NACE | CARS Show Daily, Saturday, August 2, 2014

After a long week jam-packed withevent after event, ASA and StoneFort Group leaders sat in front ofreporters Friday and described theshow as a resounding success.

“In a nutshell, we are absolutelythrilled with the outcome of theshow,” said Darrell Amberson,chairman of ASA. “The attendancehere on the floor, the educationtrack, and the peripheral meetings

were all great. There were very fewcomplaints, and lots of accolades.”

Dan Risley, president and execu-tive director, supported Amberson’sview, stating they were thrilled withthe outcome after not knowingwhat to expect.

“We had hoped for the best. Wegot the exhibitor support early,which helped. We weren’t sure whatthe registration numbers were go-

SHOW DAILY

Saturday, AUGUST 2, 2014 Today’s events

MECHANICAL SESSIONS

8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.140C — How to DiagnoseP0420s & P0430s (Catalyst Be-low Threshold) DTCs140D — NEW! Understanding theMysteries of Chrysler Diagnos-tics140B — NEW! Sensor and Acu-tators Diagnosis and Testing,Powered by Bosch, Young Tech-nician’s Symposium, Part 3 of 4

12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.140C — Effective Use of Diag-nostic Resources140D — NEW! Ford EcoBoost,Sync and Integrated DiagnosticSystem; Ford’s Total ApproachFrom Design to Diagnosis 140B — NEW! Braking Technol-ogy; ABS, Traction Control andPredictive Braking Operation,Service and Diagnostic Funda-mentals, Powered by Bosch,Young Technician’s Symposium,Part 4 of 4

I-CAR ADD-ON EDUCATION

8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.140A — 2015 Ford F-150 Struc-tural Repair Training Course

ASA Leadership Thrilled at Outcome of Show

C2 NACE | CARS Show Daily 2014 ● Saturday, August 2

ing to be, and I’ll tell you early on itwas a little scary. But the last threemonths, it went way up. The onlyunknown was the walk-in traffic.We had the numbers on the floor,and the numbers on preregistrationwhich were up over 35 percent, andwe wanted to see what the walk-intraffic would be. If you ask the ex-hibitors, they would support our as-sertion that it was a very successfulshow, not because we’re saying it,but because the vendors felt it.”

Brian Nessen, co-founder ofStone Fort Group, the managementcompany that put on the show,commented on the type of atten-dees they had sought.

“The direction from the ASAboard and leadership was not to fo-cus on the number of attendees inbody count but the quality of atten-dees,” he said. “It was very key toget shop owners and decision mak-

ers to get on the floor to look atequipment and ways to improvetheir shops to prepare for modernautos. That equipment is here onthe floor, and the people who werehere are the most progressive shopowners, and that was our goal.”

Risley commented on the choiceof Detroit for this year’s show.

“One thing we looked to accom-plish by having it in Detroit washaving a show for the industry,about the industry, and we wantedpeople to participate on the showfloor. Not that we didn’t want themto enjoy the city, but we wantedthem here, in the demo area andclassrooms. If you spent any timeon the floor or hit a class, you sawthat the people who attended actu-ally participated.”

Regarding the high participation,Risley said the demo area was sosuccessful that they’re planning on

expanding it in 2015.“Quite a few exhibitors were a lit-

tle upset frankly that they didn’t geta chance to participate after seeingthe success it had and asked if theycould be considered in that areanext year,” Risley said.

Amberson said the huge numberof events from the classes to thetours to the symposiums was in-tentional.

“We knew from the beginning wehad two stigmas to overcome: thestigma of Detroit and a decliningshow in the past. It was our hopethat we would have such high qual-ity exhibits, tours and educationaltracks and knowing we may disap-point some people because we hadso many activities. We were franklyhoping to hear the complaint thatthere were too many things to do -what a nice, refreshing change fromthe past! Our hope was that people

2 NACE | CARS Show Daily 2014 ● Saturday, August 2

who were here would go home andsay what I experienced was great, Icouldn’t get to everything, and De-troit was great, and cause the showto be bigger next year.”

Risley praised the local supportfor the show during the OpeningGeneral Session on Thursday, andreiterated his comments at theclose of the show Friday.

