The Power of Video: Pre-exisiting Damage? Washington DC

By Paul Bailey
1/1/2000

After the repairs to the left door and left quarter panel of Lisa Harrington's 1997 Honda Accord were completed, the vehicle was detailed and parked near the front of the office for delivery. When the customer arrived that afternoon, she seemed quite pleased with the repairs, until she noticed a rather sizable dent in the right quarter panel of her car. "That wasn't there when I brought the car in to you," she impatiently explained. After several apologies, the shop manager agreed to pay for the rental car while the shop repaired the "newly found" dent.

Though the technicians agreed the damage was pre-existing, the manager decided to repair the dent and paint the quarter panel at the expense of the shop. "What's a few hundred bucks in the interest of a satisfied customer?" the manager asked himself sarcastically as he walked back to the office.

This scenario is quite common in the collision repair industry, and while every body shop manager encounters similar situations from time to time, few seem to take preventive measures.

Frank Champaglia, of Mitchell's Automotive in Tampa, Fla., has a simple solution to this common problem. When customers drop off their cars at Mitchell's, they sign the necessary authorization forms, arrange for a rental car, etc. But before they leave, Champaglia asks them to walk around the car with him while they discuss the condition of the area of the vehicle that is not to be rep...