Page 45 - Australasian Paint & Panel Magazine Mar-Apr 2021

We are an industry that strives to achieve perfection, in an effort to satisfy the expectations of our customers, work providers and employers
Smart Repair Australia would like to take the opportunity to recognise one of our own long-term members, Mr Jim Constantinidis
In the beginning, Jim was instrumental in moving PDR repairs out of a rented bay in a panel shop (the sheer volume of cars was becoming an issue for this model) and into their own independent pop-up sites. This allowed the business to forge new insurer partnerships. These partnerships are still as strong today, as they were then, and is a testament to Jim’s commitment to industry relationships. Jim brings an energy to Smart Repair Australia. Staff and independent PDR technicians can attribute their successes to his mentorship. Up until 2019, Jim served as the General Manager of
Smart Repair Australia. Taking the lead in the majority
of catastrophic hail-storm responses the company has
been involved with.
Being the first on the ground in many cases and nearly always the last to leave, supporting everyone involved from beginning to end. Jim led the company through every storm from 2003 in Wollongong to 2018 in Melbourne. Jim continued on through the devastating storms that struck annually over the course of 15 years. To date, he has been an integral part of the 53,000 hail damaged vehicles processed by our company, with 24,000 of those repairs conducted in the last 3 years alone. In 2019 Jim handed the General Manager role over to Greg Elliott, allowing Jim in his own words to “take a much-needed rest” however, the widespread 2020 storms in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and New Zealand meant Greg needed experience across the pond, and Jim Constantinidis to lead the NZ Smart Repair team. Jim’s humanity is always on show, assisting those most in need. There are moments that he holds dear from his time with the commpany.
“I think one of the proudest moments I have had, was the heartfelt thank you given to us from the family of a severely handicapped daughter, after we prioritised the repairs on their vehicle to ensure that they had the flexibility and mobility required for the care of their child. That was all while managing the assessment of over 14,500 damaged vehicles in Sydney, at 300 claims per day, after the devastating 2019 storm. These moments give the business purpose, as it’s not just about fixing cars.”
This sums up Jim and the company he has helped foster from infancy, to become the Goliath it is today. The passion for people has always shone through, and this is a founding pillar of both past and present management teams and staff. In recent times, Jim has focused on sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience to the current management teams of Smart Repair, something that they are extremely grateful for. Jim, we at Smart Repair Australia are extremely proud of your contribution to our company, our employees and the hail repair industry as a whole. A heartfelt thank you Jim. One of the industry’s best.