Interview with Phil Oyer, owner
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: When I first got into this industry, I worked for a shop that was not in line with my values. I thought I could do things better and wanted to start my own shop. I opened the doors 18 years ago and grew from doing it all by myself to the six employees we have today.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: Our shop does not have any direct repair programs like most other shops. Direct repair program means that a shop has signed a contract with one or more insurance companies to do the repairs a certain way, with certain stipulations, in exchange for the insurance company steering work to them (which is illegal in Colorado, but insurance companies are sneaky). Aurora Collision Center does not have ties to any insurance company, which means we work for the customer, not the insurance company.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: Customers come in upset and overwhelmed because their car is wrecked. They aren’t sure what to do. We make the process easy for them. We help them get into a rental car or give them a ride home, and keep them informed along the way. Then, they get their car back clean and in one piece. Many customers say they can’t believe how easy the whole process was and, “Oh my God, you cleaned my car!” That’s what we like best.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: Having to fight with insurance companies to repair customers’ cars correctly and be paid fairly. Customers don’t know they have a choice to have their car fixed at any shop they choose. They believe they have to go to the shop their insurance company recommends. First of all, it is illegal for an insurance company to “steer” customers to their contract shops. If you think about it, why would you bring your car to a shop that is governed by the same insurance company that is paying for the repairs? Insurance companies wanting to save money paired with a shop that does what the insurance company tells them to do is not a good combination for the customer.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: We mix our own paint. We have a special paint mixing room where we store all the different colors of toners. Our experienced painter mixes the paint using a computerized mixing and measuring system. We use a water-based paint, which is better for the environment and is the same type of paint the factory uses to paint brand new cars on the assembly line. We have a spectrophotometer camera that we use to scan the paint and get the best color match possible.
Profile
Business: Aurora Collision Center
Address: 403-A Laredo St.
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
Founded: 1997
Contact: 303-340-4100,
Employees: 6
