Writing the Ultimate Winner’s Playbook: Southeast Collision Conference Recap

by Alana Quartuccio

For the fourth consecutive year, WMABA teamed up with the Carolina’s Collision Association (CCA) to present SCC to cater  to industry professionals of all skill levels craving knowledge and resources to strengthen their game. Every year, the event alternates between the associations’ two regions in order to best accommodate all members in the Mid-Atlantic and Carolina markets.

“It’s so important to get outside of your four walls,” CCA President Kyle Bradshaw (K&M Collision; Hickory, NC) told the repair audience during the kick-off presentation prior to Mike Anderson’s Collision P.R.E.P. keynote address. “We all have frustrations we deal with every single day. It’s very easy to feel like you are operating in a silo, like you are the only one struggling. What’s cool about this conference is that it provides an opportunity to network with businesses who are extremely important to what we do and to hear from our speakers this morning. It’s taking some time to step away from the business and invest in ourselves. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to go back to your shops and pour this into your team.”

There was much activity on and off the trade show floor with live demonstrations and education being shared at exhibitor booths,  in the seminar rooms and on the floor stage.

Gold Sponsor BASF continues to support the show each year. On behalf of the paint manufacturer, JR Swafford shared it was his first time at the show and he enjoyed the opportunity to interact with attendees. “I gained a lot of insight and I also had the opportunity to deliver insight back. It’s been a great experience.”

Allen Murphey (Lombard Equipment) cited “great conversations, personal conversations, a lot of interesting equipment” as some of the highlights the equipment distributor experiences at SCC year after year. Murphey also cited the educational aspect of the show. “A lot of people attend the educational seminars, wanting to grow and do things the right way.”

What attracts them to SCC each year is “the affiliation, relationships and the people. Being able to showcase the equipment and let people see what it’s all about. The education is also important. We learn a lot and hear a lot.”

For GYS/Innovative CRTE, an importer of GYS products, the show is an opportunity to reach existing and potential customers in the Carolinas region. “We have been building our distributors in this area and doing a lot of remote assistance and technical support with our end users,” explains Nick Mattera. “It’s an opportunity to showcase some of the new support features we have on our website. We had the ability to showcase live what we can provide for training and to set up service support to keep the equipment going. It’s important for us and it’s important for our customers.”

Silver Sponsor Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists’ Dale Huckabee noted that the show  provided a great opportunity for Alloy to visit their franchises in Charlotte. “It’s been a great experience and we’re looking forward to next year.”

Robert Duncan of the Paint Booth Guy has been a supporter of the show for the past two years. Back in 2024,  the head of the paint booth cleaning and maintenance company walked the SCC floor in Greensboro. That experience inspired him to join WMABA and CCA and showcase their services at the show the past two years.

Duncan says, “It’s a great way to open a different market. You get a lot of people who come here to see what is the latest and greatest to help make their shops more productive. It’s a great way to open up some new markets for us.”

Winning through WMABA’s Collision P.R.E.P.

WMABA strongly believes in the value of education. Year after year, the association delivers a top-notch educational experience at the Southeast Collision Conference via its comprehensive Collision P.R.E.P. (Professional Repairer Education Program). Attendees soaked up two days packed with  managerial and technical knowledge from nationally-recognized speakers to use in their playbook toward success. Check out the following pages for a full recap!

What Great Leaders Do

A title alone doesn’t make you a leader.

This truth is just one of many Mike Anderson (Collision Advice) delivered to the Southeast Collision Conference audience. Anderson kicked off WMABA’s Collision P.R.E.P. series with this electric brand of inspiration in his leadership best practices keynote address.

The core definition of leadership is the organization of a group of people to achieve a common goal. That leader may or may not have to have formal authority.

Anderson illustrated tales of leadership to the audience, including his own personal experiences. At the age of 15, Anderson led a petition at his high school to change the rules to allow students to bring their underclassmen boyfriends and girlfriends to the prom. His efforts went far quickly, even garnering the attention of media crews who showed up at his high school – which sent his principal into a fury. Ultimately, Anderson not only got the rules changed, but was also elected class president the following year.

