Taking that First Step

by Kris Burton, WMABA President

The new year is here, so what are we going to do differently? Every January, we sit down as a team and evaluate the previous year.

We not only look at gross sales and gross profit percentage, but we look at our repair process, needed facility upgrades, marketing and – most importantly – our employees’ satisfaction. Does our team ‘like working here’? What can we do to offer them the best place in which to be successful? I have always believed the best way to achieve customer satisfaction is to empower everyone here to give them the tools needed to be successful, which will translate into the customer experience. 

Of course, every business wants to do better. In the past, I would set high goals to achieve. Looking back at a lot of them, they were not realistic and unachievable. I’ve learned to set my expectations and work with my team. I’d spend hours writing all my goals and in the end, I’d look at the list and be completely overwhelmed; almost to the point of no action. I’ve learned to ‘eat the elephant one bite at a time.’ The important thing is to start in one place and move on from there. Whether it is blueprinting, SOPs, the repair process, estimating accuracy, OEM repair procedure integration, facility and equipment maintenance schedules, training calendars, etc., pick the top three most important things you bring to your team, present them, listen to their feedback and implement them.

We hear the word culture all the time; to me, culture is everywhere around us. Do employees want to be there? Are they heard and supported? Does your facility provide the best working environment possible? Not everything costs a lot of money. There are simple things that can change ‘culture,’ many of which are the things we do not think about. Is the lighting in your building bright enough for techs to see what they are working on? Is your equipment up to date, is it in working order, are the restrooms clean, do all the electrical plugs work, are there adequate materials on hand, do techs spend time looking for parts and what to do next? These are all simple fixes that will change ‘culture.’

One of the things we strongly believe in is training. We are fortunate that there are so many opportunities available today as opposed to years past. Each person has different strengths and weaknesses. Send them to the training they will get the most value from, whether it’s OEM training, tool and equipment, paint companies, customer service, etc. Most importantly, it has to start somewhere, and little by little, it will get better. 

Personally, the most value I’ve got is from participating with trade associations – not only with WMABA, but also SCRS and members of business performance groups. The first step is to show up. And there’s no better time to show up than in Richmond, VA on May 1 for the Southeast Collision Conference.

Want more? Check out the March 2025 issue of Hammer & Dolly!