Why Repairing Commercial Vehicles Is Different: 6 Key Reasons
In theory, collision repair is collision repair. Vehicles may need body work, frame repair, or just paint and other cosmetic fixes. But in reality, there are major differences between repairing commercial vehicles and repairing personal cars and trucks.
In this article, we go over a few of the biggest differences between commercial and personal collision repair. Those differences and others are a good reason to take your work vehicles to a commercial collision specialist like DeVivo Collision instead of a general repair center.
6 Ways Fleet Collision Repair Is Different from Personal Auto Repair
Getting a personal car back into shape after a collision is a huge challenge that requires experience and skill to do properly. But doing the same for a business’ work vehicles is a whole different ball game.
In this section, we go into detail about some of the key differences between commercial and personal collision repair.
1. Time is Money With Commercial Vehicles
Being without your personal car while it’s being repaired is a major hassle, but one you can usually work around. Not having access to your company’s work vehicle can have a serious financial impact on your business.
At DeVivo, we understand how important your fleet is to your business. That’s why we make efficiency a focal point of our business. Our goal is to get your vehicle repaired properly as quickly as possible to keep interruptions to your business functions and revenue to a minimum.
2. Work Vehicles are the Face of a Company
Delivery vans, service trucks, and other vehicles are often a critical part of a company’s infrastructure. But they’re also one of the most visible representations of a company’s brand. As a result, a business’ vehicles are often the first impression that business makes with potential customers. That means it’s important that they look their best whenever they’re out and about.
We are perfectionists when it comes to restoring the look of commercial vehicles when they come to our shop for repairs. You’ll always get your fleet back looking good as new — or perhaps even better.
3. Commercial Vehicle Insurance is More Complex Than Personal Auto
Dealing with insurance companies is never simple, even with personal policies. However, business insurance policies that cover work vehicles can often have a whole new set of hoops to jump through. For those without experience dealing with business insurance, working through the claims process can be a nightmare.
Our experience in commercial collision repair includes experience dealing with insurers and their policies. We know how to deal with claims agents and adjusters to ensure a speedy settlement so you can get your vehicle back as soon as possible and use the coverage you pay for.
4. Work Vehicles Have Different Space and Equipment Needs
Businesses often employ large vans or trucks for work purposes. These vehicles are typically much larger than the standard passenger vehicles that general collision centers deal with. They also tend to have heavier-duty components.
This means that collision repair for these vehicles requires larger spaces and different equipment to properly repair them. As commercial vehicle specialists, we designed our workspaces with these vehicles in mind. Our repair center has large bays that allow us to paint full-size work vehicles and frame straightening equipment and other machinery built to handle the more intensive needs of large commercial vans and trucks. That enables us to do all the repair work for fleet vehicles right here in house.
5. Commercial Vehicles Use Different Materials
Work vehicles must be able to withstand thousands of miles of heavy usage in a variety of environments. As such, they are typically built and finished with more robust materials than passenger vehicles. Body panels tend to be heavier. Paint is usually more resilient.
Generalist collision centers that mostly serve passenger vehicles may have to special order the proper materials to fix your work vehicle. Or, they may need to outsource that work to another provider. In some cases, they may complete repairs using materials meant for passenger vehicles, putting the form and function of your work vehicle at risk.
At DeVivo, our focus on commercial vehicles means we know what materials we need to have on hand to fix those vehicles properly. That means you won’t have to wait around while we source the right thing. We’ll never cut corners by using substandard parts, paints, and other materials for repairs, either. You can rest assured that your business’ vehicles will be restored back to OEM condition or better.
6. The Stakes Are Higher with Commercial Vehicles
When it comes to collision repair, there is simply more room for error with passenger vehicles. A bumper that doesn’t fit exactly right, a paint that varies slightly from the original color, or a few days’ delay on finishing the job can be frustrating and disruptive. But there is far more at stake when it comes to repairing commercial vehicles.
Doing collision repairs poorly or taking too long to do them on work vehicles comes at a real cost for the businesses that own them. Even an extra day without your delivery van could produce a financial hit that some businesses may not be able to easily absorb. Poor workmanship could make your work vehicles look shoddy and unkempt, which isn’t good for your brand.
As a small business ourselves, we understand just how critical your work vehicles are to your ability to stay in business and thrive. Your success is always top of mind for us, driving us to provide high-quality work in an efficient manner without breaking the bank.
DeVivo Collision: Commercial Vehicle Collision Repair Specialists
It’s not that you can’t get your work vehicles repaired at a general collision center. You can. It’s that, as with anything else, a specialist has the knowledge, skills, and experience to do it better. Repairing commercial vehicles is simply different than repairing passenger vehicles.
When you need repairs to your business’ vehicles done right and done efficiently, you need a specialist. At DeVivo Collision, getting your work vehicles back into pristine shape is our specialty. In fact, it’s the only thing we do here.
