Editor's note: This feature is the second in FenderBender's monthly Executive Q&A Series, new for 2025 and exclusive to FenderBender.
This month, we talk about the value of collision repair performance groups with AkzoNobel’s Tony Mahon, North American Services Manager.
For those not familiar with performance groups, what does participation in such a group accomplish for a collision repair shop owner or operator?
First off, I’d like to share a bit about the AkzoNobel Acoat Selected program, available only to Sikkens customers, in which a client must participate to attend our performance group conferences. Acoat Selected provides owners and operators of collision repair centers with individualized access to knowledgeable business consultants and a network of likeminded collision repair shop owners. It enables members to maximize the efficiency of their businesses in the areas of personalized management, marketing and advertising, human resources, process improvement, financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and more.
Part of our Acoat Selected offering is bi-annual North American performance group conferences (NAPGs). Most people attend our NAPGs because there is something they want to fix. Something is failing them. They attend these meetings to be surrounded by experts to learn and improve and grow.
Networking is frequently stated as one of the key drivers of continued attendance by our longstanding members – being with like-minded people, sharing ideas and collaboratively resolving common issues. The accountability element is also a key driver of attendance. The performance group members hold each other accountable to actions and financial targets, which helps drive individual and group success.
When was the Acoat Selected program started, and what prompted it?
The Acoat Selected program began in Europe in the year 1978. AkzoNobel listened to its members and found commonality – Acoat Selected was developed out of a desire to help members improve their businesses from all angles. We introduced Acoat Selected to our North American Sikkens users in 1992 and the program took off from there. Today we hold two national performance group conferences per year, and they are almost always booked to capacity. These groups are facilitated by our Business Services Team, who specialize in enabling body shop profitability. The average tenure of this team with AkzoNobel is an impressive 14 years.
How has the program changed over the years?
The core values and principles of the Acoat Selected program have not changed. However, as the focus changes for our members, so the program adapts and changes with them and with the industry. We actively listen to our members, and we constantly have our fingers on the pulse of the industry ready to adapt as necessary.
How are your groups set up? Are owners and operators grouped by a metro area, a geographic region, shop size, and the like? Are there different groups for single-location and MSO, independent and dealership, franchisee, etc.?
We do group comparable-sized business together along with similar types, such as Dealerships, MSOs, single-shop owners and the like. And while we segment members into like types and sizes, we are very careful to not cross geographical boundaries when it comes to market share.
Beyond increasing sales or improving day-to-day operations, are there other benefits to a shop owner or operator participating in a performance group?
We prefer to let our members speak to these benefits whenever possible, so we asked members of our performance groups this question and here are some of their answers:
“I didn’t actually learn the business until we started with Acoat Selected performance groups in 1995, and we’ve been involved ever since.”
“The biggest benefits of Acoat Selected [performance groups] for us are the commitment to continuous education and interacting with like-minded shops. We share and we help each other. We really do care about each other.”
“We like to bring our management to these events. It’s an investment and a little bit of a hardship taking staff out of the shop, but it is a HUGE value to our company to bring this kind of training, expertise, financial benchmarking -- the whole experience -- to our management team. To be surrounded by others who see value in working on their businesses – you can’t really put a price on that.”
What investment – in time or money – is required of most groups?
There are two, three-day national conferences each year, in addition to some regional conferences. From a time perspective, we often say that performance group attendance is spending time working ON your business rather than IN your business. And it makes a huge difference in the lives and businesses of attendees.
Members attending these meetings are financially responsible for their travel and lodging as well as any other incidentals.
What kind of ROI can a shop owner or operator expect from participating in such a group?
The ROI is typically varied and individualized; however, the most stated ROI factors are improved profitability, right-sizing of businesses, optimized performance, and realization of true potential. It’s a true honor to continue to bring these performance group conferences to our Acoat Selected members.
