Page 98 - Australasian Paint & Panel magazine Nov-Dec 2021

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2021 NATIONAL WINNERS
PAINT&PANEL NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021
BEST SHOP
NATIONAL WINNERS
THE HARDEST PART OF JUDGING THESE AWARDS IS CHOOSING THE NATIONAL WINNERS FROM AN ALREADY FANTASTIC LINE UP OF SHOPS.
W
HAT MAKES A NATIONAL
winner? Well it’s a number of solid factors and then a little bit of’ je ne sais quoi’ as the
French say, qualities and attrib- utes than can be hard to put into words. The national winners are chosen
from the state winners, who have al- ready proven themselves to fulfil the judging criteria. We look at other fac- tors apart from criteria – we’ll have a look at the website, customer reviews, social media pages – there are so many aspects to running a successful collision repair business these days, it’s incredible that so many do such an outstanding job.
National winners provide a comfort- able, safe working environment for their teams. They have an eye to the fu- ture and are committed to bringing on the next generation, training apprentic- es and training and motivating the whole team. They have modern work- ing practices, taking advantage of the latest in technology to carry out their business efficiently and profitably. They promote their business intelli- gently across various platforms.
National winners are fully focussed on customer satisfaction and have good relationships with work providers. They will network, attend conferences, train, visit other repairers, always look- ing for ways to improve their own busi- ness. They have a clear vision for where the business is heading and how to get there. There’s always a healthy hint of obsession for these business owners who raise the standard for the whole in- dustry and help to change the public perception of what a collision repair business can offer.
BEST NATIONAL SHOP WINNERS
BEST NATIONAL NEW SHOP
PERTH AUTOBODY
Rather unsurprisingly there weren’t a lot of new shops this year. DSI Black- burn in Victoria has expanded consid- erably and it’s an impressive renova- tion. Gold Coast Collision renovated because of water damage and has to- tally transformed the shop increasing capacity and making use of what was a needlessly huge reception area by con- verting half of it into a QC/detailing bay. Either one could have won another year but they were up against Perth Autobody and check out the photos people – it really is a stand out.
Husband and wife team Jamie and El- isha Damer have realised a long held dream to create a top notch repair facil- ity and couldn’t be happier to win the national award. Jamie wrote to us after the Livesteam saying. ”We are absolute- ly thrilled. I haven’t been able to take the smile off my face. It really means a lot to me that you guys have awarded our business. Also it’s giving me the confidence to keep getting better and that I’m on the right path.”
The acquisition of the building next door to the orginal shop was an oppor- tunity to create something new, stylish and just a bit next level. The reception is one of the most stylish that we’ve seen, we love the natural wood tones and exposed brick. It’s very calming for customers who, as we know, are normally stressed. The exterior is unu- sual too with the wood cladding. But it’s not just about looks. While it’s still not a large shop and is across two sites,
the work flow thanks to drive through booths and plenty of access points is excellent. The business plan is sound and the Damers have build up a varied portfolio of clients that is bringing plenty of work through the doors and doesn’t rely on one source.
Jamie obviously has a great rapport with his team and exhibits pride that he has such a loyal crew. We were also both relieved and impressed to hear someone concerned about cyber securi- ty and keeping client’s records safe – cy- ber crime can cripple a business and getting hacked will also hack away at customer confidence.
BEST NATION BOUTIQUE SHOP
LEN HOLLIS REPAIR FACILITY
All of our boutique shop winners are stand out businesses. Graham Body- works in Eltham, VIC has improved an already good shop out of sight and se- cured Tesla. Coastal Collision in Queens- land ditto, but what will really push Wayne Tidman’s business to the next level is the new paintshop which should be ready for us to feast our eyes on next year when Coastal can compete in the new category. Mirage Panelbeaters and Spray Painters over in WA has won be- fore after undertaking extensive renova- tions which really reflect the prestige OEM badges they hold.