Some pain and suffering is necessary if you are going to achieve real change.

Shops need to embrace new technology to reach out to customers and improve their service.

Shops spend so much time trying to please insurers and turn a profit that they often overlook offering true cutomer service.

A recent vehicle extrication class sponsored by a collision repair shop proved popular with more than just local emergency responders. Two television crews also showed up, although for a slightly different reason.

Shops essentially gave away their industry to insurers when they refused to get involved with associations, raise their training standards and signed DRP agreements without considering their full impact.

For attendees of the opening session of the I-CAR Annual Industry Conference in Washington D.C., guest speaker Dr. Martin Regalia, Vice President for Economic and Tax Policy and Chief Economist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, had some good news and some bad news. The good news: The recession is finally bottoming out and economic recovery is slowly beginning. The bad news: The recession is just now bottoming out and recovery is slowly beginning.

Running a lean shop means fully committing to lean philosophy and methodology.

NEW YORK - Longer cycle times and larger logistical challenges when procuring parts could be among the fallout from the financial difficulties faced by cash-squeezed automakers. A shrinking network of dealerships providing original equipment may spark heightened specification of alternative aftermarket and used parts, according to industry panelists at a recent forum hosted by BB&T Capital Markets in New York City.

Creating a green shop makes good business sense.