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Brotherly Love Latuff Brothers Will and Pete carry on the St. Paul, Minnesota, family business as fourth- generation operators. Will Latuff carries on a proud legacy at his family’s historic body shop. P A G E 2 4 FAMILY-STYLE EXCELLENCE DEVELOP TALENT INTERNALLYP A G E 1 8 HOW INSURERS SHIFT MORE COSTS TO SHOPSP A G E 5 2 READER’S CHOICE DISTINGUISHES TOP OEM PARTS DEALERSP A G E 3 7 FENDERBENDER.COM / AUGUST 2026

3August 2026 fenderbender.com F E A T U R E P R O F I L E F B R C 18GROWING YOUR OWN As the technician shortage persists, shop owners are finding that the most reliable path forward is developing talent internally. BY NOAH BROWN 24FAMILY-STYLE EXCELLENCE Will Latuff carries on a proud legacy at his family’s historic body shop. BY TODD KORTEMEIER 37FENDERBENDER READER’S CHOICE How OEMs, dealers, and shops are navigating margin pressure BY EMILY KLINE C O N T E N T S A U G U S T0 8 . 2 6 | V O L U M E 2 8 | N U M B E R 0 8 FenderBender (USPS Permit 25614), (ISSN 1937-7150 print) is published monthly by Endeavor Business Media, LLC. 201 N Main St 5th Floor Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FenderBender, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscriptions. Subscription prices: U.S. ($93 per year). All subscriptions are payable in U.S. funds. Send subscription inquiries to FenderBender, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. Customer service can be reached toll-free at 877-382-9187 or at fenderbender@omeda.com for magazine subscription assistance or questions. Printed in the USA. Copyright 2026 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopies, recordings, or any information storage or retrieval system without permission from the publisher. Endeavor Business Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person or company for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident, or any other cause whatsoever. The views and opinions in the articles herein are not to be taken as official expressions of the publishers, unless so stated. The publishers do not warrant either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of the articles herein, nor do they so warrant any views or opinions by the authors of said articles.

4August 2026 fenderbender.com 14 33 S T A R T E R Q U I C K F I X 07 DRIVER’S SEAT Reader’s Choice Distin- guishes Top OEM Parts Dealers 08 PAST THE PAGE Getting shops and suppliers in sync 10 BREAKDOWN Enhancing trust in ADAS repairs 13 NUMBERS Technician shorage again no. 1 concern in Industry Survey C O N T E N T S A U G U S T 12 LIGHT HITS The latest stories from around the industry 14 SNAP SHOP Cascade Collision moves to new, modern facility in Lehi, Utah C O L U M N S 16 SHOP PROFITS Do you provide great customer service? BY GREG LOB SIGE R 52 COLLISION COURSE How insurers shift more costs to shops BY TIFFANY ME NE FE E 54 ON THE BUSINESS Wholesale parts vendors deserve a voice BY MIKE ANDE RSON S T R A T E G Y 30 THE SOP Proven ways to resolve conflict in the shop 33 CASE STUDY A process- driven, mediated approach to virtual estimates 50 LAW ADAS liability: What collision repairers need to know

New cred. New customers. When you join the Ford Certified Collision Network (FCCN), you’ll be recognized by Ford, customers, and insurance companies as someone who offers the highest standards in Ford and Lincoln repairs. That puts you into a referral stream for new customers from our digital properties and call center. It also gets you access to not only the right parts but exclusive Ford procedures, training, and support. What’s more, you’ll be included in the Ford Pro™ Fleet and Commercial certified shop list. Take word-of-mouth referrals to the next level by joining the FCCN today. Learn more about FCCN. Message and data rates may apply.

6August 2026 fenderbender.com CLICK ON THE L OGO BEL OW FOR PRODUC T INFORMATION C O N T E N T S O N L I N E E X T R A S LKQ Refinish ©2024 LKQ Corporation | Visit Us at LKQCorp.com & LKQ-Refinish.com FOLLOW US! Refinish Refinish Your trusted partner for all your refinishing needs! • Abrasives • Aerosols • Bed Liners • Body Fillers & Putties • Buffing • Clears & Primers • Cleaners & Solvents • Compounds & Polishes • Detailing • Masking • Painting Supplies • Safety & PPE Products • Sealers & Adhesives • Clothes, Wipes & Rags • Tools & Equipment Scan here to view the LKQ Refinish Catalog 2504FB_LKQRefinish_REV.indd 1 3/3/25 3:46 PM FCA USBuy Auto Supply Ford Motor Company Subaru of America Hunter Engineering Company Axalta Coating Systems BoschAuto Data Labels EDITORIAL Chris Jones VSRG Editorial Director Jay Sicht Editor-in-Chief Peter Spotts Associate Editor Kacey Frederick Assistant Editor Emily Kline Special Projects Editor Mike Anderson Contributing Writer Noah Brown Contributing Writer Sheryl Driggers Contributing Writer Todd Kortemeier Contributing Writer Greg Lobsiger Contributing Writer Tiffany Menefee Contributing Writer Elisabeth Sobczak Contributing Writer Dr. Paul White Contributing Writer EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Jordan Beshears Steve’s Auto Body Sheryl Driggers Collision Advice Jason Mundy Mundy’s Collision Center Stan Medina Certified Collision Works SALES Andrew Johnson Publisher ajohnson@endeavorb2b.com Mattie Gorman-Greuel Associate Sales Director Cortni Jones Director of Business Development Diane Braden Account Executive (National Accounts) dbraden@endeavorb2b.com Marianne Dyal Account Executive (National Accounts) mdyal@endeavorb2b.com Chad Hjellming Account Executive (National Accounts) chjellming@endeavorb2b.com Lisa Mend Account Executive (National Accounts) lmend@endeavorb2b.com Kyle Shaw Account Executive (National Accounts) kshaw@endeavorb2b.com Sean Thornton Account Executive (National Accounts) sthornton@endeavorb2b.com ART AND PRODUCTION Mariah Straub Production Manager Jen George Ad Services Manager Mitch Bradford Art Director ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC CEO Chris Ferrell COO Patrick Rains CDO Jacquie Niemiec CALO Tracy Kane CMO Amanda Landsaw EVP Transportation Chris Messer EVP Endeavor Business Intelligence Paul Mattioli VP of Content Strategy, Transportation Group Josh Fisher SUB SCRIPTIONS Send address changes and subscription inquiries to: FenderBender PO Box 3257 Northbrook, IL 60065-3257 Subscription Customer Service: 877.382.9187 fenderbender@omeda.com LET TE RS TO THE E DITOR editor@fenderbender.com Opinions expressed in FenderBender are not necessarily those of Endeavor Business Media, and Endeavor Business Media does not accept responsibility for advertising content. Motor Age Training Nexpart

7August 2026 fenderbender.com D R I V E R ’ S S E A T J A Y S I C H T E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F jsicht@endeavorb2b.com READER’S CHOICE DISTINGUISHES TOP OEM PARTS DEALERS Each year, the FenderBender Reader’s Choice recognizes the best of the best. D E S P I T E R E D U C E D A C C I D E N T frequency and claims filed, there are OEMs and dedi- cated wholesalers offering creative solutions to meet these headwinds and operate as part- ners in the success of your business as a col- lision repairer. It's these dedicated wholesalers who go the extra mile in ensuring the right parts are de- livered on time that FenderBender recognizes each year with the Reader's Choice. This desig- nation is reserved for the best in the collision repair wholesale parts industry. The parts department is the backbone of the dealership, and high performance is criti- cal to its success, even if the sales or service department often get the accolades. Each year, FenderBender readers are surveyed on who the best, preferred, and most trusted whole- salers are in their market, allowing us to rec- ognize these deserving teams. Growing Differently In this month's special section, learn why all segments of the collision repair industry need to focus on how to preserve profitability — but the answer isn't simply chasing a lower price. Collision Advice President and Owner Mike Anderson says collision repair shops have an opportunity to strengthen the prof- itability of the entire supply chain by improv- ing their own repair planning. "If collision repair shops expect a better dis- count or margin, they need to be a best-in-class customer and not have four or five parts orders per job," Anderson said. "They need to be more loyal to their dealership partners." And for customers paying for repairs, they are naturally more invested in the repair pro- cess. Shops can use this opportunity to edu- cate customers and help them understand the long-term value of proper repairs — including vehicle safety, resale value, and fit and finish — so that customers are often more receptive to investing in OEM components. To check out the video discussion, go to https://bit.ly/FBRCroundtable.

8August 2026 fenderbender.com P A S T T H E P A G E COLLISION ADVICE HELPS SHOPS AND PARTS SUPPLIERS GET IN SYNC W H O L E S A L E PA R T S M A NA G E R S lack a voice in the industry, and margins are shrinking despite increasing sales volume, according to Mike Anderson of Collision Advice (and a FenderBender columnist). He hosts parts managers’ strategy meetings at collision repair centers around the country to get parts managers in the room with shop owners and have productive conversations face-to-face. Two of the biggest concerns shop owners are worrying about are the lack of work and insurance companies that don’t want to pay to fix the car properly. Bob McSherry bought North Haven Auto Body in 1997. Since then, he’s tripled the footprint of the shop and expanded to two more locations. Over the last five years, McSherry dropped from 14 DRPs to six, said Anderson during an event at the shop on May 19. P A S T T H E P A G E On The Same Page Mike Anderson of Collision Advice shares industry data and advice for parts wholesalers during a Parts Managers Meeting at North Haven Auto Body in North Haven, Connecticut, on May 19. PETER SPOTTS

