New relationships starting to emerge
The changing influences on the collision repair industry are bringing new business models and relationships to the fore according to CESVIMAP’s Ignacio Juárez Pérez.
Addressing a capacity audience at the IBIS Global Summit 2016 Ignacio outlined CESVIMAP’s goal of improving the quality of services within the collision repair sector through standardisation – a policy it is positively pursuing by acting as a central hub for supply chain partners.
Established in 1983, CESVIMAP, with 60,000 people trained worldwide, is owned by global insurers MAPFRE. It has centres in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, France and China and has been an RCAR member since 1986.
With specific focus on the Spanish collision repair market, Ignacio highlighted how new repair challenges were driving the necessity for training and learning, along with investment in new equipment.
Exploring new scenarios, Ignacio outlined trends including an increased vehicle parc along with heightened complexity of repair, a lower frequency of crashes, more minor damage repairs, highly specialised repairs and, ultimately, new business models.
According to Ignacio these new business models would be influenced by vehicle manufacturers; new competitors such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon; new relationships created by dealers, mobility providers and individuals; vehicle insurers; a liability shift from driver to product, and device suppliers.
The impact of all of this on the repair sector suggested Ignacio would mean continuous updating of tools and equipment, increased investment in staff training and, ultimately, the need to prepare for a new kind of customer.
Highlighting several of the solutions CESVIMAP has initiated, Ignacio told delegates that the research centre was, ‘bringing new relationships between industry stakeholders.’
In terms of the car repair itself, Ignacio predicted many challenges coming down the road. New materials and new joining methods were already posing fresh questions surrounding the bodywork, while paint technicians will also have to move with the times to achieve evolving finishes with improved tools and new refinishing methods.
The trend towards autonomy is also presenting a changing dynamic in the bodyshop when it comes to recalibration and training. He said, ‘By 2025 more than 75% of crashes will be cosmetic. The repairs will be different. So we have to update our knowledge every day, through training and through the acquisition of new tools.’
He concluded, ‘Mobility and connectivity; this has to be taken into account for all of us who want to be present in this industry in the future. The car of the future will be a terminal.’
The IBIS Global Summit 2016 is being held at the Hilton Diagonal Mar, Barcelona on 23-25 May. The event is supported by official partners: 3M, AkzoNobel, Audatex, Belron, EMM, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Fastcare and Fix Auto World.
