TCCC/LCCC Blog

I have been running Blue Print operation since 2008, we are doing well with technical aspects, but looking to change the compensation.
Does anyone have some good ideas on how to pay Blue Print technicans??
I currently run with one laboror, one estimator and one seasoned tech. All being paid hourly.

Is anyone performing the 2000-2003 Tundra CRC/B0D Campaign (Frame Corrosion) in their facilities?

If so- Are you having issues with Toyota Warranty paying for R&R on bed bolts breaking- R&I Camper Shells and Tool Boxes- Re wiring- etc? And how are you combating these issues?
We have 200 Tundra’s to complete in our PMA- and Toyota is saying that this is all included in the 8.7 hours of time that they allowed R&I bed- Visually Inspect Frame- Remove Rust- Clean Frame-
Apply CRC to Vehicle’s Frame.
Let me know-
Thanks-
Ken Wycoff
Butler Auto Collision Center
Carmel, Indiana 46032
1.800.919.4474

The perception out there is that the Service & Parts Co-op money (I’m not talking about the $2k TCCC co-op) is for Service Dept use only. When in reality, most collision centers generate more Ser/Parts co-op dollars through parts purchases then the service dept. What does the council think about submitting a proposal to the co-op folks at TMS about the inclusion of “Collision Center”, (Service/Parts/Collision Co-op) and all the verbage that goes with it, into the co-op guidelines? (We have some TCCC print materials that qualify for 50%, but very limited). I think most of our dealers need to step up their marketing efforts through print, billboards etc with the help of the Ser/Parts 50% co-op. We’ll probably never see a Mr Goodwrench type of program out there, so this is another avenue to increase our awareness nationally through local advertising. Your thoughts….
Dave Pyle

Anyone using IPade for estimating please contact Steve Olson at Oxmoor Toyota.Solson@oxmoorcollisioncenter.com

Share with us how it going

I spoke with Shawn on his recent post about the Toyota Certified Collision Program and took some time to evaluate the value and challenges I see facing the program to the Dealer and TMS. Shawn made the most important point of this conversation already, at the end of the day Dealers do not want the program to go away. Neither should TMS. I think most of us could agree we would like to see and need changes in the program. TMS has set the standard for manufacturer support of the Dealer collision center. No other manufacturer offers anything close to TCCC, if anything at all. So the real question is; why would TMS want to continue?

1. Customer Retention – TMS and Dealers with collision centers allow a one stop shop where they never have to go anywhere else to have their vehicle serviced. TMS knows customer retention is everything when it comes to maintaining a relationship with a customer for future opportunities. When the TCCC program is utilized properly CSI, Quality of Repairs, Training, Business Practices, and other KPI’s are monitored to ensure an excellent customer experience. This in turn raises the value to the Toyota brand in the consumers mind and should help increase Customer Retention.

2. Recommended repair procedures utilized on vehicles – Everyone knows a Toyota will last forever, if it is properly maintained. The more vehicles TMS can maintain in their network of shops that have Certified Technicians the better. Toyota has specific repair methods that when done properly help ensure the crash worthiness of the vehicle to pre-loss condition. Education and training are a must in collision industry the TCCC program helps Toyota distribute information to repairers and insurers about recommended repair procedures.

The TCCC program is a great tool for TMS to use to not only promote is band name but also help protect, and grow it. TMS knows that having as many educated shops as possible is in their best interest.

The TCCC program has an even greater value to the Dealer. The support TMS provides is unrivaled in the industry. TMS has a training path to help us if we need trained techs, estimators, or managers. The current program has made all of our jobs easier. If we have a question there is someone to call that can answer it. The Consulting, Benchmarks, and Performance Group Meetings they provide give us a chance to have others review our business from the outside looking in. Most importantly Dealers with Toyota Certified Collision Centers have a tool for customer retention.

We want to be Toyota’s Flagship, the Best of the Best when it comes to collision repair. Many of us are. With the education we have been provided, many of us have grown to a point where we want more. This is a good thing and we should find ways to constantly improve the program while remembering it is a partnership. TCCC must benefit TMS and the Dealers. We must also remember only 38% of all dealers with collision centers are TCCC and the program only represents less than 10% of all of the Dealers nationwide. We need to remember the TCCC program cost TMS money to support. We need to ensure they see the value in continuing to support it. Some of the wants and demands I hear at these meetings you would think we were controlling 40%-50% of the market share. We are however, only repairing 3% of the Toyotas at TCCC shops and 9% at Toyota Dealers nationwide.