9August 2026 fenderbender.com V I D E O S | P O D C A S T S | W E B I N A R S | N E W S “That is because Bob did not want anybody telling him what kind of parts he should use or how he should run his business fairly,” Anderson said. “So, because of that, Bob has hit some forks in the road where they had to basically part ways, and he has fewer relationships with insurance companies. That doesn’t mean he can’t fix cars for the people they insure or run into, but that he’s not agreeing to pricing concessions for them.” Most shops in the country use CCC One and order parts through the platform – 64%, according to Collision Advice. Anderson said it’s the number one management system, and parts wholesalers need to make sure they appear when a shop is searching for parts or they won’t make sales. Anderson also walked the attendees through the process of making sure they appear when a shop searches for parts in CCC. Parts representatives must make sure a shop has selected them as a “preferred vendor” or they won’t show up. In CCC, he looked up different OEMs attending the event to see how they appear to McSherry when he searches for parts. Anderson illustrated how it affects their ability to get parts orders and how they can lose sales from shops across the country due to not being visible in CCC. “If you don’t have a star next to your name, you will never show up and have a chance to quote parts to anybody in CCC,” Anderson said. “You, as a wholesaler, need to make sure that anybody you want to sell wholesale parts to has you set up with a star next to your name.” Anderson has also been a vocal proponent for the performance of proper safety inspections, which not all shops are doing, and he used the event to prove his point. One example he provided is Subaru’s requirement for every steering column to be removed and measured after an accident; Collision Advice research found that 26-30% of all Subaru steering columns are collapsed after an accident. He asked the attendees how many steering columns they’re selling, and there was little response. “If you’re Subaru, Nissan, Infiniti, GM, or Chrysler and you’re not selling steering columns, I would question if the shops you’re sending your work to [are] doing safe and proper repairs,” Anderson said. “Every single one of you should also be selling seat belts because they should spot a pretty large percentage of seat belts that are damaged.” Other examples include Toyota or Lexus airbag and airbag sensor inspections, which are required after any accident. Collision Advice has found about 50% of airbags have broken straps on the backside after inspection. For Honda/Acura dealers, center pillars where the seat belts mount are buckling. The part can’t be repaired, making the vehicle a total loss. “These are things a lot of shops are not doing,” he said. The event provided an opportunity to discuss McSherry’s parts return percentage in Fiscal Year 2025 and Q1 of 2026 with the different vendors and share feedback. McSherry found the event valuable for shops and, despite many glowing remarks about how great a customer he is, said they can improve and there’s more work to be done. “We all get confined in our walls,” McSherry said. “And until you understand what people outside your walls are going through to help you inside your walls, you’re never going to get better within your own walls. We have no idea what they’re up against, and when you have events like this, they find out what we’re up against, and we learn from them, too. So, our parts return percentages, I think they’re too high, but I think once we dig into the cause, those numbers drop. I think it’s still beyond the level that is to me acceptable and to them is fair.” In Sync: Bob McSherry, right, introduces Mike Anderson during the meeting. PETER SPOTTS

10August 2026 fenderbender.com Q U I C K F I X B R E A K D O W N ADOBE STOCK 371553355 ENHANCING TRUST IN ADAS REPAIRS: FRAMEWORKS, PROCESSES, AND INDUSTRY COLLABORATION Industry ADAS experts discussed the challenges shops face with ADAS and the importance of developing a process that improves confidence among shops, insurers, OEMs, and consumers in ADAS repairs. B y P E T E R S P O T T S A D A S T E C H N O L O G Y C O N T I N U E S to add complex, increased repair demands for shops. Constantly moving parts and pieces creates confusion as shops try to determine what to do with estimatics, diagnostics, and OEM re- pair information. Revv Director of Strategic Partnerships Joel Adcock, Collision Career Institute SVP and Partner Dan Dutra, and Tractable Head of Automotive — AI James Spears spoke about how the industry can create greater consis- tency around how ADAS is performed during CIECA’s June 18 webinar “ADAS Calibration Issues, Challenges and Opportunities.”

11August 2026 fenderbender.com N E W S | I D E A S | P E O P L E | T R E N D S “A lot of people really don’t understand what they should be doing and how they should follow a process,” Dutra said. “As these systems become more prevalent, the industry has an opportunity, and I would argue a responsibility, to align around a common framework that supports confi- dence in the repair process.” Dutra discussed a framework of four pil- lars – process, environment, training, and equipment. Combined, the four pillars can achieve the goal of trust. ADAS calibrations that aren’t performed with a consistent, doc- umented process will lead to a lack of con- fidence in the safety of the repair. It makes it difficult for repairs, insurers, OEMs, and consumers to understand what work was performed, how it was performed, and if manufacturer requirements were met. “The outcome we’re really pursuing is trust — trust that the vehicle was repaired properly; trust that the safety systems will perform as intended; trust that everyone involved in the repair process is working towards the same objective,” Dutra said. “We’re not talking about standards for the sake of standards. We’re talking about cre- ating greater trust, greater transparency, and greater confidence that the technologies designed to protect people continue to do ex- actly that after the vehicle is repaired.” Revv has found shops struggle the most when it comes to workflow, Adcock said. There are plenty of programs and technologies that help shops perform ADAS work, but identify- ing which calibrations need to be done, where to submit for approvals, and where to schedule service with a sublet can cause problems. “A lot of shops trying to get their arms around whether or not they can do ADAS in- house and trying to understand all the differ- ent pieces that are connected with that,” Ad- cock said. “We’ve got to completely shift our mindset on continuing to improve and really embracing a lot of that technology because it is going to continue to get thrown at us as far as like what the OEMs are producing…I think the challenge for shops is now we need to de- velop a new SOP, a new workflow, or enhance our current workflows because we’re going to continue to get further away if we’re not re- ally embracing a lot of this new technology.” As vehicles enter the shop, Adcock listed the questions that need to be considered: • Can we do this in-house? • Do we need to sublet? • What does coordination look like? • What’s the communication like? • What’s the timeline? He shared the misconceptions he com- monly sees around ADAS today, including the difference between a scan vs. calibration and not performing calibrations based on pre-scan results. “A scan’s more on the diagnostic side, where the calibration is the execution of the actual, making sure the camera or radar is pointing in the right direction,” he said. “I think the biggest one is still that if there’s no fault code, there’s no light on the dashboard, there’s no sign of any sort of trouble, that there’s no calibration needed and I can tell you… that the majority of your calibrations are going to show up out- side of a pre-scan. So, diagnostics is really one piece of the puzzle, but it’s not really the entire decision-making process.” Dutra said they need to educate shops to follow a process from point A to Z that creates safe repair using OEM-recommended proce- dures to provide documentation and transpar- ency in the repair process. Spears said organi- zations like CIECA can take the lead tackling these challenges. “We need to really understand how to re- move those periods of uncertainty for people in the process,” Spears said. “But what we’re really looking for now is how do we attach this transparency, this documentation, to a file?...Dan was talking about that we can produce some type of evidence that the right thing was done for the customer and that way, we’ve removed any of these periods of uncertainty; the tech knew they did the right thing and the customer’s very well assured that their car is back to OE conditions.” Dutra emphasized that it’s not about proving who is right or wrong; it’s about giv- ing consumers confidence that systems de- signed to protect them are restored properly and will work as intended. “We need to put people over profit,” he said. “The profits will follow if we’re doing the right thing. Every one of us in this in- dustry plays a role in returning vehicles to the consumers after a collision. Increasing- ly, we’re not just repairing vehicles…We’re restoring technologies that help people avoid crashes, reduce injuries, and in many cases saves lives. That responsibility be- longs to all of us.” PETER SPOTTS

We develop ADAS vehicle technologies for OEMs. Bosch is the only automotive supplier developing ADAS vehicle technologies with OEMs and the equipment to calibrate them. Bosch DAS 3000 ADAS Calibration Solution A future-proof investment for fast, reliable and precise calibrations on a wide range of dynamic and static advanced driver assistance systems. Solutions for every job. boschdiagnostics.com/adas Get more information about the DAS 3000 Modular and future-proof: Designed to be upgradable to accommodate future ADAS calibration technologies and new targets. Bosch ADAS Positioning (BAP) System: Combines advanced technology and industrial-grade vision sensors to precisely measure fixture position, ensuring accurate target placement for reliable ADAS calibration. Guided interactive workflow on the ADS 10X Plus. Step-by-step instructions from start to finish including fixture placement, target selections and calibration. Scan tool sold separately. White glove on-site setup and installation* Where available, an authorized Bosch field representative will unpack, assemble and provide instruction on the use of the DAS 3000. DAS 3000 Integrated storage and maneuverability Keep your equipment clean and serviceable and ready to use at a moment’s notice. Trust us to recalibrate them. *White Glove Service valid in the U.S.A. only. Limitations apply. Q U I C K F I X L I G H T H I T S UNITED RECYCLERS GROUP LAUNCHES AUTO PART SEARCH Auto Part Search, a new all-in-one online marketplace to search for and purchase recycled auto parts, is now live. Buyers can create an account at no cost and with no sign-up fees or subscription required. Developed by United Recyclers Group (URG), a network of more than 750 profes- sional auto recyclers across North America, Auto Part Search brings together verified inventory, accurate fitment, and real-time purchasing into one seamless platform. The platform gives buyers a single, intel- ligent eCommerce experience built around how shops actually work: • Search how you want: VIN, OEM number, vehicle, and more • Quickly find and buy the parts you need • Access inventory from more than 750 professional auto recyclers • Fast fulfilment and reliable delivery options • Warranty protection for peace of mind • Detailed images for every part SCRS ESTABLISHES ADAS REPAIR DIVISION AND GOVERNING COUNCIL The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has established an ADAS Repair Division, along with appointments to the inaugural Governing Council. It’s a step toward providing focused representation, education, and advocacy for the expanding community of diagnostics, calibration, and advanced driver assistance systems repair professionals across North America. SCRS approved the creation of the ADAS Repair Division in 2025 in response to direct requests from ADAS repair spe- cialists and supporting businesses for a structured platform to address educa- tional gaps, information needs, and a lack of dedicated advocacy for their sector. The division operates within SCRS and is led by a five-member Governing Council elected by the membership. The Division will organize programs, host events, develop educational content, and engage its membership, while leveraging SCRS’ framework. This structure provides ADAS specialists with a focused profes- sional organization while leveraging the es- tablished resources of the nation’s leading collision repair association. Inaugural Governing Council members include: • Michael Ambrosino, director of operations at ADAS Diagnostic Solutions • James “Spike” Rodis, industry relations manger at Woodhouse Auto Family • Joe Brookhart, managing partner at Summit Auto Calibration • Andy Dingman, owner of Dingman’s Collision Center • Jason “Buck” Zeise, regional director for Minnesota ADAS Solutions

13August 2026 fenderbender.com Q U I C K F I X N U M B E R S TECH SHORTAGE AGAIN BIGGEST CONCERN LAST YEAR'S FenderBender Industry Survey respondents reported insurer influence on the repair process as their biggest concern. By a slim margin, this year's respondents again report the technician shortage as their number one concern, followed by insurer influence. A shortage of qualified technicians 23.86% Insurer influence on the repair process 21.05% Low labor rates 11.23% Inconsistent repair standards 9.47% Vehicle design advancements 9.12% Rising cost of doing business 8.07% Technology and tool/equipment needs 7.02% Parts choices (OEM vs. aftermarket…) 3.16% Other 2.46%