“I tell this story because I was not in a position of leadership; I didn’t have the authority of a principal or a teacher, but I was one person who organized a group of students who wanted to take their underclass boyfriends and girlfriends to the prom. If you want to change something in your life, business or community, understand that you don’t have to be a person of authority.”

Great leaders need to accept constructive criticism. “Surround yourself with people who will call you out on your own BS,” Anderson expressed.

And great leaders also admit when they are wrong. One should not be “doomed to succeed…they are too proud to admit they made a mistake and they will ride that horse until it dies rather than admit it. Great leaders do not allow themselves to be doomed to success.” Anderson also touched on the risks of becoming what he referred to as “a seagull manager.” “Don’t show up, crap on everyone and leave!”

It’s also about communication. Anderson shared examples of what happens to a team if a leader never follows through with a promise. He encouraged all to go back to their shops and survey their staff members to learn if they have been let down by a broken promise, and if so, urged attendees to do everything to make it right and earn back trust.

He had the packed audience repeat the following out loud: “Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don’t say it mean.”

“Great leaders attack the process, not the person,” he noted, discussing the importance of recognizing people and taking their attempts into consideration.

People must be held accountable, and great leaders must be willing to enforce the rules when necessary. Anderson illustrated this fact sharing the story of “Joe the painter,” an employee who returned to work in a volatile state after tragically losing his wife to suicide.  Though Anderson wanted to be patient, Joe’s attitude left other employees walking on eggshells.  With  20 other people on staff to consider – each with their own families – he had to hold this man accountable and make the difficult decision to let him go in the best interest of all parties on the team.

“Oftentimes we are afraid to hold people accountable, but if we don’t, we enable them.”

Breathing Easy and Staying Compliant in the Shop

Collision repair is a hazardous industry. Day in and day out, repairers are exposed to harsh chemicals and substances, leaving body shop environments a high priority for OSHA inspections, with shops potentially at risk for thousands of dollars in fines.

Jason Fritz and Zach Pucillo (KPA) provided an extensive list of considerations shops should take to make sure they are properly protecting staff and properly disposing of hazardous waste during “Breathe Easy and Stay Compliant: Environmental and Safety Essentials for Today’s Collision Centers.”

“Our people are our biggest asset,” Pucillo reminded all. “And we want to protect the Earth, too.”

Respiratory protection failures, hazardous waste misclassification, mislabeling improper storage, missing or incomplete written programs and employee training records are identified as the highest risk failures for collision centers.

Too many shops keep their safety data sheets in a dusty three-ring binder on a shelf. Fritz pointed out various other ways to more easily access this information. Training is easier than some may think. For example, automotive safety lift training can be done online for a $26 fee.

Chemical exposure can have serious long term health effects. Pucillo spoke of a painter who admittedly didn’t wear the proper PPE and now suffers from COPD. “This stuff is serious,” he cautioned. “It’s something that actually plagues people over long periods of time. These problems won’t show up tomorrow.”

Navigating the Segue of Evolving Repairs

Kris Griffin (Calibration Consulting Associations) led an engaging panel discussion featuring Kyle Bradshaw (K&M Collision; Hickory, NC), Josh McFarlin (AirPro Diagnostics) and Joel Adcock (REVV) during the SCC designed to navigate how ADAS repairs, auto glass, mechanical and collision all intersect in today’s automotive repair space.

Panelists examined the strategies of subletting the work.

“If you sublet the work, you still own the liability,” Bradshaw emphasized. “A lot of the time, people tend to blindly trust others to know what they are doing,” but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. His shop made the investment to bring these repairs in-house because they believed they weren’t always getting the services they requested and paid for when subletting the work.

McFarlin pointed to the scary reality that many are not aware that the shop maintains the liability. “On any given day, you see people post in online forums that they sublet work because it transfers the liability.” This could not be farther from the truth, he stressed. He also pointed to other misinformation such as repairers believing they don’t have to calibrate a camera if it was still plugged in when replacing glass. “They are completely missing the whole point,” he said. “When you put in a new piece of glass with a new bracket, that glass may or may not have the same clarity. You have to teach it. The camera doesn’t lose memory; it needs to be taught how to work with the replaced glass.”

Unlocking Hidden Paint and Material Profit

WMABA Board member John Shoemaker brought his business development expertise to the SCC educational stage to help collision repair professionals find ways to increase their paint and materials profit.

