The Adopt a Panel Shop initiative aimed at raising the service levels of black-owned panelbeaters is set to become a national initiative with the potential to redress racial imbalances in the vehicle repair sector.
What began in 2003 with Alexander Forbes’ sponsorship of Zombodze Panelbeaters in Soweto has generated key learnings - and developed a model for the transformation of the entire industry.
Now a thriving business, Zombodze demonstrated that the equipment and facilities upgrade that allow marginalised panelbeaters to produce work of a sufficiently high standard to receive damaged vehicles from major South African insurers was just the first step.
Beyond this says Errol Masinga, Enterprise Development Co-ordinator Alexander Forbes Risk Services, “Access to the lucrative insurance industry repair market requires that marginalised panelbeaters receive the same formal grading as current operators.”
This, in fact, is a bigger challenge than merely providing equipment and facilities. Instead, qualifying as a registered Paintless Dent Repairers (PDR), Non-Structural Repairers (NSR) or Major-Structural Repairers (MSR) – the various grades required to receive business from the insurance industry – requires intensive skills development as well as management and systems upgrades.
Says Masinga, “Since these cannot simply be bought but involve training and scarce skills transfer we’ve had to develop an empowerment model that combines financial transfers with skills and capacity development.”
The Adopt a Panel Shop initiative is endorsed by the National African Association of Automobile Service Providers (NAAASP), the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), and the South African Motor Body Repairs Association (SAMBRA) and is implemented in partnership with Umsobomvu Youth fund (UYF), and Chamber of Commerce & Industry Johannesburg (NAFCOC JCCI). The initiative involves a five step process.
A rigorous Selection Process identifies marginalised panelbeating shops with the potential to acquire one of the three official grading levels.
Thereafter, both Infrastructure and then Skills are assessed and augmented as necessary.
This is followed by an Incubation Period where hands-on coaching and mentorship is provided during the daily running of the business.
Finally, a Business Growth and Sustainability phase ensures the expansion of operations along with the increased access to market opportunities required to sustain this expansion.
With the support of major industry bodies and the critical mass of four of South Africa’s biggest short term providers behind the programme Masinga is confident that, “As the Adopt a Panel Shop programme rolls out to its next shop in Gauteng as well as operations in Kwa Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape these initial moves to transform the industry will gather strength.”
To this end Masinga invites all interested in learning more about this programme to the launch of Toy Panelbeaters in Ga-Rankuwa on Thursday 3 April 2008.
Representatives of three of the four insurance industry heavyweights behind this programme (Alexander Forbes, Mutual & Federal and Hollard) will be present, as well as members of the South African Insurance Association and major industry associations like NAAASP, RMI and SAMBRA.
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