14August 2026 fenderbender.com L O C A T I O N : 1115 E MAIN ST., LEHI, UTAH O W N E R : QUALITY COLLISION GROUP S I Z E : 24,000 SQUARE FEET S T A F F : 20 A V E R A G E M O N T H LY C A R C O U N T: 120 A V E R A G E R E P A I R O R D E R : $4,600 A N N U A L R E V E N U E : $8 MILLION ANNUALLY ESTIMATED; 2025: $6.6 MILLION ANNUALLY CASCADE COLLISION REPAIRB y P e t e r S p o t t s P h o t o s C o u r t e s y o f Q U A L I T Y C O L L I S I O N G R O U P Submit Your Shop Proud of your shop and want to show it off to your peers? Tell us about it at N E W S @ F E N D E R B E N D E R . C O M S N A P S H O P Q U I C K F I X SOMETIMES, A N OLD SHOP in a good location needs a new building. Cascade Collision took their first repair center, built in 2000, to the neighboring lot to give its flagship location a modern look. Using lessons learned from its other locations, Chief Development Officer Brian Nichols said they made some changes to the shop design and layout to improve operations. It has a dedicated blueprint area for disassembly and repair planning, easier and quicker throughput for the paint department, and a dedicated parts management area, which is designed to hold parts carts and new parts. “We looked at it and we’d made some design changes in the way the buildings were laid out. Operationally and efficiency, everything we created was better,” Nichols said. “This new shop has a bit of presence, better freeway visibility, and its right next door. They can’t miss it.” The original location didn’t have the space for another expansion –- it had already had three. Nichols said they didn’t want to raze the building, so they decided to lease it. It was a necessary move to provide technicians with the best possible work experience and to deliver the best repairs for customers. “We had made as many modifications as we could have to make it as efficient as we could,” he said. “Techs were squished, which relates to techs being happy at work. Everything can be extra hard when you don’t have enough room.” Cascade Collision uses the same design layout for all its shops. It can be adjusted to fit footprints ranging from 16,000 sq. ft. to 34,000 sq. ft. “Our greenfields in Utah, we’ve done five of these exact same shops,” Nichols said. “Now we really have a good understanding of costs and those things as well. We can build single or two stories, if they are part of the training space at headquarters.” Cascade has blueprinters based out of the facility that can do remote estimates for all Cascade locations. Ready, Set, Refinish The shop is equipped with Global Finishing Solutions XL and XD paint booths.

15August 2026 fenderbender.com QCG’s Repair Pulse production management software helps the shop streamline production meetings, reporting, and customer communication. Having an in-house program allows QCG to customize it based on feedback from their teams. The facility has the capability to do ADAS calibrations in- house, but they have a third party as well. “It was designed to be in-house if in the future that’s where we decide to go. We didn’t want to limit ourselves,” Nichols said. “ADAS is not a total mystery, but it does create a whole bunch of extra learning for a technician. We made a choice that we have techs focus on structure, panel replacement, those types of things, and then have specialists focus on electrical components, ADAS, and other things that can be a big learning curve to some of the techs.” The shop has nine OEM certifications and is working toward adding Audi to the list. Its current certifications include Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, GM Collision Repair Network, Hyundai Recognized Collision Repair Center, Jeep, Kia Certified Collision Repair Center, Ram, and Honda/Acura. OEM requirements influence the equipment choices for the shop. It has Global Finishing Solutions XL and XD paint booths, BendPak Two-Post Lift, Car-O- Liner Bench Rack 6300 Frame Rack, GYS Autopulse 220 MIG/MAG welder for steel, aluminum, and silicon bronze, GYSpot BP.LG 220V Resistance Welder, Xpress 800 self-piercing riveter, GYS Expert 200 steel dent pulling system, GYS Arc Pull 200 aluminum dent repair system, Chief 220 V aluminum welder, and AirPro Diagnostics for all pre-and-post vehicle scans. “We choose our brand of equipment based on the OEM requirements, what certifications they qualify for to complete a quality repair,” said Regional Production Manager Clint Little. “There are similarities between shops, but not all shops carry the same certifications, so we have [equipment] variation throughout.” Picture Perfect Cascade Collision’s flagship location in Lehi moved to a new facility across the street that offers better presence, freeway visibility, and a re-designed interior for more efficient repairs. Optimal Organization The shop is optimized for efficient workflow and technician work experience.

16August 2026 fenderbender.com JOSIE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY C O L U M N S S H O P P R O F I T S G R E G L O B S I G E R Greg Lobsiger has owned Loren’s Body Shop in Bluffton, Indiana, for over 23 years. He has been a member of Mike Anderson’s groups for ten years and had extensive lean manufacturing training. E M A I L : greg@lorensbodyshop.com A R C H I V E : fenderbender.com/lobsiger What great customer service looks like! By fostering positive customer experiences, you can thrive in challenging times. When it comes to getting good customer ser- vice, everyone wants the best service. And that in- cludes me. It doesn’t matter whether we’re dining at a fine restaurant, flying in an airplane, staying in a hotel, having our A/C at our home repaired... or how about collision repair.? You were right on board until I said, “collision repair.” Ha-ha! When a customer contacts us with an accident, they need our help. Accident defined: “An unexpect- ed, unplanned, and unintended event that typically results in physical harm, property damage or loss.: During the 2021-2023 Gold Rush of wrecked cars, some shops didn’t have stellar customer ser- vice. If they ticked off a customer or two, many more cars were waiting in line to get in. Here’s the deal, folks. In feast or famine, we must ALWAYS provide great customer service! When we become arrogant and lazy, we will eventually pay the pip- er. With claims count currently down, some shops are barely paying bills. So, what does good customer service look like? If you haven’t read “Customers for Life” by Carl Sewell, I would highly recommend it! Carl owns 20+ auto dealership franchises throughout Texas and is a genius at great customer service. FYI: It doesn’t matter one bit that the book was written 20+ years ago! Customer service (CS) has many components. For starters, when a customer calls our shop, is it answered promptly by a pleasant voice who wants to help? Is the customer just told to stop in when- ever? Or are they given an appointment time for scheduling, photos etc. so we can give them our full attention? How about when a customer comes in? Is the CSR dressed nicely and our office clean? Is there nice music or CNN blaring the latest overseas bombings? Have the wall colors, flooring, and chairs been updated in the last six to eight years? Just as important, are the bathrooms female-friendly, updated, and most importantly, CLEAN? In Carl’s dealerships, they clean their upscale bathrooms every hour! Their technician’s bathrooms are even updated and nice. Good CS is more than just good aesthetics and nice people. We must keep our promises. Exam- ple: Did we contact them after, say, the blueprint like we said we would, or did they have to call for an update? CS is so much deeper than most realize. I have personally had two different medi- cal surgeries in the last 24 months, and both cost probably $75-100k each. Notice I said “probably.” I never heard one word about any of the negotia- tions between the hospital and my insurance. Be- tween the two surgeries, I only paid an additional $185 out of pocket. Now everyone is thinking, “Greg is on the in- surance companies’ side when it comes to a safe and proper vehicle repair.” Not so fast; here’s the deal on insurer short pays. We must have good business sense. Example: I was trying to help a shop owner with low profitability. While review- ing their P&L, I realized they were spending an astronomical amount of $ on marketing just to keep the work coming in. After dividing their yearly marketing expenses by the number of cars they had repaired, it was over $1,000 per vehicle!! It was a vicious cycle of the higher the co-pays, the more was needed for marketing to bring customers in. If they just cut their market- ing in half, their customer would save $500 extra out of pocket, and they would make the same net profit! I strongly suggest you look over your P&L and do the math for your shop. If you’re spend- ing over, say, $150-200 per repaired vehicle for marketing, I would stop and look at your entire business model. If we let them, some marketing companies will take every dime we have! At the end of the day, we must become expert negotia- tors with the insurers, to solve this tit-for- tat co- nundrum to shrink short pays. Here’s the deal: EVERY customer who leaves our shops FOR SURE causes a ripple effect for our reputation, whether that be good or bad! Are they giving their family, friends, and co-workers reasons to come to our shops or to avoid them? We MUST strive to be the best collision shop in our market. Just because we’re the highest priced shop around does NOT mean we’re the best! I DARE YOU to go to a local grocery store and ask 20 random people, “Where is the best body shop around here?” It could be a real eye-opener. As Carl wrote, “If the customer doesn’t want to come back, none of us will have a job!” I about wore out my highlighter while I was reading his book, as there are so many golden nug- gets (boulders) in t

18August 2026 fenderbender.com18August 2026 fenderbender.com F E A T U R E As the technician shortage persists, shop owners are finding that the most reliable path forward is developing talent internally.B y N O A H B R O W N P h o t o s C o u r t e s y o f D a v e D u n n GROWINGYour Own

19August 2026 fenderbender.com

20August 2026 fenderbender.com For as long as Dave Dunn can re- member, the collision repair in- dustry has been talking about a technician shortage. “I remember going to the very first NACE, more than 40 years ago,” says Dunn, founder of Masters School of Autobody Management and owner of two large colli- sion repair operations in Galesburg, Illinois. “The number one topic was the same thing you still hear today: the average body man is 50 years old, and there’s no good young people coming into the industry.” Four decades later, the refrain hasn’t changed, but the stakes have. Vehicle technol- ogy is evolving faster than ever. Repairs are more complex. The traditional “do-it-all” tech- nician is disappearing. And younger workers, often steered toward four-year degrees, aren’t lining up to replace retirees. “The talent replacement pipeline just isn’t there,” says Brandon Roy, an instructor at NCM Associates and a third-generation collision technician. “This is structural. When complexity rises faster than your talent pipeline, shops need to start build- ing their own.” THIS IS STRUCTURAL. WHEN COMPLEXITY RISES FASTER THAN YOUR TALENT PIPELINE, SHOPS NEED TO START BUILDING THEIR OWN. —Brandon Roy, instructor, NCM Associates 20August 2026 fenderbender.com For both Dunn and Roy, the solution isn’t chasing experienced technicians with bigger signing bonuses or scouring job boards for the perfect hire. It’s developing talent internally and doing so intentionally, patiently and with systems that focus as much on people as they do on skills. “No one’s coming to save you,” Roy says. “You need to develop your own internal academies.” INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT IS A NECESSITY The collision industry’s labor challenges aren’t new, but they look wildly different than they did a few decades ago. “The idea of a true ‘do-it-all’ tech is gone,” Roy says. “Now we see segmented roles: cali- bration techs, driveability techs, prep special- ists. At the same time, schools are pushing university, and parents still see collision re- pair as a dusty, dirty industry.” That disconnect leaves shops fighting over a shrinking pool of experienced work- ers. Dunn argues that shops getting caught up in that competition actually contributes to the problem. “I started out just like everybody else try- ing to hire skilled people,” he says. “And I just got frustrated.”

