Award-winning shop carries on family tradition of teamwork and service

Oct. 6, 2014
Clinching top honors as the 2014 Franchise of the Year, CARSTAR Scola’s Collision Center in Brookfield, Ill., has achieved customer service and production rankings that surpass more than 430 shops in 31 states and 10 Canadian provinces.
Clinching top honors as the 2014 Franchisee of the Year, CARSTAR Scola’s Collision Center in Brookfield, Ill. has achieved customer service and production rankings that surpass more than 430 shops in 31 states and 10 Canadian provinces.

Dean Fisher, the chain’s vice president of operations, says co-owners Luigi and Anthony Scola represent “the best of the best” within the entire organization.

Luigi Scola

“It’s a prestigious award, and I appreciate very much that we’ve earned it,” observes Luigi Scola. He is quick to credit the staff for the shop’s success while also offering accolades for CARSTAR’s proprietary management systems and a steady flow of expert advice.

“It’s a team,” says Scola. After becoming a franchisee in 2003, “we’ve definitely moved forward because of them and our willingness” to embrace the various proven procedures. “It depends on how much you’re willing to do with their processes,” he explains: “Do you want to join the majors or stay in the minors?”

They decided to swing for the fences.

Anthony Scola

“My brother Tony was the one who found out about CARSTAR,” recounts Luigi, who also goes by the name of Lou. “When we took over from our father we were looking to sustain a good business, and we figured CARSTAR would help us in a good way.”

In addition to the franchisor’s EDGE instruction and numerous other collision repair industry training sources, especially from paint supplier BASF, “those two programs combined helped us become more sustainable and efficient,” Scola says, stressing the value achieved by consistently taking advantage of the many available educational opportunities.

“We can produce vehicles faster,” he reports. “We were averaging 300 to 350 hours per week before those processes were implemented. Now we’re averaging between 550 and 600 hours per week of production.”

Each month some 110 to 115 repairs are completed by a staff of 15 people, presenting an attractive go-to referral among the 16 direct repair program (DRP) affiliations and other insurance carriers.

“The insurance companies measure our progress; we have a good cycle time and they recognize us as a good shop, so they feed us more work,” says Scola.

“It’s all related to the EDGE performance process,” he points out. “We instill it in ourselves and our employees, and we have a good amount of long-term employees” who consistently delver a pattern of high performance amid a family atmosphere.

SCOLA's: At A Glance
CARSTAR Scola's Collision Center
Name of shop
Brookfield, Ill.
Location
Luigi and Anthony Scola
Owners
1
Number of shops
24
Years in business
15
Number of employees
16
Number of DRPs
6.6 days
Average cycle time
6 per day
Average number of vehicles repaired
8,750
Square footage of shop
38
Number of bays
BASF
Paint supplier
CCC/Mitchell
Estimating systems
Chief, Brewco
Frame machines used
$2.8 million
Annual gross revenue
www.carstar.com/store/carstar-scolas-collision-ctr-brookfield-illinois

Team players
“Everyone gets along together. It’s like a baseball team – if everyone plays together we can win. We expect our employees to treat people like they would like to be treated and to treat everyone as if they were part of our family,” says Scola, emphasizing the home runs that any business can hit when it adheres to an established set of procedures coupled with the flexibility of shifting strategies when new techniques are brought into the field.

“We replace people who don’t follow the rules, but we don’t have to do it very often.” When a potential hire is being considered, “I do some pretty extreme screening,” he notes.

“The first thing I talk about with a candidate is that we work in a team concept here. You have to be willing to learn and work well with other people.” If someone appears to be lacking in this team-player concept or seems to be set in his or her ways, “I recognize that right away,” says Scola.

Scola recruited lead estimator Justin Jernstad, impressed by his mechanical background from working with his father for 13 years and then gaining estimating skills at a Buick dealership. Jernstad also serves as youth minister at a local church, where he counsels young adults who have experienced tragedies in their lives.

Customer service representative Erica Rivera has been with the shop for nine years. Admiring her ability to be both “spontaneous and prompt,” Scola marvels at how “she will always answer the phone with a smile and be courteous. Erica will follow through with every request and makes sure that it is taken care of for all our customers.”

The Scolas feel that good pay and benefits are key factors in maintaining loyalty, as is the issuing of awards for workplace accomplishments.

Fit, form and function
“Everything in the shop is 5S,” according to Scola, referring to the 5S Lean Process that originated with manufacturing executives in Japan – most notably applied in the auto industry by Toyota – following World War II. Also known as Kaizen, it involves the pursuit of continuous improvement, roughly translating as sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. It aims to reduce waste and streamline operations to ultimately increase efficiency and productivity.

“Every piece we use has a specific place in the shop that has been chosen by the team members themselves. They’re marked off with pictures and there’s yellow and black paint on the floor.”

A steady flow of parts, materials and other repair elements is kept up to date and accurate. “We have over 30 parts carts, and the carts are brought out to the vehicles so they’re not looking for materials all the time. We try to keep the employees working in their stalls at all times,” Scola explains.

Efforts are made to avoid the fit, form and function difficulties that can arise with insurance-mandated aftermarket parts. Lou and Tony pride themselves on the arrangements they have negotiated with key suppliers.

“We have several dealerships that provide OEM parts at aftermarket prices. The dealerships don’t want to lose business to the aftermarket companies, so they’re willing to do it,” according to Scola.

“It creates a better product for the customer. People are happy and they come back,” he points out.

“We have aggressive marketing,” says Scola. A full-time sales representative is daily making calls on insurance agents, fleet managers and other potential customers.

Community involvement Scola serves as chairman of the Chicagoland Business Group, which represents 15 franchises throughout the region. In 2013 the organization netted CARSTAR’s company-wide Business Group of the Year Award.

Repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals have long been an important aspect of the shop’s business model, along with an ongoing commitment to civic involvement and reaching out to those who are less fortunate.

“We believe in charity,” Scola declares. “We’ve gotten a lot of feedback and we get customers who say, ‘We’ve heard of you,”’ he notes. But that is not why they do it; the entire Scola family has a firm belief in giving back to their community – the networking is merely an added benefit.

The shop has given away refurbished vehicles to deserving recipients through the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides Program and the Farmers Rides for Success Program.

Support is provided to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, SkillsUSA and the McDonald’s Foundation for Children along with heavy involvement in numerous Brookfield events and festivals.

Participating in a local scholarship drive has attracted grateful recognition to the shop as well. “We’re proud to help support Riverside Brookfield High School and help more students be able to attend the school,” says Scola. “As a longtime member this community, it is important to invest in the next generation who will live and work in this area.”

Other civic endeavors include the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis and Rotary.

Listening to advice
Celebrating 24 years in business in November, the shop was established by Lou and Tony’s parents, Fredinando and Natalina Scola. Fredinando had been the body shop manager at Allegra Ford and Joe Rizza Ford before striking out on his own.

Lou’s background includes a stint at Tom Young Auto Body prior to joining the Navy. Upon mustering out of the service he worked for Royal Lincoln Mercury, joining his father in 1991. Tony also arrived at the family business in ’91 following his high school graduation.

“My dad fell ill a few years back, and when he came out (of the hospital) he knew that it was time to step aside. My brother and I purchased the business from my father and mother, and we purchased the building too.”

Fredinando went on to recover from his illness, and he remains a welcome presence to this day. “He likes to have coffee with us and we talk about things,” Scola reports. “”I always listen to my father – I’m 54 years old, but I still take his advice.”

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