It’s time to put your eye on the prize!
There is plenty of opportunity to win big in the collision repair industry, provided one puts in the time and effort to seek out all the information and knowledge possible. Collision repair professionals in the WMABA region and beyond can get all the resources they need at the Southeast Collision Conference (SCC) taking place May 1-3 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, VA.
WMABA has teamed up with the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA) for the third consecutive year to present an exciting weekend of educational offerings, top-of-the-line exhibitors and much more. Show goers in and around Virginia are expected to make their way to Richmond to take advantage of the great opportunity this show offers year after year. Last year, the show was held in North Carolina as SCC moves annually between the two states in order to serve as many repairers as possible.
“We’re looking forward to a really successful show,” shares CCA Executive Director Josh Kent. “There’s so much in store this year, making the show bigger and better thanks to new insightful material from our speakers, and our vendors always provide an exciting atmosphere on the trade show floor.”
WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler expresses equal anticipation.
“The trade show portion of SCC will have something for everyone,” she promises. “Demonstrations, tooling, equipment, networks, software and more are all on site with their skilled experts to engage with repairers. Every person in the business – from tech to manager – will have the opportunity to increase their network and knowledge of products throughout the two full days of the show. The center stage will also feature special presentations and demonstrations, varying from hands-on demos to tool grant giveaways.”
As if SCC wasn’t already enough reason to get to Richmond, the spring Collision Industry Conference (CIC) is also set to take place at the Greater Richmond Convention Center over a two-day time period. The event will start on Wednesday, April 30 from 12 pm to 5pm with a reception following at 6pm. Discussions will pick up on Thursday, May 1 from 8am to 1pm. Also happening that week, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) will conduct its Open Board meeting on Thursday, May 1 from 2pm to 5pm, with annual Board elections taking place on Wednesday, April 30 from 5pm to 6:30pm.
SCC festivities will get underway on Thursday, May 1 with the Kick-Off Awards Dinner where both WMABA and CCA will present awards to Board members and member shops.
WMABA’s Collision P.R.E.P. (Professional Repairer Education Program) once again is poised to deliver a comprehensive toolbox of knowledge to collision repair professionals to help them triumph over challenges.
“The Collision P.R.E.P. education series, as part of the Southeast Collision Conference, is still evolving to meet the needs of collision repairers now seven years in,” explains Hendler. “The goal is to bring sessions relevant to the daily needs and struggles for various roles, with nationally-known speakers and panel discussions of experts. More than informative, many classes are motivational, giving participants inspiration to bring positive change into their position in the business. Vehicle repairability and business practices are constantly evolving, and staying on top of it is a little easier when you can get it all in one place over a few days!”
The educational component of the show will begin bright and early at 8:30am on Friday, May 2 when one of the most dynamic speakers around – the one and only Mike Anderson (Collision Advice) – presents “Stay Humble, Stay Hungry.” Anderson will share trends regarding customer pay increasing and how collision repairers need to stay humble and hungry in all aspects of their business including customer interaction and repair plans.
“I’m excited once again to share my insights and passion with the attendees at SCC,” states Anderson. “Each year, I pick a theme, and my theme for 2025 is ‘stay humble, stay hungry!’ As collision repairers, we have to be careful that we don’t get calloused to the consumers’ needs. We have to remain patient with vehicle owners. In addition, we have to stay humble and not think that we know it all in regard to OEM repair procedures. In my session, I will be sharing what the future holds for collision repairers regarding the latest data on average severity, average labor hours by state, OEM trends and insights, insurer trends and insights, consumer spending habits, the role of AI in our industry and so much more. I hope to see some old friends and hopefully make some new friends as well.”
Anderson will return to the Collision P.R.E.P. stage on Saturday, May 3 to lead a panel discussion on safety inspections. Attendees will hear from shop owners who have made safety inspections a priority in their repair planning process.
Also on Friday, Andrew Batenhorst (Pacific BMW Collision Center; CA) will set out to inform repair professionals about why the legacy estimator role is causing severe damage to one’s operation.
“My main goal is to rip off the comfy, warm blanket that the industry has been dragging around with them like Linus over the past 30 years,” explains Batenhorst. “The blanket symbolizes the estimator role and all the baggage that comes with it. We will discuss the waste that this role is creating, which includes bogging down repairs and preventing effective reimbursement. And to come full circle, I will teach participants how to structure their shop for success with a set of simple tools to design an effective repair planning SOP.” He suggests that repairers “bring an open mind and a willingness to learn. Be curious and be ready to ask me plenty of questions. I have no personal financial gain to get out of this event – I’m here to help the industry get better. My methods are proven and can be duplicated in any size shop.”
