Being a big sports fan, I was shocked, as was most of America, back in March when sports league after sports league started shutting down due to COVID-19. To me, it signaled the first of many changes in the pandemic. Businesses, offices, stores and states shut down to only the essentials. We all adjusted and adapted. Now, after months of hiatus, sports have started back up. Before this pandemic, ESPN had a segment where they pointed out their “C’mon, man!” moments in football. It was when they called people out on outrageous moments that did not make sense.
Just like in sports, the collision repair industry has its “C’mon, man!” moments too. But what are our “C’mon, man!” moments, exactly? To me, these moments show up in the form of procedures and lack of clarity within the industry.
OEMs need to redefine their procedures and emphasize words like “must” rather than “recommended.” Precise wording allows for procedures to not be subject to interpretation. When a collision repair professional performs a complete, safe and quality repair, the ambiguous word “recommended” may confuse. A repairer may get rejected for proper payment due to interpretation, or the procedure may not be performed at all. This is wrong! Our industry is better than this. “C’mon, OEMs!”
Insurance companies, please stop questioning scans when they are warranted. Everyone in the industry must understand the what, why and how when it comes to scanning vehicle systems. ADAS, LDWS, automatic braking and the many other sensors and systems require this. If these systems are not adequately addressed, then the vehicles are not going to work correctly. Our ultimate goal at the end of the day is to provide a complete, safe and quality repair. These goals apply to insurance companies as well. Pre- and post-repair scans have been discussed for too long now. We must understand this is part of our industry. Profits over customer safety should never come into play. “C’mon, insurance companies!”
Collision repairers, we must educate the consumer. The old adage, “the customer is always right” does not pertain to the collision repair industry. We must remember that the average customer has purchased a vehicle that they do not fully understand. The technology these vehicles possess is outstanding; they are computers on wheels. The customer relies on us to make decisions for them because they are not in the position to do so due to their lack of understanding. We are the experts in this field, and customers depend on us to be their advocate in the collision repair process. They rely on us to work with their insurance company to get the repairs completed correctly following manufacturers’ procedures. Let us remember to be empathetic and give professional courtesy and knowledge to our customers. We work for the customer, and our professional responsibility is to that customer. “C’mon, collision repair professionals!”
This article is not to upset anyone, but rather to call attention to our “C’mon, man!” moments within the whole collision repair industry. Knowing the weaknesses that affect our businesses will help make our entire industry stronger. We are at a crossroads; now is the time to stop talking about what you are going to do and start doing it. We have been an industry for an exceptionally long time, longer than most, and we continue to provide an excellent service to our customers and our communities. We cannot be afraid to change. Just because it has always been this way is never an excuse to keep doing the same things over and over. This industry will be here for years to come, and we must keep moving forward to survive the changes to come.
“C’mon, collision repair industry!” We can do this!
