymore"---the Florida Orange Growers Association’s way to encourage folks to think about drinking OJ more often than just in the morning.

I’ve been paraphrasing that slogan in relation to scanning to emphasize to people that scanning isn’t just about finding DTCs (diagnostic trouble codes).

A real “aha moment” I had in

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Collision Repair Industry Has a New Voice on OEM Safety Inspections

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published May 4, 2021

One of the issues I have written and spoken about most passionately recently---including being quoted in an article on the front page of Autobody News in April---is my belief the post-collision safety inspections called for by most automakers are the single biggest friction point

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Have We Handcuffed Employees from Providing Extraordinary Customer Service?

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published April 7, 2021

I’m concerned some of you may read the first paragraphs of this column, and presume it’s about customer satisfaction indexing (CSI)---it’s not---and decide to move on.

Or you may think it’s about online reviews---it’s not, really---and decide to move on.

So please stick with me here. I’m going to talk about CSI and online reviews, but only as an introduction.

It’s no secret for years many insurance

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Nissan Launches ADAS Calibration Course

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published March 2, 2021

Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) calibrations are an increasingly important part of a safe and proper repair, and that may prove a challenge for collision shops that lack relevant training and equipment.

For those ready for some OEM hands-on training, Nissan recently launched an ADAS calibration course.

Just as some automakers offer training on how to work with their particular aluminum structural components, ADAS and calibrations are just

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: How to Improve Paint Materials Reimbursement

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published February 1, 2021

I’ve been getting some phone calls recently from shops concerned about materials reimbursement when refinishing vehicles with three- or four-stage finishes.

I thought I’d address this---and the subject of materials reimbursement in general---here.

First, it’s important to know all three estimating systems have formulas related to three-stage finishes. CCC Information Services and Mitchell International do not have formulas

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Two-Way Dialogue a Good Way to ‘Maintain’ Employees

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published January 8, 2021

Just as regular maintenance of your shop’s equipment and facility is critical to keep it functioning well, “maintenance” of your employees is just as important.

After all, replacing a good employee can be every bit as costly---and often more difficult---than replacing a welder or frame rack.

It was that goal of maintaining ongoing two-way dialogue with employees that led me, when I had my shops, to conduct employee reviews on an annual

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: It’s Time to Address the Other ‘Pandemic’ in Our Industry

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published December 1, 2020

Is it possible to yell at people through an article like this?

Those of you who have participated in training or seminars or 20 groups that I did years ago no doubt remember how I would sometimes jump down someone’s throat. There were times you’d see me "chew ’em up and spit ’em out."

I’ve tried over the years to become a kinder, gentler Mike. But I’m getting back to a point where I’m genuinely angry. Actually, I’m not sure if

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Hands-On Testing Shows Limitations of Relying Solely on DTCs or Aftermarket Scan Tools

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published November 2, 2020

I’ve had the good fortune recently to spend some time recently working with Nissan/Infiniti as they prepare some new hands-on training they are developing, and it gave me a chance to spend some time scanning and learning about calibrations on their newest vehicles.

That led to a couple of key takeaways that I wanted to share with you here.

The first item I discovered made its way

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Pricing Change Reflects the Absolute Need for Separate Charges for Scanning, Diagnostics

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published October 7, 2020

I wanted to use my column this month to share with you a conversation I had recently with Jake Rodenroth of asTech.

As many of you are aware, asTech recently announced some price changes for the remote scanning and diagnostic services they offer, and that’s something a lot of people have been asking me about.

So I wanted to use this column to, first, provide some clarity

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: More Best Practices to Make the Most of the ‘Parts’ Portion of Your Business

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published August 3, 2020

In a previous column, I shared some best practices shops can use to improve their parts-related processes and profits. Here a few more.

Best Practice: Check the OEM information.

You might presume that checking OEM collision repair information for each repair is something related to just procedures. But

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Making the Most of the ‘Parts’ Portion of Your Business

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published July 8, 2020

Parts consistently make up 40% of total repair order dollars, so it’s well worth it for shop owners to pay careful attention to the role parts play within their business.

This month, I wanted to share the first of two columns outlaying some best practices related to parts I think could improve your shop’s operations and bottom line.

Best Practice: Make sure you’re accurately tracking your parts profitability.

As almost

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Determining Whether---and How---to Charge for OEM Research

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published June 4, 2020

I get a lot of questions from shops regarding billing for the process of researching OEM repair procedures.

Obviously, I can’t tell anyone whether to charge for this, nor how much to charge, but I can point to some things you may want to consider as you make that decision for your business.

First, I can tell you what our “Who Pays for What?” surveys indicate about what’s happening in

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Not Busy? If You’re Leading the Business, You Sure Should Be

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published May 6, 2020

When work slows down, shop owners need to get busy. Now isn’t the time to think there’s nothing you can do to respond to the current situation.

Here are some positive steps you should consider taking.

Close out those repair orders (ROs.) I’ve been preaching for years that ROs should be ready to close the day the car leaves, but I know that often doesn’t happen. Now is the time, however, to get any outstanding ROs closed and billed,

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Now More Than Ever, Shops Need to Renew Their Focus on 'Capture Rate'

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published April 10, 2020

Even before the coronavirus outbreak, I was telling shops I work with a renewed focus on “capture rate” was increasingly important. Now it’s become critical.

