Page 95 - Australian Paint & Panel Nov-Dec 2020

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BEST DEALER OWNED SHOP
wheel alignment system to one of them. There will also be a tyre balancing ma- chine and tools for mechanical work. The hoists have been moved, at considerable cost, but this has made a huge difference to workflow, especially as the heavy hits can now go straight up on a hoist.
The paint prep area has been renovated with four Lowbake prep areas and an alu- minium repair bay with extraction. They’ve installed a third tall spray booth which can accommodate Sprinter vans. Opposite the booths are the polishing bays with an im- pressive lighting system Reggi has had in- stalled. There’s also a storage area just for interior trim so they don’t get damaged.
This has always been a good dealer shop although it was beginning to look a little tired the last time we visited. Now it’s an outstanding dealer shop. The improve- ments Reggi has implemented are impres- sive and the group is lucky to have someone so intimately familiar with the business. While it’s all about quality not quantity and providing an outstanding customer experi- ence, the new layout has facilitated a big jump in throughput. From 25 – 35 cars per week MBQ now repairs 35 – 50 per week.
MBQ is a stunning shop that is gearing up or already geared up for all the changes in vehicle technology and with an ambi- tions to do everything in house to further improve workflow and output.
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FROM LEFT: Dealer style reception area; great workflow in the workshop.
MBQ AUTOBODY
MBQ MANAGER VINCE REGGI HAS BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS STARTING AS AN APPRENTICE WHEN HE WAS 17.
HE COMPANY WAS BOUGHT
out by Mercedes Benz of Brisbane, part of the LSH uto Australia Group around
four years ago.
He went from foreman on the panel
shop floor, to estimator to manager in the space of about six months and says he has been on a big learning curve. How- ever big that curve, he has crested it and totally transformed the business.
It’s an attractive building and as de- manded by the pointy star has a dealer- ship appearance. MBQ has been through the corporate identity transformation from pale blue to Himalayan grey - which looks even better.
Since our last visit the business has grown and now has a storage facility for cars and parts in addition to the large workshop. There’s a spacious car park with estimating bays. The reception and
customer area is huge, stylish with white tiled floors, and all the customer comforts you would expect. Plus there’s a healthy serving of Mercedes-Benz merchandise and dealership marketing material. The lunch room and offices for staff are all a cut above the average.
It was the improvements in the work- shop that really impressed us. Now that cars that aren’t being worked on have a home across the road it’s really given Reg- gi free reign to reorganise. He has created five delivery bays in the workshop outside of the reception area. When the customer comes to collect their car an estimator takes them through the repair and makes sure they are happy - that way if there are any issues they can be addressed immedi- ately. A really nice touch is the MBQ liver- ied car covers so that the estimators ‘un- veil’ the car as if it is brand new.
There’s a smart, large detailing bay which uses recycled water. The cars come into MBQ and are placed in one of four bays in the middle of the workshop. The fitter is isolated there so he can dis- assemble the car, then it goes to the shed across the road until all of the parts ar- rive. One side of the workshop is the pan- el beating area with roomy, marked bays. Also in the middle of the shop are a num- ber of hoists with the plan to retrofit a
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