Autobody News: Mitchell's RepairCenter Provides Solutions for Collision Concepts

Carlsbad, CA, January 17, 2017 (Newswire.com) - ​​Collision Concepts, Inc. in Lincoln, IL, is well-known for embracing the newest equipment, training and repair processes available in the collision industry today. That’s why they are one of the largest and most highly-regarded collision centers in Logan County. When Owner Erv Guyett started the business in 2003, Collision Concepts has always been looking for tools that can make their lives easier while becoming more effective. To do so, they installed Mitchell's RepairCenter back in 2012. 

Guyett did it for a wide range of reasons, he said, but time and distance were really his biggest concerns. "I live 40 miles from my shop, so I can't run back and forth all the time for obvious reasons. I need to be everywhere all the time, and of course, that's not physically possible. I needed a system that was cloud-based so that I could have the control I needed and do everything remotely." 

Guyett was also looking for a company that shared his passion for improving every day, and that's why he embraced Mitchell's RepairCenter. "I wanted to make sure that I was on board with a company that was willing to do the research and development to help me to run my business right. We see a web-based update from Mitchell every 6-8 weeks, which shows that they are always trying to make their product better, which is our goal as well."

Collision Concepts has every product that Mitchell makes available to a body shop, and that's why almost every aspect of its production depends on the system. "It impacts every aspect of our operation," Guyett said. "On the RepairCenter side, that's where we manage parts, customer resources, vendor communications, estimates--you name it. Mitchell’s eClaim feature allows us to retrieve assignments, communicate electronically with the insurance companies and attach images."

The entire team at Collision Concepts runs lean, and much of it can be credited to Mitchell's RepairCenter, Guyett said. "We try to integrate it into our day-to-day workflow as much as we possibly can. For example, we recently introduced the RepairCenter app to our techs. It allows them to manage their own photos on their smart phones, which is essential because we are required to document everything now. Each of our eight technicians use this app to take reference photos and manage them later if needed."

All of Guyett's technicians use Mitchell RepairCenter all day long.  "There are four work stations in the shop where our techs can access the system quickly," he said. "By utilizing Mitchell's TechAdvisor, our techs have access to everything they need---the ROs, all of the related data, the images, the invoices---all at their fingertips. I can check RepairCenter remotely on the status of every car in our shop at any given time. I can see what tech is working on it, if we have all the parts to complete the repair and if we have gotten paid on the vehicle yet--all that information is right there."

In addition to RepairCenter, Guyett also appreciates the company's amazing support. "We've been working closely with Matt Heubner, our Mitchell rep., since day one," he said. "He comes in periodically to introduce a new product or support a function and works with our crew to get us up-to-speed on the new apps and updates. If we want additional training at any point, he is happy to come out here and help. On top of the training, we rely a lot on Mitchell's technical support line because they are 100% accessible and will always respond promptly."

By adding apps through Mitchell RepairCenter's ToolStore, Guyett and his parts people are able to be more effective in their jobs, he said. "Most of the apps they offer are free, and we have taken advantage of a few of them. Anything that I can use to make us more effective is something I want in our production as quickly as possible. For example, they have an ordering app that enables us to order parts directly from LKQ/Keystone. We can see their entire inventory, which makes it easy to locate parts and order them using it."

Guyett also plans to take full advantage of the Mitchell RepairCenter Hub, which is an easy-to-use tool that will enable his entire crew to communicate and collaborate all from one central location. "We recently tried it and we liked it immediately, so we are currently planning to integrate it into our flow," he said. "Hub is built directly into RepairCenter and it appears as an icon on our desktop, telling us how many messages we've received. It's an excellent internal communication tool and it is going to save us time and money because it centralized our notes and makes them easily available to our techs, estimators, front office people--everyone who needs to be in the loop." 

In summary, the thing that Guyett likes best about Mitchell's RepairCenter is its work ethic. "It shows up every day, we don't pay worker's comp on it, and it never calls in sick!"  

Collision Concepts, Inc. 
Location: Lincoln, IL
(217) 735-2100
www.collisionconceptsinc.com 

Company at a Glance:

​Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 15
In business since: 2003
DRP Programs: 5
Locations: 1
Size: 13,500 square feet

Mitchell International, Inc.
6220 Greenwich Street
San Diego, CA 92122
(800) 238-9111
www.mitchell.com 

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Source: Autobody News