Month: December 2019

Why Use an Independent Auto Body Shop?

Posted on by Cline Collision Center

Had an accident? In need of auto body repair? We know how stressful it is to navigate the stress of insurance claims. Especially when insurers float “preferred” body shops to you.

Why do insurers hand out this status and what does it mean to you? Shops that are preferred by insurers often have mixed loyalties. They need to keep you happy, but their monetary alliance is to insurers who tell shops to make repairs within narrow cost windows for parts and labor.

This is good for insurers. They are better able to control the repair costs incurred by motorists. This is also good for shops that are preferred. They get more business sent their way. Can you guess who it isn’t good for?

Customers are the only ones shortchanged in this setup. Shops are going to be much more motivated to keep a giant corporation satisfied than they are in giving you the quality repairs you need. Most insurers don’t require preferred shops to use OEM parts. In the name of efficiency, your car will get repaired with aftermarket parts that may not fit or function as well as the originals.

In fact, many insurers will try to sway you from going to non-preferred shops. Unfortunately, they have it backward. You pay a solid chunk of money each month so that the insurance company will restore your vehicle after an accident. Rather than try to control cost at your expense, they should ensure that body shops give you top-quality repairs. 

We remain independent and prefer to work for you! We use the right parts installed the right way with the right tools and equipment! Why would you trust your vehicle to cut-rate shops your insurer prefers? Who is looking out for your safety? The pros at Cline Collision Center will bring your vehicle back to pre-collision condition. We offer a full slate of autobody services, from dent removal to high-end painting and auto detailing. Contact us online or call us at 707-591-9909 for fully guaranteed repairs for your damaged car or truck.

OEM Certification Requires Culture Shift for Body Shops

Posted on by Cline Collision Center

There’s a giant gap between body shops willing to invest in the training, tools, and equipment to perform proper repairs and those that aren’t, according to a recent article in Body Shop Business. Experts note that there are a relative handful of really good autobody shops in the county. After those elite shops, there is a steep decline.  

For those that aren’t there yet, getting up to date and staying there is an uphill climb.

First, there is the cost. Training requires technicians to take time away from the repairs that make money for shops. Acquiring proper tools and state-of-the-art equipment isn’t cheap either. It requires a culture shift away from short-term profits to long term thinking.

Management has to completely change their thinking. They need to switch from relentlessly maximizing productive hours and bottom-line numbers to building a new blueprint for estimating and parts procurement that includes new training and equipment.   

Why does this culture shift need to happen now?

Technology is changing so quickly that shops not investing now will only fall further behind. Owners who don’t put money into training, tools, and equipment is guaranteeing poor quality for their customers.

This isn’t just about money. It is also about mindset. For those that have been in business 20 years, they may resist these changes. “I know what I’m doing,” they say. But this opposition will leave them unprepared as the auto industry hurtles forward.

Experts suggest that everyone in the shop needs to be willing to learn. Approaching the business as a perpetual student is the only way to give customers and their cars the safe reliable service they need. As the rate of technological change increases, so does the need for education and equipment that moves shops into the future.

Cline Collision Center continues to invest so that it is an elite autobody shop now, as well as in the future. We are FCA US Certified. This guarantees that we use OEM parts in repairs, ensuring fit and function you can depend on. It also tells you our technicians are trained to restore your vehicle to pre-collision condition. We are also certified by Ford, Chrysler-Fiat, Hyundai, Infinity/Nissan, Kia and Honda for services including auto detailing, dent removal, and exact-match painting. Contact us online or call us at 707-591-9909 today!