Q&A Regarding Our Positioning on “Repair Standards” and I-CAR as the Review Council

Posted on 01. Dec, 2011 by admin.

QUESTION 1 of 6: The SCRS, ASA, Assured Performance Network, and AASP and 24 other Associations have publicly declared OEM repair procedures to be the industry’s standards for repair processes. What exactly does this mean? How much weight does it carry when prominent organizations like these make such a declaration?

Unfortunately, our industry has never officially declared OEM repair procedures as our repair standards regardless of the fact the industry uses them to create training, testing, course design, educational programs, documentation and even software products. The only true way to officially make this declaration is by those that represent repairers. Remember, only repairers use repair procedures and therefore repair standards. Having each of the leading trade organizations and nearly all of the state Associations unanimously and publicly support this position removes any doubt that it is official.

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Now, They are Trying to Hi-Jack Repair Standards!

Posted on 11. Nov, 2011 by admin.

…Over the last 5 years, CIC has toiled with “Repair Standards” as a topic for their committees. I have sounded like a broken record for over 7 years at every meeting hounding the attendees on how much we desperately need repair standards defined. Consider that while the industry has continuously debated the need for repair standards, we have yet to tackle the most fundamental action that is needed as a first and decisive step. We have been so busy wrestling over the questions like inspections and creating and funding new independent entities, we overlooked taking the first steps.

Most assume OEM repair procedures are the default standards. We all know that OEM repair procedures are currently the foundation for training development, testing, vo-tech programs, documentation and more. Regardless, we as an industry have never officially established that OEM is our default repair standards. It may seem obvious and fundamental, but without having ever made the official declaration, it leaves room for others to try to claim they set the standards. The repair community is exposed and vulnerable to the self-interest of others with differing agendas. Until recently, that was not really a concern. Now, the special interest of a few are trying to hi-jack the industry’s repair standards efforts and create an entity completely controlled by them …while it leaves everyone else subservient to their whims … and subject to whatever they plan to charge everyone.

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A Matter of Life or Death: Do you really want to kill your customer?

Posted on 24. Aug, 2010 by biggs.

All hell broke lose in late January when a demonstration by Toby Chess at the CIC meeting illustrated clearly that at least some aftermarket structural parts are constructed with an inferior weight and grade of metal making them potentially life-threatening to use. Until now, I have refrained from commenting on the friction between [...]

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If the shoe fits, wear it! Another Industry Dirty Little Secret Exposed

Posted on 18. Feb, 2010 by biggs.

“…not all paint companies nor Jobbers use deceptive pricing and unfair trade practices. Some do and they are the point of this article and my last. Jobbers that provide a valuable and fairly priced product and service are great partners for body shops of all sizes. Good Jobbers are critical links in the current distribution model and will have a lasting place in the changing market in the future. On the other hand, businesses that are using unfair trade practices and deceptive selling tactics to fraud unknowing shops should not have any place in the future of our evolving collision repair industry. Price fixing, double sheeting, and lying have should have no place in an industry of excellence. And, if the shoe fits, wear it. If not, rejoice that someone is exposing another industry dirty little secret that gives us all a black eye and bad reputation by association. “

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