Shop Profile: Global Collision Centers

Established in 2003 and providing “obsessive customer care from a Ford to a Ferrari,” Colorado’s Global Collision Centers opened its ninth location in March.

Recognized as the fastest-growing independent multi-shop operation in the state, the company’s view that “we are only as good as our last repair” embodies a philosophy of “continual vigilance and commitment to perfect every aspect of the business from the first customer contact through delivery,” according to Alan Gomez, general manager of the 43-bay Boulder branch.

“When I see a customer walk in completely stressed and then I see the worry melt off them as we demonstrate we will take care of everything,” says Gomez, “that’s still the best feeling.”

ormerly a sergeant with the 82nd Airborne who served in Iraq with Operation Desert Storm and the Joint Endeavor mission in Bosnia, Gomez points out that his military training brings added value to his management duties at the shop. “In the Army, you learn about leadership, responsibility, showing initiative, following procedure and working well under pressure. Those are all skills that transfer well to the collision repair industry.”

Running an automotive service facility “in one of the most highly health and environmentally conscious communities in the U.S.,” Gomez takes seriously his goal of making his operation “the greenest in Colorado – if not the nation.” The shop was recently recognized with the state’s highest environmental accolade as part of the Colorado Department of Health and Environment’s Environmental Leadership Program for reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions via its conversion to waterborne paints. The company is also a member of Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE).

The Boulder shop was purchased by the company in 2006, and since then it has more than doubled in size due in part to a large increase in direct repair program (DRP) traffic. The facility has two new Garmat 3000 downdraft waterborne paint booths and is being further upgraded to include an aluminum clean room.

Gomez, who joined the firm as an estimator in 2007 and quickly moved up through the ranks, is part of a team working on an Environmental Management System being rolled out across all nine of the locations. He also manages pilot programs for a number of other company-wide initiatives. Based on his own experience, and supported by corporate policy, Gomez says he looks favorably on former armed forces applicants and is proud to assist in their transition back to civilian life.

In addition to recruiting veterans, “We have developed strong relationships with local tech and training colleges and regularly invite their trainers and students to visit our facilities and discuss our hiring needs,” he reports. “We also run regular hiring open days and advertise positions in the trade press and online. To attract and retain the best people, we also ensure that our pay and benefits are highly competitive.”

The company maintains a close relationship with the Thatcham Motor Insurance Research Centre in the United Kingdom, having sent several employees for training at its Thatcham Automotive Academy, which Gomez describes as “the most rigorous auto body training school in the world.”

CFO Tim Bator notes that key components of the hiring process include “recruiting employees who have the skills and commitment to work to the quality standards we expect and retaining employees for as long as possible to maximize the return we get on our investment in their training and development. We have numerous incentives and benefits in place to facilitate these efforts and work closely with employees and local tech schools and training colleges, but the industry is still very mobile and the on-the-job learning curve is steep.”

Management is wholly convinced of the value of manufacturer certifications. “Certifications give us the inside track on brand-specific training and technology. They offer customers greater security and often additional benefits like free towing,” says Marketing Director Liza Milijasevic, adding that the company’s amount of European and performance car certifications is unrivalled in the Rocky Mountain Region. It currently holds 11 repair certifications from Nissan, Volkswagen, Porsche, Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover/Range Rover, General Motors, Honda, Chrysler and Tesla.

Above and beyond
Out on the shop floor, a team approach to teardown substantially improves cycle time and ensures that parts are ordered at the earliest possible stage, along with providing accurate estimates.

Cycle time is additionally reduced with a “flow line” shop design, invented by CEO George Lilley for his original shops in the UK, which locates the paint booth at the center of operations.

Gomez counts Lilley among his key industry mentors. “George’s unwavering commitment to ‘Right First Time’ quality guides my work and that of all Global Collision employees,” he says.

“Global Collision is a true learning organization; fully committed to the continuing education of all employees,” says Milijasevic. “Employees’ safety and job satisfaction is paramount, and they are incentivized financially as well as with specialized training and a commitment to career promotion from within. Training plays a key role in ensuring employees can deliver Global Collision quality and gain manufacturer certifications. We have a full-time training manager who sets training goals related to business priorities and changing technology. He pinpoints knowledge gaps and helps employees to select and schedule appropriate courses.”

