New Look, Old Business & Legislative Rev-Up: Tune an Ear to ABAT this Fall

by Jill Tuggle, ABAT Executive Director

Hey there, ABAT fam! While it may have seemed a little quiet on the home front lately, I can assure you that we are up to BIG things around here! We have some really cool stuff to unveil over the next several months. Some of it is TOP SECRET, but I can share a little sneak peek with you now! Either way, you are going to want to tune an ear to ABAT as we close out our 10th birthday year with a bang!

New look – As you may have noticed, ABAT has taken on a new look! As part of our 10-year rebranding, we have spruced up our logos, colors and up next…our website! I am so excited for you all to see the capabilities with our new website and member module. All things ABAT will finally be housed under one roof so you can build a profile for your company, search our directory, register for events, chat with members and so much more! 

Old business – This year’s resounding theme has been getting back to basics! So many new members are reaching out for help, and the carriers have been especially “frugal” this year, which has created some unique challenges in the collision business lately. We feel the need to get back to ground zero, back where we started, and teach some of the basics to address the issues that ABAT originally helped shops overcome. This will include a webinar series that will end with some action items that are sure to open some eyes and create firm footing for shops who are being pushed around. 

Legislation – ABAT is still on the lookout for 82 legislative champions to help us finally push our bills past the finish line. We need 82 shops to donate $1,000 to our 2025 legislative fund. These dollars will be used to cover the cost of the new team we have built to make the Right to Appraisal (RTA) a mandatory policy inclusion here in Texas. If your customers are not invoking their Right to Appraisal to get their vehicles fixed, please reach out to us to learn more. This is often the only recourse the consumer has to get a proper repair and be able to pay the body shop fairly for the work done. RTA is about SO MUCH MORE than total losses. Let’s rev up together – become a RTA champion today! 

Want more? Check out the October 2024 issue of Texas Automotive!