As the years passed new ideas were introduced on vehicles, new equipment became necessary, and business expectations changed. Technology demanded we learn new techniques with different tools, and the standard of what was expected increased. These changes were treated as opportunities for some, and the demise for others. The one thing that has been consistent in this industry is that change is constant – and will continue with or without us.
Even today, I am sure your refinishers would agree that their spray guns are a vital tool in their specific toolbox as they have been for more than 80 years. However, I am sure they are no longer Binks Model 7's or Sharp 75's. They may have also converted from single stage applications to base/clear and multi-layer systems, from low solid solvent systems to high solids and even waterborne. They also may have gone from air dry systems to heated forced air dry, with brief stops using infrared or ultraviolet dry – and possibly now to the forced non-heated air dry with some paint systems.
I'm also sure your metal technicians must use welding methods to attach many panels today, but I'm also equally sure they aren't using an oxyacetylene torch to accomplish it. Even though the required techniques to attach these panels are changing to adhesives or resistance spot welding in many cases, our industry as a whole has a very low percentage of qualified GMAW (MIG) welders even though the qualification test for this has been in place for almost 20 years.
In business the rules also have changed – partly due to what customers expect, and partly due to what we as an industry allowed to take place. I have talked with many shop owners that feel the greatest mistake for our industry was embracing direct repair programs. That is close to a small town grocery owner saying that super markets were the greatest mistake in their industry, or the Internet was the greatest mistake for video stores. Of course, when you are in any of these industries you may feel that those statements are 100 percent accurate. Unfortunately, you have to realize that these changes were not just driven by those who introduced them, but the changes were inevitable.
Today much of what is taking placing is creating an uncertainty of what the future may bring. Our industry is affected by many factors, many of which are out of our control. However many are in our control if we continue to focus on our customer, the vehicle owners. The vehicle owner relies on us to make the right decisions for their vehicles. It is no one else's responsibility to do this, regardless of what is said or heard otherwise.
We as an industry are now moving to recognized repair standards, this again will be an opportunity for some and the demise for others. The commitment to these standards will certainly separate those shops that can do what they claim to do, verses the ones that cannot. It also will allow for a mutual understanding of what the expectations are for proper repairs in a very specific sense. This is something we have not had to account for in our repair estimates and final bills in the past.
As our industry continues to change, I recommend you look at these changes not as a burden for your business and technicians, but as an opportunity to get clarity of a part of our future.
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