This week you will have the opportunity to become the Bill Gates of a new Collision Repair Industry. Everyone is so unhappy with how the collision industry operates it only makes sense that we take a look at what the industry might look like if you were going to design how it works from the beginning. So for the purpose of our little experiment we will assume that the industry does not exist. Cars that have been wrecked in the past all go to the scrap yard; no car is repaired (there aren't any re-cyclers because everything is crushed). The insurance industry and government has decided this is a very costly waste of money so they are looking for ideas on how to establish a new industry that would actually repair the fleet.

Today, I will outline some of my thoughts on a variety of subjects that you should consider if you have any ideas on designing this new industry. Of course I won't have covered everything so I am looking for any topic that I might have missed or your disagreement with anything I have covered. We will also take a look at where our industry really stands right now on the issues we will discuss. Lets get started:

EDUCATION: Education would consist of technical and business management. Just like a doctor or lawyer a prospective body shop owner would have to attend school so they understand how to repair a car properly and how to run a business. Since we are starting from the beginning a shop owner would have to attend the same technical training that would be required of technicians wanting to enter the trade. The training would consist of a combination of classroom and hands-on. Tech or owner would have to pass both written and hands-on tests. Business management courses would be extensive including simple items like how to like deal with customers and insurance companies, owners would also have to learn how to write a business plan. Of course passing grades on written tests for each course would be required. Since good wages and profit would result from this education it would not be difficult to find people wanting to enter the trade. Once in business owners and techs would be required to take so many credits of continued education each year to stay current with technology.

Simply by having all owners and technicians properly trained there will be the foundation in place for a more efficient industry. Of course standards of repair will be part of the whole process so there will be no question about the proper way to repair a vehicle.

TODAY, on EDUCATION. We all know that this is a very weak area in the collision industry. ICAR classes are good, but everybody doesn't attend. Also, all insurers don't follow what is taught in the classroom plus there is very little hands-on. Business management is a laugh. Only a small percentage of shop owners have taken any classes or looked for advance training. Those that have seem to take every class that is offered. So some people understand how to run a shop while others depend on luck to survive.

LICENSING: If you are a professional you most likely welcome licensing because it gives policing powers to your industry. A licensing law must be more than a method for the licensing authority to collect fees. The authority, either government or a group with oversight power like the BAR association, must be willing to dole out penalties, fines or take away licenses of those that break the rules established by the industry itself. Technicians would most likely have a number of licenses depending on their skill level and what tasks they have been licensed to perform. The repair facility should also be licensed. We will go over some of the requirements in a later section. The owner would have a license for his technical knowledge along with a license in business management. The licensing authority should have an arbitration panel and a system of appeal if there are disagreements between technician, owner and the licensing authority.

TODAY on LICENSING. Very few states have shop and mechanic licensing or certification and even those that do are set up more for consumer protection than they are for improving the industry.

ROLE OF ASSOCIATIONS: If the industry is going to have any power their trade associations must be well funded and represent the opinions of the majority of their members. The associations would establish the requirements to be a member (if this can be done legally) and all shops would have to meet the criteria. Dues would be sufficient to fund all the association programs without the association having to spend time on golf outings, raffles and other moneymaking programs to pay the bills. Dues might be as high as $2,000 or more per year plus each member would be expected to contribute to the association PAC fund. Insurers would only do business with those shops that are members of a recognized national trade association (once again if they can find a way to make this legal). Associations would represent the industry interests with suppliers, manufacturers and training organizations. Of course their biggest role would be lobbying in Washington and the states.

TODAY on ASSOCIATIONS. I know that all associations say they represent everybody, but you would have to be a fool to believe that is true. There are too many members who are so far out in their thinking that they really discourage progress. There is no way you could represent these folks. Anybody can be a member of any trade group. They cannot turn you down. This is bad because frankly everybody shouldn't be allowed to be a member. The biggest problem that today's associations have is they don't have enough money thus they are forced to run trade shows, raffles, and other money making activities to stay afloat. I remember how much valuable time was wasted running an annual golf tournament because it was a moneymaker. That time should have been used to help overcome the problems of the industry. Look at the national ASA office or the office of your state organization. How many people, especially with national, are responsible for programs that's sole purpose is to make money to keep the association going.