21August 2026 fenderbender.com What ultimately helped Dunn remove his shops from that competition was a leadership philosophy he encountered early in his career: hire for character and teach skills. “You can hire skills, but you have to pay a lot of money, and it’s very difficult to shape character,” Dunn says. “Or, you can hire po- tential winners with good character and teach them the skills. It’s a lot easier to teach skills than it is character.” Roy echoes that belief, saying most people will be able to learn how to do the job. “The right people want to show up to work and do a good job,” he says. “We just need good foundations first.” Internal development programs also provide something the industry desperately needs: continuity. “There will always be people around to do the work,” Roy says. “We’re running out of people to lead, teach, and protect the culture. That’s where development really pays off.” DAVE DUNN’S MODEL: STARTING SMALL, THINKING LONG At Dunn’s shops, internal development has been engrained in the culture for decades. “We’ve always got several people in the wings,” he says. “Not everybody makes it, but many do. And the majority of my managers started somewhere like the detail department.” The detail department, in fact, is the cor- nerstone of Dunn’s talent pipeline. “It’s the ultimate tester,” he says. “Do they come in on time? Can they take criticism? The boss picks at it, the customer picks at it, and there’s always a time constraint.” Dunn employs six to seven full-time de- tailers at any given time, and no one sees it as a dead-end job. “No detailer here made less than $40,000 last year,” he says. “The detail manager made $70,000.” That entry point allows the shop to evaluate temperament and work ethic before asking employees to take on more technical roles. “If you can cut it in our detail shop for a year or two,” Dunn says, “you can probably handle just about any job we have.” Roy sees the same dynamic across the industry. “We need to stop assuming leadership is the only form of success,” he says. “Pro- gression can be cross-training, mentorship or specialization.” Both leaders emphasize assessment tools such as Myers-Briggs or DISC profiles can be useful to help guide employees toward spe- cific roles or teams. “It’s a temperament test, not a personality test,” Dunn says. “Certain combinations work better in certain jobs.” Roy agrees. “It’s about creating a success profile, not just a job description,” he says. CULTURE IS THE BACKBONE OF RETENTION Internal pipelines only work if people want to stay. Dunn credits the success of his shop’s robust pipeline to, above all else, regular and deliberate communications. “We do quarterly employee reviews,” he says. “Not annually. Quarterly.” The first two questions on the review form ask employees about what they think about shop culture and how they feel about com- pensation and benefits. Dunn says learning the answers to those questions terrifies many owners, but avoiding them doesn’t make the underlying feelings go away. “If you don’t ask, do you think they don’t care?” Dunn says. “They care.” Beyond pay, culture at Dunn’s shops is tangible. There’s a 1,500-square-foot employee engagement center with games, fitness equip- ment and family gathering space. There’s a medical assistance fund that covers half of out- of-pocket expenses, including veterinary bills G R O W I N G Y O U R O W N 21August 2026 fenderbender.com From there, advancement is offered and tested regularly for employees. It’s not always going to work out, but Dunn says that’s not necessarily a bad thing. “I’ve moved great detail workers to the paint shop and watched them fail,” Dunn says. “Sometimes people say, ‘You know what, I’d rather go back to detail,’ and that’s okay.” PROGRESSION WITHOUT UPWARD MOBILITY In corporate America, company rosters are bloated with layers of lower- and mid-level management for employees to move “up” into. Collision repair doesn’t offer that neat, highly vertical path of career devel- opment, which is something that Dunn says can be a big advantage if shops know how to frame it. “Sometimes the first move doesn’t need to be up,” he says, “but sideways instead.” An employee might move from detailing to metal work, then into parts, estimating or production. Through that pathway, em- ployees are getting tangible skills that will help them grow in their careers without necessarily getting a promotion or “mov- ing up” to the next level. It also helps owners discover those in their shop that might thrive in leadership, and some that may not at all. “I had a technician who was incredible with her hands,” Dunn says. “I made the ‘brilliant’ move of making her a department manager. She hated it.” Instead, she transitioned into facilities maintenance. Now, she’s now a star. “She can fix a furnace, wire a light, keep the shop running,” Dunn says. “She didn’t want to be a supervisor, and that’s okay.”

22August 2026 fenderbender.com22August 2026 fenderbender.com for pets. After 20 years, employees and their families receive a weeklong trip to Hawaii. “All of these things add up,” Dunn says. “Culture isn’t one thing. It’s everything.” Roy frames culture as insurance. “If you train someone and they leave, that’s one thing,” he says. “If you don’t train them and they stay, that’s much worse.” Brandon Roy’s Perspective: Structure Cre- ates Security From Roy’s vantage point, many shops fail not from lack of effort but lack of structure. “Small shops are focused on numbers and equipment,” he says. “They don’t pay atten- tion to talent farming.” Roy advocates for structured apprentice- ship tracks, usually ranging from six to 18 months, with skill-based pay increases in- stead of tenure-based raises. “We’re not giving raises because you’ve been here longer,” he says. “You earn them by gaining skills.” He also pushes shops to outline long-term paths early, sometimes even on day one. “When I had shops, many technicians didn’t even have savings accounts,” Roy says. “So, we built five-year plans. Here’s what your life and earnings could look like if you hit these milestones.” Equally important is hiring correctly in the first place. “Do culture-fit days,” Roy says. “Spend time with technicians, management, the whole team. Make sure the fit is right before you invest.” And once someone is hired? “One-on-ones,” Roy says. “Scheduled. No phones. Eyeball to eyeball.” Those conversations prevent small issues from growing and make employees active participants in their careers. TAKEAWAYS FOR BETTER INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT For shop owners looking to build or strength- en internal pipelines, Dunn and Roy agree on a few fundamentals: Hire for character, not convenience. Skills can be taught, but integrity, curiosity and re- silience are harder to install. Create structured starting points. Entry-level departments such as detail- ing or disassembly can reveal far more than interviews. Define progression broadly. Growth isn’t always upward. Lateral moves, specialization, and mentorship matter. Communicate constantly. Quarterly re- views and regular one-on-ones keep expec- tations clear and trust intact. In a labor market that shows no signs of easing, the strongest shops may not be the ones with the biggest recruitment budgets. Instead, they’re the ones willing to grow their own talent, one conversation and one oppor- tunity at a time. Investment in your employees isn’t op- tional. It’s the key to unlocking your shop’s full potential. “The only thing worse than training peo- ple and having them leave,” Dunn says, “is not training them and having them stay.” G R O W I N G Y O U R O W N

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24August 2026 fenderbender.com FAMILY-STYLE EXCELLENCE St. Paul, Minnesota Will Latuff carries on a proud legacy at his family’s historic body shop. B y T O D D K O R T E M E I E R P h o t o g r a p h y T O D D K O R T E M E I E R

25August 2026 fenderbender.com 1933 ESTD.

26August 2026 fenderbender.com Alot has changed on St. Paul, Min- nesota’s University Avenue since 1933. But the echoes of tradition can still be heard along this major east-west thoroughfare. The sounds are just a bit more high-fidelity. Where minor league baseball’s St. Paul Saints once called Lexington Park home, Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United now play less than a mile west of the long- gone ballyard at state-of-the-art Allianz Field. Trains still run down the street’s median, though instead of the click-clack of streetcars, the sound of modern light commuter rail is more of an electric hum, occasionally punctu- ated by prerecorded bells and whistles. Life is very much modern-day but carry- ing on beloved aspects of yesterday. The same is true for another University Avenue land- mark: Latuff Brothers Auto Body, established 1933. The building looks a lot different, a lot bigger, and the services they perform include things that would’ve been pure science fiction back in 1933. But the basics of the business remain the same. And its steward carries on those standards, as well as the family name. The Family Business The name Latuff Brothers is as true today as it was when the business opened — only the names have changed. Brothers Joe, Mike, and John founded the shop, with the help of their father, a woodworker originally from Lebanon who had a knack for fixing wooden frames. Their stewardship led the shop through the early challenge of the Great Depression to the point that the shop is now in its fourth generation of family ownership. The brothers today are Pete and Will, who run the day-to- day operations. For Will Latuff, neither the shop’s perma- nence nor his place in its success was ever in doubt. Now in his mid-40s, Latuff says he al- ways dreamed of taking his place in the fam- ily business. His memories of growing up in a body shop include using steel pulling plates to hold Pinewood Derby cars and standing FAMILY-STYLE EXCELLENCE on a frame machine just to hear the clicking sound as it did its work. He recalls in one in- stance liking that noise a little too much, to the point the shop’s body man had to pull it back the other direction the next day. Hav- ing already worked with body men and in the paint department by the time he was in high school, Latuff recalls attending a presentation by Mike Anderson that inspired the direction he chose to take in business. “He had his bible of estimating, whatever he called it, it was like a 400-page printed booklet of everything you need to charge for estimating, and I was absolutely captivated by his presentation,” Latuff says. “It was all fire and brimstone, and that really sparked my passion for estimating, and that’s the di- rection I headed then in business after that.” Any day of the week you can find Latuff at the shop. And if he’s not at his desk, odds are you’ll find him blueprinting. Latuff’s brother largely runs the front of the house, working with customers and writing counter estimates, while Will is in the back of the shop overseeing production. That’s a choice which is both a reflection of his passion for estimat- ing and also a philosophy toward manage- ment and efficiency. “I truly believe in a short and flat-style org chart, where there shouldn’t be a lot of levels between the people doing the work and lead- I TRULY BELIEVE IN A SHORT AND FLAT-STYLE ORG CHART, WHERE THERE SHOULDN’T BE A LOT OF LEVELS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK AND LEADERSHIP. — Will Latuff, Co-owner, Latuff Brothers Auto Body

27August 2026 fenderbender.com ership, and so I don’t want people to have to go through multiple rungs to get an answer,” Latuff says. Running the Show You don’t get to nearly a century in business without doing some things the same way. Company values and standards are how excellence is maintained and passed down through generations. But everything else is open for innovation, and Latuff always has his eyes on getting better. “You always have to be looking forward, because your competitive advantage only lasts so long,” he says. Latuff recalls when his father switched the shop over to spraying waterborne paint in the early 2000s, at a time when environ- mentally friendly practices were less common and really resonated with consumers. But it wasn’t long before shops all over the country followed suit, erasing that point of differen- tiation. And then it’s onto the next thing. For Latuff Brothers, certified repairs have become one of those new points of differentiation, and that’s a message that has really resonated with customers. “Certifications, safety inspections, be- ing willing to do what most others choose not to do, and support our customer no matter what it is,” Latuff says. “We’ve ter- Old Stomping Grounds Blueprinting was and is Latuff’s first love in collision repair, and he still enjoys getting hands-on. Tradition of Craftsmanship Techs like Nate Bennett have been working on bumpers at this address since 1933.

