Our mission at Assured Performance is to recognize and certify the top body shops in North America and Canada. We do this through a comprehensive, proof-based inspection and certification process, which recognizes specific body shops as certified to repair leading Manufacturers. We also offer the Certified Repair Option (CRO)— with the RepairDOC* tool (*patent pending), Business Capability Assessment deficiency analysis and reporting, a Quality Management System, and cloud data safeguard with storage backed by blockchain technology principles. While there are many standout collision shops within our Assured Performance Network, our goal is to recognize leaders within each community.
Collision Specialists, Inc. in Jackson, Tennessee is one of those premier body shops. Opened in 1989 and owned by Steve Hardee, Steve envisioned creating a shop that would exceed each customer’s needs and incorporate a great experience during a “time of inconvenience”. His next goal? To create and maintain a clean and profitable business for his staff and technicians. Hardee has met his goals— his shop employs around 25 team members and repairs anywhere from 100 to 125 vehicles a month. Located about 50 miles outside of Memphis, Tennessee, Collision Specialists, Inc. is known as a destination location for collision care work on new and luxury domestic and European automobiles, including trucks. Their collision shop is Certified by Assured Performance, Fiat Chrysler, Nissan, INFINITI, and Hyundai.
Assured Performance had the opportunity to connect directly with Josh Smith, the Operations Manager at 
Collision Specialists, Inc. Josh explained that he has been working for the collision shop over an 11 year period, much of that time as an estimator. “Here at Collision Specialists, Inc., we really feel that we have the best and most qualified employees. All our repair technicians are I-CAR Gold Class Certified. Our shop constantly strives to have the best possible tools (scanners, spot welders, specialty frame equipment, aluminum repair, etc.) and technology to repair the vehicles.” In addition to their many OEM Certifications, some of the Assured Performance smart technology tools that the shop prioritizes are RepairDOC and the Certified Repair Option (CRO). Josh spoke about RepairDOC and how the shop and technicians have responded to incorporating this revolutionary new technology. “We have been using RepairDOC for one month. We typically use it on structural repairs, but I have used it for detailed teardown documentation and mechanical repairs too. You can use it on something as simple as a bumper replacement, if you want to.”
For the training process, Josh worked 1-on-1 with each employee and found that the shop’s technicians responded well to the addition. Josh gave praise to his Assured Performance Regional Director, Brent Henkle for making the process “seamless”.
Within a day or two, he had the “hang of it” and the technicians also “liked it”. “They were already taking photos in CCC so it’s not really any different. They can now complete their lines and the quality control checklist and they are finished. The dockets in RepairDOC are customized for each technician, so the tech will only see files that are assigned to them.” Josh estimates that they have already used it on 20 repairs within the first month, with many more Certified Repairs to come. Another benefit, “It’s simple and requires less time than running around the shop putting documents on the dash. The techs can do everything from the RepairDOC app on their phone!”
As for the biggest gain for the shop, technicians, and consumers, Josh talks about his own personal experience and integrity.
“I would say the biggest advantage to using RepairDOC is the fact that I can go to sleep at night and know that it (a vehicle) was repaired the right way.” He further explains, “We all know that one of the worst things that can happen is for your repair work to be questioned.” For Josh, RepairDOC and the Certified Repair “simplify that, as all the information you need is in one file.”
Another added benefit, Josh explained, is his ability to “know that the information gathered is safe… even years down the road.” Josh says that while their own business now has the benefit of feeling confident that each technician repaired the vehicle correctly, they are also able to see “live data” for each stage of the repair.
How have consumers responded? According to his experience, “The certificates for the repairs that we have documented are very professional” and consumers like having that certification. In a time of adjustment for many body shops, Josh remains steadfast and optimistic. Their shop is as busy as ever, with most of their customers finding them through the shops’ positive reputation and “word of mouth”. They are also upgrading their website with consumer-oriented automated options. Josh explained why Collision Specialists, Inc. believes certification is imperative, “We feel that the industry is going in the direction of OEM Certifications and we want to do the best repair with the most current information possible.”
Josh’s advice to body shops that are new to using RepairDOC for the Certified Repair Option is, “To just dive in and do it. The industry is headed this way. The insurance companies and customers will appreciate a company that has been using this even before it is required. This is the right way to document a repair.”
Visit Collision Specialists. Inc. on the web: https://www.csiautobody.com
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