I-CAR is an international not-for-profit organization founded in 1979 with a vision that every person in the collision repair industry has the information, knowledge, and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer.
I-CAR works with all segments of the collision repair industry including body shops, insurers, and vehicle manufacturers by developing and delivering collision repair training.
This fall, I-CAR is poised once again to enhance the collision repair industry with the launch of BodyShopology.com, a website and shop locator tool dedicated to ensuring drivers who need premier collision repair services performed by a trained or credentialed shop are immediately connected with the right shop for the right job. With the click of a button (and typing in a zip code) on a computer or mobile device, Bodyshopology identifies shops with the proper training to repair today’s advanced vehicles in a given radius of the user, connecting drivers to certified facilities (with an I-CAR Gold Class preference), offering immediate peace of mind and a viable means to fix their car after a fender bender takes them out of commission.
I-CAR Director of Marketing Stacey Wesselink discusses what makes Bodyshopology the latest and greatest innovation from I-CAR on behalf of who the organization cares about most—you.
How long has BodyShopology been in development?
BodyShopology.com represents several years of research and development, as it’s designed to create a new consumer conversation dedicated to truly educating the driving public about the value of training in their repair considerations. Bodyshopology.com is comprised of a network of more than 8,100 trained and credentialed shops—including I-CAR Gold Class® shops and shops within the participating networks. The previous I-CAR Gold Class locator moved to BodyShopology, and all Gold Class shops are automatically added to BodyShopology.com when Gold Class is achieved.
Will more insurers and OEMs get on board?
Yes, absolutely. The two organizations that are participating in BodyShopology.com out of the gate are merely the first; we are working diligently with the industry to grow our participants, enhancing the locator’s overall value. BodyShopology was created to unify the industry for the ultimate benefit of the consumer, and we are confident that more will join us on this mission.
What distinguishes BodyShopology from other locators?
While there are many locators on the market, BodyShopology.com is designed to complement— not compete—with other services on the market. I-CAR’s neutrality sets BodyShopology.com apart from the rest; we’re truly trying to create a new conversation/dialogue for the driving public by providing consumer education on the importance of a proper repair for their vehicle, especially in this new era of complex, advanced vehicles.
From the family sedan to SUV crossovers and pickup trucks, today’s vehicles are more complex than ever before. Many use advanced, lightweight metals and alloys, and the term “computers on wheels” isn’t a stretch of the truth at all. The materials and electronics within represent complex repair challenges, so knowing you have a trained or credentialed shop repairing your fender bender is crucial to safe and responsible driving, not only for you, but for your loved ones, passengers and other commuters around you.
BodyShopology stresses three aspects of contemporary collision repair: Know your vehicle, training is important, and credentials matter.
How does BodyShopology.com align with new objectives or curriculum updates with even better training?
According to I-CAR data, approximately 65 percent of the nation’s body shops are not training; that’s two out of three shops. With the pace of technology in the industry today, the importance of complete, safe and quality repairs cannot be overstated. That’s why we’ve introduced an Even Better I-CAR, to help the industry meet the needs of consumers in an increasingly fast-paced world. It’s also why we’ve launched BodyShopology.com to educate consumers and let them know that while cost and proximity are important considerations for considering a body shop, so, too, are a shop’s training and credentials.
BodyShopology is also on Facebook and Instagram (#BSO). Is I-CAR signaling a move toward a younger demographic—tomorrow’s drivers—with social media?
We’re deploying a fully integrated multimedia marketing campaign designed to reach all consumers. Our social channels provide additional opportunities to reach drivers with fresh, relevant content that empowers them to move beyond exclusive considerations such as price and to also consider a shop’s training or credentials.
What else can you reveal about Bodyshopology.com and I-CAR’s commitment to safe driving and quality repair?
Many drivers don’t know that two out of three body shops are not training. In today’s era of vehicle technology and complexity, it’s more important now than ever before to have the up-to-date, relevant training to repair a consumer’s specific vehicle. BodyShopology.com is powered by I-CAR in that it truly unifies the industry in elevating the value of training for consumers, and that ties directly to I-CAR’s 40-year mission of providing collision repair training and education that contributes to complete, safe and quality repairs for consumers.
There are more than 275 million estimated vehicles on the road today and over 6 million accidents per year. To ensure maximum safety, check out Bodyshopology.com.