Batenhorst is eager to make this presentation for the SCC audience. “SCC is a great forum for learning, and they carefully curate the agenda to ensure participants get the most out of their time at the event. Like any large scale event, they don’t always hit every market, due to geography. In my own research, less than five percent of the industry is actively doing something to address the pitfalls of the estimator role. The more audiences I can reach, the sooner the industry can grow and improve.”
Danny Gredinberg (Database Enhancement Gateway) and Kyle Motzkus (industry professional, educator) are teaming up to give collision repair professionals more confidence in their approach to repair planning with “Overcoming Information Overload – Streamlining Repair Planning” on Friday afternoon.
“We’re going to examine ways shops can look at workflows and streamline the repair planning process and provide understanding on how to prioritize and filter out the documentation you don’t actually need,” explains Gredinberg whose technical experience in procedure research will allow him to give a 30,000 foot view while Motzkus’ in-shop experience can provide a 10-foot look at how it’s done.
“Repairers will walk away with a better sense of how to close the gap with whoever is paying the bill – whether that’s the customer or if that customer is going through an insurance carrier,” offers Motzkus. “The end game is that shops want to get paid. A lot of issues people have with getting paid are due to a lack of confidence. That does not mean they don’t know what they are doing, but they may not know how to properly explain to whomever is paying the bill.”
One does not want to “bulldoze their way into negotiation” by talking at too high of a level which can lead to getting no for an answer, suggests Motzkus. The discussion will also focus on how to best involve the customer.
They recommend attendees come in with an open mind, and as Gredinberg suggests, “You don’t have to fix everything overnight.”
“Be 100 percent open minded, but also come in with your work pants on,” adds Motzkus. “Be willing to leave your ego at the door. Just because you know how to do something doesn’t mean you know how to do everything. You can always learn something new. Being willing to listen and learn and not just go in and check off a box is a fairly important mindset to have.”
Gredinberg noted that SCC being held in conjunction with CIC means that the convention center will be populated by industry folks in all roles – from estimators to technicians and then some – opening the door to absorb information directly rather than second hand. “Don’t be scared to engage with your peers and people outside of your direct network. Be willing to learn.”
“Getting out of your comfort zone is an incredibly powerful statement,” Motzkus contributes. “This will be an engaging and interactive session. If you don’t ask questions, I will make you ask questions.”
Advances in technology remain hot button issues; therefore, Steve Dawson (Hunter Engineering) will tackle “Taking the Blind Spots Out of ADAS Calibrations” while Taylor Moss (OEConnection) will explore “AI in Collision Repair – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” See the full Collision P.R.E.P. schedule on page 29.
The aisles of the convention center will be lined with vendors showcasing their latest and greatest innovations and resources.
Platinum Sponsor Blue Ridge Color Company (BRCC) returns to the SCC aisles because they truly appreciate “the value that our customers get from the education and networking” the event has to offer, says Blake Harris, president of BRCC.
One of the things he most looks forward to is “seeing our customers able to get away from the daily grind. We often categorize the Southeast Collision Conference as the safe zone. We all played tag when we were little, and there was that one place that you could always go that was called the safe zone that no one could tag you out. I think that’s the most enjoyable part that we at BRCC and our customers look forward to.”
“Our commitment to this event is driven by our shared values of innovation, community engagement and business growth,” expresses Aritha L. Richardson of Enterprise Mobility. “As long-time members and partners, we recognize the SCC as a vital platform for networking, industry insights and collaboration with key stakeholders. Our presence allows us to connect with industry leaders, support meaningful discussions and demonstrate our continued investment in the success of businesses and communities in the Southeast. Enterprise remains dedicated to driving mobility solutions, fostering economic development and strengthening relationships within the association.”
Richardson, who also serves on the CCA Board of Directors, says Enterprise is “most looking forward to deepening our connections, sharing innovative mobility solutions and collaborating on key industry challenges. Most importantly, we’re eager to listen, collaborate and contribute to meaningful discussions that will shape the future of our industry and the communities we serve.”
“We love being a part of this show,” states Paul Cook, service consultant for AkzoNobel, a Gold Sponsor. “It allows us to connect with some of our current customers and prospective customers. It gives us a space to showcase everything we have to offer at AkzoNobel, from our premium brand Sikkens to our best-in-class mid-market and value brands. Plus, we get to showcase our training and consulting services. We have a wide range of services to offer, from estimating classes to on-site visits and our Carbeat production system.”
“Whether it’s through the purchase of new equipment, new knowledge found in the classrooms or by making new friends, we strive to make this show an experience that will give our attendees a new sense of purpose and vision to put toward their business,” sums up Kent.
For more information and to register for SCC, visit southeastcollisionconference.com. To register for CIC, visit ciclink.com; for more information on SCRS, visit scrs.com.