We are lucky enough to have a legend from the hail industry in the driving seat for this week's Turbo Talk, Michael Cross CEO of Smart Repair Australia.
How did you get started in the industry?
I started training in 1991 to become a PDR technician and started working for myself in 1992. Originally working in car dealerships and bodyshops throughout Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle, Hunter Valley repairing door dents and hail damage to cars.
I worked 3-4 days a week at first and supplemented my income with buying selling goods from auctions until i built my skills up enough between lots of surfing and travelling.
What do you do now?
I am CEO of Smart Repair Australia and my main responsibilities are research and development and overseeing the business. We have an amazing management team and the support from them is great. It’s great to watch the future of Smart Repair taking shape. When my wife Linda and I hand over the reins we know that it will be in great hands with a passionate team.
Two years ago I formed a partnership with Mick and Sarina Thompson and out of that came Smart AVR (Autonomous Vehicle Recalibrations) to meet the growing need for ADAS recalibrations and repairs in a rapidly evolving automotive landscape. We currently have four locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane and will be rolling out more.
Smart AVR is an in-house recalibration and auto electrical company devised to modulate the ADAS repair sector through procedures and training to deliver an end to end service.
And just for fun we started a Mexican Restaurant/Bar called Mexicoast Cantina at Toukley on the Central Coast of NSW with my best friends. That has been a lot of fun but challenging. So call in and have a mezcal with us at Mexicoast.
What do you most like about the industry?
All the great people I have met in the industry over many, many years and the long relationships throughout the world that I have managed to foster and cherish. The travel, the expo’s... the list is too long.
What do you most dislike about the industry?
I most dislike the inability for many people to change and embrace the future of the auto industry. The automotive industry is changing at pace that is hard to grasp for all of us but we must all keep learning and keep up to date with new technology because it saves lives.
Who do you most admire in the industry?
The visionaries, the people who care and those who make a difference.
Cars! First car, current car, dream car?
My first car was a HR Holden 3 on the tree manual. My current car is a 2023 next Gen Ford Raptor. My dream car is a Bushmaster Military Vehicle.