Belron Is Coming

[glassgeek]

For all of you who don't know who Belron is, You will soon. Belron is the equivalant of Safelite all over the world. If you think steering is bad here, travel to engalnd, NZ Austrila or any other country that Belron is in. They are the worst at drivng repair into replacements. Belron has just purchased thier second US glass company "little red truck" The repair industry better wake up.

Belron also has another US company Its Glass Medic.

Times are a changing

I will keep you posted

[Lee]

Originally Posted by glassgeek

For all of you who don't know who Belron is, You will soon. Belron is the equivalant of Safelite all over the world. If you think steering is bad here, travel to engalnd, NZ Austrila or any other country that Belron is in. They are the worst at drivng repair into replacements. Belron has just purchased thier second US glass company "little red truck" The repair industry better wake up.

Belron also has another US company Its Glass Medic.

Times are a changing

I will keep you posted

For all of you who don't know who Belron is, You will soon. Belron is the equivalent of Safelite all over the world. If you think steering is bad here, travel to England, NZ Austria/ Australia or any other country that Belron is in. They are the worst at driving repair into replacements. Belron has just purchased their second US glass company "little red truck" The repair industry better wake up.

Belron also has another US company Its Glass Medic.

Times are a changing

I will keep you posted

I'm no English major either. What I do is copy my posts before I submit it and put it into write mail. They have spell check there.

[sunshine wr]

I didn;t no this is a spelling be an gramar form i b more careful next time,

[Lee]

We all strive to reach a certain level of intelligence. You have obviously reached yours. If your going to do something, why not do it right?

[Delta Kits]

Originally Posted by Lee

If your going to do something, why not do it right?

Lee,

Don't you mean "If you're going to do something, why not do it right?'



Seriously, enough.

To everyone:
There is no spelling requirement for this forum. There is, however, a requirement to be professional and not put down fellow members.

Any further posts from anyone even bordering on putting down other members will be deleted and their posting privileges revoked.

[John62]

Belron.
Free enterprise.
Well, where to start?
I will try not to cut corners, at the same time, you all need to understand what is coming towards you guys. I'm sorry to say that it's no good at all.
You all should be wary for Belron indeed.

If you think you've experienced problems with Safelite, you couldn't be more wrong. Safelite is a softy! Belron is though, unfair and monopolizing the autoglass markets on a global scale. Their Modus Operandi is dangerous for your current operation.
Belron will simply ''buy'' their way into your markets.
And not in a fair way, by offering the best possible quality at fair prices.
Look what they've done in Europe where most smaller, local working, businesses are ruled out by Belron.
Or where Belron companies have arranged special ''benefits'' for insurers using the Belron services. The insurance companies simply steer the car owners to Belron, even though they know it's against the European Laws. Or one ends up at a call centre ..... owned by Belron ... where it is pretended that it is the insurance company (like Safelite call centers).
The Belron ''steering'' manners are simply ''criminal'' but they get away with it.

Where do you want to be with your current business in ten years from today? You guys, better start to act together. Stop being a rival to your neighbouring repair company. Forget your worries, because they will show to be pathetic once you know what will gonna happen.

At this moment in time; you still have enough opportunities to come together and create a large nationwide service network. You need volume to become a relevant supplier for the insurance industry. I'm sure that Belron already has started to communicate with the most relevant N.A. insurance- and leasing companies. It would not surprise me at all, if the very first contracts are signed already or will be signed soon. If you don't unite and act as one nationwide organization, you might as well close your business today.
Learn lessons from the past. In every Belron market, Europe for example, the same thing happened in the recent past. Smaller windshield repair operations kept on competing with each other, instead of all together against Belron.
Belron simply wiped out many vendors and became market leader within a few years.

They have made the very first steps now and they will continue to expand.
Just by taking over established companies all over North America.
Belron never accepts only a second place in the market, they ''go for gold''.

I'm sure some European Windshield Repair Forum Friends can tell you more.

