$500

2 0 1 3

I N D U S T R Y presented

P R O F I L E

by

For further information contact Bob Roberts 3550 Embassy Parkway Akron, Ohio 44333-8318 p.330.670.1234 x.252 f.330.670.0874 www.babcox.com

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE INTRODUCTION The 2013 Body Shop Industry Profile is the most recent in a series of annual surveys covering the automotive body repair market. The respondents are owners and managers of body shops selected from the circulation list of BodyShop Business magazine. A random selection process was used to identify the target locations.

The information contained in this report provides valuable trend data as well as answers to more topical issues confronting the industry. It is perhaps the most comprehensive study of the opinions and operating variables of the day-to-day decision-makers that make up this industry. It should be noted that the vast majority of the respondents are either owners/partners or shop managers of their respective operations.

The 2013 Body Shop Industry Profile is separated into six sections: Section 1

Respondent Profile

Section 2

General Business Operations

Section 3

Employee Profile

Section 4

Purchasing & Equipment Profile

Section 5

Sales Analysis & Operations

Section 6

Direct Repair Programs and Insurer Issues

Questions about this report can be directed to Bob Roberts at the address listed below.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE METHOD The Body Shop Industry Profile is a comprehensive overview of the collision repair industry. It provides unique insight into the collision repair industry. The articles and product information that appear in the pages of BodyShop Business are thus based on the most up-to-date information available and provide the most useful data to body shops, manufacturers, distributors and other parties interested in the growth and development associated with the collision repair industry.

The 2013 Body Shop Industry Profile was executed via a nationwide email survey to collision repair shops. The survey consisted of 6 questionnaires. Each questionnaire was e-mailed to a sample of readers of BodyShop Business. Each questionnaire contained unique questions and there were a number of questions that were common to all questionnaires. A seventh questionnaire dealt just with grading insurance companies. The method of sample selection, data collection, and tabulation were the same across all versions.

The survey was conducted in March, 2013. Responses were received from over 500 shops.

Sample selection entailed a systematic sampling procedure in which every ‘nth’ name was selected from the subscription list. The sample provided random geographic representation. NOTE: The process of sending the questionnaires by email has created a break with data collected in previous surveys done by mail. Shops who respond to email surveys tend to be bigger than those who respond to random mailed (postal) surveys. Consequently, many of the results of this year’s survey are not directly comparable with those done by mail. Our responding shops are larger, with higher sales & more people, and they write more estimates and perform more jobs per month.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Number

Item Section One: Shop Owner Profile Business Description

2

Respondent’s Age

3

Family-Owned Body Shops

3

Multiple Shop Ownership

4

Perceptions of Financial Strength (current and future)

4

If You Could Start Over

5

Trade Show Attendance

5

Respondent’s Position

6

Major Challenge

6

Section Two: General Business Operations Number of Years Shop Has Been in Business

8

Advertising Methods

9

Advertising Expenditures

9

Advertising Effectiveness

10

Sources of Business

10

Section Three: Employee Profile Number of Employees

12

Changes in Work Force Size

13

Hiring

14

Training Seminar Attendance

14

ASE Certification

15

Training

15

Compensation Methods

16

Pay Scales for Technicians

17

Pay Scales for Entry-Level Employees

18

Employee Benefits

18

Sources for Hiring Personnel

19

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)

Item

Page Number

Section Four Purchasing and Equipment Profile How Owners Find Out About New Products Criteria Influencing Paint Buying Decisions What Buying Dollars Are Spent On Percentage of Shops Purchasing Aftermarket Crash Parts Acceptable Fit of Crash Parts Mechanical Parts Ranking Attributes When Selecting Parts Vendor Percentage of Repair Orders Using These Parts Number of Paint Brands Used Median Amount Spent Monthly on Various Items Number of Pulling/Measuring Equipment Brands Used Percentage of Time These Repair Procedures are Used Estimating Systems Ownership Of Types of Equipment

21 21 22 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 27 28

Section Five Sales Analysis and Operations 2012 Sales Volume Percent of Gross Sales Attributed to Parts and Labor Comparison of Sales 2012 to 2011 Anticipated Future Sales Comparison 2013 to 2012 2012 Gross Profit Margins 2012 Profit Margin Compared to 2009 Profit Margin Number of Estimates Written Weekly Percentage of Estimates Converted to Jobs Cycle Time Written Procedures Number of Jobs Performed per Week Average Ticket per Job Mechanical Parts Breakdown of Labor Dollars Posted Labor Rates Storage Rate Do You Charge for These Procedures Doing Restoration

