3 OEM Certification Myths
Let’s set the record straight on a few myths that might be holding you up from moving forward with collision repair certification!
Have you thought about becoming a Certified Repair Provider and just can’t justify it? There are a few myths out there that may be preventing you from making the commitment to gaining certification for your shop. It’s important to know that these are just myths and falsehoods that are inaccurate and should no longer prevent you from gaining collision certification for your shop.
Certification is beneficial for both your shop and your customers, making it a significant advantage for your business. Here are a few of the most common myths – or excuses – shop owners use when explaining why they are not interested in certification and, more importantly, why these reasons are not valid or, even worse, holding your business back.
#1. The “I Don’t Need Certification Because I Know What I’m Doing” Myth
The biggest body shop certification myth out there can be summed up by this quote we hear all the time: “I already know what I’m doing. I don’t need this.” While you – and many shops like yours – have the knowledge and the capabilities to fix the cars that stop by your shop, vehicles nowadays are build with high-tech features, advanced systems, and innovative technology that require precise and accurate repairs – this, certainly, comes as no surprise to you.
But by understanding this reality, it’s a clear reason why you need to be certified to fix new equipment on sophisticated vehicles. This can change the way you run your body shop and interact with your customers… for the better. OEM Certification means you are one of the first to have access to OEM repair procedures that give you proof and justification for every repair your body shop conducts. You can also conveniently view the repair procedures that your technicians need to properly repair every vehicle to the manufacturer’s specifications.
This gives your shop the support of the leading manufacturers and backing for every repair, especially when you offer a fully documented certified repair and you are able to electronically document the repair process and provide authenticity, compliance, and a Certified Repair Certificate to every customer and for every repair.
#2. The “My Customer Already Trusts Me” Myth
In business, one of (if not the most) important relationships is the one with your customers. And we know how hard you have to work to gain your customers’ trust and confidence. That’s why shops often tell us, “my customer already trusts me, this won’t make a difference.” While we don’t doubt that your customers trust you and value your expertise, you still have a lot to gain from certification!
You are right – you already have your customer’s trust, but certification opens the door for you to broaden your service abilities to include every new and more sophisticated vehicle that needs a repair. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes – when you offer a fully documented Certified Repair, you can promote the new levels of service (and trust!) that you are providing your customers, giving them confidence in knowing that they are experiencing the best possible collision repair outcomes available.
A fully documented Certified Repair puts the customer’s mind at ease, knowing that they are receiving high-quality collision care from your body shop. This also means they can share this experience with potential customers, like their friends and family! It is true, of course, that you have earned the trust and confidence of your existing customers. However, new customers, the ones who have never interacted with you or your shop, will see your certification as a selling point and this could even be the reason they choose to work with you.
This is further support for why earning certified collision care recognition is an important decision that you can make for your repair business.
#3. The “My Repairs Are Already Perfectly Fine” Myth
When you decide to move forward with a collision care certification, you’re not – we repeat, you’re NOT – acknowledging some shortcomings or problem. In fact, you’re doing the opposite: you’re promoting your services as being validated by an objective, outside source, an industry leader who is confirming your top-notch service. That said, it’s not unusual for shops to tell us that they don’t need to be certified because “the quality of my repairs are perfectly fine and I haven’t had any complaints yet.”
When you become an official Certified Collision Repair provider, however, you can dramatically improve your quality control process even if you already conduct high-caliber repairs. Once your shop is certified, your team of properly trained technicians will be able to view the manufacturer’s repair procedures from their RepairDOC Technician smart app and document every aspect of the repair, including quality parts use, safety scans and calibrations, use of approved paint systems, and more!
This allows your shop to access all the information it needs and helps eliminate inefficient processes that result in a pure loss of time and money. Plus, you’ll be able to take full advantage of exclusive partnerships and buying opportunities that are provided to certified collision repair facilities while also being the first to learn about value added offers, rebates, and discounts from leading services that will help to elevate your business over your competitors.
As we said earlier, getting a certification isn’t a sign of failure or that you’re producing inferior work – that’s not the case at all! Certification should be considered part of your business growth process and commitment to providing the best service to your customers. Think of certification as a way to distinguish your shop from the others and a way to promote your services to your customers.
Bonus benefits!
When you make the decision to take your business to the next level by pursuing collision repair certification, look for programs that help you market your newly certified shop in ways that maybe you haven’t tried before. Some of the available programs can help you create detailed and essential short- and/or long-term marketing plans that, when paired with your existing word of mouth advertising and your stellar reputation, can keep your customers coming back. The right certified collision care program can also help you create: a press release, ready-to-use social media posts, flyers, brochures, and postcard mailers.
What’s more, if the idea of developing a digital (online) strategy for your collision repair facility sounds extremely scary, there’s good news! Certain programs can even help you understand what your customers are looking for and work to get your shop’s website picked up by the search engines, placing your business right where your customers are looking.
Certification myths debunked (hopefully)
By debunking the existing myths that often prevent shops from moving forward with certification, our hope is that your shop sees certification as a way to expand its services and solutions to customers. When you decide to move forward and move your business where it needs to be by becoming a certified collision shop, you’ll prove to the leading manufacturers, your customers (both current and future), and even yourself that you have the right tools, training, and equipment to meet or surpass the rigorous standards set forth by a nonprofit organization’s independent inspection process. This will give you the prestige of being known as a certified repair provider and create even more opportunities for your shop.
Learn more about becoming a certified collision repair provider, visit: www.AssuredPerformance.net or call 949-221-0010.