Scott Hillery, owner of Auto Park Collision in Escondido, CA, said it’s tough growing alone in Southern California and associations like CAA and SCRS help keep shops informed about what matters in their businesses.
“Being active in CAA gives me different perspectives on running my business,” said Hillery. “My fellow owners want to improve the industry while making a profit and we tend to share best practices when asked.”
“Our collision repair industry continues to change at a rapid pace and understanding the impact that these changes have on our businesses is critical,” said Daniel Panduro, director of operations for CARSTAR Sun Valley in Sun Valley, CA.
Panduro said being associated with local and regional associations is one way shop owners and managers can educate themselves proactively instead of being forced to react to issues that affect their teams and families.
“It’s our responsibility as leaders in our businesses and industry to be the driving force of change so that the effects of it positively impact what we do and who we are, rather than simply wait for things to happen to us,” said Panduro. “As our friend and mentor Mike Anderson of Collision Advice often says, ‘Be the wind that blows that flag in the direction that you want it to go and not the flag that sits idle waiting for the wind to blow it in a certain direction.’”
Martinez said future plans include hosting meetings that are important to the industry. “Most of us are ‘in the saddle’ and see firsthand the issues plaguing our industry,” he said. “The CAA is an excellent resource for the latest issues, and they provide value by fighting for us little people. Whether it be legislative issues or value items like access to the labor rate surveys, the CAA is always at the forefront.”
To download the Blend Study Report: A comparative analysis between full refinish and blend operations, visit www.scrs.com/blendstudy.
For more information about CAA, email info@calautobody.com or call 916-557-8100 ext. 1.
Stacey Phillips Ronak