Here’s why: Look at any reliable source of claims counts in the U.S. over the last couple of years, and you’ll see they are declining. The increasing number of vehicle on the road with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is reducing accidents. Not by a lot, and it

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Performing All OEM Safety Inspections is Critical---but OEMs Can Help Us Too

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published March 6, 2020

At last November’s SEMA, I had the honor of moderating a session featuring representatives from a number of automakers.

The subject came up of the detailed safety inspections most automakers call for being done on vehicles that have been in a collision.

In many cases, these inspections require a lot: measuring the steering column, checking seat belt anchors, inspecting wiring and connectors, removing

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Understanding and Performing Required Test Drive Procedures Isn’t an Option

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published January 20, 2020

In a recent column, I talked about why I believe shops need to separate out their charge for vehicle scanning from their diagnostic labor to address the results from those scans.

Another key item I feel a lot of shops are overlooking is conducting, documenting and potentially invoicing for is the increasingly complex process of performing required test drives.

Our “Who Pays for What?” survey last summer, for

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Few Collision Repairers Are Separating Out Scanning Time Versus Diagnostic Time

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published December 31, 2019

It’s been just over a year since I wrote about the inconsistency in how shops are billing for scanning, and it’s still an issue that concerns me.

The results of our “Who Pays for What?” survey this last October related to scanning charges are similar to those from a year earlier. In 2019, among the more than 800 shops responding to the survey, about 1-in-4 of those who perform scans in-house charge a flat fee.

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Reflecting on My Journey in the Collision Repair Industry

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published December 3, 2019

I often talk about the need to look ahead, but in recent weeks, I found myself reflecting.

My desire to reflect started forming during SEMA in Las Vegas. SEMA is a great opportunity to catch up with those in the industry who we may not have seen in some time. I turned 57 that week, and certainly most of us get reflective as we get older.

There is a book that summarizes my journey well called, “The Canterbury Tales” by

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Understanding and Performing the Needed Seat Calibrations

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published October 25, 2019

The need for vehicle seat calibrations isn’t new. Many years ago, Will Latuff of Latuff Brothers Auto Body in Minnesota forwarded me information pertaining to a seat calibration needed on a Honda.

I started looking into it and found there are several vehicles that require these seat calibrations after a collision.

Despite this information, last year’s “Who Pays for What?” survey found that 20%

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Skate to Where the “Puck” Is Going, Not Where It Has Been

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published October 8, 2019

Each year, I apply various presentation themes, and this year, I based my theme on something Wayne Gretzky, the legendary hockey player, once said.

He was asked what he learned that made him such a great player, and he said, “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”

In other words, he looked ahead, anticipating where the puck would be. As this year begins to wind down, we all need to think about

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Calculating the Cost of Comebacks

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published August 27, 2019

What’s the cost of a comeback?

It’s a question most shops haven’t considered; fewer shops have actually calculated the cost of a comeback. If you figured out the actual cost each time a customer has to bring their vehicle back into the shop, you’d be investing more of your time, systems or other resources to prevent it.

I’m not talking about a customer coming back for a trim piece or other another part that was on backorder at the time the vehicle was

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Check OEM Procedures Before Disconnecting, Reconnecting Batteries

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published August 7, 2019

The “Who Pays for What?” summer survey looked at how often shops research the OEM procedures related to disconnecting and reconnecting batteries.

The results report won't be tabulated until early this fall, but for now, we can take a look at some of the intricacies of disconnecting and reconnecting batteries when repairing a vehicle.

What was once a seemingly easy step has become more complex and time-consuming as vehicle

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Building Trust Through Online Reviews, OEM Certifications

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published July 2, 2019

I was recently over at my best friend Greg Thompson’s house and his son, Jarrett Thompson, stopped by.

Greg had agreed to babysit his grandson so that Jarrett and his wife could have an evening out. Greg asked Jarrett what their plans were and Jarrett said they were thinking about going out to dinner at an Italian restaurant I’ll call “Ernesto’s.”

“Oh, you are going to love Ernesto’s,” Greg told

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Vehicle Owner’s Manuals Help Educate and Negotiate Need for Various Procedures

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published June 7, 2019

My friend Danny Gredinberg at the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) recently made available a document that includes links to each automaker’s database of online vehicle owner’s manuals.

I am blown away by how useful a tool this can be. If you haven’t taken some time to review some of these manuals, you’re missing out on awesome content that can help you or your estimators with damage

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Want to Challenge Me on the Need to Check OEM Procedures Every Time? Bring It On…

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published April 25, 2019

You: Hey, Mike, I keep hearing you saying we need to look up the OEM repair procedures on every single vehicle every single time. But surely you’re not talking about even the easy jobs, where we’re just replacing a single part.

Me: Oh, you mean like the Infiniti vehicle I saw recently where something had flown from the road and put a hole in the grille? All the vehicle needed was to have that grille

From the Desk of Mike Anderson: Industry Misses 2 Important Aspects of John Eagle Collision Case

Written by Mike Anderson, Autobody News
Published April 4, 2019

In the 18 months since a Texas couple was awarded $42 million by a jury who found a dealership body shop had improperly repaired the vehicle in which the couple was injured in a subsequent accident, I’ve probably been asked about the case at least 20 times a