30 30 31 31 32 32 32 33 33 33 34 35 35 35 36 37 37 37

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)

Page Number

Item Section Six: Direct Repair Programs and Insurer Issues DRP Arrangements

39

Better Off as a DRP

39

DRP and Profit Margins

40

Concessions

40

OEM and Aftermarket Parts

41

Being Told “You are the only one who charges for that”

41

Times Reduced by Insurers

42

Ever Altered a DRP Contract

42

Is DRP Good or Bad for the Industry

43

Do DRPs Hamper Your Ability to Properly Repair a Vehicle

43

Educating the Customer

44

Customer “Steering”

44

Insurers’ Surveys of Labor Rates

44

Charging Regular Rate Increases

44

Negotiations With Appraisers

45

Consumer Self-Pay

46

Do Insurers Pay the Frame and Mechanical Rates

46

Are Times Allowed Accurate

46

Supplements

47

Thresholds, Discounts, Markups

47

Rating Insurance Companies on Nine Attributes

48

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE SECTION ONE RESPONDENT PROFILE HIGHLIGHTS Business type:

The overwhelming majority of our respondents operate independent body shops.

Respondent age:

Sixty percent of our respondents are between 50-64 years of age.

Shop ownership:

Approximately 86% of shops are family owned.

Perceptions:

Forty-four percent of the respondents feel the shop is financially better off now than 5 years ago, but 58% think it will be more successful in the next 5 years.

CONTENTS Item

Page Number

Business Description

2

Respondent’s Age

3

Family-Owned Body Shops

3

Multiple Shop Organizations

4

Perceptions of Financial Strength (current & future)

4

If You Could Start Over

5

Trade Show Attendance

5

Respondent’s Position

6

Major Challenge

6

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

1

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Which of the following best describes your business?

HOW TO USE THIS REPORT This report is divided into six sections. Each section begins with a HIGHLIGHTS review. The Highlights review is a summary that gives the reader important information at a glance. The majority of information contained in this report is shown in the form of charts and graphs, which make the vast amount of data more readable.

Some of the information contained herein is contained in the May, 2013 issue of BodyShop Business magazine.

Interpreting the data: Much of the data appear as averages. It is important to understand that there is no such entity as an 'average' body shop. These numbers represent the combined responses of shop operators from across the United States. The averages are affected by a number of large shops with large numbers of bays, many employees and high sales figures. For this reason, many results are shown broken out by five categories of annual sales.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

2

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

How old are you?

Is this business family owned?

The vast majority of collision repair shops contacted are family owned.

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3

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

How many shops are in your organization?

About 18% of respondents are part of a larger organization.

Do you think your business is financially better off than it was five years ago?

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4

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

In the next five years, do you think your business will be more successful than it is today?

If you could start over would you still decide to work in the collision repair industry?

Yes 61%

No 39%

Did you or anyone at your shop attend any trade shows in 2012? Yes 33%

No 67%

Please indicate if you attended the following trade shows in 2012 or plan to in 2013:

Attended in 2012

Plan to in 2013

Neither

Local/Regional show

30%

29%

64%

NACE

12%

24%

73%

SEMA

11%

28%

72%

Show

A number of respondents left this question blank suggesting that that the actual percentages could be lower.

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5

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What is your position? Position

Percentage of Respondents

Owner/partner

62%

Technician/painter

26%

Shop foreman

5%

Shop manager

2%

Other

5%

Total

100%

What is the major challenge your business will face in the next 12 months?

These answers were collected as verbatim “fill in the blank” responses and ran through a wide variety of issues. The most common response was a lack of volume due to the economy or a perceived effect from insurance company steering. Some shops wanted to get on DRP arrangements to increase work volume. Most comments seemed to reveal frustration in general and low profit levels – many centering on insurance companies. A few of the comments are shown below: Attracting more customers to our front door and adding more DRP's. The state of the economy Total losses and absorbing repair costs needs that insurance companies don't want to pay for a proper repair, but we do it anyway for our integrity. We need to start charging customers over and above the deductible for what the companies don't want to pay. Absorbing higher costs example: health insurance for employees Getting city to approve our building plans DRPs & making a profit Staying up with new technology and the equipment needed to repair the new vehicles

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

6

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE SECTION TWO GENERAL BUSINESS OPERATIONS HIGHLIGHTS Age of Business:

The typical shop has been in business over 31 years.