28August 2026 fenderbender.com minated DRPs because they didn’t agree with fixing the car properly, or they didn’t want us to do safety inspections, and tried to coerce us into not doing them, and ev- ery time we choose the customer without thinking twice.” Latuff has also started experimenting with AI, even as a management tool. AI or- ganizes notes for the shop’s daily produc- tion meeting into a single-page handout, helping all team members stay up to date with the day’s top takeaways. It’s something Latuff says has been well-received. He’s also looked at using AI to relieve some of the ad- ministrative burden within a shop, such as generating summary notes from emails or having AI discern the key differences be- tween estimates. Continuing the Legacy As far as the rest of a typical day at Latuff Brothers, Latuff notes that his on-the- ground role is a dual one, doing blue- printing and supporting technicians with FAMILY-STYLE EXCELLENCE Brotherly Love The eponymous Latuff Brothers Will (left) and Pete (right) carry on the family business as fourth-generation operators. Touch Time As needed, Latuff spends afternoons offering help to techs like Connor Tufte, seen here working to install a vapor barrier. TODD KORTEMEIER

29August 2026 fenderbender.com whatever they need. That might mean a second check before cutting off a panel or reviewing a procedure for proper docu- mentation. Then, when production starts to ramp down, Latuff has time to focus on the higher-level tasks, closing tickets, balancing ROs, and considering broader business matters. “In between, it’s all the other things that it takes to run the business,” Latuff says. “You know, looking for our next step of what we’re going to do.” With many years of shop ownership ahead, Latuff is always looking ahead and anticipating challenges that may arise. One of those is related to physical space. Latuff Brothers has never moved locations, but it has steadily bought neighboring lots over the years to expand its square foot- age. But there isn’t a limitless amount of real estate for sale, plus there are exten- sive zoning and permitting requirements to deal with being in an urban location. Latuff says the shop would love to bring more sublet operations in-house to in- crease profits, but space remains a limit- ing factor. “It’s pretty tough to get approved to build additional space where we’re at, so we’re go- ing to have to look creatively for solutions around that,” Latuff says. When reached on a rare day at home for his first interview with FenderBender , Latuff was about to continue work on an engine swap for a 1972 Chevelle Super Sport. While cars remain a passion of his — and the initial reason that made him interested in making his career in the family business — it’s not his primary motivation these days. Instead, it’s the people aspect of business, and the oppor- tunity to help and influence the individuals he interacts with every day. “That’s what really fills my bucket,” Latuff says. “It could be a customer, it could be an employee; it’s having that connection that is really more meaningful than the cars right now. Yeah, we fix cars, but we help people. That’s our business.”

30August 2026 fenderbender.com S T R A T E G Y T H E S O P FROM CONFLICT TO COLLABORATION Shop-proven ways to resolve tension before it spreads B y S H E R Y L D R I G G E R S , D R . P A U L W H I T E CONFLICT IS INEVITABLE. We experience friction in personal relationships and busi- ness, including collision repair centers. We face daily production deadlines, parts delays, insurance negotiations, customer expectations, and communication break- downs that create countless opportunities for tension. Yet conf lict itself is not the problem. In fact, healthy disagreement often leads to better decisions, improved processes, and stronger relationships. The real problem is when conflict is un- resolved or disrespectfully handled. Left un- checked, tension spreads throughout a shop, creating frustration, reducing productivity, damaging trust, and making it harder for teams to work effectively together. ADOBESTOCK 1403429706 Most conf lict begins for predictable reasons. Misunderstandings, different per- spectives, communication style differences, unmet expectations, mistakes, and feelings of disrespect can all create friction between team members. Front office staff and pro- duction teams often view situations through different lenses. Repair planners become frustrated when customer and accident information is incomplete. Technicians be- come frustrated when critical operations are missing from repair plans. Customer expe- rience specialists feel caught in the middle when they are forced to communicate delays and disappointments to customers. Before dealing with conflicts, it helps to understand an important truth: people often create negative narratives when com- munication gaps exist. When information is missing, individuals frequently assume the worst about another person’s intentions, rather than seeking clarification. Slow down before reacting One of the most effective ways to prevent conflict from escalating is surprisingly simple: pause. When emotions rise, people often react before they fully understand what happened. A frustrated email, a sarcastic comment, or a defensive response can quickly turn a mis- understanding into a larger problem. One of us learned this lesson firsthand after receiving two negative customer re- views within minutes. Frustration led to an immediate email demanding that problems be fixed quickly. Later conversations revealed that the reaction had addressed symptoms rather than root causes. The following day required an apology to the team. The experi- ence reinforced a valuable leadership lesson: slowing down often leads to better decisions than reacting quickly.

31August 2026 fenderbender.com L E A R N | G R O W | W O R K S M A R T E R Seek clarity, not assumptions Many workplace conflicts can be prevented through staying curious and active listening. Rather than preparing a response while an- other person speaks, focus on understanding their perspective. Simple statements such as “Help me understand,” or “It sounds like you are con- cerned about...” often create productive dia- logue. Summarizing what you believe you heard allows misunderstandings to be cor- rected before assumptions take hold. Equally important, avoid asking accusa- tory questions. Questions that begin with “Why did you...” frequently put people on the defensive. Curiosity tends to produce better outcomes than criticism. Address issues directly Indirect communication is one of the most common causes of workplace conf licts. In- stead of communicating with the person involved, people often vent to colleagues, drop hints, or hope someone else will handle the situation. Unfortunately, those approaches rarely solve the problem and often make it worse. Healthy teams learn to have respectful conversations, even when the discussion is uncomfortable. Leaders can support that process by encouraging employees to speak directly with the person involved, rather than stepping in as a go-between in every situation. Most conflicts are resolved through honest conversations, not conver- sations happening behind someone’s back. Practice perspective-taking One of the most powerful conflict-resolution skills is learning to view situations through another person’s lens. In customer experience training, we often encourage leaders to walk into their facility as though they were a customer see- ing the business for the first time. The same principle applies to workplace relation- ships. Repair planners, body technicians, customer experience specialists, painters, and parts coordinators all experience the repair process differently. Understanding those perspectives often reduces frustration and increases collaboration. Make things right when necessary Pressure has a habit of bringing out the worst in all of us. In a collision repair center, a dif- ficult customer, a parts delay, or a production issue may at times lead to comments or reac- tions we later regret. When that happens, own it. A sincere apology often goes a long way toward diffus- ing tension and reestablishing trust. Most people do not expect perfection, but they appreciate honesty and accountability when mistakes are made. Rebuild trust and move forward Some conflicts do not disappear just because the conversation ended. The immediate issue may be resolved, but hurt feelings, frustra- tion, or loss of confidence may persist. That is why reestablishing trust matters. Consistent action builds trust. People need to see that commitments are kept, com- munication is honest, and respect is shown even when things are difficult. Letting go of past offenses is important, but this does not imply ignoring patterns that need to be ad- dressed. Healthy teams learn how to move forward while maintaining accountability. The bottom line Collision repair is a team sport. No single person can successfully deliver exceptional customer experiences, quality repairs, and operational excellence on their own. Conf lict will occur. The goal is not to eliminate disagreement, but to prevent tension from spreading and harming relationships. When leaders and team members slow down, stay curious, listen actively, communicate directly, take re- sponsibility for mistakes, and intentionally rebuild trust, conflict becomes a potential for growth rather than division. The strongest shops are not conflict-free. They are shops where people know how to turn conflict into collaboration. Dr. Paul White is a psychologist who “makes work relationships work.” Coauthor of the best-selling The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace (over 600,000 copies sold in 25 languages), he has developed tools to communicate authentic appreciation, leading to lower staff turnover, increased em- ployee engagement, and higher productivity. His online assessment at https://mbain- ventory.com/#, available in multiple languag- es, has been taken by 450,000 employees. Dr. White has spoken around the world, and his expertise has been requested by Mer- cedes-Benz, Ford Motor Company, Caterpil- lar, and Bridgestone Tires. He has been inter- viewed by the BBC News, the New York Times, Forbes, and Fortune. COURTESY OF DR. PAUL WHITE About the authors: Sheryl Driggers is a seasoned entrepreneur, leadership coach, and keynote speaker with 24 years of experience in the collision re- pair industry. She co-founded and grew a three-location repair business in Tallahas- see, Florida, before selling it in 2021. Today, Sheryl partners with Collision Advice and serves shops nationwide, helping leaders el- evate both customer and employee experi- ences. She is certified with the John Maxwell Team, Appreciation at Work, Maxwell DISC

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33August 2026 fenderbender.com FROM VIRTUAL ESTIMATING TO REALITY: A MEDIATED BLUEPRINT TO CLOSE THE GAP With the limitations of photo-based estimates, a mediated, process-driven approach can help clarify the preliminary nature of virtual estimates, reduce conflicts, and improve outcomes. B y E L I S A B E T H S O B C Z A K V I R T U A L E S T I M AT I N G has changed the pace of collision repair. It has made intake faster, expanded insurer capacity, reduced administrative friction, and created a more convenient first step for customers. In many ways, it has become a practical necessity. But there is a persistent prob- lem the industry cannot afford to ignore: virtual estimating often begins with an incomplete picture of the loss. That does not mean the process is bro- ken. Rather, it means the process needs structure. The gap between a photo-based estimate and the reality of a repair plan is not just a technical gap. It is a communica- tion gap, a trust gap, and often a decision- making gap between the shop, the carrier, and the customer. As someone who works in dispute reso- lution, I see this issue through a mediation lens. Most estimating conflicts do not arise because one party is acting in bad faith. It begins because each party is working from a different set of information, incentives, constraints, and assumptions. C A S E S T U D Y S T R A T E G Y ADOBE STOCK 1769817010 The carrier may be looking at photos, policy language, severity guidelines, cycle time, and cost control. The repair facility is looking at OEM procedures, repairability, hidden damage, structural exposure, parts constraints, calibration requirements, and liability. The customer is often left trying to understand why the first estimate and the final repair plan do not match. That is where conflict grows. The question is not whether virtual es- timating should exist. It should. The better question is: how do we move from virtual esti- mating to repair reality without eroding trust? The answer is a mediated blueprint. The real problem is not the estimate The industry often talks about “estimate ac- curacy” as if the first number should carry the full weight of the repair. That expectation is unrealistic. A virtual estimate is not a repair plan. It is an initial assessment based on limited information. Photos cannot always reveal hidden damage. They cannot fully assess structural movement, bracket damage, sub- strate condition, ADAS requirements, cor- rosion protection, weld access, or whether a panel can be safely repaired in accordance with OEM procedures. The problem occurs when the initial vir- tual estimate is treated as the controlling document rather than the starting point. That mindset creates predictable tension. Shops feel forced to justify every line of a supplement. Carriers feel pressured by rising repair costs and supplement volume. Custom- ers feel misled when the first estimate appears dramatically lower than the final repair cost. This is not simply an estimating issue. It is a process-design issue. Why mediation belongs in the conversation Mediation is not only for lawsuits or formal disputes. At its best, mediation is a disciplined process for helping parties define the issue, ex- change relevant information, clarify standards, and make decisions before positions harden. Collision repair needs that same mindset. A mediated approach does not mean put- ting a mediator in every supplement discus- sion. It means building a dispute-resolution framework into the estimating and repair- planning process. That framework should ask: • What do we know? • What do we not know yet? • What must be verified through disassembly? • What OEM procedures apply? • What documentation is needed to support the repair plan?

