Autobody News: Barry's Paint Shop Stays on Top of OE Certification Requirements With ALLDATA
Carlsbad, CA, November 21, 2017 (Newswire.com) - Barry’s Paint Shop has been in business since December 1975, and has remained at its current location in Ephrata, PA, since 1981.
In August 2016, owner and CEO Barry Burkholder, whose son and son-in-law also help out with the family-owned business, acquired a second location in Lititz, just 20 minutes outside of Ephrata. They also own a small towing and mechanical shop in Neffsville.
Everything is constantly evolving, especially with the scanning. Pretty much every car is going to have a collision avoidance system in the future. If you don't repair it right, it may look good on the outside, but without the ability to verify information, someone could get hurt and you could have a big liability case on your hands. We've had a positive experience with ALLDATA's reps and the company's other methods of communication.
Barry Burkholder, Owner and CEO, Barry's Paint Shop
“We kept the name---Roy’s Body Shop---but it’s operated by the same management as the Neffsville location,” explained Burkholder.
For quite a few years now, Burkholder has been implementing lean processes with his team, and has been satisfied with the results.
“We have an hourly set-up, plus a bonus, and team members can move around wherever needed,” explained Burkholder. “If everyone works together and gets cars out, there’s a bonus shared amongst all the guys. In a sense, it almost makes them like shareholders.”
He added that whether it’s a good month or a slow month, everyone works together as a team, which he feels is an ideal business model.
“We do go after a lot of factory OE certifications, which means a lot of our budget goes toward training and equipment,” said Burkholder.
To ensure factory OE certification requirements are met, Barry’s Paint Shop and Roy’s Body Shop use ALLDATA for quick access to OE-direct diagnostic and repair information.
“Everything is a lot more technical nowadays, and there’s no way anyone could remember how to handle all these vehicles [off the top of their head],” said Burkholder. “We have to know OE manufacturer specifications, repair procedures, and where parts need to be sectioned. Even when doing a damage analysis, you need to know what the manufacturer wants and how it needs to be repaired before you can write an estimate on it.”
Burkholder said his team is constantly using ALLDATA to look up and back up information. By using ALLDATA Collision Advantage for the estimate, they see line-by-line the OEM procedures, alerts, and vital repairs necessary for the repair they’re working on, so they get it right the first time. They can also access manufacturer positioning statements with just one click.
“No matter how many classes you take, you’ll never know it all,” he said.
Barry’s Paint Shop started using ALLDATA three years ago. Burkholder said a lot has changed in the industry, even since then.
“Everything is constantly evolving, especially with the scanning,” he said. “Pretty much every car is going to have a collision avoidance system in the future. If you don’t repair it right, it may look good on the outside, but without the ability to verify information, someone could get hurt and you could have a big liability case on your hands.”
Burkholder added that he’s had a positive experience with ALLDATA’s reps and the company’s other methods of communication.
“There’s also an 800 number you can call, as well as a button you can click if you can’t find something and need to request info, and ALLDATA will promptly get back to you,” he explained.
A top concern for Burkholder is finding technicians of the right caliber who can work on technical vehicles, which is why he maintains a connection with local technical schools.
However, he found it difficult to explain the type of auto body students they were looking for to the guidance counselors.
“For a while, the guidance counselors were sending students who didn’t think they could make it through college to the trade schools,” Burkholder explained. “They’d try to take up auto body, but it’s extremely advanced compared to what it was years ago, especially with the advanced electronics.”
Barry’s Paint Shop and Roy’s Body Shop now have five major DRP programs after recently dropping a few.
“We did need to turn off some DRPs because they were asking for a lot of things that were not in the best interest or safety of the vehicle owner,” Burkholder explained.
Because he prioritizes his customers’ needs, safety always comes first, whether it’s choosing a DRP, new equipment or hiring a team member.
“We are Ford aluminum-certified on the F-150 and soon to be F-250,” Burkholder said. “A lot of owners of aluminum vehicles don’t know they should go to an aluminum-certified shop for repairs.”
He added that OEs can be reluctant to share this information for fear that the customer might be deterred if they know they have to bring their vehicle to a potentially more expensive specialist.
“There are a lot of benefits to aluminum: light weight, better fuel economy, handles better and won’t rust,” Burkholder explained. “And even though a non-certified shop may be able to make it look good on the outside, there’s a high risk for corrosion later on.”
As far as advertising, the dual shop owner added that even though he doesn’t budget much for it, he does put money toward making sure the customer is satisfied, which will help spread the good word about his shops’ services.
Barry’s Paint Shop
Ephrata, PA
barryspaintshop.com
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 29
In Business Since: 1975
Number of Locations: Three
DRP Programs: Five
Combined Production Space: 21,000 square feet
ALLDATA
(877) 380-3084
alldata.com/collision
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Source: Autobody News
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