“If you walked the show floor, youprobably saw that a state trooperwas present both days with his ve-hicle. That wasn’t hired security,that was a state trooper volunteer-ing his time to be here to show thatthe state of Michigan cared aboutour show. Through your trailsthroughout the week in Detroit, ifyou didn’t experience a good thingwith a cab driver, someone whoworked at the hotel or someonewho worked at the Cobo Center, itwould be a surprise. We have con-tinued to receive nice feedbackfrom folks who said the peoplewere really nice. It almost seemedthe people here were in a customerservice class on what it takes towin people back because theymade a tremendous effort - not be-cause of Darrell or Dan, but be-cause they care about and have alot of pride in their city.”

Risley said for next year, adding aSaturday is under serious consider-ation due to many requests fromexhibitors and attendees.

“We’re going to consider a Satur-day next year because we had a lotof requests. But when Darrell and Ihad to make the announcementthat we were going to move theshow to Detroit, we knew mostpeople would be like, are you sure?And then if we were going to tellthem we were going to hold it ninemonths later in the summer, theywould say are you sure again. Andif you guys were at Mandalay Baynine months ago and saw howsmall the show floor was and sawthe traffic, and then we told you wewere going to go to a three-dayshow in summer in Detroit, I’m not

sure a lot of people would havesupported us right out of the gate.But we’re very happy to say wehave had many exhibitors say, why

not Saturday, due to all the activitythey saw this year on the floor.”

Nessen said the Thursday-Fridaytiming also tied in with the atten-dees the show was targeting.

“The people who can take Thurs-day and Friday are usually thehigher level decision makers.”

Risley wouldn’t say for sure if the2015 show would come back toDetroit, but he said based on feed-back that he feels there is a 90-pluspercent chance it will.

“Our exhibitors are asking us ifwe’re going to come back here, andwe’re saying do you want us tocome back here? Because ulti-mately, if they’re happy, we’rehappy. We’re happy and could sayDetroit, but if we go around and talkto our big exhibitors and they say itwasn’t a good show and we didn’tlike the venue, then it doesn’t mat-ter what we like. But we haven’theard that.”

For the sake of being accurateand transparent, the trio would notgive out attendance numbers as afinal tally hadn’t been completedyet. But Amberson did say regis-

tered attendance was up close to75 percent over last year, and theyexpected that number to climbonce the final numbers were in.Last year, there were roughly 5,000registered attendees. At the time ofthe press conference (4:00 p.m. Fri-day), Nessen said they were gettingpeople registering 45 minutes prior.

As far as exhibitor space, theCobo Center has a total of 148,000total square feet, and the show hadjust under 50,000 square feet of ex-hibit space filled, not including thedemo areas. Last year, it was24,000 square feet. Including thedemo areas, the number was justover 71,000 square feet. There were180 exhibitors total.

“A lot of the exhibitors took achance this year,” said Risley. “Theysaid we will give you one morechance. We felt the pressure, butwe made a lot of changes to re-spond to those needs, and I thinkthe attendees and exhibitors haveequally responded back with an af-firmation that was positive. If yousaw the demo areas, which was anew thing at this show that wecan’t do anywhere else in the coun-try, people were flocking to the backof the show floor and filling thoseseats. It’s an interactive showabout the industry. Also, if you wereat last year’s show, we had somepeople who had a booth but werenot relevant to our business. Thisyear, 98 percent of what you sawwas relevant to our business.”

The Collision Industry Confer-ence (CIC) and I-CAR Annual Con-ference contributed to making thisweek a true “industry week,” andRisley said CIC has verbally com-mitted to follow the show whereverit goes, and I-CAR will be makingtheir decision as to whether to holdtheir annual conference next year in the same city/timeframe asNACE | CARS within the next 30days. I-CAR has, however, verballycommitted to being back in thestage area of the show next year asit was this year.


By Chris Crowell

The NACE | CARS 2014 Conferenceisn’t just about the next great toolor the latest technical information,it’s also about running a bettershop. Key to running a better shopis improving customer service andemploying a motivated, profes-sional team. These issues were thefocus of Kim Trochlil, national ac-count manager for Leadership 3p,during her Wednesday presentationon strategic leadership.