Advertising & Promotion:

Word of mouth and internet websites are the most common forms of promotion.

Sources of Business: The biggest source for a DRP is direct repair programs. For non-DRPs it is word-of-mouth.

CONTENTS

Item

Page Number

Number of Years Shop Has Been in Business

8

Advertising Methods

9

Advertising Expenditures

9

Advertising Effectiveness

10

Sources of Business

10

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

7

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

How many years has your shop been in business? Number of Years Shop Has Been in Business 30% 27%

25%

23%

Percentage of Shops

20% 20%

14%

15%

13%

10%

5%

3%

0% Up to 5 years

6-10 years

11-20 years

21-30 years

31-40 years

Over 40 years

The typical shop has been in business over 31 years.

The following chart shows the results over a period of time.

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8

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

How do you market your services?

About 44% of shops place yellow page advertising, about 34% place radio spots and 19% utilize television.

How much do you spend per year on advertising?

The average is $16,031 & the median is $5,000. This suggests a wide range of answers. Some respondents left this question blank.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

9

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Please rank the effectiveness of the following forms of advertising you have tried:

How much business is generated from each source?

Business Source

Typical DRP Shop

Non-DRP Shop

Direct repair programs

43.4%

0%

Word-of-mouth

27.3%

60.2%

Insurance referral

8.7%

12.7%

Car dealer

8.7%

11.8%

Advertising/direct sales efforts

7.7%

9.3%

Fleets

2.9%

2.9%

Other

1.3%

3.2%

100%

100%

Total

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

10

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE SECTION THREE EMPLOYEE PROFILE HIGHLIGHTS Employees:

The typical shop has an average of 8.8 employees, a median of 7.

Changes in Work force:

About 45% of shops saw a change in the number of production employees in 2012. About 27% of respondents expect to hire additional help in the next 12 months.

Training:

Eighty-four percent of shops had at least one employee attend a training session in 2012.

ASE certification:

About 56% of shops have at least one ASE certified employee.

Employee Compensation:

The most common form of compensation is hourly wage.

Sources of new Employees:

The most common method of finding new employees is through referral from current employees.

CONTENTS Item

Page Number

Number of Employees

12

Changes in Work Force Size

13

Hiring

14

Training Seminar Attendance

14

ASE Certification

15

Training

15

Compensation Methods

16

Pay Scales for Technicians

17

Pay Scales for Entry-level Employees

18

Employee Benefits

18

Sources for Hiring Personnel

19

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

11

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Including yourself, how many employees work at this shop?

The average is 8.8 employees; the median is 7 employees.

Average number of employees by sales volume:

Number of employees

Up to $249,999

$250,000$349,999

$350,000$749,999

$750,000$1 million

$1 million$2 million

Over $2 million

3.3

4.0

5.9

7.7

10.6

24.6

Not surprisingly, the larger shops have more employees.

What is the average age of your production shop personnel?

The average is 40 years

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12

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

The following chart shows a time series of number of employees. The number has moved in a narrow range.

.

In the past 12 months has the size of your production workforce increased…decreased?

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13

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

If you could hire another true “A-tech/journeyman tech” would you? Yes 64%

No 36%

If you could hire another experienced painter, would you? Yes 38%

No 62%

Both these values have a higher “yes” percentage than in the last report. What do you expect will happen to the size of your workforce in the next year?

Have you or any of your employees attended a training session in the past year? Yes 84% Type of Session Jobber clinic I-CAR training Waterborne Manufacturer training ASE Association seminar Other

No 16% Percent 58% 56% 52% 34% 33% 16% 8%

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14

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Are any of your shop technicians ASE certified?

Do you have a system within your shop to train entry-level production employees? Yes 60%

No 40%

How long does it take your shop to train a new hire to be a: “B” level technician: 11.8 months “A” level technician: 21.8 months Painter: 16.9 months

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15

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

How do you compensate your production shop personnel?

