30.07.2015 Views

AGRR - March/April 2008 - AGRR Magazine

AGRR - March/April 2008 - AGRR Magazine

AGRR - March/April 2008 - AGRR Magazine

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> Volume 10 • Issue 2FreeSubscriptionForm on Page 55Honest& TrulyGreenStep Inside GlasWeld in Bend, OregonAlso Inside:■■■AGRSS Third-Party ValidationThe Latest on the Glass RecallWhat Happened in Tucsonwww.agrrmag.com • www.glassBYTEs.com<strong>AGRR</strong> has the largest and most requested circulation of any auto glass magazine


FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA.And now everywhere in between.Now you can find quality SRP Totalseal auto glass adhesivesvirtually everywhere auto glass is repaired or replaced. Try SRPTotalseal today and see why glass shops across North America enjoythe peace of mind that can only come from an OEM adhesive.It’s the urethane designedFor Installers, By Installers. For more information call us at 1-800-728-1817or check us online at www.shatrproof.comSRP, Shat-R-Proof and For Installers, By Installers are registered trademarks of TCG International Inc.AGRSS-REGISTERED TRAINING PROGRAM AVAILABLE


38— Features —2428363840CLUED InFind out what this importantreport might mean to you andyour customers.AGRSS UpdateThe Auto Glass ReplacementSafety Standard Council (AGRSS)currently is working to instatethird-party validation forregistered companies.Tucson TimeFind out what you missed at theNational Auto Glass Conferencein Tucson, Ariz., in February.The Best of Belron USIn January, Belron US broughttogether 11 installers fromacross the United States to pickthe Best of Belron US. Thewinner, Curtis Hooper of SanFernandino Beach, Fla., willhead to the United Kingdom inMay to compete in the worldwidecompetition.Honest & Truly GreenPublisher Deb Levy takes a lookat the greening of this Bend,Ore.-based glass repair company.Volume 10 • Issue 2 <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong>Columns4 Field of Vision letter from the editor6 Sidelites guest opinion8 Customer Service tips for quality serviceDepartments12 Independent’s Day an iga viewpoint14 <strong>AGRR</strong>eports breaking news18 Off the Line oem news from detroit20 AGRSS News the latest in safety46 The Showroom new products50 Industry Insiders people in the news52 On the Road calendar of events54 Seek and Find classifieds54 The Showcase directory of suppliers55 Advertising Index index of advertisers56 Avocations life beyond the auto glass businessWindshield and Glass Repair44 Repair Round Up nwra reports45 WGRReports repair newsVisit www.agrrmag.com foradditional photos andinformation from theNational Auto GlassConference in Tucson, Ariz.,in February.©<strong>2008</strong> by Key Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. <strong>AGRR</strong> (USPS 020-897) is published6 times per year by Key Communications Inc., 385 Garrisonville Road, Suite 116, Stafford,VA 22554; 540/720-5584; fax 540/720-5687. Advertising offices listed on page 4. Unsolicitedmanuscripts and other materials will not be returned unless accompanied by aself-addressed, stamped envelope. All contents are ©<strong>2008</strong> by Key Communications Inc.Neither publisher nor its representatives nor its subcontractors assume liability for errorsin text, charts, advertisements, etc. and suggest appropriate companies be contactedbefore specification or use of products advertised or included in editorial materials. Viewsand opinions expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. For permissionto reprint, contact editorial offices. Printed in the U.S. Postmaster: SEND AD-DRESS CHANGES TO <strong>AGRR</strong>, P.O. Box 569, Garrisonville, VA 22463. ©<strong>2008</strong> by KeyCommunications, Inc. No reproduction permitted without expressed written permissionof the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at Stafford, VA, and additional post offices.Questions? Call 540/720-5584.2 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


Field of Visionfrom the editorpstacey@glass.comNo Laughing MatterAFEW WEEKS AGO, I WENTout to eat with my husbandand a couple of his friends, allof whom are what you might call carbuffs, and one of them said somethingthat made me laugh.“You know, I just don’t understandit—they put all these safety features incars now and they’re just so heavy andcomplicated and they use so muchgas,” he said. “Do we really need allthese safety features?”At first I chimed in, telling himabout a safety feature I’d heard aboutat the recent National Auto Glass Conference—acar that measures the distancein front of it and behind itautomatically (see related story on page36). I actually was commenting on theridiculousness of this—what’s next? Acar we don’t even have to drive?But then I realized what he said reallywasn’t funny. It’s really a very seriousmatter.I told him about how General Motorsjust settled with a passenger whoclaims the company’s failure to useplastic sidelites caused him to goby Penny StaceyThe <strong>2008</strong> Volvo XC70 is equipped with a collisionavoidance package with adaptive cruise control, whichmeasures the distance between it and car in front of it.blind. Granted, a lot of people mightbelieve this was a suit-happy personlooking for a buck, but to say thatsafety features aren’t at all necessary iskind of frightening. I’m all for less government,fewer regulations, etc., but Idon’t think putting the general publicat risk is a good idea.When I was interviewing people formy feature about the Auto Glass ReplacementSafety Standard (AGRSS)on page 28, I found some disagreementover what exactly is needed inthe industry—but no one disagreedthat safety is an issue, and an importantone at that.That is why the AGRSS Council isworking toward third-party validation—inan effort to help the industry,consumers and even insurance companiesunderstand what an importantissue this truly is.But, a lot of shop owners notedthat their customers just don’t care—and they don’t see safety as important;not until something badhappens, that is.I really hope the tide is changingon this and with theaddition of thirdpartyvalidationthat consumers willtake notice of thewindshield as asafety mechanism,but, in the meantime,I’d love to hearfrom you. What doyour customersthink? Are they concernedwith theirsafety?Please e-mail me atpstacey@glass.com.■PublisherEditorManaging EditorContributing EditorsArt DirectorsAdvertisingCoordinatorExhibitManagerMarketingDirectorCustomerRelations Mgr.WebDeveloperWebCoordinatorCustomerService AssistantDebra A. LevyExtension 111 • deb@glass.comPenny StaceyExtension 148 • pstacey@glass.comShannon FletcherExtension 130 • sfletcher@glass.comCharles CumpstonExtension 153 • ccumpston@glass.comMegan HeadleyExtension 114 • mheadley@glass.comEllen RogersExtension 118 • erogers@glass.comChris BunnExtension 132 • cbunn@glass.comDawn CampbellExtension 150 • dcampbell@glass.comErin HarrisExtension 119 • eharris@glass.comTina CzarExtension 115 • tczar@glass.comHolly Biller, vice presidentExtension 123 • hbiller@glass.comJaneen MulliganExtension 112 • jmulligan@glass.comBryan HoveyExtension 125 • bhovey@glass.comKim JohnsonExtension 155 • kjohnson@glass.comBetsy LathropExtension 0 • blathrop@glass.comContributing David Casey Russ CorsiColumnists Steve Coyle Gary HartJames Patterson Dale MalcolmPaul Syfko Carl TompkinsKerry Wanstrath Dave ZoldowskiMidwestNortheast &Eastern CanadaSoutheastWest Coast &Western CanadaEuropeChina & AsiaPublished by KeyCommunications Inc.385 Garrisonville Road, Suite 116Stafford, VA 22554540/720-5584; fax 540/720-5687Advertising Offices:Lisa Naugle,Associate Publisherlnaugle@glass.comPhone 312/850-0899Fax 312/277-2912Deb Levydeb@glass.comPhone 540/720-5584 x111Fax 540/720-5687Scott Ricklessrickles@glass.comPhone 770/664-4567Fax 770/740-1399Ed Mitchellemitchell@glass.comPhone 805/445-4805Fax 805/445-4806Patrick Connollypatco@glass.com699 Kings RoadWestcliff on SeaEssex SS0 8PH ENGLANDPhone (44) 1-702-477341Fax (44) 1-702-477559Sean Xiaosxiao@glass.comRm.403, Block 17, Wuyimingzhu,No.6 Jinshan RoadFuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China.Phone (86) 591 83863000All Others Contact Publisher DirectlyMember,4 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


A Complete Line ofUniversal Mouldings• Flexibility even inlow temperatures• Resistance toshrinking, cracking,rippling and fading• Used for front andback windowsA Complete Line ofParts-SpecificMouldings for AllVehicles• Many OEM andOEM-comparableparts in stock• Continuousdevelopment andimprovementbased on yourneeds• Easy installationwith OEMappearance and“Perfect Fit”It’s only an exceptionalhuman body that is flexibleunder all sorts of conditions.Our mouldings are like that.Exceptional.Call us today and let us fillyou in on why we’re different.800-290-2171But that’s about the only auto glass we don’t stock!We’ve been building our inventory since 1926. Fourgenerations of the Mygrant family have maintained thetradition of carrying the most extensive inventory ofauto glass in the nation. And we don’t install. So wedon’t compete against your business. We are here toserve you quicker, better, and with more enthusiasmthan any of our competitors. Call us. Let us show youhow nice real personal service can be!49 locations in 18 states across the nationInternational Sales • Export and Bulk ordersIndependent Distributor of Automotive Replacement Glasswww.mygrantglass.com866-956-5084


Side Litesguest opinionbob@southwestautoglass.comHow To Get Referralsby Bob Theriot Jr.QUESTION: I’M WONDERING,what’s the best way to getmy existing customers torefer business to me? —Jim P.,Kansas City, Mo.Answer: Great question, Jim.There’s two types of referrals, solicitedand unsolicited. Both areokay, but the best are the unsolicitedtype. To answer your questionshortly and sweetly, to get morereferrals, make your customershappy! And how do you do this? Youmake your customers happy by providingthe best possible service toeach and everyone of them. Go theextra mile when servicing their vehicles.For example, instead of justcleaning the windshield after youhave installed it, continue to cleanevery glass on the vehicle. The fewextra minutes you take to clean therest of the windows will pay youback tenfold. If you give your customersthe “wow” factor when dealingwith them, they will telleveryone they know about you.For your own account customersor companies you provide service forregularly, become an extension ofthem. Get to know their needs andfind out what you can do to maketheir jobs easier. For example, whenyou’re called out to replace a backliteat a body shop, inspect the entire carand look for other glass damage. ■◗Bob Theriot Jr. serves as sales & marketingmanager for Southwest AutoGlass in El Paso, Texas. Mr. Theriot’s opinionsare solely his own and not necessarily thoseof this magazine.6 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


Customer Servicetips for quality servicetompkins.carl@sikacorp.comSafety: The Best Differentiator!by Carl TompkinsSO, WHAT IS IT THAT CAUSES Acustomer to choose one supplierover another? The answeris “differentiators.” The list of differentiatorsvaries from one customer tothe next and is based on the singlesubject of education. The more educateda customer is on the product orservice that he desires to purchase,the longer his list of differentiators;the more educated the customer, thebetter his ability to weight differentiators.Examples of differentiators caninclude the subjects of location, hoursof service, history in the business, reputation,customer service, quality,workmanship and more. When customerslack education on the productsthey need to purchase, or thosewho offer those products, price is theprinciple differentiator.Educating CustomersThe education that a customer attains,pertaining to the performance ofa product or satisfaction of service,comes from three sources: direct experience,referral and supplier provision.Unfortunately, the sources of direct experienceand referral are somewhatlimited in our industry since the averagecar owner makes a replacementauto glass purchase once every sevenyears. This scenario emphasizes theneed for glass shops to utilize all possibleopportunities to educate customersin order to increase their list of differentiators.Can you think of any subjectmore powerful than safety?Just how important is any othercontinued on page 108 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


Customer ServiceCONTINUEDtopic of differentiation, includingprice, if the glass part is not installedaccording to code and leaves the customerwith an “inoperative” safety devicethat may lead to serious injury inthe event of an accident?From my own experience, once I’veshared a few points concerning therisks associated with improper glassinstallation and how customers canachieve the highest degree of protectionby only shopping with those glasscompanies that comply with theAGRSS Standard, most come awaywith the commitment that “AGRSSregistration” would be their numberoneand most weighted differentiator.Introducing AGRSSNow that the key differentiator of“safety” is defined, next is the issue of,“Who follows the AGRSS Standard?”Customers should think that you do,since you’ve been the one to introducethe differentiator of AGRSS,FMVSS and the law. Sure, you can tellthem that you do, but proof is neededsince everyone “talks the talk.”The key is to “walk the walk,” orprove that you follow the rules and deservethe customer’s business. The conceptof “third-party-selling” is anecessity that equates to proving yourperformance through the measurementof other people.Your best partner in third-party sellingis the AGRSS Registration Program,especially considering the positivesupport and undeniable third-partyvalidation that is coming soon throughphase III of the registration program(see related story on page 28). Now isthe time to become fully vested in theregistration program for increasingyour power of differentiation.You are AGRSS! AGRSS is the toolalready at hand and available today tomake a difference. There are many,like myself, fully vested in the AGRSSway of doing things in supportingyour business. AGRSS is the bestsource of proof of who deserves thebusiness and is built around thetheme that it is never the right priceunless it’s the right job! The only thingeliminating a glass company’s abilityto share in the AGRSS success andability for AGRSS to make a differenceare those who either don’t join or failto do their part in the walk. ■◗Carl Tompkins is the Western statesarea manager for Sika Corp. in MadisonHeights, Mich. He is based in Spokane, Wash.Mr. Tompkins’ opinions are solely his ownand not necessarily those of this magazine.BECAUSE SAFETYSHOULD BE ATOP PRIORITYEFTEC aims to protect the most importantaspect of your business – your customers.And that’s why we’re proud to endorse theAGRSS Standard.To learn more about EFTEC Aftermarketproducts, visit us at www.eftecna.com orcall 1-866-596-7772.EXTREME CLIMATECONDITIONS READYGlobal quality from aglobal name in adhesives.10 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


ONE-HOURPARKINGSUPER QUICK CURESFor quick cures and faster drive-away times, insist on DINITROL ® D-9000,our leading one-part urethane. One-hour drive away time with dual airbags(0°–115°F). Crash-test proven.The full line of high quality DINITROL products from EFTEC are designedto help you get auto glass installations done quickly, so you can get yourcustomers back on the road fast. Whether it’s through winter cold or summerheat, DINITROL adhesives, sealers and primers perform in even the mostextreme conditions.As a supplier to the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers, DINITROLproducts are OEM used and approved. Available in 10.5 oz. cartridgeor 20.3 oz. foil wrap.TRUSTED BY:DaimlerChryslerVolkswagenAudiVolvoFordGMCadillacEXTREME CLIMATE CONDITIONS READYTheSpecialistbondingcoatingsealingin the Automotive AftermarketFor EFTEC product availability, callFor EFTEC product availability, call866-596-7772866-596-7772or visit www.eftecna.comor visit www.eftecna.com


Independent’s Dayan iga viewpointmiker@thruwayautoglass.comAnti-Steering Wheels Turnby Mike RussoTHERE IS NO QUESTION THATpossible steering by competitoradministrators(CA) has a majorimpact on our bottom lines. As independents,the frustration that we facewith the tactics used by the customerservice representatives of CAs has takena toll on us personally and on our businessesprofessionally. It is gettingtougher everyday for even the most resourcefulindependents to remain inbusiness. When we take into considerationall the money we spend on advertisingto initiate that first point ofcontact with the customer only to haveit displaced by the tactics of CAs itmakes our daily headaches even worse.Heading to the CapitalWithin the states in which we conductbusiness, there is an opportunitythrough legislation to bring these practicesto a halt. And it does not take mucheffort to get the ball rolling toward anopen marketplace. An initial meetingwith your elected representative can getthe process underway. You would besurprised to learn that many representativesare not informed as to what isgoing on in our industry. In some states,you may learn that steering practicesare already illegal. That is why the IGAcurrently is developing a comic bookcalled “Don’t Get Steered.” Our hope isthat putting our issues into a simple formatwill allow legislators to quickly digestthe unfair business practices goingon in their states.One critical pointto remember in wagingthis fight is that itis not about pricing.Pricing must not bethe thrust of your argument.Our fight isabout fair access to themarketplace or a levelplaying field. You needto explain that, unfortunately,under the currentstate of affairs, we haveto fight to earn businessthat is already ours.You’ve worked years—ifnot decades—to earnyour reputation. Youhave created the necessaryadvertising budgetto promote your business.Through all yourefforts and hard work you have convincedthe customer to call your shop.And then, bingo, a call to a customer’sinsurance company’s glass claims callcenter and that customer is gone forever.Real fair, isn’t it? You pay to advertise.You work hard to earn your clients;they have a contract to run a call center.In the end, they influence where thecustomer goes, because they controlthe point of contact to the insurancecompany.The IGA developed its comicbook based on a suggestionby Ralph Nader at last year’sconference in Las Vegas.Across the StatesActivities to right this wrong are takingplace in many states. In some states,such as Washington and Oregon for example,legislation has been enacted thatensures customer choice. Currently amajor movement is under way in Missouriand Kansas to protect consumershop choice rights. These are very importantbattles that wecan use as models forwinning the war in eachof our own individualstates. IGA membershave access to the authorsof these battlesand can use these already-provengameplans to start grassroots efforts in theirsections of the country.If you want tosave your businessand protect the freemarket then youneed to get involved.Get together with othersin your state andcontact your legislators.Educate them asto what is taking place.Use your membership in the IGA asa source to help you get started and ifyou are not a member, do yourself afavor and join. Many of your fellow independentsalready have. In 2007, IGAsaw its membership rise 30 percent.Your IGA is a very important ally inthis process and the primary associationconfronting issues that impactindependents on a daily basis. It is avery worthwhile first step and may bethe only way to ensure the survival ofyour business.■◗Mike Russo is currently the controllerfor Thru-Way Autoglass DistributorsInc. in Syracuse, N.Y. Russo currently is amember of the board of the IndependentGlass Association and is a past bookkeeperfor the New York State Glass Association. Mr.Russo’s opinions are solely his own and notnecessarily those of this magazine.12 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