What is situational leadership? Ac-cording to Trochlil, it all comes downto understanding others and adapt-ing both service levels and manage-ment styles to accommodate eachindividual personality. This is cer-tainly no small task, but Trochlil pro-vided a framework to consider.

For improving customer service

First, remember that customersusually dread buying vehicle repairservices and walk in ready to re-ceive no gratification, which alreadyputs your shop at a disadvantageservice-wise.

Trochlil said to start by movingaway from the concept of customersatisfaction and toward the conceptof loyalty. Satisfaction implies that acustomer got what it paid for — nomore, no less. Will this customer re-turn or refer your shop to someoneelse? Maybe. But a customer whomakes a positive emotional connec-tion you’re your shop is more likely tobe loyal, return for service and con-sistently refer your shop.

“What you do and sell is not rare;it’s everywhere, and I can go toanyone at any time. Why would I goto any of you?” Trochlil asked. “Theworld is built on trying to grab yourattention, the only way to fight thatis with loyalty.”

As a shorthand, Trochlil divided

people into four basic, broad cate-gories: directors, relaters, thinkersand socializers. After a customerwalks in your door, successfullygrouping him or her into one ofthese categories, and then match-ing your approach to their expecta-tions, could mean the differencebetween a loyal customer, a merelysatisfied customer or, potentially, adissatisfied customer.

Directors are open and direct.They are strong-willed, practicaland efficient. They prefer controland would like choices. Deal infacts, be clear and get to the point.

Relaters are open and indirect.For them, it’s about trust and care.Be casual and slower with a relater.Interact with their kids, be sincereand don’t rush them.

Thinkers are private and indirect.Thinkers are about the process.They’d like to analyze and see thefacts. Stick to business and provideevidence. Best to avoid being toocasual.

Socializers are open and direct.This is the person that tells youtheir life story within five minutes.Ask their opinions, get to knowthem and quickly make it fun. Don’tget too technical and cold.

Trochlil said each of these fourcategories are an equal, one-fourthof the population. Keep this in mindwhen mapping out best practicesfor your service approach.

For improving managerial skills

Trochlil summed up situationalleadership like this: “Understand thesituation you want to influence,adapt your behavior to meet theneeds of the situation, and commu-nicate in a way people will under-stand and accept.”

Again, Trochlil sees situational

leadership in four quadrants: telling,selling, participating and delegating.

Telling is a high-task, low-rela-tionship approach, often the ap-proach you’d have with brand newemployees. Here’s how this is done,here’s where this is, etc.

Selling is a high-task, high-rela-tionship approach. The employeeunderstands the process, but nowyou’ve added more conversation.

Participating is a high-relation-ship, low-task approach. Hopefullythe employee has progressed to thepoint where you mostly check in onthe work while having more conver-sations about life and interests.

Delegating is low-relationshipand low-task. You can basicallygolf everyday and know everythingwill be fine.

“Just because you are a managerdoesn’t mean you are a leader,”Trochlil said. Management is a title,focused on goals and forecasts,something Trochlil called positionpower. This person is just a boss.She encouraged moving the linemore to personal power when pos-sible, where trust develops betweenthe boss and the employee.

Each of these approaches de-pends on where that employee is.Are they an enthusiastic beginner?A developing learner? A challengingperformer? Trochlil noted that situ-ational leadership means you mightneed to move back from a partici-pator to a seller if there is a newprocess, or if that employee hasstarted slipping.

“To do all of this you need leader-ship — moving away from com-mand and control to adevelopmental approach,” Trochlilsaid. “How can I help you today?What’s the challenge today, and I’llfind a way to make it right.”

The path to shop growth is adaptable leadership, service


CCC Information Services (CCC) in-troduced a newly designed CCCONE Mobile solution at NACE |CARS, designed to offer a morestreamlined experience for users.

Designed for the iPhone, the CCCONE Mobile app offers dozens of en-hancements, including QR code andVIN scanning, smart photo data cap-ture and automatic photo labeling.CCC ONE Mobile is free for repair fa-cility users of CCC ONE Estimatingwith Digital Imaging enabled.

