Initially includes information on Gold Class collision repair centers as well as Farmers Insurance and Ford Motor Company network facilities.
The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) announced the launch of BodyShopology.com, an industry-neutral locator that connects motorists with trained and credentialed collision repair shops close to home, all by entering a ZIP Code.
“This online power tool is an important resource in unifying the industry for the ultimate benefit of the consumer,” said Stacey Wesselink, I-CAR, Director – Marketing and BodyShopology spokesperson.
“While there’s no shortage of shop locators available, I-CAR’s neutrality sets BodyShopology.com apart from the rest, providing an objective and unbiased tool for consumers,” said Wesselink. All OEMs and Insurers with repair networks are invited to participate.
“We’re trying to educate consumers that while cost and proximity to home are important considerations in selecting a body shop for vehicle repair following an accident, so, too, is a shop’s training chops and credentials amid a dizzying evolution of vehicle complexity,” said Wesselink.
The shop locator is easy to navigate; a simple ZIP Code input triggers a network of more than 8,100 trained and credentialed shops, filtered for close proximity to the user’s home. This includes highly trained I-CAR Gold Class shops within Ford Motor Company’s and Farmers Insurance’s networks, two of the locator’s first collision repair Inter-Industry participants. The previous I-CAR Gold Class locator moved to BodyShopology, and all Gold Class shops are automatically added to BodyShopology.com when Gold Class is achieved.
“Not all body shops are created equal,” explained Wesselink. “The reality is, approximately 65 percent of the nation’s body shops – or 2 out of 3 shops – are not training. That’s why we’re creating a new consumer conversation that also considers a shop’s training or credentials as additional factors in selecting a body shop, contributing to complete, safe and quality repairs.
“Performing repairs properly and adhering to OEM repair procedures makes all of the difference in restoring a vehicle to its pre-loss condition,” she said. “BodyShopology.com puts consumers in the driver’s seat to identify those shops trained to fix your specific repair needs, close to home.
Greg Luther, Body Shop Director of Helfman Collision Center in Houston, Texas, and Chairman of the Houston Autobody Association Board of Directors, emphasizes the need for a shop locator like BodyShopology.
“Both Helfman Collision and the Houston Autobody Association work tirelessly to make sure repairs are done properly,” Luther said. “It’s crucial that consumers understand the importance of choosing a shop with trained technicians.”