<strong>AGRR</strong>eportsbreaking newspowered byCOMPANY NEWSRecall of Glass Parts ExpandsIN DECEMBER, SAFELITE AUTOGlass/Belron US in Columbus,Ohio, issued a voluntary recall forseveral parts included in DOT 430,which are believed to have been manufacturedby Hangzhou Safety GlazingLtd. in Hangzhou City, China, andwere supplied to Safelite by AutoTemp Inc. (ATI) in Batavia, Ohio.Seventeen part numbers were includedin the original Safelite recall. Visitwww.glassBYTEs.com TM for the full list.The glass, which has been sold foruse on certain domestic and foreign vehicles,may not break into small piecesas expected of tempered glass and failsto conform to Federal Motor VehicleSafety Standard No. 205, according toinformation from the National HighwayTraffic and Safety Administration(NHTSA). NHTSA also notes that in theevent of a vehicle crash, the occupantsof a vehicle utilizing this glass may beseriously injured by shattered glass. Potentially,1,657 vehicles may be affected.The problem with the glass was discoveredwhen a Safelite techniciannoted that the rear window of a DodgeRam pickup on which he was workingshattered during the installationprocess, and, rather than breakinginto small pieces, as would be expected,broke into larger pieces.ATI purchased its lot of the productsfrom Wholesale Automotive Glassin Paterson, N.J.While Safelite’s recall was issued onDecember 17, as of press time ATI hadnot recalled the product.At the recent National Auto GlassConference in Tucson, Ariz., BelronUS chief operating officer Rich Harrisonnoted his main concern is that theproduct is still in the marketplace andat that time only Safelite had issued arecall.“Our view and concern in the industryis that there’s glass in the marketplaceright now that came through thesame chain that hasn’t been recalled.”—Rich Harrison, Belron US“We’ve recently proactively taken astep to recall certain products fromDOT 430,” said Harrison. “Our viewand concern in the industry is thatthere’s glass in the marketplace rightnow that came through the samechain that hasn’t been recalled.”Just before press time, PittsburghbasedPPG Industries announced thatone of its suppliers, Polymer ProcessDevelopment LLC (PPD) in ClintonTownship, Mich., also had filed a formalrecall with NHTSA for part numberFB020415 ZPY from DOT 430 and DOT628. Hebei Tonyong Glass holds DOT628. At press time, officials at neitherPPG nor PPD could be reached for information,and NHTSA had not yetposted information about the recall onits site.Numerous calls to Wholesale andeven a visit to the company’s facility by<strong>AGRR</strong> magazine/glassBYTEs.com toobtain a comment have beenunsuccessful.ATI spokesperson Josh Hammondof Northlich, a public relations firm,has not been able to comment onwhether Auto Temp has discovered anissue with the parts, citing legal andcompetitive reasons for not revealingthis information.“For legal and competitive reasons,we are unable to comment on any ofour customer and vendor relationships,”reads the statement issued to<strong>AGRR</strong> magazine/glassBYTEs.com.He also declined to comment onwhether the parts were distributed toother shops or wholesalers. However,<strong>AGRR</strong> magazine/glassBYTEs.com hasreceived reports from readers whoalso purchased glass from DOT 430,who wished to remain anonymous forfear of reprisal, that they were advisedby ATI to quarantine the parts.The 573 report filed by Safelite byNHTSA when issuing the recall notesthat when the issue was discovered,Safelite reported the issue to ATI, whoin turn tested the products. To date,ATI also has declined to comment onwhat was found in the testing.Safelite notified its retail customersand has said it will replace the glassfree of charge. It also is notifying itswholesale customers and will reimbursefor current inventory and willreplace already-installed glass “at aspecified rate,” according to NHTSA.Likewise, Safelite spokespersonJenny Cain has advised that the companywasn’t aware that ATI had purchasedthe parts from Hangzhou, andwill no longer accept any parts manufacturedby the company.“We were not made aware that ATIwas sourcing these parts fromHangzhou Safety Glass Ltd. (DOT430),” she says. “Upon discovering thedefects in the glass, and out of anabundance of caution, we promptlynotified all glass suppliers that, untilfurther notice, we will not accept anyHangzhou glass.”Cain adds that glass that Safelitemanufactures itself at its Enfield, N.C.,plant, endures extensive testing to en-14 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


sure it is compliant with Federal MotorVehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 205.“With respect to glass we sourcefrom third parties, we expect and requireall of our suppliers to comply withall relevant federal, state and localsafety standards, including FMVSS205,” she says. “To the extent they donot, we reserve the right to seek reimbursementfor any damages we incur.”In January, Hangzhou representativeand senior engineer Alvin Shi advisedthat the company does notsupply Wholesale and that at that time,it had not been made aware of a recall.“We have never [had a glass] recallglass in [the] market, and we hold theDOT 430, and we have not suppl[ied]WGA,” Shi said. However, Shi has notresponded to more recent inquiries asto whether it has since been notifiedof the recall.DOL Files Suit Against NewMexico Auto Glass ShopThe U.S. Department of Labor(DOL) has filed a suit against a Touchof Glass Enterprises Inc. for withholdingpayment of minimum wageand/or overtime compensation allegedlydue to employees under theFair Labor Standards Act of 1938(FLSA). The case was filed in the U.S.District Court for the District of NewMexico, Albuquerque Division, andalso named the company’s president,Emily Gordon, and vice president,Emerald Duquette, as defendants.The company and its leaders arecharged with paying its employees atrates less than the minimum hourlyrated required by the FLSA and with requiringemployees “in an enterpriseengaged in commerce or in the productionof goods for commerce” towork more than 40 hours a week “withcontinuedon page 16 www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 15


The fastest way to build your presence – and profits –on the Internet superhighway is to get on Mainstreet.Because now the same experts you rely on for Glas-Avenuebusiness software offer web design and hostingservices too.And like all Mainstreet solutions, it couldn’t be easier totake advantage of this opportunity to grow your business.Choose from our selection of web templates – ourdesigners will customize your look. Then, let Mainstreet’sreliable, stable hosting service do the rest.• Be available to consumers 24/7• Grow your customer base• Increase your advertising coverage• Strengthen your service-oriented brand• Get huge returns with minimal costPut Mainstreet’s 25 years of experience in the auto glassand flat glass industries to work for you. And make theInternet your route to greater success.Call 800-698-6246 now, or visit mainstreetcomp.com.out compensating such employees for their employment inexcess of 40 hours per week at rates not less than one andone-half times the regular rates at which they were employed,”according to court documents.In addition, the DOL alleges that the company failed tokeep accurate records of how many hours employeesworked each day and the total each week.The plaintiff is seeking that liquidated damages equal inamount to the unpaid compensation be provided to the affectedemployees and that pre-judgment interest also becomputed at the underpayment rate established by the Secretaryof the Treasury, according to the complaint.Richard Fritz Inc. toBuild Factory in Duncan, S.C.Richard Fritz Inc., a Germany-based auto glass encapsulation,rubber and plastic mouldings manufacturer, has announcedthat it is building a $6 million facility in Duncan,S.C., according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce.The factory will employ 63.The company will produce encapsulated auto glass at itsDuncan facility. Worldwide, Fritz is a supplier to Land Rover,Porsche, GM, Audi, Lamborghini, Saab, Ford, Mercedes,Daimler, Volkswagen and Audi.ASSOCIATION NEWS<strong>AGRR</strong>eportscontinuedINDEPENDENTGlass AssociationIGA Auto Glass TechnicianCertification Program OpensThe Independent Glass Association (IGA)has begun administering its Auto Glass TechnicianCertification Exam after four years of development. Theprogram, which is registered by the Auto Glass ReplacementSafety Standard (AGRSS) Council, is primarily an online program,allowing technicians to review course materials andtake course exams at their own pace and requires annual renewalcourses to fulfill continuing education requirements.“The IGA is dedicated to promoting safe and properglass services for consumers,” says IGA president DaveZoldowski. “In order for the IGA to fully achieve thatpromise, we need to provide our membership with educationalopportunities that give them the resources andskills necessary to meet our high standards. This certificationprogram is a good way for us to meet that goal.”At the beginning of November at the group’s Fall Conferencein Las Vegas, IGA awarded Bob Beranek of AutomotiveGlass Experts Corp in Sun Prairie, Wis., Russell Poore of Justice-ShamrockGlass in Lexington, Ky., and Travis Crebs ofTechna-Glass in Sandy, Utah, plaques and certificationpatches for passing the certification’s beta test and assistingin the program’s development.❙❙➤ www.iga.orgCertified Technicianwww.autoglasssaftey.org®16 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


TCG Launches Windshields.comBurnaby, British Columbia-based TCG International haslaunched a new consumer website for auto glass referrals,www.windshields.com. According to windshields.com marketingmanager Doug Young, the company purchased the domainname in the early 1990s and began working on thereferral site about a year ago.Currently the site, which went live on November 30, hasabout 250 shops signed on and is looking to grow thesenumbers. While TCG, which also is the parent company ofSpeedy Auto Glass, Novus Windshield Repair and Shat RProof Corp., automatically will include all its Speedy andNovus locations on the site, Young notes that the site is designedfor the entire industry.“This is really not designed to promote Speedy or Novus,but to bring the industry and the consumer together,” he says.“We’re seeing more and more people going to the web.”❙❙➤ www.windshields.comINFORMATION<strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> Launches Digital Edition<strong>AGRR</strong> magazine will now be offered in a digital version, inaddition to a printed one. Readers may now receive a full copyof each magazine in their in-boxes as it goes to press. The digitalversion includes a searchable index and full download andsingle forwarding capabilities.Digital subscriptions are free to those in the industry. It isespecially helpful for those outside the United States. Boost your efficiency and maximize profitability withGlas-Avenue, the glass industry’s only truly integratedsales, accounting and inventory control software system.You’ll pack more productivity into every day. Work onseveral quotes, work orders or invoices at once. Checkpricing and availability with the click of a mouse. Trackcritical business measurables, and more:• Alert CSR with preset unprofitable job warning• Link POs and cost directly to invoice• Prevent data entry errors with Glaxis dispatching• Analyze profits by invoice• Evaluate profits per piece and per jobAs the leader in software solutions for the auto glassand flat glass industries, Mainstreet can help you driveyour business higher. So call us. Whether you have lotsof shops or just one, we’ll get you up to speed fast.“We see the digital editions as an adjunct to our print product,not a replacement,” says Key vice president Holly Biller, whospearheaded the new services. “Part of our audience is on theroad, or in places where it’s difficult for mail to reach easily andthe digital editions will enable these readers to easily keep upwith the industry.”❙❙➤ www.agrr-digital.com orwww.agrrmag.com/digitalsub.php■Call 800-698-6246 now, or visit mainstreetcomp.com.www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 17


Off theLineoem news from detroitMustang Adds a Glass Roof OptionFORD MOTOR CO. HAS ANnouncedthat it will celebratethe 45 th anniversary year of itsMustang by adding a factory-installedglass roof to the vehicle.The new glass roof will be availableas an option on both the V-6Mustang and Mustang GT beginningthis summer.“As the automotive landscape becomesincreasingly competitive, featuressuch as a panoramic glass roofwill help differentiate our productsfrom the competition,” says DerrickKuzak, Ford’s group vice president,global product development.Mustang’s glass roof is madefrom tinted, laminated glass. Amanual roller blind is built intothe sunroof as well, allowing ownersto further control exposure asnecessary.The glass also features a layer ofvinyl to reduce noise, vibration andAfter 45 years, the Mustang has a new glass roof.harshness.Glass-roof Mustangs will be assembledat the Automotive AllianceInternational plant in Flat Rock,Mich. The glass will be installed atMercedes Recalls $500K <strong>2008</strong> SLRMcLaren Roadster for Faulty Windshield InstallsMercedes-Benz USA LLC has recalled the <strong>2008</strong> SLR McLaren Roadster, notingthat the windshields were not installed correctly and that either the primer or activatorwas missing at the time of installation, according to Mercedes spokespersonRob Moran. The company warns that in a crash, the windshield in thesevehicles may not be retained.The vehicle, which usually is priced at around $500,000, according to Moran,was manufactured in very limited numbers, and Moran says there are only two ofthese vehicles in the United States. He was uncertain how many were distributedthroughout the rest of the world, but notes that the McLaren Roadster is manufacturedat a plant in Woking, England.The issue was discovered during production of the vehicle.Moran says he is uncertain whether the error was one of human or mechanicalissue.“The car has a lot hand-finishing on it,” he told <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine/glass-BYTEs.com. “It’s mostly hand-built.”Moran says the owner of the vehicles were informed by mail.The NHTSA announcement says that the vehicles should be returned to thedealers, who will remove the windshields and will re-install properly.Ford’s adjacent vehicle personalizationfacility.Firefighters ReportDifficulty on BreakingGlass in MercedesA firefighter in Fairfax, Va., whospoke to <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine/glass-BYTEs.com on the condition ofanonymity, advised that his crew recentlyhad extreme difficulty in breakingthe windows on a Mercedes thathad been T-boned (hit by another caron the side of the vehicle). The vehicle,from which the crew was trying toextract a passenger trapped inside,appeared to have laminated sidelitesresistant to breakage as the crew triedto make its way into the vehicle.“Unfortunately, no one trained usbeforehand that this would be comingout,” he says of the sidelites, which arerelatively new in the market.While the firefighter notes that thevehicle actually was more secure forthe injured due to the laminatedsidelites, he advises that it took the18 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


® Lost Productivity Frustrated Employees Unsatisfied Customerscrew two minutes, as opposed to anorm of 15 seconds, to break into thevehicle to extract the person.Once the crew discovered it couldn’tbreak the windshield or sidelites asusually is the case, they tried to sawthrough them.“We were thinking instead ofcutting it out we could saw throughit, but melted the laminate andgummed up the saw. The frictionwas melting the laminate,” he says.Eventually, the crew cut out all ofthe windows utilizing a tool they referto as “the Glass Master” in order toextract the patient.Usemore ofthisFewer Call BacksIncreasedProductivitySatisfied CustomersFlexiTrim Universal MoldingMade by Creative Extruded Products since 1995FT1630-7516mm cap: 75 feet (22.8m)FTB1640-7516mm BriteFlex cap: 75 feet (22.8m)FTF1650-7516mm cap with feature line: 75 feet (22.8m)FT1830-7518mm cap: 75 feet (22.8m)FT2030-7520mm cap: 75 feet (22.8m)FT2630-SA26mm cap single application: 16 feet (4.8m)FTU0830-758mm u-lip universal molding: 75 feet (22.8m)FTUS08-75Under side tape molding with patented tearaway alignment, 8mm tail: 75 feet (22.8m)FTUS10-75Under side tape molding with patented tearaway alignment, 10mm tail: 75 feet (22.8m)Installation InstructionsManufactured and sold through distribution byCreative Extruded Products, Inc.1414 Commerce Park DriveTipp City, Ohio 45371Toll Free: 1-800-273-1535www.creativeextruded.comMade in the USAWWW.CREATIVEEXTRUDED.COM• Select the best FlexiTrim molding for your installation:Cap over design: 16mm, 18mm, 20mm and 26mm cap sizesU-lip design: 8mm cap sizeUnder side tape molding using patented tear away alignment: 8mm and 10mm tail lengt• Prepare the glass according to your urethane adhesive manufacturer procedures.• Press the FlexiTrim molding firmly onto the glass.• Prime the FlexiTrim molding where it will contact the urethane adhesive according to youradhesive manufacturer’s instructions. FlexiTrim moldings are NOT a windshield retentionadhesive system. The windshield must be bonded to the vehicle using an appropriateadhesive system.• Set windshield in the vehicle opening.FlexiTrim molding is manufactured in the U.S.A.by Creative Extruded Products, Inc. under one ormore U.S. patents. Others patents are pending.FlexiTrim and BriteFlex are trademarks ofCreative Extruded Products, Inc.www.creativeextruded.comed.comAn ISO9001:2000 Registered Company.Made in the USA1414 Commerce merce Park Dr.Tipp City, OH 45371Tel: 800.273.1535• Fax: 937.667.3647Merceded includes a diagram onthe glass of the 2007 S-Class foremergency workers to follow.Both the front and side airbags haddeployed on the vehicle.While the firefighter was uncertainof the exact type of Mercedes involvedin the incident, he says the experiencewas an eye-opening one for him andothers involved.“We’re going to start training andpreparing [for this type of thing],” hesays.Rob Moran, manager of productcommunications for Mercedes-Benz, says the company actuallyprovides demonstrations to fire departmentsacross the country for issuessuch as this.“We work pretty closely with municipalfire departments all over thecountry to do demos on new cars forextrication,” he says.Without knowing the exact make ofthe car, Moran notes that it is difficultto tell what occurred in this situation,but that the company’s 2007 S-Class isequipped with double-laminatedglass sidelites, along with a good dealof light-alloy steel—and instructionsfor rescue workers who come in contactwith the vehicle.“We actually put on the windshielditself diagrams that show rescue workershow to cut the windshield away.That’s the only car I know of that usesthat diagram,” he says.■www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 19