34August 2026 fenderbender.com 2409FB_BuyAutoSupply.indd 1 6/20/24 2:51 PM • Who has decision authority? • What is the next required action? When those questions are answered early, the conversation changes. The shop is no lon- ger simply “asking for more money.” The car- rier is no longer simply “pushing back.” The customer is no longer caught in the middle of competing explanations. Everyone is working from a shared map. A mediated blueprint for closing the gap The industry needs a clearer bridge be- tween virtual estimating and the repair reality. That bridge can be built around five practical steps. Define the Virtual Estimate as Preliminary The first step is language. Words matter. If a photo-based estimate is preliminary, call it preliminary. If it is subject to teardown, OEM procedures, parts verification, and in- person inspection, say that clearly. Customers should understand from the beginning that the initial estimate is not the final repair plan. Carriers and shops should use consistent language to distinguish be- tween visible and verified damage. That one shift can prevent unnecessary conflict. It reframes the supplement process as a normal part of repair planning, not as an exception, surprise, or dispute. Establish a Shared Documentation Standard Most estimating disputes are documenta- tion disputes. The shop believes the operation is neces- sary. The carrier wants proof. The customer wants the vehicle repaired correctly and safely. The solution is not endless back-and-forth. The solution is a shared documentation standard. That standard should include clear pho- tos, references to OEM procedures, measure- ments where applicable, scan results, cali- bration requirements, parts invoices, repair notes, and a concise explanation of why the operation is required. The goal is not to bury anyone in paper- work. The goal is to make the decision easy to understand. A well-documented supplement should answer the question before it is asked. Separate Cost Disputes from Safety Decisions Not every disagreement is the same. Some disputes are about judgment. Some are about labor time. Some are about includ- ed versus not-included operations. Some are about parts selection. But safety-related re- pair requirements should not be treated like ordinary negotiation points. If OEM procedures require a step, or if a repair decision affects structural integrity, restraint systems, ADAS functionality, or corrosion protection, that discussion needs a different level of seriousness. A mediated framework helps separate preference from requirement. It asks: is this a pricing disagreement, a documentation is- sue, or a safety and procedure issue? Those should not be handled the same way. S T R A T E G Y

35August 2026 fenderbender.com Subaru Of America Congratulates Our Subaru Retailers Recognized as 2026 FenderBender Reader’s Choice Winners GENUINE WHOLESALE 2608FB_Subaru.indd 1 7/1/26 3:44 PM Create an Escalation Path Before Frustration Takes Over By the time a supplement dispute becomes emo- tional, the process has usually already failed. Every carrier-shop relationship should have a defined escalation path. Who reviews a disputed operation? What documentation is required? How quickly must the issue be addressed? When does it move from the desk level to a technical reviewer, supervi- sor, or field representative? Without a path, people escalate through frustration. With a path, they escalate through process. That is the difference between conflict and resolution. Keep the Customer Informed Without Making Them the Referee Customers should not have to serve as the interpreter between the insurer and the shop. A mediated communication model protects the customer by giving them clear, neutral explanations: The initial estimate was based on visible damage. Additional damage was identified af- ter disassembly. The repair plan changed be- cause new information became available. The shop has documented the required operations. The carrier is reviewing the supplement. The next decision is expected by a specific date. This reduces confusion and helps preserve trust in both the repairer and the claims process. The future requires more than speed Virtual estimating is not going away. Nor should it. It offers real benefits when used ap- propriately. But the industry must stop pre- tending that speed alone equals efficiency. A fast estimate that leads to confusion, supple- ment delays, customer frustration, and shop- carrier conflict is not truly efficient. It simply moves the friction downstream. The future of estimating should not be virtual versus physi- cal. It should be virtual to verified. That means virtual estimating should serve as the first step in a structured process that leads to a documented, procedure-based, reality-tested repair plan. The mediator’s view In mediation, resolution rarely comes from proving one side right and the other wrong. It comes from creating enough shared understanding for people to make informed decisions. Collision repair needs the same discipline. The shop needs to be heard on repair re- quirements. The carrier needs documenta- tion and consistency. The customer needs transparency and confidence. Each party has legitimate interests. The process works best when those interests are acknowledged rather than dismissed. The gap between virtual estimating and repair reality will not close through argument. It will close through structure, documenta- tion, communication, and disciplined escala- tion. That is the mediated blueprint. Virtual estimating can open the claim. But reality must guide the repair. Note: This article is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice or address any specific dispute.

Congratulations to our Mopar Dealers Recognized as 2026 FenderBender Reader’s Choice Winners

37August 2026 fenderbender.com Rebalancing the Collision How OEMs, Dealers, and Shops Are Navigating Margin Pressure By Emily Kline 2 0 2 6 S P E C I A L P R O M O T I O N

38August 2026 fenderbender.com Inthe collision repair industry, it’s no se- cret that accident fre- quency is consistently down, as well as the number of insurance claims being filed. “You’re getting whacked twice,” said Mike Anderson, president and owner of Collision Advice. “The average consumer doesn’t have an accident every seven to 10 years anymore. It’s once every 18 years. Not only that — but according to the Journal of Consumer Re- search, Consumer Affairs — 41% of consum- ers are not filing insurance claims which results in customers paying out of pocket.” Despite these headwinds, there are a lot of shops and dealers that are doing creative things to drive business, ensure OEM parts usage is exclusive within shops, and fix con- sumer vehicles back to pre-accident conditions and OEM-required standards. Rather than op- erating as separate businesses connected only by transactions, these partners are recogniz- ing that their success depends on the health of the entire collision repair ecosystem. “We’re putting anything and everything in the water to help the shops not race to the bottom,” said Michael Datema, head of col- lision sales at Mopar. “We want to ensure we’re taking care of the shops and that we’re protecting margins both at the shop and the dealer level.” In addition to Anderson and Datema, FenderBender spoke with Chris Messer, ex- ecutive vice president of Transportation at EndeavorB2B; Jeff Tripp, the national colli- sion wholesale parts manager at Subaru of America; and Paul Samuelson, manager of wholesale collision sales at Nissan North America, to discuss solutions and new oppor- tunities posed by current market challenges and conditions. A Smaller Market Means Bigger Challenges For years, collision repair shops have relied heavily on the predictable flow of insurance claims. But advanced driver assistance sys- tems (ADAS) and changing driving habits have reduced accident frequency. “The biggest challenge we’re seeing is that there are simply fewer repair opportu- nities in the market,” Tripp said. “There are fewer accidents taking place overall. Claims are down for all OEMs.” For some manufacturers, these chal- lenges are compounded by changes in their vehicle lineup. “Stellantis has experienced additional pressure from a shrinking vehicle parc after discontinuing several high-volume models in recent years, including the Dodge Char- ger, Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and Jeep Renegade,” Datema said. “As a result, our claims are down just like everybody else’s. That’s really hurting the shop’s base.” These effects ripple beyond dealerships. Consumer Pay, A Major Growth Opportunity As stated, a major trend that is significantly af- fecting the collision repair industry is consum- ers choosing not to file insurance claims after an accident. Although different, this change doesn’t have to negatively affect shops. With 41% of consumers paying for repairs out of pocket, shops have an opportunity to grow a segment of business that often pro- vides stronger margins than traditional in- surance work. “There are a lot of opportunities within customer pay that we’re not capitalizing on,” Samuelson said. To capitalize on this trend, shops need to start with how they interact with customers immediately after an accident. For decades, many front office employees have routinely asked one question first: “Have you contacted your insurance company?” According to Anderson, that conversation should change. Instead, shops should ask whether the customer intends to file a claim — or whether they are considering paying out of pocket. “When we answer the phone or interact with that consumer after an accident — we should say — ‘Mr. Messer, are you think- ing about filing an insurance claim? Are you thinking about paying out of pocket? F E N D E R B E N D E R R E A D E R ’ S C H O I C E

39August 2026 fenderbender.com Would you like me to help you decide?” Anderson said. By making one small adjustment, shops can help themselves and their wholesale partners. “I think from the first point of contact, we need to be more open to consumers pay- ing out of pocket,” Anderson said. “It’s a good thing because then we don’t have to worry about all the price matching, and we can pro- tect our margins for both ourselves as well as our wholesale partners.” Broken down, insurance-driven repairs often require negotiations over parts selec- tion, labor operations, and reimbursement rates. In contrast, customer pay repairs allow shops greater flexibility to recommend OEM parts, preserve margins, and focus on deliver- ing the highest-quality repair. Customer pay repairs open the conversa- tion. If customers are paying for repairs, they are naturally more invested in the repair pro- cess. Shops can use this opportunity to edu- cate customers and help them understand the long-term value of proper repairs — including vehicle safety, resale value, and fit and finish — so that customers are often more receptive to investing in OEM components. An Interconnected Industry The challenges facing the collision repair in- dustry highlight how interconnected every section is, and much like the human body, OEMs, shops, and dealerships all rely on one another to function and survive. If one section of the body fails, other sections follow suit un- til eventually the whole body shuts down. The function of a dealership is OEM parts sales. Although this is the primary responsi- bility of the dealership, collision repair shops and OEMs are partners in the venture. “We’re seeing more total losses as market conditions continue to evolve,” Samuelson said. “Margin compression is real. It’s continuing. So, we want to find ways to assist our dealer part- ners and our shop partners in remaining profit- able. We’re also trying to assist shops and deal- erships when it comes to total loss mitigation. What can we do to ensure that our consumers who experience total loss receive support, and how can we help them remain loyal?” That means moving beyond transactional relationships. Survey Snapshot: What Collision Repair Shops Value Most in an OEM Parts Dealer The 2026 FenderBender Reader’s Choice OEM Parts Dealer survey reveals a clear message from collision repair professionals. Shops expect their OEM dealer partners to perform at a high level across every aspect of the parts- buying experience. In the survey, collision repair shop owners and managers rated key dealer attributes from 1 to 10 on the level of importance. Lower ratings were uncommon and were generally tied to questions about circumstances that were outside a dealer’s control, such as insurance requirements, limited local dealership options, and franchise restrictions. Responses in the 8 to 10 range signaled that no single factor determines whether a dealership becomes a shop’s preferred partner. Instead, respondents believed that top-performing OEM dealers are consistent in all areas: inventory, delivery speed, and pricing. Instead of viewing dealers simply as parts suppliers, shops should consider them strate- gic business partners. Likewise, dealerships that actively support local collision shops create stronger customer retention while strengthening OEM brand loyalty. “It’s got to be a partnership,” Samuelson said. “The dealers need to be partnered with their shops, and the shops need to be part- nered with their dealers.” Profitability, then, hinges on a need to grow differently. Growing Differently To grow differently, all parts of the collision industry need to focus on ways they can pre- serve profitability. For manufacturers, the answer is smart- er pricing strategies — not simply lowering prices across the board. “Mopar analyzes collision data at the state level to identify where competitive pricing can increase OEM parts usage while mini- mizing unnecessary margin erosion,” Datema said. “We’re really diving into state-level data. Where does this part make the most sense to be cost-competitive?” This targeted approach enables OEMs to re- main competitive in markets where aftermarket parts pose the biggest challenge while preserving profitability elsewhere. Helping Shops Choose OEM Additionally, to encourage OEM purchases within collision shops, many OEMs are using incentive programs. “We’re planning on rewarding shops be- cause they’re working really hard,” Datema said. “Sometimes shops — I assume — are spending their own money to get that OE part because they know they’re going to get it the next day. They know it’s going to fit. They know the customer is going to be happy. So, we’re planning on rewarding them for that.” According to Datema, Mopar plans to roll out ShopDirect, a nationwide rebate program that applies to any parts found on an esti- mate, in the very near future. In addition to Mopar, Nissan currently has a direct rebate program that is available to

