Why Did You? 

by Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg, AASP/MA Executive Director

There are many times in a person’s life when they ask themselves, “How did I get here in my professional life, and why do I continue to do what I do for a living?” 

In many cases, these two questions are asked more frequently in the collision repair industry. The frustration that comes with running a highly technical and ever-changing repair business, while maneuvering through regulations and constraints imposed by overbearing third-party payees, is daunting. It is no wonder that an increasing number of collision repairers are choosing to throw in the towel.

The collision repair industry is no longer a place where one can work on cars simply because “I like to work with my hands” and consider it a hobby while helping friends out of a jam. This has not been the case for quite some time, and as technology has changed, many have been forced to keep up or step aside. No longer is a repair considered safe just because it looks cosmetically correct when the customer picks up their repaired vehicle. Unfortunately, far too many repairers and insurers do not understand this fact. Too many repairers who have not taken the initiative to keep pace with changes now find themselves so far behind that they have little hope of ever catching up. At the same time, far too many insurers are solely focused on their bottom line and fail to understand what it takes to properly repair a vehicle. Or worse yet, they are so focused on the bottom line that they simply don’t care about anything else.

So, why did you decide to get into the collision repair industry? Was it just to eke out a living, or was it to thrive by providing an essential service while supporting yourself and your family? If you are a shop owner, did you open your independent business and work hard to make a success of it, just to have someone else try to dictate how you should fix vehicles and at what price, while you take on ALL the liability? Are you a true entrepreneur or someone’s “lackey”? Do you want to be proud of the work you and your technicians produce, or are you someone who constantly looks over your shoulder, hoping that a previous repair doesn’t come back to haunt you as a “redo” or, worse yet, become part of a multimillion-dollar lawsuit due to a faulty repair? It has been proven that the attitude of “That’s all the insurance company would allow for the repair” or “I fixed it the way they told me to” is NO EXCUSE!

For those who have answered the question “Why do you?” with, “Because I want to be proud of what my business and my staff produce and represent to my customers and my community,” my hat is off to you. You understand what it means to be in business for the right reasons. You understand what it means to be professional and uncompromising when it comes to quality and, above all else, SAFETY! You are a collision repairer not only because you “like to work on cars” but because you have a passion – a passion that many in this great industry hold dear. A passion that many are NOT willing to let insurers quash. It is a passion and belief in yourself that no matter what, you are going to do the right thing.

There is a Hawaiian word for this passion: “Kina’ole.” Kina’ole means to do the right thing, the right way, at the right time, for the right reason. It is a concept that long-time shop owner March Taylor lived by. He valued the safety of his customers, the well-being of his customers and his community. Today, I am happy to say that I see this spirit living on in many shops here in Massachusetts and across the country. These shops and their owners are taking a stand against the trend of “going along to get along.” They are involving their customers in the repair and settlement process. They are guaranteeing that they will not have to live in constant fear of a “comeback” for faulty or unsafe repairs. They are using authorization forms and proper documentation when agreeing to make repairs for their customers. They have drawn a line in the sand and will no longer put themselves, their businesses or their employees in jeopardy.

This means that they are doing the right repairs, the right way, at the right time and for the right reason, as the answer to the question “Why do you?” They make every effort to get the insurer to meet their obligations under the indemnification policy sold to the vehicle owner. They do NOT succumb to, “The shops on our list would do it for what we wrote.” They explain to the vehicle owner the responsibilities the insurer is attempting to sidestep in their estimating and payment process. They arm the vehicle owner with the needed information to pursue reimbursement, should they choose to do so, once they have paid the shop for the fair and reasonable cost of repair. Most importantly, they have protected themselves from the potential liability of a faulty repair just to save the insurer money.

As we move through 2025, and more shops move into “thrive” mode or decide they are no longer willing to do the right thing, the outlook will continue to improve for those businesses that believe in and practice Kina’ole. If you are looking to “Thrive in ‘25” and are not yet a member of AASP/MA, NOW is the time to join. See the application on page 7 or go to the aaspma.org website and click on the “JOIN NOW” button on the homepage.

Do it now – you do not want to be asking yourself, “Why didn’t I?” in the future.

Want more? Check out the February 2025 issue of New England Automotive Report!