There are many challenges the current TCCC program faces. They need to be addressed and TMS needs our help to not only understand and define the challenges but also provide constructive solutions on how to address each.

• Clear direction of the program – What is the goal of the program moving forward? We are a group, what are we trying to accomplish? Should there be yearly goals at a national level for the TCCC shops? We all say we want more but what do we realistically want? We have the best program out there should we just maintain it and use it to prevent the brain drain caused by turnover?

• Participation from shops currently on the program – Are we holding each other accountable and practicing what we preach? Are we training our techs, estimators, and managers? Are we following the recommended repair procedures? Are we looking at the Blog when people post? Are we actively participating in the program and striving to reach the benchmarks set? If TMS added more would we all use it? Do we only provide unconstructive complaining instead of viable solutions? One thing I did notice as I’m sure TMS did – Shawn floated the idea that TMS was thinking about dissolving the TCCC program and only 5 people responded? (@ Rick Leos – does every TCCC Manager get an e-mail like I do when a new post appears on the blog so they know to check it?)

• Limited to dealers with collision centers – Only 457 Dealers have collision centers. Only 167 Dealers are TCCC. Why are only 38% of Dealers interested in the program? What objection is TMS facing when approaching the other Dealers? What can we do to make the program look more attractive and marketable? We could almost triple the size of the program by looking only at current Dealers. Then there are the other dealers? The idea was floated in Charlotte to expand the program. What if Independents we allowed to join? That made for a knee jerk conversation that was pretty negative. But if you really think about it, the program would then be available to every single dealership nationwide. It would be up to the dealer to choose and support a shop that their customer could count on to repair their vehicle correctly. The more shops we can educate the easier it makes our job. TMS would have to monitor these shops as well so not to dilute the prestige of the program. Hanging a sign in one wrong shop could seriously undermine the program. I do not believe in selling a sign to the highest bidder. We need to help them choose properly. This gives us the National Presence we need and want.

• Training – a lot of challenges here. We can’t step out of our shops for lunch and we sure can’t send a tech to school for a week we are already short staffed. Perhaps TMS can involve us or a small group of us in training requirements and structure in the future. (Perhaps they do and I just don’t get invited?) If a tech goes to every class Toyota offers they are not Toyota certified? Certification levels and the planning training schedules need to be looked at. If I can send a new tech to the training center and all courses needed for certification are completed in one week it reduces my cost and down time. Having to send a tech 2 or 3 times to a training center is expensive and hurts production in my shop. I loved that more online training will be available soon. I also agree nothing is better than uninterrupted hands-on training. I would like to thank Brad for reducing or removing the charges from classes needed to reach certification this will help greatly.

These are just a few of the challenges I see facing the current program. The current program helps with basic development and growth of a collision center. It provides us with the education and training we need to make our shops more successful. Every year new managers, estimators, and techs start at our shops. The current TCCC program helps us get them up to speed quickly and allows us a foundation to continue and encourage their growth. I think that the real issue is we get to the end of the path offered and learning and improvement is easier to see and want. Once a shop has been on the program for 5-10 years we have taken all of the training, gone to all of the meetings and then the only value left to gain is the performance group meetings. We must remember at that point we are the leaders and should look at helping others in the program and the industry as a whole. We must provide constructive feedback and solutions to TMS about the program and make sure we are not providing unconstructive complaining and asking for unreasonable request.

This is our program. We must decide what we would like to see and what would provide the greatest value to the group as a whole including TMS. This is business and it is all about ROI. What are we doing to promote and grow our brand? George had a great idea to make a donation to the children hospitals and make our presence known in the communities we visit. Are there topics we want to focus on or lean more about at the performance group meetings? Have we asked TMS what their goals and objectives are for the program? Are we meeting them? Do they see value? It is a partnership and I support it.

