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Day 2: News Highlights
Day 2: Photo Highlights
Day 3: May 19, 2006
Day 1: May 17, 2006
Mitch Becker, technical instructor, continuing education, for Abra Auto Body & Glass in Brooklyn Center, Minn., wakes up attendees with a bang by deploying airbags to show safe deactivation techniques.
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Attendees picked up tips on how to better serve their customers over the phone from speaker, Carl Tompkins, western states area manager and national auto glass replacement special programs manager for Sika Corp., Madison Heights, Mich.
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Glen Moses, director of technical quality programs for Safelite Glass Corp. of Columbus, Ohio, shows off new vehicles unveiled at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show.
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Bob Beranek, president and founder of Automotive Glass Consultants Inc. in Sun Prairie, Wis., and his son Jay Beranek install a windshield during a demonstration sponsored by Sika Corp. with North American headquarters in Lyndhurst, N.J.
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Attendees and exhibitors meet to talk business at the EXPO.
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Attendees learn about new products at a demonstration at the Aegis Tools International booth. Aegis is based in Madison, Wis.
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First time exhibiting company, Irwin Industrial Tools, drew a steady stream of visitors to its booth. The company's U.S. headquarters is in Huntersville, N.C.
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Training, a recurring theme at conference
Technicians and customer service representatives alike require more training in order for U.S. auto glass businesses to survive, explained seminar speakers on the second day of the National Auto Glass Conference & EXPO in Tucson, Ariz.
The increased need for training for personnel on and off the field results from more complex technology in vehicles and a growing number of cash jobs, speakers told seminar attendees.
The show, hosted by the National Glass Association of McLean, Va., concludes today at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa.
Safer cars mean riskier installation
A mistake made during auto glass replacement on a car with any number of new safety features could result in huge costs to the shop, injury to the installer or harm to the customer, said Mitch Becker, technical instructor from I-CAR of Hoffman Estates, Ill., and Brooklyn Center, Minn.-based Abra Auto Body & Glass.
Technicians will need more in-depth and frequent training to learn how to safely address increasingly common safety features such as any myriad of airbags, occupant detection systems, break-resistant side glass and pyrotechnically charged roll-over bars, he said.
“Technicians need to step up on the training in this industry,” Becker said. “We’re doing a lot of damage to a lot of brand new vehicles.”
The growing number of airbags presents the largest concern, because installers need to know their location in each vehicle type and may have to alter their traditional techniques in order to complete the replacement.
“I see so many technicians sticking a hook tool in their back pocket. They could sit back and easily break through an air bag in the seat, and you’ll have to replace that whole seat,” Becker said, while demonstrating the inflation of several of common air bags. “This is not something to send someone in who doesn’t know what’s going on. You need to follow all the directions before you even get into the car.”
Installers need to keep up with latest technology
Judging by the offerings at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, auto glass installers will have their hands full keeping up with the latest technology, said Glen Moses director of technical quality programs for Safelite Glass Corp., Columbus, Ohio.
Sleeker styles mean door panels are “loosing the clips and screw holes that are the little mental triggers for installers,” Moses said.
Installers also will have to be aware of safety features beyond airbags. “There are cars with rain sensors tied to brake pads, so the pads don’t slip when it’s wet,” Moses said. “Imagine you get a call saying you didn’t reset that properly after an installation, and someone was injured as a result.”
Many cars at the show also featured exposed-edge glass, which require installers to take extra care and possibly to change tools to avoid damaging the paint. “The width of a credit card is all the width you might have between the glass and the body of the car,” Moses said. “You have to get your tools in their without causing scratches.”
Good customer service representation key to securing customers
As more and more business heads to cash, customer service representatives will play an increasingly important role in securing customers over the phone by competing on service rather than price, said Carl Tompkins, western states area manager and national auto glass replacement special programs manager for Sika Corp., Madison Heights, Mich.
While phone training is necessary, CSRs should learn the importance of safe auto glass installation. “Do your CSRs understand that you could save lives by refusing to take a short cut?” Tompkins asked.
An article by Tompkins will appear in an upcoming issue of AutoGlass magazine detailing appropriate training for CSRs.
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