Windshield Repair Forum

Fact; most, if not all, committee members will almost always follow their own political agenda. Many members do not join such a committee for the betterment of our industry in general, they are there to defend their own interests, and will attempt to bend and flex the rules in their own favour and benefit. It is an open nerve, I realize, but this is how I see it and, from what I have learned over the past years (by attending NWRA and other meetings) many other people in our industry with me. Point is; I am not all that pleased with the way the NWRA has been shaped, but we still join and support them. And unfortunately I have to admit that some things could have done better for us -the repair guys. I too would like to see the NWRA for repair only guys only, and to kick out the Belron-like companies. But that is not going to happen -I think. Now, would that mean that the NWRA became obsolete? No, certainly not. It is always better to join, support and vote, than not joining, supporting and not voting. Complaining is just too easy, and indeed nothing will ever change that way.

Hi Blind Squirrel, my reply was NOT personal, if it was, I would have been so kind to PM you.

Thanks Frank, You being in the EU gives everyone a real understanding of Belron

So everyone understands, the NWRA has been a bit of a lame duck as the president of the NWRA is the president of a Belron company! Glass Medic. Not to say that that could influence change at the NWRA but also consider that NWRA has had two board members that were employed by Belron, one from Safelite and one from Glass Medic. That is changing this year.

I think there is real change coming to the NWRA. It should have happened years ago, it was not until this year that change is possible. A few years ago several long time NWRA supporters jumped ship and moved to the NGA. I believe this was attempted to destroy the NWRA, it almost worked. Why would the NGA create its own repair committee? The NGA was partnered with the NWRA on the Standard.

I would hope that all involved in repair will take note of the real threats that are around the corner. We that rely on repair as a primary source of income better wake up. Repair can exist with replacement but do not be fooled for a minute. As the economics of the glass industry are changing, Repair threatens the livelihoods of those that resist giving repair the value it deserves. Like it or not, the real patriots of repair regardless of the flag they fly are in this together.

One last thing, There is an ANSI initiative being vetted right now that is a bigger threat to repair. The Glass industry and SAE is behind it. If you think we have problems now...... Call Mark Gold @ Solutia. One of the largest PVB manufactures in the world.

Now is the time to become an NWRA

Frank EU wrote:One last thing, There is an ANSI initiative being vetted right now that is a bigger threat to repair. The Glass industry and SAE is behind it. If you think we have problems now...... Call Mark Gold @ Solutia. One of the largest PVB manufactures in the world.

GlassGeek, an interesting reply. Why would we all call that poor man there, he will probably not be all that pleased if we all would do that. You seem to have that information, may I therefore suggest you to share it with us here on the board?

glassgeek,

How about filling out your profile so everyone on the forum knows your dog in the fight? I think everyone would be interested in your background.

There is no question that personal agendas run rampant in every trade organization, which is exactly why I am always trying to get the individual technicians involved. I have to tell you though, from what I have seen certain manufacturers push their personal agendas far more than the larger companies. When sitting around a table with board members or committee members it's not the big guys who are the most unreasonable.

Delta Kits is a member of the NWRA and the NGA in hopes of representing the average windshield repair technician. Our only agenda is to keep over regulation from putting all of you out of business. I am not for limiting the number of windshield repair suppliers that you have to choose from, and I am not for limiting windshield repair to only those who agree with either the NGA or the NWRA. However, since these organizations exist, and since they are both trying to regulate the industry, I sure would like to see more independent windshield repair technicians get involved. As SGT said, posting your complaints here is not going to do you a bit of good. The only way to make your voice heard is to get involved.

Blind Squirrel,

Trust me, I am often just as frustrated as you are, and sometimes feel like I am beating my head against the wall when trying to talk common sense with some of our industry "leaders". I think about dropping out of our trade organizations all the time, but feel like if I do there will be one less person sticking up for the independent windshield repair technician. Personally I would like to see the NWRA board of directors made up primarily of independent repair only technicians, but there just is not much interest from the repair only crowd. I would also like to see some repair only guys on the NGA NWRC, but again, very little interest has been shown from that part of the industry. It takes time, money, energy, and a great deal of patience to get involved, and most of us fall short in one or more of these areas. I often fall short in all of those areas!