The total adds to more than 100%. There may be different methods for each employee, or one person might receive a blend of compensation methods. There is obviously a wide range of pay options and combinations throughout the industry.

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16

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

On average, what do your technicians (journeymen) make per year? Categories:

Mechanic

Metal tech

Painter

Painters remain typically the highest paid personnel in the shop.

To read the chart: 24% of shops say their average pay for painters is in the range of $41,001-$50,000.

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17

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Average Pay for Metal Techs by Shop Sales:

Average Pay

Up to $249,999

$250,000$349,999

$350,000$749,999

$750,000$1 million

$1 million$2 million

Over $2 million

$35,338

$43,621

$48,877

$55,770

$57,715

$66,570

The table above shows average pay for journeymen metal technicians by shop sales. Larger shops tend to pay more. Some might be more efficient, giving the employee more billable hours.

On average, what do you pay entry-level painters/technicians? Median $30,000

What do you pay your office manager per year? Median $40,000

What do you pay your senior estimator per year? Median $48,500

Are you experiencing challenges in finding front office help? (CSRs, estimators, etc.) Yes 36%

No 64%

Yes 93%

No 7%

Do you offer employee benefits?

The percentage offering benefits was 67% in the 2011 study.

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18

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Please check all benefits that apply:

What is the #1 source you use to hire production personnel for your shop? Most Helpful Source

Source Employee referral Internet Newspaper ad Other shops Other*

44% 21% 12% 6% 17%

Total

100%

* “Other” are largely vendor referrals and tech centers

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19

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE SECTION FOUR PURCHASING AND EQUIPMENT PROFILE HIGHLIGHTS Sources of Information: Trade magazines are the most popular sources of information on new products.

Crash parts:

The typical shop spends 37% of its buying dollars on crash parts. Nearly all (94%) of shops purchase aftermarket crash parts.

Paint:

‘Quality’ is the most important purchase factor for paint. The median amount spent on paint per month is $3,000. Over 70% of respondents use only one brand of paint.

Measuring/ Pulling equipment: Parts replacement:

About 35% of the shops use more than one brand of measuring/pulling equipment When making collision repairs, shops replace with new OEM parts 43% of the time, repair the damaged part about 25% of the time, or replace with either aftermarket (19%) or used (13%).

Equipment ownership: The percentage of shops currently owning or intending to purchase 19 types of shop equipment is shown on page 28.

CONTENTS Item

Page Number

How Owners Find Out About New Products

21

Criteria Influencing Paint Buying Decisions

21

What Buying Dollars Are Spent On

22

Percentage of Shops Purchasing Aftermarket Crash Parts

23

Acceptable Fit of Crash Parts

24

Mechanical Parts

24

Ranking Attributes When Selecting a Parts Vendor

25

Percentage of Repair Orders Using These Parts

25

Number of Different Paint Brands Used Regularly

26

Median Amount Spent on These Items Monthly

26

Number of Pulling/Measuring Equipment Brands Used

27

Percentage of Time These Repair Procedures are Used

27

Estimating Systems

27

Ownership of Types of Equipment

28

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

20

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

How do you find out about new products? (please rank each of the following from 1 to 5)

Trade magazines are the most helpful media in introducing new products followed by jobbers and manufacturer’s reps. (note that the shorter the bar, the more helpful the source).

Please rank the following according to influence when making paint purchases:

Quality ranks as the most important influence when shops make their buying decisions.

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21

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Factors influencing the paint buying decision:

RATING Attribute

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Quality

71%

22%

2%

3%

2%

0%

0%

Reputation of product

52%

28%

10%

7%

0%

2%

2%

Ease of application

38%

38%

13%

7%

2%

0%

3%

37%

21%

5%

7%

2%

4%

25%

32%

18%

8%

10%

7%

7%

18%

Price

30%

14%

16%

14%

6%

6%

13%

Painter’s recommendation

30%

13%

15%

15%

7%

7%

13%

Best waterborne system Deal or contract w/paint company

Seventy-one percent of respondents give “quality” a rating of “1” in importance.

What percentage of your buying dollar is spent on…?

Shops spend about 37% of total dollars on crash parts. They typically have “other” expenses equal to about 6% of total expense.

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22

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Do you purchase aftermarket crash parts?

Yes 94% No

6%

Overall, about 94% of shops purchase aftermarket crash parts.

