CHARLOTTE — Maaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting, the leader in the $43 billion automotive paint and collision industry, and part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands, one year ago began a network-wide process of certification for its nearly 500 painting and repair centers.
Throughout 2019, Maaco locations nationwide participated in a robust certification program which included technician training and certification, facility and equipment evaluation and updates, and operational improvements to service the more technically complex vehicles on the roads today.
The goal of the certification process is to improve the customer experience, ensure that each center is equipped with the right tools and technology, and to ensure that technicians are prepared to service their specific type of business.
“Maaco is a unique business model,” said Dave Gross, VP of certification and strategic development for Maaco. “There are three potential revenue streams; consumer-paid work for cosmetic painting and collision repair, insurance-paid collision repair, and revenue from national fleet contract work, which is provided through Maaco’s participation in the Driven Fleet program. These three revenue streams provide a consistent flow of business for Maaco franchisees and helps to make the model very recession resistant.”
The combination of business opportunities a franchisee wants to pursue determines which level of certification they will require. There are three levels in Maaco’s certification program: Diamond, Platinum and Gold, which each set standards and requirements needed to service the various segments of the business opportunity. A Gold Certified Maaco center delivers on all the brand standards set by Maaco and is primarily serving the traditional retail customer who needs their vehicle painted with minor cosmetic repairs. Platinum certification is the next level and is required when a center wants to participate in the Driven Fleet program to service national fleet accounts and perform insurance work. Diamond certification is a premier level of achievement, meaning that a Diamond center has all requirements previously mentioned and the necessary training and equipment to participate in an insurance company DRP (Direct Repair Program).
“National fleet and insurance-paid collision work requires an investment in equipment, technology and training to repair today’s advanced vehicles,” said Gross. “Platinum and Diamond Certified centers have made those investments. Diamond level centers are also I-CAR® Gold Certified and qualified to participate in an insurance company DRP. I-CAR (Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair) is the collision repair industry standard for repair procedures and training.”
“Keeping up with the changes in technology requires a real commitment of time and resources from anyone in the automotive industry, and our Platinum and Diamond centers have made that decision and that commitment so that they can service all customers at the level required to stay ahead in today’s competitive environment,” said Gross.
Jim and Jamie Powell, 2019 Maaco Cup winners and owners of a Diamond certified center, say the program is very beneficial for franchisees.
“Becoming Diamond Certified was very important to us and our objectives for continued growth,” said Jim and Jamie Powell, 2019 Maaco Cup Winners. “The automotive repair environment is changing rapidly, and you have to keep up if you want to continue to be successful and grow. The Maaco certification program is a great program to help us stay current, keep learning and growing.”
To learn more about franchising opportunities with Maaco, please visit www.maacofranchise.com.
About Maaco
Maaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting, a member of the Driven Brands™ portfolio, is America’s #1 Bodyshop. Maaco provides automotive paint and cosmetic repair services for nearly 500,000 drivers annually. With more than 500 independently owned and operated franchises across the United States and Canada, Maaco has restored the safety and appearance of more than 20 million vehicles over 47 years. Maaco has been named a top automotive franchise numerous times by Entrepreneur Magazine in its Annual Franchise 500 ranking. In addition to other honors, Maaco has been included on Franchise Times’ list of Top 200 franchises. For more information about Maaco, visit www.Maaco.com. For more information about franchising opportunities, visit www.maacofranchise.com
About Driven Brands
Driven Brands™, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is the parent company of North America’s leading automotive aftermarket brands across three distinct verticals: Retail Auto Service, comprised of Take 5 Oil Change®, Meineke Car Care Centers®, and Automotive Training Institute™; Collision & Insurance, comprised of Maaco®, CARSTAR®, ABRA®, and Uniban™; and Distribution, comprised of 1-800-Radiator & A/C® and PH Vitres d’Autos ™. Driven Brands has over 3,300 centers across North America and Canada, and combined, all businesses generate more than $3.1 billion in system sales and service approximately 9 million vehicles annually. For more information, visit drivenbrands.com.