I'm pretty sure I can tell you how that poll would turn out. I'm not on the NWRA board, but I am an NWRA member so and I don't mind asking the question. That's an important issue to every windshield repair and/or replacement company regardless of size. I can also suggest that as a topic for the NWRC to discuss in 2009. I have to tell you though, the issue has been brought up in the past, and although I don't want to stick my neck out too far, I would say that the NGA, the NWRA, and the IGA, have all tried to get insurance companies to do something about that problem.

I always find that it's much easier to get your point across if you can offer a solution to a problem rather than just point out a problem that everyone already knows exists. Do you have a proposed solution to the problem? I'm quite serious when I ask this question as I've thought about this quite a bit, and I can understand why the insurance companies doesn't think they should pay for a job that does not get done any more than you do. As you know, customers will often give you a description over the telephone that is not even close to what the break looks like when you arrive on the job. I think I would ask the customer to snap a photo with their cell phone and have them send it to you. It's not a perfect solution, but it's a start and it might save you a few trips if the break is obviously unrepairable. Of course you will run into a few customers like me who aren't smart enough to know how to do that, but we are a rapidly vanishing breed, kind of like dinosaurs.

I think you are on the right track with this issue. It's a problem, it's important, and we can all agree on that, so that is the kind of issue we should be focusing on. I think far too much time is spent on trying to regulate things that most technicians don't think need to be regulated. I always try to point out that if what "our" associations are doing is unpopular with the majority of the industry it is not the direction we should be going, but if we stick to issues that all of us agree is a problem we might be able to get a lot more accomplished. I try to get board members and committee members to listen to the concerns that are voiced on this forum over and over again, but just as you said Blind Squirrel, personal agendas often get in the way. That said, there are some decent level headed people out there that really do care, just not enough who have actually made their living repairing windshields, and only repairing windshields. Nothing is going to change unless we get more repair only people involved.

I really find myself in a difficult position as I agree with you that our industry associations need to do more for their members, but with limited funds and limited interest in leadership it's very difficult to get anything done. That's not an excuse, just a reality. A few people always end up doing all the work and weather I agree with them or not I have to applaud them for the time the commit.

For some reason, when I try to post information regarding ROLAGS and the harm the NGA could be doing to the independent repair company, it gets deleted. 3 Times

It appears to me that there should be a mfg's association that offers hope to the Independent. I can tell you that the NGA has bigger aspirations. Consider an association that is funded entirely by the people that stand to benefit from selling glass. You don’t want to know what the NGA says and does it the dark! Do you really think the NGA is a repair friendly association? WSR lemmings walking over the cliff. Let’s see all legitimate manufactures meet on even ground putting their own interest aside. and support a new NWRA. Let’s see the NWRA start to stand up for the independent first and the NGA and Belron second. let’s be a force the replacement industry must deal with and not use as a harvesting tool for replacements. Repair is a dam good concept that needs to grow up and be proud!!

As far as my identity, at this time it would be best to remain anonymous, but I will say I oversee an operation that completes 500 quality repairs every week! Repair only no bull!
Maybe next year I can uncloak with out fear of being sent to exile island!

"lemmings will reach a cliff overlooking the ocean. They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff and start swimming, sometimes to exhaustion and death. Lemmings are also often pushed into the sea as more and more lemmings arrive at the shore."

um sure you do
Im not sure why I should care what Rolags says or the leader of the local Boy scout troup for that matter

GlassStarz wrote: You don’t want to know what the NGA says and does in the dark!

I do not think that any genuine Repair Only tech will ever have reasons to trust organizations where the big money companies are active members and involved in commitees etc. be that organization NGA or not -it does not matter. And that is for good reasons. But if you drop something here on the board, like quoted above, well, I for one would certainly like to know what's been said. Facts' that is all what we all need. It is obvious that the glass industry (the replacers) will do anything to defend their ''right'' to keep on replacing the way they used to do for decades. To change an attitude is a very difficult thing to do. To ''take away'' their big money is even more difficult. The public (customers) have to see and understand why they should NOT go to ''one stop shops'' and why it would be better to see a repair only tech first. In addition to that, it maybe time for the government to step in. And consumer organizations along with the ''green'' movement. They are all for green -including most customers. So are we.
The ONE thing is; we, being the minor tiny little repair only techs.....are NOT properly organized. Without some form of organization, we can keep on complaining, but nothing will ever happen in our benefit >things will only get worse.