If yes, why do you purchase aftermarket crash parts?

The majority of shops which purchase aftermarket crash parts do so because they feel pressure from the insurance company. “Other” are typically insurance issues as well.

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23

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Based on experience, what percentage of replacement crash parts that you try to install provides an acceptable fit?

Aftermarket parts have a reputation as being less likely to fit than OEM parts.

Do insurance companies assert any influence when you purchase mechanical parts? Yes 48%

No

52%

The ‘yes” value was 30% in the 2011 survey. Are you in favor of insurer-related parts procurement programs? Yes 9%

No

91%

What percentage of the following collision parts do you return to the vendor?

Type of Part_

Average Percent Returned

OEM parts

5%

Certified aftermarket parts

23%

Non-certified aftermarket parts

31%

Original equipment parts remain less likely to be returned.

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24

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What factors matter most when selecting a parts vendor? Please rank in order of importance with 1 being most important

Attribute

Rating

In Stock (supplier consistently has part)

1.4

High Quality

1.4

Delivery Time

1.6

Low Price

2.3

Relationship w/ sales rep

2.6

Offer both recycled and A/M (one stop shop)

3.9

Other

4.7

What percentage of your repair orders includes (adds to more than 100%)

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25

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Which do you prefer? Aftermarket 57% Used parts

43%

In the previous survey the majority of respondents preferred used parts. How many different paint brands do you use on a regular basis? Number of Brands

Percentage of Shops

One brand

72%

Two brands

22%

Three or more

6% Total

100%

The majority of shops use only one brand of paint on a regular basis.

What do you spend each month on the following items?

The average amount spent on paint is about $3,000 per month. The median is that figure that has the same number of observations above it as below it. In this case, as many shops buy in excess of $3,000 of paint per month as buy less than that amount.

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26

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

How many different brands of pulling/measuring equipment do you use?

Percentage of Shops

Number of Brands One brand

64%

Two brands

32%

Three brands

2%

More than 3 brands

2% Total

100%

How many estimating software/estimating systems do you currently use? One

77%

Two

19%

Three

4%

How much do you pay – total –in monthly subscription fees? The average is $618.00

When making collision repairs, what percentage of the time do you:

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27

2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What types of equipment do you have and plan to purchase in the next 12 months? Percent Owning

Plan to Purchase

2013

2011

2013

2011

Dedicated bench

48%

45%

6%

2%

Universal bench

50%

41%

0%

4%

Drive-on rack

62%

69%

12%

6%

Pull pot

37%

51%

12%

2%

Air powered tools

96%

100%

6%

6%

Electric power tools

77%

82%

10%

0%

Hand tools non-power

87%

96%

6%

0%

Computerized measuring

54%

49%

21%

14%

Gauges

65%

80%

2%

2%

Mechanical laser system

25%

27%

10%

6%

Diagnostic system

52%

47%

10%

8%

Estimating system

88%

86%

0%

2%

67%

78%

13%

6%

Recycling equipment

48%

51%

8%

6%

Central vacuum system

29%

25%

12%

10%

Infrared heat lamp

85%

82%

2%

4%

Squeeze-type resistance spot welder

44%

--

25%

--

Down draft booths

62%

57%

13%

8%

Cross draft booths

31%

51%

8%

2%

Prep Stations

56%

49%

12%

4%

Straightening and Pulling

Hand Tools

Measuring Systems

Computer Systems

Lifts Vehicle lift

Accessories

Paint Booths

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE SECTION FIVE SALES ANALYSIS and OPERATIONS HIGHLIGHTS Sales:

The average sales volume was $1,023,639 in 2012.

Estimates:

The average for all shops is 19 estimates per week, the median figure is 16 per week.

Jobs:

The median figure is 12.7 completed jobs per week (10 is the median).

Average ticket:

The average ticket is $2,257.

Mechanical repair:

Only 6% of shops report they do no mechanical repair in house.

Cycle Time:

The average for drivable jobs is typically about 4.1 days.

