A Quick Case for Express Repairs

Today, everyone wants something yesterday and the word “express” has become a staple in many industries. Great ideas are made better by making them faster. The ability to send a letter to your cousin in the Wild West was a great idea. But it took three months and your cousin may or may not still be alive when the letter arrived. Then came the Pony Express; strap a rider to the back of a thoroughbred, and boom, the letter about your ox having babies got there in a fraction of the time. Speeding up the process to benefit the customer is a priority for businesses, and the auto body repair business is no exception.

Express repairs are quickly becoming the norm, requiring many body shops to adjust their strategies. Customers choose which shop gets their business not only by the quality of their work, but by the cycle time of the repair. What can your shop do in order to speed up cycle time? Here are a couple ideas!

Install an Express Bay                                                                                                                             If you are an established shop, you no doubt have a quality frame rack like a Goliath™ or an Impulse E/VHT™. They work great for everything from a multiple frame pull to full on reconstruction, but what about the 3 or 4 small fender bender jobs you had to turn away? Install an express bay with an EZ Liner™ Express and say yes to those jobs. The small footprint allows you to add it to your already existing work area. The EZ Liner’s mobility allows it to be moved around your shop and out of the way when not in use. With the additional bench helping alleviate the workload, you get cars out quicker and money in faster.

Computerized Measuring                                                                                                      Put down the tape measure and the notepad and let the computer do the measuring. Computerized measuring is another way to increase productivity and reduce cycle time. By adding a Live Mapping™ system like Chief’s Laserlock™ or Vector™ you can reduce the time it takes to measure a vehicle as well as reduce the potential for human error in measuring. Computerized measuring devices are also handy when actually making repairs. Live mapping allows a technician to follow the repair as it is being completed and to know exactly when the correct pulls have been made.

Whether you are an established shop looking for additional revenue, or a brand new shop trying to grow your business, express repairs are the way to go. If you are still unsure if these options are right for you, take a look at our Body Shop Checklist and see if you have what it takes to keep your shop up to date!