Along with tapping training expertise through I-CAR and ASE, the company embraces educational opportunities offered by OEMs and vendors. “Our senior team understands that employees in this profession can be under a high level of stress and require empathy as much as customers,” Milijasevic says. “By showing understanding and commitment to our employees, Global Collision inspires loyalty and commitment from them. This translates to people who are prepared to go above and beyond to deliver promised results to our customers and alliance partners.”

The general managers meet monthly to fine-tune quality controls and discuss best practices in customer relations, she reports. “A ‘one call books all’ call center offers statewide customer convenience. Customers are contacted as they prefer – phone, email, text – and internal customer surveys complement those of insurance companies.”

Gomez describes a “high comfort” paperless greeting procedure for customers that has recently been implemented. “On arrival, they are welcomed by a customer coordinator who is trained to defuse any stress from the accident and convey that we will ‘handle it from here.’ At delivery, the estimator and customer coordinator are both present as points of contact to ensure a personal touch and that the customer is fully thrilled with the repairs.”

‘Easy and pleasurable’
The company participates in more than 20 DRPs. “We try to make it as easy and pleasurable as possible for them to work with us. Two of our senior executives act as DRP contacts for all our facilities and are always available to answer DRP questions or deal with any issues,” says Milijasevic.

“Being responsive to DRP needs and requests is a top priority for our senior team and for all our managers, technicians and estimators,” she reports. “We regularly meet with our DRP contacts – either in one of our facilities or our corporate offices – and carry out our own CSI (customer service index) to complement their own CSI surveys. Our marketing department ensures that our insurers are kept up to date with all relevant news through emails, e-newsletters, our own Global Collision magazine and personal phone calls.”

Bator, the CFO, explains that “our growing network is a substantial benefit to our customers and DRPs. It is a huge plus for DRPs to have a single point of contact for collision repair service anywhere in Colorado and for customers to only have to remember one name and number when they have an accident.”

When pondering additional acquisitions, the company leverages the “strong relationships with our DRP insurers, and we also carry out our own demographic research to identify gaps in our network and communities, which have the ingredients to make for a successful Global Collision location based on our knowledge of our most successful existing locations,” says Milijasevic.

Partners and relationships
In discussing parts procurement, Milijasevic declares, “Global Collision does not have suppliers.”

“We have partners,” she elaborates, “companies we can count on to deliver the level of quality we are proud to pass on to our customers and who are committed to a long-term and two-way relationship. A good example would be our relationship with DuPont and its distributor, National Coatings and Supplies. Convinced of the quality of their Standox paint brand, we were among the first shops in Colorado to introduce this premium European waterborne paint and offer our insurance company partners and customers the option of a truly ‘green’ MSO. Our parts philosophy is shaped by various factors including our many manufacturer certifications and individual insurance company policies. Above all, quality is never sacrificed for cost.”

A dedicated marketing department conducts marketplace, media and competitor research; manages agencies; works directly with DRPs, partners and media; creates campaigns and promotions; and writes and manages the content.

“We recognize that collision repair is all about relationships,” Milijasevic observes. “We are also aware that it is vital to develop brand recognition well before an accident situation, as well as offering practical information in an accident. Key brand messages have been identified and targeted marketing vehicles developed,” she adds, citing an array of advertising initiatives. “There are even tracking banners and YouTube videos on key websites. Recommendation is key, so review sites and social media have obvious value. Our Facebook page offers advice and a human touch.”

Each shop “is a key member of their local community,” according to Milijasevic. “We are Chamber of Commerce members and encourage each store to get involved with schools, charities and sports teams. For instance, our Denver location supports the Concours D’Elegance for Cerebral Palsy and CEO George Lilley judges the technical skills competitions at Warren Tech. We have recently launched a major ‘Don’t text and drive’ campaign, which encourages customers to pledge on our website and at our locations. Global Collision works closely with the YoungLife organization, which inspires ‘at risk’ youth and recently donated a Dodge Caravan to transport members to YoungLife events safely.

Google Analytics has been applied to research into the company website’s audience. “Customers are encouraged to post online reviews and we monitor and respond to their comments promptly,” Milijasevic says. News and content are regularly updated. “We also recently used a form on our website and Facebook page to allow people to nominate deserving families for our Wheels4Heroes car donation program to military families. We have recently invested in a stunning new graphic design style for our printed and electronic materials. The design conveys our commitment to quality and exceptional customer service.”