Podcast

APP Podcast Cover Art 300px Welcome to the Paint & Panel podcast, 'The Edge'. This podcast that is crafted for you, the collision repair shop owner or manager. It doesn't matter if you repair 10 cars or 100 cars per week, there's something in every episode to help you get 'The Edge'.

Listen to for tips, market intelligence and inspiring stories. A new episode is available on the second and last Tuesday of each month.

 

 

 

 

Welcome to The Edge: the podcast from Paint & Panel Magazine that truly gives collision-repair specialists the edge. If you’re a business owner or manager, you can’t afford to miss out on the latest industry chat. Is the new equipment on the market worthwhile for your business? What are the best practices and inspiring stories in your industry? Do you want to keep up with what your competitors and market leaders are doing? Paint & Panel will answer all of these questions and more.

PAP174: The Essentials of Risk Management in Collision Repair Shops

The Essentials of Risk Management in Collision Repair Shops


In this episode of The Edge, Ben chats with Dianne Rawlings, the CEO of Risk Management Essentials, about the often-overlooked area of risk management in collision repair shops. Dianne shares her extensive background in risk management and the automotive industry, highlighting the importance of compliance, equipment maintenance, and effective communication in creating a safe, efficient work environment.  
They explore practical tools, including cloud-based systems, to help shop owners stay compliant and proactive, while emphasising the need for proper documentation and training to protect both workers and business owners from potential liabilities.  


In this episode:
Understanding Risk Management  
Compliance and Legislative Requirements  
Common Challenges in Collision Repair Shops  
Tools and Resources for Risk Management  
The Importance of Documentation  
Consulting Services and Solutions  

Resources:
Website: https://riskessentials.com.au/
https://Mydox.com.au
Contact:  RME: 1300 388 880
Dianne Rawlings (CEO): 0427070271
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannerawlings

 

PAP173: Kangaroos, Elvis, and Collision Repair with Industry Legend David Newton-Ross

This podcast is in the industry legends series with a former friendly rival David Newton-Ross, founder of National Collision Repairer magazine.

Have you ever wondered how there came to be three magazines for the collision repair industry, or about how I-CAR got started in Australia? Find out and much more in this great episode with industry legend David Newton-Ross. His industry stories are an international who's who spanning decades. Did someone say, General Norman Schwarzkopf? Elvis? George Barris? Yes, that would be just some of the people David reminisces about looking back over a long and satisfying career.

 

In this episode find out:

How David got started in the collision repair industry

How working for SAPE had him spending years in the US

How a kangaroo helped to sell Autorobots

How I-CAR came to Australia

How there came to be three industry magazines

How George Barris drove to Vegas with Elvis

 

Useful Links:

Find out more about I-CAR: https://i-car.com.au/

Book your tickets for the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards: https://bodyshopawards.com.au/

Want to suggest more legends for the podcast? Email: samstreet@yaffa.com.au

 

PAP172: Inside GYS: A Family Legacy of Engineering Excellence

Exploring the Legacy and Innovation at GYS Factory

In this podcast episode, Paint and Panel Magazine Editor visits the GYS factory in Laval, France, and chats with Bruno Bouygues about the rich history and innovative strides of the company.

Established in 1964 by the Stefani family, GYS has evolved from manufacturing transformers to a diversified portfolio including battery chargers, arc welding, and more recently, technological advancements in spot welding.

Bruno shares insights into the company's commitment to vertical integration, continuous innovation, and maintaining a large inventory to ensure great customer service. The discussion also covers the company’s growth, their strategic presence in global markets, and plans for future expansion in the automotive and industrial sectors.

 

In this episode:

The captivating history that shaped GYS and its journey to success.

Discover how GYS has grown and evolved, setting new standards in the industry.

Uncover the latest technological advancements that are driving GYS forward.

Get an insider’s look at GYS’s manufacturing processes and operations that keep the wheels turning.

Explore the exciting product development initiatives and innovations that set GYS apart from the competition.

Learn about GYS’s commitment to exceptional customer support and after-sales service.

Hear about the ambitious plans and vision that GYS has for the road ahead.

 

Summary:

In this episode Sam Street chats with Bruno Bouygues, who provides a comprehensive overview of the GYS company, originally founded in 1964. He discusses the company's transition from manufacturing transformers to battery chargers and arc welding equipment. He elaborates on the transformation under his family's ownership, highlighting investments in electronics and the expansion of the company's R&D team. Bouygues outlines the company's growth to 900 employees, two factories, and international sales in 135 countries.

He discusses innovations in spot welding and induction heating, emphasizing their commitment to vertical integration and maintaining an extensive inventory for quality control. The discussion touches on GYS's dynamic and flexible operations, their preparation for future market demands, and their evolving product range to include tools for new car technologies, particularly electric vehicles.

 

Useful Links:

Bruno Bouygues on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunobouygues/

The GYS Website: https://www.gys.fr/spip.php?page=accueil&lang=en

 

PAP171: Exploring the benefits of a Four Day Work Week

 

Working one day less a week and experiencing better productivity and profit? 
Does it sound good, or does it sound like a pipe dream? 
Shortening the working week motivates staff to ‘get the job done’ and seems to reduce ‘sick’ days. 


In this episode, we discuss the shorter working week adopted by various businesses in the collision repair industry. The episode features in-depth conversations with Steve Davies from Northside Smash Repairs in Queensland, Kate Presnell from Kate Presnell Bodyworks in Tasmania, and Russ Hill from Mackenzie's Truck Repair in Queensland. 


Each guest shares their experiences and insights into implementing a four-day work week, the preparation involved, the key benefits, and its impact on business efficiency and employee work-life balance. Listeners will also hear about the challenges faced, solutions found, and the overall positive feedback from staff and customers alike.


In this episode:

  • How setting KPIs is essential to achieve the shorter week
  • How the decision must be unanimous
  • Why productivity increases
  • Why once you introduce it you can never go back
  • Other benefits outside of just having a longer weekend
  • Work-Life Balance and Recruitment Benefits

 

Summary:
In this discussion, industry experts from Queensland and Tasmania share their experience with adopting a four-day work week in the collision repair business. Steve Davies from Northside Smash Repairs, Kate Presnell from Kate Presnell Bodyworks, and Russ Hill from Mackenzie's Truck Repair explore the benefits and challenges of the change. 


They emphasize improved work-life balance, better employee satisfaction and productivity, and reduced sick days. The conversation highlights vital preparation steps, the importance of unanimous team support, and the potential for the four-day week as a recruitment tool. Each participant also offers personal insights into how this change has positively impacted their business and lifestyle.


Useful Links:
Steve Davies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-davies-995481136/
Kate Presnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-presnell-1385a229/
Russ Hill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russ-hill-b1030571/
Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: samstreet@yaffa.com.au
Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au/podcast to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.

 

PAP170: Polish for Profit: Diversifying in your Collision Repair business

Join this insightful episode where Matt returns to discuss the lucrative opportunities for collision repair shops to diversify into detailing services. Learn about the most profitable detailing upsells, how to efficiently apply ceramic coatings, and the best practices for setting up a detailing division within your existing business. Discover the secrets behind external and internal vehicle enhancements, headlight restoration, and advanced paint correction techniques. Matt also shares contact details for personalized consulting and training to help you boost your business revenue and customer satisfaction.


In this episode:

  • Detailing Services Overview
  • Gloss Enhancement Techniques
  • Upselling Detailing Services
  • Ceramic Coatings Explained
  • Application and Pricing of Coatings
  • Single Stage Loss Enhancement
  • Full Reset Detailing
  • Comprehensive Exterior Detailing
  • Upselling Detailing Services
  • Advanced Polishing Techniques
  • Additional Detailing Services

Matts contact details:

Email: enquiries@mattsmagic.com.au

Phone: 0468 373 625

Helpful Links:

 

PAP169: Behind the Stars: Understanding Vehicle Safety with ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg

In this episode, Ben welcomes Carla to discuss her journey with ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program), celebrating its 30 years of leading vehicle safety. Carla shares her diverse background and explains how ANCAP operates in an independent, non-regulatory space to set benchmarks for vehicle safety. The evolution of ANCAP from facing industry pushback to becoming an essential factor in car manufacturing and consumer decision-making is highlighted. The discussion covers everything from the importance of crash test dummies and various testing methodologies to the impact of advanced technologies like autonomous emergency braking and vehicle submergence capabilities. 

Carla emphasizes the critical role of consumer awareness and how ANCAP uses social media to reach potential car buyers. The conversation also touches on the future of vehicle safety, including autonomous driving and post-crash technologies, and the integration of similar programs worldwide.
For more detailed information and resources, listeners are encouraged to visit ANCAP's comprehensive website and YouTube channel.


In this episode:

  • Carla's Background and ANCAP Involvement
  •  ANCAP's Evolution and Achievements
  • Consumer Awareness and Safety Ratings
  • Global Safety Standards and Comparisons
  • Crash Test Dummies and Testing Methodology
  • Motorcycle Safety and Future Technologies
  • Challenges and Future of Vehicle Safety

 

Useful Links:

 

PAP168: Restoring Legends: The Art of Hot Rods with Andy Minas

Join us in a captivating podcast episode with Andy Minas, an iconic figure in the Australian hot rod and custom car scene. Recorded in a fifty’s diner, Andy shares his journey from tinkering with cars in the 60s to running the premier indoor hot rod and custom car event in Australia. Learn about his early influences, apprentice years, and the evolution of his business from a collision shop to a renowned hot rod restoration shop. Discover the importance of client relationships, customizing to personal tastes, and Andy's invaluable advice on managing dreamers in the industry. Hear about the history of his popular car show, his plans for a cultural hub, and the vital role of family in his business. Whether you're an auto enthusiast or curious about the world of custom cars, this episode is packed with insights, history, and inspiration from a legend in the field.


In this episode:

  • Introduction to Andy Minas and His Restoration Work
  • Early Influences and Beginnings in the 60s
  • First Job and Early Career in Restoration
  • Starting His Own Business and the First Hot Rod Shop
  • Evolution of Clients and Customization
  • Technology and Advancements in Car Restoration
  • The History and Revival of the Hot Rod Show
  • Challenges in the Industry and Future Prospects
  • Clientele and Business Operations
  • Family Involvement and Future Plans

Helpful Links:
Hotrod and Custom Auto Expo Website: http://www.hotrodandcustom.com.au
Hotrod and Custom Auto Expo on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hotrodandcustomautoexpo
Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: samstreet@yaffa.com.au
Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au/podcast to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode

 

 

PAP167: From Salvaging Parts to Leading an Industry: An Interview with Capricorn's CEO

In this interview on 'The Edge,' Ben speaks with David Fraser, Capricorn’s Group Chief Executive Officer and a prominent figure in the automotive industry, about his career journey and his role at Capricorn. 


David shares his background, growing up in South Australia, helping in his father's recycling business, and his unplanned entry into the automotive sector. He chronicles his career progression from a parts company in Adelaide to various managerial roles, leading up to his appointment as CEO of Capricorn. 


The conversation transitions to Capricorn's history, starting with 12 service station owners in Western Australia, and its growth into a significant cooperative with over 29,000 members. 


David highlights the benefits of Capricorn membership, including trade accounts, accessibility to preferred suppliers, insurance, lending services, and networking events. He also touches on industry challenges like skill shortages and the need to attract new talent, including more female technicians. 


David's Journey into the Automotive Industry
Love for Motorbikes and Early Career
Introduction to Capricorn
Capricorn's Humble Beginnings
Capricorn's Growth and Current Operations
Member Benefits and Services
Networking and Community Value
Future of the Automotive Industry
David's Contributions and Recognitions
Final Thoughts and Industry Challenges


Helpful Links:
Capricorn: https://www.capricorn.coop/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fraser-a1848b43/

 

PAP166: Legends in Collision Repair: Richard Nathan's Storyindustry

From Panel Beating to Pioneering: Richard Nathan's Journey in the Collision Repair IndustryJoin us as we sit down with industry legend Richard Nathan of Nathan's Truck Repairs. Richard shares his extensive journey in the collision repair industry, starting from his unexpected entry into panel beating in 1954 to his contributions to major industry advancements. We explore his role in the formation of the Australian Heavy Vehicle Repair Association (AHVRA) and his work with MTA's Body Repair Division. Richard also discusses the progression of truck repairs, the challenges of lobbying government for industry regulations, and the importance of efficiency and process-driven approaches in repair shops. This episode is a treasure trove of historical insights and practical advice for anyone involved in the collision repair industry.
 
In this episode:

  • Richard Nathan's Early Career
  • Venturing into Helicopter Repairs
  • Specializing in Heavy Vehicle Repairs
  • Formation of AHVRA
  • Challenges and Successes in the Industry
  • Future of Truck Repairs and Industry Insights
  • Contributions to the Repair Community

 

 

PAP165: Shaping Tomorrow: Dr. Gavin Lind on Workforce Skills in the Automotive industry

Episode Overview:
In this episode, Ben is joined by Gavin, the CEO of the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance, to discuss the evolution and future of skills development in the mining and automotive industries. 

Gavin shares his extensive background in mining engineering and policy and explains the strategic thinking behind the combination of mining and automotive sectors under one alliance. 

The conversation covers the transition from PWC to the current Jobs and Skills Councils, industry innovations such as driverless technologies and electric vehicles, and the upcoming plans and challenges in workforce training and development. 

Key points include the importance of industry-informed training, the need for modular and adaptable skill sets, and the integration of new technologies into training programs. The episode also highlights the underrepresentation of women in these industries and explores strategies to engage future generations.

 

Key Topics Discussed:

  • Gavin's Background and Career Journey
  • Formation and Role of the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance
  • Strategic Thinking Behind Combining Mining and Automotive
  • Innovations and Developments in Automotive Training
  • Challenges and Future Directions in Skills Development
  • Industry Engagement and Consultation Processes
  • Addressing Skill Shortages and Gender Representation

 

Useful Links:

 

PAP163: Navigating the Future of the Collision Repair Industry with Russ Hill

Episode Overview:  
In this episode, Ben is joined by Russ Hill, a seasoned veteran with 48 years of experience in the collision repair industry. Russ shares his insights into the current state and future trends of the industry, touching on several critical topics: 


Key Topics Discussed: 

  • Current Industry Trends and Challenges: Russ provides an overview of the most pressing issues facing the collision repair sector today. 
  • Staff Shortages: He addresses the perceived shortage of skilled staff and the potential opportunities arising from workers being released from the mining sector.
  • Staff Retention and Apprentice Training: Russ highlights the importance of training apprentices and implementing effective retention strategies to maintain a skilled workforce.
  • Electric Vehicles (EVs): The discussion includes preparing businesses for the influx of electric vehicles and the necessity of specialized training for this emerging market.
  • Economic Cycles and Adaptation: Russ emphasizes the need for businesses to adapt their hiring and retention strategies in response to economic shifts and technological advancements.
  • Understanding Business Metrics: Knowing and understanding key business metrics is underscored as a vital step for achieving success in the collision repair industry.
  • Future Trends: Russ provides his insights on what the future holds for the industry and how businesses can stay ahead of the curve. 

Resources Mentioned: 

 

PAP162: Employee Turnover and Retention with Professor Paula Brough


Employee Retention in the Collision Repair Industry with Professor Paula Brough, Director of the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing at Griffith University

In this episode of 'The Edge,' we sit down with Professor Paula Brough to explore the critical issue of employee turnover and retention in the Australian car collision industry. Paula, a distinguished expert in organisational psychology, shares insights from her recent project led for The ACIA, shedding light on the key factors influencing employee retention and effective strategies to address these challenges.
Listen as Paula delves deep into the high turnover rates, lack of diversity, and cultural issues prevalent in the motor industry compared to other sectors. The conversation covers various factors impacting employee retention, including financial aspects, career advancement opportunities, work-life balance, and workplace culture. 
Paula also highlights successful practices from the UK and US, emphasizing the potential benefits of a four-day workweek and increased worker diversity. She concludes with a call for collaboration and data collection to further research and improve the industry.


Key Topics Discussed:

  • Introduction to Paula Brough and her background in organisational psychology.
  • Overview of the project 'Review of Employee Turnover and Retention in the Australian Car Collision Industry.'
  • Challenges in Employee Retention in the collision industry.
  • Work environment factors impacting employee retention.
  • Comparison of retention issues in the Australian industry with those in the UK and US.
  • Successful practices from overseas that can be applied in Australia.
  • Strategies for increasing employee diversity and improving job conditions.
  • Strategies for Improving Employee Retention
  • The need to collect further data through stakeholder interviews.
  • Paula's personal insights on critical changes needed to improve employee retention and satisfaction.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understanding the multifaceted nature of employee turnover and retention.
  • The significance of work environment and employee characteristics in influencing retention.
  • Effective practices and strategies from international best practices.
  • The need for ongoing research and stakeholder engagement to drive meaningful improvements.

Resources Mentioned:

Subscribe & Review:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to 'The Edge' on your favourite podcast player and leave us a review. 

 

PAP161: What is a virtual estimator and why should you get one?

What is a virtual estimator and why should you get one?
In this episode, Ben welcomes Ash Jardine back to The Edge to delve into the growing trend of virtual estimators in the collision repair industry. 


They discuss how Ash’s company has developed a system for training virtual estimators offshore to manage quotes effectively for Australian repair shops. 


The conversation covers the benefits of virtual estimators, including time savings for on-site staff, increased productivity, improved parts pricing, and the ability to focus on upselling and customer service. 


Ash shares insights into the misconceptions about using remote teams, the rigorous selection process for virtual estimators, and the economic advantages for repair shops. They also touch upon the setup and integration process, overcoming resistance to change, and real-world success stories.


In this episode:

  • Introduction to Virtual Estimators
  • Benefits of Virtual Estimators
  • Offshore Teams and Time Zones
  • Misconceptions and Hiring Process
  • Training and Integration
  • Cost Efficiency and Employee Satisfaction
  • Overcoming Overseas Estimation Challenges
  • The Virtual Estimation Process Explained
  • Maximizing Efficiency and Profits
  • Customer Testimonials and Success Stories

 

PAP160: A deeper dive into training the next generation with Daniel Dusi

 

This week’s key takeaway:
A deeper dive into training the next generation with Daniel Dusi
 

Episode intro:
The skills shortage in the industry is well documented, so it’s time to talk to someone who is doing something about it. Daniel Dusi started in the industry at 16 as a spray technician and has worked across a range of collision repair businesses. Now he’s training the next generation as Team Leader at the South Australia Paint & Panel Division and Trainer Assessor at the MTA.
 

His fine work was recently recognised when he won Trainer of the Year 2024 for South Australia. If you want to know how young industry-talent is being nurtured, this man is certainly worth listening to.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How the curriculum keeps up with the pace of change
  • What Daniel did to be recognised as Trainer of the Year
  • The demise of TAIF
  • Why apprentices need more time in industry
  • How the skills shortage can be solved
  • How the training integrates with new tech
  • Why four years is still the right amount of time for training
  • How the tutors constantly upskill
  • Why there might be greater demand for auto-electricians\
  • Are technicians being paid fairly?


Show links:

 

PAP159: A Digital ADAS Solution to improve your workflow and profitabilty!

This week’s key takeaway: 

An Digital ADAS Solution to improve your workflow and profitability - with Martin Brown
 
Episode intro:
This is your opportunity to be an early adopter and steal a march on the rest of the market. We speak to Martin Brown, Director of Innovation at Repairify, who is an expert in ADAS technology and a visionary in the field of automotive repair.
 
Martin will give you the heads up on how you can make ADAS profitable for your business, and how the UK market has adopted it. 
LISTEN HERE
 
In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How Matt worked his way up the industry
  • Why the UK market understands ADAS better than Australia
  • Why EVs are having more front-end collisions
  • The increase in repair costs
  • Are ADAS calibrations necessary for all accidents in the UK?
  • How to make a profit from doing your own ADAS calibrations
  • How much space you need in your workshop for ADAS calibrations
  • How to train people to work with this technology
  • The difference between LIDAR and RADAR
  • Where ADAS is going next
  • Possible litigation for bodyshops with automated vehicles
  • How technicians are undervalued


Show links:

 

PAP158: Boosting Workshop Efficiency with 5S - A Guide for Collision Repair Owners

This week’s key takeaway:
Boosting workshop efficiency with 5S: A Guide for Collision Repair Owners
 
Episode intro:
We’re doing something a bit different this week, as Ben talks us through a system that could revolutionise your business.
 
The 5S system is a transformative approach to workplace organisation, which originated from Japan’s manufacturing principles. We’ll tell you how you can implement it into your workshop and improve the efficiency, safety, and overall productivity of your business overnight.
 
In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • What the 5Ss stand for
  • Real-life examples of the 5Ss working in collision repair
  • Why you should picture your business as a conveyor belt
  • How your parts storage should look
  • What you can learn from your cutlery drawer
  • How to build a sense of pride and ownership among your team
  • How much you can improve your profitability with the 5Ss

Show links:

 

PAP157: The journey of I-Car Australia and the importance of training in 2024 and beyond

 

This week’s key takeaway:
The journey of I-CAR Australia and the importance of training in 2024 and beyond -
 
Episode intro:
We’ve got a real big hitter on the show this week - a man who has over 40 years of experience in the industry. Richard Pratt is the Board Chairman of I-CAR Australia, who are doing a great job at training up the industry.
 
You’ve probably heard of I-CAR, and maybe you’ve already benefited from their training, but it’s worth being reminded of what they have to offer. Our industry is evolving at breakneck speed - just look at the rise of EVs in recent years - so make sure you listen to Richard to find out how you and your team can upskill and keep up with the latest trends.
 
In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How Richard got started
  • What inspired Richard to build up I-CAR
  • How I-CAR rode out difficult times in the beginning
  • What I-CAR can do for you
  • Is TAFE training adequate?
  • How OEMs are helping to school the industry
  • The future of apprenticeships
  • Will there be more key roles in bodyshops?

