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by Jay Perry
13 April, 2009
Come out to the show
Learn, Communicate, Listen, Network
I have always said that business is a process not a destination or a position to arrive at. It requires that all involved look at the way we do business from the perspective of “How can we do today better than we did it yesterday?”
I believe that our focus has been brought to this issue like a laser beam with all of the challenges we have and are facing at this point in time. When we are asked to examine how we do business with, and how we treat our business partners by State Farm, and extend to them the same advantages we formerly were not required to; it causes pause. When the labour force starts to defect to other industries that will pay more for their time and labour than we can pay; it causes pain. When former “business partners” drop long-standing relationships like hot potatoes in their vendor list downsizing efforts; it causes confusion and pain. When the claims frequency continues to plummet; it causes anxiety. When the industry is undergoing an effort to improve itself and become recognized through an accreditation program; it causes discord and debate.
Those truly involved and totally committed to the industry and their business are searching for answers to these questions. They understand that ALL industries go through the things that ours is going through as they mature. Look back at steel, banking, manufacturing, plastics, physicians, computers, lawyers, accounting, fuel, insurance, schools – absolutely every industry that has been formed has had to go through steps of gaining sophistication through development. They go through the growing pains of elevation to professional levels of the legitimization of the profession, the education required, and the minimum investment for participation as well as the processes of consolidation within their respective industry.
Ultimately they arrive at the point where they are once again faced with challenges such as disruptive technology (remember typewriters), new competition (the Chinese entering the world manufacturing marketplace) and other hosts of what could be considered problems. How do they respond? With determination and commitment to becoming better than they have been. They embrace the concept of Continuous Improvement. Look at what manufacturing has gone through over the past century and a half. They have come out of the cottages into factories. They have wrestled with worker displacement by machinery. They have endured Deming and other efficiency experts increasing production output, further displacing workers and dehumanizing some aspects of working conditions (think monotonous assembly lines). Then they started to feel the consolidation effort wherein companies’ absorbed (or cannibalized) competitors, bringing economies of scale to the supply chain and those pressures as well as further worker displacement. Legislation and peer pressure comes to bear at some point within this journey as professional accreditation becomes required.
 Just when they thought things would settle down, along comes Lean Manufacturing, 6-Sigma, 5S and a whole other level of performance pressure. Does all of this sound familiar? It should. We are in it for ourselves as an industry. So what are you, Joe Average – just want to make a decent living - to do? Get involved, that’s what. The worlds’ largest exposition for the industry is descending upon us. If you look at the agenda, you will find so many helpful seminars, main stage programs as well as an unprecedented venue for networking with both your Canadian peer group as well as our American industry brotherhood. The manufacturers, paint companies, information providers, tool manufacturers and distributors will be there. The associations working to help our industry will be there. Look for the letters like SCRS, NABC, CIC, CIECA. Insurance companies will be there as well. What better opportunity to network internationally?
Domestically, we have plenty of opportunity to participate profitably in what is going on. It takes an open mind willing to listen to others that are willing to speak in an effort to help you. You can find them at CCIF, area association meetings and even coffee shops, if you offer to take someone you admire out for a chat. I have not met any truly successful individuals in this trade that would turn down a sincere invitation to share their knowledge. Good people abound in this industry. Open your mind and your eyes and you will become the one who’s driving.
Jay Perry is Founder & CEO of Automotive Business Consultants, a firm dedicated to the enhancement of automotive based business performance. He can be reached by email at jayperry@a-b-c-inc.com
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