Futures Collide II took place over a number of days in August in both Perth and Gold Coast, Futures Collide II saw hundreds of members of the collision repair industry gather to meet, network and be inspired by a stellar line-up of speakers including:

• Keynote speaker Mike Anderson (CEO of Collision Advice)
• Rob Mildenhall (Capricorn National Panel Manager & Event Host)
• Cameron Thorpe (Capricorn Head of Sales)
• Chris Hollingsworth (Repairify)
• Scott Nargar (Senior Manager Mobility and Government Relations, Hyundai Australia)
• Neil Riley (Head of Product and Aftersales Service-Security Gateways, Hella Australia)
• Rebecca Witt (National Sales Manager, DNS Technology)
• Lance Schultz (State Manager, Queensland, DNS Technology)
• David Crook (Collision Product Manager, General Motors Australia)

As difficult as it is to put into words the enthusiasm and passion of keynote speaker Mike Anderson and the wisdom of the other presenters, we’ve done our best to bring you the highlights of this amazing event.

Growth and Change

Mike opened by focusing on the need to find innovative ways to attract and retain new talent in the face of the skills shortage.

People are motivated by different things, such as flexibility, training, appreciation, recognition and being provided a career path. If you create the right culture, you can become an employer of choice, increase your workshop’s capacity, and grow your business.

Mike is also a true believer in the integrity of OEM repair procedures; every repairer should take up the cause by following the repair procedures and fighting to get paid for everything on the quote.

He outlined the importance of following the OEM procedures and how this has saved lives, particularly as it relates to the plethora of collision avoidance technology in today’s vehicles.

He also highlighted the specific challenges of repairing EVs and touched on the responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of personal information that is now retained in the vehicle.

Destructive Test Welds and 100% Disassembly

Mike then moved on to discuss a few very specific technical issues, highlighting the importance of getting them right. He said it is imperative that repairers not only ensure they do the right thing but they should also ensure they retain the documentation to demonstrate their compliance.

Regarding 100% disassembly, he highlighted that unless this is done, not all damage will be identified in the first instance and not all damage will be repaired. He added that learning to identify not-so-obvious signs of damage is a great way to illustrate the point.

Diagnostic Trouble Codes, Scanning and Calibration

All OEMs outline the steps necessary to perform a vehicle scan, and each and every step is required. The OEM scan tool must be used to ensure everything is captured.

Mike highlighted:

• The many myths related to scanning and reinforced the need to get paid for it in line with the complexity of the scan.
• The impact of a minor sensor misalignment and highlighted that it is not detectable with the naked eye.
• The necessity to be conscious of the need for both static and dynamic calibration and urged caution when outsourcing such a critical function.

Industry Data Trends

Next up was Chris Hollingsworth from Repairify in the USA. He outlined the prevailing industry trends, stating that remote diagnostics is expected to grow up to 19% per annum until 2027 and by 2028 will be a US$30 billion sector.

He also provided data showing how the Australian market mirrors these global trends and pointed out that scanning and calibration:

• Creates revenue opportunities
• Reduces cycle times
• Delivers peace of mind in the knowledge that nothing was missed.

Sponsors Presentations

• Scott Nargar, from Hyundai Australia, presented Hyundai’s unified vision for mobility, highlighting that it is becoming the catalyst for change, outlining Hyundai’s full range of EV, FCEV and urban air mobility vehicles, suggesting that infrastructure is currently the most significant constraint. He also noted that the newly announced emissions legislation is likely to accelerate the uptake of the technology.

• Neil Riley, from Hella Australia, discussed cybersecurity management, a requirement over the life of the vehicle for the 55 countries that have committed to the UN155 management system. This will continue to impact repairers who will be required to unlock the gateway using login details.

• Rebecca Witt and Lance Schultz, from DNS Technology, provided a live demonstration of iBodyshop Parts Manager, highlighting the innovative solution to the plethora of issues related to parts receipting and showcased the iBodyshop Inventory Module, which optimises parts management and ensures optimal cash flow through the business.

• David Crook, from General Motors Australia, presented a passionate case for using GM-approved repair procedures and GM Genuine Parts. With a plethora of non-genuine parts in the market, Crook proposed that every consumer should be aware of unscrupulous importers supplying counterfeit parts and baulked at the suggestion that some aftermarket parts are as good as genuine parts.

In closing, Rob Mildenhall thanked all those involved, particularly the support of the sponsors, the delegates, the panellists and, of course, Mike Anderson for making the trip and sharing his wealth of knowledge.