 

Show links:

 

PAP156: Using systems and tech to scale your business

This week’s key takeaway:
Using systems and tech to scale your business - with Lachlan Smith
 

Episode intro:
If you haven’t automated your business with software, it’s high time you do. Our guest this week, Lachlan Smith, tells us how the 1QX package he pioneered transformed his business, and how it could transform yours.

If you want your business to run more smoothly and scale, Lachlan’s software might just be the game changer you need.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • Lachlan’s industry background
  • Why you should know your numbers
  • How Lachlan’s software empowered his staff to take over the management of the shop
  • How 1Q1 can improve communication with customers
  • What we can learn from McDonald’s
  • The customisation options in the software
  • The difference between 1QX and 1Q1
  • How 1Q1 can help you train estimators
  • The power of consistency

 

Show links:

 

 

PAP155: Ultra 9K and how anyone can accurately mix paint!

This week’s key takeaway:
Ultra 9K and how anyone can accurately mix paint - with Mark Lyall and Brad Franklin
 
Episode intro:
We’re doing another site visit to our friends at Sherwin Williams. This time we’re giving you the headsup on their new water-based paint product and mixing machine.
 
We speak to Mark Lyall (Australian Technical Manager) and Brad Franklin (National Technical Training Manager) who tell us how their products can give your painters more valuable time on the gun.
 
In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • Why you should come to the Paint & Panel Awards this year
  • How the Pronto mixing machine works
  • Why Ultra 9K is easy to apply
  • The accuracy of the machine
  • How the painter can be freed up to do their job better
  • How Sherwin Williams is training people

Show links:

 

 

PAP154: Pulling back the curtains on Sherwin Williams ANZ with Richard Reneman

This week’s key takeaway:
Pulling back the curtain on Sherwin-Williams ANZ with Richard Reneman

 

Episode intro:
Something a bit different this week, as Ben takes a trip out of the studio to a top-of-the-range facility and speaks to Richard Reneman: director of Sherwin-Williams ANZ.

 

Based down in Kincumber, the Sherwin-Williams site boasts a state-of-the art paint-mixing room and some top training and manufacturing facilities. Ben picked Richard’s brains about the success of the business, and why now is the time for Sherwin-Williams to announce themselves to the world.

 

In this week’s episode you will learn:
  • How Sherwin-Williams got a foothold in Australia
  • What Richard learned as a distributor
  • The sub-brands in the Sherwin-Williams family
  • Why core values are more important than products
  • Sherwin-Williams’ new products that require no prior industry knowledge to operate
  • How to make employees feel part of something rather than simply being ‘workers’
  • Why every employee should be viewed as equally important
  • Where Sherwin-Williams is going next
 
Show links:
 
 

PAP153: How to diversify into detailing in your collision repair business

 

This week’s key takeaway:
How to diversify into detailing in your collision repair business
 

Episode intro:
In this episode we’re going to take a deep dive into detailing. You never know, this might just be the up-sell that transforms your business!
 

Our deep-diving instructor is Matt Gibb, founder of Matt’s Magic Detail. This man is a serious big-hitter! He’s been running his own detailing businesses for well over a decade, and he managed to build up one of the most successful detailing facilities in the north-west of the USA in a matter of three years.
 

Detailing is efficient and profitable, and Matt’s going to tell you how you can build up an offering that keeps your customers coming back. Get this right and you won’t have to rely on crashes for your customers.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How Matt got started
  • The range of services included in ‘detailing’
  • The wash technology you should use
  • Why you should treat after-market paint differently to OEM
  • How to prevent re-soiling
  • The difference between ‘waterless’ and ‘rinseless’
  • How long it should take for external detailing
  • The price of key consumables
  • How the process has improved in recent years
  • How much you should be charging for detailing
  • How to up-sell detailing
  • The importance of dust extractors


Show links:

 

 

PAP152: The Collision Repair Expo Report

Episode intro:
What a fantastic event this was! Very well attended and full of buzz. We ran out of magazines to give away as quickly as the second morning, and one of our friends of the show had 11,000 new registrations for his association.
 

In this episode, we hear from some of the movers and shakers at the event, and Editor Sam is joined by P&P National Sales Manager, Lynette Rochford, to discuss some of the highlights.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How successful this year’s event was
  • The Sagola 4600 spray gun
  • The latest from United Chemicals
  • A new Juice product to prevent ghosting marks
  • A solution to fix dents of any size from Keco
  • An end-to-end software platform for estimating and part pricing from 1QX
  • A solution for real-time pricing of vehicles with AutoGrab
  • A foolproof wheel-repair machine that anyone can use with just two hours of training from Wheel Restore

 

Show links:

 

 

PAP151: Updating the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct

This week’s key takeaway:
Updating the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct
 

Episode intro:
Talking about an Insurance Code of Conduct might sound a bit dry, but this episode is living proof that it can be interesting and more importantly, very useful! Almost all of you listening will get significant amounts of business from insurance companies, and no doubt you will have had some disputes along the way… but could they have been avoided? And is the new Code of Conduct going to help you avoid more disputes in the future?
 

The people with the answers are Matt Hobbs (CEO of the Motor Traders Association Australia), and Kathy Zdravevski (policy advisor for the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce).
 

This is the first major change of the code for 20 years, and our guests are offering you the opportunity to have your say.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • Why the code is being rewritten
  • The recommendations for change in the code
  • How South Australia’s code could become the national code
  • How the code is being simplified
  • How the MTAA helps its members resolve disputes
  • Cases of insurers lodging disputes with repairers
  • When the draft of the new code will be available for the industry to review
  • How you can influence the new code

 

Show links:

 

 

PAP150: The 2024 Bodyshop Awards and More

This week’s key takeaway:
Bodyshop Awards and more!
 

Episode intro:
This week we’re going to give you the lowdown on one of the highlights of the year for our industry, The Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards. Editor Sam went to visit the platinum sponsor of the awards, Compass, and spoke to CEO James Frape and Claims Manager Zara Dickie about the importance of the awards and why they have been a principle sponsor for nine years.
 

Then we heard from Lynette Rochford from Paint & Panel, who gave us the inside track on the nomination and judging process.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • The numbers expected this year
  • The new awards for this year
  • How younger workers will be recognised
  • The inner workings of Compass
  • What happens if you are nominated for an award
  • The information the judges need
  • The importance of the sponsors
  • How to nominate your people

Show links:

 

 

PAP149: Beyond Partscheck, a deeper dive with Jasmine Lee De Wys

 

This week’s key takeaway:
Beyond PartsCheck: a deeper dive with Jasmine Lee DeWys

 

Episode intro:
We’ve been trying to get this week’s guest for over a year: the PartsCheck Business Development Manager, Jasmine Lee DeWys.

Jas is a real mover and shaker in the business, and a great example of what you can achieve if, in her words, “you keep knocking on the door.” Jas also talks to us about the work of PartsCheck. Most of you will have already heard of PartsCheck, but you probably don’t know about the initiatives they’ve got going on in the background that are helping repairers across the country and even further afield in Asia.

 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How Jasmine rose up in the industry
  • How PartsCheck are helping repairers be more efficient
  • The FlexiShop workshop management tool
  • The KISS principle
  • PartsCheck’s plan for the Collision Repair Expo
  • PartsCheck’s Malaysian operation
  • Jasmine’s take on AI’s future influence on the industry
  • The importance of monitoring the efficiency of your team

 

Show links:

 

 

PAP148 : An insight into the WA collision repair market

 

Episode intro:
Editor Sam is in the chair for this week’s episode, talking to an absolute legend of the industry, Mike Wilkinson. Mike is the MD of Peter Wilkinson & Co; a prestige repair business in WA that his family started 65 years ago.
 

Mike is a passionate advocate for the industry. He’s on the board of the ACIA and Car Craft, so we talk to him about the challenges facing our industry in 2024, and why WA are such a special breed of repairers.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How Peter Wilkinson & Co managed to corner the prestige market in the 60s
  • The difficulties of dealing with manufacturer input
  • What makes WA a special market
  • The skills shortage in WAThe work of the ACIAWhat Mike is doing at the Paint & Panel Expo

Show links:

 

PAP147: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Collision Repair Expo

 

This week’s key takeaway:
Everything you need to know about the 2024 Collision Repair Expo


Episode intro:
This week we’re going to give you the lowdown on one of the most important events in the industry calendar: the Collision Repair Expo. Beginning on April 11 at the Melbourne Convention centre, the event is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the industry. Rub shoulders with the movers and shakers, learn about the latest tech and hear from an array of world-class speakers.


Guiding us through the Expo programme is Stuart Charity: CEO of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association, and one of the key men behind the event. The Collision Repair Expo only comes around every two years… you would be a fool to miss out!


In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How EVs are going to affect your business
  • The highlights of this year’s programme
  • The expected numbers for this year’s event
  • The live-streamed spray booth
  • What to expect in the business education programme
  • The hands-on, interactive training on offer


Show links:

 

 

PAP146: Converting the Ford F-150 to RHD and adapting to the Aussie Market

This week’s key takeaway:
Converting the Ford F150 to RHD and adapting to the Aussie market - with Tom Dohrmann
 

Episode intro:
On the show this week we celebrate an incredible feat of Aussie engineering. The Ford F150 is driven off the line in Detroit as a LHD, but once it hits the Australian market, it is a perfectly converted RHD. Australia is the only place in the world that does this, and our guest this week is one of the key people who makes it happen. Tom Dohrmann is the Assistant Chief Programme Engineer for the F150 conversion. He tells us how the conversion is done and what you need to look out for if an F150 comes into your repair shop.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How the F150 is as big as the iphone
  • How the conversion is done
  • How Ford Australia has driven the project
  • What repairers need to look out for in the F150
  • The impact of an aluminium chassis
  • How the manual was adapted
  • How to source parts
  • What the F150 is like to drive
  • Why car parking spaces need to catch up


Show links:

 

 

PAP145: Keeping you and your team Cyber Safe with Jason LeGuier

This week’s key takeaway:
Keeping you and your team Cyber Safe with Jason LeGuier
 

Episode intro:
It’s time we talk about cyber security! Although most of collision repair doesn’t take place on a computer, your business is just as vulnerable to attack as any other. Failure to make your business safe can lead to a hefty fine and serious damage to your reputation. If nothing else, you have a moral duty to protect your customers.
 

Our expert this week is Jason LeGuier: CEO of Hotline IT and all-round enthusiast of cyber security. He’s helped hundreds of businesses across the country, and he can certainly help yours.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How to protect yourself and your team from data breaches
  • The government regulations you need to know about
  • What you have to do if you lose somebody’s data
  • The financial and legal consequences of a data breach
  • What happens if your iBodyshop is hacked?
  • The value of 2-factor authentication
  • Why the cloud is safer than your ‘keys’ to the cloud
  • The issues with Gmail
  • The importance of training
  • Why you need a password manager
  • ‘Phishing’ explained

Show links:

 

 

PAP144: The 3 keys to building a profitable body shop with Ash Jardine

This week’s key takeaway:

The 3 keys to building a profitable body shop - with Ash Jardine

Episode intro:
You cannot fail to be inspired by our guest this week, Ash Jardine. The owner of Bodyshop Recruit is a good friend of the show, having spoken to us about how his company helps body shops recruit talent from overseas, but we thought it was high time we heard the full story of what got him into that position.
 

Ash really got his hands dirty and went out on his own at the tender age of 20, opening a successful body shop. He built up and managed multiple successful shops, some of which operated at 200% efficiency. This man has achieved things that most of us can only dream of! Listen to the show to find out how he did it.
 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How learning to estimate made a big difference to Ash
  • How Ash doubled the income of the first shop he managed
  • The training Ash used to drive his success
  • How to build an effective calculator
  • How Ash earns the respect of his workers
  • The most important things to make a successful shop
  • The knockout advice that Ash got from his accountant
  • How Ash got into international recruitment
  • How taking a step back has helped Ash develop as a professional
  • What we can do about the skills shortage

Show links:

 

 

PAP143: Tackling the ADAS Challenge

This week’s key takeaway:

Tackling the ADAS Challenge

Episode intro:

We like to keep you abreast with the latest trends, so we sent Editor Sam to ADAS Solutions to pick the brains of two experts:

Adrian Parkes (Founder/Director)

Amy Morgan (ADAS Advisor)

ADAS Solutions has grown incredibly since they built their first dedicated recalibration site in 2022. Now they have 9 sites across the country. Their mission is to raise awareness on ADAS and ensure the industry is ready for change. Do you know all you need to know about ADAS?

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How much the industry needs to catch up
  • Why you should do more than repair what you see
  • How fault codes can vary with ADAS
  • The difference between ADAS and EV
  • How Chinese manufacturers are cooperating
  • How soon will we see hydrogen cars?

Show links:

 

 

PAP142: Making an impact with a purpose driven business

 

This week’s key takeaway:
Making an impact with a purpose-driven business, with Paul Dunn

Episode intro:
We have a truly remarkable guest on the show this week. Paul Dunn is the co-founder and chairman of B1G1 - a magnificent initiative that enables people and businesses to give money to good causes when a product/service is bought. Paul is an award-winning entrepreneur who has given three TEDx talks… he is definitely worth listening to!

Listen to the show to hear Paul’s amazing story, and find out how a collision-repair business can give something back.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How Paul got started with B1G1
  • How to use a trigger to do good in business
  • The meaning of ‘the power of small’
  • The importance of small details in business
  • How purpose can increase the longevity of a business
  • How purpose can help connection
  • How the collision-repair industry can incorporate Paul’s ideas
  • The importance of legacy

Show links:

 

 

PAP141: The Past, The Present and The Future of the industry - Panel Chat

 

This week’s key takeaway:
The past present and future of the industry - panel chat

Episode intro:
We’re doing something a bit different this week: a roundtable discussion with Ben, Editor Sam and two esteemed industry guests. We’ll be reflecting on the good and the bad of 2023 and giving you the headsup on what to expect in 2024.

Joining Ben and Sam:
Glenn O’Donnell: Bodyshop Awards winner and GM of North Shore BMW and Macarthur Prestige.

Jason Trewin: COO at I-CAR Australia

During the show you will hear the prediction that there will be more changes in the industry in the next 5 years than there have been in the last 25; so strap yourself in, listen up, and find out what those changes might be.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • Details about the Women in Collision Awards
  • New award categories in the Bodyshop Awards
  • The importance of staff development and technical training
  • The impact of a four-day work week
  • Is TAFE training still relevant?
  • Why there is less welding these days
  • The viability of hydrogen cars
  • Trends for 2024

Show links:

 

 

PAP140: How to get the most of LinkedIn with Adam Houlahan

This week’s key takeaway:
How to get the most out of Linkedin with Adam Houlahan

Episode intro:
You might be wondering how Linkedin can be useful in a practical business like collision repair, but rest assured, there is so much you can do!

Regular listeners will know how difficult it is to find the right talent in this industry. So many of our guests talk to us about recruitment, but this is the first time we’ve brought you a masterclass on Linkedin: one of the most active recruitment marketplaces on the internet.

And it’s not just recruitment that our esteemed Linkedin expert, Adam Houlihan, can help you with. By the end of the episode, you’ll know how to optimise your profile and how to attract new business on the platform.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How to generate leads on Linkedin
  • What your Linkedin profile needs to look like
  • Why you have to keep your profile image up to date
  • How to align your team members on Linkedin
  • How often you should post content on Linkedin
  • The importance of Sales Navigator
  • How to use company pages
  • Linkedin ads explained
  • What’s new on Linkedin

Show links:

 

 

PAP139: How being curious and looking after your people will lead to your success

This week’s key takeaway:
How being curious and looking after people will lead to your success

Episode intro:
Our guest this week was the superstar of Paint & Panel Live, Mr David Shepherd. His keynote address wowed everybody in the room, so we thought we’d get him on the show to give you the chance to learn from one of the best.
David started in the industry as a panel beater in the UK, before eventually building up one of the biggest collision-repair businesses in the country (which he sold for a tidy £11m). This man can inspire you to do great things!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How David built up his own business
  • How David changed the way insurance companies would inspect his vehicles
  • Why employees should know the reasons why
  • The importance of quality control
  • How recruitment has changed down the years
  • How to talk to customers and industry colleagues
  • Why we should promote good shops more
  • How the industry should appeal to a younger audience

Show links:

 

 

PAP138: How to achieve more in 2024

This week’s key takeaway:
How to achieve more in 2024

Episode intro:
We’re kicking off 2024 with something a bit different… a little spot of business coaching from someone outside of collision repair. David Carlin is the other half of presenter-Ben’s coaching business, Max My Profit, and he’s an expert on goal setting and long-term planning.

Now is the best time to get your team together, make plans and thrash out your goals. New year, new start! By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to set your goals for 2024 and be confident you can achieve them.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How to delegate
  • How short-term goals should match up with long-term goals
  • SMART goal setting
  • How to measure the progress of your goals
  • How to get buy-in from your team
  • How to find the time to make long-term change
  • The importance of business coaching
  • Recruitment hacks

Show links:

 

PAP137: Wrapping up 2023 with Sam Street and our Hall of Fame Inductees

This week’s key takeaway:

Wrapping up 2023 with Sam Street and our Hall of Famers

Episode intro:
It's that time of the year again… it’s time for Paint & Panel’s roundup of 2023. It’s been an eventful year of high demand, more cars on the road and not enough parts to go around.

We welcome back two industry-friends of the show who are both Paint & Panel Awards Hall of Famers. Robin Taylor (Performance Services Development Consultant at Axalta) and Steve O’Brien (MD at iBodyshop) join Ben and editor Sam for a roundtable discussion about the good and the bad of 2023 and what we can expect for 2024.

We’d like to say a big thank you to all of our listeners in 2023 - we hope you had a good year. See you all on the other side!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How the industry dealt with high demand with a skills shortage
  • Is COVID still an issue for the industry?
  • The scale of the part-supply problem
  • How the industry has made itself more efficient lately
  • Why there are more cars on the road at the moment
  • How smash repairers are reinvesting in their futures
  • The most popular podcast topics of 2023
  • What the industry is doing to attract new talent
  • Predictions for 2024
  • How independents can stand out in 2024

Show links:

 

 

PAP136: Modernise your repair processes with the cloud-based LINQ platform

This week’s key takeaway:

Modernise your repair processes with the cloud-based LINQ platform

Episode intro:

Isn’t it great when new tech can help us do things better? In this episode you’ll hear how the PPG LINQ system is an absolute game-changer for mixing paint. We welcome back a good friend of the show, John Hristias (Sales Director, PPG Refinish), and one of his delighted customers, Lewis Richards (Geoff Richards Panel Beating) to explain how LINQ can make day-to-day work more accurate and efficient.

One of the biggest costs in your business will be paint. If you use a system like LINQ to optimise this, you could save yourself a load of money!

In this week’s episode you will learn:
      • What’s new in LINQ
      • How much paint you can save by using LINQ
      • What you can do on a screen/simulation before you spray anything
      • How the role of the estimator can change
      • How easy it is to adopt LINQ
      • How Geoff Richards Panel Beating came up from nothing
      • Why you should build up a colour library
      • How LINQ is saving Lewis time and money
      • How you can make changes in a visualiser without spraying out onto card
      • Why a change to LINQ is more popular on the floor than most changes
Show links:
 
 

PAP135: How WorldSkills Australia is Driving Excellence in the Industry

This week’s key takeaway:

How Worldskills Australia is driving excellence in the industry

Episode intro:

Our industry has no future unless we nurture young talent. In this episode we shine a light on the excellent work of Worldskills Australia, who are changing the game for some of our best apprentices. By winning local and national competitions, the best in Australia are given the chance to travel and compete on the world stage.

As we hear from one of our guests, Maxine Colligan, former WorldSkills champion, this process can inspire a thriving career, and give the confidence to sharpen skills and persist when the going gets tough.

Our other guests are:

Brigitte Collins (GM of WorldSkills Australia)

Robbie Cross (WorldSkills Body repair chief judge)

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How employers can benefit and benchmark with Worldskills
      • How Worldskills can bring the industry together
      • How a competition winner’s career was transformed with Worldskills
      • How a competition winner improved her confidence and resilience
      •  
      • The difference between the workshop mindset and the competition mindset
      • Where Australia’s training ranks among the rest of the world
      • How to enter the competition
      • How national competition links to international competition

Show links:

 

 

PAP134: Driving Performance, Productivity and Profitability with Robin Taylor

This week’s key takeaway:

Driving performance, productivity and profitability - with Robin Taylor

Episode intro:

If you can’t measure your business effectively, you’re not going to improve. On the show this week is Robin Taylor from Axalta: a man who is helping businesses across the country measure their paint costs. Paint is something that can catch people out - sometimes a body shop will only notice the creep of paint jobs after they’ve completed unprofitable work.

Robin talks us through Axalta’s Drivus program: a suite of digital utilities that can help you nail your KPIs and keep costs down.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The importance of KPIs
      • How Axalta is keeping up with the times
      • How the Australian market compares to the US and UK
      • Axalta’s Drivus Program
      • The dangers of volume
      • How to measure your success
      • How to get access to Axalta’s program
      • Why you need buy-in from your team
      • The highlights from the Paint & Panel Awards

Show links:

 

 

PAP133: The Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Estimator

This week's key takeaway:

The benefits of hiring a virtual estimator - with Jim Damatopoulos

Episode intro:

How would you feel about saving 40% and paying no payroll tax or super on your estimator? Jim Damatopoulos is just about to tell you how. Jim has joined forces with one of our previous guests, Ash Jardine, to offer a virtual estimator service that is already changing the game for innovative body shops in Australia.

There will be no quick fix for the skills shortage in our industry, but maybe just maybe you can find a quick fix for your own business. If you like the sound of being ahead of the curve and becoming an early adopter...listen up!

