United we stand

[John62]

Hi Mafsu,
I really respect your contribution and views, but I need to drop some lines.
No it is not a franchise, or it does not have to be like that, but even when it is, could you be so kind to tell me what is wrong with being a franchise? To be organized in a professional network that operates nationwide? To unite and become a professional and major partner for all the relevant players in our markets and industry?
Read my lips mate; The future is for the networks, whether they are franchise or company owned doesn't matter.
If you dislike the idea to join in a network that will operate as described before, don't bother. No hard feelings. But if you would, and you should, then there are always some adjustments to be made in the way you operate currently. With all respect; there is no point in saying that you wanna stay independent while at the same time, the wsr industry is in a big disarray for some time and huge foreign conglomorates like Belron start their operation in the US. A nation that has been known around the globe for its FREE enterprise ..... but that will end soon with companies like Belron.
They will BLOW away the independent guys, whether they have been hard working or not. Again; Safelite is a softy compared with Belron.
Safelite is a POOR and run down organization, compared to Belron.
Swallow your pride and start consider to team up somehow.

[texas jim]

Some how i feel that we will be lead in a direction one way or the other. I see that this business i coming to life or lets just say it,s going to a all new level of commercialism. like the once all to popular mom and pops stores (a thing of the past) so will go the independent wsr operator. yes he or she may make a living but not too many of us really just want to make a living, we did that when we worked for some one else to whom we made lots of money for but took only a fraction of that home. the old 8 to 5 life. I have by reading this form felt the trimmers of the soon to come earth quake called belron! and what we will also see and feel in are profits is the fact that belron will rock the market and then of course will cause a reaction from safelite and others in the market so that too we will no doubt over time notice. put two big dogs in the same cage and nobody gets any sleep. this is a recurring effect we have seen time and again. just watch NYSE and Dow. its going on every day. so if we move on this ideal we may have some lead way and if we set back and wait we will still have to make a move by being forced by the the power of forces in which we have very little control of. I would much prefer it to be on all of our terms and not theirs. now i don't know as much on this business as most of you but have been in a very competitive market most of my working life and know thay have no concern or care when it comes to the little guys(me for instance) thay only will see that all mighty $$$. jim

[GlassStarz]

YUP the sky is falling

[mafsu]

My thoughts exactly

[screenman]

As someone who has been up against Belron or Autoglass as they are known over here I feel I can offer some advice. Stop getting worked up, work off the back of their advertising if they spend a fortune advertising repair it quick, make sure you get there first and do a better job. The only person you need to worry about is yourself, stop putting negative thoughts in your head they will not make you money.

They will offer some of your fleet customers free repair if they let them have all the replacements, be ready with your answers. It is clear they will do less repairs than a repair only tech. I have not yet lost a customer to them when they have tried this and as for repair their quality is very second rate.

Hope this looks alright got a few beers in me.

[jdionne]

Never fear the competition, Always fear delivering poor service.

[texas jim]

Yes i could not agree more. why should we the non franchised and unassociated independent operators even give company's like safelite and or belron any thought at all. I'm certain that when the fleet services and dealers need a repair or repairs done thay look in their phone books and find the nearest independent. and the insurance company's will naturally call us. we would be right up there at the top of their list. and more so safelite and belron with their seven digit semi annual profit margin look to the sky,s and see all that profit falling right down to them. and really wish thay had no franchise and association and would tell you that networking doesn't work. after all there is no strength in numbers. so if we independents were to put together or get into networking, franchises, or become associated in a national or international way it would not help are businesses at all. its just hard for me to think that working together would not be a benefit to my business. its always helped in the past. i think ill keep trying, cant hurt. Oh ill keep an eye on the sky!

[repare-brise]

The sky is not falling, but it's bright and sunny with a clear horizon. This little interuption in our way of doing business should be used to open discussions to elevate the level of professionalism in our industry. Small local independents are just that, small and local. As an example there are mom and pop burger joints everywhere, some are excellent and others are an aquired taste, but close by there is always a Mc Donalds. We all know that McDonalds doen't come close to most of the mom and pop places, but we know that wherever we go it will taste the same, be uniform in quality, and we will be recieved by the same teenager wanting to be employee of the month. When I am on the road and want a sure thing(indegestion?) I can trust that my taste buds will not be excited but they will not be revolted. Without the need for franchises an association can be built with exacting standards, a nationwide warrenty, and a commun logo that can be associated with the independants local marketing(so far I have described the NWRA, but they need to be more aggresive in there approach, appart from people in the industry no one knows what the NWRA is(National Womens Riffle Association?), or what they do. The association has to market to the commun person as well as insurance and fleets, and if all goes well in the next few years we will no longer need the contact with insurance co's(they don't pay to repaint your hood when it's road blasted so why the glass?). Having the NWRA logo on your card at the moment signifies nothing to the commun customer(nor does it to most fleets ect). We need a recognisable symbol that tells the customer they are dealing with a pro, somewhat like mechanics and the ASE certification.

Merci

[John62]

Hi Yvan,
Well spoken. Wow, I couldn't agree more.
We all know, or at least could know, that the changes are there that insurance company's will stop to pay. That will change our industry for the better! After all, it is extremely unhealthy that any industry depends on the funding (subsidizing) of the insurers. The discussion whether the insurers should change the terms or not is not relevant. Its up to them, and them only -not us. They will just not ask us -for good reasons.
I for myself, I am sure that they will stop the wsr industry paying.
And that will need anyone's attention. Because the ones in our industry who are in pain today, will even be in more pain then and are likely to be the first to vanish. Others will remain to be in business -but will find more difficulties. Point is; it is not easy to claim who will be in which section.
Being in business brings some risks, we know that all, but it should not become a gamble. Who wants to gamble on this, please say so and step forward.
Not me. Not because I'm not confident about the quality and opportunities, our own willpower etc.
But I would never gamble. We as an industry, really should unite as a group of companies. There's no harm in co-operation at all.
Whether the ones who unite are called franchisee, licensee, member, etc. is not important.
First we must agree to unite, one of the following steps then is to decide how to proceed.
No one in this great country can stop this from happening -as it will happen.
The only point is; do we want to be on board of a larger service network?
Do we want to work 'as a team', are we willing and ready to change?
We still have some time, but we should go on, not wait.
This is a very dynamic industry where many vendors depend on the insurers' payments, and again; that will stop someday.
To start thinking about teaming up only at that very last moment; as a matter of 'last resort', is a bit shortsighted, in fact it is too late.