40August 2026 fenderbender.com looking at a direct-to-shop rebate program in the near future. “A lot of these programs are a result of necessity,” Tripp said. “We’re seeing double- digit growth in our programs year over year. But what we’re not seeing is that same growth relative to our overall part sales. What that means is, conquest and rebates represent a larger part of our total part sales. With fewer repair opportunities and fewer collisions, we’re trying to maximize every one of those sales opportunities.” While rebate and conquest programs provide another tool to encourage OEM parts usage, they cannot solve margin challenges alone. Creating a sustainable collision eco- system requires collaboration throughout the supply chain. Value Beyond Transaction To play their part, dealerships continue to invest in the infrastructure that sup- ports collision repair, from maintaining inventory and delivery fleets to employing wholesale representatives and managing procurement technology. These investments are essential to keep- ing repairs moving, which makes operational efficiency increasingly important. According to Anderson, collision repair shops have an opportunity to strengthen the profitability of the entire supply chain by im- proving their own repair planning. Shops that complete thorough disassem- bly before placing parts orders reduce costly repeat deliveries. This in turn helps dealer- ships control expenses while improving re- pair efficiency. “I’m pro-collision repairer,” Anderson said. “But I can’t expect a Stellantis, Nissan, or Subaru dealer to give me this maximum discount when my house isn’t in order and I’m not doing 100% disassembly, and I must order parts five times on the same job.” Rather than viewing dealerships solely as parts suppliers, Anderson believes colli- sion repair shops should recognize them as long-term business partners. Loyalty, efficient ordering practices, and mutual accountability create value for both sides. “If collision repair shops expect a bet- ter discount or margin, they need to be a best-in-class customer and not have four or five parts orders per job,” Anderson said. “They need to be more loyal to their dealership partners.” As margins continue to tighten across the industry, success will depend less on which segment absorbs the cost and more on how well every stakeholder works together to eliminate inefficiencies and strengthen the collision repair ecosystem. Communication = Long-Term Sustainability In the end, communication is key to ensuring the long-term health of the collision industry. All parts of the automotive industry need to be engaged, and they should be getting out and seeing each other in person. “People buy from people,” Samuelson said. “People want to do business with people. Peo- ple want to communicate with people, and that always wins. It’s an integral part of all our business.” A great way to engage within the industry is by participating in or hosting an annual lunch and learn. “As dealers, lunch and learns allow you to show shops the OEM brands that you sell,” Anderson said. “It gives you an opportunity to say, ‘Here are the resources that Subaru has. Did you know we have this, this and this?’ It gives you a touch point with shops.” Another way the collision industry can become more involved is by joining local in- dustry associations and going to its events. “Get out there and be part of it,” Messer said. “Go sit in the room. Go to the Collision Industry Conference, Northeast, ABAT; there are a dozen other ones as well.” Engaging with the industry can also be as simple as going out and seeing customers. “Seeing each other is one of the most important things you can do,” Tripp said. F E N D E R B E N D E R R E A D E R ’ S C H O I C E

41August 2026 fenderbender.com “Whenever we’re having meetings discuss- ing best practices between retailers and shops, we always encourage them to do check-ins. Our largest wholesalers across the country are huge and a lot of the small to mid-size wholesalers feel like they can’t compete, but they can compete and win based on good relationships.” By using the resources offered to them and conversing with one another, dealerships, OEMs, and shops can help each other learn how to effectively support the end goal, to be a profitable industry. “This is still a person-to-person business,” Messer said. “We need to make sure that we treat each other as partners, that we’re doing everything we can to take care of the end con- sumer, and that we’re talking to each other like partners.” Inventory Availability The inventory that a dealership has is a consid- eration that collision repair professionals value. “Having that inventory on hand where it’s already been verified and make sure that it’s damage-free and can be delivered accu- rately and completely to the shop quickly is a big win for everybody,” Samuelson said. To keep up with inventory, many OEMs provide a retailer inventory management program for dealerships. This program ef- fectively helps dealerships get the right parts on the shelf when they need them. “Nissan has also added price support for mechanical parts,” Samuelson said. “We sud- denly said one day, ‘Why don’t we look at what mechanical parts we’re selling on estimates?’ And so, we added almost 800 part numbers that we consider mechanical to the price- matching tools. And we’ve seen tremendous results out of that. We also have a robust ASR [Authorized Service Return] program for our dealers, and we recommend that they stock those items as well.” The more parts a dealership carries, the more reliable they are to a collision repair shop. Having a dealership that collision re- pair shops can rely on helps them stay on top of repair schedules and maintain customer satisfaction and loyalty. Datema said as Mopar adjusts parts prices to be more competitive, it notifies its dealer body of the need to stock those parts, then following up with insurance carriers and shops that it has taken action to reduce both wholesale and selling prices on those parts. “We’re taking a more proactive approach, methodical at a part number level,” he said. “We’re making sure the dealers are also taken care of so they get those parts on their shelf. That way, when you order a part on Monday, you’re going to get it on Tuesday.” Delivery Speed Delivery speed and reliability are ranked just as high for collision repair shops. Same-day delivery, dependable delivery windows, and consistent logistics directly influence cycle time, technician productivity, and rental ve- hicle costs. For shops, reliable delivery is con- sidered a necessity. Performance Matters Across the Board Price also remains an inf luential factor. While collision repair facilities recognize OEM parts are of high quality, they con- tinue to operate within tight insurance reimbursement structures. As a result, competitive pricing and OEM price matching play a significant role in deal- ership selection. It also helps them defend OEM parts usage in general, while maintain- ing acceptable profit margins. Expertise Builds Confidence Knowledgeable parts professionals can also bring value to dealers. Respondents consistently rated experi- enced counter staff highly. This is because they help verify VIN-specific applications, identify trim-level differences, and prevent costly ordering errors, which assists in creat- ing effective and efficient repairs. Digital Ordering Is Now Expected The survey also acknowledged the increas- ing presence of online procurement systems. Within the past five years, online procure- ment has evolved from convenience into a baseline expectation. Collision repair shops expect OEM deal- ers to integrate with parts ordering platforms such as CollisionLink, RepairLink, TraxColli- sion, CCC TRUE Parts Network, PartsTrader, and Auto PartsBridge. Respondents believe that these systems improve productivity by providing real- time pricing, increasing order accuracy, and reducing manual follow-up between shops and dealerships. Relationships Still Matter Operational performance ranked slightly higher than interpersonal factors. Regard- less of this, relationships continue to play an important supporting role. Answers to questions about dealership contacts who respond quickly, communicate proactively, and resolve issues when problems arise are rated highly. This proves that strong relationships often become important for dealership selection. OEM Usage Remains High Eighty percent of survey respondents report- ed OEM parts are used at least 90 percent of the time. Shops reporting lower OEM utilization most frequently cited vehicle age, or the in- ability to secure competitive OEM pricing, as the primary reasons for turning to alternative parts sources.

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50August 2026 fenderbender.com S T R A T E G Y ADAS LIABILITY: WHAT COLLISION REPAIRERS NEED TO KNOW What is the potential liability collision repair shops face with ADAS calibration, and how can they protect themselves? B y J A Y S I C H T COLLISION REPAIRERS FACE growing exposure related to advanced driver assistance systems, but documentation, training, and proper proce- dures can go a long way toward reducing risk. To better understand the risk and how collision re- pairers can help mitigate it, FenderBender spoke with Rebekah Cooper of The Cooper Firm and Sean Preston, founder and managing attorney of Coverall Law. The Cooper Firm is a nationwide catastrophic injury and wrongful death law firm based in Marietta, Georgia. Coverall Law, head- quartered in Wareham, Massachusetts, spe- cializes in legal services for the collision repair industry. You can also listen to our interview with them on the July 7 episode of CollisionCast. Understanding the Risk What is the potential liability collision repair shops face with ADAS, and how can they pro- tect themselves? L A W “Anytime we have these discussions, it boils down to one fact: there is liability,” Cooper says. “It varies depending on the facts of the case and what occurred at the re- pair shop, but at the end of the day, it comes down to a simple principle. If you undertake the duty to repair a product, you have a duty to repair it safely.” Preston says the legal profession contin- ues to see insurance carriers and other stake- holders pushing for vehicles with ongoing safety improvements. At the same time, he says, personal injury attorneys are always looking for opportuni- ties to recover damages for their clients. “ADAS has created another area where lawyers may look for potential recovery. One of the three things an attorney looks for in any personal injury case is the ability to recover; they’re looking for those deep pockets. They’re looking for an insurance policy or a business. Cooper says product liability cases differ from traditional personal injury cases. As an example, showing fault in a typical rear-end collision is straightforward. In contrast, product liability cases require extensive investigation. “Before we even consider filing a lawsuit, we need experts to determine whether there was a defect in the product, or whether the repair was performed improperly,” she says. For about 95% of the cases referred to her firm, an investigation doesn’t reveal a prob- lem, so they turn down the case. The cases her firm accepts require sig- nificant time, money, and technical analysis, she says. While ADAS certainly changes the landscape, if these systems are functioning and repaired correctly, they should reduce crashes overall. The problem arises when they are not functioning correctly or have not been repaired properly.” Why Documentation Matters Then what would make a case stand out as potentially viable? Cooper says for repair shops under scruti- ny for a possible faulty repair, one of the first things the firm will examine is the vehicle’s repair history, where the vehicle has been