“Moving quickly and efficientlyaround a vehicle during the check-in process means getting morecars in the door on any given day,”said Joseph Allen, GM, CCC’s au-

tomtive services group. “Our CCCONE Mobile app has been en-hanced with smart technology fea-tures and an intuitive design to helpin the data capturing process, sav-ing time and making life a little eas-ier for repairers. Today’sannouncement is another exampleof power of the CCC ONE singleplatform and the ability to addfunctionality to the CCC ONE familyof solutions. We’re also affirmingour commitment and investment inmobile technology, which will allowus to bring even more functionalityto more devices in the future.”

Key enhancements of the CCCONE Mobile app include:

● Automatic Photo Labeling - Pho-tos taken with the CCC ONE Mo-bile app are automatically labeled,saving time on each workfile. Forexample, when users tap the lefttop photo placeholder to capturethe photo, it will automatically la-bel it “Left Front.”

● Smart Photo Data – The CCCONE Mobile app prompts repair-ers to input the odometer readingwhen a picture of the odometer istaken. The app also prompts fordata input after taking a picture ofthe fuel gauge and license plate.

Students from SaginawCareer Complex, a$50,000 CREF grantwinner, meet ChipFoose at the 3MAutomotiveAftermarket Divisionbooth. (L-R) SavannahLintz, I-CARscholarship winner,Corey Castillo, ChipFoose, Kurt Chrysler,instructor, JonathanWieland, Tyler Dillard

Chip Foose also did a special designon Lintz’ shop shirt.

CCC Information Services Presents Redesigned Mobile Solution


The National Auto Body Council(NABC) donated four RecycledRides to local individuals and an or-ganization in need during two pre-sentations held Thursday, July 31and Friday, Aug. 1 at NACE | CARS.

The recipients were:● Ernest Matthews, a U.S. military

veteran nominated by theMichigan Veterans Associationwho received a refurbished2007 Saturn Outlook XR to helphim get to a new job and collegeclasses. The vehicle was do-nated by Allstate and repairedby Service King in Livonia.

● Latoya Seales, a widowedmother of two who was ren-dered homeless after her hus-band’s untimely death and wasnominated by Family Promiseof Genesee County. She re-ceived a refurbished 2010Hyundai Sonata donated byAllstate and repaired by Tech-Cor Collision Repair Center.

● Deb Gregory, a survivor of do-mestic abuse who will use her2012 Chrysler 200LX to findstable employment and even-tually take college courses.The vehicle was donated byHertz and Collision Craftsmen.

● Family Promise of GreaterToledo, an organization thatserves as an emergencyhomeless shelter for families.The organization’s mission isto keep homeless families to-gether while providing thenecessary tools to transitionthem from homelessness toself-sufficiency. The 2005 Nis-san Quest that was donatedby Geico and Butler’s Collisionwill help transport clients tojob interviews and medicalvisits.

Upon receiving the keys to theirvehicles, the recipients took sometime to give thanks to their donors,nominating organizations andNABC. One of Seales’ sons evengrabbed the microphone to sing afew verses of “I Believe I Can Fly,”which brought some audiencemembers to tears.

“We truly believe that the recipi-ents’ lives will be changed by thesevehicles,” said Nick Notte, chairmanof Recycled Rides.

NABC has donated more than athousand Recycled Rides nation-wide to people and organizations inneed.

NABC Gifts Four Recycled Ridesat NACE | CARS 2014


The Collision Repair Executive Symposium held yesterday shone a brightlight on the rapid consolidation going on in the industry and the

challenges MSOs are facing as they grow. Sessions covered "MarketingDynamics," "Maximizing Capacity Utilization," "Changing Vehicle Design

and Increasing Repair" and "Anatomy of an Acquisition."

Collision Repair Executive Symposium


Schedule at a glance(T) - Technical, (MG) - Management

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Mechanical SessionsTime Location Event

8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 140C (T) How to Diagnose P0420s & P0430s (Catalyst BelowThreshold) DTCs

140D (T) NEW! Understanding the Mysteries of Chrysler Diagnostics140B (T) NEW! Sensor and Acutators Diagnosis and Testing,

Powered by Bosch, Young Technician’s Symposium, Part 3of 4

12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. 140C (T) Effective Use of Diagnostic Resources140D (T) NEW! Ford EcoBoost, Sync and Integrated Diagnostic

