Joint Venture for National Body Shop Certification Announced

Posted on 17. Feb, 2012 by admin in Assured Performance, Biggs Articles, Body Shop Advocate, Collision Industry News, Consumer Advocate, Industry Op-Eds

Since 2005, Assured Performance has been qualifying and certifying shops. Back then, “Qualifying” was enough and did not require the extra expense of onsite inspection. There was no significant value to being “Certified” without a major promotional effort and others recognizing the “Certification.” We certified over 500 shops over the years, but it was not complete coverage of the US and it was not promoted, far and wide.

Times have changed. Now, competition for market share is fiercer than ever. There are far too many shops for the volume of work available. Making matters worse, more and more consumers are being pushed to DRP network shops regardless of the shop quality or their repair quality. Too many are selected based upon the shop agreeing to provide concessions to the insurer, including aftermarket part usage. Far too many DRPs have shops in their networks that do not have what it takes to repair today’s vehicles. Shops that are not qualified in repairing vehicles are even more concerning as we consider future technological advances rapidly appearing on all vehicles – not just the hi-line cars as in the past.

Based upon the looming cloud on the horizon and massive request from our Member shops who want to establish a clear distinction and differentiators between their best-in-class businesses and everyone else, it is time to take a bold step forward. Beginning about 2 years ago, we started to retool our systems and repackaged everything to address the new demands and the challenges that face shops across the US. We added several powerful elements to our program and created an efficient shop on-site inspection process to enable us to provide body shop certification, nationally, and for thousands of shops, and even for many other different entities.

OFFICIAL LAUNCH – Joint Venture for Shop Certification

Assured Performance Network is proud to officially launch a joint venture national body shop “Certification” program. Assured Performance is addressing our goals and objects, but we are also collaborating with other entities to create a massive – far-reaching – high impact solution that will transform the industry and refocus on the consumer and repair safety. The goal is to have a certified shop located within 15 minutes of 98% of the US population. The objective is to have a certified choice for consumers in every community. To provide this demographic coverage of the United States, we will Certify at least 2,500 collision repairers – anything much less leaves significant holes where consumers will be left out.

CERTIFIED ONCE, RECOGNIZED BY MANY

Assured Performance is providing our certification and third-party administration capabilities to other networks and organizations wanting to recognize which shops can provide safe repairs and deliver an exceptional consumer experience. It makes sense. To excel far beyond anything ever done, our certification efforts are a joint venture where multiple credible organizations recognize those shops that can meet generally recognized standards or criteria. Together, we are identifying those shops that have the right tools, equipment, training and facilities – This initiative will allow consumers and everyone else to know which shops can ensure the fit, finish, durability, safety, and value of their automobiles – now and in the future.

Our strategy is straight-forward. By using one Certification process for multiple organizations, we are able to eliminate redundant costs. This makes Certification highly affordable for shops that want to make the grade. Another benefit is that once a shop is Certified, they will be recognized and promoted by multiple entities which exponentially enhances the shop’s credibility. We are collectively adding more value to the shop’s brand – at a time when others are trying to erase it.

The “Certifying” standards we are using are a culmination of widely recognized industry standards. We have also added requirements from various OEMs and other organizations so one set of requirements fits all of the strategic partners leveraging this single approach.
To keep the questions relevant and streamlined, we have eliminated redundant criteria that is already required and enforced by federal, state and local laws. We have also avoided anything related to repair re-inspection and expensive ongoing repair verification. There are over 60 requirements to become Certified. Several of the key requirements are:
• a written lifetime warranty, supported by the national Network,
• use of a third-party CSI provider,
• use of a 220-volt 3-phase Squeeze-type Resistance Spot Welder,
• to provide consumers with a “Certificate of Authenticity,”
• I-CAR Gold Class designation,
• use of “OE repair procedures” with electronic documentation as proof.

Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is

Obviously, we have been a loud and zealous advocate of using repair standards to repair today’s automobiles. The survey we took of our Members said loud and clear that our Members believe in repair standards and we already declared that OE repair procedures are our repair standards. Therefore, we had to make using OE repair procedures part of being certified. It is a requirement!

Since our survey showed that a vast majority of our Members wanted the ability to document the use of OE repair procedures with a “proof of compliance” we added that as a requirement, too. Now our Members have the extra benefit for better customer service and far better documentation for liability exposure.

We also added the requirements like participation in a nationwide warranty program. This is great news for our shops. Now, they have the ability to work with other “Certified Collision Care Providers” to fix an issue anywhere in the country if they ever need it. It is a rarity, but important if you ever need it.

Each organization that recognizes the shops becoming certified will offer various benefits to the shop. For example, they will be recognized and promoted as a “Certified Collision Care Provider” by Assured Performance and automatically receive shop-branded VIP Collision Care loyalty cards. The shops will also receive other tools to enhance their relationship with their customers, giving them a unique competitive advantage in their local market, increasing their brand value.

COST OF – ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND COST REDUCTION:

As we were rebuilding the Certification program, we found out the real cost to do the whole process even without a profit is at least $5,000 per shop (Assured Performance is a non-profit organization)! If a shop has to pay that for several automakers and other organizations, they could be faced with $100,000 in redundant costs and extra requirements. We set out to find a way to reduce the cost and make it affordable for everyone.

To make Certification affordable for shops and other entities, Assured Performance leverages our massive size with thousands of shop Co-Op Members to achieve “economies of scale.” Furthermore, by collaborating with other organizations, we are eliminating redundant costs. Then, we are able to combine our administrative efforts with 100% Write and the Co-Op rebate management for efficiency. As a result, we are able to create a subsidy, lowering the hard cost to less than $2,000. Then, we allow our shops to use their rebate funds to pay for the certification, training, and even tools and equipment required. This makes the entire program and meeting the requirements a “no cost” proposition for our Members. Keep in mind, most of our Members can generate over ten thousand dollars annually from just the 100% Write Rebate Reward program by using 100% OEM parts to make a repair.

Now we have added, GM, Nissan, Chrysler, Ford and several others to the 100% Write program. Member shops also gain rebates from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and several other leading vendors. In just the last several years, Assured Performance has funneled millions of rebate dollars from multiple OEMs back to our members through programs like the 100% Write Rebate Reward program.

THE FUTURE

In the future, we will invite and add more and more strategic partners to leverage our joint-venture certification program. We will also add other criteria, elevating our network of Certified Collision Care Providers. We will collectively promote that network to consumers in every way possible based upon the right tools, equipment, training and facilities – This initiative will allow consumers and everyone else to know which shops can ensure the fit, finish, durability, safety, and value of their automobiles – now and in the future.