51August 2026 fenderbender.com and which facilities have worked on it. That search begins with pulling a Carfax report. “From there, we want to know what docu- mentation exists. What records can the repair shop produce that show exactly what work was performed and how it was performed?” That documentation can include OEM repair procedures, photographs, calibration records, and any other supporting informa- tion, Cooper says. “My first case in this industry involved an insurer suing a repair shop over a claim that occurred years later,” Preston says. The insurer looked at every company that had touched the vehicle.” The insurer pursued the repair shop, a service provider, and anyone else connected to the vehicle’s history, he says. The problem wasn’t necessarily what the shop had done, but that years later, the documentation wasn’t there to prove what had been done. “That’s why I always tell shops: document, document, document.” How Long Should Shops Keep Records? Preston says the time frame for how long shops should retain records varies by the state in which the shop operates and the type of claim, so consult an attorney fa- miliar with the laws in your state. Negli- gence claims may have one time frame, contractual claims another, and consumer protection statutes can extend those time- lines further. Cooper says it’s important to not only be able to provide documentation but to adhere to a formal retention policy, whether that’s five years or 10. “I think anything less than five sounds a little unreasonable. But once you have one, you have to follow it.” A case her firm is litigating against an au- tomaker has a policy that requires that testing records be retained for 20 years. The problem is they didn’t retain all those records. The lesson is simple: whatever retention policy you adopt, follow it consistently. Vetting ADAS Calibration Providers Many repairers believe that if they sublet ADAS work, the liability goes to the company performing the calibration. But Cooper and Preston note that’s not the case. Cooper and Preston compare it to a gen- eral contractor building a house. Preston says the repair shop is not ex- pected to be the expert for everything, but it is expected to be able to spot issues. “If the contractor hires a subcontractor to install the gas lines and the gas lines leak, the contractor can’t simply say, ‘It’s not my problem,’” Cooper says. The homeowner hired the general con- tractor to find qualified people, she says, and the same principle applies here. Shops should conduct a reasonable vetting process and document it. Visit the facility, examine the equipment, and ask questions. Confirm that procedures are being followed. Ask yourself what you would want to know if it were your child’s vehicle being repaired, and then document the answers. Additionally, she says, reviews need to be ongoing. “Don’t assume one review lasts forever. If you vetted a provider six years ago and haven’t checked on them since, that’s a problem.” For shops doing their own calibrations, Preston would prefer to see them separate that operation. “I do not think that ADAS work should be done out of the shop. I think there are a lot of reasons to have that siloed into a sepa- rate entity, even if there is some crossover in ownership.” Reduce Liability in Transporting the Vehicle to the Calibration Facility Of course, most reading this article have operated vehicles for year, perhaps decades, without the need for ADAS making travel safer. But Preston cautions against the com- mon practice of driving the repaired vehicle to a calibration facility with certain func- tions inoperative. Instead, he advises, have it towed to the facility. “Even if nobody got hurt and there’s just some little fender-bender because of a mal- function, that is dumb. It is so avoidable.” Three Things Shops Can Improve Immediately For shop owners worried about liability ex- posure, there are three improvements they make right away, Cooper says: • Document employee training. • Document the work employees perform. • Follow OEM repair procedures. A case her firm is working on at the time of this writing involves a forklift re- pair company. During discovery, it became clear that the technicians had never re- viewed the manufacturer’s repair manual and didn’t even own one of the basic tools, a force gauge, required to perform a proper inspection of the parking brake. Preston agrees. “Document training. Document that OEM procedures were researched and reviewed. Put those procedures in the repair file. Even if you pulled the information a month ago, pull it again. Procedures change. Also document your decision-making process.” As Preston points out, there are times where there is more than one reasonable course of action. But If you make a decision, document why you made it. One of the questions that emerged from the John Eagle case was simple: Did the deci- sion made by the shop to use epoxy adhesive instead of welds on the roof skin make the

52August 2026 fenderbender.com C O L U M N S C O L L I S I O N C O U R S E E M A I L : tiffany@prontobodyshop.com A R C H I V E : fenderbender.com/menefee T I F F A N Y M E N E F E E has more than 20 years experience in the insurance business and now runs a collision repair shop in El Paso, Texas. The New Playbook: How Insurers Are Quietly Shifting More Costs to Body Shops Insurers increasingly deny reimbursements and call it “following policy.” Shops must push back against these small changes before they become tomorrow’s standard. If you’ve owned an independent collision re- pair shop for any length of time, you’ve learned that insurance companies rarely make sweep- ing changes overnight. Instead, they introduce small policy changes, one at a time. Individual- ly, they may not seem like much. But together, they slowly chip away at a shop’s profitability. Lately, I’ve noticed a trend that should concern every independent shop owner. It isn’t about labor rates or repair procedures this time. It’s about shifting more of the finan- cial burden of repairs onto the repair facil- ity while making it appear as though they’re simply “following policy.” One of the biggest examples I’ve seen re- cently involves OEM parts pricing. For years, the process was relatively straightforward. We ordered the OEM part, received the invoice from the dealership, and if there was a price increase from the origi- nal estimate, we submitted documentation and were reimbursed for the difference. That made sense because repair costs should re- flect the actual cost of repairing the vehicle. Now we’re seeing something different. Insurance companies are increasingly pay- ing what their estimating software says the OEM list price should be instead of reimburs- ing the actual invoice amount. When we submit the dealer invoice showing a higher price, many are denying the supplement. The explanation? They’ve already paid “true list price.” Do manufacturers and dealerships update pricing? Absolutely. Inflation, supply chain disruptions, transportation costs, and market conditions continue to affect parts pricing. An estimating database simply can’t reflect every change in real time. Estimating systems are valuable tools, but they aren’t real-time pricing systems. If an authorized OEM dealer invoice reflects the actual cost of a required part, shops shouldn’t be expected to absorb the difference simply because software hasn’t caught up. Unfortu- nately, that’s exactly what’s happening. Another area where we’re seeing the same philosophy is shipping charges. Increasingly, insurers are denying ship- ping costs altogether, calling them “the cost of doing business.” That phrase has become one of my least favorite responses. Ordering parts isn’t free. Distribution costs, oversized components, hazardous materials, expedited freight, and special handling create legitimate expenses that are often necessary to complete a proper repair. Imagine telling an insurance company that paying adjusters is simply “the cost of doing busi- ness” and refusing to include those expenses in premiums. It wouldn’t happen because operating costs are built into their business model. Yet somehow repair facilities are expected to absorb ours. The troubling part isn’t just these individual denials. It’s the larger pattern they represent. Every year, insurers seem to identify another expense that becomes the shop’s re- sponsibility — administrative procedures, calibration negotiations, parts pricing dis- crepancies, or shipping charges. None of these changes alone are enough to put a shop out of business, but together they steadily erode profitability while increasing the amount of uncompensated work shops perform every day. Independent collision repair facilities already operate on relatively tight margins. We invest heavily in training, equipment, certifications, repair information, wages, and evolving vehicle technology. Every additional unreimbursed expense comes directly out of the resources we use to keep our businesses healthy and repair vehicles safely. What concerns me most is that many of these practices become accepted simply because shops get tired of fighting. A denied freight charge. Another hour spent arguing over documentation. Eventually, some shops decide it’s easi- er to absorb the loss than spend more time chasing reimbursement. That’s exactly what insurance companies depend on. As independent shop owners, we have to continue documenting everything —save in- voices, keep shipping records, provide repair procedures, submit supplements, and appeal denials. The more evidence we provide, the harder legitimate costs become to dismiss. Equally important, we need to talk with one another. When independent shops share experiences, patterns begin to emerge. What initially appears to be an isolated issue often turns out to be happening across multiple markets and with multiple insurance com- panies. Those conversations help all of us rec- ognize changing trends befo

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54August 2026 fenderbender.com C O L U M N S O N T H E B U S I N E S S E M A I L : mike@collisionadvice.com A R C H I V E : fenderbender.com/Mike-Anderson M I K E A N D E R S O N is president of Collision Advice and provides training and consulting for all collision repair stakeholders. He leverages his life experiences, OEM certification training, and former multi-shop ownership to deliver high-quality and customized services that meet the needs and challenges of the collision industry. Wholesale Parts Vendors Deserve a Voice Better communication and cooperation across stakeholders can help address operational pressures and enhance service delivery from your wholesale OEM parts manager partners. As we discussed in the Reader’s Choice Round- table detailed in the special section in this issue, collision repairers and their OEM suppliers are partners; their success depends on the health of the entire collision repair ecosystem. About two years ago, I was attending an indus- try conference and looking around the room at the various stakeholders represented. OEMs were there. Software companies were there. Collision repair shops were there. Insurance companies were there. As I thought about who was missing, the first obvious answer was the consumer — the most important stakeholder and the person we should ultimately be considering whenever we gather as an industry. The other group I noticed was absent was wholesale parts vendors. That stood out to me be- cause they play a critical role in the collision repair ecosystem, yet they often have little opportunity to share their perspective. They are frequently required to adapt to the software platforms and business requirements imposed by others in the industry, but their challenges and concerns are rarely part of the broader conversation. That realization led me to begin working with OEM partners, including Subaru, Nissan, Infin- iti, BMW, and others, to conduct wholesale parts manager workshops across the country. Over the last two years, these workshops have brought to- gether wholesale parts managers, certified re- pair facilities, and OEM representatives to discuss their respective perspectives and challenges. Building Understanding Between Stakeholders The purpose of these meetings has been simple: help each group better understand the others. We discuss the challenges faced by wholesal- ers, the expectations of repair facilities, and the objectives of OEMs. By bringing everyone togeth- er, participants gain insight into issues they may not otherwise consider. For me, the experience has been eye-opening. One of the biggest takeaways has been a greater appreciation for the pressures facing wholesale parts departments. In their effort to remain com- petitive and sell more OEM parts, wholesalers of- ten face shrinking margins. At the same time, rising fuel costs, increased delivery expenses, and staffing costs continue to affect their operations. Returns create another significant burden. When some shops return 15% of their parts, wholesalers must dedicate additional resources to arrange pickups and process the associated administrative work. These are operational chal- lenges that many outside the wholesale environ- ment may not fully recognize. Lessons From My Own Shops This topic reminded me of a practice I used when I owned collision repair facilities. Once or twice each year, I hosted what I called a Wholesale Parts Managers Workshop. I would invite representatives from all of my pri- mary OEM vendors — Toyota, Audi, GM, and others — to a luncheon. I would share with them what was going on in the local market and throughout the industry and facilitate an open discussion. One of the key questions I would ask was: What can I do to help you get the right part to me the first time? I would also ask: What can I do to become your best-in-class wholesale parts customer? Those conversations were valuable because, unlike collision repair businesses, wholesale parts managers representing different OEM brands are not direct competitors. A Toyota dealer is not competing with a GM dealer for the same fender. As a result, they were often willing to share ideas and best practices with one another. Many of them told me they had never been brought together in that way before. Outside of national conferences, they rarely had opportuni- ties to hear how their counterparts at other OEM brands were solving similar challenges. Creat- ing that forum for discussion allowed everyone to learn from one another and fostered stronger relationships throughout the supply chain.

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