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Letter to the Editor
Tuesday July 31
CARSTAR Names Franchisee of the Year at 18th Annual Conference
CARSTAR Franchise Systems, Inc. held its 18th Annual Conference July 15-17, 2007 at the Lake Las Vegas Resort in Henderson, Nevada. More than 500 participants which included CARSTAR independent owners, insurance partners, vendors, and media, joined together to discover the theme – “Stepping Up”.Dick Cross, Chief Executive Officer for CARSTAR called for all of CARSTAR to “Step Up and be the organization that establishes the new standard for collision repair in the minds of consumers and insurers.”
Keynote speakers for the event included John G. Miller, author of "QBQ! – The Question Behind the Question," examining the concept of personal accountability in the workplace, and Dr. Christopher Bart, North America’s leading mission and vision expert.
Break-out sessions included: “The Voice of the Customer” presented by Alex Sun, President of Mitchell International and “Lean Manufacturing – The Theory of Constraints” presented by Kent Carlson, Collision Resources, Inc.
CARSTAR named Collision Clinic CARSTAR of Edmonton, Washington as its 18th Franchisee of the Year. Collision Clinic CARSTAR was chosen from a field of over 270 franchise locations based on its rating across 15 different criteria points ranging from image and appearance to customer service ratings to improvement in financial performance. Bruce Lingle, owner, has been a CARSTAR Franchisee for the past three years. While with CARSTAR his sales and profitability have grown in excess of 20 percent by implementing the CARSTAR systems while at the same time remaining an independent operator. A member of CARSTAR’s Franchise Advisory Board, Bruce Lingle said that he has been, “…re-energized personally and within my business by joining CARSTAR.”
Many of CARSTAR’s National Preferred Vendor Partners exhibited at the onsite Vendor Expo.
“CARSTAR has approximately fifty National Preferred Vendors representing the best solutions in their respective areas in the Industry. These Vendor Partners provide our independent owners with enhanced service and millions of dollars in annual savings” stated Ernie Laky, Assistant Vice President of Purchasing for CARSTAR.
In addition, CARSTAR’s Insurance Department held the fourth annual Insurance Forum in concert with CARSTAR’s Conference. Members of CARSTAR’s Insurance Committee and Advisory Board plus executives from Jaguar-Land Rover and American Honda met with a large contingent of CARSTAR’s insurance partners. The goal for the Forum was to identify ways in which the three segments can become better business partners together.
Brian Kemp of Jaguar-Land Rover UK presented a discussion on the new high strength steels and aluminums. Gary Ledoux of American Honda demonstrated Honda’s latest Dailey Stock Ordering (DSO) program. This is Honda’s most significant parts ordering change in 30 years and focuses directly on improving the efficiency of parts ordering and thus reducing cycle times. Executives from AIG, Amica, California Casualty, Esurance, Hartford, Infinity, Permanent General, and MAP Collision Wheels, Inc. provided a panel breakout session titled: Excelling in Collision Repair.
CARSTAR debuted the CARSTAR Super ‘Stang at this event as well. CARSTAR has partnered with Make-A-Wish in a national alliance to help families with children who have life-threatening diseases. The centerpiece of this partnership is a re-created, authentic 1967 Mustang muscle car with a 462/428 FE stroke power plant and aluminum heads. This car will tour the country through 2008 and be auctioned off in January of 2009 with the proceeds going to Make-A-Wish. To get the ball rolling – specially designed lapel pins exclusive to CARSTAR were sold raising over $2,800 in the opening kick-off event.
Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, CARSTAR is the largest group of independently owned and operated auto body repair shops in North America. The privately held company currently has approximately 270 locations in 27 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and 120 Canadian locations.
©2007 Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT
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