Seize the Opportunity!

by Kris Burton, WMABA President

It’s SEMA time again, the biggest show of the year. It truly is where the automotive family comes together from all aspects. If you have never been, make this the year to attend! 

With the current industry climate the way it is, I would recommend this would be the most important year to attend. The education classes put on by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) offer you learning opportunities you can take directly back to the shop to make a difference. We, as collision repairers, need to think about diversifying our businesses, and there is no better place to do that than SEMA.

Whether it’s bringing glass work in-house or learning about alignments, PDR or window tint, SEMA is the place to get all the information you could possibly need. There are displays and things to see outside the Las Vegas Convention Center in addition to the halls inside, which are always packed. 

Once you are there, it really is hard to see it all. A little pre-planning goes a long way to ensure you get the most value. The reality in our industry is that business is slower, and there are more and more total losses. We can debate all the different reasons why, but at the end of the day, we need to change and adapt. Whether that means we specialize in certain OEs, look at offering different services or re-train our teams to capture all opportunities – not just what comes through the door and phones – but with our estimates. Following OE repair procedures is a must for our customers. People deserve to have their car repaired like the people who made it say it should be done. We cannot allow an insurance company to dictate what types of repairs they want. The reality is that their intentions are different from ours. We are the repair professionals who invest in training, tooling and in our facilities. We determine our own worth.

The opportunity to start down this path connecting with other shops across the country happens at SEMA The best of the best attend to learn and grow their businesses. We are all in a constant pursuit to improve and grow. These opportunities are out there. It’s time to seize them!

Want more? Check out the November 2025 issue of Hammer & Dolly!