AGRSS Newsthe latest in safetyState Farm Donates Gift of$20,000 to AGRSS CouncilSTATE FARM INSURANCE HASprovided a monetary gift of$20,000 to the Automotive GlassReplacement Safety Standards (AGRSS)Council Inc. for use in developing itsConsumer Awareness Program“State Farm’s support of AGRSS,through [its] time and monetary commitment,makes a clear statement tothe auto glass industry that it is necessaryto follow the Standard of installationto ensure the protection of ourmutual customer involved in an autoaccident,” says Cindy Ketcherside,president of the AGRSS Council.The funding will be used to developand further advance the AGRSS ConsumerAwareness Programs(CAPs) takingplace around thecountry.“As the insuranceindustry leaders, we at Bob BischoffState Farm standcommitted to supporting the highestquality auto glass safety standard available,”says Bob Bischoff, national glassmanager with State Farm. “We’re committedto educating our consumersabout safety standards and why theyare so critical to auto glass safety. Weproudly support AGRSS in its efforts tocontinue to raise the bar on the safetystandards and to educate the public“We’re committedto educating ourconsumers aboutsafety standards …”—Bob Bischoff,State Farmthrough its CAP.”“A donation of this size will not onlyhelp AGRSS educate the consumer onthe safety issues of an auto glass installation,it will help us communicate theimportance of implementing this Standardinto each and every auto glasscompany,” Ketcherside adds.continued on page 22AGRSS-REGISTERED TRAINING PROGRAM20 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


A Pinnacle of SuccessSince entering the U.S. Auto Glass Replacement Industry (AGR) in 1992, Sika has becomethe AGR market leader by providing superior customer service, extensive marketingprograms, and innovative and “user-friendly” polyurethane adhesive technologies.Sika will sell our 100 Millionth U.S. AGR Cartridge in <strong>2008</strong>. This coincides with Sikasurpassing 60% U.S. AGR Market Share. To celebrate this pinnacle of success, wewant to say THANK YOU TO OUR LOYAL U.S. AGR CUSTOMERS who have madethis milestone possible!As our way of saying Thank You, we encourage you toenter our Sweepstakes Drawing for a trip to New YorkCity and a chance for a trip for two to Switzerland!Enter Sika's 100 Millionth Sweepstakes Drawing to win one of six weekend trips toNew York City where the six winners will be included in an additional drawing to wina trip for two to Switzerland. Please contact your local Sika representative or call1-800-688-7452 for additional information.No purchase necessary. Open to Auto Glass Replacement (AGR) Cos. that as of 4/1/08 use Sika’s auto glass adhesive system products. Entries mustbe postmarked by 8/11/08 and rec’d by 8/18/08. For official rules, send SASE to: Attn: Sika 100 Millionth Cartridge Sweepstakes. Official Rules request,c/o Sika Corporation, 30800 Stephenson Highway, Madison Heights, Michigan 48071 (VT residents may omit return postage). Sika Corporation, 201Polito Avenue, Lyndhurst, New Jersey 07071.AGRSS-REGISTERED TRAINING PROGRAM AVAILABLE


AGRSS NewscontinuedThe AGRSS Standards Committee met in Las Vegas inOctober.as director of quality assurance and safety with DiamondGlass Inc. in Kingston, Pa.; Joel Timmons of Profitable GlassSolutions and Jeff Bull of J. Bull & Associates.“This is an opportunity to make a difference in our industry,and I accept and look forward to all the challengesof this prestigious nomination. Anyone replacing autoglass should adhere to these stringent and worthwhileAGRSS Standards,” says Turiello.New members also joined the Standards Committeethis year. Sherri Stallings of Binswanger Glass, who hadserved as an alternate previously officially became amember, replacing Steve Pierick. Other new membersare Steve Coyle, who joined as an individual member;Brian Yarborough of Glass Doctor in Tampa, representingthe Independent Glass Association; Gene Nichols ofGuardian Industries; Mike Schmaltz of the MinnesotaGlass Association; Dave Zoldowski of Auto One inBrighton, Mich.; Jim Coleman of Glasspro in Charleston,S.C.; Tom Lance of Leading Edge Auto Refinishers; JimGagin of Sommer & Maca; Scott Riddel of Bostik; and TimO’Neil of ADCO.New AGRSS Marketing Tools AvailableThe AGRSS marketing committee has added three newitems to its growing list of promotional materials for saleto assist shops in making the most of their AGRSS registrationsand educating consumers.Two new brochures are available; one explains theConsumer Awareness Program (CAP) and how to host alocal CAP event and the other is written for members ofthe insurance industry, supplying them with information22 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


The leading windshield repair systemsteConsumer Awareness Program(CAP) and how to host a local CAPevent and the other is written formembers of the insurance industry,supplying them with informationabout AGRSS specific to their needsas insurance providers.Additionally, mirror tags are nowavailable with an explanation ofsafe drive-away times and the importancethereof.Mark Your Calendars for theAGRSS ConferenceThe dates for the fourthannual AGRSS Conferencehave been set. The conferencewill be held November5-6, <strong>2008</strong>, at the MandalayBay Convention Center inLas Vegas.■GlazexWhen it comes to thetools of our trade,beauty is only skin deep. When you couplehigh performance and durabilty with thefact that it just may be the easiest system onthe market to master, you can’t go wrong.WhyGlazex?•SServing thewindshield repairindustry since 1988• International nal supplier of wind-shield repair supplies and resins• 20 years proven track record•Very affordablewww.glazex.com1-800-545-2770www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 23


CLUED InWhat This Report Might Meanto You—and Your Customersby Penny StaceyFrom kindergarten on, mostpeople start worrying abouttheir “permanent records.”There’s the school record, ofcourse, and, the criminal record—forsome. But there’s another record outthere that many don’t even knowabout it. It’s called the ComprehensiveLoss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE,for short) Report—and a companycalled ChoicePoint in Alpharetta, Ga.,maintains it. The report is availablefor all types of personalproperty—and, most importantly, forauto insurance.The CLUE Personal Auto report willdisplay detailed auto insurance lossinformation, including the insurancecompany that handled the loss, thepolicy number under which it washandled, the type of policy, the date ofloss, the type of loss, the amount paidand the loss status (open or closed)for all auto insurance policyholders—past or present. This material normallystays on the report for fiveyears—at which point it drops off, accordingto ChoicePoint.Why Keep the Report?So, what’s the purpose of this report?It shows how much of a risk a personis—as how much of a loss one hascaused his insurance company in thepast could show how likely that individualis to cause (or be involved in) futurelosses, even those that aren’t his fault.When asked what informationshows up on a CLUE report, CLUEspokesperson Fiona McCaul says it isthe payment made to the insured(whether it’s paid directly to the insuredor to a repair facility on behalfof the insured).“The insurance company will reportthe payment made to the insured,”she says.While ChoicePoint holds that itis only the keeper of the informationthat insurance companiesprovide, a variety of informationabout the CLUE report is availableall over the web.ChoicePoint in Alpharetta,Ga., manages the CLUE reportsystem.“CLUE reports are one of the waysan insurer assesses how much of a riskit is assuming by selling you an insurancepolicy,” according to www.privacyrights.org.“The theory is that anindividual’s history of filing insuranceclaims is a good indicator of how likelythat person is to file future claims.”While some insurers loosely maintainthat only at-fault losses can affectfuture premiums—this isn’t written instone and, because policies vary, it isdifficult to tell whether or not a comprehensiveloss, such as a glass claim,might affect a future a loss.McCaul maintains that it varies bycarrier—and by state.“At-fault indicators when contributedby the insurance carriers arebased on their guidelines or statemandatedguidelines,” she says.CLUE reports are not only used toassess risk, but also are a factor in therates insureds pay—the theory beingthat, if you’re a high risk and are likelyto have an accident, you should paymore upfront for your policy.According to information from theInsurance Information Institute, “Insurershave been using loss historiesas a primary underwriting and ratingfactor for decades.”The Glass PartSo, when your customer has anauto glass claim and uses insurance,what happens? Whether a third-partyadministrator is involved or not, thedetails of the loss and, when applicable,the amount that the insurancecompany pays out on the claim is tobe reported to ChoicePoint to includethis information on the customer’sCLUE report. Keep in mind, Choice-24 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


Point doesn’t verifythe information—thecompany merely reportswhat it is given.And, from Choice-Point’s standpoint, theamount that is reportedshould be theamount paid to the insured, as Mc-Caul notes.For example, if your customer has a$250 deductible and the full amount ofthe work done is $350, then $100—theamount the insurance company paidout (on your behalf)—should show upon the report. Other details includedwould be the date of the loss, whetherthe claim was closed, what vehicle wasinvolved, what policy it fell under andwhat type of loss it was (comprehensiveor collision). The report wouldn’ttell that it was a glass claim, though. Itwould say, for example:Payments by Claim Type:$100 – COMPREHENSIVEIf a loss was reported and a claimwas set up, but the company did notissue any payments, it likely wouldread “$0 – COMPREHENSIVE”—butcould nonetheless appear on the report,depending on the insurer’s reportingpractices.So, what’s the big deal? First, ifthere was no payout, some wonderwhy this should show up at all—theloss didn’t cost the insurance companyany money. Many experts maintainthat the fact that you had a lossat all still increases your risk factor.But, when a payout is made, in theinstance of a glass claim, for example,controversy can arise. If an insureruses a third-party administrator, theamount reported on the CLUE reportcan be higher than the glass shop’s actualinvoice.<strong>AGRR</strong> magazine/glassBYTEs.com,for example, traced one examplewhere a hidden fee for processingthe claim also appeared on the report—aspart of the lump sum includedon the payout line. Of course,the consumer wouldn’t know aboutthis unless he pulled the report andput this together.In the case of this consumer, whomwe’ll call Jack Lorenson*, the originalinvoice from the glass shop showed atotal of $350.66. Lorenson had paidhis $250 deductible, so his insurancecompany had to pay $100.66 cents.The math is pretty simple.But what was showing up on the*Mr. Lorenson’s name has been changed to protect his identity.Get a CLUEof Your OwnInterested in finding out what’s showing up onyour auto insurance record? You can pull yourown CLUE report in two ways. It only takesabout five minutes and it’s free.The easiest and most common way is to visitwww.choicetrust.com.On the left side of the screen, click on “CLUE Reports.”Next, click “CLUE Reports in Compliance withFACT Act.” Finally, click the bullet next to “CLUEAuto Report” and click “Order Now.” Though it says“Order Now,” the report is free and you will not becharged to view this for the first time online.This will take you to a log-in screen, where youcreate an account on the site, provide a bit ofpersonal information, such as your name, address,social security number, driver’s licensenumber, previous recent addresses, etc.After you provide this information, the sitewill ask you a series of questions to verify that you are who you sayyou are—such as:“Which of the following streets have you never lived on?”❍ Jackson Street❍ First Lane❍ Fifth Avenue❍ None of the AboveIf you get through this process (there are usually about three verification questionsto answer), your report will appear on the screen for you to print—free ofcharge. The report will be available to you for 30 days, using the login informationyou set up previously. When applicable, it will also give you a list of any companiesthat have tried to access your information in the last two years, and provides informationon how to dispute any claims with which you disagree.If you prefer the old-fashioned phone route, call 866/312-8076 to order a report,though ChoicePoint will charge for a mailed report. The charge for the mailed reportcould not be confirmed.CLUE report for this claim? “$118 –COMPREHENSIVE.”Lorenson contacted Safelite,which had processed the claim forhis insurance company, and requesteda copy of the invoice on filethere. When he saw this invoice, itwas obvious where the $18 had comefrom; it was there in black and white:“1 PROGRAM FEE - $18.00.”When Lorenson questioned aSafelite customer service representative(CSR) on this, he received an answerthat was clearly disturbing tohim as a consumer.“That’s our processing fee,” theSafelite CSR advised Lorenson, whenquestioned about the charge. “Wedon’t work for free.”continued on page 26www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 25


CLUED Incontinued from page 25Of course, Lorenson had no ideahad the time of his glass claim that hisinsurance company, first of all, wouldbe paying a processing fee. And hedefinitely had no idea it would showup on his own CLUE report—somethingthat could affect how much hepays for future insurance policies(and something that could be a decidingfactor in whether or not a companymay insure him at all).“I didn’t ask for my insurance companyto contract somebody else tohandle their glass claims,” Lorensonsaid. “And I definitely didn’t knowthey’d use the fee they pay against me.”Safelite representative Jenny Cainadvised <strong>AGRR</strong> that Safelite isn’t involvedin the CLUE Report, and accordingto ChoicePoint, it’s theinsurance company that ultimatelyreports a total payout for inclusionon the CLUE report.So, Lorenson went to the source—the insurance company with whomthis glass claim was filed: ProgressiveInsurance. The insurance companyrepresentative advised Lorenson that,In this instance, the TPA’s administration fee showed up on the invoiceprovided to the customer after the fact.first of all, it doesn’t keep records ofclaims older than three years, so thisparticular claim was no longer was inthe system. Lorenson questioned therepresentative generally about thecharge, and the CSR advised hecouldn’t speak to the charge withoutseeing the claim, but reminded himLorenson was shocked when he discovered the amount showing on hisCLUE report was $118—$18 more than he thought his insurance companyhad paid.that Progressive considers a comprehensiveclaim a “zero-point loss”—meaning it wouldn’t be countedagainst Lorenson.The insurance company representativesuggested Lorenson contactChoicePoint.“But, doesn’t ChoicePoint justrecord whatever you all report tothem?” Lorenson asked.“Well, that’s true, but they haveolder records,” the insurance companyCSR advised.“I’ll give it a try,” Lorenson replied,and hung up, without an answer.So he called ChoicePoint. TheChoicePoint representative, asLorenson suspected, advised thatwhatever appears on the report iswhat the insurance company provides.No breakdown is given. ChoicePointoffered for Lorenson todispute the charge, but, after hearingmany horror stories about the CLUEreport, he was hesitant to anger thecompany that holds all of this powerfulinformation.<strong>AGRR</strong> was able to contact Progressiveregarding Lorenson’s concern—withoutnaming him, ofcourse—and spokesperson Leah26 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


Knapp advised that the amount thecompany reports to ChoicePoint isthe full amount provided by thethird-party administrator.“I can tell you that the full amountwe're invoiced by our third-party administratorfor a glass claim is theamount we send to CLUE,” she says.She also reinforced what the ProgressiveCSR told Lorenson—that thecompany doesn’t raise rates based onglass-only claims.“At Progressive, the amount forglass-only claims on the CLUE reportwon’t cause you to get a higher rate,but it might preclude you from gettinga better rate in the future,”Knapp adds.What Does This Mean to You?So, what happens when your customercomes to you with glass damage,and you suggest he utilizeinsurance when available?One Northeast shop owner, whowished to remain anonymous forfear of reprisal, had a close friendcome to him with a broken windshield.He suggested she have thewindshield repaired, so her deductiblewould be waived.“But, won’t it affect my rates?” sheasked. He told her he didn’t think itwould.A few weeks later she received a noticefrom her insurance company thatshe was being dropped for being toohigh a risk.Is this common? It’s difficult to tell,but horror stories like these make theCLUE report something we’re probablygoing to be hearing more andmore about.■Give Us a CLUEHave you pulled your CLUE report? Ifso, what have you found? How do yourown personal glass claims appear? Werehidden fees included on the report? <strong>AGRR</strong>magazine/glassBYTEs.com is conductinga survey and would like to hear from you.Please e-mail pstacey@glass.com.GlassTEXpo<strong>2008</strong><strong>April</strong> 10-12, <strong>2008</strong>Henry B. GonzalezConvention CenterSan Antonio,TexasSponsored bythe Texas GlassAssociation andDWM, USGlass, and<strong>AGRR</strong> magazinesFor more information visit www.usglassmag.com/texpowww.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 27


y Penny StaceyMandate toValidateIt’s Timeto InspectWhat WeExpectIf you ask Cindy Ketcherside, chairpersonof the Automotive GlassReplacement Safety Standard(AGRSS) Council Inc. and president ofJC’s Glass in Phoenix, or Carl Tompkins,chair of the AGRSS accreditationcommittee and western sales managerfor SIKA Corp., the next step inthe Standard’s process, the answer isclear: third-party validation.“Now is the time to inspect what weexpect,” says Ketcherside.The subject of third-party validationwas a lengthy discussion at theannual AGRSS conference in Novemberin Las Vegas (see related story inthe November-December issue of<strong>AGRR</strong>, page 38). Now, as we ease intothe middle of <strong>2008</strong>, it’s becomingmore and more of a reality.The group’s goal is to institutethird-party validation, through an independentaudit process, for AGRSSregisteredshops at the beginning of2009.“We needed to be able to crawl beforewe walked before we ran,”Ketcherside says. “Now, with thethird-party validation, we will allowsomeone else to come into a shopand say, ‘yes, you’re right, you understandthat we’re in the safety busi-“[The third-party validation] is going to bedesigned in a way so that [shops are] goingto become more consistent, moreprofessional, and if there’s a time whensomething incorrect is discovered, there willalways be a chance to remedy the situation.”—Carl Tompkins, chair of AGRSS accreditation committee28 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


ness and that the windshield is asafety mechanism and that you’re installingto that.’”In the past year, the AGRSS Council’saccreditation committee has establishedfour subcommittees withinto ensure that the mission is completeby 2009. Tompkins chairs the accreditationcommittee. The four subcommitteesare as follows:• Audit Organization Development,chaired by Ketcherside;• Third-Party Audit Documents,Processes and Training, chaired byCharles Turiello of Diamond Glassin Kingston, Pa.;• Marketing and Promotion, chairedby Debra Levy, publisher of <strong>AGRR</strong>magazine/glassBYTEs.com; and• Credentialing Resolution BoardDevelopment, chaired by Jean Peroof Mygrant Glass in Anaheim, Calif.“We’re going through an extensiveresearch and development process,”says Tompkins. “The four committeesare working very, very hard this year tobring the final model to the Board ofDirectors for a vote by the end of<strong>2008</strong>.”“The only companiesthat are going to shyaway from thisprocess are going tobe those who feelvulnerability frombeing exposed ofdoing things wrong.”January 2009 (or afterwards) will bereceiving a new form in their renewalpackets.“That registration packet will includethe same things that it doesright now,” Ketcherside says. “Shopswill still have to do the self-audit,but they’ll also be signing a piece ofpaper that says ‘I am willing to beaudited.’”As for who will be audited, this willfollow the procedures of the AmericanNational Standards Institute (ANSI),the group by which the AGRSS Standardhas been accepted.“According to ANSI, the auditingprocedures say that you will have to[audit] the square root of your body,”Ketcherside adds. “So, if we have 385companies, we would take thesquare root of that and that squareroot would be who we would audit.[The selection] would be random,and we’re working on processes andprocedures for how that will work.”Once the third-party validation begins,there’s one thing that’s inevitable:the third-party validatorsmay discover things aren’t being donecorrectly. What happens then?“We’re putting together infractions—minorand major infractions,”she says. “There will be consequencesof not meeting the Standard … justlike if you were a manufacturing plantand you were audited.”AdvantagesOf course, while there may be infractions—thevalue of the validationis that it will correct these errors.“The industry—in terms of thoseprofessional companies committed todoing the right thing—they’re very excitedabout this, because it brings thecontinued on page 30How It Will WorkWhen the idea of third-party validationcomes up, the number-onequestion on most people’s minds isthis: how will it work? This was nowhere clearer than at the AGRSS Conferencelast fall, when a question-answersession about third-partyvalidation led to many queries, suchas: Who will be audited? How often?How will penalties work? Who will bedoing the work?Much of this is still to be decided,though, by the accreditation committeeand its subcommittees, and manyof the preliminary decisions havebeen made.First, shops that are AGRSS-registeredand are due for registration inUnder a third-party validation system, AGRSS-registered shops will bereviewed at random by an independent validation firm.www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 29