I personally would like to see the current program elements stay intact. They are extremely useful for bringing new hires up to speed. I would like to explore the possibilities in the training area. Online training is going to help a lot. But looking at looking at sending a tech one time to a training center and knock out all of the courses is easier for me than once for structural and non-structural, once for electrical, once for hybrid, and soon once for welding. Is it possible to reduce the travel expense and time lost for the Dealers? I would be willing to review the possibility of adding non-dealer shops. I would like to understand and believe how TMS feels about this and how they think they could support the growth from 163 shops to the possibility of 1,000 shops and ensure quality repairs and training are taking place and The TCCC logo is not just being handed out because a shop buys $800 a month worth of parts from a dealer. (That is the basics of the Honda Recognized Body Shop program) I would like to know what TMS thinks of the program and the direction they would like to see it go and what types of results they expect. I think setting group goals every year and reaching out to I-CAR, Suppliers, and Insurance Companies as a group could be helpful. We all have our wishes for the program perhaps TMS could send out a questionnaire and get our ideas, compile them and look at what the most common request are and then have us vote them up or down on a survey. I believe by working together both TMS and the Dealers can accomplish our goals.

What do you think?

(Call me competitive but I hope I get more than 5 responses – I’ll even take a simple amen or you’re wrong)

Stephen Bass
Milton Martin Toyota
Gainesville GA
678-244-1599
sbass@miltonmartintoyota.com

Everyone,

I want to start this conversation off by thanking everyone that works hard to get these types of events started. George, fantastic idea!

There are some rumors floating around about the possibility that the “Toyota Certified Collision Program” will go away in the future. Terrible idea!!! But, I get it. TMS sends representation to our performance group meetings and all they hear from “us” the collision centers are the complaints. And a lot of them.

Ladies and Gentlemen, TMS does not understand the value that the program adds to us. Yes we may complain sometimes, but that is because we want to take the program to the next level. This is the best program available by any manufacture. I would like to continue on the direction that the TCCC program has and determine a way to make it better. Like George, maybe we can all pitch in a couple of good ideas on how we can make the program better instead of complaining about the current program.

I am certain that I am not on anyone’s favorite list at this point and I am ok with that. What I know for a fact is that there is a lot of value from the TCCC program and I don’t want to be the guy standing by the coffee pot complaining that the program no longer exists. I am not even sure that there are any truths to the topic mentioned above, I just to want to be certain that we influence the people that make these decisions to do the right thing.

Thanks
Shawn Griffin
770-780-2286

The position of a Customer Service Rep inside our shops has increased in many areas geographically. This position plays the role of a person that MUST have very good “Selling” skills as well as the ability to write a thorough estimate on all drive-ins. I am implementing new pay plans for my CSR’s effective January 1, 2012. I would like some feedback from out there on current pay plans that are working out well for this position. Any and all input would be great. I have used this position several times in the past. I’m just looking for some info on RECENT PAY PLANS THAT PUSHING THE CSR TO SELL, as well as top notch CSI. I already have pay plans that include Sales Gross, and CSI Scores. Whats out there thats successful at making these CSR’s sell more???? I agree with giving a bonus on tiered Sales dollars, but what else are we using out there.

John brought up a great graphic in Charlotte showing the need for Toyota Certified Technicians with the percentages of Certified and Master Technicians at present time. It just seems to me that if a technician is Toyota Certified it should be on Toyota training. An additional level of Expert could be added and obtained once the technician has completed Toyota classes and the ASE B3, B4 certificates. Master status would be the same requirements as current. This also applies to refinish technicians and the ASE B2 requirement.

I have sent all of our technicians to the Toyota classes required. Our biggest hold up is the ASE courses. There generally is a language issue (Spanish) or a difference of some repair procedures between Toyota and other manufacturers that ASE does not discern.

What are your thoughts on adding an additional level? It would certainly increase our percentage of Toyota Certified Technicians.

Thanks

Robert DeBarr
Longo Collision Repair Center

FYI… I just came across some info that may help everyone. Make sure your techs select the “ok to release information” button when completing or changing there ASE profile. If they do not the ASE certifications will not show on the University of Toyota transcipt. Even if you have set up the link from ASE to Toyota. Ray, Team Toyota

Just putting this out there..Does anyone have a proven hourly pay plan for Body Techs that will keep focus on productivity?