Lee is right, Glass Medic is also a Belron company.
So is Standard Autoglas in Canada.

Is this drama? Is this personal? No its not. It's facts only.
You should be wary of this development.
Act now, it is not to late -yet. Fight Belron together.
Establish a real Pan-American service network.
Offer insurance companies fair rates and the best possible services.
If you do not know how, we will remain to be at your disposal.

Keep this posting, and read it again in ten, or even five, years from today.

[Repair1]

I don’t think we will have to worry about Belron advertising repairs for $9.95 like the local independents do here. These are the guys we need to worry about they cut the prices to nothing, killing each other. Then who comes in and takes over the Belrons of the world. I think the best thing that could be done is the independents start working together unite, wait I think I’m dreaming. Independents work together it will never happen all they care about is how to screw the next guy out of a job no matter what the cost is.

[John62]

Hi Brian,
No, I did not mean ''all'' local independents should work together, that would be a dream if not impossible right? No, what you want is to team up with local guys who share the same thoughts and are willing and able to invest and keep to the agreed modus operandi. Believe it or not; we know Belron best as we dealt with them for more than ten years. It is a very bad development and a real threat for smaller operations in the US.
Unite or die.
Sorry to put it that hard, but it will turn out to be the truth in time, but then it's to late.

[Repair1]

John,

I think it's already to late. Years ago when the networks was just starting we tried to form a local association it died quick it was a joke.
The sad part of this business is there is so much animosity towards each other. Have you ever sat in a room with your local competition seen how everybody acts it’s a shame… Then you see how the big guys work they act like professionals maybe that’s the key. I’ve never seen a national rep from any company sit there an argue with there competition and there customer in the same room. But I’ve seen an independent do it, more than once. It’s that independent attitude they’re always the kings no matter what. Know one wants to work together if some of the guys would just realize as a group we would be much stronger. I’ve been in this business a long time I would love to see a local group work together I just don’t. Maybe the new generation will see the damage that has been done. I wouldn’t hold my breath..

[repare-brise]

And they hit hard and below the belt! One of the largest insurance companies here in Quebec sent $40,000,000 to belron last year, the reason they sent ti to them was that at the end of the year they got a $5,000,000 thank you note in the christmas card! Here they own 2 companies, Lebeau and Vitroplus. They even provide an inspection service for the insurance companies for when customers purchase a new(used )car, this service insures that the insured doesn't screw the insurance co out of a WS. Here they also run a call center for the insurance co's, not only do they force us to charge there asking price, but add $50 to the bill before sending it to the insurance co.

They can however be played with, but as others have said, quit the school yard squibbles, this is our home team against theres(and they are much bigger than we are) and as we know in the end of the film the underdog's alway's win, get the girl, and the cool car to boot(we have to dream a little). The best solution is to form a co-operative of independant WS professionals that are self policing as to technical competance, ethics, pricing, and professionalism

The way I have(along with my franchisee's) started against them is suttle(we all know they are monitoring this right?) but effective. Yes they try for the monopoly, but they don't always get what they want. We have managed to get a few indipendant(regional) insurance companies to use us as they first response team(we do only repairs, and only mobile), if the Ws is not repairable then we refer the customer for a replacement. We also engage without shame in steering practices, we steer the customer away from making a claim(last fiscal year I did 1200+ repairs with only 33 claims), this has the insurance brokers giving our cards to there customers.

I know that this next point will encite a little contoversy, but we are all allowed our opinion. State Farm is on the right track with there experimental policy of the WS being a commun wear part on a car. The positive effects of this for us is now the customer pays from his/her own pocket. No call centers=no steering. Also it has the effect that the customer will not wait for the Ws to crack out before repairing(a commun practice).

Merci

PS I know my spelling and grammer are not up to snuff, but all the programs on my computer are in french(spell check freaks out when I give it an english text), so I must rely on my english as a second langusge skills to compose in english.