Mandate to Validatecontinued from page 29How to Register with AGRSSSo, you’re interested in registering thatyou abide by the Auto Glass ReplacementStandard (AGRSS) but are unsure of howto do so? Here’s your guide.First, visit www.agrss.com—it containsall of the information you’ll need.There, you’ll download your very ownapplication. With this will be a copy of thefull ANSI/AGRSS 002-2002 Standard.In addition, you’ll receive an outline ofall the procedural requirements, as indicatedwithin the Standard, for registration.Each question has “Yes/No” answer. Forexample, one question is:“Do the personnel performing automotiveglass replacement refrain from beginningor completingultimate in power and proven ability,”Tompkins says. “And they not only likethe idea of third-party validation takingthem to a much higher level of differentiation,but it’s helping thembecome even better companies thanthey already are. It’s going to be designedin a way that is more consistentand more professional and if there’s atime when something incorrect is discoveredin a third-party audit, therewill always be a chance to remedy thesituation.”Officials from many AGRSS-registeredshops agree.“I’m glad AGRSS is going to institutethird-party audits,” says Bob Hittenberger,president of Best Glass, anAGRSS-registered shop in Phoenix.“It’s the only way to really knowAGRSS Council800 Roosevelt Road, Bldg. C, Suite 312Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137630-942-6597rickc@agrss.comATTACHMENT BANSI/AGRSS 002-2002 - Automotive Glass Replacement Safety StandardDeclaration of Standard Conformance — Self AssessmentCompany Name:_________________________________________ Date: _____________________Section 3: Vehicle Assessment Before Replacement3.01 Do the personnel performing automotiveglass replacement refrain from beginningor completing an installation where anyrelated condition would compromise theretention system (examples may include,but not limited to, the following: rust,contamination, suspect materials)?❑ Yes ❑ No3.02 In the event that such a compromisedinstallation is apparent, are processes inplace and followed to notify theowner/operator of such a condition?❑ Yes ❑ NoSection 3: Checking ConformanceCheck to make sure that:• Inspections are completed to identifyconditions outlined in Section 3, and thatno installation takes place when suchconditions exist.• The owner/operator is notified of such acondition.• Documents noting such conditions arecreated and maintained.3.03 If such a condition has occurred, isdocumentation completed, kept on fileand available for review?❑ Yes ❑ NoAttach Deliverable #1:1 Staple to the back of the “DeliverableCheck-List-Sheet” a copy of the formused to record such conditions. If acompleted copy is submitted, make surethe customer name is marked out.an installation where any related condition would compromisethe retention system (examples may include,but not limited to, the following: rust,contamination, suspect materials)?”In addition, a copy of the form thatyour company uses that shows thatyou’ve followed this procedure is to beattached to the back of the checklist,which includes a range of other questions,based on the Standard, and requestsfor other documentation, for a totalof eight deliverables.The completed form can then be mailed tothe AGRSS Council at 800 Roosevelt Road, BuildingC, Suite 312, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 60137, with the registrationfee of $225. The AGRSS Council will then review thechecklist and documentation provided.(Once your application is accepted, the renewal fee per year is $200.)If accepted, along with many other benefits, registration enables your companyto display certificates, wear patches, hang signage and use the AGRSS-registeredlogo in your advertising.whether AGRSS-registered shops areholding to the Standard or not.”Many also suspect that third-partyvalidation will make AGRSS registrationmore visible—and more accepted—byinsurance companies.“We can’t expect [insurance] customersto endorse a standard if theydon’t have outside confirmation thatwe’re walking the walk,” Tompkinssays. “It’s when we can provide thatthat we’ll have the unique ability toleverage the Standard.”Ketcherside also points to StateFarm’s gift of $20,000 to the AGRSSCouncil for use in the ConsumerAwareness Program (CAP) as evidenceof the insurance industry’s noticeof a third-party validation (seerelated story on page 20).“They didn’t give this to us in the ‘Iwill’ stage—they gave it to us whenwe stepped it up to the ‘I do’ stage,”says Ketcherside, referring to thirdpartyvalidation as the “I-do” stage forAGRSS. “We have to go through thiswith the understanding that we needto validate and that when we do validatethat the insurance industry willembrace it.”And State Farm’s endorsement ofAGRSS may just be the tip of theiceberg.“Obviously State Farm is the leaderin [working with AGRSS], but we continueto work with the industry as awhole,” she adds. “This is a mutualcustomer that we all need to worryabout. We need the insurance industryto understand their liability in thisand we need to the understand the liabilitywe have.”In January, Tompkins provided apresentation called “What the InsuranceIndustry Has Been Waitingfor” at Harmon Solutions Group’sNational Insurance Summit inTampa, Fla., to tout the benefits ofthird-party validation.In addition, he’s had inquiriesfrom other insurers.30 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


“It takes a few strong leaders to setthe precedent, to set the example, andthen others will feel more confident intaking those steps,” Tompkins says.Hittenberger agrees.“Not all insurance companies arefully aware, but AGRSS has done apretty good job of getting the messageout to most of them,” he says. “I thinkState Farm’s $20,000 donation toAGRSS makes a pretty strong statementabout their commitment.”Corey Hemperly, operation managerfor Windshield Doctor Inc., anAGRSS-registered shop in Pocatello,Idaho, notes that he doesn’t expectconsumers necessarily to take notice,but that insurers may.“Consumers do not know one ‘certification’from the next, so this has tobe aimed at insurers in my opinion,”he says.Tompkins adds that his hope forthird-party validation is that, ultimately,it will allow AGRSS to changethe industry as a whole.“There are way too many people inthis industry being included in the negotiationprocess who cheat, whobreak the rules and who put people’sLooking for Training?AGRSS Now Has FiveRegistered Training ProgramsIf you’re looking for training for your newemployees and want to be sure they’retrained to the Auto Glass Replacement SafetyStandard (AGRSS), the Council now has a registrationfor training programs. Currently, thefollowing five programs have been reviewedand have been approved by the AGRSS Councilas accurately training to its Standard:• Automotive Glass Consultants;• Dow Automotive;• Independent Glass Association;• Shat R Proof Corp.; and• SIKA Corp.lives at stake everyday. We considerthis as exposing all customers to a liabilityrisk that not even money canrepay, and this must stop,” he says.He adds that for companies that areAGRSS-registered and that completejobs in accordance with the AGRSSStandard, third-party validation willbe an added bonus.“This is a helpful tool—not a tool ofthreat,” he says. “The only companiesthat are going to shy away from thisprocess are going to be those who feelCurrently, there are five AGRSSregisteredtraining programslocated throughout the UnitedStates. Visit www.agrss.com formore information.vulnerability from being exposed ofdoing things wrong.”Hittenberger also expects that, despitethe money paid to becomeAGRSS-registered, eventually it willadd to his bottom line.“As insurance companies and thepublic become more aware of the importanceof the Standard [throughthird-party audits], I think it will translateinto more work for us,” he says.DisadvantagesWith the undertaking of third-partyvalidation, the AGRSS Council willhire an independent auditing firm tohandle visiting shops and auditingthem to the Standard, on a randombasis. While the group currently isworking on selecting an auditing firm,one thing is for certain—they won’twork for free.Many have cited this as the number-one—ifnot only—disadvantageto third-party validation.“I think more information and detailedreasoning behind the need forthird-party audits should be discussedby AGRSS in order for its members tojustify the increase in member fees topay for such a program,” Hemperlysays.For companies that are AGRSS-registered and comply with it on a regularbasis, AGRSS Council members note that the third-party validation processwill make that registration even more meaningful to customers than italready is. continued on page 32www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 31


Mandate to Validatecontinued from page 31For Ian Graham of Windshield Solutionsin Roanoke, Va., even withoutthird-party validation, AGRSS registrationhas proved too costly for himto justify thus far.“Being a very small shop, I have tobe sure to put my money into thingsthat have a [definite] return,” he said.Tompkins, however, notes thatwhile it may cost more under the“Audits are only aproblem if you’recheating.”—Bob Hittenberger,Best GlassusionExperience the fusion of three...leading youtoagreenerbottom line! Moveyourbusinessto a new levelwithGlasWeld. lCallnow orgo onlinetoseewhatthe “fusionof three”candoforyou.800.321.2597ReflectingExcellence inGlassRepairwww.glasweld.com/fusionthird-party validation system—theAGRSS registration will be more valuableas well.“The problem with it today is it’sway too easy and there’s no value toanything when anyone can jump inand have little to no effort, little to nocommitment and little to no cost—there’s no value in that. There’s just nodifferentiation,” he says.With the safety aspect of the AGRSSStandard, too, Ketcherside assures thatthe cost will be outweighed by the benefitsof providing consumers with safeinstallations.“Is there a price on a person’s life?”she asks. “Talk to Jon Fransway—howmuch would he have paid for thewindshield of his sister for her to stillbe here?”Fransway’s sister, Jean, was killed in1999 following a car accident in whichthe windshield of the car she was drivingwasn’t secured properly.Aside from costs, Graham addsthat he can see that third-party validationcould also be the motivationmany have been looking for fromAGRSS.“I do think that adding ‘teeth’ toAGRSS would be a definite step in theright direction,” Graham adds.Hemperly points out that theAGRSS registrants’ perception of theprogram—and how it is carried out—could be of concern too.“If it is run openly, honestly, withthe goal being a true third-party auditthat helps a company remain compliantby catching items they may havemissed, then it will be fine,” he says.continued on page 3432 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


REPLACEMENT GLASSReplacing auto glassis more than just good vision.Windshields not only help protect your customers from the elements,they also play a major role in vehicle integrity. Be sure your customersare getting OE glass. Be sure it’s Carlite ® .Ford Motor Company recommends one name in auto glass… Carlite ® .carlite.com*Carlite windshields manufactured after <strong>April</strong> 2001 have a sun protection factor (SPF) equivalent to 157.


Mandate to Validatecontinued from page 32“If AGRSS-registered companies seethis as a ‘big brother,’ the program willbe doomed from the start.”Again, Ketcherside warns thisshould not be a concern.“It is crucial to us that there’s nosubjectivity,” she says. “We are absolutelyunbiased.”And, what about the “Big Brother”fears?“There are so many people whothink the AGRSS Council is trying totake people out of business—we’renot,” Ketcherside says. “We’re trying tokeep this industry in business.”Hittenberger sees no possible disadvantages.“Audits are only a problem if you’recheating,” he says.Clyde Stephens, owner of VisionsGlass in Perham, Minn., thinks thethinks third-party validation is a step inthe right direction—but notes he hopesthe audits are done anonymously.“I think it’s a good thing, but if theygive notice they’re going to show up,well, of course [the shop is] going tofollow the Standard,” he warns.The Next StepThe AGRSS Council and its registrantsview third-party validation asthe perfect next step for the Standard.“It’s important to note that theAGRSS Council realized from the beginning[that third-party validationwould be needed],” Tompkins says,“but to make this work we needed totake steps in getting to what we callthe pinnacle, apex or finale ofregistration.”He adds, “With all of the glass industryhaving had a total of six yearsto learn about the Standard and totest its compliance at each of theirstore locations, this industry shouldby all means to be ready to have athird-party come in and assess theircompliance.”Ketcherside adds that third-partyvalidation is designed as a benefit—not a penalty.“An audit is not trying to take peopleout of business,” she says. “It isprofessionalism and that’s what it’sall about. There will be rules, and weall need to know what the rules areand we need to follow them, and ifyou don’t follow them, there will beconsequences.”■◗Penny Stacey is the editor of <strong>AGRR</strong>magazine.Leading the Service Industry with ourCOMMITMENT TOSAFETYBy offering our business owners andtheir technicians extensive safetytraining and on-going support.At Glass Doctor, we’re committedto building successful glassbusinesses with excellent training,support, national brand recognition,and the most comprehensivebusiness systems around.Are you ready to start your ownglass business or take your existingbusiness to the next level?Call toll-free:800-280-9858E-mail:glassdoctorfranchise@dwyergroup.comOr visit us online:www.glassdoctorfranchise.com34 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


- Advertisement -Tom Ashley, OwnerGlass Doctor of Okaloosa Walton Counties, Fla.®&n 2001 Tom Ashleywas in chargeIof a shop for a majorglass servicescompany,but he wasn’t satisfied.He wantedtoownhisownbusinesssothathe,hisfamily andhis employees wouldreaptherewardsoftheirsuccess. s.Tom looked attheGlass Doctorfranchisesystem andsawwhathe wasmissing professionally. He joinedtheGlass Doctorfranchise team andnow hasmoretime toracehispromodifiedracecar.Tom creditshispersonaland professionalsuccessto thesupporthegets from theGlassDoctorbusiness systems....I knew our customerswould be takencareof.Q: What made the start-up t-up of yourGlass Doctorfranchise successful?A:Westarted withfourfull-time employeesandonepart-timetimeemployee. ee.Wehadtohitthe groundrunning.I couldn’t affordtowait forthe phonetoring.The Glass Doctorsystem gave meaframework rk sothatIknewourcustomers wouldbetakencareof.Icould focusonworkingonthe business,notin the business.Glass Doctor or showeddmewaystogo get the businessand keep it.Q: What challenges didd you facewhen you started your business?A:Iwasfortunate tohave experienceinwas insales andmarketing, Ididn’tknowhow tocapture newbusiness. Glass Doctorshowed mewaystogogetthebusinessandkeep it.Anotherweaknesswasrecruiting andretaining tiiqualityemployees. WiththeGlassDoctorsystem Ilearnedways tomakemyshop the best place to work.Q: What other benefits haveyou seenas a Glass Doctor franchise owner?A:Aftertwo-and-a-half years,werelocatedto anewshop.Thatinvestment helpedalot toexpand ourcapability.Iwould notIhadinthe Glass Doctormarketingandsales system.People use us because theyhave confidence in Glass Doctororandour service system;theydon’t have to worry.Q:What advice do you haveforbusiness owners in our industry?A:I’vedonewellandreceived someawards,but Idon’tfeelbetterthan theperson sittingnext tome.Ithinkanyone candoitifthey arewillingtochange,putintheeffortandtotake advantageoftheopportunitiesGlass Doctoroffers. Don’treinvent ent thewheel.Just keepmovingforwardandtake careofyour team.IsFranchising Right htfor You?Findout todayat800-280-9858080-985orQ: You’ve been a leader amongvisitwww.glassdoctorfranchise.comwGlass Doctor franchise owners.whereyou canexplore e ourfranchiseWhat does it take to be a leadersystem,listentoaninterviewin the glass industry?withEntrepreneurmagazineandA: Leaders haveto go out and getthebusinesthe business. s.dowloadvideo clipsofGlass Doctorfranchise owners. to stayastep ahead.Ialso tryto livebyasetDiscoverhowtheestablished esystemsof values.Ithinkleadersarehonestand takeand on-goingoingsupport ofGlass Doctororcareofthe customer.PeopleuseusbecausecanhelpyoustartorgrowyourGlass Doctorand ourglassservicesbusiness. ss. Exclusiveterritoriesareavailable nationwideservicesystem; theydon’thave toworry.Iand in Canada.just trytohandlethingsasIwouldexpectthem tobehandledforme. Think,“Howwouldyouwanttobetreated?”t Wecantellpeople, butthey have to see it.Are you ready to take your business to the nextlevel? Call today and find out what Glass Doctor can do for you.This advertisementis not an offering. An offering can only be madebyprospectus.Glass Doctor MN Reg. No: F-3751. 1020 N. University Parks Dr.Waco, TX76707