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • How a virtual estimator proves their ability
      • Situations where a virtual estimator doesn't work
      • How to overcome the language barrier
      • How triage is done with a virtual estimator
      • How a virtual estimator can free up your time to perform other tasks
      • How to communicate with the virtual estimator
      • The kind of shop that is best suited to a virtual estimator

Show links:

 

 

PAP132: Creating Sustainability in the Collision Repair Industry

This week's key takeaway:

Creating sustainability in the collision repair industry - with Kirsten Dodd

Episode intro:

Our environmental impact is becoming more important by the day. Business owners are increasingly aware of their responsibility, and so too are the customers. That’s why we spoke to Kirsten Dodd (BASF’s Product Launch Manager) about the brand-new products that are using rigorous European standards to help body shops reduce their footprint.

Imagine if you could reduce your run time in spray booths and your usage of drying equipment? Not only would you be helping the environment, you would also improve your own efficiency and profitability. And how good would it be to validate this with impartial and transparent figures? Kirsten gives us the lowdown on how you can do all of the above.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The work of a Product Launch Manager
      • How things are changing at a quicker rate than ever
      • How European legislation on sustainability differs from Australia
      • What it truly means to be sustainable
      • BASF’s sustainability targets
      • How the ‘Biomass balance’ approach is reducing emissions
      • BASF and Glasurit's uniquely sustainable products
      • The demand for sustainable products in Australia

Show links:

 

 

PAP131: Give your business a clear advantage with Novus Glass

This week’s key takeaway:
Give your business a clear advantage, with Novus Glass

Episode intro:

How much do you really know about windscreen repair? We’re going to dissect this all-important part of the collision-repair mix with our esteemed guest, Stuart Faid (Regional VP of Fix Network Australia). Stuart introduces us to Fix Network’s sister brand, Novus Glass, and tells us the interesting story of how the Novus founder got so sick of windscreen chips on his Ford Bronco, he went out and invented a whole new way of repairing windscreens. And just for good measure, he also invented the ski boot!

It was great to have Stuart back on the show - he really knows his stuff. And maybe your repair shop might just need to work with someone like him?

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Novus got started
      • How insurance companies changed their stance to windscreen repair
      • How the business has changed in the last five years
      • The chances of repair V replacement with Novus
      • How mobile operatives can help fixed sites
      • Real-life examples of panel shops working with Novus
      • The difference between Novus and Fix Network
      • The average margin for a windscreen business

Show links:

 

 

PAP130: How the QLD MTA is helping to Future Proof the Industry

This week’s key takeaway:
How the QLD MTA is helping to future proof the industry

Episode intro:

Editor Sam is out and about with her recorder once again, this time to the impressive Motor Trade’s Association HQ in Queensland for a nice chat with Rod Camm (Group CEO).

Rod is a real innovator who works tirelessly to tackle the age-old problems in our industry, such as recruitment and the education of insurers. We hear about the workgroup he built up for industry thinkers to debate these issues, and some of his other solutions to help the industry move with the times and be an attractive proposition for the next generation.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Rod built up his group
      • How to attract young people to the industry
      • The challenge of engaging with insurers
      • How to educate estimators
      • Why you must know your cost of business
      • How Rod’s website can help you find the right talent
      • The Workforce Connect programme
      • The benefits of school-based apprenticeships
      • How to utilise connections with local schools

Show links:

 

 

PAP129: Exploring Bold Strategies with Ben Chesterfield

This week’s key takeaway:
Exploring Bold Strategies with Ben Chesterfield

Episode intro:

This week we give you one heck of a success story from Ben Chesterfield: the man who took the bold move to diversify his business and jump into hail repair. Seen as our theme for Paint & Panel Live this year is bold strategies, Sam paid him a visit and asked him how he pulled it off.

Ben is the GM of Car Craft Accident Repair and Total Hail Solutions in Queensland, who are part of the Car Craft Group. It was certainly a bold move for a member of the Car Craft Group to drop everything and build up a hail operation… but Ben has certainly made it work.

As more and more insurance companies give hail work to specialist hail companies, it’s really worth hearing how Ben is making it work. The potential rewards are massive… maybe you could get some of those for your business?

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Why Ben branched out into hail
      • Where Total Hail get their business from
      • How to work on hail with fleets
      • The average work rate of a hail technician
      • The advantage of being part of a wider group
      • How conventional repair work meshes with hail work
      • How hail repair can be delivered in multiple locations
      • The difficulty for conventional repairers to manage hail
      • The most common repairs from hail damage

Show links:

 

 

PAP128: Women in Collision Awards

This week’s key takeaway:

The Women in Collision Awards, with George Manos & Kiera Dyer

Episode intro:
It’s that time of the year again - the time when we celebrate the contribution of women in our industry with the Women in Collision Awards. We speak to two people from our platinum event sponsors, IAG. George Manos (industry risk and governance manager) and Kiera Dyer (manager of motor assessing operations).

We get a great insight into what it’s like to be part of an organisation that is driving inclusivity, why IAG are sponsoring the awards, and what it has been like for Kiera in a male-dominated industry.

PS: Nominations for the Women in Collision Awards are now open. If you know any women who deserve recognition for their excellent work, go to the Events & Awards section of the Paint & Panel website and get those nominations in!

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • How to make change in a male-dominated industry
      • The success of the previous awards
      • What is was like for a young female to work for the NRMA
      • The inner workings of motor assessment
      • The value of an MBA for Kiera
      • What the industry can do to improve inclusion
      • Kiera’s own strategies for getting on in the industry
      • Why industry pathways should be promoted better
      • How industry culture has modernised to be more inclusive
      • Why you should nominate someone for the awards

Show links:

 

 

PAP127: Upskill your team to future proof your business

This week's key takeaway:

Upskill  your team to future proof your business

Episode intro:

We cannot overstate the importance of training to your business and the industry as a whole. Complaining about a skills shortage is all well and good, but what are you doing about it?

This week, we're speaking to I-CAR's Jason Trewin (COO) and Gary Wood (Senior Training Specialist) about their increasingly diverse range of training. We've been trying to get these boys on the podcast sine we started, but they've always been too busy training people to find the time to do an interview. But they hadn't bargained on our editor Sam Street going all the way to Melbourne and literally turning up on their doorstep!

Sam's cross-country trip certainly paid off. Jason and Gary shared so much great insight about what we can do as an industry to upskill our workers. 

In this week's podcast you will learn:

      • Why the welding program is so important for any technician
      • How industry roles are diversifying
      • Why more shops are achieving I-CAR Gold Class
      • What I-CAR can offer via their industry partners
      • The rapid growth of multi-skilling
      • The importance of font-of-house training
      • Why I-CAR is diversifying its training offering
      • How training can be a badge of honour for your business
      • Why it's worth the risk of staff leaving after you've trained them up

Show links:

 

 

PAP126: A deep dive into the world of body filler

This week's key takeaway:

A deep dive into the world of body filler - with James Lawson

Episode intro:

This week we give you the lowdown on an essential-but-often-misunderstood aspect of our process; body filler. There is much more to body filler than meets the eye. If you don't apply your bog correctly, it can have disastrous consequences for both the shop and the vehicle owner.

Editor Sam gets the insight from our favourite Specialist Educator, James Lawson, who you may recognise from a recent Paint & Panel episode about training at 3M. If you want to make your next body-filler application a work of art, listen hard and take notes!

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • Essential PPE when applying body filler
      • How to avoid skin diseases
      • How to prepare the panel for filler
      • How to avoid films forming on a panel
      • The right cleaner to use
      • Why you should use a multi-leaf mixing board
      • The most common failures
      • How to protect your work from damp and humiditiy
      • The chemical makeup of a body filler
      • What is the correct amount of hardener?

Show links:

 

PAP125: Celebrating 60 years of the Bathurst 1000

This week's key takeaway:

Celebrating 25 years of the Bathurst 1000 with Steve Normoyle

Episode intro:

We've got something a bit different on the show this week: a trip down memory lane about the world-famous Aussie institutions, the Bathurst 1000. Our guest Steve Normoyle has covered the Bathurst for three decades. As one of Australia's most eminent motorsport enthusiasts, Steve has just published a new version of a book chronicling the sights and stores of the legendary race since 1963.

Even if you don't follow the Bathurst, you enjoy hearing the ever-charismatic Steve tell the story behind it. and how it was so fundamental to the success and failure of car manufacturers on the forecourt.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • How the Bathurst started
      • Steve's journey into motorsport writing
      • What's new in Steve's book
      • How the Bathurst functioned as a marketing exercise for cars in the showroom
      • How the cars have evolved down the years
      • The original circuit for the Bathurst
      • How the Mount Panorama track has changed

Show links:

 

 

PAP124: 3M's global strategy to support collision repairers

This week's key takeaway:

3M's global strategy to help collision repairers

Episode intro:

Editor Sam went out to the 3M training facility in Blacktown to give you the lowdown on the extensive training on offer at 3M.

Our guests Justin Myers (3M automotive aftermarket division manager) and James Lawson (collision repair specialist educator) talk us through the groundbreaking initiatives on offer, and how repair shops like yours are using the courses to stay ahead of the game.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • How to keep your technicians up-to-date with 3M products
      • How 3M are investing globally
      • The importance of upskilling your staff
      • On-site training options of Australia & New Zealand
      • How specialist programs are bringing foreign technicians up to speed
      • 3M's partnership with I-CAR
      • The new courses 3M will offer
      • The flexibility of the current courses

Show links:

 

 

 

PAP123: A natural extension of the customer journey with NDRA

This week’s key takeaway:

A natural extension of the customer journey with NDRA

Episode intro:

Editor Sam speaks to David Butcher and John Dawson from Paint & Panel Live-sponsors, NDRA. As you will find out, the National Debt Recovery Authority does more than simply recover debt. It acts as a vital go-between to ensure customers and repairers receive fair and reasonable rates from insurers.

You might not think you need the NDRA, but you probably won’t say that once you’ve heard what David and John have to say. There’s no doubt they can help everyone get a better deal.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Why sponsoring Paint & Panel Live is a good idea for the NDRA
      • How bold strategies can work
      • How to negotiate with insurers
      • Why an independent 3rd party can improve outcomes for both customers and insurance companies
      • How independent assessors can help the process
      • The importance of customers being able to choose their repairer
      • Why the reputation of third-party repairers is improving

Show links:

 

 

PAP122: Customer loyalty is your key to success

This week's key takeaway:

Customer loyalty is your key to success - with Sudeep Aikar

Episode intro:

We've got a great story for you on this week's episode. 

Sudeep Aikar only came to this country eight months ago, but he's already making waves in Western Australia. The production manager/estimator at Reneew Collision Repair was recruited by our former guests Ash Jardine and Aaron Scagliotta, having worked for the likes of Jaguar Land Rover in the middle east.

Just how did a man who started repairing bicycles in India end up at the top of the industry on the other side of the world? And how does he do customer service so well that he made the finals of the Bodyshop Award?

Listen to find out!

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • Sudeep's incredible stoy
      • How Sudeep turned around the fortunes of a body shop
      • The differences between the Asian/middle-eastern market and Australia
      • The systems you need to make a customer happy
      • How to exceed the expectations of a customer 
      • How to make the customer say 'wow!' when you return their car
      • The net promoter score explained

Show links:

 

 

PAP121: The Bodyshop Awards Judges Wrap Up

This week's key takeaway:

The Bodyshop Awards Judges Wrap Up

Episode intro:

With the Bodyshop Awards coming up, this is your chance to gain an insight into how a judge's mind works.

We'd like to give a big shout out to the judges who give up their time, unpaid. They really do it for the love. In this episode you'll be hearing from:

Steve Lozenkovski (General Manager, Bears Group)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-lozenkovski-14436b91/

Greg Preson (Group Executive Manager, Plastfix)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-preston-38418466/

Michelle Te Rure (Operations Manager, Action Smart Group)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-te-rure-9a553760/

Brenda Iverson (former shop owner)

Corey Wells (Ringleader, Wells Autobody)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-wells-208285275/

And our very own:

Ben Fewtrell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfewtrell/

Sam Street (Paint & Panel Editor)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-street-a3462916/

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • This year's industry trends
      • Why the industry has a bright future
      • What a winning business looks like
      • This year's award categories

Show links:

 

 

PAP120: Introducing the Australian Collision Industry Alliance

This week's key takeaway:

Introducing the Australian Collision Industry Alliance - with Rob Bartlett

Episode intro:

How do you get young people into the collision repair industry? It's a constant battle, but there are people out there doing a sterling job in making it happen. We speak to Rob Bartlett, founding director of the Australian Collision Industry Alliance.

The ACIA is a new and exciting not-for-profit organisation promoting careers in the collision repair industry. Rob talks us through the work of the organisation and the big ambitions for the future.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • Why the ACIA is needed
      • How the ACIA is empowering young people
      • The importance of educating careers advisors
      • How the ACIA is expanding
      • The contribution of the Motor Trades Association
      • The networking potential of the ACIA
      • How you can get involved with the ACIA
      • Do career days really work?

Show links:

 

 

PAP119: Could you benefit from stepping back?

This week’s key takeaway:

Could you benefit from standing back? - with Steve Lozenkovski

Episode intro:

A lot of business owners think about taking a break, but hardly any do. This week we hear from someone who’s taken himself out of the hamster wheel and empowered others in his business into the bargain.

Steve Lozenkovski built up the family business to six sites and sold it off to AMA. Now he is seeking to improve his own work/life balance but also the health of the business. How is it working out for him? And what can we all learn from Steve’s approach? Stay tuned to find out!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How stepping away is working out for Steve
      • How Steve’s business is adapting without him
      • The pressure of a family business
      • How Steve is responding to the post-COVID world
      • Why things have to change to future-proof the industry
      • How Steve is giving back to the community
      • How retraining is benefiting Steve’s business
      • Flexible working arrangements and the 4-day week

Show links:

 

 

PAP118: Embracing Innovation and Supporting the Industry

This week’s key takeaway:

Embracing Innovation and Supporting the Industry - with Steve O’Brien

Episode intro:

It’s coming around to that time of year again - the time when we start thinking about the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards.

We’ve got our old mate Steve O’Brien from iBodyshop on the show this week. iBodyshop are sponsoring the awards once again this year, so we pick Steve’s brains about what makes an award winner, and why it’s important for you to come to the awards, whether you’re nominated or not.

Stay tuned for the inside track on the biggest industry event of the year!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What’s new in iBodyshop
      • The concept of Kaizen (never-ending improvement)
      • What to expect from the Bodyshop Awards this year
      • How to nominate yourself and other people
      • What you need to demonstrate to have the best chance of winning an award
      • Why Steve keeps coming back to sponsor the event

Show links:

 

 

PAP117: From Panelbeater to TAFE Teacher, Cameron Killen shares his story

This week’s key takeaway:

From Panelbeater to TAFE Teacher, Cameron Killen shares his story

Episode intro:

Do you ever wonder why it’s so difficult to find apprentices and keep hold of them? In the show this week, we’ve got a brilliant first-hand insight from a recent apprentice, Cameron Killen.

Cameron started at Killen’s Collision Repairs in Armadale, but is now at the other side of the fence as a TAFE teacher, inspiring the next generation.

Find out how Cameron and TAFE is future-proofing the industry by moulding the apprentices of tomorrow, and what you need to do as a business to make sure you get the best talent on board.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to motivate apprentices in your workplace
      • Why an apprentice might lose motivation
      • How Cameron got involved with TAFE
      • How TAFE can help repair shops find the best people
      • How to change the narrative surrounding collision repair
      • The level of engagement with TAFE courses
      • The work of the ACIA
      • Why repairers need to prioritise a healthy environment

Show links:

 

 

PAP116: Don't get caught out with your WHS system with Gary Wilcox

This week's key takeaway:

Don't get caught out with your WHS system with Gary Wilcox

Episode intro:

Are you really on top of your WHS? Can you be 100% sure you and your team are covered if the worst happens?

We don't get returning guests very often but Gary Wilcox is definitely a worthy exception! His health & safety product, Monit, helps panel shops all over Australia; and Gary himself is a great champion of no-nonsense advice that can protect your business today.

May you are being coerced into buying a WHS product in return for getting work from insurers? Gary and Ben deconstruct this malpractice in simple terms to make sure you don't fall victim.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • What constitutes a policy
      • Unscrupulous insurance companies
      • How Monit can help you
      • The boxes you need to tick to work with providers
      • Why you need to be comfortable with your policy
      • Changes in 'Australian standards'
      • The 'psychosocial environment'

Show links:

 

 

PAP115: Amy Miles shares how family values and integrity always pays in the long run

This week's key takeaway:

Amy Miles shares how family values and integrity always pays in the long run

Episode intro:

What an entertaining conversation we had with Amy Miles, Company Director at Valley Radiator Service. Amy presides over one of the few businesses in Oz that can still repair parts, thanks in no small part to her famous foreman who has been in the business since it opened in 1978!

Amy tells Ben how they performed a miracle during the Queensland floods of 2022. Despite being a few feet underwater, Amy's business honoured all of their commitments and remained fully operational throughout.

In Amy's words: "I like having a chat with people and working out how I can make their lives easier." This episode is a lesson in how far you can get with a personal service and a charismatic leader.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • Why we shouldn't be worried about the introduction of the EV
      • Is the industry geared up for a large injection of new cars?
      • The dynamics of Amy's family business
      • The difficulty of being female in a male-dominated industry
      • The importance of after-sales care
      • The benefits of being able to send a technician to site
      • How Amy coped in the floods
      • How loyalty paid off for Amy
      • The good causes Amy supports
      • The importance of mental-health support
      • What the industry should do to gain more recognition from young people

Show links:

 

 

PAP114: Ben's top 10 tips to stay productive and focused

This week’s key takeaway:

Ben’s top 10 tips to stay productive and focused

Episode intro:

Presenter Ben puts his business-coaching hat on this week to give you a free session. People are always telling him they’re too busy, but why are they too busy? Could it be that they haven’t planned their work properly?

In 20 years of coaching, Ben has seen it all. He makes it his business to know how you should manage your business, so strap yourself in and listen to a masterclass from one of the best.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to set the right goals
      • The best way to eliminate distractions
      • Is it okay to ignore calls on your phone?
      • The dangers of multi-tasking
      • How to set deadlines
      • Is it better to answer questions or make people answer themselves?
      • A system for prioritising tasks
      • How Trello can help

Show links:

 

 

PAP113: A Deeper Look into the Towing Industry with Sheen Towing

This week’s key takeaway:

A deeper look into the towing industry with Sheen Towing

Episode intro:

We thought it was about time we tackled the important matter of towing: a fundamental pillar of the collision-repair service.

We speak to Scott Douglas, GM of Sheen Towing, who have a whopping 25 tilt trays (soon to become 33!) and 26 body shops across Victoria. Scott has a unique insight because he has been on both sides of the fence, having been Manager of Investigations at Vic Roads before going over to the other side to be where he is today.

Listen up and learn about all-things towing, as well has how Scott combines the towing service with his own body shops to offer a 360° service. Maybe you could do this yourself?

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Scott finds the right personnel
      • Why being able to tow gives you an edge in the marketplace
      • The operational challenges of towing
      • How the dynamics of the industry have change
      • Why diagnosis has become increasingly important
      • What body shops ought to know about the life of a tower
      •  The public’s fear of what might happen to the car on a tow truck

Show links:

 

 

PAP112: Rising to the Apprentice Challenge with AMA

This week's key takeaway:

Rising to the apprentice challenge with AMA & Adina Nijemcevic

Episode intro:

Editor Sam takes the reins again to speak to Adina Nijemcevic about all-things apprenticeships.

It's hardly controversial to say we are an ageing industry that struggles to attract young talent. There is a serious skills shortage, but if you listen to our guest Adina Nijemcevic, you can certainly buck the trend.

As Group Apprenticeship Manager at AMA, Adina is responsible for over 350 apprenticeships. Don't worry if you're not an MSO life AMA - this is advice that can help absolutely any operator in collision repair.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • How to engage and appeal with your recruitment strategy
      • How to retain apprentices
      • The importance of good learning descriptions
      • How to make an immersion day work for you
      • The different apprentice resources available in certain states
      • On-site training V safe learning spaces
      • Why small shops shouldn't give up on apprentices
      • How body shops can become part of the community
      • How to motivate young workers

Show links:

 

 

PAP111: The Challenges and Benefits of Being an MSO

 This week's key takeaway:

The challenges and benefits of being an MSO

Episode intro:

We've got something a bit different for you this week: two site visits from editor-Sam, where she discusses the pros and cons of MSOs (Multiple Site Operators). 

Part one:

Sam talks to Fred Slemen, MD of 5 Star Panels, who process 5,000 cars per year. Have they become more attractive to insurance companies since they expanded? Is it worth the headache of having multiple shops?

Part two:

Sam speaks to Dave and Clarissa Iacobucci from DSI panels, who now have three shops with 57 staff. Is having multiple shops close to each other an advantage? How do they find the right people to manage situations when they're not on the ground?

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • Why your second shop is nearly always the hardest to set up?
      • How insurance companies react to MSOs
      • What you need in place to set up a new shop
      • Why the industry needs more regulation
      • How expansion can affect profitability
      • Why staff should be allowed to make their own mistakes
      • The different stresses of a larger business
      • Why being bigger can enable you to have more days off

Show links:

 

 

PAP110: 5 Tips to set and use KPIs in your business

This week's key takeaway: 

5 tips to set and use KPIs in your business with David Carlin

Episode Intro:

Do you really know what's going on in your business? This week we're going to show you how KPIs are just like driving a car.

Our guest is the esteemed David Carlin, co-owner at MaxMyProfit, and the man who makes sure presenter-Ben's KPIs are in order in his business. By the end of this episode, you'll have the essential info to help you set up that all-important KPI dashboard.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • Why you need to get on top of your KPIs
      • The importance of a proper cashflow forecast
      • Why KPIs should be seen as like fuel in a car
      • Are people sufficiently aware of performance data these days?
      • The importance of traffic-light systems and alerts
      • The main things you should be measuring
      • How often you should measure your KPIs
      • 'The hundred point system'
      • The best financial KPIs

Show links:

 

 

PAP109: Overcoming the challenges of being regional with Margaret Bauer

This week’s key takeaway:

Overcoming the challenge of being regional with Margaret Bauer

Episode intro:

It’s always great to speak to an award winner on the show. This week it’s Margaret Bauer from Cooma Crash Repairs, winner of the Women in Collision administration award and thoroughly dedicated to improving the industry.

