Hamilton, Ontario -- On Tuesday, CARSTAR Canada welcomed 50 collision repair professionals and 30 members of the auto insurance sector for a training event focused on cross-sector collaboration and advancing repair best practices.
Held at the franchise's Hamilton headquarters and at a nearby hotel, the event featured classroom discussions, hands-on demonstrations and a guest presentation from BETAG, an equipment and training provider specializing in OEM-approved repair techniques.
During the keynote session, Bill Davidge, director of innovation and technology at CARSTAR Canada, focused on best practices for repair operations and strategies for improving shop-insurer communication.
"It's all about image," Davidge said. "When appraisers call and say 'I can't see the damage in the photo,' what they mean is they have to see the damage, understand it and be able to communicate it to their teams."
He went on to discuss the importance of adopting repair-first thinking -- a philosophy that prioritizes high-quality, cost-effective repairs over replacement when possible.
"ADAS components are driving [repair] costs up as they are driving the number of collisions down," said Davidge. "Safety features [are also increasing repair costs], though we don't know by how much."
Attendees received practical, hands-on training on essential PDR and GDR tools and equipment from Kelly Roberts, technical director at BETAG North America.
According to franchise representatives, CARSTAR Canada's team was thrilled with the response to the event and plans to continue offering opportunities for learning, collaboration and professional growth across the repair sector.