Tucson TimeA NNUAL M EETING IN S UNNY A RIZONAby Penny Stacey and Charles CumpstonTo figure out the future of theindustry—a burning questionon most of ourminds—one doesn’t need acrystal ball, one just needs a newspaper,according to Don Ableson, presidentof Ableson Consulting LLC andformer executive director of theNorth American Specialty Vehicle Activityfor General Motors. Ablesonpointed out a number of automotiveheadlines from the last few monthsat the recent auto glass conference inTucson, Ariz.“These headlines are precursors ofevolutionary changes that will behappening to our industry,” he saidin his keynote address. Ablesonopened the conference on February12 to an audience of about 60 people.He pointed out a variety of recent ofheadlines that have appeared in thenews, such as ones dealing withchanging global economics, variouseconomic factors throughout theworld and the fuel issues the worldhas been experiencing.He also noted that with the economyin its current state, what customersare looking for is changing too.“To succeed as a business today,you must have the highest quality andFor an expanded versionof this article, visitwww.agrrmag.com.the lowest price,” Ableson said,adding that this is compelling manymanufacturers to outsource parts.Profits and PeopleAfter Ableson’s discussion, thegroup broke into small groups to discussa variety of topics from sales andprofit to utilizing technology.Richard Voreis of Consulting Collaborativemoderated a session on increasingsales and profits.Voreis had attendees fill in a 13-question self-assessment of theirbusinesses, which focused on thecommunication between managementand employees.He then asked attendees to sharewhat they had done to increase salesat their companies. One person indicatedthat he had hired an outsidesalesperson, while another said conductingcontinuing educationcourses for insurance agents hadbeen successful.A lengthy discussion of yellowpages versus Internet as a marketingtool followed. Most said that they arefinding the Internet more successfuland that increases in the cost of yellowpages advertising is making thedecision to switch easier. However, itwas mentioned that the price of advertisingonline is also increasing asmore companies are using it andbidding on the costs of placement.Incorporating TechnologyJoel Timmons, founder and presidentof Profitable Glass Solutions andthe author of a bi-weekly blog on<strong>AGRR</strong>’s daily e-news site, glass-BYTEs.com, held a session on incorporatingtechnology into yourbusiness for efficiency purposes. Attendeesalso brainstormed ideas forsoftware needed to help with this.One hot topic was the recent DOT430 recall, and how additional technologycould have made this easierfor shops to pull records to find outwhen and where the recalled DOT 430glass had been used (see related storyon page 14).“We register the glass parts andwrite them down, but to find thesepieces, we’ve got to get this informationinto some kind of form,” saidDave Burns of Ray Sands Auto Glass inRochester, N.Y.Safe ShopsWhile safety is usually a big topic, italmost always focuses on the safety ofinstallations, but Charles Turiello of DiamondTriumph Glass actually focusedon safety of workers in his discussion.“The message has to be communicatedon a daily basis,” Turiello said.He suggested that shops formsafety committees and contact OSHAto help define best practices for theirbusinesses.36 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


“A lot can fall under the best practicesumbrella,” he said.Green is GoodThe conference’s first day endedwith a panel session called “Green isGood.” And at least three of the fourspeakers on the panel had somethingin common—they’re all conservativeswho insist they’re not“tree-huggers.” Mike Boyle, presidentof GlasWeld Systems in Bend,Ore., Burns, and Doug Linderer,president of Go-Glass Corp. in Salisbury,Md., all preceded their discussionof how their companies havegone green with similar statementsabout how they never expected tobecome environmentalists. But, theyall have, in some form or another.Boyle provided an overview of howhis company has gone green, even bychanging their light bulbs into greenfriendlyones, and advised how businessescan utilize green ideologies totheir benefit.“Every decision we make is basedon the question, ‘is it environmentallysustainable?’” Boyle said.Burns actually asked a local powerauthority to audit his company andadvise how the company could saveenergy.Linderer said he started to gogreen when he read thebook “Contract with theEarth,” and soon realizedthat if he didn’t startto make his companygreen, eventually itcould be mandated bythe government.“If you don’t constructan environmental energyplatform, someone elsewill do it for you. Do youwant the government todo that for you?” Lindererasked.His company’s motto has been tofollow the three R’s: reduce, re-useand recycle.“There are as many ways to go greenas there are to play golf,” Linderer said.Pat Farrell, vice president of corporateresponsibility and communicationsfor Enterprise Rent-A-Car,also participated in the panel, andadvised how his national rental carcompany has taken steps to becomeenvironmentally friendly.“Our goal is to ensure that our passengervehicles and the fuel they useare acceptable to society,” he said.The company also has partneredwith the National Arbor Day Foundation,and has developed a website,www.keystogreen.com.Seminars during the conference ranged fromemployee labor laws to the state of the currenteconomy.Next YearWhile this year’s conference, unlikeyears past, was designed to be more ofa management forum than a tradeshow, those in attendance seemed tohave found what they were looking for.Next year’s auto glass conference—likely the last one as we know it—willbe held in Orlando, Fla., February 18-20 at the Omni Orlando Resort atChampionsGate. Leo Cyr, vice presidentof the NGA’s auto glass division,announced during the conferencethat the conference likely will migrateinto GlassBuild America in 2010. ■◗Penny Stacey and Charles Cumpstonare editor and contributing editor,respectively, of <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.Breakout sessions were part of the conference’s re-tooling for <strong>2008</strong>. The conference is expected to foldinto the GlassBuild America show in 2010.“There are as many ways to gogreen as there are to play golf.”—Doug Linderer, Go-Glass Corp.


Hangin’ withCurtisHooperBest of Belron US Champion GearsUp for International Competitionby Penny StaceyWhen Curtis Hooper of FernandinaBeach, Fla., traveledto Columbus, Ohio, inJanuary for the Best of Belron’s UnitedStates competition, his goal was tofinish in the top five of the 11 contestantspresent.“But I won,” the first-place championin the competition says humbly.Now, Hooper is packing his bags foranother competition, the internationalBest of Belron competition inMay. The competition, which drawscompetitors from regional and nationalcompetitions around the world,will be held in Nuneaton, UnitedKingdom, May 14-15.“If you wereto watch thecontestantsperform, prettymuch the guysyou expected towin did. Most ofthe guys whocompeted but didnot win vowedthat they’ll beback next time.”—Glen Moses,Safelite/Belron USHooper, who has been in the autoglass industry for approximately 20years, advanced to the national competitionafter taking first-place in hisregion’s competition in Charlotte,N.C. This is his second stint with Safelite/BelronUS. He worked for thecompany in the early 1990s before returningthree years ago.“The benefits are great and thecompany’s great—and you get achance [at events like this one] toshow what you can do,” he says.To pick its contestants from around38 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


the country, Belron US first selectedtechnicians to take an online test bylooking at their warranty and customersatisfaction rates. Once they were selectedfor having high rates of both,they took an online test, and the highestscorers went to regional competitions.Six of these were held throughout theUnited States, and the top two winnersfrom each competition went to Columbus.(One of these was unable to attenddue to a family emergency, leaving thecompetition with 11 contestants.)The national competition consistedof another online test, a windshield repair,a sidelite replacement and awindshield replacement, along with acustomer service interaction portion.“Apparently I did the best, but fromwhat I understand, it was very close,”Hooper says.And how does Hooper feel aboutheading to the internationalcompetition?“I think that’s going to be really intense,”he says. “You go up against 11other guys that are the best in theUnited States, but now you’re goingup against 25 that are the best in theworld … You’re talking some of thebest guys in the world to [handle]auto glass. To have an opportunity tocompete in something like that [isHooper took home $5,000 from the U.S. competition.something] I never thought wouldhappen to me.”Hooper took home $5,000 and atrophy from the competition; the winnerin the United Kingdom competitionwill take home a full-year’s salaryof $40,000.Brad Wilmoth, a technician fromGrand Rapids, Mich., took second,and also will travel to the Best of Belronin May; he was awarded $2,000;Shawn Britt of Williamsburg, Va., tookhome third-place and $1,000.The EventWhile Hooper, Wilmoth and Britteventually emerged as victorious, GlenMoses, technical quality manager forSafelite, says the competition wasclose.“Partway through the day after thecontestants had done the online quiz,customer service interaction andwindshield repair, there were only fivepoints separating the number-onecontestant from the number-elevencontest,” he says. “It was close.”Judging was based on a list of about200 yes-or-no questions that Mosesdeveloped.There were 22 total judges, two foreach vehicle. The cars used in thecompetition were <strong>2008</strong> Nissan Altimasand the questions used were developedspecifically for this vehicle.Moses said in developing the competition—whichthe company onlyhad a few months to do since it waspurchased by Belron just last <strong>March</strong>—his main goals were to make it funand fair.“From all the feedback I got, thosegoals were met,” he says. “People hada lot of fun and thought it was fair … Ifyou were to watch the contestantsperform, pretty much the guys youexpected to win did. Most of the guyswho competed but did not win vowedthat they’d be back next time.” ■Hooper, shown here, is an avid surfer during his time off the job.www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 39◗Penny Stacey is the editor of <strong>AGRR</strong>magazine.


Honestand TrulyGreenStep InsideBend, Ore.-based GlasWeldby Debra LevyMike Boyle and his wife, Lori, strike a pose outside theGlasWeld headquarters in Bend, Ore.“How do you respond to peoplewho thought that you werecrazy when you first startedin the auto glass business?”It’s a question that brings no denialor consternation from Mike Boyle, thepresident of GlasWeld in Bend, Ore.“I had fresh ideas and I asked a lotof questions,” he says, smiling. “If youare not in the right environment to dothose things, it can kill you. I neededto be tough, which I was, and not backoff, which I didn’t.”Boyle had just joined GlasWeld in2000 and burst onto the national repairscene when he made a presentationat the 2004 National WindshieldRepair Association’s (NWRA’s) annualconvention. He made his debut in amemorable speech that challengedthe status quo.“When you are new to any industry,you don’t have perspective. Youalso don’t have pre-conceived notionsabout how things work. I looked at theglass industry very differently than alot of people,” Boyle said during a visitto his offices late last year. “I wasRound the BendLocated in Central Oregon at the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains,Bend is a hidden treasure of the Northwest with a fast-growing populationof just less than 80,000. Bend is noted for its scenic setting, year-roundrecreational activities and growing economy. At an elevation of 3,625 feet, thecity covers 32 square miles. It offers world-class skiing, a delightful downtownand great vistas from every location.Bend has attracted Californians and other Silicone Valley-ites with its pristineair, wide-open spaces and beautiful view of the mountains. In addition toGlasWeld, both Cardinal Industries and JELD-WEN, a window manufacturer, operateplants there. “Almost every Cardinal plant uses our scratch removal system,”says GlasWeld president Mike Boyle. —DLamazed and disappointed by it. It isvery, very politically driven, very selfish.So I asked a lot of challengingquestions. This led some people toask ‘who is this person and why is herocking the boat?’”“I had some fresh ideas aboutthings,” he continues. “I believe thiscan be an admirable industry wherepeople can be proud of what they do.No one had heard that before and itrankled some people. One trade associationeven had me investigated unfairly.They later apologized andretracted their investigation.”So was Boyle’s reputation as arebel-rouser well deserved?“No,” he says. “I believe in candor. Ilove [former GE president] JackWelsh’s style of management. I speakmy mind because I want change. Youhave to identify a problem to changeit. This industry had problems andneeded some dialogue around them.”How Boyle came to work atGlasWeld is a series of coincidencesculminating in a confluence worthy40 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


(On left) GlasWeld has its own chief morale officer, a Jack Russell Terrier named Joey. Joey is shown here withchief technical officer Randy Mackey. (on right) Ruth Sayers (left) serves as sales manager for the Bend, Ore.-based company, while Chris Boyle (right) serves as director of training.of Horatio Alger. “After going toschool in Lake Tahoe, I moved toSouthern California and ran a ski andboat company,” he recounts. “We hada great shop—water ski equipmentand ski boats and tournament skiboats. We reinvented that industryback there.”“I did that for a long time, then mywife, Lori, had a family tragedy and reallywanted to be closer to her mom inBend. We moved and I started Talkpad—anotebook computer that usesvoice recognition to drive it. This wasall just before the Internet bubbleburst. Then it did burst and that marketchanged. I took some time off. Icoached baseball—won a state championship.It was a Cinderella story.”Could This Be Kismet?What happened next is whatBoyle calls his kismet moment.“I had purchased this new van andnoticed as I was leaving the lot thatthere was a chip in the windshield. I returnedto the dealer and was told a repairwas possible,” he says. “I did notknow about repair, nor was I interested.The service manager explainedthe safety role of a windshield and saidthat he could repair with a full warranty.‘Yeah, right,’ I thought. That wasmy first experience with repair. Thedealer told me that [General Motors]would not be responsible for the roofstrength if the glass was replaced andI had it repaired using the GlasWeldsystem. I was amazed at the results.”Then Boyle found out the companywas headquartered right in Bend.So Boyle got out of coaching baseballand went in to talk to GlasWeld.He started working as a sales consultantfor the company in 2000 andbecame president in 2003.GlasWeld had been around the industryfor more than 25 years (see boxon page 43), and though Boyle says itwas immature as a company when hejoined up, he thought it had all the ingredientsnecessary to be a great one.“Our windshield repair system hadsuch value to the consumer, yet noone knew about it,” he says. “We alsohad a scratch removal product thatwas under-utilized. Our products hada great reputation but we weren’t takingadvantage of it. I was beating myhead against the wall for awhile.”“When I took over as presidentand CEO, I decided we were going todo whatever we had to do to becomethe market leader,” he continues.One of the first things the newGlasWeld did was re-brand itself.“We had a slightly comical brandinginitiative that just didn’t fit with theidea of quality. A brand is like an iceberg—youonly see the tip of it. Werefocused seriously on quality andservice. I don’t think there’s anothercompany in the world that offers theservice we offer,” he says.The efforts led to rapid growth forGlasWeld. Today, its products areused in every state and 50 countriesincluding all of Europe, Asia and theMiddle East.And Boyle is no longer consideredthe industry’s loose cannon. Instead,he’s worked hard to becomeits conscience.“Training is the most importantthing we provide,” he offers. “Customersbuy both the system and thetraining, but the system is nothingwithout proper training. We focus onquality. Everything we offer, except fortwo items, is made in the United States.All our machinery is made here andnothing is manufactured offshore.”When Ignorance Isn’t BlissThe answers come easily whenasked what surprises him mostabout the <strong>AGRR</strong> business. “Ignoranceand the lack of understanding,”he says. “The value of thetechnology we have to offer the consumeris amazing. I fly 150,000 milesa year and have never sat next toanyone who understood glass repair.In fact, most people I’ve met who’vehad it done have been dissatisfied …They either had it done a long timeago or didn’t have their expectationsproperly set.”He continues, “There’s been very littlecommitment to innovation and scienceby this industry. Windshield repairwas considered a necessary evil … Theglass industry doesn’t understand thegreat service that repair provides.”You can sense Boyle’s frustrationcontinued on page 42www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 41


Honestand Truly Greencontinued from page 41growing as he expands on the topicwhen asked about the challenges theindustry and his company face.“There’s been very little commitmentto innovation and science byour industry. Repair has been consideredjust a necessary evil and littlemore,” he says. “The replacementglass industry doesn’t understand thetremendous service repair provides.”“The biggest challenge the repairindustry has is informing and educatingits customers and consumersas to the value of our products andservices. It doesn’t do me any goodif the customer does not get a goodreturn on his investment. Ourbiggest contribution to them is returningtheir investment. With theright effort the customer can get afar better return out of us now thanever before,” he adds. “Controllinggrowth is our company’s biggestchallenge, and that’s a good one tohave. And we have some non-traditionalethical conditions that challengeus occasionally.”Boyle is referring to the hands-offownership of GlasWeld by shareholders.“My responsibility is to the shareholders,the employees and the customers,”he says. “It took awhile forme to understand the values that areimportant to our owners, but wework it through with candor and anunderstanding of the company’slong-range goals.”Boyle’s quest to become an effectiveleader led him through somepainful “moments of truth,” though.GlasWeld utilizes the Q-Panel Weatherometer to simulate short-wavesunlight, in an effort to compare different types of polymers andstabilizers. In addition, it provides moisture simulation to provide arealistic portrayal of how a material will react when exposed to moisture.Easy Being GreenGlasWeld spent months putting its green initiative in place. The staff there offersthe following advice to companies trying to begin their own programs:1. Start small. Trying to go green all at once is like trying to eat an elephant. Takeone step at a time.2. Investigate some of the credits available to your company. There are taxcredits available for certain credits and green energy credits that can be bought.3. Recycle. Paper is an obvious material for recycling, but there are tons of otherproducts used by companies that can be recycled. Printer cartridges, packing materials(GlasWeld shreds packing foam and reuses it) and glass all can be recycled.4. Do a paper audit. Ask yourself “do I really need to print these?” Most informationis available in the computer system so printing may not be necessary.5. Conduct an energy audit. Most local utilities will come in and show you whereyou are wasting energy and provide ideas for improvement.6. Ask questions. Include environmental considerations when purchasing newequipment. Give each choice an environmental rating just as you would an efficiencyrating.7. Check the fleet. Encourage or provide incentives for employees to carpool ortake mass transportation. Choose hybrid or fuel-efficient vehicle models for your company’sown fleet.8. Repair. Repair glass, rather than replace it, whenever possible.9. Do the basics. Shut off computers at night and don’t plug a phone charger inunless the cell phone is charging. These are big energy-wasters.10. Spread it around. Ask your vendors, your customers and your employees whatthey are doing to become green.Moments of Truth“When I became president, we hada policy of appeasement,” he says.“Decisions were made for their consensusvalue. This meant most peoplein the company didn’t know whereanyone stood or what they believed in.I called all the employees together in aroom with a chalkboard and askedthem to tell me everything they didn’tlike about the company. Remember,I’d worked there for a few years at thatpoint. Fifteen employees stayed. Wefilled two flip charts full.”What employees asked Boyle forwas more help in understandingGlasWeld’s long-range goals.And then there was the kicker. “It’stoo much about you and not enoughabout us,” they told him.“It doesn’t matter whether theywere right or not,” says Boyle, “becausethis is the way they felt. Theycannot be wrong in their feelings.”“My first impulse was to fire back atthem,” says Boyle, “but I kept it incheck.”Instead he worked against type.“That day changed me forever. Ilearned I had to make changes inorder for us to grow. I learned to surroundmyself with people who are bet-42 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