Cooma Crash Repairs is in deepest New South Wales; one of the most remote parts of the country. This provides a number of challenges, i.e. adverse weather, freight costs, attracting young talent etc. Margaret tells us how she faces those challenges, and how her previous experience in healthcare has enabled her to introduce better process.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How dealing with insurers is similar to triage in healthcare
      • Examples of good regulation
      • How sponsoring foreign workers has saved her business 
      • The challenges of running a rural repairer
      • Why average repair prices increase in rural areas
      • How to redress the balance to empower regional repairers
      • The implication of fuel levies on regional repairers
      • How Margaret attracts young talent to somewhere so rural
      • How Margaret has built links with local schools and education centres
      • How a repair business can give back to its workers

Show links:

 


PAP108: Levelling the playing field with James Knox from APG

This week's key takeaway:

Levelling the playing field with James Knox from APG

Episode Intro:

It's not often we get to speak to someone who ahs such a range of experience in the industry. James Knox is currently the CEO of APG, the largest independent part supplier in Australia, but he's also been CEO of Repairhub (a network of repair centres) and two of the country's largest insurance companies. He's truly been on all sides!

In today's episode, James will focus on two major challenges facing the industry: the use of parallel parts and aftermarket parts. This is absolutely fundamental to your profit margins, and yet there are certain conventions relating to OEM parts that are barely questioned. Did you know that aftermarket parts make up 40% of the US market? Maybe we could learn something from our friends across the pond...

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • The different challenges on each side of the fence
      • How to increase your profitability
      • Why part strategies from insurers should change
      • The future of part supply
      • How MSOs make it work
      • Breaking the taboo of aftermarket parts
      • How certified aftermarket parts can help you
      • The insurers that allow aftermarket parts
      • The different rules insurers have for different parts
      • Should customers be given the choice of parts?

Show links:

 

 

PAP107: 7 iBodyshop features you should be using

This week's key takeaway:

iBodyshop features you should be using with Steve O'Brien

Episode intro:

We've got an old friend back on the show this week to run you though some of the most important but lesser-known features of iBodyshop. And even if you don't have iBodyshop, we thoroughl recommend you listen to Managing Director Steve explain the massive impact that certain features can have on the efficiency of your business.

Find out how to save time, money and be more consistent in your service delivery. What more could you possibly want?

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • Why it's best to use iBodyshop as more than a glorified typewriter
      • The seven features you quite simply have to utilise
      • How the Lookup function can identify your vehicles
      • The power of automating small processes
      • 'The compounding effect' of tasks that appear minr
      • How to improve the connection with your dealership
      • The trick you can use to make your average quote increase by $200
      • How to automate SMS for your customers
      • How to immediately get the right discount for your parts

Show links:

 

 

PAP106: The risks of EV and why proper training is so important

This week's key takeaway:

The risks of EV and why proper training is so important.

Episode Intro:

It doesn't take a genius to work out the EV's are going to become increasingly important to collision repairers, but are you ready for it?

EV training will become fundamental to the success/failure of body shops, so we sent editor Sam to the MTA NSW training facility to have a look around and give you an understanding of how this training works and why it is so important.

Sam spoke to Ian Price (GM of RTO & Training), Anthony Tomassetti (Continuous Development Manager) and Anthony Bonanno (EV trainer). All of them gave a great insight into how EV training could work for your business.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • How to train people on EV's safely
      • The urgency of adoption of EVs
      • Why batteries may be damaged in a paint booth
      • De-powering of vehicles
      • The different EV courses you can do
      • The new equipment you might need to service EVs
      • What the EV1 course entails
      • How simulators can help
      • Funding for employers to upskill their staff

Show links:

 

 

PAP105: What you need to know about the 2023 BodyShop Awards

This week's key takeaway:

What you need to know about the 2023 BodyShop Awards

Episode intro:

 

It's the 28th year of the night of nights in the collision repair industry: the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards. This week we're going to give you the inside track on this year's event. Are you eligible for nomination? Who else can you nominate? By the end of this episode, you'll have all the answers.

We'll also give you a headsup on what's new this year. *Spoiler alert* - It's going to be bigger and better than ever before! Ben speaks to James Frape (CEO of the main sponsor of the event, CompassCorp), and our very own editor, Sam Street.

In this week's episode you wil learn:

      • Why CompassCorp put so much into the awards
      • How the awasrds can push you to think differently
      • What people need to consider before entering
      • The new venue for this year's awards
      • Changes to the judging rules
      • New awards categories
      • How the awards are expanding
      • What to expect from the night itself

Show links:

 

 

PAP104: How MTA NSW is helping you get The Edge

This week’s key takeaway:

How MTA NSW is helping you get the edge with Stavros Yallouridis

Episode intro:

Editor Sam is on interview duty this week, with Stavros Yallouridis: CEO of the Motor Traders’ Association of New South Wales.

Stavros will give you the headsup on the all-important Body Repair code of conduct, and how NSW MTA is pioneering training in the industry. Make no bones about it: any collision repairer needs to know the extent of their liability... but how many of you can honestly say you’re fully up to speed?

Stavros can help you get there.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The implications of mandating the code
      • MTA NSW’s new service offerings
      • How MTA NSW’s training differs from TAIF
      • The importance of shop insurance
      • How Motor Trades Care can help you
      • Why you need to know your OHNS requirements
      • How MTA NSW can help you with your OHNS

Show links:

 

 

PAP103: Switching to a 4 day work week

This week’s key takeaway:

Switching to a 4-day work week, with Iain Kippen

Episode intro: 

Our guest this week is a real innovator, and his shop (Bissell’s Paint & Panel in Queensland) is a multiple winner at our very own Paint & Panel Body Shop Awards.

Iain Kippen worked in a number of different industries before he ended up in collision repair. This helped him to see the wood from the trees and do things a different way, most notably giving his employees Fridays off and INCREASING productivity and profitability. Iain tells us how he achieved what many would think impossible - this one really isn’t to be missed!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Iain fell into the automotive sector and made it work
      • The difference between collision repair and other sectors
      • The importance of transparency
      • How Iain systemised his processes
      • The optimum number of cars for profitability
      • The best KPIs to measure in a body shop
      • How many cars you should be processing per day
      • Why personality is more important than skills
      • How to deliver the 4-day work week

Show links:

 

 

PAP102: The Benefits of Belonging

This week’s key takeaway:

The Benefit of Belonging, with Peter McMahon

Episode intro: 

Most of us want to be part of something bigger, and repairers are no different. We speak to Peter McMahon, CEO of the Car Craft Group: a body who represent 135 independent repair businesses up and down the country.

Car Craft has experienced a rapid growth in membership in recent times, but why is this the case? What is happening in the industry to make independents feel they need to be part of a wider group? Listen to the show to find out...

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Car Craft empowers repairers
      • Why it helps to be part of a group
      • What inspired Car Craft in the beginning
      • The power of Ezi-Methods
      • How a group can help with OEMs
      • How a group can enable access to better suppliers
      • The ‘right’ number of members for a group

Show links:

 

 

PAP101: Benefits of the Women & Leadership Australia Program

This week’s key takeaway:

Benefits of the Women & Leadership Australia Programs

Episode Intro:

It’s no secret we’re in a male-dominated industry, so it’s vitally important we do what we can to empower female leaders. On the show this week, we speak to two women who are doing exactly that.

Andrea McCarthy:

A previous guest on the show, the owner of McCarthy Panel Works in Queensland tells us how a scholarship from WLA enabled her to complete the WLA Executive Ready Program. Now she’s at the top of her profession, she wants to inspire other women to take the plunge and back themselves to be leaders.

Dr Janet Smith:

Director of Programs at WLA, Dr Smith gives us the inside track on the courses she designs, and the rationale behind gender-specific education. Dr Smith has extensive experience in workshop facilitation and executive coaching, leading summits all over the world.

About Women & Leadership Australia

Women & Leadership Australia (WLA) supports women at all levels across all sectors and industries. Our career-defining leadership programs bring together a focus on applied learning with the latest in leadership theory and practice. We believe that advancing gender equity, especially in leadership, is central to creating a more fair and inclusive society.

Through our Industry Partnership Framework, we work with hundreds of Australian associations and professional bodies to increase awareness and action around gender equity.

Women & Leadership Australia is currently offering professional development scholarships for women in the automotive sector until 17th March 2023.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • How a scholarship inspired Andrea
      • How leadership training can change your business
      • Is there a such thing as a born leader?
      • Why you need to be open to learning
      • The ‘shift in the mind’s eye’
      • The benefits of women-only training
      • The many lives that have been changed by the WLA programs
      • The importance of managing ‘people’ rather than ‘a business'

Show links

 

 

PAP100: Irrational Pricing Wins with Sonia Friedrich

This week’s key takeaway:

Irrational Pricing Wins with Sonia Friedrich   Episode intro:  Do you really know how your customers think? If the answer is ‘no’ then you're probably not selling to them as much as you should. Our guest this week, Sonia Friedrich, will give you the inside track on the behaviour behind decision making, and how you can use this to your advantage.   Sonia is an international keynote speaker and strategic consultant who has been called a ‘growth hacker’ and ‘revenue rockstar’, so you’re certainly going to be learning from the best. 

In this week's episode you will learn:

      •  How to apply behavioural science to your business
      • How the understanding of the customer brain has changed
      • The importance of self-observation
      • How to not over sell
      • To evaluate the lifetime potential of a customer
      • How to upsell an extra repair
      • ‘Loss aversion’ explained
      • Why bundling your offerings is a good idea
      • The ‘right' amount of options -An introduction to Sonia’s ‘Irrational pricing wins’
      • How to use reciprocity to make future sale

Show links

      • To enrol on Sonia’s crash course, go to https://www.soniafriedrich.com/
      • Paint & Panel Body Shop Awards, Nov 17th in Queensland, nominations open in May 
      • Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: samstreet@yaffa.com.au
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au/podcast to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.

 

 

PAP099: Welcome to 2023!

This week’s key takeaway:

It's the first podcast for 2023. We kick off the weekly podcast with host Ben Fewtrell and Paint & Panel magazine editor Sam Street talking about what's coming up in 2023. Topics discussed include recruiting from overseas and skills shortages and the success of the recent Women in Collision Awards and seminar. The 2023 Bodyshop Awards are coming up soon, we chat about why you should nominate your business or your colleague. Find out why the Industry Census is important and why you need to take five minutes to fill it out. We also talk about the changing dynamics in the market and why you might consider joining a group such as Car Craft or Fix Auto.

In this week's episode you will learn:

      • What the Women in Collision Awards and event are all about
      • Why you should enter the 2023 Bodyshop Awards
      • Why the Industry Census is so important (see link below)
      • Why you should consider joining a group like Car Craft & Fix Auto

Show links

  • Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: samstreet@yaffa.com.au
  • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
  • Take part in the industry census by clicking here
  • Put a note in your diary for 2023 Bodyshop Awards gala dinner in QLD on 17 November

     

 

PAP098: Chatting about the year that was and 2023 Predictions

This week’s key takeaway:

Chatting about the year that was and predictions for 2023

Episode intro:

It’s the final episode of the year, and what a busy year it has been. The combination of crazy demand and major shortages has made 2022 a year that no one is going to forget in a hurry! Paint & Panel's dynamic duo of Ben Fewtrell and Sam Street sit down and chew the fat about the highs and lows of the year gone by, and what might be in store for 2023.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the industry has struggled to cope with demand this year
      • Ben and Sam’s highlights of 2022
      • The opportunity that COVID has presented
      • Why people are saying no to third-party payers
      • The impact of energy costs on the industry
      • How the weather affected business this year
      • The downsides of being so busy
      • The bottlenecks of part-supply and staff shortages
      • How interest rates have affected the consumer
      • The benefits of after pay
      • Why MSOs will be on the rise
      • The importance of diversification

Show links:

 

 

PAP097: The Next Gen Round Table

This week’s key takeaway:

The Next Gen Round Table

Episode intro:

We’re doing something a little different with this week’s episode. Editor Sam sat down with a handpicked selection of the youngest and most innovative managers in the business to discuss how we can attract the next generation. Sitting around the table were:

As we all know, it’s becoming harder and harder to find new talent, but these guys & gals have bucked the trend and have been kind enough to share their secret sauce.

Guests in this episode:

      • Aaron Scagliotta from Ginos
      • Johnny Karavasilias from MPSR
      • Brad Kolich from Weststar Prestige
      • Joe Woodriff from Woodriff Preferred Auto
      • Marlea Bent from Bellarine Smash Repairs
      • Jon Christodoulou from Bodytech Automotive

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Recruitment hacks
      • How to retain your best employees
      • How to avoid losing workers to other industries
      • Why it's important to get parents onside
      • Why the image of the industry needs to change
      • How to reduce the average age of your workforce
      • The best incentives you can offer your staff
      • How to deal with schools and colleges
      • The best way to attract apprentices for work experience

Show links:

 

 

PAP096: Introducing the new PPG LINQ digital Ecosystem

This week’s key takeaway:

Introducing the new PPG LINQ digital ecosystem

Episode intro:

Automating your colour-matching process can be an absolute gamechanger. As well as improving your productivity, the new technology makes your workshop more appealing to the younger generation. We all know how tough it is to find new talent these days, so you should be doing all you can to make your workshop look attractive and on-trend.

We speak to two experts from market-leaders, PPG. Kanchana Ratnayake (ANZ Systems & Processes Manager) and Greg Tunks (National Business Solutions Manager) talk us through the PPG LINQ Ecosystem, and how it can increase accuracy and almost eliminate reworks. Did you know that across the industry, 24% of colour is wrongly mixed? PPG LINQ is changing that.

If you want to free up your technicians to do the high-skilled work you’re paying them rather than have them worrying about mixing/remixing paint… listen up!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The ins and outs of PPG LINQ
      • How to choose the right product
      • How the PPG software and hardware marry together
      • How to colour match digitally without a sprayout
      • How PPG succeeded in the US
      • Spectrometers explained
      • How PPG’s ‘Envirobase’ frees up technicians to do what they want to do
      • The power of automation
      • How the PPG technology helps to inspire the younger generation
      • How the ROI can be as high as triple

Show links:

 

 

PAP095: Building the Workshop of the Future

This week’s key takeaway:

Building the workshop of the future, with Aaron Scagliotta

Episode intro:

Building a new workshop is a very daunting task, but if you get it right, it can be an absolute game changer for your business. On the show this week we speak to someone who absolutely nailed it.

Aaron Scagliotta (Director of Gino’s Panel & Paint in Fremantle) tells us how he future-proofed his business and delivered a better experience for his customers and his team. Not only did he enable his business to service prestige EVs for years to come, he also optimised his existing repair processes. Maybe you could do the same one day!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The importance of good people in management
      • How Aaron set up a second workshop
      • How building a workshop is like building a house
      • How Aaron kept costs down
      • Why customer experience is so important for a workshop
      • The fundamental hurdles that Aaron eliminated with his new workshop
      • The design of a workshop that enables a car to be worked on constantly
      • Why a good working environment will attract the best workers

Show links:

 

 

PAP094: Recruiting from Overseas

This week’s key takeaway:

In what seems to be the perfect storm of a skills shortage, Ash Jardine is throwing a lifeline to Australian repairers by sourcing talent from overseas.

Episode intro:

How many times have you heard yourself say ‘I just can’t find the right people’? Well maybe it’s time to look a bit harder.

Our esteemed guest this week will be able to help you do just that. Ash Jardine had the very same recruitment problem in his own workshop, so he got on a plane to the Philippines and did something about it. That was back in 2007, and now he has his own business helping bodyshop owners find overseas workers.

Ash is more than just a recruiter. He has an official partnership with a recruitment & migration service, and he has great experience in dealing with all the hurdles that may have put you off hiring from overseas. By the end of this episode, he might just change your mind...

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Why Ash became a convert to hiring overseas workers
      • How Ash helps his workers overcome cultural differences
      • Why overseas workers can provide a better alternative than locals
      • How Ash ensures the standard of English is high
      • How the younger generation views the trade abroad compared to Australia
      • Why Asia is the optimum continent for overseas workers
      • What an employer needs to do to plug into Ash’s scheme
      • Different visa codes explained
      • What employers need to do to find accommodation for overseas workers
      • How long it takes for an overseas worker to start work

Show links:

 

 

PAP093: The EV is coming! Are you prepared? With Geoff Gwilym of VACC

This week’s key takeaway:

The EV is coming… Are you prepared? With Geoff Gwilym of VACC

Episode intro:

In this episode we’ll give you the latest on all-things electric vehicles. Our guest Geoff Gwilym (CEO of the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce) recently went on a field trip to Europe to get the headsup on EV marketplaces that are more developed than ours. Did you know that over 70% of the vehicles in Norway are electric?

When the market goes boom in Australia, you’re going to have to be ready. As you will hear from Geoff, there’s a heck of a lot you need to be thinking about in order to future proof your collision repair business.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the VACC stays relevant
      • Why Australian governing bodies needed to go to Europe
      • How electric battery charges are getting better
      • Can electric cars tow effectively
      • The current attitude to EVs in Australia
      • How government incentives can empower EV use
      • Induction charging explained
      • What the Australian government should do to incentivise the population
      • How panel beaters will benefit from EVs
      • What you need to do to your workshop to accommodate EVs

Show links:

 

 

 

PAP092: Insights from The Body Shop Awards Judges

This week’s key takeaway:

Insights from the Body Shop Awards judges

Episode intro:

With the Body Shop Awards fast approaching, we thought we’d give you a behind-the-scenes look at the judging process. Maybe you think you could be a winner next year? Or maybe you want to nominate somebody else? We’ll give you the inside track.

Our man Ben speaks to the judging panel:

Sam Street (Paint & Panel)

Lynette Rochford (Paint & Panel)

Steve Lozenkovski (Bear Auto Group)

Sandra Noach (IQBodyGroup)

Brenda Iverson (Former awards winner)

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the demographic has changed in recent times
      • The importance of good culture
      • How well the industry did in a trying climate
      • Top tips for applying for the awards
      • Why you should add photos to your application
      • The importance of fleshing out the answers to the questions
      • The overall standard this year
      • Examples of good practice
      • How customer experience has improved across the board

Show links:

 

 

PAP091: Colin Edwards 3 Rules for Business Success

This week’s key takeaway:

Colin Edwards’ 3 rules for business success

Episode intro:

What a fascinating guest we have on the show this week. At the age of 82, Colin Edwards has to be the oldest guest we have interviewed. The main man at GPI is one of the biggest entrepreneurs in the industry, having built up the firm for 45 whole years!

As Colin says, “I still don’t feel any differently about my business today”… but how does he stay motivated after all this time? And what did he do to build up his empire from 2 employees to over 200? Listen to the show to find out.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Colin moved from selling cuff links and ties to the automotive business
      • Colin’s biggest failure
      • How Colin started out in 1978 as an OEM
      • The importance of diversification
      • How Colin coped with the AUD crash
      • How Colin built up his company from 2 people to 200
      • The difficulty of hiring a workforce
      • Why high stock levels were an advantage this year
      • The influence of China
      • How Colin stays motivated

Show links:

 

 

PAP090: Bella Turner is blazing her way to the top of her game

This week’s key takeaway:

Bella Turner is blasting her way to the top of her game

Episode intro:
Bella Turner has taken the industry by storm. In just a couple of years she has become a bit of a legend in the business, having won the gold medal for spray painting at the World Skills international competition.

Bella is a shining example of what is possible for new apprentices in the collision-repair industry. As well as sharing her inspiring story, she gave some great advice on how young talent can make their way in the business.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Bella became a face in the industry so early in her career
      • The great opportunities Bella has been offered
      • What it was like to be nominated for the Women in Collision Awards
      • How Bella views the industry as a young woman
      • What the industry should do to be more appealing to young talent
      • How Bella is representing Australia in the World Skills international competition
      • Why apprentices should move around to different shops to learn from as many people as possible
      • The importance of recognising your self-worth
      • Why you should go to an awards night even if you aren’t nominated

Show links:

 

PAP089: Celebrating Women in Collision

This week’s key takeaway:

Celebrating Women in Collision

Episode intro:

It’s vital we recognise the contribution of women to the collision-repair industry. Even though things are improving, collision repair remains a male-dominated profession, which is why the Women in Collision Awards are so important.

We speak to George Manos, Industry Risk & Governance Manager from IAG: the headline sponsors of the Women in Collision Awards. George tells us how much he has enjoyed being associated with the awards, and why they matter so much.

We also had the pleasure of speaking to an award winner. Sheridan Gibson from AMA Group Micra in Hobart tells us how it feels to be recognised by the industry, and why you should make the effort to get those nominations in!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How IAG benefits from sponsoring the Women in Collision awards
      • George’s highlights from the awards
      • How opportunities for women are increasing
      • How winning an award inspired Sheridan
      • What encouraged Sheridan to enter the industry
      • The barriers Sheridan faced when she tried to become a mechanic
      • How Sheridan reached management-level in just three years
      • What the awards ceremony is really like
      • The importance of nominating someone and spreading the word

Show links:

 

 

PAP088: Building a Customer Focused Business with Jamie Damer

This week’s key takeaway:

Building a customer-focused business with Jamie Damer

Episode intro:

Our guest on the show this week is a shining example of customer service. Jamie Damer is the main man at Perth Autobody Repairs, and not only does he have a mountain of brilliant online reviews… he’s also a double-award winner at the 2021 Paint & Panel Awards!

But how did his business become so good? Jamie was kind enough to share his secret sauce with us...

