Windshield Repair Forum

Earlier I posted a question to a proponent of the NWRA concerning their effectiveness in answer to his promotion of same.

Specifically, how any of us benefit from a $150 membership fee and exactly how the NWRA was combating the problems of steering and the lack of realistic tech certification.

I have not yet received an answer to either question.

Is that because there is no progress or impetus toward solving those problems or because the NWRA proponent is on vacation?

I am more than willing to join an organization that will effectively address and deal with those subjects.

And, I am more than willing to be among those who decide that it is time to organize something other than an impotent non- reaction to this present network system controlled by replacement companies and glass manufacturers.

We spend time and effort and advertising costs searching for new business every day.

At the same time, we each lose an average of two to four insurance repairs per day to the two major networks.

I can't help wondering about our priorties.

Desertstar, I completely feel your frustrations I was just thinking about this the other day after reading your earlier post. I too would join the NWRA if they could show me some benefit your right why aren

I don't understand this thinking. The NWRA is already a repair only group. It is made up of volunteers who give their time to help windshield repair techs everywhere.

Don't think they are doing what they should be?

Have any of you actually contacted the NWRA, and told them exactly what you think they SHOULD be doing?

I'm not going to tell you that they are, or are not, doing these things already. That's not the point. The point is, the NWRA is already there, use it. Use the huge amount of time it would take to organize a different group, and use it to help the NWRA.

The NWRA is made up of volunteers who serve on the board, deciding the direction of the organization. Why don't some of you run for a seat on the NWRA board, that way you will have a huge voice into the direction it takes.

Just my 2 cents, it seems to me that, if you think the current system is broken, that you should fix it, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.

Ok, I do have a question mabee some of you guys that are with the NWRA can answer. How many people are signed up with the NWRA? Suppliers and regular repair people? I am curious just how big this orginazation is. Thanks
David
Coitster

Coitster wrote:How many people are signed up with the NWRA? Suppliers and regular repair people?

http://www.netrax.net/~nwra/newpage4.htm

Jeff,

Have you looked at the members list at the NWRA web site ? my guess is that 70% to 80% of them not including manufactures are full blown glass shops . In fact the one and only registered member in my market is the guy that has posted on his pole signs,advertises on the radio and TV

Brian,

Whether the NWRA is, or isn't, effective in it's present form wasn't something I addressed in my post.

My thought on this subject is that the NWRA is not exclusionary. Anyone here can join, pay their $150, and start pushing the organization in the direction they want it to go. Want to take on networks head on? Fine, get a group together here that are all members, and approach board members about it. If, for whatever reason, they were to blow you off, then decide to get one of your own elected to the board. To me, this seems like a much better option than trying to get a separate "NWRA-like" organization. Having two organizations for such a small industry, seems to me would fractionate the industry.

I can understand your feeling, looking at the list of current members, and thinking, "well these are all replacement/repair people, they're not going to get anything done." While I don't agree with that sentiment, I certainly can understand it. The problem is, until enough of you say, "SO WHAT!," and join anyway to push what you feel is right, how is that going to change?

Brian, if you decide right now, enough is enough, i'm going to join the board, and run for a board member position, I think 9 out of 10 people here would support you. You and desertstars and Coitster, and everyone. You all seem to feel like something needs to be done about the networks. Well, who do you expect to do it?

Personally, I think it would be great to get one or more of you guys on the board. You obviously care deeply about windshield repair techs, and would work hard towards bettering everyone.

Repair1 beat me to the punch because he said precisely what I would have said concerning the members of NWRA and the percentage of full-blown glass shops in that organization.

Jeff, as usual, retorted with a well-thought and un-impassioned reply and is a great moderator.

Let me make this clear.

I want to join an organization with NO replacement shops. None. Zero. Nada.

Strictly repair ONLY!

All of my replacements are jobbed out to a three person company who do excellent work. I have used that family business for over three years and have NEVER had one complaint and that is not hyperbole.

As a savvy businessman, I can't deny that I have considered many times over the past 16 years hiring replacement techs to supplement my business. Each time, I have rejected that idea simply because I feel it will compromise my integrity.

I am committed to saving windshields because of the non-renewable and tremendous amount of energy required to produce a new one.

I never want to be put in the position of telling a customer they need to replace a windshield when a repair would suffice simply because I could use another $80 over the $60 for a repair in order to keep my kid in college.

And, that is my point.

I neither need nor do I intend to join any organization that has anything other than repair ONLY shops in their membership.

I don't have the time to steer policy.

When will we learn that the replacement companies are not our friends?

When will we learn that their business philosophy is 180 degrees from ours?

When will we realize that we SAVE fleets and insurance companies money and they COST fleets and insurance companies money?

There ARE intrinsic differences between replacement and repair companies and the NWRA made a mistake from the onset by not recognizing that difference regardless of their 1994 original intentions.

Any poultry farmer knows damned well it's a mistake to allow a fox entry into a henhouse.

In this case, the suggestion seems to be to allow a chicken to entry into a fox den.

Neither alternatives are acceptable to me.

Just give me the opportunity to join either an organization of foxes or an organization of chickens.