CONTENTS Item

Page Number

2012 Sales Volume

30

Percent of Gross Sales Attributed to Parts and Labor

30

Comparison of 2012 to 2011 Sales

31

Anticipated Change in 2013 Sales to 2012 Sales

31

2012 Profit Margins

32

2012 Profit Margin Compared to 2011 Profit Margin

32

Number of Estimates Written Weekly

32

Percentage of Estimates Converted to Actual Jobs

33

Cycle Time

33

Number of Jobs Performed per Week

34

Average Ticket per Job Performed

35

Mechanical Parts

35

Breakdown of Labor Dollars

35

Posted Labor Rates

36

Storage Rate

37

Do You Charge for the Following Procedures

37

Doing Restoration

37

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What was your shop’s 2012 sales volume?

More than half the responding shops have sales volumes of more than $750,000. The average for all shops is $1,023,639. This is significantly higher than that seen in the 2011 survey.

Approximately what percentage of your sales can be attributed to parts and what percent to labor?

This does not necessarily add to 100%.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Compared to 2011 sales, did your 2012 sales:

Over 41% of shops saw an increase in sales from 2011 to 2012.

Compared to your 2012 sales, will your 2013 sales:

The majority of shops are expecting an increase in the current year.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What was your 2012 gross profit percentage (your profit after all business expenses, divided by total sales and before income taxes)? The average is 31.3%, the median is 30%.

What was your net profit margin - that is profit after all expenses, divided by total sales, after income taxes?

The average is 15.2%, the median is 13.5%.

How does your net 2012 profit percentage compare to your 2011 net profit percentage? Net Profit Percentage

Percent of Shops

Increased

34%

Decreased

32%

Stayed the same

34% Total

100%

What is the average number of estimates your shop writes per week? Average Number of Estimates Weekly 28%

30%

Percentage of Shops

25%

23%

20% 15% 11% 9%

9%

9%

9%

21 to 25

26 to 30

10% 5% 0% At least 6 to 10 5

11 to 15

16 to 20

31 or more

The average is about 19 estimates per week (the median figure is 16).

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Average estimates weekly

Up to $249,999

$250,000$349,999

$350,000$749,999

$750,000$1 million

$1 million$2 million

Over $2 million

6

16

15

17

22

44

What percentage of your written estimates do you convert to actual jobs?

The average is 62% overall.

What is the average cycle time for jobs going through your shop?

The average for drivable jobs is 4.1 days, non-drivable jobs is 9.8 days.

Do you have written standard operating procedures/repair processes and have you implemented them and held your employees accountable for following them?

Yes 31%

No 49%

Have them, but don’t ensure they’re followed 20%

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What is the average number of jobs you perform per week?

On average, each shop performed 12.7 jobs per week; the median is 10.

Average jobs per week by sales volume:

Average jobs weekly

$125,000$249,999

$250,000$349,999

$350,000$749,999

$750,000$1 million

$1 million$2 million

Over $2 million

3.6

7.3

8.2

13.9

15.7

30.3

Compared to last year, has the average number of jobs you perform per week: Number of Jobs

Percent of Shops

Increased

25%

Decreased

36%

Stayed the same

39% Total

100%

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Approximately what is your shop’s average ticket per job performed?

The average is $2257 while the median is $2200.

Do you perform mechanical repairs in house? Yes 56%

No 6%

Sometimes 38%

What percentage of your repair jobs requires replacement of mechanical parts?

The average is 23%, no shop answered “zero.”

How do your labor dollars per repair order break down? (total must equal 100%) Type of Work

Percent of Labor Hours per RO

Refinish labor

32%

Parts replacement

29%

Parts repair

23%

Frame repair labor

9%

Mechanical repair labor

7% Total

100%

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What is your shop’s posted labor rate that you charge customers? Categories:

Mechanical labor Metal/refinish labor Frame/structural labor Paint materials Body materials

The average posted rate for paint labor is $51.70. Many shops did not show a figure for body materials-some may not include a charge for this.

Average posted paint labor rate by sales volume:

Posted Paint Labor

$125,000$249,999

$250,000$349,999

$350,000$749,999

$750,000$1 million

$1 million$2 million

Over $2 million

$52.00

$51.20

$55.30

$50.00

$52.80

$50.30

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Have you ever compromised your labor rate to get work? Yes 76%

No 24%

What is your daily storage rate? The average is $33.80 per day.

