Paintless Dent Repair in a Crowded Field

Recognized as a faster and more cost-effective solution to minor vehicle damage, the PDR specialty has grown rapidly in the past decade. While dealers and body shops have relied on PDR techs for years, consumers and insurance providers have begun to recognize the value and convenience of PDR services worldwide. The growth in popularity has created a growth in technicians offering PDR services, and with that growth, one risk to the industry is the varied levels of skill and professionalism, and a downward pressure on rates as newer practitioners angle for customers.

Like with most industries, those offering better quality of service will eventually win out, but in the interim, a glut of PDR mobile techs can mean price wars and undercuts to veteran providers. The best way to weather the storm, as always, is to provide excellent customer service, high-quality work, and charge a fair price. When positioning your services against a lower-bidding competitor, instead of rushing to bottom-dollar pricing (there will always be someone willing to take a bit less), consider the advantages you offer. These could be:

• Your years of experience, and the testimonials and recommendations from satisfied customers. Your reputation is your most precious business asset.
• Your capacity for wholesale relationships – nobody wants to hire someone who can perform less than all the needed work – offer reasonable volume discounts to recurring clients, and hire and train good employees who share your values.
• Your process – can you integrate your estimates and supplements with wholesale customer inventory systems?
• Your reliability – let them know you stand behind your work with warranties and maintenance arrangements.
• Your availability – one of PDR’s advantages is its mobility. Bringing your shop to the customer on their schedule is a value.
• Your breadth of services – offer adjunct services like wheel and cosmetic repairs.

Again, the secret to lasting success is high quality and attention to detail. Those are the aspects of your business with will keep you busy for the right rewards.