It is hard to deny that the world is changing each and everyday. Just look at how technology has impacted the auto industry. Well, you might be surprised to learn that technology isn’t the only thing that is making major impacts and changes in the auto industry. There are a handful of car manufacturers that have completely turned the collision repair industry upside down. While the collision industry has been undergoing changes for the past couple of years now, they have never quite experienced anything like what is going on right now. So, how are car manufacturers changing the industry and what does this mean for independent repair centers?
Taking Over The Industry
With two out of five US new-vehicle dealerships opening their own body shops it is possible that they could be taking over the industry. And, the ones that don’t own their own body shops are looking to partner with independent chains and consolidators. So, it is safe to assume that in the next couple of years many major vehicle manufacturers will have their finger in the collision industry. The collision repair industry is a $35 billion dollar a year business, so it really is easy to see why any car manufacturer would want to get into the industry. Sure, the sales for new cars are down, but the collision industry only continues to grow.
Dealership Convenience
Most individuals that drive new vehicles usually turn to the dealerships to perform repair and maintenance tasks. In fact, it might be necessary in order to keep the warranty in place. Well, many car manufacturers are reworking and expanding their dealerships so that they will now include body shops. So, when a customer brings his car in for a regular oil change and sees that the dealership now offers body repair as well, whom do you think they are going to take their vehicle to when they have an accident? Not only will this ensure that the techs are specifically trained on their brand of vehicle, but it will be all around more convenient.
However, there are many car manufacturers that do have off-site shops as well, but they probably are still going to be more trusted by individuals that rely on their dealership for repairs.
Setting New Standards
Whether you are looking for an independent body repair center or a manufacturer body repair shop, you can find it at collisioncenter.com. As mentioned above many manufacturers are even opting for working in conjunction with independent body repair centers. The ones that are opting to do this are really changing the industry, as they are hiring companies to come in and make sure that the shops are meeting certain standards. In addition to this, they are making the independent repair techs work in conjunction with their own highly trained repair techs just to ensure that everything gets down to their standards.
Pushing Lease Customers
Many people also lease vehicles from dealerships as well. Well, automakers are now pushing these lease customers to have their vehicles repaired by dealership repair centers to preserve the resale value of the vehicle. This pretty much means that anyone that leases a vehicle from a dealership will now probably be using a dealership by collision center when they experience an accident or mishap, so this is going to suck up a lot of business from the independent repair shops.