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Jamie got into the industry
      • How Jamie keeps 30 companies happy
      • The importance of ‘the experience’
      • How Jamie gets such good reviews
      • Jamie’s tips on keeping up a good team spirit
      • What Jamie did to diversify
      • How Jamie achieved the optimum ‘flow of the shop’
      • What to outsource and what to keep in-house
      • The impact the Paint & Panel award had on Jamie

Show links:

 

 

PAP087: The End of Technophobia with Tracy Sheen

This week’s key takeaway:

The end of Technophobia with Tracy Sheen

Episode intro:

We all want to utilise technology to get better results, but how many of us actually do it? This ‘technophobia’ is damaging companies up and down the country, but luckily we have someone on the show who can stop you falling victim!

Tracy Sheen has made a 30-year career out of helping business owners get the most out of technology. She’s also written the brilliant book, ‘The End of Technophobia’. In a great exchange with Ben, Tracy gave us some absolute gold about how you can calm your technology fears and really make it work for you and your business.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The trouble with the ‘patchwork quilt’ of technology that surrounds us
      • Why the IT industry makes some of this difficult to understand
      • How to persuade the non-believers
      • Why you need to be more flexible and not hold onto the same old tech
      • The benefits of spending 15 minutes per day engaging with tech news
      • The importance of a CRM system
      • Why tracking your customer/client interactions is king
      • How to build an effective database
      • ‘Drip-feeding’ communication
      • Hyper marketing explained

 

Show links:

 

 

PAP086: The Phenomenal Growth of Auto & General Insurance

This week’s key takeaway:

The Phenomenal Growth of Auto & General Insurance with Roy Briggs

Episode intro:
This week Sam takes the reins, with an old friend of Paint & Panel, Roy Briggs: Director of Claims & Assessing at Auto & General and formerly Head of Supply Chain at IAG.

Roy was one of the first people Sam interviewed when she became editor of Paint & Panel - he has a wealth of experience in the automotive sector. Roy had to deal with the aftermath of the IAG v repairers war, so he had the unenviable task of rebuilding severely damaged relationships with collision repairers. He gave a great insight into how Auto & General wants to work repairers and establish post Covid relationships.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Covid can be an opportunity to reconnect and re-establish
      • How Roy coped after the big IAG V repairers war
      • How IAG began to build bridges with the supply chain
      • Why the industry needs to modernise its methods
      • Why Auto & General has grown so rapidly
      • The importance of building connections with the industry for Auto & General
      • Auto & General’s key partnerships


Show links:

      • Find Roy on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roy-briggs/?originalSubdomain=au
      • Auto & General website: https://www.autogeneral.com.au/
      • Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: samstreet@yaffa.com.au
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au/podcast to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode. 

 

 

PAP085: Save Lives with this Essential Workshop Equipment

This week’s key takeaway:

Save lives with this essential workshop equipment

Episode intro:
By listening to today’s podcast you might save somebody’s life! This is a bit different to what we normally promise you on the pod, but trust us on this: we’re telling the truth.In this episode you’ll find out how important it is to have a defibrillator in your place of work and just how easy it is to use one.

We speak to Andrew White from Defib For Life. Andrew was a paramedic who, when off-duty, tried to save the life of Stephen Buckman, a Rupertswood footballer who had suffered a cardiac arrest in the dressing room before a game. If only there was a defibrillator on site, Stephen would probably be alive today.

Alongside Stephen’s mother, Sue, Andrew was determined to raise awareness about the need for defibrillators in sports clubs and public public places. If it would have saved Stephen then it might just save someone in your workplace someday. Take note!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Defib for Life started
      • How common it is that people collapse from a cardiac arrest
      • Why CPR often isn’t enough on its own
      • If you use a defibrillator within the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, you have a 90% chance of success\How a defibrillator works
      • The difference between CPR and defibrillation
      • How a defibrillator can be used by someone without training
      • How young people can be vulnerable to cardiac arrests
      • Why we shouldn’t rely on ambulance-response times
      • How to find nearby defibrillators via telephone
      • It is impossible to accidentally shock someone with a defibrillator
      • How the AMA has worked with Andrew to introduce defibrillators in their workshops

Show links:

 

 

PAP084: How to stop being busy and get more done in your day

This week’s key takeaway:

How to stop being busy and get more done in your day

Episode intro:

Time management is an age-old problem across every industry. Or as Ben prefers to call it, ‘self management’.

The problem has become particularly acute in recent times with staff shortages caused by the pandemic. You might well end up with things on your desk that you wouldn’t normally do, and the results can be disastrous. Unless of course, you know how to manage your tasks properly. Our presenter Ben puts on his business-coaching hat once again to show you the ropes…

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Ben’s 4 Ds approach
      • 9 tips for successful time management
      • Operant conditioning explained
      • Why you should be bold and delete emails
      • The benefits of being clear on the work in your business that can be done off site
      • How to put a system in place to stop yourself being interrupted
      • How to stop technology getting in the way
      • Why writing things down with a pen can help
      • Why batching together routine tasks is a good idea

Show links:

 

 

PAP083: 19 Recruitment strategies to help you attract amazing talent

 

This week’s key takeaway:

Recruitment strategies to help you attract amazing talent

Episode intro:

Most would agree that recruitment is the biggest challenge for the collision repair industry. The lack of workforce movement during Covid has made things even more difficult. But luckily for you, we have Ben on hand to guide you through his tried-and-tested strategies for how to optimise your recruitment.

He will also help you understand what might be stopping people applying for your roles. Is your facebook page in order? Is there a careers section on your website? Is your job ad written with the right tone? etc. etc. Remember, recruitment is a marketing strategy, and it’s one you really need to get right if you are to be successful in this industry.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Ben’s 19 different strategies
      • How to stop the churn
      • How social media can make all the difference
      • Why you need a careers page on your website
      • The importance of company core values
      • The benefit of an FAQs page
      • How to write the perfect job ad
      • The best places to list your job
      • The power of referral incentives
      • How to do your homework on prospective employees

Show links:

 

 

PAP082: How to Delegate

This week’s key takeaway:

How to delegate with Ben Fewtrell

Episode intro:

Our man Ben gives you a free coaching session on time management and delegation. Ben has just delivered training to body-shop owners all over Australia, so he has seen a lot of time-management nightmares firsthand!

Too many owners felt they needed a time machine, but in reality they didn’t - they just needed to learn how to prioritise their time and delegate properly. If you listen to this episode, Ben will tell you how...

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What your real worth is when you’re working ‘in’ the business
      • The minimum amount of time you should be working ‘on’ the business
      • Ben’s time target methodology
      • Avoidance behaviours explained
      • The balance between building a company culture and wasting time as a distraction
      • What is really ‘urgent’?
      • The importance of succession planning
      • How to delegate
      • How to map out your time and tasks
      • How to set up a default diary
      • When to trust your team
      • Decision fatigue’ explained
      • Why you should delegate responsibility rather than tasks

Show links:

 

 

PAP081: How Business Coaching Helped to Double Sales

This week’s key takeaway:

How business coaching helped to double sales, with Gene Finn

Episode intro:

Gene Finn is a shining example of what is possible if you embrace business coaching. The main man at Finn’s Bodyworks in Launceston started working with Ben a couple of years ago, and he hasn’t looked back.

He’s managed to increase his profitability, double his sales, and here’s the big one: he’s working less hard! By introducing proper process, Gene has earned the right to detach himself from some of the day to day of the business.

It’s no exaggeration to say this man is living a dream that many never manage to. If you want to learn how to work ‘on' your business rather than just working ‘in’ your business, this is the show for you.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Gene’s long history in the industry
      • How Tasmania body shops are much more connected these days
      • How standards have been driven up
      • Skills shortage’ versus ‘knowledge shortage’
      • How independents can get the edge over the big boys
      • Why Gene took on a business coach
      • The new processes a business coach gave to Gene
      • How Gene detached from the business
      • How part supply is improving
      • The importance of ongoing maintenance for process

 how links:

 

 

PAP080: Set Yourself Free by Building Systems

This week’s key takeaway:

Set yourself free by building systems, with David Jenyns

Episode intro:

Do you really have a business, or do you simply have a job? Our guest this week will help you to detach yourself from the day-to-day so you can work ‘on' the business rather than ‘in’ the business, and who knows, maybe you can have that holiday you’ve been putting off for years?

David Jenyns is the author of SYSTEMology, a blueprint that enables a business to run without the owner having to be there. In David’s words, you can ‘duplicate the business owner and best team members’ so they can perform the ‘minimum viable tasks’. David was inspired to write the book when he systemised himself out of his own businesses. He isn’t just a theorist - he’s done it himself.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to overcome the emotional attachment to day-to-day business
      • Understanding the ‘minimum viable tasks
      • What inspired David to write a book about it
      • Why systems don’t stunt creativity
      • The importance of systems for onboarding apprentices
      • The most effective way to document systems
      • Why you shouldn’t over-think systems
      • The importance of backup training material
      • An outline of SYSTEMology
      • Why the business owner is the worst person to produce the process documents

Show links:

 

 

PAP079: The Future of Recruiting with Russ Hill from Crash Zone

 

This week’s key takeaway:

The Future of Recruiting, with Russ Hill

Episode intro:

We welcome Russ Hill from Crashzone back onto the show to give us a lowdown on all-things recruitment in the collision-repair industry. In his words, “I don’t think there’s a skills shortage - we’ve just got to get them back.”

But how? In an industry that some young people perceive as behind the times, you’ve got to work doubly hard to attract the best. Luckily for you, Russ knows how to do it. With nearly 50 years in the trade behind him, you cannot fail to learn from someone who’s been there and done it.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Is money as important to your employees as you think it is?
      • The percentage of your staff who are likely to be looking to move
      • The importance of facebook ads for recruitment
      • How things have shifted to prospective employees interviewing the shop rather than the other way around
      • How your business should come across to the marketplace
      • The average length of time a member of staff is likely to stay
      • Why you should spend proper money on job ads
      • What makes a good job ad
      • The importance of good relationships with local schools/colleges

Show links:

 

 

PAP078: Being an Early Adopter and Embracing Training

This week’s key takeaway:

Being an early adopter and embracing training, with Garry Maher

Episode intro:

We’ve got a serious industry player on the show this week. Garry Maher has been in the smash-repair business for 55 years! Although the industry has changed significantly since he started, Garry is a great example of something that hasn’t changed at all: the need to learn and innovate to stay at the top of your game.

Even when Garry was the main man at L&M Smash Repairs, he found time to be an I-CAR instructor, and he was also a great advocate of business coaching for himself and his colleagues. We talk about this and how he knew the time was right to hand the business over to his son, Dan Maher (a former guest on this show).

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Garry got going with I-CAR
      • How COVID persuaded Garry that it was time hand over the reins to his son
      • How the industry has changed since Garry started
      • Why more shops should nominate themselves for awards
      • The importance of the destructive weld test
      • How business coaching helped Garry
      • Why it was easier for Garry to pass on business advice to his son via training rather than ‘being Dad’.
      • The skills gap when body shops promote people into management from the floor
      • Why training should never stop - you’ve got to keep up with the trends in the industry
      • The increasing importance of the estimator


Show links:

 

 

PAP077: The Next Generation, Taking over from Mum and Dad

This week’s key takeaway:

The Next Generation, Taking over from Mum and Dad, with Kate Presnell

Episode intro:

Our industry is full of family businesses that go back multiple generations, but how do you manage the transition from the older generation to the younger generation?

Kate Presnell knows all about that. She talks to us about how she overcame the initial resistance from her parents to run the family business, and now she owns the place lock-stock.

We’ve known Kate for a while. Ben helped Kate as a business coach in the early days, and since then she's become a serious high flyer and innovator in collision repair. Her story is truly inspirational.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How experience in HR helped Kate in collision repair
      • Why a large corporation wasn’t for Kate
      • Why Kate Presnell Bodyworks is successful
      • How Kate negotiated with her parents to buy the business
      • How Kate juggles being a mum with running a business
      • The importance of being able to read people
      • Why it’s better to hire people for who they are rather than what they do
      • How Kate sets her goals
      • The benefits of business coaching
      • The lack of quality training in the industry
      • How Kate has moved forwards in a male-dominated industry


Show links:

 

 

PAP076: A chat with AMA CEO Carl Bizon

This week’s key takeaway:

A chat with AMA CEO Carl Bizon

Episode intro:

We had a great chat with Carl Bizon: Group CEO of AMA, who presides over 3,500 staff across 170 locations. Make no mistake, Carl is a serious industry heavyweight!

We hear how Carl worked his way up from nothing to get where he is today, and we chew the fat about some key industry issues, including: leadership, skills shortages, business models, insurer relationships. Although AMA is a huge company, most of what we talk about is absolute gold for smash repairers of any size.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Carl worked his way up from the bottom
      • The co-operation of insurance companies during Covid
      • Why Carl closed some sites
      • The difficulty of “mate V manager” for recruitment
      • Why old industry practices have to change
      • How to earn the respect of your co-workers
      • The grey areas that insurers are exploiting
      • The challenges of closing a site
      • How to balance market share V profitability
      • The pros and cons of satellite repair centres
      • The shortage of apprenticeships


Show links:

 

 

PAP075: How to use Digital Marketing to grow your Business

 

This week’s key takeaway:

How to use digital marketing to grow your business

Episode intro:

We have a bit of a change of tack for this week’s show. Our esteemed presenter Ben Fewtrell takes the lead and delivers a presentation on how to use digital marketing to maximise your returns as a collision repairer.

Ben gave a brilliant presentation at the Collision Repair Expo in Melbourne the other week, so we thought we’d share the recording with you. Ben has helped many collision repair businesses get on top of their digital marketing, and now here he is helping yours. If you’ve got a collision repair business and you want to do more with your digital marketing, this is the show for you!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The best way to use Facebook as a marketing tool
      • How many of your customers are likely to be on Facebook
      • Why blogging is an essential part of the marketing mix
      • How to use Linkedin
      • How Instagram can show off your best repair work
      • How to solve other problems beyond just fixing cars
      • How to make people buy from you rather than from ads
      • How to gauge the intent of your online audience
      • Google’s most popular search terms
      • The power of the subconscious in marketing
      • Why low-commitment offers are the best
      • The dos and don’ts of boosting Facebook posts
      • Facebook ‘lookalike audiences’
      • How to use QR codes to your advantage


Show links:

 

 

PAP074: A new way to track parts and control inventory

 

This week’s key takeaway:

A new way to track parts and control inventory, with Steve O'Brien from iBodyshop

Episode intro:

Editor Sam’s on duty this week with one of our favourite guests, Steve O’Brien: MD of DNS and iBodyshop.

Sam and Steve focus particularly on the new inventory function of iBodyshop… an absolute game changer! Think of how much time and money you could save if you had a proper log of all the parts you have lurking in your mezzanine, and a means to automatically order new ones when you run out. Listen to the show to find out how iBodyshop can help you do it.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How iBodyshop is improving teamwork with a new premises
      • iBodyshop’s new inventory function
      • How to control your consumables with iBodyshop
      • How to solve the current industry problem of part supply
      • How AI can auto-receipt invoices in 20 seconds
      • The benefits of diversification
      • Custom fields” explained
      • How the smash repair industry is more advanced than many others when it comes to data management

Show links:

  

 

PAP073: Winning Awards and Winning Work go Hand in Hand

 

This week’s key takeaway:

Winning award and winning work go hand in hand, with Dan Maher

Episode intro:  

It’s always great to speak to an award-winning innovator. Dan Maher is the owner/manager of L & M Smash Repair in Sydney, who cleaned up at last year’s Paint & Panel Awards. L & M won Best Medium Shop and the Digital Excellence Award, so it’s no surprise that we pick Dan’s brains for the secret sauce that made his shop such a worthy winner in 2021.

Among lots of great insight, Dan tells us how 'digital excellence’ has enabled L & M to diversify and find work that’s more profitable than the usual work from insurers, and even better... it’s much easier work too!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The challenges of going from floor to management
      • How Covid taught Dan to run his business lean
      • What ‘digital excellence’ really means
      • The type of business that comes in off the back of online marketing
      • Why a facebook page is essential
      • Great ideas for how to diversify
      • The importance of finding different work providers
      • How to upsell to your existing customers
      • Dan’s take on the new awards for Paint & Panel 2022
      • Why you have to be in it to win it

Show links:

 

 

PAP072: Let's talk Bonding with an Application Engineer

 

This week’s key takeaway:

Let’s talk bonding with an Application Engineer, George Di Scala

Episode intro:

How a body shop understands bonding products is absolutely fundamental to the repair procedure. You can’t do good work if you don’t understand what you’re working with!

Joining Ben this week is George Di Scala - Application Engineering Specialist from 3M. Across three decades, George has been the main man overseeing the New Zealand and Australia markets, so he really knows what it takes for collision repairers to utilise his products in order to return vehicles in OEM condition. That’s why we do what we do... right? After half an hour listening to George, we’ll all know how to do it better.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How technology is changing the manufacturing process
      • How OEMs are responding to environmental issues
      • How 3M works with OEMs to develop specific products
      • Why vehicles are lighter these days
      • The 3M product-development process
      • The importance of feedback to 3M
      • Is it true that Australia is a harsher environment for 3M products
      • The importance of technicians knowing the proper repair procedure
      • Where the assessors come into it
      • How to restore a vehicle to its original safety rating
      • What 3M can do to train body shops

Show links:

 

 

PAP071: Get prepared for the end of the financial year

 

This week’s key takeaway:

Get prepared for the end of the financial year… with Brian Goodridge

Episode intro:

The end of the financial year is coming! Lucky we’ve got our old mate Brian Goodridge on the show to share some great insight on all-things tax. You may have heard Brian before… he’s so good at explaining complex financial matters in the simplest of terms.

Brian will share his seven tax-prep tips, as well as a headsup on the recent changes to the law around family trusts and fixed penalty notices for directors.

By the end of this episode we guarantee your end-of-year will be less of a headache!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Covid and the war in Ukraine is affecting the supply chain
      • The dangers of current inflation
      • The ‘gazumping’ effect for parts in the automotive sector
      • Brian’s 7 tax prep tips
      • The importance of robust budgets and forecasts
      • Is it really worth buying things at the end of the year as tax offsets?
      • How prepaying expenses can save you tax
      • How to deal with Super
      • When equipment expenditure counts against tax and when it doesn’t
      • The pitfalls of inheritance
      • Tax on director’s loans explained
      • Key changes the ATO has made recently
      • When is best to consider liquidation

Show links:

 

 

PAP070: The 2022 Body Shop Awards have been Refreshed!

 

This week’s key takeaway:

Body Shop Awards have been refreshed!

Episode intro:

It’s time to start thinking about the Paint & Panel Awards for this year! As we contemplate life after Covid, we’re super-excited at the prospect of having a big celebration in honour of the very best in our industry.

We talk to P&P editor Sam Street and our fantastically loyal sponsor, James Frape from Compass Corp. Would you believe that when this event started out, there was only one award for ‘Best Panel Beater of the Year’, and the winner of the award had to host the ceremony himself!!

As you will hear, things have moved on a lot since those days, and there’s even quite a lot of change since last year. There’s just so much to celebrate!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The story behind the reboot
      • How the awards have evolved down the years
      • The importance of sponsor contributions
      • Why there are fewer awards but more finalists this year
      • The two-tier system of judging
      • Different categories based on turnover
      • Each award explained
      • The new awards this year
      • The special focus on insurers this year
      • Why James continues to support the awards

 

Show links:

 

 

PAP069: Recruiting the tradespeople of the future

 

This week’s key takeaway:

Recruiting the tradespeople of the future, with Tony Todaro

Episode intro:

If you asked most people in the industry to tell you their biggest challenge, they’d say ‘recruitment’. Finding and keeping young talent can be the difference between a successful business and a failing business, so we’re going to walk you through some of the basics with Tony Todaro.

Tony is apprenticeship co-ordinator for the Sheen Group: an organisation that handles 40+ apprenticeships in 27 different locations. They help clients find the right people, look after them and train them up. If you want to future-proof your business by hiring the best talent, pin back your ears and listen to Tony!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Why the automotive industry gets left behind in conversations about trades/recruitment
      • How body shops can benefit from apprentice recruitment schemes
      • What an ‘apprenticeship’ really is
      • How to get parents onside
      • How to find the best young talent
      • The right incentives to offer apprentices
      • Tony’s top tips for recruiting and retaining


Show links:

 

 

PAP068: The Electronic Smoko Room with Russ Hill

This week’s key takeaway:

The electronic smoko room with Russ Hill

Episode intro:

This week we talk to Russ Hill about the importance of online communities in the collision repair industry. Although Russ has been in the business since 1976, he's managed to move with the times better than most by presiding over a number of facebook groups that boast around 100,000 members between them.

We find out how Russ' communities are providing solutions for so many key aspects of the business. A facebook group can’t physically repair a car, but from what Rus tells us, it can do practically everything else. Whether you’re an employee or an employer, you’ll get a lot out of this conversation.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How facebook groups can help your business
      • How employers can solve problems by consulting expertise online
      • Why bad employers can’t get away with it anymore, thanks to online communities
      • Is the smoko culture still active in workshops?
      • How online communities have helped employees get paid their true value
      • International orders on facebook groups
      • Is the skills shortage really a skills shortage?

Show links:

 

 

PAP067: The Magic of Thinking Bigger with Darren Holmes

 

This week’s key takeaway:

The magic of thinking bigger with Darren Holmes

Episode intro:

This week we pick the brains of a Paint & Panel award winner - the best large shop to be precise. Darren Holmes from Holmes Smash Repairs in Toowoomba Queensland shares the secret sauce that helped him grow his business from just 8 staff in 2007 to over 50 today.

Like many of our guests, Darren started as a panel beater and worked his way up… his original motivation was simply because he wanted to spend more time with his dad at the weekend!