GlasWeld uses the Gflex system to illuminate the impact ofstress on a repaired area through the use of specializedphotography. Above: Training director Chris Boyle showspresident (and Dad), Mike, some testing results in theilluminated repair image in GlasWeld’s dark room.ter than me. Delegating is the hardestthing I’ve ever done. But I did it, andwith it raised our standards of quality.”GlasWeld uses the processes setout in the Malcolm Baldridge QualityAwards program to run the company.Going for the GreenBoyle feels that GlasWeld’s greeninitiative is the next logical step in thecompany’s growth. Environmentalstewardship is also a personal issue forhim. His green initiative has affectedevery single part of the company. Onthis point, Boyle is adamant: beinggreen requires a seismic shift in howcompanies operate. “Being green, reallygreen, involves way more than justrecycling paper,” he declares.“We started by conducting an energyaudit and moved forward fromthere. We changed everything—theenergy we buy, the transportation wetake. We will be a paperless office in sixmonths,” he says. “We want to have asubstantial impact on decreasing thecarbon footprint of this industry.”“We, as the glass repair industry,need to provide more education. Peoplethink auto glass can be recycled,but it can be only in very limitedcases. There’s a glass company near usthat drops 12 tons of broken glass aweek,” he says.GlasWeld uses the polar bear as thesymbol of its green initiative. Boylesays that every time he researchedglobal climate change in preparationfor the green initiative, the plight ofthe polar bear was in the forefront.“We are watching them become extinctbefore our eyes because the icethey live on is melting. Polar bears canswim up to 60 miles before they beginto drown, and they are drowningeveryday. The landmasses they usedto walk on have melted,” he says.“Five years ago, I would have kickedmyself out of the building for talkinglike this. It sounds too left-wing liberalto me. But this is an initiative that theglass repair industry must embrace.We can coalesce around it. Being greenhas made GlasWeld more profitable. Itcan make the whole industry moreprofitable as well. That’s the great sidebenefit,” he says. (For what you can do,see box on page 42.)Boyle admits that there has beensome backlash against the company’sefforts. “We’ve had a few customerswho sent letters telling us they are notgetting on the green bandwagon—just a few,” he says.Boyle’s efforts have not gone unnoticedby the glass industry. He chairsthe Green Committee of the NWRAand has spoken on the subject at thegroup’s annual convention. Yet hefeels the glass industry, as a whole,particularly those in replacement,does not fully understand the benefitsof such an initiative.“The glass industry is very skeptical.The repair community is out in fronton this. I’m wildly optimistic about thefuture of this effort. It’s a real paradigmshift,” he adds. “It’s our legacy.”Legacy is something that has beenon Boyle’s mind since he burst intothe business 9 years ago. “I’ve mellowedand learned what’s important,”he says. “The glass industry is a cookiewith some big nuts sprinkled in. For awhile, I was one of the nuts. But I’mnot anymore.”■www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 43◗Debra Levy is the publisher of <strong>AGRR</strong>magazine.A Company HistoryGlasWeld was founded by a Novus licensee named Hap Alexander, who expanded onwhat he had learned at Novus to develop new proprietary products beginning in 1978.Together with his son, Von Alexander, and son-in-law, Thomas Spoo, he foundedGlasWeld five years later.In 1986, GlasWeld developed the industry’s first tinted resin for auto glass repair.According to GlasWeld, tinted resins allowed windshield repair technicians to havegood results when repairing certain types of damage. For example, GlasWeld’s websitesays its gray-tinted resin was developed for repairing star breaks, because its colorhides the reflectivity of this kind of break.The company is also a supplier of repair equipment and a scratch removal systemcalled G Force. GlasWeld also offers extensive training on its equipment, which todayis used around the globe.


Repair Round Upnwra reportsfocus on REPAIRPaulS@glassmedic.comNWRA – We Certifyby Paul SyfkoTHE NATIONAL WINDSHIELDRepair Association (NWRA)proudly announced the launchof its repair technician certificationprogram in November 2007. At thetime of this writing, we are averagingone new certification applicant everyday for <strong>2008</strong>. I also am proud to relatethat our program applicants are findingthe materials and testing to becomprehensive and challenging. Weare well on our way toward creating anindustry-recognized and highly respectedprogram.One of the purposes of our programis to advance the importance ofwindshield repair and to increase thenumber of repairs done annually. Wefeel that this program will help accomplishthese goals by creating atechnical and ethical learning basefor our industry that is recognized byconsumers and insurance companiesalike. Our desire was to create aprogram that furthers these causesin the most economical and prudentmeans available. That is why theNWRA certification program incorporatesthe latest Internet technologyand the resources of theWho are the NWRA PracticalAssessment Administrators?Current NWRA Practical Assessment Administrators (PAA) are:• Crack Doctor Windshield Repair, The;• Cindy Rowe Auto Glass;• Delta Kits Inc.;• Fas-Break Inc.;• Glass Technology Inc.;• Liquid Resins International Ltd.;• SuperGlass Windshield Repair Inc.; and• Techna Glass Inc.Training materials are available for the program for a mere $29 and the finalexam costs only $39 for members. Certification is valid for two years. In order tomaintain certification, each person must successfully complete two learning unitsduring the two-year period above and three units each year thereafter.The program is based on the Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standard (ROLAGS),which NWRA helped to create. Certification shows that those certified understand thesteps necessary for a company and its technicians to be in compliance with ROLAGS.Read more and get started at www.nwrassn.org/certification.php.Fee Schedule NWRA Member Non-MemberCertification Manual & Exam (single*) $55 $95Certification Exam $39 $79Certification Training Manual (single*) $29 $59Certification Training Manual (annual*) $49 $79* The NWRA Certification training manual may be purchased for a one-time use orfor unlimited use with an annual fee.industry suppliers and trainers. Inorder to earn NWRA certification anapplicant must have six months experience,correctly perform a repairbefore an approved administratorand pass a written exam administeredon the Internet. This is the onlytraining program that requires botha written and practical (hands-on)assessment.The six-month experience prerequisiteprovides a long enough timeperiod for individuals who live intemperate climate zones to have experienceperforming repairs throughseasonal climate changes. NWRAalso believes that passing an exam isnot proof enough to determine if atechnician can repair a break correctly.Therefore, we have mandateda practical portion of the certificationwhere a technician must actuallydemonstrate a repair. NWRA willprovide numerous occasions for applicantsto fulfill this requirementannually. But applicants may alsocomplete the practical portion oftheir certification by performing arepair for a Practical Assessment Administrator(PAA). PAAs are industrytrainers, retailers, suppliers and evencompany owners and managers whohave created training programs forrepair. These companies have allowedNWRA to audit their programsto ensure their program and ours donot conflict. A complete list of participatingcompanies can be viewedin the box at right.■◗Paul Syfko is president of Glass MedicAmerica in Westergate, Ohio, andserves as president of the NationalWindshield Repair Association (NWRA). Mr.Syfko opinions are solely his own and notnecessarily those of this magazine.44 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


WGR Reportsrepair newsROLAGS NEWSROLAGS Meets in TucsonTHE REPAIR OF AUTOMOTIVEGlass Standards Committee(ROLAGS) met during the NationalAuto Glass Conference in Tucson,Ariz., and Jay Sampson wasapproved as the new chairman (see relatedstory on page 36).COMPANY NEWSKeith Beveridge, senior vice presidentfor the Savage, Minn.-based Novus Glassand head of the product performancesubcommittee, reported that the groupis trying to prioritize the various issuesinvolved in product performance and todecide what it is important to test.GlasWeld Spreads “Green” Around EuropeBend, Ore.-based GlasWeld visited its European distributors in The Netherlands,Sweden and the United Kingdom in November 2007 to educate them on its own dedicationto “green” and the National Windshield Repair Association’s (NWRA) newGreen Initiative (see related story in November-December 2007 <strong>AGRR</strong>, page 46).“We’re at the stage now where we’retalking about the type of testing,” Beveridgetold the whole committee. “We’regoing to do this on two levels: one onwhat tests are available and one on thereal world of testing and its results.”He estimated that it would be ayear or two before the subcommitteewould be able to come back to thecommittee with a recommendationon the results of its work.Jackie Newman, president of RedlineInc. in Austin, Texas, was chosen tohead up the new marketing committee.❙❙➤ www.rolags.com■focus on REPAIRNOT JUST ANOTHERWINDSHIELD TOOL!Cut Against Glass OR Under Encapsulated Mould, from Inside OR OutsideONE TOOL Powered (Manual) Easily Save Expensive Small & DifficultCold Knife Blades Encapsulated Glasses Quarter GlassesALL GLASSANY VEHICLENO GLASS BREAKAGENO VEHICLE DAMAGEPOWERFULQUICK ADJUSTPOWER & STROKESMOOTH & QUIETWEIGHS ONLY 2.4lbTOOL LASTS5 to 10 YEARS +TOUGH, FLEXIBLESERRATED BLADESEASILY CUTS HARD& WIDE URETHANEALL BLADES CAN ALSOBE USED IN MANUALBLADE HANDLESWith BTB's power toolthere's no more pullingmanual cold knives orlong knives below dashEasily Cut BelowAny Dashboard7 Blade 'Classic'Kit (WKCLS)Ask fora PromoCD11 Blade 'Technician'Kit (WKTEC-BX)25 YearsSupporting Vehicle Manufacturers including• Mercedes Benz • Jaguar • Ford• Renault • Aston Martin • ToyotaBlades from 4" to 15"(No Sheath!)NEW!BTB's exclusiveadjustable blade cuttingdepth control armsMOBILE TECHSOnly $70 buys a smallair compressor fromwww.AdvanceAutoParts.com1.5 to 2 hp4.5 to 5 CFM(Free Air Delivery)@ 90psiWK10HDAir Power ToolAVOID• H.A.V.painsinjuryWK6 "Winged"Pinchweld ScraperBladesNo more damaging paint or pinchweldsHandArmVibrationISO 5349, ISO 8662www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 45̌strainsfatigue• Phone: (888) 293-1816• E-mail: btbna@bellsouth.net• Web: www.btbtools.com


the showroomnew productsSOFTWAREGlassMate SoftwareProvides SpeedMitchell International’s GlassMatesoftware provides quick look-ups,quote functions, work orders, invoicingcapabilities, parts information and VINdecoding—all with access to the completeNational Auto Glass SpecificationsInternational (NAGS) listings.GlassMate’s out-of-the-box electronicdata interchange (EDI) provides functionalitysupport for LYNX Services,Safelite, Harmon Solutions Group andTeleglass also reduces billing costs.In addition, GlassMate includes optionaladd-ons, such as QuickBooks ®export functionality as well as GLAXISintegration capability for day-to-daybusiness operations. A free 30-day trialof GlassMate may be requested by visitinghttp://glass.Mitchell.com.Glassmate requires a processor ofPentium quality or higher, 90 MHz withWindows XP, 2000 or 2003, 400 MB diskspace, a CD read-only memory driveand a modem or broadband Internetconnection for EDI. An annual licensefor a single user includes all NAGS dataBLADESupdates, toll-free service and support,free training and software enhancementsduring the license period. The licenseis $695 per year for a single user.❙❙➤ http://glass.mitchell.comeDirectGlass ProvidesOffice on the GoeDirectGlass software products areInternet-based, making it possible forretailers to work from anywhere atany time. eDirectGlass is available inthree configurations: eDirectGlassTSM Enterprise edition for AGR shopswith multiple geographic locations;eDirectGlass TSM Gold edition withcomplete management and point-ofsale,including limited accounting;and eDirectGlass TSM Lite editionwith complete management andpoint-of-sale for repair-only companies.All editions include free EDI.Customers also can add the eDirect-Glass Mobile Merchant add-on to anyaccount and accept credit cards andchecks in the field.eDirectGlass doesn’t require a softwareinstallation since it is Internetbased.Online technical support isavailable 24 hours a day, seven days aBTB Introduces New Anti-Scratch Pinchweld BladesBTB Tools North America’s newest pinchweld scraper blades are designed specificallyto protect the pinchweld from accidental scrapes and scratches. The WK6“Winged” pinchweld scraper blades are availablefrom Shat R Proof Corp. in Savage, Minn.The new pinchweld scrapers are an updateof the popular WK6 pinchweld blades. Theunique design of these blades with thespecially sharpened “wing” on each endof the cutting face will ensure the blade willnot slip to one side or cut through the urethanebead. This will prevent damage to the basecoat, e-coat and the vertical pinchweld wall to ensurea safe removal of the excess adhesive bead frompinchweld.The new WK6 comes in three sizes to match any sized urethane bead and canbe used with or without the WK10HD windshield removal power tool.❙❙➤ www.shatrproof.com or www.btbtools.comweek, and telephone and LiveHelpsupport is available 12 hours a day,five days a week.❙❙➤ www.edirectglass.comTOOLSPipeKnife Offers Range ofLengths in Latest KnivesThe PipeKnife ® Co. in Lakewood,Colo., is introducing a new line ofsealant cutout knives manufacturedfrom long-lasting steel. The 9-, 14-, 18-and 24-inch flat long knives providethetechnicianwith aproduct to meet everyneed when cutting urethane.Manufactured from highstrengthcold-rolled steel andengineered with a special weight-savingdesign, the new knives also have aspecially designed “pillow cushion”handle to provide the comfort for thetechnician.❙❙➤ www.pipeknife.comREPAIR KITSPRISM is Now PatentedDurango, Colo.-based Glass Technologyhas announced that its“PRISM” Dry Vacuum Injector hasreceived patent status. The “PRISM”dry-vacuum injector, which has beenavailable for more than three years,continued on page 4846 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


IGA AnnualConvention andSpring Auto Glass Show<strong>2008</strong> IGA Annual Convention andSpring Auto Glass Show co-locatedwith the Americas’ Glass ShowcaseMay 1-3, <strong>2008</strong>Cashman CenterHost Hotel: Golden Nugget Hotel & CasinoLas Vegas, Nev.www.iga.orgSponsored by the Independent GlassAssociation in cooperation with AmericasGlass Association and sales by <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.It’s a Wise MoveWhen You Exhibit AttendFor more information or to register,visit www.iga.org"Lighting the way to a better future."®INDEPENDENTGlass AssociationIGA Annual Convention andSpring Auto Glass ShowMay 1-3, <strong>2008</strong>AGRSS-REGISTERED TRAINING PROGRAM AVAILABLE


thecontinuedShowroomutilizes a process that extracts the airfrom the break prior to injectingresin adhesives into the windshielddamage. This vacuum step is labeleda “Dry Vacuum” because the air is removedbefore the resin contacts theglass, resulting in a more effectiveand complete air extraction, accordingto information provided by thecompany. Once the air is extracted,the resin is injected into the repairwith very little pressure, thus allowingthe resin to fill the repair entirelyto create strong adhesion.❙❙➤ www.gtglass.comExtra, Extra (Angles)Glass Pro Systems says its SuperCinch windshield repair tool provideshigh-quality repairs at anyangle. The tool is designed to removethe air and moisture before a resinpool is placed onto the glass, decreasingthe time it takes to repairstars and combination breaks. Averagerepair time is five minutes, includingcuring, according to thecompany .❙❙➤ www.supercinch.comADHESIVESFind YourOrigin at SRP ®Shat R Proof Corp. in Savage,Minn., has a new adhesive, Origin,which it says has a safedrive-away time of four hours at70 degrees Fahrenheit on a vehiclewith dual airbags.SRP says Origin is affordable,but still offers high decking andviscosity properties.“The SRP Origin is a productwe are all very excited about,”says Glenn Jarrard, SoutheasternU.S. sales for SRP. “It allows us toparticipate in certain segmentsof the auto glass market that wehaven’t been able to in the past, especiallywith a high-quality product.”❙❙➤ www.shatrproof.com ■ 48 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


