Canadian Collision Industry Forum to gather industry profitability data

Several auto collision repair companies and two claims software makers plan to participate in a survey with the intent of providing a “common understanding of key industry metrics” in vehicle repair.

Officials with the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) released Wednesday a report on its Sept. 28 meeting in Edmonton.

Its new business plan “involves the Business Conditions Survey that will create a common understanding of key industry metrics,” according to the meeting report. “There has been little or no industry-wide data produced” since 1999.

The meeting report quoted Larry Jefferies, executive vice-president at CARSTAR Automotive Canada, as stating that without data on the industry, “insurers cannot determine the health of repairer partners.”

CCIF, which is intended as a venue for collision repair firms, is funded through sponsors and participants. It has three meetings per year and the next one is scheduled Feb. 1 in Toronto.

The report from last month’s Edmonton meeting indicated that four CCIF participants — Fix Auto, CARSTAR, CSN Collision & Glass and Assured Automotive — have agreed to provide sales data by region, for the last seven quarters, for CCIF’s first business conditions survey.

“The results of the first survey will be presented at the next CCIF meeting in Toronto on February 1st, after which all other collision repairers will be invited to participate in the survey,” according to the Edmonton meeting report.

“Those who submit data will also benefit from receiving the full results. A vote among CCIF participants indicated a high level of support for the Business Conditions Survey and a high level of willingness to take part in it.”

Claims software makers Audatex and Mitchell International also plan to participate in that survey by providing claims data, by region.

CCIF is designed as an open forum rather than an association. According to the Edmonton meeting report, Jefferies explained to participants that beginning in 2014, “the administration of CCIF will be taken on by the Automotive Industries Association (AIA), through which CCIF was originally created.”

One of its priorities will be to develop a business plan, and one focus of that business plan will be on “industry profitability.”