Darren knows this business from top to bottom, and he knows how to move with the times. Most notably, he brought a whole host of services in-house and made a success of it. Listen up... there’s loads of great advice in this one.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The benefits of bringing everything in-house
      • How Darren diversified
      • How business coaching helped Darren
      • How to build the right culture
      • Why Darren prefers to do two days per week on the floor
      • How much micro management is appropriate?
      • The pros and cons of incentivising a tradesman
      • Darren’s approach to ADAS
      • When to diversify and when to focus on core business
      • How to retain regular customers


Show links:

 

 

PAP066: What can we expect from the Collision Repair Expo

 

This week’s key takeaway:

What can we expect from the Collision Repair Expo? - with Stuart Charity

Episode intro:

We’re super-excited about the upcoming Collision Repair Expo! After a two-year hiatus during Covid, it’ll be great to catch up with some of our old friends from all corners of Australia, and no doubt we’ll make some new ones too.

As well as the networking, we can’t wait to see the seminars and product demos from all across the industry. We thought it would be great to talk to Stuart Charity, CEO of the Australian Auto Aftermarket Association, the co-hosts of the Collision Repair Expo. Stuart gave us a great lowdown on what’s in store for this year’s expo, which is themed “the future of collision repair is here”, plus details of how to register. Good news folks… it’s absolutely free!

We look forward to seeing you at there - make sure you come to the Paint & Panel stand and say hi.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Stuart’s own journey in the industry
      • The power of community in the automotive sector
      • Why expos like this are so important, particularly in Australia
      • Why you must see the world-first live spray booth
      • The post-Covid demand for expos
      • What seminars are in store at the expo
      • The emphasis on ADAS and mandatory data sharing
      • Which industry experts will be giving you the latest
      • How shop owners and technicians will benefit
      • What celebrities will be in attendance
      • How to register for the expo

 

Show links:

 

 

PAP065: Innovation leads to Success

 

This week’s key takeaway:

Innovation leads to success with Gary Wilcox

Episode intro:

What a brilliant character Gary Wilcox is! It’s no wonder he won the 2021 Paint & Panel award for innovation… this guy is seriously inspiring.

Nowadays Gary is the man behind Monit: a health and safety app with over 10,000 workers under its jurisdiction, including hundreds of body shops. Starting out as a panel beater, Gary ended up owning seven body shops and achieved legendary status for his work, winning multiple awards and even having dinner with Prince Charles!

Gary tells us the incredible story of how he formed Monit after being down and out, as well as what a good body shop should be doing to track their compliance. We could have talked to Gary for hours - this one is absolute gold.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What inspired Gary to innovate with Monit
      • How he became the most decorated tradesman in Australia
      • Gary’s health and safety blueprint
      • How to remove the onus on trust and honesty in compliance
      • How ‘adversity is the seed to greater opportunity’
      • Why business coaching is so important to help you look ahead like Gary did
      • What the most successful body shops do best
      • The importance of an employee’s intellectual property value
      • How retention rate relates to health and safety
      • The power of systems over people


Show links:

 

 

PAP064: Welcome back to the Podcast for 2022

This week's key takeaway:

We're back, a little later than planned, but back for our weekly shows.

Episode intro:

Podcast host Ben Fewtrell chats with Paint & Panel editor Sam Street. They discuss the lingering effects of the pandemic, look back at 2021 and look forward to what's coming up in 2022 including the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards and the Collision Repair Expo in Melbourne on April 7-9. There's also a shout out for businesses over 40 years old to be featured in the May/June issue as the magazine celebrates 40 years of keeping the industry informed.

Show links:

 

 

PAP063: Penalties for Breaking the Code of Conduct

This week’s key takeaway:

Breaking News: New penalties for breaking the code of conduct, with Paul Unerkov

Episode intro:  

There’s been a very interesting development in our industry that we really want to share with you. Paul Unerkov will guide us through the new mandate to enforce the Motor Vehicle Insurance & Repair Code Of Conduct.

The CEO of NTA South Australia (northern territory) explains what has changed, and why it’s actually good news for repairers. Although the mandatory enforcement of the existing code of conduct only applies to Paul’s patch at the moment, it’s clear that it will become national policy soon. Get yourself up to speed... this is vitally important for the whole industry in Australia!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The additional protections for motorists
      • Why the existing code of conduct doesn’t work often enough
      • Why additional protections for consumers can help you as a collision repairer
      • How you can use mediation to your advantage
      • The most likely areas for dispute
      • The benefits of having an “umpire” to make the call between different arguing parties
      • How the new rules might change behaviour
      • How the MTA is going to educate the marketplace going forward
      • How the new legislation came about

Show links:

 

 

PAP062: It's all about the numbers with Francis Gu

This week’s key takeaway:

It’s all about the numbers with Francis Gu

Episode intro:  

Our guest this week has been on a really interesting journey... he’s certainly qualified to tell you which key numbers you should be focusing on to make sure your business is profitable and efficient.

Francis Gu began in corporate finance, then went out alone with his own accountancy business, and then ended up buying out one of his collision repairer clients. His own father also worked for his client (Melbourne-based Euroimage), so like so many of us, he has the additional experience of doing the family thing in collision repair 

He took the plunge and bought the business during Covid, and thanks to his superb understanding of numbers and process, he’s managed to turn a healthy profit and grow the business significantly since he took over. He’ll tell you how he did it, and just how simple it is for you to zone in on certain metrics to make sure your business stays on track.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Is collision repair really that much different from other industries?
      • The benefits of a fixed-price model
      • The pros and cons of only having one or two customers
      • The importance of gross margin
      • Why you need to analyse your invoices in terms of cost of goods sold
      • The long-term benefits of improving insurer scorecards
      • How Francis managed to increase profitability during Covid
      • Why it’s worth investing in proper accountancy software and advice
      • How to systemise in order to reach a positive outcome
      • The key numbers you need to understand

Show links:

 

 

PAP061: A Hunger for Knowledge Leads to Excellence with Glenn O'Donnell

This week’s key takeaway:

A hunger for knowledge leads to excellence with Glenn O'Donnell

Episode intro:  

This week we speak to someone who Ben described as “one of the most forward-thinking men in the industry”. Glenn O’Donnell is the Co-owner and Managing Director at Macarthur Prestige Body Shop and North Shore BMW Body Shop, and a former award winner at our very own Paint & Panel Awards.

He’s built up a total of six body shops, and he makes it his business to be up with the latest technological trends in the industry. Even more importantly, he knows how to empower his team to get up to speed with him. His results speak for themselves, but thankfully he’s speaking to us to tell us how he does it!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Why you shouldn’t get too hung up on volume of repairs
      • The benefits of a fixed-price model
      • The ethos behind a state-of-the-art workshop
      • How to understand prestige car brands
      • The level of training required to stay on top of new cars
      • How different departments should interact with each other
      • The importance of master techs
      • Why you need EV-specific technicians
      • The future of service departments
      • How manufacture alignments could future-proof your business

Show links:

      • Find Glenn on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-o-donnell-8269b75b
      • Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: sam@yaffa.com.au
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au/podcast to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode

 

 

PAP060: Putting People First with Mark Le Grove

This week’s key takeaway:

Putting people first with Mark Le Grove

Episode intro:  

As Ben says, we have a real mover and shaker on the show this week. In only three years, Mark Le Grove bought a collision repair business, doubled volume, increased profitability and opened a second site.

The man from Collision Collect in Hamilton NZ had no intention of buying the business until his boss asked him; but he took to ownership like a duck to water. Mark is a great example of what can be achieved from a standing start if you open your mind and listen. He also gave some great advice on how to build the right team and how to brand yourself in today’s rapidly changing marketplace.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How to rebrand your business
  • How best to handle insurance companies
  • How it only took 8 months for Mark to detach himself from the day-to-day running of the business
  • What you need to do to successfully run a business without any prior experience
  • How to build the right team and how to look after their personalities
  • The importance of a dedicated marketing function
  • Why it can be better to hire people who are already employed elsewhere
  • The benefits of culture statements
  • Why you need engagement surveys
  • How to stay on top of your KPIs 

Show links:

 

 

PAP059: Upskilling your team for EV & ADAS with Dean Lander

This week’s key takeaway:

Upskilling your team with EV & ADAS with Dean Lander

Episode intro:  

Electric vehicles are coming faster than most people expected, so it’s high time you got up to speed! To help you do that we’ve got Dean Lander back on the show: Head of Repair Services at Thatcham Research over in the UK.

Shorter journey times in the UK have enabled EVs to take a firm foothold in the market, with a far higher take up than in Australia. There is a lot we can learn from our friends up in the northern hemisphere, so we’d better start learning it! Dean was kind enough to tell us how it is and what we can do to prepare ourselves for a future of EVs and ADAS.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The growth of EVs in the UK
      • Is the industry ready for the growth of EVs?
      • The increased risk of working on a car with 1000V of current
      • How to train your staff to manage EVs safely
      • The importance of good signage
      • Will you need a different workshop to work on EVs?
      • How insurers are assessing the capability of EV repairers
      • How the pace of change is set to increase
      • Different calibrations of ADAS
      • The increasing threat of undiagnosed ADAS faults
      • Why repairers should be thinking about autonomous vehicles

Show links:

 

 

PAP058: How will AI play a part in Vehicle Assessing

This week’s key takeaway:

How will AI play a part in vehicle assessing?

Episode intro:  

Technology is shaking up the industry, but what might it mean for the vehicle assessment process, and ultimately, you as the repairer? We hear from a man who is very well qualified on the matter, Daniel Lukich of AAMC.

Daniel has 32 years in the business, including 20 in senior management roles. He is an insurance specialist and change-management champion who has worked with some of Australia’s largest insurance companies.

It was interesting to hear how the modernised role of an assessor is about so much more than simply saving money for the insurance company/client, and how technology is set to revolutionise the role even more.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Why insurance assessment is more than simply cost control
      • How the life of an assessor has changed down the years
      • Why assessors no longer need to go to repair shops
      • How assessment can improve client safety
      • The challenge of repairing increasingly complex cars
      • Is the claim/repair process slowing down?
      • How improvements in technology can protect clients against onerous demands by insurance companies
      • How QR codes will speed up the claim/repair process
      • The impact of accident management programs
      • How collision repairers can align themselves with good suppliers

Show links:

 

 

PAP057: The Heartbeat of your Business with Gavin MaGahey

This week's key takeaway:

The heartbeat of your business with Gavin McGahey

Episode intro:

What an interesting guy we have on this week's episode, and not only that, he's been kind enough to share some absolute gold from his new book.

Gavin McGahey has spent a whopping 46 years in the collision industry, starting out as a panel beater before eventually working his way up to ownership and management of multiple businesses.  He then specialised in taking the helicopter view (as he puts it), and became a consultant, software developera nd now an author.

Gavin's book, 'Know Your Numbers: The Heartbeat Of Your Business' is due out very soon, so we talk to him about some of the key learnings he discusses in the book, including his particularly interesting take on the true meaning of profitability.  We defy anyone in the industry to not be inspired by this guy!

In this week's episode you will learn:

  • How software can save your planning
  • How to counteract the loss of patience of the customer base
  • The highlights of Gavin’s book
  • How you can slow down to go faster
  • How to combine measurements with drivers to make decisions
  • The importance of ‘culture’ versus ‘numbers’
  • Can you achieve double-digit net profitability in smash repair?
  • How to hone your business to achieve better profitability
  • Why profit isn’t just about money-grabbing

Show links:

 

 

 

PAP056: How to increase your Sales by Helping your Customers

This week’s key takeaway:

How to increase your sales by helping your customers with Charmaine Keegan

Episode intro:  

Charmaine Keegan is an absolute legend of sales, having trained over 8,000 professionals around the world. The Director of Smarter Selling was on great form when she spoke to Ben, sharing some of her best secrets about how any collision repair team can become a sales team without them thinking they’re selling at all.

Charmaine gives us an idiot’s guide to how to make a team understand what a sale means to a customer, and how they can be motivated to help a customer by selling. Pen & paper at the ready… this one’s gold!!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Charmaine became such a sales whizz

      • How almost everyone is actually in sales, even if they don’t think they are
      • Tips on how to look after the customer
      • You don’t need to be pushy
      • How to make a repair team comfortable with upselling
      • Where ‘upselling’ becomes ‘helping’
      • The right language to use
      • How to give your team confidence to sell
      • The way to ask your team to sell

Show links:

 

 

PAP055: Lessons from the ABP Yearbook with David Cresswell

This week’s key takeaway:

Lessons from the ABP Yearbook with David Cresswell

Episode intro:  

It’s really important to know how our industry is doing as a whole, and it’s also great to compare the Aussie market to other markets around the world. So this week we welcome back onto the show Mr David Cresswell: the man behind the Auto Body Professionals Club in the UK who preside over the bible of industry data, the ABP Yearbook.

His 2,500-member club includes body shop groups, independents, insurers, parts manufacturers, distributors and vehicle manufacturers, so he really does have the whole picture of what’s going on across the pond, and it’s surprisingly similar to what we’re dealing with over here at the moment.

Listen to the show to get up to speed!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The main business threats the UK industry faces
      • The synergy between the UK and Aussie industry
      • The dangers of an ageing workforce
      • The shortage of skilled labour
      • How the UK is surviving post-Covid
      • Why body shops should stand up to insurance companies on price
      • The encouraging signs for the UK industry
      • Is profitability improving in the UK?
      • How low labour rates are skewing the market 

Show links:

 

 

PAP054: How to Hire Amazing Apprentices with Ease

This week’s key takeaway:

How to hire amazing apprentices with ease

Episode intro:  

Do you find recruitment a nightmare? Like Ben says, it takes a really special organisation to successfully recruit, mentor and manage apprentices… wouldn’t it be so much easier to outsource it? 

We have a great chat with a client who outsourced his apprentice recruitment and never looked back. We also speak to the man who has helped him take on five successful apprentices.

David Iacobucci is the Director of DSI Panels in Victoria - a man who started his own apprenticeship with his father in 1999, before eventually buying out his parents and growing the business himself. Having originally been a doubter, he has now been converted into an apprentice champion by the excellent Joe Scollo and his company Squad. 

If you want to know how easy it is to build a successful recruiting partnership, just listen to how these guys did it.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • The value of a good external recruiter
  • What a company like Squad can do to help a collision repair business
  • The importance of pre-screening/vetting
  • Why some apprentices might fail
  • How to make apprentices feel they’re part of the family
  • Real-life examples of apprentices who have been good fits
  • Why personality is often more important than skillset
  • Apprentice mentoring
  • Performance improvement plans

Show links:

 

 

PAP053: The Immortals of Australian Motor Racing

This week’s key takeaway:

The Immortals of Australian Motor Racing, with Luke West

Episode intro:  

This week we have a bit of a departure from the usual industry news, but what fun we had talking to Luke West: a lifelong motor-sport enthusiast, writer and commentator. 

He tells us some stories about his time covering the sport, and gives a great insight into some of the characters he's dealt with down the years, including some of the biggest household names in the sport.

He wrote for Auto Action, was editor of Australian Muscle Car for 8 years, and currently works as an o-course announcer for major races including the Bathurst 1,000. In more recent times he has turned his hand to book publishing, so he tells us some more about his great new book "The Immortals of Australian Motor Racing". 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Luke was inspired to be involved in motor sport
      • Why Dick Johnson is such a legend
      • Luke's best commentary moments
      • The future of supercar repair
      • How the car industry will embrace motor racing in future
      • Luke's latest book, "The Immortals of Australian Motor Racing"
      • The diffferent personalities of driving megastars
      • What was the common denominator for the immortals

Show links:

 
 

PAP052: Can you Benefit from Remote Estimating?

This week’s key takeaway:

Can you benefit from remote estimating? With Gerry Raverty

Episode intro:  

We love to speak to an innovator on the Paint & Panel podcast, and this week it’s the man behind Remote Estimating Solutions. Gerry Raverty looks to have found a great gap in the market… imagine how much easier it would be if you could outsource your estimating?

Most collision repair businesses face the same dilemmas when it comes to estimating. What if the estimator is on holiday? What if the owner spends most of their time estimating and not getting on with their other work? It would seem there is now a solution...

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to drive profitability through estimating
      • Why you should make sure you estimate in quiet time without distraction
      • How to maximise your labour expenses
      • How to stand up to insurance companies
      • Why remote estimating might be the answer for you
      • Why insurers don’t like remote estimating
      • How a remote estimator can be treated as a part-time employee

Show links:

 

 

PAP051: What does the future hold for Supercars, V8s and Electric Vehicles?

This week’s key takeaway:

What does the future hold for Supercars, V8s and Electric Vehicles?

Episode intro:  

We had a great chat with Stephen Corby: a man who has lived out our boyish dreams of driving supercars...and he gets paid for it! As editor of Top Gear Australia and Wheels Magazine he made a living out of driving supercars and writing about them (the lucky so and so), and in that time he's also gathered a great deal of industry experience.  Oh and by the way, he also writes for Paint & Panel Magazine, so we like him already!

We indulge ourselves and talk about the fun he had driving supercars, but also the more serious matters of autonomous vehicles, electric supercars, and how the hybrid model might be the best for the Australian market.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What it's really like to drive a Lamborghini Counthach
      • How electric supercars are better than ever
      • Why buying old supercars is a great investment
      • The length of the average commute
      • Why hybrids may be the future for the Australian market
      • Will Tesla continue to dominate the market?
      • The importance of understanding who is behind the brand
      • The imact of autonomous vehicles on collision repair
      • Why a market led by autonomous vehicles is further away than we think
      • How the industry should prepare for the rise of electric vehicles

Show links:

 

 

PAP050: Navigating ADAS Technologies in your Workshop

This week’s key takeaway:

Navigating ADAS technologies in your workshop, with Barry Liddle

Episode intro:  

Whether you like it or not, ADAS is here to stay. We speak to Barry Liddle from Advanced Automative Calibrations WA: one of the leading experts in ADAS.

With an interesting background in motorsport, Barry offers essentail mobile services to Car Craft members across Australia, and if this show is anything to go by, he also offers great advice. If you want to keep up with the latest ADAS trends, keep listening!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • Different ADAS systems for different budgets
  • Dual-radar sonar systems
  • Can self-calibrating systems become a reality?
  • Why people don't calibrate
  • The importance of education at the start of the job
  • How does a repairer know what needs to be calibrated?
  • Scan tools explained
  • How to educate your team

Show links:

 

 

PAP049: How research will help reduce the skills shortage, with Dean Lander

This week’s key takeaway:

How research will help reduce the skills shortage, with Dean Lander

Episode intro:  

There has been a skill shortage in collision repair for as long as any of us care to remember...and now Covid has made things even worse. Luckily there are still ways to attract the best talent, but you have to be smart.

Our guest this week is Dean Lander: Head of Repair Sector Services at Thatcham Research over in the UK. His company gathers vital data and supports the automative industry in their recruitment and training. He's ideally placed to comment on the current state of play and what collision repairers can do to make sure they attract and retain the best talent. If you want to future-proof your business you should listen to his guy.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • How Covid affected the industry in the UK
  • How operating models for body shops have been forced to change
  • The scale of the skill shortage in the industry
  • How changes in work/life balance are posing a challenge for body shops
  • What the UK is doing to encourage new talent
  • How Covid has made the industry admit it has a skills crisis
  • How Australia can take the lead from the UK in certain aspects of the recruitment process
  • How the industry needs to improve its image
  • Training schemes for older workers
  • How e-learning and virtual classrooms can enhance the training process

Show links:

 

 

PAP048: How did UK repairers navigate the pandemic?

This week’s key takeaway:

How did UK repairers navigate the pandemic? With David Cresswell...

Episode intro:  

It’s always good to pick the brains of an industry leader in another country, and what a great guy we have to tell us how it is over in the UK. David Cresswell founded the ABP group back in 2004, and is one of the most respected industry voices in the UK.

The ABP group looks after the interests of 2,500 members across body shops, insurance companies, part suppliers and car manufacturers. They are also behind the ABP Yearbook: the bible of statistics about all-things collision repair in the UK.

David was kind enough to share some of the key data that measures the prosperity of the industry pre-Covid and post-Covid, as well as some interesting ideas on how insurance companies and body shops could adapt their methods in order to increase margin. How does the profitability of the Aussie market stack up against the UK at the moment? You might be surprised...

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How UK body shops managed to stay open during the Covid crisis
      • Why are the groups doing so well?
      • Did the UK see an increase in high-impact accidents?
      • How the UK is struggling to cope with the shortage of skilled staff
      • How the industry has ruined its own margins
      • The rise of digital handling
      • Why compulsory car insurance causes a heated-up market
      • Why better accountability from insurers would improve profit margins
      • How body shops have diversified to paint more than just cars
      • How over-reliance on contract work can make people forget how to sell

Show links:

      • Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: sam@yaffa.com.au
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au/podcast to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode
      • Go to www.abpclub.co.uk for more information on the UK collision repair industry and to sign up for the ABP free daily e-newsletter

 

 

PAP047: Developing young talent in your business

This week’s key takeaway:

How to find a top apprentice, with Dario Tono

Episode intro:  

Dario Tonon from EBLEN Collision Repairs is a shining example of how you can shape your business to get the very best out of your apprentices. In an era where apprentices are scarce, it’s important that every collision repairer does what they can to nurture new talent. Dario will certainly show you how!

Having been in the industry for 40 years, Dario is passionate about changing the perception of what it means to be a tradesperson. He wants everybody to do as he does and invest time and effort in the next generation of collision repairers. Are you doing enough to develop your young talent? Listen to the show to learn from the best.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the industry can inspire and encourage apprentices
      • Why it is harder to find apprentices these days
      • How a trade can be a stepping stone to many other things
      • The increasing complexity of being a tradesperson
      • How to remove “the stigma”
      • How we can all help to futureproof the industry
      • The benefits of seeing your business as “a training business”
      • Why it’s better to risk losing a trained worker rather than simply keeping untrained workers
      • Tips for interviewing new apprentices
      • Why attitude is often more important than base skillset

Show links:

      • Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: sam@yaffa.com.au
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au/podcast to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode

 

 

PAP046: Protecting the Future of the Industry

This week’s key takeaway:

Protecting the future of the industry with Robin Taylor

Episode intro:  

We speak to a wise old head in the industry who’s been advising collision repair businesses for 26 years. Robin Taylor from Axalta gives us the lowdown on all of the little details that can make a difference to your business.

