Article Summary
OE certifications provide necessary regulation and oversight for vehicle repair shops, ensuring quality standards and customer protection in an industry that currently lacks governing bodies. While certifications alone aren't a complete solution, they establish accountability and prove shops maintain proper repair procedures and safety standards.
- Industry gap: Unlike plumbing, electrical, and HVAC trades, vehicle repair has no governing body or mandatory regulation overseeing repair quality and safety standards.
- Certification benefits: OE certifications ensure technicians follow specific repair procedures, use proper tooling, and maintain required skill levels to repair vehicles to original equipment specifications.
- Collective responsibility: For certifications to work, all parties—shops, technicians, payees, and OEMs—must commit to following guidelines rather than selectively choosing what applies.
- Aftermarket reality: OEMs must accept that aftermarket and salvage parts are essential multi-billion-dollar industries; OE-only mandates are neither viable nor sustainable.
- Customer trust: Certifications signal to customers that repair shops maintain proper oversight and quality standards, but only if shops actively follow through on their commitments.
FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Let’s say you have a perfectly tuned facility. You repair plan like a trooper, and you line-item everything you do to put that vehicle back on the road to OE spec, in its pre-loss condition.
Let’s say all your technicians are top-grade Canadian triple-‘A’ quality. So, what can you do to drive more business through the door? Marketing? Plaster your name on billboards and bus stop benches? Advertise on the radio? TV? Gift with purchase? Maybe a certification… that’s it. If you get OE certified, that should do it. Sounds like a very logical approach. Brilliant—or is it?
There is a thought process out there (prevalent with some U.S. outlets) that OE certifications are a waste and non-binding—they don’t hold their weight in water. This ideology may have you thinking twice about OE certifications. I understand how one might think this way; however, I don’t share this sentiment.
On that note, let’s discuss the OE certification playing field. The perception generally held of these certifications is that without that OE brand of certification—i.e. permission—you can’t fix that brand of vehicle. Sounds tough; however, it’s a wee bit misleading.
If you repair a vehicle without a certification, could there be negative repercussions? Yes, possibly. For example, the use of non-OEM parts may void a warranty, and the vehicle’s owner may be upset. Additionally, you may find it challenging to obtain certain parts, such as structural components—which makes it difficult to repair without them. Tooling may also be a factor; without proper tooling, the job just got more difficult.
The OE is implementing a degree of the required skill set needed to fix these vehicles.
After all, no hospital wants a doctor who was in the 50th percentile upon graduating with their degree—why should an OEM expect any less? As an OE, they implement specific repair procedures to ensure the vehicle is repaired correctly. Access to these procedures is sometimes limited without a certification.
The misleading part is that you can fix them —if you can get around a few hurdles. So, how can an OE implement the criteria that you will be required to follow?
They can host a training and testing session in their facilities, where they put on a series of brand-specific sessions with their own trained instructors, grading and testing technicians. Another approach is similar but allows the use of third-party instructors within their facilities.
The final option involves subletting the certification process to a third-party company, which would oversee it under licence from the OE—including audits, strategies and training also sublet to a third party.
As you can see, there are a few caveats regarding certifications to contend with from the OE level; hence, the negative perception regarding certifications.
Do I think certifications are a good idea? Yes, I do. However (here it comes), a few things need to be clarified.
First—everyone NEEDS to be in it together. Yes, everyone. If one party decides not to abide by the rules, it doesn’t work, and you are wasting your time—and others’.
Who are the players? The shop—from front end to detail—everyone needs to be on board and adhere to the guidelines. Payees need to understand that for this to work, they cannot selectively choose what applies and what doesn’t. The world doesn’t work this way. Sorry, it just doesn’t.
OEMs, you also need to be realistic in what you put out there. Mandating OE-only parts that you can’t supply—or that are discontinued— doesn’t cut it. Aftermarket and salvage are here to stay. They’re a multi-billion-dollar industry. OE-only is not viable or sustainable. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional. You think delays are bad now? Try running the industry on OE-only and let me know how that works out.
How many vehicles are in your shop right now, waiting on an OE part? OEs need to work with the aftermarket and salvage companies— not against them.
If I go into a dealership, it’s not uncommon for them to use aftermarket brake pads and shocks on a vehicle—or front-end bushings. (All safety components.) But if I put an aftermarket fender or salvage headlamp on a vehicle in the bodyshop, would I suddenly be a hack? Please. To my point—certifications can serve a purpose: regulation. In our industry we have NONE—zero—nada.
A plumber, electrician, carpenter, welder and HVAC professional all have a governing body that implements a code written specifically for their respective industry. It is not to be questioned that if you need outlets in the kitchen, they must meet code. If you want to install a second bathroom, it needs to meet code. If you’re going to change the landscape and parking at your business, it needs to meet code.
If Joey Francoscarapini decides to set up a Quonset hut in Greenacres, Alberta, and repair vehicles—have at it, Joey. Make sure the Quonset hut meets the code.
Sure, Joey has a licence he’s had since ’84, but no one is overseeing his contribution. Has he kept up? Is he repairing the vehicle to meet the OE requirements of a safe repair?
Who is guiding Joey in what he needs to keep up with? Who is watching over the process? Nobody.
Now you can see why everyone needs to be on board.
Without some form of regulation—such as OE certifications—we are living in the wild, wild west.
Are certifications the answer to all our troubles? Likely not. Are certifications a start? Yes, they are. Should they be regulated as well? Absolutely.
In my opinion—and you are entitled to my opinion—what we have been doing is not working. Customers are mainly unaware of vehicle repair, and most couldn’t care less. All they know is that they should be able to trust that it is repaired properly.
They assume there are checks and balances in place. The plaque on the wall serves as a sign to the customer that you have this under control. Unfortunately, many businesses display it on the wall and then revert to the status quo—failing to follow through.
Take the opportunity to make a change in our industry for the greater good. If you have that OE certification, do yourself, the payee, and your customers a favour… Prove it.
