Nov/Dec 2008 - AGRR Magazine

Repair Round Upnwra reportspauls@glassmedic.comThe Idiot’s Guide to Windshield Repairby Paul Syfkofocus on REPAIRTHIS SUMMER TWO DISTURBingevents affected the NationalWindshield Repair Association(NWRA) members and the image ofthe entire trade. The disturbing part ofeach event is that they are both uniqueexamples of the lack of familiarity thegeneral public has, not only windshieldrepair, but about the auto glass industryas a whole.The Other White MeatThe first event occurred early thissummer in Family Circle magazine andhas to do with the other white meat;pork. NWRA staff came across an adthat created a dangerous misrepresentationof windshield repair. A full-pagecolor ad for pork products by the NationalPork Board was published inseveral issues and compared pork withfingernail polish. The offending languagelikened clear fingernail polish to“the estrogen equivalent of duct tape”and stated that some women use it to“fix just about everything—a run in mystockings, a chip in my windshield …”[my italics]. Not only was this ad mostlikely sexist, it was not even close toproviding any assistance for rock chips.Family Circle reaches over 23 millionsubscribers every issue.After we at NWRA were finished withour piggy jokes and our disgust with theignorance and sexism of the ad, we immediatelybecame concerned that awell-meaning reader would take this informationto heart and possibly attemptto use clear nail polish as a remedy for achipped windshield. Therefore NWRAtook time and contacted both SteveMurphy, the chief executive officer ofthe National Pork Board, and LindaFears, editor-in-chief of Family Circle“As you can see, NWRA had a wonderfultime this summer being educatedabout the windshield repair industryby pig farmers and loan sharks.”magazine, informing them of the improprietyof the language and requestingthat the advertisements be pulled.NWRA also requested the publicationsrun corrected information. NWRA hassince received word from the NationalPork Board confirming that the advertisementwill no longer be published.NWRA is still waiting for a reply fromFamily Circle and will continue to pushfor a correction by that publication. Iwould encourage AGRR readers to informNWRA if they see such misleadingads in other magazines.Loan SharksThe second disturbing event of thesummer involved NWRA memberMichelle Rantuccio of the WindshieldRepair Center in New Jersey. Michellerecently ran into some difficulty whenshe began searching for a new home inSouth Carolina. Hoping to expand herwindshield repair business into SouthCarolina along with her move, she wastold by her lender, Shore Mortgage Co.,that she was not eligible for a residentialmortgage. Shore Mortgage informedMichelle that windshield repair companieswere not considered mobile businessesand she could not run one fromher residence without the proper coverageon the home. Since Michelle and herhusband already operate two repair locationsin the New Jersey and Philadelphiaareas, she contacted NWRA to drafta letter on her behalf to her ignorantlender. Unfortunately for Michelle, themortgage company responded to herand our protests stating that they couldnot “verify her information” and deniedthe loan. They did so even after she providedthem letters from her Congressmanin New Jersey, her accountant and,of course, NWRA. The mortgage delayresulted in thousands of dollars inpenalties from her builder because hewas unable to start construction on herhome according to their contract. (Andsome still wonder why the housing marketis in such dire straights.)As you can see, NWRA had a wonderfultime this summer being educatedabout the windshield repairindustry by pig farmers and loansharks. These are just a few examplesof the threats that NWRA directors,staff and members respond to on adaily basis. But we are happy to do itand through programs like our greeninitiative, new NWRA consumer website(coming soon) and windshield repaircertification, we will slowlyprovide our membership with the consumerawareness they need to increasethe number of repairs done every year.Oink-oink!■◗Paul Syfko is president of Glass MedicAmerica in Westerville, Ohio, and servesas president of the National Windshield RepairAssociation (NWRA). Mr. Syfko’s opinionsare solely his own and not necessarily thoseof this magazine.48 AGRR November/December 2008 www.agrrmag.com