industry insiderspeople in the newsThe Belron US team poses with CEO Gary Lubner, Belron US chief operatingofficer Rich Harrison and Belron SA chairman Ronnie Lubner. From left toright: Ward, Groves, Gary Lubner, Ehrlich, Harrison, Weger, Fiegel, Cowlesand Ronnie Lubner.KUDOSBelron ® Holds Triathlon forSouth African OrganizationMore than 560 Belron employeesfrom 13 different countries competedin a triathlon in London last August toraise money for MaAfrika Tikkun, anorganization that assists disadvantagedand impoverished communitiesin South Africa.Six of the 560 were from Belron US:• Geoffrey Cowles, computer operatorshift supervisor in Mount Vernon,Ohio;• Brian Ehrlich, production schedulerin Columbus, Ohio;• Brent Fiegel, warehouse lead inDEATHSCRL Vice PresidentAudette Passes AwayC.R. Laurence Co. Inc. (CRL) vice presidentJim Audette, who also served as assistantto the company’s president, passedaway on December 9 at the age of 67. Audettewas with with CRL for 44 years.Audette was heavily involved with thedevelopment of many of CRL’s products. Healso helped create CRL catalogs, and assistedin the design and construction ofmany of CRL’s facilities, both the headquarterscampus and the branch warehouses.“He was a true professional and a greatfriend,” says Don Friese, CRL chief executiveofficer. “He contributed so much tothis company. He was one of the most talentedpeople ever to be a part of CRL. Hewill be deeply missed by all of us.”Audette is survived by his wife, Ramona,and three children.PPG Auto Glass EmployeeKilled in AccidentA PPG Auto Glass employee, EdwardW. Kocian, 61, was on January 25, aftera car accident in Westmoreland County,Pa., while on his regularly scheduledroute. According to reports from thePittsburgh Post-Gazette, Kocian’s vehiclestruck a garbage truck.A statement issued by PPG says companyofficials are in contact with theWashington Township Police and arereaching out to Kocian’s family to provideassistance as needed.“PPG will conduct an investigationinto the cause of the accident and willcooperate with local law enforcementofficials,” reads the statement. “Thethoughts and prayers of all of PPG’s employeesare with the Kocian family asthey seek to cope with this tragic loss.”Kocian is survived by a daughter,Merry K. Kocian, and a son, Michael Kocian,both of Columbia, S.C., and twobrothers, Richard Kocian of McDonald,Pa., and Kenneth Kocian of Pittsburgh.Bell’s GlassOwner Passes AwayJames L. Bell Sr., 58, of Sissonville,W.Va., the owner of Bell’s Auto Glass inCharleston, W.Va., passed away on January29. He worked in the auto glass industryfor 35 years.Bell is survived by his wife, Linda Bell;son, James L. Bell Jr. and his wife, Tina,of Fort Mill, S.C.; a daughter, MichelleSonger and her husband, Kevin, both ofSissonville; a brother, John A. Bell ofCharleston; a sister, Sandra J. Turner ofSissonville; and several grandchildren.Bell was cremated, as was his wish,and a memorial service will be held at alater date.In lieu of flowers, the family requeststhat donations be made to HospiceCare,1143 Dunbar Ave., Dunbar, W.Va., 25064.Harlingen Glass FounderGonzales Passes AwayClaudio Gonzales, the founder of HarlingenGlass Co. in Harlingen, Texas,passed away on February 26 at his home.Gonzales also was a founding member ofthe Texas Glass Association (TGA), a pastpresident of the TGA and a past presidentof the Rio Grande Valley Glass Association.Gonzales, who retired from Harlingen in2001, died of a heart attack at the age of76. He is survived by two daughters, SandraTovar and Jerry Ingles, and five grandchildren.He was preceded in death by hiswife, Dora, who died earlier this year.“We owe Claudio a great deal of thanksfor his efforts to help build the TGA,” saysRay Soliz of Harlingen Glass Co., who alsoserves as a TGA board member and hasknown Gonzales since 1986. “He was veryinfluential—he was a mentor.”Soliz and Gonzales founded two companiesduring their time working together,Custom Glass and Coastal Glass.50 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


Davenport, Iowa;• Paul Groves, director, materialsmanagement in Columbus;• Jeremy Ward, contact center coachin Columbus; and• Matt Weger, IT director in Columbus.Fiegel, who has been running forabout three years and has participatedin several marathons, says hewas excited to have the opportunity torun in the triathlon. He says he onlylearned of the event about threeweeks before it occurred—but trainsso often anyway that it was no problemfor him to prepare.“Well, I am kind of in constant trainingmode,” Fiegel says. “I’m trainingnow for a fall marathon.”Fiegel was in London for five daysfor the event, and the team placed32 nd out of 52 teams.“It was a great experience. I can’twait until next year,” Fiegel says.Ehrlich, who bicycled 40 kilometersin the competition, says this was hisfirst competition of this sort.“We got kind of late notice, but wemade it,” he says.Ehrlich already was an avid athlete,but hadn’t focused on cycling before.“I did the bike leg, and as far as biking,I just started doing that right as Ifound out I was to go.”As for this year, he hopes to return—but expects the competition to be a bitsteeper within the company.Either way, though, he expects the<strong>2008</strong> team to have a strong showing.“Next year we’ll win,” Ehrlich says.Ward had also participated intriathlons before, but not of this scale,he says. In the Belron event, he participatedin the cycling portion.Ward says, “Luckily, I was alreadykind of in shape, so I kept doing mydaily routine, and I just had to getready for the bike portion.”And is Ward returning next year?“I definitely plan to register for acouple more [events] in the States andgo back next year and do [the Belrontriathlon] again as well.”■No GimmicksNo HypeNo BullFree informationand samples.Professional Windshield Repair ProductsSimply the best or your money back!800.548.8332 Toll Freeinfo@deltakits.comwww.deltakits.com (On-Line Ordering and Live Support)www.windshield-repair-forum.com (World’s Largest)www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 51


on theroadcalendar of eventsD A Y / P L A N N E R<strong>April</strong> 10 - 12, <strong>2008</strong>Glass TEXpo <strong>2008</strong>Co-sponsored by the Texas GlassAssociation and <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.Henry B. GonzalezConvention Center.San Antonio, Texas.Contact: <strong>AGRR</strong> at540/720-5584 or visitwww.glassexpos.com/texpo.php.May 1-3, <strong>2008</strong>Independents’ Days Conferenceand Spring Auto Glass ShowSponsored by the IndependentGlass Association (IGA).Cashman Center.Las Vegas.Contact: IGA at 540/720-7484or visit www.iga.org.September 16 - 21, <strong>2008</strong>Automechanika Frankfurt <strong>2008</strong>Sponsored by Messe Frankfurt.Messe Frankfurt GmbH.Frankfurt, Germany.Contact: Messe Frankfurt GmbHat +49 69 75-6457 or visitwww.automechanika.messefrankfurt.com.November 4-8, <strong>2008</strong>NACE ExpoSponsored by theAutomotive Service Association.Mandalay Bay Convention Center.Las Vegas.Contact: www.naceexpo.com.November 5-6, <strong>2008</strong>Auto Glass Replacement SafetyStandard (AGRSS) ConferenceSponsored by the AGRSS Council.Mandalay Bay Convention Center.Las Vegas.Contact: <strong>AGRR</strong> at 540/720-5584or visit www.agrss.com.November 6, <strong>2008</strong>Third AnnualWalt Gorman MemorialWindshield Repair OlympicsSponsored by the NationalWindshield Repair Association(NWRA) and <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.Mandalay Bay Convention Center.Las Vegas.Contact: NWRA at 540/720-7484or visit www.nwraassn.org.November 7-8, <strong>2008</strong>Fourth Annual AutoGlass Technician OlympicsCo-sponsored by theIGA and <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.Mandalay Bay Convention Center.Las Vegas.Contact: <strong>AGRR</strong> at 540/720-5584or visit www.glassexpos.com.November 7, <strong>2008</strong>NWRA Annual ConferenceSponsored by the NWRA.Mandalay Bay Convention Center.Las Vegas.Contact: NWRA at 540/720-7484or visit www.nwraassn.org.November 8, <strong>2008</strong>IGA Fall ConferenceSponsored by theIGA and <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.Mandalay Bay Convention Center.Las Vegas.Contact: IGA at 540/720-7484or visit www.iga.org.December 8-10, <strong>2008</strong>Glass Expo Midwest (GEMS)Sponsored by <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.Renaissance Schaumburg Hoteland Convention Center.Schaumburg, Ill.Contact: <strong>AGRR</strong> at 540/720-5584or visit www.glassexpos.com.2009<strong>March</strong> 25-26, 2009(NOTE DATE CHANGE)Glass Expo Northeast 2009Sponsored by <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.Hyatt Regency Long Islandat Wind Watch Golf Club.Long Island, N.Y.Contact: <strong>AGRR</strong>at 540/720-5584.■WE SUPPORTAGRSSSTANDARDSAGRSS-REGISTERED TRAINING PROGRAM52 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


What Are YouDoing This May?Make plans now to attend theIndependents’ Days Conference andSpring Auto Glass Show in LasVegas. The event will be held May 1-3 at the Cashman Center. Visitwww.iga.org for more info.SEEK AND FINDclassifiedsIndustry Services1-800-WINDSHIELDNow you can own the most valuablenumber in the auto glass industrytoday- 1-800-WINDSHIELD! Fordetails, please call us at 1-800-948-0700.Or visit www.1800windshield.comTo place a classified adplease contact JaneenMulligan at 540/720-5584x112 or e-mailjmulligan@glass.comTHE SHOWCASEdirectory of suppliersAdhesives/SealantsSRP GLASS RESTORATION10425 Hampshire Ave. SBloomington, MN 55438800/328-0042 (phone)952/946-0461 (fax)www.srpglassrestoration.comsales@shatrproof.comAuto GlassNATIONAL GLASSBROKERS, LLC3115 Fry Road, Suite #401Katy, TX 77449281/599-1550 (phone)281/599-8158 (fax)www.nationalglassbrokers.comsales@nationalglassbrokers.comRV GlassCOACH GLASS98 North PolkEugene, OR 97402800/714-7171 (phone)888/714-7171 (fax)rv@coachglass.comInformation SourcesASSOCIATIONSNATIONAL WINDSHIELDREPAIR ASSOCIATIONP.O. Box 569Garrisonville, VA 22463540/720-7484 (phone)540/720-3470 (fax)www.nwrassn.orgINDEPENDENTGLASS ASSOCIATION385 Garrisonville Rd.Ste 116Stafford, VA 22554540/720-7484 (phone)540/720-3470 (fax)www.iga.orgPUBLICATIONS<strong>AGRR</strong> MAGAZINEKey Communications, Inc.385 Garrisonville Rd.Ste 116Stafford, VA 22554540/720-5584 (phone)540/720-5687 (fax)www.agrrmag.comSoftwareAUTO GLASS-RELATEDGLASSMATE (MITCHELL)9889 Willow Creek RoadSan Diego, CA 92131800/551-4012 (phone)858/653-5447 (fax)www.mitchell.comTools and SuppliesA.N. DESIGNS INC./ULTRAWIZ®30 Norwood StreetTorrington, CT 06790860/482-2921 (phone)860/482-8585 (fax)WindshieldRepair ProductsAMERICAN WINDSHIELDREPAIR SYSTEMS20936 S.R. 410 EastBonney Lake, WA 98391888/860-1518 (phone)253/891-7294 (fax)www.rockchipkits.comDELTA KITS INC.P.O. Box 26509Eugene, OR 97402541/345-8554 (phone)800/548-8332 (toll free)541/345-1591 (fax)sales@deltakits.comGLASS PRO SYSTEMS1116 Deanna DriveRockford, IL 61103815/713-4480 (phone)815/713-2030 (fax)www.supercinch.comGLASWELD SYSTEMS29578 Empire BoulevardBend, OR 97701541/388-1156 (phone)541/388-1157 (fax)www.glasweld.comTo become a part of the directory of suppliers, callJaneen Mulligan at 540/720-5584 x112or e-mail jmulligan@glass.comListings start at $350. Don’t miss out!LIQUID RESINS/A.C.T4295 N. Holly Rd.Olney, IL 62450618/392-3590 (phone)800/458-2098 (toll free)618/392-3202 (fax)www.liquidresins.comREPAIR SYSTEMS & SERVICESGLASS MEDIC7177 Northgate Way, Ste. CWesterville, OH 43082614/891-9222 (phone)614/891-9227 (fax)www.glassmedic.comAEGIS TOOLSINTERNATIONALPO Box 259688Madison, WI 53725-9688608/274-9254 (phone)608/274-9395 (fax)www.aegistools.cominfo@aegistools.comWINDSHIELD REMOVAL TOOLSA.N. DESIGNS INC./ULTRAWIZ®111 Putter LaneTorrington, CT 06790860/482-2921 (phone)860/482-8585 (fax)WINDSHIELD REPAIRSYSTEMS & SUPPLIESBLUE STAR PRODUCTS INC.355 Marcus Blvd.Hauppauge, NY 11788800/809-2993 (phone)631/231-5544 (fax)www.bluestar-products.com ■54 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


ADVERTISING INDEXPage Company Phone Fax Web Address48,58 AEGIS Tools International 888/247-6000 608/274-9395 www.aegistools.com15, 57 A.N. Designs Inc. 866/482-2921 860/482-8585 www.ultrawiztools.com45 BTB Auto Glass Tools 888/293-1816 888/293-1896 www.btbtools.com33 Carlite 734/666-2820 734/542-0303 www.carlite.com51 Coach Glass 800/714-7171 541/393-5896 www.coachglass.com19 Creative Extruded Products 800/273-1535 937/667-3647 www.creativeextruded.com51 Delta Kits Inc. 800/548-8332 541/345-1591 www.deltakits.com13 eDirectGlass 480/993-0915 240/526-1133 www.edirectglass.com10, 11 EFTEC Aftermarket 866/596-7772 866/596-7778 www.eftecna.com3, 22 Equalizer Industries 800/334-1334 512/388-4188 www.equalizer.com32 GlasWeld Systems 800/321-2597 541/388-1157 www.glasweld.com34, 35 Glass Doctor 800/280-9858 254/745-5098 www.glassdoctor.com23 Glazex 800/545-2770 801/802-7770 www.glazex.com8, 9 Gold Glass Group 800/448-5188 631/981-4299 www.gggcorp.com49 IBS Software 800/959-5500 816/471-1939 www.ibssoftware.com47 Independent Glass Association 540/720-7484 540/720-3470 www.iga.org16, 17 Mainstreet Computers Inc. 800/698-6246 734/697-8228 www.mainstreetcomp.com5 Mygrant Glass Co. 866/956-5084 510/785-3176 www.mygrantglass.com27 Night Watchman Co. 800/322-8867 586/498-2301 www.nightwatchman.netC2 Pilkington 866/377-3647 419/247 3821 www.epremier.net6, 7 Precision Replacement Parts 800/367-8241 800/545-5083 www.prp.com23 Quest Software Inc. 800/541-2593 989/224-7067 www.questsoftware.com1, 52 Shat R Proof Corp. 800/728-1817 952/946-0435 www.shatrproof.com20, 21 Sika Corp. 800/688-7452 248/577-0810 www.sikaindustry.com53 Unruh Fab Inc. 888/772-8400 316/772-5852 www.unruhfab.comSubscribe toor subscribe online at www.glass.com/subcenter.phpI want to start/continue my FREE SUBSCRIPTION to <strong>AGRR</strong>: ❏ YES ❏ NOPrint your name: ______________________________________________________ Title:________________________Sign your name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________________Company: ______________________________ Phone: ______________________ Fax: ________________________Address: _________________________________City: ________________________State:__________Zip:__________E-Mail Address: __________________________1. Please check the ONE category that BEST describes the business activity of your company:1 ❏ Retailer/dealer of auto glass &/or relatedproducts(repair &/or replacement).2 ❏ Distributor/wholesaler of auto glass&/or related products (repair &/orreplacement).3 ❏ Manufacturer/fabricator of OE auto glass&/or related products.companies.7 ❏ Others allied to the field (please specify): ___________________________2. Please check the ONE below that best describes your title and function:A ❏ Owner, president or other managersB ❏ Repair technicians/Auto glass installerC ❏ Technical engineersD ❏ Claims adjuster, agent or other insurance officialE ❏ Others allied to the field (please specify): __________________________3. Number of employees:A ❏ 1-4 B ❏ 5-9 C ❏ 10-19 D ❏ 20-49 E ❏ 50-99 F ❏ 100+4. Please check all organizations you are a part of:A ❏ IGA B ❏ NWRA C ❏ NGA D ❏ Nonefor FREE4 ❏ Manufacturer/fabricator of AGR glass &/or relatedproducts. (repair &/or replacement)5 ❏ Manufacturer/fabricator of both OE & AGR glass&/or related products.6 ❏ Other AGR-related companies such as auto body,collision repair, fleet management or insuranceMY BUSINESS IS ENGAGED IN THE AUTO GLASSREPAIR, REPLACEMENT OR OEM INDUSTRY.❏ YES ❏ NOSubscriptions are free to all qualified recipients at U.S. addresses. Addresses outside the U.S. please add $65 per year.By checking yes and signing this form, I also agree to allow publisher to contact me via fax and/or telephone in the future.PLEASE COMPLETE THIS ENTIRE FORM AND FAX IT TO 630/482-3003www.agrrmag.com <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> 55❏CHECK HERE TO ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO THEFREE DAILY glassBYTEs TM E-MAIL NEWSLETTER.I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE MY SUBSCRIPTION INTHE FORM OF: (CHECK ONE)❏ PRINT ❏ DIGITAL


