“If the issue was caused by the car accident, it’s a valuable find,” he said. “And even if it’s from normal wear and tear, at least you can bring it to the customer’s attention so they can choose to rectify the situation.”
Jim emphasized prioritizing customer safety over making a sale.
“You’re giving back to the customer by assuring you looked at their vehicle in a professionally correct manner,” he added.
Jim also stressed documenting alignments.
“There have been many moments where we’ve done our due diligence by creating a PDF to attach to the electronic file, and months, sometimes years down the road, a customer will have issues and want to confirm our shop performed a proper alignment,” Jim explained. “And this documentation as proof cements the fact that you’re professional and you’re supporting everything you’re doing.”
Jim said Patterson Auto Body continues to use Hunter Engineering products for proper alignments and more because the company is “a leader in innovative modern technology.”
“As this industry evolves, and it’s forever evolving, Hunter Engineering always meets our needs in a professional, timely fashion,” said Jim. “As a small business, having support from a company like Hunter is a relief.”
James added, “The fact that we can text our hands-on support rep, Ryan, in the early evening with an issue and he shows up at 7 a.m. to address those concerns demonstrates the company’s above and beyond dedication.”
Jim also stressed the importance of shops preparing for the future and investing in products like the Hunter Engineering ADASLink® full diagnostic scan tool.
“As of late 2021, 20% of all cars repaired in a collision repair shop needed some form of ADAS recalibration, and by 2023, that number will double. So, by 2025, we’ll be nearing 100%,” he explained. “How can a collision repair shop afford not to be involved in ADAS, not be engaged with it, and not understand it?”
On the mechanical side, Patterson Auto Body uses the Hunter Engineering Road Force® Elite wheel balancer.
“The Road Force® Elite saves us a lot of work because we can check rim diameter and lateral wheel run out to ensure the rims aren’t bent,” said James. “Our state does a wonderful job not filling potholes, so many people say their wheels feel off, bent and twisted, or the bases are scuffed out from hitting curbs. And thanks to Hunter products, we can easily solve these problems.”
Jim shared that Patterson Auto Body is a proud member of the Certified Collision Group (CCG), a national organization of body shop owners.
“We identify companies that can service and support our industry, and Hunter Engineering was recently named as one of our supporting partners."
Hunter Engineering Co.
Thomas Maitz
(314) 716-0469
contact.hunter@hunter.com
www.hunter.com
To read more auto body shop profiles in the October 2022 Shop and Product Showcase, click here.
Abby Andrews