Robin also tells us which data is most important for making business decisions, and how best to gather it. If you want a load of simple hacks to help you get the best out of your collision repair business, then listen up!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to get from good to great
      • How to get your front-end processes right
      • The importance of parts margin
      • What margin you should be looking for with paint
      • “The leadership within the shop”
      • Why visionary leadership is better than just barking out orders
      • Why running a repair shop should be viewed like running a boat
      • How to make tough calls as a leader
      • How to manage millennials
      • How to identify future leaders
      • Why listening and learning can be preferable to thinking you have all the answers
      • How to get on top of your fixed expenses

Show links:

      • Recommended books from Robin:
      • The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops by Dave Luehr & Stacey Phillips
      • Coaching for Performance by John Whitmore
      • Contact your local Axalta rep at http://www.axalta.com
      • Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: sam@yaffa.com.au
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au/podcast to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.

 

 

PAP045: Understanding ADAS with Hella Gutmann Solutions

This week’s key takeaway:

Understanding ADAS with Hella Gutmann Solutions

Episode intro:  

We’ve got heaps of indispensable info for you on the latest episode of the Paint & Panel podcast. We speak to Neil Riley and Stuart Howe from Hella Gutmann solutions to give you an inside track on how to stay on top of ADAS in your collision repair business.

Hella Gutmann supply all of your OEMS. They understand componentry better than anyone else, and they can tell you all you need to know to manage your diagnostics effectively.

Neil and Stuart gave some great advice on how you can use diagnostic tools to recalibrate in your own workshop, or if that isn’t viable, how you can partner with somebody else.

Did you know that 85% of vehicles are now fitted with autonomous emergency braking? That’s up from only 20% three years ago. If you didn’t know already, this is a massive growth area in the industry that you really need to stay on top of. Luckily Neil and Stuart are here to help you out.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to manage ADAS yourself
      • How to mitigate damage in collisions
      • Lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control
      • Is it now possible to drive from the back seat?
      • Level 3 autonomous vehicles
      • How ADAS systems can improve your safety rating
      • The challenge for collision repairers to keep up with ADAS trends
      • How to change your mindset for repairing newer cars
      • How not to fall into the usual diagnostic traps
      • The importance of inspecting mounting brackets
      • The impact recalibration has on liability
      • Why it isn’t always obvious when you need a calibration
      • The sensors in a car you might not notice
      • Static calibration explained
      • The tools you need to perform the calibration process, even if you’re not experienced in the trade

Show links:

 

 

PAP044: Why would you join a group like Car Craft?

This week’s key takeaway:

Why would you join a car group like Car Craft?

Episode intro:   

In this episode you will find out how you can enjoy the benefits of being part of a large car group, but retain your autonomy as an independent. 

We welcome Peter McMahon back onto the show to tell us about Car Craft: a group that was built from the bottom up in 1987 by five entrepreneurial business owners in WA and that has now grown exponentially across Australia to now have 117 members.

If there’s one thing you can take from this conversation, it’s that a car group is not just about buying power. There is so much more to it than that. If you want to take your business to the next level, maybe someone like Mahon could be the man to help you?

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The advantages of being part of a group
      • How the cost of running an average collision repair business has increased by 60%
      • The challenges of sourcing parts in WA
      • How the group grew to be a national entity.

Show links:

 

 

PAP043: A community initiative that helps you recruit great staff

This week’s key takeaway:

A community initiative that helps you recruit great staff

Episode intro:  

It was great to have Steve Lozenkovski from Bears Group back on the show… this man really cares about giving something back to his community!

He talks to us about how the NDIS scheme has helped him recruit disabled workers into his organisation, and how this has helped solve the age-old problem of finding reliable detailers. He has found the quality of work to be excellent, and he is very proud of the fact it is helping people who have previously been overlooked by the industry.

Steve will tell you all you need to know if you are considering taking the same path.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Covid affected recruitment
      • The importance of finding good detailers
      • Why good detailers are hard to find
      • The NDIS program for automative
      • The benefits of using disabled workers for detailing
      • What Bears Group does for the community
      • How you can recruit from an NDIS provider

Show links:

      • Find your local NDIS provider by calling 1-800-800-110 or going to: https://www.ndis.gov.au/
      • Are you doing something innovative you would like to share with us on the podcast? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: sam@yaffa.com.au
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter

 

 

PAP042: Improving Customer Experience with Wayne Phipps

Episode intro:  

Wouldn’t you just love to know what your customers are thinking? Wayne Phipps can tell you how to find out for yourself. Wayne runs Wayne Phipps Smash Repairs, and he’s also a former winner of The Bodyshop Awards Best Customer Experience.

There is so much great advice in this conversation with Phipps. He takes his customer service so seriously that he randomly recalls cars years after he has repaired them, just to check they’ve done their job properly. This man really goes the extra mile. Listen and learn!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Is the customer always right?
      • How to deal with customer problems and turn them to your advantage
      • How you can get more feedback from people by not asking formal questions
      • Why the quality of work is less important than communication
      • How Wayne manages to get the exceptionally high rate of 42% for feedback responses
      • The importance of following up EVERY piece of negative feedback
      • How to incentivise your staff to be great at customer service
      • Why you should share your feedback with your work providers
      • Why Wayne recalls cars after he’s repaired them

Show links:

 

 

PAP041: Making Changes for the Better with Peter Christodoulou

This week’s key takeaway:

Making changes for the better with Peter Christodoulou

Episode intro:  

We’ve got a great mover and shaker on the latest episode of the Paint & Panel podcast. Peter Christodoulou is Director of Bodytech Automotive in Castle Hill, and is an absolute shining example of what you can achieve if you’re flexible and open to change.

Peter tells us how he used the government Covid funding to launch FOUR new businesses and the “no-brainer” of building his own workshop for mechanical work. And just for good measure, he invests his profits in currency trading! This really is an episode not to be missed - it’s not often you get an opportunity to speak to someone who turns everything he touches into gold.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Peter’s journey to becoming an innovator
      • How to keep up with increasing squeezes from insurance companies
      • How Peter branched out and diversified
      • What you can do to keep yourself busy
      • The ‘right’ net-profit percentage
      • How Peter copes with managing five different businesses
      • Why bringing mechanical work in-house is a great idea
      • What else Peter has in place to enable him to upsell
      • How the government helped Peter change direction
      • The importance of knowing your numbers

Show links:

 

 

PAP040: 10 Ways to Make More Money in your Collision Repair Business

This week’s key takeaway:

10 ways to make more money in your collision repair business

Episode intro:  

We’ve got some absolute gold on the show this week. Simon Whittaker has been a business advisor and management accountant for 40+ years, and in more recent times he’s been a specialist in collision repair. As we hear, some of the results he has achieved in our industry are absolutely staggering.

Listen to this one with a pen & paper and take some notes! There is advice that absolutely anyone in collision repair can benefit from.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Simon transformed a collision-repair business just like yours in only one month
      • How to really ‘know you numbers’
      • Why you need industry benchmarking
      • The definition of COGS
      • How to categorise your jobs to make sure you properly consider labour costs
      • Why you need a good performance management tool
      • How to track your employer’s efficiency
      • How to stop reworks
      • The value of upselling extra work

Show links:

 

 

PAP039: The History and The Future of Paint

This week’s key takeaway:

The history and the future of paint

Episode intro:  

For the very first time we go out on site to record an episode of the Paint & Panel podcast. Editor Sam goes off to the Axalta HQ in Sydney to chat to Paul Poverino about all-things paint. Paul is the Technical Training Manager at Axalta and really knows his stuff about the latest trends in paint and repair.

It was very interesting to find out just how sophisticated waterborne paint has become these days, and we also get a little snapshot into what we can expect from the marketplace in the next few years.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Low-energy paint curing
      • How to avoid using specialist drying equipment
      • Waterborne V solvent paint
      • How Paul now sells more waterborne paint than anything else
      • Why curing speed is improving
      • The training required for waterborne paint
      • The Lexus sonic system
      • How you can now paint at a lower temperature
      • The future of clear coats
      • Why you still need proper PPE for waterborne paint
      • Where is paint technology going to go next?

Show links:

 

 

PAP038: Growing a Collision Repair Business - Case Studies

This week’s key takeaway:

Growing a collision repair business without having to be in the business

Episode intro:  

This episode is all about how business coaching can inspire collision repairers to achieve record performance. Our man Ben Fewtrell??? was up on stage at the Paint & Panel Success Summit with two great guys who are living proof of the power of coaching… and we recorded it all for you!

We’ll be hearing from Gene Finn of Bodyworks in Launceston, Tasmania; and Steve Davies: co-owner of Northside Smash Repairs in Brisbane. As well as our interviewer-extraordinaire Ben, there were some great questions from the floor. By the end of it you’ll have a great practical insight into what business coaching can do for your collision repair business.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How business coaching has helped drive success for Gene and Steve
      • How to move from hub to spoke as a business owner
      • The importance of delegation
      • Why you should value your own time as an hourly rate
      • When you’re saying yes to something, you’re saying no to something else
      • How trade has been in Tasmania
      • How to be brave and double your pricing
      • How to get a clearer picture of your business from above
      • Why you should turn down work if you’re too busy
      • How Steve took the plunge and cut ties with a provider who gave him 75% of his work
      • Powerful change management
      • How business coaching can stop you being a victim

Show links:

 

 

PAP037: Is your Dust Extraction Costing you?

This week’s key takeaway:

Is your dust extraction costing you?

Episode intro:

Everyone who works in collision repair will know the importance of dust management. Poor dust management can kill people, and even in less extreme cases, it can cost a collision-repair business serious money. But luckily there are some excellent portable solutions to clean up the workshop and keep things safe and efficient. We speak to Lenny Sanna who is the sales manager for GNG Sales: a major distributor of dust management solutions. We also speak to Aaron Burgess from Symes Accident Repairs in Victoria, who is one of his happy customers.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The side effects of having a dusty workshop
      • How dust-management solutions have evolved
      • The risks associated with dust
      • The dangers of silicosis
      • Which dust extractor will suit you
      • How you can write off tax from a dust extractor
      • How a RUPES/GNG customer improved their safety and efficiency
      • How cleaning could be done during the working day
      • How one unit can have multiple connections for different purposes

Show links:

 

 

PAP036: Why the Body Shop Awards are Important

Episode intro:

As we get closer to the all-important Body Shop Awards, we have editor Sam in the interviewer chair once again. This week she speaks to:

Steven Brett (MD, Axalta New Zealand): A platinum sponsor for five years and former guest on the show.

Brad Kolich (Dealer Principal, Weststar Prestige Paint & Panel Victoria): A multi-award winner with us, he tells us how important the awards have been to him and what you need to do to get one for yourself.

Neil Powell: The all-important partner in crime to Sam, he has been a judge at the awards for 16 years! If you do what he wants, you won’t go far wrong, and he was kind enough to share some of the trade secrets that form his judging criteria.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the awards raise the profile of the industry
      • Why theAxalta Business Excellence award is important
      • What ‘sustainability' means in an industry context
      •  What are the Best Practice Awards?
      • Why you should nominate yourself
      • How you might qualify for the rising star award
      • The importance of recognising the staff on the floor and not just the owners/managers
      • How judging has changed in 16 years
      • What the judges look for when they visit a shop

Show links:

 

 

PAP035: How Helping a Mate Changed the Collision Repair Industry

Episode intro:

We’ve got a great innovator on the show this week. James Frape is the CEO of Compass: a provider of replacement vehicles to people who are not at fault for an accident. One day, James loaned his friend a car after an accident and took great delight in sending the bill off to his friend's insurance company. Suddenly he realised he had a business!

Listen up to hear how James disrupted the marketplace and made a successful business out of a service that most car owners didn’t know they were even entitled to.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How James had to drum up business from a sector where only 5% of Australians were aware they were entitled to it
      • How insurers saw James’ success and copied it
      • The importance of being nimble and grasping the business opportunity
      • How James has incorporated Uber-like technology to give a quality service to his customers
      • How shop fronts are becoming vital in collision repair
      • Why repair shops should see insurance customers as their customers
      • The increasing use of desktop assessments
      • How James maintained customer contact during COVID
      • The parallels between online shopping and collision repair
      • Why part supply might become a post-COVID challenge
      • How repairers are trying to look more like dealerships

Show links:

      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Live Conference in Melbourne.

 

 

PAP034: The Body Shop Awards

This week’s key takeaway:

The Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards with Sam Street

Episode intro:

It’s the boss in charge this week… Ben steps aside and is replaced by Paint & Panel editor Sam Street for this special episode. With the Paint & Panel Awards coming up, we thought we’d catch up with James Frape (CEO of Compass) who has been an amazing supporter of the awards. We also hook up with a couple of old friends of the show: Ray Khabbaz (Co-founder of Finishline Auto Body Repairs) and Steve O’Brien (iBodyshop). Ray tells us how much it meant to him to win two awards last year, while Steve tells us what motivates him to be a gold sponsor of the event.

Get your nominations in!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What’s coming up at the awards ceremony
      • How the awards have evolved to be more inclusive
      • Why it’s important to reward excellence
      • Is your business eligible for a reward?
      • How the awards help to set the benchmark
      • How awards drive innovation
      • The importance of body-shop people to mix with other people in the industry
      • The ripple effect of business innovation on public display
      • Did you know you could be awarded for administration?
      • What motivates sponsors to get involved

Show links:

      • Book your ticket for May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Live Conference in Melbourne
      • Click here to nominate a shop or person for the 2012 Bodyshop Awards

 

 

PAP033: Is Digital Marketing for you? With Stacie Chalmers

This week’s key takeaway:

Digital Marketing for you with Stacie Chalmers

Episode intro:

Let’s be honest, the collision repair industry isn’t the best when it comes to digital marketing. That’s why we need to hear from someone like Stacie Chalmers! 

Stacie has been working in marketing since 1996. She was an early adopter to the digital world and quickly became an expert on inbound marketing, which is probably the most powerful marketing you can use if you’re a collision repair business. Listen to the show and find out how you can use inbound marketing to generate leads from search engines and social media. And as if that wasn’t enough, Stacie gives us a whole load of other marketing tips with specific examples of how to use them in collision repair. This is one not to be missed!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Inbound marketing explained
      • How to use SEO to your advantage
      • How to learn more about your customers
      • How to categorise your customers into groups
      • The importance of regular updates
      • The marketing power of add-ons after a repair
      • How teaching people to make little repairs themselves could actually drive more business
      • Why you need to start vlogging
      • How to turn customer questions into a marketing strategy
      • In-house marketing versus outsourced
      • How to gather online reviews and to address the negative ones

Show links:

      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Live Conference in Melbourne.

 

 

PAP032: Dominating the Competition with Dave Luehr

This week’s key takeaway:

Dominating the competition with Dave Luehr

Episode intro:

Back by popular demand we’ve got Dave Luehr all the way from America. The founder of Elite Bodyshop Solutions was so impressive when he spoke to us last year that you told us you wanted him back… so here he is!

Dave tackles the reasons why some Bodyshops thrived last year and some became victims. What lessons can we learn? Listen to the show to hear Dave outline some basic mindsets and habits that all of us should be applying if we want to thrive in a changing marketplace.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the industry can learn to rationalise the unprecedented year of 2020
      • How to avoid falling into “the victim zone”
      • How to take personal responsibility
      • Are you viewing change through the lens of a technician, or the lens of a businessman?
      • How to differentiate yourself from the competition and become great at customer service
      • Diversification in express repairs
      • How to become less dependent on relationships with insurance companies
      • The ‘perceived indifference’ of customer service delivery
      • The emotional triggers required to turn a customer into a raving fan
      • How to have a slick commercial process without making the customer feel “processed”
      • Why bodyshop workers don’t like learning, and what to do about it

Show links:

      • Buy Dave’s book, The Secret of America’s Greatest Body Shops here
      • Dave recommends you read The E Myth Revisited to understand how a technician’s mindset can be applied to business development. Buy it here
      • Check out Dave’s course here
      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Live Conference in Melbourne.

 

 

PAP031: Is the Instant Asset Write-Off dead? With accountantBrian Goodridge from Goodrige Advisory

Episode intro:

It’s great to have our old mate Brian back on the show. As usual, the man behind Goodridge Advisory (accountancy and tax planning) has got some great advice that can help save you money. This time he helps us wade through the minefield of the Australian government’s new rules on asset write-offs and tax benefits.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What the government changed as a result of COVID
      • How certain businesses have done better as a result of COVID
      • Did the write-off laws encourage buyers like they intended?
      • Why you couldn’t get much of a tax benefit from a flash car
      • Temporary full expensing explained
      • How to offset your losses and get your tax back from previous years
      • Franking accounts and franking credits explained
      • How trying to take advantage of the stimulus can sometimes be a waste of money

Show links:

 

 

PAP030: Digital Excellence with Jairus Aguir

Jai Aguilar from Flow Autobody in Queensland is not your run of the mill collision repairer. Like many people who come from outside of the industry he has a different approach. He shares his story with The Edge host Ben Fewtrell. Flow Autobody won the 2020 Digital Excellence Award for their outstanding and innovative approach to marketing their business and building their brand.

 

 

PAP029: Working with Mixed Materials

This week’s key takeaway:

Dealing with mixed material repairs

Episode intro:

You really need to keep up with the ever-changing materials used in modern cars. As manufacturers get clever with their design and build, the pressure is on the body shops to learn how to work with new materials safely and effectively. This isn’t just a matter of making a car safe on the road. Body shops need to ensure their workers are safe and not exposed to toxic combinations of material.

We speak to two absolute experts in this area. Gareth Wright (support lead, Audi Australia) gives us the point of view from the manufacturers, while Beau Knowles from SAPE explains how his organisation helps body shops keep up with manufacturers.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How car-making materials have evolved
      • Why aluminium is good for cars in winter
      • How many materials make up the safety cells of vehicles
      • What can happen when bolting together different materials
      • Do we still need aluminium rooms?
      • How to stay safe when mixing materials
      • Why you should check VIN numbers
      • How OEMs are using 3D printing for parts
      • How the SAPE group can help you deal with mixed materials
      • What traditional body shops need to do to keep up

Show links:

 

 

PAP028: How to attract Amazing Team Members in 2021

This week’s key takeaway:

How to attract amazing team members in 2021 with James Michael

Episode intro:

Recruitment is one of the biggest challenges we face in the collision repair industry. Young people have negative preconceptions about the way we work; so what can we do to prove them wrong and attract the best talent?

James Michael has the answer. James is the owner/founder of Justified Talent: a recruitment firm specialising in SMEs. He gave some great advice on what the industry can do to demonstrate we are modern, dynamic and a good career option for a bright young apprentice.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The psychology of recruitment
      • Why “the ransom note of demands” doesn’t work for finding the right candidate
      • The KPI of recruitment
      • Why you should be up-front with wage/salary
      • How to attract the younger generation into a trade
      • How to project the personality of a company onto prospective candidates
      • How to dispel doubts candidates might have about your repair shop
      • How images and video can make a job advert more attractive
      • Why a "command and control" boss doesn’t cut it with younger people anymore

Show links:

      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Live Conference in Melbourne.

 

 

PAP027: Inefficiency - What's it costing you?

This week’s key takeaway:

The cost of inefficiency, with Steve O’Brien

Episode intro:

Do you really know how much time and money you could save every day? You might be surprised! We welcome Steve O’Brien back to the show: an absolute authority on all things collision repair. Steve pioneered the revolutionary software solution, iBodyshop, having deconstructed every last detail of the collision repair process. In this episode, Steve goes through his magic list of 10 key inefficiencies, and by the end of it he’ll tell you how you can save yourself up to 340 minutes PER DAY!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How 2020 drove innovation in the industry
      • The importance of a positive mindset
      • How to avoid ‘death by a thousand cuts’
      • How to identify your own inefficiencies
      • Why you should forget about the phrase ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’
      • The amount of time you could save sorting your photos
      • How existing damage to a vehicle can be used as an upsell
      • How to streamline your customer info and be ready with info when they call for an update
      • The potential ‘opportunity cost’ of your inefficiencies

Show links:

      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Live Conference in Melbourne.
      • Find out more about iBodyshop at www.ibodyshop.com

 

 

PAP026: A chat with Michelle Ferbrache the 2020 Award Winner for Operational Excellence

This week’s key takeaway:

A chat with Michelle Ferbrache the 2020 award winner for operational excellence

Episode intro:

This week we speak to someone who’s doing incredible things in the industry, who came from a totally different background. Michelle Ferbrache is the co-founder and Director of Essendon Panels: a multi award-winning repair shop based in Victoria. When Michelle and her husband went all-in to set up Essendon Panels, she had absolutely no experience in the industry. Her background was in air traffic control and aviation safety investigation, so it was very interesting to hear how she took the rigorous safety standards from her previous life and applied them to smash repair. Michelle also shared the secret to Essendon Parts’ incredible success.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Michelle somehow managed to win an award during COVID
      • How Michelle took safety standards from aviation and applied them to cars
      • What “a team of diverse staff” really means
      • How Essendon Parts developed a strong company culture
      • The importance of mindset over skillset
      • How Essendon Parts reduced their staff turnover
      • How mentorship helped Michelle
      • How Michelle overcame her fear of failure
      • Why it might be an advantage for a leader to not be a tradesperson
      • How Essendon Parts is automating their process
      • The importance of interacting with online reviewers

Show links:

      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Live Conference in Melbourne.

