Doing the Right Thing

by Ken Miller, AASP/NJ President

From a young age, I was taught the importance of “doing the right thing” – a principle that has guided my decisions throughout my life.

Whether it was caring for my family, supporting friends, serving the community or putting the needs of employees and clients first, I’ve always strived to prioritize others. As a self-employed individual, living by this value came naturally. Helping others felt fulfilling, and there was always enough time and money left to provide for my family and sustain a profitable business. 

However, when I entered the collision repair industry in 2017, I quickly learned that “doing the right thing” carried new and complex implications. Though I had been around the industry for decades in various roles, owning my own shop was an entirely different experience. At first, we thought doing the right thing meant running our shop like most others: taking the keys, battling with insurers, fixing the car to the best of our ability and minimizing the client’s involvement. But it didn’t take long to see that continuing down this path could lead to the downfall of our business. 

Recognizing this, we turned to a professional business consultant who helped us see that our well-intentioned approach wasn’t truly serving the best interests of our customers, employees or ourselves. The only parties benefiting seemed to be third-party bill payers, when they were involved. With the consultant’s guidance, we learned that the right thing to do was to involve the customer in every aspect of the repair process – from selecting parts to understanding specific procedures and even navigating insurance issues. By embracing this new approach, we began doing right by everyone involved: the client and their vehicle, our shop and our employees. 

In this industry, the temptation to follow what’s popular rather than what’s right is a constant challenge. For those of us committed to integrity, we understand that what’s unfamiliar is often met with skepticism. Nevertheless, it’s our duty to cut through the noise and misinformation to do what’s right – for our customers, our employees and the industry as a whole. 

It’s important to remember that every business has its own model, and different doesn’t necessarily mean wrong. The key is ensuring that we are all striving to “do the right thing.” 

Want more? Check out the September 2024 issue of New Jersey Automotive!