SCRS Open Board Meeting Discussions Inspire, Advocate and Offer Resolutions 

by Alana Quartuccio

There is undeniable power in numbers, but the impact of being immersed in a group of like-minded folks can go so much deeper when the shared passion actually creates a shatterproof community of visionaries who strive to make a better industry for all.

That mindset is shared by the members of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), who work day in and day out to not only tackle the hardest challenges collision repairers face, but also strive to provide solutions on behalf of consumer advocacy and small business owners.

The jam-packed agenda for SCRS’ Open Board Meeting in Charlotte, NC featured an engaging panel discussion with members of the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI), Board elections, insights into AI and online marketing, association updates and more.

NCDOI Commissioner Mike Causey made it clear to the SCRS audience that the department is there to listen to their complaints because the more issues and challenges they are aware of, the more they can do to try to rectify the problems the auto body community faces.

“We’re not lawmakers, we’re regulators,” Causey stressed. Joined by NCDOI Analyst Belinda Harris and Regional Director Mike LaBrose, they encouraged collision repairers to create relationships with their local legislators to try to bring about positive change on behalf of consumer safety in their own states.

Harris explained that the NCDOI is there to help them make complaints against insurance companies; however, shops can’t make complaints for the consumer. While the department can’t establish who was negligent or at fault, the value of a claim or the amount of the money to the shop, or the facts surrounding the claim or facts about any other related disagreements, the department can forward a copy of the complaint to the insurance company and require them to respond. They can also require an insurance company to take corrective action, review the insurer’s response for compliance with North Carolina statutes, help understand the insurance policy and recommend courses of action a shop can take to resolve the problem if the department does not have regulatory action to do so.

“The contract is between the insurance company and the policyholder so the policyholder must be the one who files the complaint,” Causey elucidated. LaBrose pointed out that policyholders don’t always have the information they need to file complaints and “that’s where you can help them establish those documents. The more information we have, the better we can assist them.”

North Carolina is one of only 11 states in the country that elects their DOI commissioner as opposed to the position being appointed by the governor. Causey has found that in states that elect their commissioner, the consumers are better served. “There are a lot of bad actors out there; there’s a lot of fraud and we need your help to go after them.”

SCRS Chairman Michael Bradshaw referenced some alarming trends insurance companies have been rolling out which ultimately hurt the consumer during a Q&A following the NCDOI presentation. “State Farm is reviewing performance based on metrics in the claim review process. They essentially designed a centralized mechanism for punishing appraisers for doing the right thing.” He challenged the department’s reasoning for not allowing shops to file complaints. “It’s as though I saw someone getting robbed, went to the police department only to be told I can’t report that robbery because I’m not the victim,” Bradshaw illustrated. “We are the ones with daily access to this conduct.”

Causey reiterated that the only way to hold insurance companies accountable is to work with state legislators to change laws. “We have to have the legal authority based on our state statutes in order to take action. It always comes back to the contract which is between the insurance company and the policyholder.”

Prior to the NCDOI discussion, the SCRS Education Committee invited Garrett Zafuto (Sokal) to provide insight on how shops can use AI to their advantage.”If we don’t figure out how to use these tools, we might be leaving money on the table,” Zafuto suggested.

He offered considerations for how businesses can make the best use of search engine optimization (SEO) to comply with the way AI processes information on the web. AI is enhancing traditional search, but it’s not replacing it so SEO best practices are still key. Posting short and easily digestible content to one’s website is most compatible with AI, according to Zafuto. Content posted in a question and answer format is ideal to AI search engines; therefore a dedicated FAQ page with information geared toward consumers’ biggest needs would be ideal. Google reviews still go very far, according to Zafuto, who encouraged shop owners to get their teams on board in generating more online reviews.

SCRS’ member benefits continue to flourish, helping member businesses across the country give their employees affordable health and retirement benefit options. Scott Broadus (Irongate Capital) reported on the growth of SCRS’ 401(k) program. Today, the plan has more than 1,000 participants; the more involved, the larger cost savings.

Fred Langenfield (Decisely) reported the healthcare program has grown 194 percent since it was introduced five years ago. The program is currently in 29 states, made available to over 3,800 employees with 1,900 enrolled and 970 dependents. Offering good healthcare and retirement benefits is a huge retention tool, especially in this industry, he stressed.

Recognizing the need for the growing ADAS segment of the industry, SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg announced SCRS is working to develop a mechanism so this sector can surround themselves with their peers and be a separate voice to reflect their initiatives.

Pat Blech (OEC) provided a sneak preview of the Estimate IQ upgrade of the Blueprint Optimization Tool (BOT) in advance of live demos that were conducted at the SCRS booth during the Southeast Collision Conference later that week.

SCRS’ Spring Board meeting also involved the re-election of standing board members Tony Adams (LeadersWay), Andrew Batenhorst (Pacific Collision Center; CA) and Michael Giarrizzo Jr. (DCR Systems). New Board member John Picciano (Flower Hill Auto Body; NY) was elected to the fourth open seat.

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