“I don’t have an easy button, but what I can do is introduce you to some processes to help you look at things a little bit differently,” he explained.

“The best way to become a top performer is to look at your numbers,” Shoemaker recommended. “Compare your numbers to industry averages, trends and benchmakers.”

He cautioned attendees not to try to jump to benchmarks right off the bat. “You’ll frustrate people by giving them goals they can’t reach. That is one of the worst things you can do.”

Shooting for small goals can bring up big gains. Shoemaker demonstrated how increasing the average paint hour per repair order (RO) from 9.5 to 9.7 on 100 ROs can gain 20 paint hours per month.

“Every time there is a new coat, there must be a new sale,” he explained. If a new process comes into play, it should be included on the repair plan in order to get paid for it.”

He also noted common mistakes that could lead to profit loss.

Misclassifying refinish processes as body could result in product consumption without reimbursement. “Is that repair line going to consume materials? If so, you need to classify it ‘refinish.’”

Valid data is key. Shoemaker recommends using one’s management system and available reports. “Make sure everyone is following the process by documenting those repairs so you get valid data.

“Look at your internal goals first; don’t compare to the national average or you’ll set your goals too far out of reach. Talk to everyone in the shop and help them understand your cost. Explain your why.”

Structural Adhesives & Hybrid Joining Operations

Jason Scharton (3M Collision Repair) delivered an engaging presentation on how today’s vehicle structural design benefits from the use of hybrid joints.

Manufacturers take many things into consideration when designing vehicles. One of those is fuel economy. “The goal is to make vehicle structure stronger by keeping it as lightweight as possible,” Scharton explained.

He noted mild steel is an excellent absorber of crash energy because it deforms, while advanced high strength steel is notably light, stiff and does not bend or twist and therefore can transfer crash energy. Crash energy can move through these combined materials, but the joints holding them together wind up taking on the stress and energy.

The geography of the vehicle design can only allow for so many spot welds to be added, so the solution is to use both mechanical fasteners and adhesive creating what is known as a hybrid joint, Scharton stated.

“Adding adhesive to an existing joint dramatically strengthens that joint without adding weight, cost or cycle time and we get all the benefits.”

The additional strength increases the durability of the joint. “Bringing these things together gives us the best of both worlds.”

Corrosion Protection Importance

When it comes to corrosion protection, no one really talks about the safety factor, according to James Schupp (Car-Rep).

Aluminum and steel corrosion is dangerous as it causes weak points strong enough to bring down objects as large as the fuselage of an airplane.

When left bare and untreated, corrosion will start almost immediately. Shops that are proactive to prevent corrosion on vehicles set to be worked on now or a month out are doing things the right way. Unfortunately, Schupp has seen his fair share of shops with cars in various stages of repair with exposed steel or aluminum. “When is corrosion visible? It’s visible when it’s too late,” he emphasized.

“Bare metal needs to be treated from the start or it will begin to corrode immediately,” he added. “Most people think it starts with moisture, which is technically correct, but oxygen starts the process as well. The second that bare metal is exposed to air, it starts instantly. It takes longer to see it on aluminum than bare metal and a lot of shops don’t know what it looks like when it starts to corrode.”

Schupp also weighed the variables involved with the use of body fillers and epoxy.

When It’s Time to Align

Hunter Engineering’s Justin Allen stressed the importance of safety when it comes to ADAS calibrations, especially in relation to wheel alignment.

If functioning properly, ADAS systems can have instant reaction time that can be life-saving, so it’s absolutely essential that “they function properly in the moment of crisis.”

Allen showcased the supply and demand for alignment work. “On average, 60 percent of cars need some type of alignment work at any point in time.”

Examining the business model aspect, the discussion weighed in on the pros and cons of outsourcing wheel alignment work versus doing it in house. Scheduling and quality control issues populated the negative list for outsourcing. These stress factors caused by not being able to control the quality of work and timeframe for the sublet can be challenging. “Anytime that vehicle has to leave the premises, there is liability potential,” Allen added; however, he encouraged the audience that “if subletting works for you, that’s great. But if you are considering the viability of what it can look like in-house, there are perks.”

