Over the years I have stated that I believe many of the major supplierïs to the detail industry seem to feel they have no obligation to assist detailers with more than technical advise on how to use the chemicals. It is my contention that detailers should demand more from the supplier.

Here is a great piece where a paint company describes what they offer the users of their paints (which are similar to detail chemicals).
Don�t you think detailers should get the same?

As the market for new cars becomes more competitive and complicated, collision repair shops everywhere are looking for new ways to make their businesses more profitable. For many there are great profits to be made and offers an excellent opportunity to provide a valuable service to your customers.

(Paint Company) is a dependable resource for operators looking to build or expand collision repair business or simply looking for ways to run it more profitably. Highly respected for its leadership in the industry, (Paint Company) provides a combination of premium paint products and targeted services that help give customers the advantages they need.

(Paint Company) has operations in 52 countries on five continents and provides paints, finishes and stains for industrial, professional and do-it-your- self applications. For more than 200 years, the company has produced one high gloss, durable finish after another, providing protection and enhancing aesthetics.

"The (Paint Company) brand is known throughout the automotive industry for superior performance and innovative products for collision repair" says the Director of Marketing, (Paint Company). "More than ever, we're committed to providing shops with the products, technology and know-how they need to deliver a quality refinish and operate a profitable business."

Innovative refinish products
(Paint Company) paints are widely regarded as one of the world's premium refinishing system. They introduced the industry's first urethane technology to North America in 1983, and continues to offer what it calls the industry's most advanced and innovative products.

As an example, (Paint Company) recently introduced, a waterborne refinish system, to the California and Canadian markets. This water-based refinish solution addresses the industry's need for a paint system that meets environmental regulations enacted to reduce the amount of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) released into the atmosphere.

The system was first introduced to the European market in 1994. Today, shops throughout Europe are using the system successfully, and collision repair shops in California and Canada are now using the waterborne basecoat with positive results. Many painters say they prefer the easy application, soft blend and brilliant finish.

"Many OEMs are moving toward waterborne coatings, so it's practical to use the same technology for refinishes," says Technical Manager. (Paint Company) will partner with our customers to ensure that moving to waterborne is as smooth as it can be."

The OEM market recognizes the excellence of the (Paint Company) brand. The company has always been very involved in testing to obtain OEM certification, which requires the preparation and testing of thousands of panels and review by OEM engineers. General Motors, Volvo, Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan, Ford and many others have approved the products for car refinishes.

Sophisticated technology
(Paint Company) is known for developing innovative technology like the industry's first computerized formula retrieval systems. Providing on-line access to tens of thousands of the latest car color formulas in (Paint Company) global database. Painters can even use the system to identify color variations that may occur from one manufacturing plant to another, so dealers can deliver a repair that's as close to the original as possible.

Much more than product
But (Paint Company) is more than product - it is people who know the collision repair industry inside and out. Many of the company's professionals have hands-on collision repair experience. From training to business development to facility planning, (Paint Company) offers a selection of programs designed to help make a difference to a shop's bottom line.

(Paint Company) offers the most comprehensive technical training courses for painters in the industry. The skills they learn will help to reduce application errors, decrease paint materials waste and increase daily shop throughput.

Developing more profitable businesses
The (Paint Company) selected business development program is an exclusive offering intended to help customers improve productivity and profitability. First introduced in North American in 1991, it selected offers consulting services, training programs, coaching, networking and incentives. Many shops look to the program to help them stay on top of industry trends and understand current issues.

Through (Brand) selected, (Paint Company) provides the educational support and guidance that shops need to stay on top of a challenging, always changing industry. A wide variety of courses are offered; covering financial management, estimating and selling, marketing, paint materials management, standard operating procedures, human resources, and more.

National and regional performance groups give collision repair shop owners a chance to learn from each other, providing peer-to-peer networking opportunities. Several performance groups are made up exclusively of members from dealer collision repair shops.

Many collision repair shop managers want to know how their financial numbers compare with other shops of the same size - and (Paint Company) e-benchmarking offers an easy-to-use, web-based " comparison system for the industry. By comparing their financial and operational performance to others in the industry, they can prioritize areas of it opportunity and take corrective actions where necessary.

For any shop today, close relationships with insurance companies are critical to successful operations. The Continuing Education for the Insurance Industry program is designed to help improve these relationships. A comprehensive series of courses provides tools for reaching out to insurance agents and facilitating a better understanding of the industry.

Through the (Brand) selected Verified Repair Network, (Paint Company) offers a resource for dealers to locate and provide customers with a reference to a qualified repairer. It's an excellent network for dealers without in-house repair operations. Member shops are constantly evaluated by an objective third party on relevant shop performance metrics; including cycle time, repair quality, customer satisfaction and cost containment, so they can feel confident in providing a referral.

Improving facility design and processes
(Paint Company) also provides consultative services for facility layout and design.

"We help our customers evaluate the requirements and business goals of the shop, then recommend a design that will maximize the potential of the business,says the Facility Planning Manager for (Paint Company). an efficient design can immediately improve productivity, impacting efficiency, throughput, and the bottom line."

Establishing the right procedures and processes can help collision repair shops manage customers better and repair vehicles faster. (Paint Company) business development managers can help the operator shop identify and implement the right changes to make a significant difference in throughput and customer satisfaction. Whether operators are interested in learning more about lean manufacturing principles, the SS concept or standardizing routine procedures, (Paint Company) consultants offer the resources to make these principles work for your business.

Bottom line, an unbeatable combination of product, technology and services makes (Paint Company) an ideal partner for today's dealer collision repair operation.