Toronto, Ontario — Michael Macaluso, group president & executive vice president of Driven Brands Paint, Collision and Glass segment recently discussed what he believes to be the biggest challenges facing the Canadian collision repair market.
During a recent interview with Jason Moseley, CEO of the International Bodyshop Symposium, Macaluso said incoming industry challenges will fall into three key areas—people, process and technology.
The biggest shift Macaluso expects is evolved consumer expectations, particularly when it comes to data and integrated claims processes.
“I see the biggest change in customer interactions, and how we deliver our service in the collision repair space,” said Macaluso. “Everything will be much more digitized. The customer experience has changed across the board.”
Macaluso said a smartphone is now a key tool across the entire industry in relation to the buying and ordering process. As customers become used to an automated car purchase process, they will expect the same technology-led experience to permeate every aftersales touchpoint throughout their ownership of their vehicle.
“The experience of using a smartphone is paramount in the buying habits across the entire vehicle lifespan,” said Macaluso. “If that customer is getting that experience from day one of buying a car, they’re expecting that experience to trail through the entire lifespan of owning that car.
“For us, delivering that digitized experience— touchless, if that is the new normal, throughout the entire process—is paramount. We have to adapt and stay ahead of that to give the customer the experience they expect in any retail setting.”
Click here to watch Michael Macaluso’s full interview with Jason Moseley.