Leveraging AI in the Body Shop

James Spears (Tractable) painted a vivid picture of what AI can do for a body shop especially by improving capture rates.

Today, it’s more important than ever for a shop to get as many customer leads as possible. Spears spoke of the shift in the marketplace, with small claims having almost all but disappeared, more policyholders with higher deductibles than ever before and self-pay increasing. 

Spears told the audience, “Customers will choose the shop that answers first, not the shop they find first.” AI tools can help bring that customer to one’s doorstep faster, by giving them the ability to get an initial quote just by submitting a few images over the phone.

He spoke of one product that gives the customer the option to scan a barcode that generates an instant gateway to upload their contact information and images. “The next morning, you come to your shop, you know the customer’s name, email and initial quote.”

In some areas of the world, AI is taking it even further. Spears showed the audience imagery of a drive-through device that will take 3,000 to 5,000 images of the vehicle as it drives through at two-to-five-miles per hour that has a “capture rate that is just enormous.”

Changing Tactics in a Changing Marketplace

Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg moderated a peer-to-peer discussion with Kris Burton (Rosslyn Auto Body; Alexandria, VA), Michael Bradshaw (K&M Collision; Hickory, NC) and Barry Dorn (Dorn’s Body and Paint; Mechanicsville, VA) that zeroed in on the concerning realities collision repairers face today.

“In all my years, this is the toughest climate we’ve ever been in,” Burton lamented. “It’s tougher now than it’s ever been. Every single claim; everything is a fight. Things that you once got paid for, you don’t get now.” Bradshaw pointed to the equipment and training investment that grows as vehicle complexity increases, while Dorn spoke of the pivotal role communicating with customers plays. “We spend a lot of time educating our clients, more so than in years past,” Dorn reported. “There’s a common theme of whoever establishes trust first wins. You have to establish trust with your clients.”

Bradshaw highlighted the harsh reality of escalating total loss claims: “The car count is reduced because one in four vehicles becomes a total loss. That creates another layer of stress affecting everyone in the shop because you have to try to maintain your sales goals in order to remain profitable.”

All agreed that educating consumers plays a big role along with keeping regular messaging within the shop. “The bill payer is really consistent in the way they deliver their message in things they won’t pay for, things they do pay for and how they pay for them,” Burton relayed. “So, I think at times collision repairers aren’t as consistent with their messaging, so we should really try to be consistent in what we say and what we do.”

“When we encounter a situation, we put the time in to recap,” shared Bradshaw. “Not to call attention to who didn’t do the right thing, but to educate the entire team. A lot of shops miss that. If we can learn as a team from that example, rather than isolate that example only to then have three or four other team members encounter the same thing, it moves things along in a more efficient manner.”

Panelists weighed in on the importance of knowing the shop’s numbers. “We all have more total losses than we had in the past and we’re still going about it in historical ways,” observed Dorn. “If you are processing total losses in the same manner in which you had previously, I challenge you to take a look at the extreme administrative burden it puts on your team versus the amount of time it would take to actually repair that vehicle. Take a careful look and see about finding ways to fix that.”

Navigating OEM Certifications

OEM certifications are a serious investment in time and money, so it’s crucial to the health of your business to know what you’re signing up for before diving in. “Rome wasn’t built in a day; it takes years to make sure you have the right equipment and technicians to get certified,” stressed Robert Gruskos (Reliable Automotive Equipment) during “Navigating the OEM Certification Maze.”

The impetus behind OEM certification programs is to ensure safe repairs via manufacturer procedures and tools, and it promotes brand loyalty. “You are an extension of them,” Gruskos explained, stressing that part of the responsibility of being a certified shop is to make sure to provide a good experience for customers. One of the biggest benefits of certification is parts restrictions, which Gruskos says helps control the repair process by ensuring where parts can be sold, forcing certified shops to stay competitive.

Gruskos recommended shops do the research to know their market so they know which brand certifications to pursue. Marketing is also key. He’s seen too many shops get certified only to “not do any marketing whatsoever. They invest hundreds of thousands of dollars and then they don’t let people know about their certification.”

He reminded shop owners that it’s a “team decision” to pursue certification;  everyone in the facility should have an understanding of the requirements.

Want more? Check out the June 2026 issue of Hammer & Dolly!