Do you charge for the following procedures? Procedure

% Yes

% No

% Sometimes

Seam Sealer

73%

11%

16%

Removal of stripes/decals/moldings

79%

7%

14%

Color sand and buff

53%

18%

29%

Panel bond kits

74%

14%

13%

Misc. hardware & fasteners

69%

7%

24%

Pull for access

74%

3%

23%

LKQ cleanup

77%

10%

14%

Sound deadening restoration

72%

8%

20%

Dismantle of LKQ assembly

69%

10%

21%

Tape/mask jambs

56%

25%

19%

Diagnostic labor

53%

15%

32%

Body materials

37%

37%

26%

Mask for prime

30%

49%

21%

Detail for delivery

22%

49%

29%

Feather edge & block

32%

36%

32%

Test fitting of parts

22%

52%

26%

Administrative documentation time

9%

75%

16%

Do you specialize in particular makes or models? Yes 10%

No 90%

The few respondents that indicate they specialize are most likely to specialize in foreign marques or classic and sports cars.

Are you doing restoration work at this location? Yes 46%

No 54%

Forty-six percent of shops indicate they are doing restoration work. Eleven percent of shops are doing 4 or more jobs per year.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

2013 INDUSTRY PROFILE SECTION SIX DIRECT REPAIR PROGRAMS AND INSURANCE ISSUES HIGHLIGHTS

DRP affiliation:

Sixty-two percent of our respondents are in DRP arrangements (highest we have seen). Seventy-two percent feel they are better off financially being a DRP (was 79% in 2011). Nearly all grant some sort of concession to their DRP clients. About 79% of non-DRP shops and 32% of DRP shops feel the DRP concept is bad for the industry as a whole.

OEM parts:

Thirty-six percent report insurance companies will pay for OEM parts if customer insists.

Insurance:

Overall, 66% of shops have been told by insurance adjusters/companies that their shop is “the only shop” that charges for that.

Steering:

A total of 88% of non-DRP shops feel they are losing business due to insurance company “steering” and 69% of DRP shops share that opinion.

CONTENTS Item DRP Arrangements Better Off as a DRP DRP and Profit Margins Grants Concessions OEM and Aftermarket Parts Being Told ‘the only one that charges for that’ Times Reduced by Insurers Ever Altered a DRP Contract Is the DRP Concept Good or Bad for the Industry Do DRPs Hamper Ability to Properly Repair a Vehicle Educating the Customer Customer ‘Steering’ Insurer’s Surveys of Labor Rates Charging Regular Rate Increases Negotiations with Appraisers Consumer Self-Pay Do Insurers Pay the Frame and Mechanical Rates Are Times Allowed Accurate Supplements Thresholds, Discounts, Markups Rating Insurance Companies on Nine Attributes

Page Number 39 39 40 40 41 41 42 42 43 43 44 44 44 44 45 46 46 46 47 47 48

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Are you involved in a DRP arrangement? Yes 62%

No 38%

Breakout of sales by holding DRP contracts:

$125,000$249,999

$250,000$349,999

$350,000$749,999

$750,000$1 million

$1 million$2 million

Over $2 million

On a DRP program

6%

4%

13%

19%

26%

31%

Not on a DRP program

38%

18%

21%

10%

10%

3%

As shop size increases, the likelihood of being a DRP increases dramatically.

If you are a DRP, do you believe you are better off due to your DRP arrangement?

The majority of shops that are DRPs think they are better off through DRP affiliation, The percent saying “yes” was 65% in the 2007 survey.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Since DRP affiliation, have your profit margins:

Overall, 30% of shops that are DRPs have seen increased profits. In 2011 this was also 30%.

As a DRP do you give concessions?

Approximately 85% grant at least 1 concession, the majority more than 1.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Do most insurance companies in your area pay for OEM replacement parts if a customer objects to aftermarket crash parts? Yes

36%

No

64%

Most respondents report that insurance companies will not pay for OEM parts.

How old are the vehicles for which aftermarket crash parts are being specified by insurance appraisers?

The largest segment of vehicles is 2 years or less.

Have you ever been told by an insurance company that ‘you are the only one’ that charges for that? Yes 66%

No 34%

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

After being told that you are the only one that charges for that operation, do you still charge for it? Percentage of Respondents Never

9%

25% of the time

12%

50% of the time

13%

75% of the time

14%

Always

53%

How often are times reduced on estimates from insurers? Percentage of Estimates

Percentage of Respondents

Never

5%

Less than 25% of the time

29%

25-50% of the time

32%

51-75% of the time

16%

More than 75% of the time

18%

total

100%

Have you ever altered a DRP contract before signing it?