System; Ford’s Total Approach From Design to Diagnosis 140B (T) NEW! Braking Technology; ABS, Traction Control and

Predictive Braking Operation, Service and DiagnosticFundamentals, Powered by Bosch, Young Technician’sSymposium, Part 4 of 4

I-CAR Add-On EducationTime Location Event

8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 140A 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course



8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.Rm. 140C – (T) How to DiagnoseP0420s & P0430s (Catalyst BelowThreshold) DTCsSpeaker: G Trulia, president,Technicians Service TrainingSession Description: When the MILis on and one of these codes arepresent, it becomes critical thatyour diagnosis is right. Replacing ahigh-dollar catalytic converter andhaving the same code come back afew days later is bad for yourrelationship with your customer.Join Trulia for a look at real rootcause diagnosis and repair ofcatalyst codes. You will learn to:● Identify interrelated systems,

common problem componentsand systems

● Read and interpret scan tool dataincluding Mode 5 and Mode 6

● Utilize fuel trim, air fuel ratio andHO2S sensors

● Identify applications where programming is necessary

● Exploit state-of-the-art misfireanalysis pressure transducersand interpretive software

● Correctly apply fuel systemcleaning and de-carbonization

Rm. 140D – (T) NEW! Unravelingthe Mysteries of ChryslerDiagnosticsSpeaker: Pete Rudolff, owner, Pete’sGarage Inc. and Delaware TrainingGroupSession Description: Understandsome of the key powertrain andbody nuances that make Chrysler,Jeep and Dodge vehicles just a littlebit different. Scan tools, data BUSSas well as powertrain and bodysystem issues will be covered.Taught by real techs with a real-world approach to simplifyingtesting approaches.

Rm. 140B – (T) NEW! Sensor andActuators Diagnosis and Testing -Powered by Bosch, YoungTechnician’s Symposium, Part 3 of 4Speaker: Jim Wilson, senior traininginstructor, Robert BoschSession Description: Thissequential series of four seminars,Powered by Bosch, is designed tohelp technicians with two to threeyears of automotive hands-onexperience looking to build theirknowledge in the areas ofelectrical, engine management andbrake system technology. Sessionthree features sensors andactuators:● How to diagnose the more

common automotive sensors● Specific focus on mass air flow

and oxygen sensor diagnostics● Knowing how to get the most

from a scan tool and lab scope● Using a current probe to diagnose

injectors and fuel pumps *Attending session three is conditionalupon completion of session one andtwo in the series. No exceptions.


12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.Rm. 140C – (T) Effective Use of Diagnostic ResourcesSpeaker: Jason Sharrer, NorthCentral regional supervisor Session Description: This three-hour seminar covers resources thattechnicians can access daily, asneeded, in the diagnosis and repairof today’s vehicles. Resources include manufacturer, aftermarket,government and Internet-basedservice information. Course contentincludes location of and access toboth manufacturer serviceinformation and aftermarketservice information. Additionally,content covers the viability andreliability of repair-related Internet

sites and blogs and their place inthe scheme of today’s repairenvironment. Content also includes government-basedautomotive-related websites, aswell as diagnostic procedures,service tips and special tools.

Rm. 140D – (T) NEW! FordEcoBoost, Sync and IntegratedDiagnostic System; Ford’s TotalApproach From Design toDiagnosisSpeaker: Donny Seyfer, co-owner,Seyfer Automotive, Inc.Session Description: EcoBoost isFord’s answer to the fuel mileage,emission, customer power demandequation. EcoBoost vehicles tend tobe “loaded” models with lots ofelectronics. To service these vehicles,you need to know how they work butyou also need to be an expert withtheir onboard and diagnostictechnologies. Using actual vehiclesand Ford training materials, joinSeyfer for this middle to advancedcourse where you will learn:EcoBoost:● Design features● Common concerns● Unique maintenance

requirementsSync: ● Design features● My Ford Touch● Updating techniques● Ford Motorcraft service website

setup and integration● Customer preference settingsIntegrated Diagnostic System:● Latest version features and what

you need to use IDS● Vehicle communication module

compatibility● Utilizing the Ford website to

assist in diagnostics● How Oasis can save you time

looking for Special ServiceMessages not publishedanywhere else

mechanical sessions


Rm. 140B – (T) NEW! BrakingTechnology; ABS, Traction Controland Predictive Braking Operation,Service and DiagnosticFundamentals - Powered byBosch, Young Technician’sSymposium, Part 4 of 4Speaker: Jim Wilson, senior traininginstructor, Robert BoschSession Description: This

sequential series of fourseminars, Powered by Bosch, aredesigned to help technicians withtwo to three years of automotivehands-on experience, looking tobuild their knowledge in the areasof electrical, engine managementand brake system technology.Session four features BrakeTechnology:

