This article presents the large-scale trends repairers face and sets the stage for each reader to develop a comprehensive set of goals and strategies to secure a prosperous future in the collision repair industry. The first major trend that is impacting the future competitive nature of the market is the groundswell growth in professionalism throughout the 1990s. The growth in computerized estimating drove a more numbers oriented management. Computerized estimating is the norm for the vast majority of the industry. Collision repairers have also increased the depth and breadth of the benefits and incentives they offer to their technicians.
Health insurance is the norm.
Paid holidays and sick days likewise. The need to delegate and control the expanded operation necessitated increased professionalism. The DRP race is done. The largest insurers have moved their claims operations towards DRP or DRP-like claims handling environments in many cases. Over the next several years the percentage of repair volume going through DRPs will grow substantially.