The percentage saying “yes” was 23% in the 2011 survey.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Do you think the concept of DRP’s is good or bad for the industry as a whole?

The vast majority of non-DRP shops feel that the DRP concept is NOT good for the industry as a whole. Even among DRP shops, there are those who feel that the concept is not good for the industry.

Do you feel DRPs hamper your ability to properly repair the vehicle? Yes 20%%

No 40%

Base: Just DRP shops

Sometimes 40%

Do you think it is the insurer’s responsibility to determine what types of parts are used in a repair?

A small percentage of shop owners will concede this decision to the insurer.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Do you feel it is the shop’s or the insurer’s responsibility to inform the owner when aftermarket/used parts are used? Shop 27%

Insurer 73%

Neither 0%

Do you explain to/educate your customers regarding their rights?

Yes 71%

No 29%

Do you believe you are losing business to insurers steering business? Yes, I’m losing business

No, I’m not losing business

DRP Shops

69%

31%

Non-DRP Shops

88%

12%

Non-DRP shops tend to feel they are losing business because of steering, But many DRP shops ALSO feel they are losing business due to this practice.

Do you “steer” vehicle owners away from “problem” insurers and toward ones that fairly settle claims? Yes 47%

No 53%

Do you believe insurer’s surveys of labor rates in a market area are accurate?

Yes 27%

No 73%

Do you experience influence from insurance companies to suppress your rates?

Yes 43%

No 23%

Sometimes 34%

Do you feel you have the ability to charge regular rate increases? Yes 38%

No 62%

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Do you feel problems with negotiations are due more to individual appraisers or company guidelines?

Over the last 12 months do you feel relations with appraisers have:

Relations with Appraisers

Percentage of Respondents

Improved

20%

Deteriorated

13%

Stayed the same

67%

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What percentage of your business is consumer self-pay? (no insurer involved) The average is 16.8%, the median is 10%

In the past year have your self-pay customers:

Ratio of self-pay

Percentage of Respondents

Increased

28%

Decreased

24%

Stayed the same

48%

What percentage of the time do insurers pay your frame and mechanical rates? Percentage of time

Percentage of respondents

100% of the time

37%

75% of the time

33%

50% of the time

10%

25% of the time

3

Never

17%

Do you believe the times allowed for operations (the time specified to perform tasks as identified by the estimating system providers) are accurate? Yes 10%

No 43%

Sometimes 47%

Nearly half the respondents feel the times are not accurate.

Do you believe you have the ability to override the database and price your own work? Yes 36%

No 22%

Sometimes 42%

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

What percentage of your estimates include: (should add to 100%)

Number of supplements

Percentage of estimates

None

27%

1 supplement

55%

2 supplements

14%

3 supplements

3%

4 or more

1%

Total

100%

Do you agree to accept paint material thresholds or caps from insurance companies?

Yes 8%

No 65%

Sometimes 27%

Do you agree to parts discounts for insurance companies? Yes 3%

No 87%

Sometimes 10%

What are your posted markups? Type

Average Percentage

LKQ

25%

Sublet

25%

Glass

25%

Aftermarket

30%

Towing

22%*

* There were many “0” values in this column.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile

Please rank the following insurers on these attributes using the following scoring: Assign each company a grade from 1 to 5 using the scale shown. A rating of ‘5’ means that company is Very Good, 4 = Good, 3 = Average, 2 = Poor and 1 = Very Poor. These companies were listed: Allstate, AIG, American Family, Farmers, GEICO, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Progressive, State Farm, Travelers and USAA. These were the attributes: Insurer’s level of concern for consumer’s best interests Accuracy of insurer-prepared estimates Consistency of insurer’s policies on repair procedures Fairness of reimbursement policies Honesty of company personnel

Knowledge/expertise of field adjusters Quality of repair resulting from insurer’s repair policies Efficiency of claims handling process Responsiveness of Co. personnel to shop’s concerns

The table below shows the average scores for all the insurance companies for each attribute. The lower the score the better the average rating given by all shops for all insurance companies.

Prepared by Babcox Research: A Division of Babcox Media, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited.

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