● Fundamentals of braking forces review

● Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)overview

● Electronic Stability Control (ESP)● Best recommended practices for

brake service*Attending session four is conditionalupon completion of session one, twoand three in the series. No exceptions.

saturday, August 2, 2014

8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.Rm. 140A – (T) I-CAR Add-On Education: 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair Training Course

collision sessions

Event Information At Your Fingertips!

● View the exhibitor list, search for exhibitors, mark exhibitorswith “visited” tags, request meetings, add personal notes andmap their booth location.

● Build your personalized planner, plan your itinerary, addpersonal notes, and tag favorite exhibitors and sessions. Syncwith the website in real-time.

● Tap into local information about Detroit, including hotels,transportation options and more.

● Read, follow and comment on #NACEEXPO tweets from ourfellow attendees and exhibitors.

● Tune into exclusive updates, notifications and blogs fromthe NACE | CARS management team.

Enhance your NACE | CARS 2014 experience with the official mobile app

Efficiently plan your visit to NACE | CARS 2014 while onthe go with the official mobile app. Download the

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The Auto Alliance Innovation Technology &Telematics Forum on Friday packed the roomwith industry leaders from the aftermarket, elec-tronics industry and OEM. The forum titled“Where is Vehicle Technology Headed and WhatDoes It Mean for Sustainable Transportation, Ve-hicle Owners and the Modern Repair Shop?” dis-cussed the implications for consumers andshops. It also looked at future standardization andgovernment regulation.

The panel featured prominent auto industryleaders, including:

● Frank Weith, general manager, Connected CarServices, Volkswagen Group of America

● Steve Coker, head, Uconnect Operations,Chrysler Group LLC

● Alan Prescott, attorney, Ford Motor Company● Bob Stewart, general manager, Customer

Care & Aftersales, ACDelco/General Motors● Eric Berkobin, vice president, Engineering,

Verizon Telematics● Jules Polonetsky, executive director, Future of

Privacy Forum● Roger Saul, Ph.D., director, Vehicle Research &

Test Center, National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration

The panel was moderated by ASA Chairman-Elect Donny Seyfer. Keeping up with the telemat-ics trend, attendees texted their questions toSeyfer.

The discussion started with what telematicscan do for the consumer and what functionalitythe connected car can give to consumers todayand in the future. The panel discussed the pair-ing of telematics devices and systems with data capable cell phones and the security risk itrepresents.

Another hot button issue discussed by thepanel was the ownership of the data and howthe end user’s privacy could be violated by third-party software and services. The for the OEMs,the ability to retrieve data during the entire life ofthe vehicle like number of actuations, sensordata and customer behavior represents a goldmine that can help them design better and evenlighter vehicles.

The main concern was the availability of thedata and how it could be used get drivers to re-turn to the dealer and not an independent repairfacility. The panelist varied in their answers from itis an opportunity to get drivers into the showroomto the customer can print out the recommenda-tions generated by the telematics system andtake it to the shop of their choosing.

The forum also discussed the potential stan-dardization of telematics systems and pendinggovernment regulations. Roger Saul, Ph.D., direc-tor, Vehicle Research & Test Center, NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administration said thatany regulations would have to take the approachof being technology neutral so that one system isnot favored over another.

OnStar’s chief operating officer, Terry Inch, willdeliver the keynote address during a luncheon fol-lowing the panel. Inch has been with OnStar since2002. Prior to his current role, Inch served as vicepresident of OnStar Marketing and New BusinessDevelopment as well as director of OnStar ServiceDelivery Operations.

The Forum concluded with a workshop fea-turing presentations for Mercedes-Benz on itTheft Relevant Part (TRP), Volkswagen on it’ssecurity for the OBD port and GM on its Activesafety systems.

