But how can a vehicle owner know which shops keep up with the latest repair technology before they see those certifications? The answer may come from the United Kingdom.
In the U.K., the British Standards Institution (BSI) established the Kitemark standard for the collision repair industry to indicate which shops adhere to its rigorous certification standards. The Kitemark standard is well known in the U.K, similar to the Underwriters Laboratories "UL Listed" certification for products in the United States.The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) fulfills the mission of certification of mechanical shops in the U.S., but some have challenged its effectiveness in the collision repair industry. You may be asking, "Isn't that what I-CAR does?" Well yes and no, with the key difference being that Kitemark is a recognized brand by 82 percent of consumers in the U.K. Just as important, the Kitemark logo has become a symbol of trust and respected brand values.
A survey of more than 1,000 U.K. consumers found that of those aware of Kitemark, more than 80 percent believed that they would put greater trust in a product carrying the mark – essentially stating that a product carrying the Kitemark symbol represents higher quality than other brands. There is a noticeable difference between the level of brand recognition that Kitemark has compared to I-CAR. Not many people outside of the collision industry recognize the importance of I-CAR or what it represents. I am not saying that I-CAR does not fulfill a very valid need in the industry because it does. The fact is, it just doesn't have widespread consumer recognition.
We need this type of certification for collision repairers in the U.S. I am surprised that we haven't come up with a consumer-recognized certification for collision repair. With our business overly dependent on word-of-mouth advertising and insurer recommendation, the ability to demonstrate your certifications to potential consumers before they select a repair shop is critical to growing your collision business. Shops that choose to become direct repair shops have a way to distinguish themselves from others when approaching insurance companies.
How does a shop become Kitemark certified? Kitemark addresses the program in the three parts that make up collision repair: man, method and machine. Man ensures that a shop's personnel are fully trained and maintain required competencies. Method ensures that the body shop has demonstrable use of recognized crash repair methods. Machine verifies that repairers have the correct equipment for doing the job and that all equipment is properly calibrated and implemented.
Our industry needs this type of certification in the U.S. With the number of shops shrinking and a reduced number of repairs in the market, competition is increasing. To compete in this market and move forward, shops need a way to stand out to vehicle owners and insurers to show that they have the right stuff to safely repair today's vehicles. Shops need an instantly recognizable, credible way to communicate their expertise in repairing vehicles.
Imagine you are in your local home improvement center looking to buy an appliance for your home, with limited knowledge of appliances. You would certainly appreciate the ability to know that if a certain appliance failed, it could cause a fire and risk your family's safety. So while you are shopping, you find two similar appliances, with the same features. One is "UL Listed" and one is not. Which one would you buy? Can you imagine a vehicle owner choosing their collision repair shop the same way?
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