Available in two formats:   MP3 Download $18  or  Compact Disc $30

(3-hour)

Introduction to Lean
Bernie Blickenstaff

Audio Sample:



"Lean" is the newest buzzword in business and many have attempted to simplify or de-mystify the application of Lean to the collision industry. Collision repairers are struggling with ever more complex vehicles, increasingly demanding customers, and changing insurer expectations. Everyone is working harder, but not necessarily moving forward. In "Introduction to Lean", we will take the opportunities and challenges of Lean and apply it to the collision industry in an easy to understand, well-organized fashion so that participants will have a clear understanding of what Lean is, what benefits can be expected, and how to begin to more forward to apply the principles of Lean to their own collision center.

Bernie Blickenstaff
Collision Management Services
Baltimore MD United States

Bernie began his career in the auto collision repair industry over 30 years ago as the owner of a successful body shop in Baltimore, MD. In 1981, he founded Superior Auto Paints, an automotive paint distributor in the Baltimore-Washington area. Superior continues to serve collision centers by providing more than just quality paint. They help their customers to achieve success by providing them with the tools they need to improve their overall profitability, productivity and customer satisfaction. A recent acquisition has expanded their market share to include the Virginia Beach-Tidewater, Richmond, and Charlottesville areas. In 1996, Bernie founded Collision Management Services, Inc. (CMS) to meet the growing need in the collision repair industry for management training, performance improvement and systems development. CMS developed and presented the Vision Plus™ Professional Management Seminar series on behalf of the BASF Corporation and has assumed a leadership role in helping collision industry management move into the 21st Century. These training courses have received accreditation from the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR). In addition to seminar development and presentation, CMS has provided on-site consultative services and has served as a Group 20 facilitator to many dealerships and independent collision centers across North America.