Telematics Forum Draws Large Crowd


The most commonly misdiagnosedcondition following a collision repairis often alignment related, accord-ing to Mark E. Olson, chief operat-ing officer for Verifacts Automotive,and the reasons why are prevalentboth inside collision repair shopsand shops specializing in align-ment.

Olson, who is also a regionaltrainer for Hunter, got right to thepoint in his Friday afternoon ses-sion “Alignment Expert in 90 Min-utes,” moving past the caster andcamber reds and greens on analignment spec sheet, and circlingthe steering axis inclination (SAI).

“SAI is the most important num-ber on the sheet,” Olson said. “Lackof understanding [this about SAI]creates unnecessary parts replace-ment and improperly repaired vehi-cles that do not drive correctly.”

To find the cause of the pull, youfirst need to locate the SAI. SAIcomes from the angle between theupper pivot point and the lower

pivot point of a strut at the front ofa vehicle. Olson said a vehicle willpull to the side with the leastamount of SAI, generally anythingthat is a degree or more.

With the SAI numbers in hand,you can start to rule our certainalignment problem culprits. Olsonlikened true alignment diagnosis toa math equation. For example, ac-cording to Olson, if the SAI num-bers are the same for both sides,you know there is no frame damageand you don’t need a lower controlarm — instead turn to the strut orthe knuckle. If the SAI is within specand the caster is in spec, the causeof the problems is likely a ball joint.

After the SAI, also become famil-iar with the included angle and startlooking at both of these figured be-fore you even look at the caster,camber, tow numbers

Alignment notebook

Other quick notes Olson expandedon within the longer presentation:

● Ride height affects everything.A change in ride height willmess with all of your alignmentangles.

● Toe does not cause a vehicle topull. This will cause a dogtailand potentially tire scuffing, buttow correct toe alone will notaffect pull.

● Camber tipping in will wear theoutside of a tire, tipping out willwear the inside.

● It’s only a four wheel alignmentif you end up adjusting the rear.Shops get in trouble for charg-ing for a four-wheel alignmentif after the procedure only thefront wheels have been ad-justed.

● Remember that caster affects di-rectional stability. If a customer isstill complaining of driveabilityproblems, and everything seemsto be checking out on the sheet,the caster may be off just enoughto effect cornering, depending onthe vehicle.

Expert Alignment Starts With Steering Angle Inclination


AMI and ASA Host Celebration of Excellence at The Henry Ford MuseumThe Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and Automotive Service As-sociation (ASA) jointly held their annual Celebration of Excellence at TheHenry Ford Museum in Dearborn last night. The event kicked off with acocktail reception followed by a graduation and awards ceremony for AMIgraduates and esteemed industry members. Attendees were then treatedto a "strolling dinner" throughout the museum, where they could exploresuch artifacts as the bus where Rosa Parks first stood up for civil rightsand Edgar Allan Poe's writing desk. Congratulations toall the graduates and award recipients!


The popular Collision Repair Execu-tive Symposium was held yester-day in front of a packed house,shining a light on trends going on inthe collision and insurance indus-tries and addressing the challengesfacing MSOs.

Market Dynamics

Randy Hanson of Allstate kickedthings off by talking about marketdynamics, specifically telematicsand increasingly sophisticated ve-hicle technology, specifically enginesensors; hybrid fuel cell sensors;vehicle control; crash avoidance;passenger comfort; vehicle safety;and infotainment.

“Will there be a role for mechani-cal and electrical engineers inshops? Perhaps,” said Hanson.

Where are we going, Hansonasked. On the rise is: cost of re-pair; vehicle complexity; data cap-tured; and demand for specializedtechs. On the decline is: numberof repairers suited for all repairtypes; accident frequency; anddifficulty to diagnose complexproblems.

Joseph Funk, vice president,global personal lines auto claimsfor AIG Property and Casualty,discussed trends going on inAsian countries. One is called a“scheme partner agreement,”which is a contract between aDRP shop and an insurer wherethe shop is also the sales agentfor insurance policies. Some ofthe benefits include: commissionrevenue, after sales revenue, totalservice quality under one roof andcustomer ownership.

