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Matt Ebert has always been committed to promoting proper, safe repair. So when given the opportunity to deliver this service to a larger market, he took it. In just six years, the brand has expanded to nearly forty shops in three states. Despite the rapid growth, however, Matt has remained focused on correctly restoring vehicles to their pre-crash condition.

"Our president and CEO Matt Ebert has made it his mission to ensure that every Crash Champions technician is highly trained in collision repair," explained Natalie Zajc, director of marketing. "We work very hard to provide the team with the best equipment available to help promote proper and safe repairs for our customers."

With certification from nearly a dozen automobile manufacturers, Crash Champions understands the importance of dedicating time, training and resources to OEM repairs. The MSO also realizes that continual education on OE requirements is vital to keeping up with rapid advancements in technology and vehicle construction. "Whether it's factory classes or welding and measuring certifications, training is absolutely necessary," said Peter Callaway, director of process and training. "Every single car line and manufacturer has different requirements. Both the technicians and the service advisors must understand how each vehicle should be repaired."

Delivering Peace of Mind

In partnering with General Motors, the largest U.S. automobile manufacturer, Crash Champions invested in the tools and training needed to restore the many GM vehicles they service to their pre-crash condition. That investment provides their customers with peace of mind, since they know a GM-certified team has repaired their vehicle to factory specifications.

Consumers consider OEM certifications when searching for a collision repair facility. So reinforcing why it is essential to bring their vehicles to a GM Collision Repair Network shop is key to the Crash Champions marketing strategy. "Sharing the value of certifications brings a comfort level that's very important," said Peter.

"The GM certification, training and tooling allow us to better position our company with our customers as well as with insurance carriers and dealerships." — Natalie Zajc

According to Natalie, this strategy has paid off, especially for those customers researching several repair facilities before making a selection. "The GM Collision Repair Network creates value and can ultimately help sell the customer on why they should choose us over someone else. The GM certification, training and tooling allow us to better position our company with our customers as well as with insurance carriers and dealerships."

Removing the Guesswork from Estimating

The GM network, along with Mitchell's Integrated Repair Procedures, "is the key to the whole thing," revealed Peter. "The Mitchell Cloud Estimating system puts GM repair procedures at the fingertips of our service advisors. When one selects a component such as a frame rail, an icon appears indicating the necessary repair procedures. This workflow takes the guesswork out of what's needed. It saves us time and money on research while helping to create an accurate repair appraisal. The repair procedures are printed and given to our technicians with the step-by-step process required for the repair. So it's integral to what we do each day."

"Mitchell Integrated Repair Procedures are integral to what we do each day." — Peter Callaway

While being a member of the GM Collision Repair Network gives Crash Champions a competitive advantage, Peter hopes more facilities enroll to help ensure that all General Motors vehicles on the road are properly repaired. "Ultimately, consumer safety is our goal," he said.

Bringing Certified Facilities to New Markets

With all the changes in the industry and their organization, Crash Champions' employees are excited about what is next—including GM's plans to incorporate OnStar referrals to the network in the future. They are also eagerly anticipating expanding throughout the United States and bringing GM-certified facilities to new markets around the country. That said, Natalie explained that they will never lose sight of their overall objective, which is, "to be the best collision repair facility in each of our markets and the first choice for our customers."

Do you have a story about proper and safe repairs as part of the GM Collision Repair Network? Share it with us at OENetworkTeam@mitchell.com.