INDUSTRY STATISTICS: DRP participation levels

How many insurer direct repair programs (DRPS) does your shop participate in? The industry average number of DRPS that dealership and independent shops participate in essentially doubled in the past decade. Independent shops averaged 1.9 DRPs in 2000, and three in...

GOVERNMENT: Texting bans may not cut crashes

Almost one-in-five (18 percent) of U.S. drivers admit they have sent a text message while driving in the last 30 days, and states are cracking down. Concerns about distracted driving have led more than 30 states to ban texting while driving, and nine states ban cell...

TRENDS: Good news on vehicle leases

Because leased vehicles tend to be insured and repaired, a recent uptick in vehicle leasing is good news for collision repairers. Only about 13 percent of new vehicle transactions in 2009 were leased; last year that rebounded to 19 percent. In February and March of...

MANAGEMENT: Effective Performance Reviews

Regularly providing employees with feedback through performance reviews can be an effective way to motivate workers and help them improve. Here are some tips for making those reviews effective: • Performance reviews are discussions about how someone is doing, not...