Independent shops across the country confirmed business slowdowns from the COVID-19 coronavirus response, Many have managed to weather the storm and refrain from layoffs. Finally many are reporting that the tide is turning and insurance claims and jobs returning to their shops. Many say they are faired better than they thought. In April many were reporting a drop of 40-60% average.
America Opening Up For Business
As businesses across the United States begin to open up, work forces begin to migrate back into the work place. For example here in Atlanta are experiencing an increase in traffic flow. This converts to increase in traffic accident collisions, thus an increase in the need for auto body repairs. Insurance companies are beginning to report a gradual increase in claims as people return to work. What does this mean to you, the shop owner? An increase in opportunity to bring jobs back into your shop. Now more than ever timelines and workflow are very important. The hours in the day are now even more important, and you must keep the jobs moving through the shop. Some states are even beginning to report a backlog once again
For most of us we must consider that it is no longer business as usual and we must adapt and make necessary changes or we can always stick our head in the sand. Here are a few simple adaptations that we have heard from several shops across the country to seize every opportunity.
Initiate Simple Guidelines & Procedures
- Providing a contact-free customer experience
- Increasing user technology, such as applications for photo estimating
- Collecting electronic authorization signatures from customers
- Staggering employee shifts and break times, to reduce potential contact
- Implement technology based customer service
- Consider digital marketing as traffic on Social Media is at an all time high and ad costs are way down
Adapt and make necessary changes? Don’t look at what you cannot do, look at what you can do! With lower car counts and more downtime, take the opportunity to hit the reboot button, first reevaluate your business operations, analyze your processes and guidelines, and see if there are any areas to be improved. Prepare not for what is coming, give your shop a face lift, inside and outside of your facilities. Just know that when things get back to normal, driving miles are going up and the shops that were able to weather the storm will be able to reap the benefits.
At BECCA We want to hear from you. Please consider sending us an email telling us the changes you have made and are making to cope with the current changes and business climate. We would like permission to share in our upcoming articles.
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