Avocationslife beyond the auto glass businessI Wanna Talk About MeFAST FACTSName: Michael PrestonDay Job: Technician for Safelite AutoGlass in Raleigh, N.C.Alter Ego: Toby Keith impersonatorFavorite Toby Keith Song:“American Soldier”Other Hobbies: Playing guitarMOST DAYS, MICHAELPreston of Raleigh, N.C.,works as an installer forSafelite Auto Glass. But, every nowand then, he finds his inner spirit—that which he shares with countrystar Toby Keith. For the last sixyears, he’s been impersonatingKeith on a semi-regular basis. Heperforms mostly at children’s charityevents and birthday partiesthroughout the year.Preston has been in the glass industryfor approximately 15 years,having started at Pilkington NorthAmerica (formerly LOF’s) distributioncenter in Charlotte, N.C. He hassince worked for a variety of glassshops, including Danny’s Glass Shopin Hampton, Va., and he worked forSafelite once before in the late 1990s.At present, he has been back withSafelite for about three months.How did you become a Toby Keithimpersonator?I started getting into it about sixyears ago. People kept telling me Ilooked like him, and I later found outwe have almost identical backgrounds.The way I got started ontruly impersonating him, though, isthat one night a friend and I were outand he kept bugging me to sing. Finally,I said, “There’s not enoughwhiskey in this bar to get me to sing.”I was wrong.Prestonoriginally beganimpersonatingKeith becauseof the obvioussimilarities intheir appearance.How are your backgrounds similar?We’re the exact same size, 6-foot 3-inches, 250 pounds, we both driveFord trucks, we both played two yearsof semi-pro football, four years apart,and my stepson and his stepdaughterare the exact same age. His wife’sname is Trish; mine is Tillie. And, inthe song “Whiskey Girl,” he mentionsa ’69 Mustang—that was my first car.Both he and I were in the servicetoo—I served in Beirut, for four yearsin the Navy, two in the Army. It wasdual service.What semi-pro football team didyou play for?The Charlotte Outlaws—and asmuch of a cowboy as Toby is, our emblemwas the bandit.What types of gigs do you play?Right now, mostly I work with charitiesfor families with special-needskids. I don’t make any money doing it,but I help kids and that’s what matters.I do it a couple times a year, andfor a birthday here or there.What are your favorite Toby Keithsongs?My favorite one is “American Soldier”—that’sone of my all-time favoritesbecause it’s very personal tome. “I Wanna Talk About Me” is one ofthe most fun to do, and “My List” is agreat song to do because it’s abouttaking the time to appreciate what youhave and spending time with family.Have you ever seen him inconcert?Yes, several times, and I’vemet him twice. I won a contestonce through his fan club andgot to see his final dress rehearsalbefore a show inNashville, Tenn.Do you do any other impersonations?No, [Toby Keith] is the only oneeveryone else wants to see. After all,I’m 6-foot, 3 inches, and 250 pounds—he’s the one I look like.Who are you other favorite artists?I listen to all types of music—AlanJackson, Randy Travis and CharlieDaniels. I can go back to ConwayTwitty and Don Williams too, but I’vealso seen Metallica. I also have an appreciationfor jazz. I just can’t listen topop music.What’s your all-time favorite album?Probably one of my all-time favoritesis “2112” from Rush, whichwas recorded in 1977.What’s your favorite Toby Keithalbum?“Shockin’ Y’all” is my all-time favorite,but his latest album, “Big DogDaddy,” is an amazing album too.Do you have any other musical talentsor interests?I just started to learn to play theguitar. I’d love to get a band togethersomeday.■Calling All ReadersDo you have a fun hobbyyou think would make aninteresting “Avocations”story? If so, please e-mailpstacey@glass.com.56 <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong> www.agrrmag.com


<strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2008</strong>Only OnlineTucson TimeANNUAL MEETING IN SUNNY ARIZONAOnly Onlineagrrmag.comwww.agrrmag.com • www.glassBYTEs.com<strong>AGRR</strong> has the largest and most requested circulation of any auto glass magazine


Only Onagrrmag.comMARCH/APRIL <strong>2008</strong>Tucson TimeA NNUAL M EETING IN S UNNY A RIZONAby Penny Stacey and Charles CumpstonTo figure out the future of theindustry—a burning questionon most of our minds—one doesn’t need a crystalball, one just needs a newspaper, accordingto Don Ableson, president ofAbleson Consulting LLC and formerexecutive director of the North AmericanSpecialty Vehicle Activity for GeneralMotors. Ableson pointed out anumber of automotive headlinesfrom the last few months at the recentauto glass conference in Tucson, Ariz.“These headlines are precursors ofevolutionary changes that will be happeningto our industry,” he said in hiskeynote address. Ableson opened theconference on February 12 to an audienceof about 60 people. He pointedout a variety of recent of headlinesthat have appeared in the news, suchas ones dealing with changing globaleconomics, various economic factorsthroughout the world and the fuel issuesthe world has been experiencing.He also noted that with the economyin its current state, what customersare looking for is changing too.“To succeed as a business today,you must have the highest quality andthe lowest price,” Ableson said,adding that this is compelling manymanufacturers to outsource partsHe also mentioned the possible saleof PPG’s auto glass business to PlatinumEquity and the litigation that hasfollowed (see related story in January/February<strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong>, page 10),along with the possible sale of some ofFord’s glass plants.“Time will tell the final chapter forthese two glass companies,” Ablesonadded.For future trends, Ableson notedthe explosion of panoramic sunroofs(mentioning that he saw several in theparking lot of the JW Marriott StarrPass Resort where the conference washeld), along with an increase in headsupdisplays. He also mentioned a December23 New York Times headlineabout Porsche possibly taking overVolkswagen in the near future.“The glass industry must embracethe principles of the OEMs, includingglobal consolidation …” Ableson said.Profits and PeopleAfter Ableson’s discussion, thegroup broke into small groups to discussa variety of topics from sales andprofit to utilizing technology.Richard Voreis of Consulting Collaborativemoderated a session on increasingsales and profits.He started by explaining, “I’moften asked how you can improveyour business and I say you have toadapt to change. I see very similarproblems and issues at companiesthat are having problems. You have tobe sure your employees are focusedand that they share in the need tohave a profitable company. If there’sonly one thing you take out of thissession, that’s it.”Voreis had attendees fill in a 13-question self-assessment of theirbusinesses, which focused on thecommunication between managementand employees.He then asked attendees to sharewhat they had done to increase sales attheir companies. One person indicatedthat he had hired an outside salesperson,while another said conductingcontinuing education courses for insuranceagents had been successful.A lengthy discussion of yellowpages versus Internet as a marketingtool followed. Most said that they arefinding the Internet more successfuland that increases in the cost of yellowpages advertising is making thedecision to switch easier. However, itwas mentioned that the price of advertisingonline is also increasing asmore companies are using it and biddingon the costs of placement.Part of the discussion of increasingprofits centered around employee incentiveplans. In group discussion thepoint was made that any incentiveplan has to be easy for the employeeto understand and that makingchanges to incentive plans is fraughtwith danger because people don’t likechange and may not understand why©<strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, 540-720-5584, www.agrrmagazine.com, All rights reserved.


ROLAGS Meeting Held in TucsonThe Repair of Automotive Glass Standards Committee (ROLAGS) met during the NationalAuto Glass Conference in Tucson, Ariz., and Jay Sampson was approved asthe new chairman.The product performance subcommittee is headed by Keith Beveridge, senior vicepresident for the Savage, Minn.-based Novus Glass, and he reported that the group istrying to prioritize the various issues involved in product performance and to decidewhat it is important to test.“We’re at the stage now where we’re talking about the type of testing,” Beveridgetold the whole committee. “We’re going to do this on two levels: one on what testsare available and one on the real world of testing and its results.”He estimated that it would be a year or two before the subcommittee would be ableto come back to the committee with a recommendation on the results of its work.Jackie Newman, president of Redline Inc. in Austin, Texas, was chosen to head upthe new marketing committee. She said that in her opinion a good place to start isto get more industry support for the standard.Seminars during the conferenceranged from employee labor lawsto the state of the currenteconomy.the change will be better for them.“Keep it simple,” Voreis advised.Incorporating TechnologyJoel Timmons, founder and presidentof Profitable Glass Solutions andthe author of a bi-weekly blog on<strong>AGRR</strong>’s daily e-news site, glass-BYTEs.com, held a session on incorporatingtechnology into yourbusiness for efficiency purposes. Attendeesalso brainstormed ideas forsoftware needed to help with this.One hot topic was the recent DOT430 recall, and how additional technologycould have made this easier forshops to pull records to find out whenand where the recalled DOT 430 glasshad been used.“We register the glass parts and writethem down, but to find these pieces,we’ve got to get this information intosome kind of form,” said Dave Burns ofRay Sands Auto Glass in Rochester, N.Y.Bud Oliver of NAGS also chimed in,noting that there’s been talk for a longtime of having standard barcodes thatshops could scan among the manufacturersof glass.“The recall of this glass adds moreimportance for us to get this thingdone,” Oliver said. “If we could get tothe point where we have a standard, itcould go right into your database andbe much more efficient.”Managing EmployeesCarl Tompkins, western sales managerfor SIKA Corp. and an <strong>AGRR</strong>columnist, moderated the sessionabout managing employees. (SeeTompkins’ column on page 8.)He said the discussion could be dividedinto three sections: Finding goodhelp, training them and keeping them.Tompkins said that in his experiencea company does not find goodhelp. “You have to make it. The hiringprocess is where you have to be pickiest.Hire the right people,” he advised.In discussing how to find good employees,several attendees said they areusing the Internet to find people andhaving success at it. The techniqueBreakout sessions were part of the conference’s re-tooling for <strong>2008</strong>. The conference is expected to foldinto the GlassBuild America show in 2010.“There are as many ways to gogreen as there are to play golf.”—Doug Linderer, Go-Glass Corp.©<strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, 540-720-5584, www.agrrmagazine.com, All rights reserved.


Only Onagrrmag.comMARCH/APRIL <strong>2008</strong>works for trainees and support staff, buthas not been successful for experiencedinstallers. Several attendees said thatthey find good people through theircurrent employees and use incentivesfor those who recommend people whoare hired and stay with the company.During the discussion of the stepstaken to qualify potential employees(run credit and background checks,have a drug test) one successfulmethod which was brought up wastelling a prospective employee thatthere is a $50 deposit for the drug testwhich is then refunded after the test issuccessfully passed.Once you have hired good people,you have to tell them what they haveto do to be a good employee andthen teach them how to do it, Tompkinsexplained.“Keeping good help is the most importantof the three sections,” accordingto Tompkins. “You don’t want totrain good people and then lose themto your competition,” he said.To retain good employees, Tompkinssaid to keep in mind the needs ofemployees and let them know howyou are measuring them. “Teach byexample. Do as you want your employeesto do,” he advised.Safe ShopsWhile safety is usually a big topic,it almost always focuses on the safetyof installations, but Charles Turielloof Diamond Triumph Glass actuallyfocused on safety of workers in hisdiscussion.“The message has to be communicatedon a daily basis,” Turiellosaid. “We’re trying to reduce thenumber of injuries in the workplace.”He suggested that shops formsafety committees and contactOSHA to help define best practicesfor their businesses.“A lot can fall under the best practicesumbrella,” he said.Mike Boyle of GlasWeld Systemssaid his company contacted OSHAand had OSHA do a free, three-daystudy of the business to evaluate itfor safety issues.Newman Awarded Len Stolk AwardJackie Newman of Redline Inc. in Austin, Texas, was honored during the NationalAuto Glass Conference in Tucson with the <strong>2008</strong> Len Stolk Award. Theaward is given annually by the National Glass Association to an auto glass industryrepresentative in honor of Stolk, who was a manager of training for Carliteand passed away in the 1990s.“I didn’t have a speech ready, because I didn’t know,” said the surprised Newmanupon her acceptance of the award, “but thank you.”Jackie Newman of Redline Inc. (second from right) in Austin, Texaswas honored during the conference with the <strong>2008</strong> Len Stolk award. Herhusband (left) and daughters (right) surprised her in Tucson.Turiello added that it’s importantto instill the safety-on-the-job conceptin employees from the start.“When someone walks in thatdoor, you want to train them rightfrom the start,” he said, adding thatall employees should be involved,from CSRs to CEOs.Green is GoodThe conference’s first day endedwith a panel session called “Green isGood.” And at least three of the fourspeakers on the panel had somethingin common—they’re all conservativeswho insist they’re not“tree-huggers.” Mike Boyle, presidentof GlasWeld Systems in Bend,Ore., Dave Burns, president of RaySands Glass in Rochester, N.Y., andDoug Linderer, president of Go-Glass Corp. in Salisbury, Md., allpreceded their discussion of howtheir companies have gone greenwith similar statements about howthey never expected to become environmentalists.But, they all have, in some form oranother—and they all agreed thatgreen is good.Boyle provided an overview ofhow his company has gone green,even by changing their light bulbsinto green-friendly ones, and advisedhow businesses can utilizegreen ideologies to their benefit bymarketing to the “conscious consumer.”Boyle, who is a member ofthe National Windshield Repair Association’sBoard of Directors, provideda similar presentation at itsannual conference in November2007 (see related story in November-December 2007 <strong>AGRR</strong>, page 46).“Every decision we make is basedon the question, ‘is it environmentallysustainable?’” Boyle said.Burns actually asked a local powerauthority to audit his company andadvise how the company could saveenergy. For example, they discoveredone of his three furnaces wascracked—fixing this lowered hismonthly gas bill by $300. In addition,he tinted the windows in his office©<strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, 540-720-5584, www.agrrmagazine.com, All rights reserved.


with film that prevents electronic signals,such as wireless network singals,from being transmitted through them.“Let’s see—I lowered my fuel costsand I protected my business,” Burnssaid. “That’s a win-win situation.”Linderer said he started to gogreen when he read the book “Contractwith the Earth,” and soon realizedthat if he didn’t start to make hiscompany green, eventually it couldbe mandated by the government.“If you don’t construct an environmentalenergy platform, someoneelse will do it for you. Do you wantthe government to do that for you?”Linderer asked.But, he added, going green canhappen in a variety of ways.“There are as many ways to gogreen as there are to play golf,” Linderersaid.His company’s motto has been tofollow the three R’s: reduce, re-useand recycle. The company prints onthe front and back of its paper, recyclesaluminum cans and has takensteps to decrease the fuel it uses.“The company that collects ourcans weighs them and writes you acheck—that’s my kind of green,” Linderersaid.Pat Farrell, vice president of corporateresponsibility and communicationsfor Enterprise Rent-A-Car,also participated in the panel, andadvised how his national rental carcompany has taken steps to becomeenvironmentally friendly.“Our goal is to ensure that ourpassenger vehicles and the fuel theyuse are acceptable to society,” hesaid.The company also has partneredwith the National Arbor Day Foundation,and has developed a website,www.keystogreen.com.Farrell also noted that with environmentalissues becoming of moreimportance to society, customerslook for this as well.“This is not just about the sustainabilityof our planet—it’s also aboutthe sustainability of our business,”he added.Where Were the Retailers?One question was on the mind of many during the National Auto Glass Conferencein Tucson, Ariz.: where were the retailers? A brief overview of the pre-registeredattendee list shows there were 32 retail companies in attendance—fora total of 90 individuals from those companies. Nineteen of the retail attendees wereaffiliated with Belron US/Safelite, making up 9 percent of the entire attendance, and23 percent of the retail population.While retail attendance did seem to be low at the conference, which this year wasdesigned as management-type conference, those suppliers seeking meetings withother suppliers did find it worthwhile.“For Mainstreet, the show was a great time for solidifying relationships with currentcustomers as well as enhancing business opportunities with others,” said MarkHaeck, sales manager for the Belleville, Mich.-based company. “There’s nothing like aface-to-face meeting when it comes right down to it. Some of the meetings I hadwere timely for us strategically.”The State of the IndustryThe conference ended up with apanel on the state of the industry “revisited.”The panel included fourcompany executives who each discusseda particular aspect of hisbusiness’s training methods.Rich Harrison, chief operating officerof Belron US, focused on the emphasishis company has placed ontechnical excellence as vehicles havebecome more and more complex inrecent years. Showing a slide of theXC60 Volvo, which has a glass roof andan active cruise control system thatmeasures how close a vehicle is to othersin traffic, along with the speed ofthe traffic, he said, “You can imagine ifyou screwed this piece of glass up.”He also mentioned the company’sfocus on customer service.“We have quite a few associatesanswering phones across the UnitedStates who care as well,” Harrisonsaid with a laugh, in response to acomment by fellow panelist CindyRowe Auto Glass vice president andgeneral manager Rodger Pickett,who noted that part of Cindy Rowe’sidentity is that the company “caresmore than the national guy.”Attendance BreakdownGroupNumber ofPre-Registered AttendeesSuppliers 80Non-Belron Retailers 71Belron US/Safelite Affiliates 19Conference Staff 11Insurance Company Representatives 5Organizations/Associations 3Press 5Pickett spoke about developingcustomer service sales representatives;Steve Mort, chief executive officerof Don’s Mobile Glass spokeabout employee recruitment andtraining; and John Webb, presidentof Deals Auto Glass Service Inc.spoke about diversifying an autoglass business.Next YearWhile this year’s conference, unlikeyears past, was designed to bemore of a management forum than atrade show, those in attendanceseemed to have found what theywere looking for (see sidebar above).Next year’s auto glass conference—likelythe last one as we knowit—will be held in Orlando, Fla., February18-20 at the Omni Orlando Resortat ChampionsGate. Leo Cyr, vicepresident of the NGA’s auto glass division,announced during the conferencethat the conference likelywill migrate into GlassBuild Americain 2010.■◗Penny Stacey and Charles Cumpston areeditor and contributing editor, respectively,of <strong>AGRR</strong> magazine.©<strong>2008</strong> <strong>AGRR</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>, 540-720-5584, www.agrrmagazine.com, All rights reserved.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!