Page 79 - Australian Paint & Panel Nov-Dec 2020

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SAM STREET
This was an impressive shop to begin
with but Paul has taken it to the next level. The rebrand is awesome, the
street appeal is fantastic, I think the new parts department has been the key to increasing an already impressive work volume. Great team spirit too.
JUDGE POWELL
Another good example of a next
generation repairer. Paul is transforming this huge comprehensive
repair centre with a drive-through spray booth to complement the excellent workflow. Paul’s personal dedication to training and his apprentices will provide a sustainable future.
U
which to work from. The change it’s made to the business is genuinely surprising.
“We’ve reformatted to keep our in- voicing separate, which keeps that de- partment isolated from daily work pro- duction. They’re solely dealing with accounts - which has been great for our business, because it keeps the money coming in the door and ensur- ing that the bills are paid,” he says. “We’ve increased our production by about 10 percent over the last 12 months, so it’s been very good for us.”
To ensure there’s round-the-clock ac- cess for customers, tow-trucks and sup- pliers, Economidis recently opted for a best-in-class alarm facility that allows he and his trusted staff to monitor and con- trol both cameras and alarms on their phones, from wherever they are.
“We have 24-hour access to towing. So for anyone with re-towing the car to our property, it’s always accessible for them. All alarms are controlled off-site from mo- bile phones, so we can arm and deactivate for anyone who needs it,” says Economidis. “We can really keep up to date with where everything is and where the cars are at.”
Meanwhile, Gabba Collisions are well on their way to being carbon-neutral, af- ter installing a 340kW solar system for the facility.
“It provides 70 percent of our energy at the moment,” says Economidis “But we haven’t had a decent sunny day since we installed it. We think it’ll be at
100 percent by the time full charge comes through.”
But, among all the many chang-
es at the Gabba, it’s the sparkly new fleet of Subaru loan cars that immedi- ately catch the eye.
“They’re our pride and joy, and they are literally brand-new,” says Econo- midis. “They’re all hybrid vehicles,
and they’re supplied by us and our local dealer. It’s good for a customer
to jump in a nice new car after an ac- cident. And, through the process of the repair, they’re very handy.”
And while the Gabba is as close to the big-smoke as you could
possibly get, Economidis
has a small-town attitude
to who gets a loaner: “they’re not just for Sub- aru customers,” he ex- plains. “I don’t mind lend- ing the cars out to anyone, as long as they appreciate what we go through. I don’t give them out to everyone − they’re for select customers.”
JUDGES’ COMMENTS
FROM LEFT CLOCKWISE: Most of the considerable Gabba crew. Second generation taking the business to the next level, Paul Economidis. Modern branding and an exterior makeover gives even better street appeal – and it wasn’t bad before. Prep bays in just a part of the enormous paint shop.