There is also something called a“key parts provider” (KPP) wheresuppliers provide strategic parts toKPPs and shops that repair cars forlocal insurers. In exchange, the in-

surer agrees to buy a high volumeof parts, thus generating a win-winfor the KPP and the supplier.

Susanna Gotsch, director, indus-try analyst at CCC InformationServices Inc., took a deep dive intothe statistics reflecting trends inthe industry. Some included:● Median age of U.S. vehicles =

11.4 years● 89 percent of new vehicles sold in

2013 contained at least one light-weight part

● 57 percent of appraisals had atleast one lightweight part in theconstruction of the vehicle - butonly 26 percent of those light-weight parts had to be repaired orreplaced

● By 2040, 78 percent of cars willstill be gasoline- powered, whichmeans fuel savings will comefrom lightweighting.

Maximizing Capacity Utilization

A panel discussion on maximizingcapacity utilization was the secondmorning session. The moderatorwas Erick Bickett, CEO of Fix AutoUSA. Panelists included:● Paul Krauss, president and CEO,

Craftsman Auto Body● Don Mikrut, vice president, Car-

Care Collision Centers

● Joe Amodei, founder and CEO,The Collision Centers of New York

● Rick Wood, co-CEO, Cooks Colli-sion Centers

● Mark Sanders, president and chiefoperating officer, Caliber CollisionCenter

● David Braun, principal, NexysisCollision Inc.

Notable quotes included:

“You will see OE certification spe-cific to high-line vehicles or alu-minum and specialty shops withone DRP.” – Sanders

“When we carved out heavy hitsand segmented it to specializedgroups, we saw we could fix moredrivable cars in other stores.” –Krauss

“This specialization is not new.When it comes to aluminum, allshops will not be able to affordtraining and equipment. Does itcome to different costs to insurersand repairers?” — Mikrut

“Specialization will be a gamechanger.” – Amodei

“When it comes to first notice ofloss, how will insurers pull outthose special vehicles and get themto the right shops?” - Sanders

“The Ford F-150 will generateenough volume for us to start mak-

Collision Repair Executive Symposium Highlights

Trends in Collision Industry and MSO World


ing decisions on aluminum repair.”– Strauss

“We had to go through a culturechange, starting with 100 percentteardowns and working with teamsand eliminating bottlenecks.” –Amodei

“As far as load leveling goes, youhave to do it.” – Strauss

“We leaned out in 2004 andlearned we had been doing it thewrong way. We expanded our ca-pacity, and are still in a five-daymodel, so we have not had to ex-pand our hours.” — Strauss

“We expand and contract basedon our volume. We had severalstores running multiple shifts. Partsis part of it. And management andoversight and quality. You still needmanagement in place.”

“For load leveling, we bought onetruck 10 years ago and now ownthree. It’s a full-time job for some-

one to manage.” – Strauss“As far as call centers go, you

must get the right vehicle in theright facility. To do that, trainingneeds to be done at the call center.”– Sanders

“Automated parts procurement istaking a long time. There are stillsome complicated roadblocks toget through. We need it. Ordering byphone isn’t the easiest way. Whatwe see today is the beta version.” —Strauss

“Whether it’s in the shop or frontoffice, it’s about creating careerpaths. There’s a true career path in abillion dollar company. Larger groupsare starting to build their own teamprograms. We can’t afford to make amistake on a car from the safety orinsurance perspective. It may justtake longer to fix a car right whentraining people.” – Mikrut

“We have to stick to together and

promote our industry before highschool. We have to make kids un-derstand it’s not a dirty business.”– Amodei

“We have to grow our culture asthe best way to leverage HR - a cul-ture that will embrace change andget better at growing leaders in alldepartments. – Strauss

“People don’t quit Caliber - theyquit the leadership team at a cer-tain Caliber store.” - Sanders

“In five years, the flat-rate paysystem will probably be gone.” -Braun

“You can’t have piecemeal pay ina lean environment.” - Strauss

“Capitation? We’re not afraid of it.But no insurer has approached usyet.” – Strauss

“Interference reduces efficiencyin the shop. Get out of my way andlet me fix vehicles how I want to.” -Mikrut

Documents

NACE | CARS Show Daily, Saturday, August 2, 2014