Asking a few common questions can help steer customers to the right type of auto body shop for their problem:
• Do you have any certified technicians (I-CAR)?
• What’s included in the warranty?
• Do you have samples of previous work to review?
Another good practice is to get a referral from a mechanic who knows others in the auto repair business that perform specialty work. A reliable mechanic can often be trusted to make a good recommendation. Conversely, word-of-mouth referrals can also bring attention to an area’s more notorious service centers.
“Customers also have to watch out for insurance companies that try to steer people to particular shops,” says Scott Yeaman, owner of Yeaman Auto Body, Inc. in Palo Alto, “because some insurance companies gets a special cut rate with certain shops.” Insurance companies expect these shops to do good work, but sometimes the shop is forced to use lower quality parts and other methods to cut costs. Many people simply go to the shop their agents recommend without checking its reputation or knowing if it has special deals with an insurance company. “I’ve heard many stories from customers who were sent to a shop by their insurance company, only to return three or four times and finally give up,” notes Mr. Yeaman.
Also, make sure you don’t let prices and rates alone dictate your choice. If your accident has been a particularly damaging one, the collision repair work is probably going to be expensive. Most people try to cut corners on the money they spend on auto body repairs by going to cheaper mechanics or only asking for partial repair work. But the priority should always be to get your car fixed as correctly as possible. Working on a budget is always advisable, but that doesn’t mean you should cut corners on the quality of the work.