 

 

PAP025: Succession Planning and Exit Strategy with Craig West

This week’s key takeaway:

Succession planning and exit strategy with Craig West

Episode intro:

How can you structure your business so you’re ready when it’s time to sell? Craig West has the answers! Having spent 20 years as a strategic accountant, Craig now specialises in advising business owners on succession planning. Takeovers can happen very quickly in the Smash Repair business, so you need to be ready. Even if you have no intention of selling, Craig outlines why it’s a good idea to tidy up your business to maximise the sale value.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • When is the right time to start exit planning?
      • The difference between “a business” and “a job”
      • What people need to know when they’re taking over a business
      • How to make your business robust
      • What drives value?
      • Why you don’t need to exit a business after you plan it
      • Why a business sale isn’t all about the money
      • Can you do succession planning on your own?
      • Who are the best people to turn to for succession planning advice
      • How to get the best out of tax concessions
      • Employee share ownership plans

Show links:

 

 

PAP024: Maxine Colligan industry advocate extraordinaire

This week’s key takeaway:

Succession planning and exit strategy with Craig West

Episode intro:

How can you structure your business so you’re ready when it’s time to sell? Craig West has the answers! Having spent 20 years as a strategic accountant, Craig now specialises in advising business owners on succession planning. Takeovers can happen very quickly in the Smash Repair business, so you need to be ready. Even if you have no intention of selling, Craig outlines why it’s a good idea to tidy up your business to maximise the sale value.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

  • When is the right time to start exit planning?
  • The difference between “a business” and “a job”
  • What people need to know when they’re taking over a business
  • How to make your business robust
  • What drives value?
  • Why you don’t need to exit a business after you plan it
  • Why a business sale isn’t all about the money
  • Can you do succession planning on your own?
  • Who are the best people to turn to for succession planning advice
  • How to get the best out of tax concessions
  • Employee share ownership plans

Show links:

 

 

PAP023: Improve Speed, Quality and Colour consistency with PPG's Moonwalk

This week’s key takeaway:

Improve speed, quality and colour consistency with Moonwalk

Episode intro:

Welcome to the future of paint mixing! We speak to John Hristias from PPG Refinish about Moonwalk: a paint-mixing solution that transforms the mixing room. It’s staggering just how much time this can save and how much cleaner and safer your mixing room could become. And if you don’t believe John, we speak to one of his customers to tell you firsthand how much Moonwalk has done for him. Ray Khabbaz from Finishline is a Paint & Panel Award winner, so he really knows what he’s talking about. Listen up for some great insight from two of the industry’s great innovators.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to automate the mixing process
      • The changes John has seen across 25 years in the business
      • Moonwalk’s semi-automated mixing dispensing machine explained
      • How to avoid re-calibrating a mixture
      • How to save at least 7 minutes per mix
      • How to save 1 -2 hours per day for a spray painter
      • Could customers mix their own colours?
      • How Moonwalk has improved Finishline’s everyday business
      • How Ray took the plunge with Moonwalk based on nothing more than a promise and a picture

Show links:

      • This episode was brought to you by PPG Refinish: http://www.ppgrefinish.com.au/ click on products to find out more about Moonwalk
      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Conference in Melbourne.

 

 

PAP022: Bounce forward from failure with Sandra Noach

This week’s key takeaway:

If you do your market research and find a niche you can succeed - if you don't then you are likely to fail.

Episode intro:

Sandra Noach, Managing Director of interstate multi-site repair business IQ Body Group shares her journey from Zimbabwe to the UK to Australia. How the failure of her Portuguese restaurant taught her valuable lessons employed in the current successful and growing repair business. 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How a laser focus on the scratch and dent market paid off
      • The concept of the IQPod self-contained repair module to take repairs into retail environments
      • How offering mobile repairs has been successful for IQ Body Group
      • IQ Body Group's growth plans - having a national footprint

Show links:

      • Find out more about IQ Body Group
      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Conference in Sydney.

 

 

PAP021: How Sierra Ferguson flipped this collision repair shop on its head

This week’s key takeaway:

How Sierra Ferguson flipped her repair shop on its head

Episode intro:

What a privilege it was to speak to Sierra Ferguson about her incredible success at Auto-Care Panel Works in Darwin. Alongside her husband Craig, she has grown the business by more than 200% and as if that wasn’t enough, she has found a way to attract online reviews that most of the industry could only dream about. We pick her brains about how she made her customer service so good and the role of women in the future of the industry.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What Sierra has learnt about leadership
      • How Sierra copes in a male-dominated industry
      • Why are women deterred from taking the plunge?
      • What Sierra’s company did to get such good google reviews
      • How Sierra stood up to “that’s the way it’s always been done”
      • The secret to good customer service

Show links:

      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Conference in Melbourne.

 

 

PAP020: Vision with Sam Street

This week’s key takeaway:

A chat with the editor, Sam Street looking back at the positives from 2020.

Episode intro:

2020 has been a difficult year for everybody, but the industry has developed some good habits that will stand it in good stead for many years to come. In this episode we speak to Paint & Panel editor Sam Street and take stock of last year. Sam also shared some very interesting results from her industry survey about changes in business practice.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The changes the industry has had to make in 2020
      • Have sick days gone down?
      • What repairers say they will keep from Covid conditions and what they will chuck out
      • How SMS has improved customer care
      • Are zoom meetings more efficient?
      • How much did people change once the hamster wheel stopped?
      • Spending money during downtime is the way to go
      • The importance of equipment storage
      • What 2021 has in store for Paint & Panel Magazine

Show links:

      • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Conference in Sydney.

 

PAP019: From express courier to express collision repair

This week’s key takeaway:
How Osvaldo Bergaglio used automation to revolutionise smash repair
 
Episode intro:
In this episode we hear from an absolute legend of the game. Having never been in a body shop in his life, it wasn’t long before Osvaldo deconstructed the process of smash repair and started the revolution! We hear how his company Symach is making an impact on body shops all over the world, with contributions from his Australia General Manager, Mark Cunningham, and our old mate Aaron Scagliotta from Gino’s Panel & Paint in Perth; a loyal Symach customer.
 
In this week’s episode you will learn:
  • How to cure automotive paint in under a minute
  • The power of collaborating with your customers to drive innovation
  • How Osvaldo developed an efficient fixed line
  • How Osvaldo went global
  • How to eliminate bottle necks in your body shop
  • The difference between selling a piece of equipment and selling a solution
  • What the symach program brings to a real-life collision-repair business
 
Show links:
  • This episode is sponsored by http://www.symach.com Check out their equipment to increase your productivity.
  • Save the date of May 28 2021 for the Paint & Panel Conference in Melbourne.
 
 

PAP018: What have we learnt from COVID-19 with Stuart Faid

This week’s key takeaway:

What have we learnt from COVID19? With Stuart Faid

Episode intro:

Stuart Faid has been all over the world in the automotive business, plying his trade in seven different countries! The current Head of Business of at Fix Auto has a great perspective on the industry and gave us some great advice on diversification and more generally, what we can all learn from COVID.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Where Australia stacks up in the worldwide market
      • How WA and NSW are bouncing back
      • Are people going to avoid public transport and generate more business for the industry?
      • The importance of engaging with the customer
      • Can the hygiene measures last in the industry?
      • How COVID has forced an increase in the frequency of communication and use of QR codes
      • The importance of upselling additional services

 

 

PAP017: The survivors will do well with Geoff Gwilyn

This week’s key takeaway:

Geoff Gwilym tells the industry to adapt or die

Episode intro:

Listen up for some really good straight-talking from Geoff Gwilym: CEO of the Victoria Automotive Chamber of Commerce and eminent broadcaster on the likes of 3AW. Wth over 5,000 members at the VACC to look after, Geoff tells us what it was like to have a jammed switchboard when Covid hit, and what he has been advising his members to do in the aftermath. Geoff really tells it how it is!

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the industry has worked with government to mitigate the current crisis.
      • Is the industry in decline?
      • How Covid has affected the mental health of people in the industry.
      • How Geoff can help if you are struggling with your mental health.
      • When are things going to get close to normal?
      • How businesses should collaborate to make sure customers don’t get lost if businesses close.
      • The future of apprenticeships.

Show links:

 

 

PAP016: Andrea McCarthy is dedicated to do it properly

This week’s key takeaway:

Andrea McCarthy’s amazing journey as a female in the panel repair industry

Episode intro:

Andrea McCarthy is a serious industry heavyweight. She is the owner and office manager of the highly successful McCarthy Panel Works in Queensland and recently became Chair of the Motor Traders Association of Queensland; the first woman to hold that position for 40 years. During her career she has been a passionate voice for change, making it her mission to change public perception of the panel repair industry. We speak to her about some of her ups and downs, and what she’s learnt from her many years in the business.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Should we ever say, “that’s how it’s always been done”?
      • How much has gender been an issue?
      • The different demands for a regional enterprise
      • How to become an ICAR gold accredited repairer
      • The importance of getting parts breakdown up front
      • The challenges of expansion

Show links:

 

 

PAP015: The AMBRA National Shop Grading Program

This week’s key takeaway:

A lowdown on the AMBRA National Shop Grading Program

Episode intro:

We all agree that our industry needs to move with the times and raise its standards in line with the vehicles we are repairing. The AMBRA grading program is an important marker of this. We speak to three experts about why it’s important and how you can get the AMBRA grading yourself:

      • Andrew Minns (Subaru Collision Category Manager for Australia)
      • Peter McMahon (General Manager of Car Craft Group, previously involved in the development of AMBRA) 
      • Rob Mildenhall (National Panel Manager, Capricorn Group - 1,500 bodyshops across Australia)

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Why you need an AMBRA rating
      • How AMBRA can create consistency in your organisation
      • The importance of AMBRA to OEMs
      • Is it complicated to become AMBRA compliant?
      • Is the minimum standard currently fair for the Australian market?

Show links:

      • Go to www.ambra.org.au for more information on the national shop grading program
      • Get your entries in for the awards at the Women in collision seminar. More information on this link

 

 

PAP014: Never stop learning

This week’s key takeaway:

Never stop learning… with Paul Economidis

Episode intro:

It’s always nice to speak to someone who’s worked their way up from the shop floor to become a top dog in the business. This week we talk to Paul Economondis about his rise to the top at Gabba Collision Repair Centre in Brisbane. Starting as a panel beater, Paul has managed to scale the family business up to 3 sites doing 85-90 cars per week. He also tells the story of what made him: a massive hailstorm that saw demand go through the roof. He rolled his sleeves up and stayed open for 38 consecutive hours! Paul tells us how he has coped in good times and bad, and he gives a lot of great tips so you can do the same.  

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The benefits of dealer courses
      • How OBD scanning can help
      • Dealer diagnosis equipment
      • How starting as a panel beater set him up to be a great decision-maker
      • The importance of good signage and good layout
      • The cost/benefit of dealer training
      • Should you separate invoicing from customer services?

Show links:

      • Get your entries in for the awards at the Women in collision seminar. More information on this link

 

 

PAP013: Live or die by your numbers

This week’s key takeaway:
Know your numbers... or else! 

Episode intro:

What do you need to do to make sure your business will survive in the next few months? We’ve got two experts to give you the answers. Steve O’ Brien (founder and CEO at iBodyshop) and Brian Goodridge (Goodridge Advisory Accountants). By the end of this episode you’ll have examples of how to measure the key parts of your business and make them profitable. And then they’ll tell you how to plan ahead in these uncertain times.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to get your KPIs and cashflow in order
      • How to plan for another lockdown
      • What to do when jobkeeper payments stop
      • ow to get the timing of your invoicing right
      • How you can bring your book-keeper up to speed
      • Who should manage day-to-day productivity?
      • How to avoid “working for free”.

Show links:

 

 

PAP012: Growth hack your collision repair business

This week’s key takeaway:

How to get inside the head of your customer to secure their repeat business

Episode intro:

This week we are given the keys to the minds of our customers. Our guest Sonia Friedrich gives us the lowdown on behavioural economics and how to turn them to your advantage. Sonia has been described as a “growth hacker”, and we can say for sure that if you listen and take some notes, you’ll be able to start growth hacking your own business. Listen up for lots of easy-to-understand tips tailored specifically to our industry. You really don’t wanna miss this one! 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • Behavioural Economics explained
      • The difference between selling and knowing why people buy
      • System 1 & System 2 thinking
      • How body shops can upsell
      • The power of reminders
      • The right amount of options you need to persuade your customer
      • The “friction journey”. How often should you remind your customers?
      • What to give away for free and what to charge for

Show links:

 

 

PAP011: Building a Legacy with Joe Woodriff

This week’s key takeaway:

How to build a bodyshop legacy with Joe Woodriff

Episode intro:

Woodriff Smash Repairs is a shining example of good practice. They were voted the "Best Large Shop in Queensland” at the 2019 Paint & Panel Awards, and continue to strive for excellence today. We speak to Managing Director Joe Woodriff about how he and his brother transformed the family business. Joe’s story is a common one. He started out as a panel beater working for his Dad and eventually had to take the reins of the business and learn on the job. Listen up for how he dragged himself out of the mire of day-to-day operations, and transformed his business into a modern and dynamic example of best practice.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to build the right processes and culture
      • The importance of a “production-line mentality”
      • How business coaching helped Joe
      • The transition to iBodyshop
      • How to improve customer experience
      • How to set and review KPIs
      • How diversification improved Woodriff

Show links:

 

 

PAP010: Creating Efficiency, Productivity, Profitability and Sustainability

This week’s key takeaway:

Top tips on how to make your business lean, and how the Glasurit 360 management program can help you

Episode intro:

This week we have an in-depth chat with Lachlan Hedges from Vision 360 Management. He gave us a great insight into how you make your panel shop run more efficiently and make more money. Lachlan really knows his stuff - he’s been working personally with shops for years to help them get back on track.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the industry is coping post-Covid and bush fires
      • Why multi-site operators have been handed an advantage
      • How much are people travelling this year?
      • The importance of process flow
      • How to avoid paint wastage

Show links:

 

 

PAP009: Mover & Shaker Steve Lozenkovski shares his story

This week’s key takeaway:

How do you go from being a spray painter to running a 30m dollar-per year business?

Episode intro:

Steve Lozenkovski is one of the industry’s great success stories. Starting as a spray painter in the family business, he came through a school of hard knocks and eventually built up his own business which turns over 30m dollars per year. He’s the CEO of Bears Auto Group and Auto RMS, and you might also know him from his “Smoko with Lozo” column in Paint & Panel magazine. We hear his inspiring story and tap him up for some great insights about the industry today.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to learn the ropes in the business
      • Would business coaching have helped Steve?
      • How to spot opportunities for growth
      • How to develop your software to nail your KPIs
      • How to adjust your business model to suit different locations
      • How to manage teams across different locations
      • The benefits of stepping away from the coal face and recharging

Show links:

 

 

PAP008: How to prepare and re-launch post COVID19

This week’s key takeaway:

How to be productive and safe when demand rises again

Episode intro:

This week we discuss innovation. What technology is out there to make our businesses lean, profitable and safe in a new era? We discuss some of the apps that can speed up diagnosis/repair and improve health & safety. Our two esteemed guests:

      • David Luehr (Elite Body Shop Solutions, USA)
      • Gary Wilcox (Monit Health & Safety app) 

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How the US industry has been affected
      • How collision-repair businesses should educate their customers about their response to the virus
      • Will there be a rush of claims soon?
      • What apps can do to help diagnose collision
      • How to isolate individual team members but still make use of them
      • What paper trail you need to cover yourself in the workplace when restrictions are lifted
      • The potential liability for a collision-repair business
      • What evidence a collision-repair business needs to prove they have adhered to Health & Safety guidelines
      • The meaning of “reasonably practicable” safety measures

Show links:

 

 

PAP007: COVID-19 What's happening now and what's next

This week’s key takeaway:

How are the different parts of the industry adapting to this crisis, and what are the true figures?

Episode intro:

We’re all sick of hearing about COVID-19 but we all need to do our best to make our own way during this crisis. We’ve got a range of guests on this show that will help you understand the bigger picture across OEMs and dealers. Find out how the supply chains are coping and what dealers can do to manage low demand now and potential spikes in future. We’ll be speaking to:

      • Kevin Roberson (National Parts Sales Manager, Hyundai)
      • Justin Myers (Automotive Aftermarket Division, 3M Adhesives)
      • Neil Pritchard (CRA, New Zealand)

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What the industry is doing to adapt to the crisis
      • Are the usual supply chains working at the moment?
      • How much business are dealers losing?
      • How Zoom can help teach people how to do repairs
      • Are insurance claims rising yet?
      • How to get over the problem of customer reluctance
      • Hygiene for repairers

Show links:

      • Nominations are now open for the 2020 Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards. Go to http://www.paintandpanel.com.au/live to submit your nomination.

 

 

PAP006: Strategies for building your collision repair business

 This week’s key takeaway:

How to build your collision repair business during a downturn

Episode intro:

With a massive reduction in claims, what else can you do to develop your business? We thought we’d share the recording of a webinar hosted by Ben and Sam which is chock-full of hints and tips. It also contains some great real-life examples of how companies in your industry are reaching out to their customers during this difficult time.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • The importance of a SWOT analysis and how to do it
      • How to discover new revenue streams
      • How to increase the lifetime value of your customers
      • How to manage the logistics of new claims during a lockdown
      • How customer service can end up being more important than the job itself
      • How to sharpen your customer service during a lockdown
      • What data you need to collect to target your customers effectively

Show links:

 

 

PAP005: How to use the COVID-19 downturn to build a better business

This week’s key takeaway:

What is the opportunity for the industry in these difficult times?

Episode intro:

In such unprecedented times, we thought we’d gather together a panel of experts to discuss what our industry can do to adapt. On the panel in this episode:

      • Sam Street (editor of Paint & Panel Magazine) 
      • Rob Mildenhall (National Panel Manager from Capricorn) 
      • Ryan Zambesi (from R&I Zambesi Spray Booths) 
      • Mark Czvitkovits (from I-Car) 
      • Dan Maher (from L & M Smash Repair, Sydney)

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What the industry can and can’t do at the moment
      • Is our industry classed as an essential service?
      • The scale of the drop in demand
      • Why planning for the end of coronavirus is essential
      • Why you need to assess and analyse your business now
      • How to keep your staff clean and safe
      • The power of reaching out to experts
      • The importance of training during these times

Show links:

 

 

PAP004: The secret sauce to growing your collision repair business

This week’s key takeaway:

How to grow your collision repair business

Episode intro:

We have two real industry heavyweights on the show this week. They are shining examples of how to move with the times and keep growing in this sector. First we speak to Aaron Scagliotta from Gino’s in Perth. He got involved with the family business and built it up to do 80 cars per week and $10 million annual turnover. Then we speak to Steve Davies, who started as a spray painter in 1985 and worked his way up to the very top of the game. Now Steve presides over Northside Smash Repairs in Brisbane and has a total of three panel shops and one mechanical workshop. He’s a real expert in how to streamline a multi-site business.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How to develop better workflows and processes
      • How much management information to share with your staff
      • Automation tips & tricks
      • How to make tradespeople on the ground adapt to change
      • The importance of knowing your numbers
      • How to overcome the challenges of a multi-site business
      • The optimum management structure
      • The power of open communication
      • It’s never too late for business coaching

Show links:

      • This episode is sponsored by http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au Go to their website and say you came from the Paint & Panel podcast and they will give you a $1,000 voucher for business coaching!

 

PAP003: Why you should enter Paint and Panel Awards

We’ve got a jam-packed episode this week… so many industry luminaries sharing their wisdom! We’re majoring on the Paint & Panel Awards and just how important they could be to your business. Our esteemed presenter Ben Fewtrell speaks to judges, sponsors and former winners to give you the heads up for what you can expect from the awards:

      • Sam Street (Paint & Panel editor and judge in all categories)
      • Steven Brett, MD of Axalta (platinum sponsor)
      • James Frape, CEO of Compass (platinum sponsor)
      • Steve O’Brien, CEO of IBodyshop (gold sponsor)
      • Wayne Phipps from Wayne Phipps Smash Repairs (former winner)
      • Tyden Hawden from Hawden’s Precision Repairs (former winner)

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • What you get from entering the Paint & Panel awards
      • What you need to show to impress the judges
      • Sustainability is more about just the environment - it is about longevity in the industry
      • Submitting an entry is a great reminder of the good things you’ve done in your business
      • Why Axalta, Compass and IBodyshop sponsor the event
      • What former winners got out of it

Show links:

      • The Edge is brought to you by our platinum sponsors, Axalta and Compass
      • Go to www.paintandpanel.com.au to get the entry details for the Paint & Panel Awards
      • Paint & Panel Shop Tour (March 12th, Sydney) and Next Generation Seminar for younger repairers, shop owners and managers (March 13th, Sydney). More info: www.paintandpanel.com.au/bodyshop-tour

 

PAP002: Embrace the Charge and Adapt

This week’s key takeaway:

How OEM contracts and consolidators can help your business

Episode intro:

We speak to two industry heavyweights about their journeys through the industry and what is currently giving them the edge. We get an insight into the life of an OEM repairer from Brad Kollich (the main man at Weststar Prestige Panel), and Craig McGregor from the Strategic Collision Repair Group talks about what life is like as part of a consolidating group.

In this week’s episode you will learn:

      • How Brad stabilised his business after the passing of his father
      • How to manage OEM relationships
      • The optimum size of a management structure
      • The importance of a brand presence
      • How to keep up with new trends in the industry
      • How to cut the amount of times a car moves during a job
      • The power of networking and not treating everyone as a competitor

Show links:

      • The edge is brought to you by our sponsors IBodyshop. Go to www.ibodyshop.com to sign up to a free 30-day trial
      • Paint & Panel Shop Tour (March 12th, Sydney) and Next Generation Seminar for younger repairers, shop owners and managers (March 13th, Sydney). More info: www.paintandpanel.com.au/bodyshop-tour

 

PAP001: Managing your business with iBodyshop

For our very first episode we speak to Steve O’Brien, founder of the revolutionary IBodyshop: a cloud-based estimating and management system that is empowering bodyshop businesses across Australia to be more efficient and drive more sales. Steve has been providing systems for the industry for 31 years, and nowadays has over a thousand customers across Australia and New Zealand. A whopping AUD 2.4bn of insurance claims went through IBodyshop last year.

Show links:

 

PAP000: Welcome to the Paint and Panel podcast The Edge