Dent Shop is proud to have earned over 200 five-star Google reviews, thanks to our talented PDR and hail damage repair technicians as well as our amazing customers. We appreciate you choosing us to be your solution for paintless dent repair and vehicle hail damage repairs.
https://youtu.be/tdIa2lpyiqg
Every day at the shop, our team works hard to show our customers the Dent Shop difference: high-quality repairs, top-notch customer service and reliable insurance claims management. We’re honored at the feedback and support we’ve received in response, and thank our customers for sharing their experiences on Google reviews. It’s that feedback that inspires our team to hone our processes, continuously improving to ensure consistency in the quality of our repairs and customer service.
Our commitment to high standards of PDR work and our 100% satisfaction guarantee have enabled us to grow and open more locations across the state and country! We’ve opened locations in Ashburn, Virginia; Rapid City, South Dakota and Redlands, California, and look forward to expanding to additional locations in the future.
Please note: This article was originally published by Mobile Tech RX and had been reposted with permission.
Paul Kordon is the owner of Dent Shop in Northern Virginia and creator of his own PDR price matrix. Learn more about his PDR journey and a few lessons he’s learned along the way.
Finding a Passion in PDR
Paul has a friend to thank for introducing him to the auto recon and PDR industry. About 20 years ago, Paul was newly married and selling education loans. While he liked sales, he didn’t enjoy sitting behind a computer all day. So when his friend suggested showing him paintless dent repair, he was eager to learn more.
“It’s a new scene every day—new car, new dent,” Paul says. “I decided to give it a shot and never looked back. I would call myself a career dent guy now.”
From the moment he started training in PDR, Paul knew he’d found his passion and he’d do whatever it took to make it happen. But he hadn’t anticipated he would be in the industry for life.
“I didn’t know I would be in it, at this point, for 21 years, and looking back on it and saying I don’t regret anything,” he says. “I really enjoy this industry and I’m looking forward to the future of it.”
The Paul Kordon Price Matrix: Creating a Pricing Guide
Paul came up with the Paul Kordon price matrix as a way of addressing a problem he was experiencing first-hand.
“I was operating as an independent technician and what I found was that there was no process for me to estimate damage. The estimates were primarily arbitrary numbers that would come out of my head, depending on how I felt or what I thought about the damage that was sitting in front of me.”
Paul Kordon Owner of Dent Shop
The key challenge with his previous off-the-cuff approach was that there was no consistency to his estimates. And that meant there was a larger margin for error and the risk of undervaluing the work. This frustrated Paul so he decided to do something about it.
Over time he developed his own price guide process, adding more details as he went. And finally, the Paul Kordon price matrix was born. By creating a process, he was able to come up with consistent and accurate estimates quickly and efficiently every time. His process takes into account three key factors: the size of the damage, the variables that affect the damage, and any removal and installation requirements.
As Paul became more entrenched in the industry he realized that he had no real concept of how his pricing might compare to others. And when he started asking questions, he noticed there was a lot of disparity between PDR professionals.
“I found that there were a lot of talented guys who weren’t charging enough for their work, in my opinion,” he says.
When he gave his feedback, they were always keen to hear how they could be making more money. And that’s when he started sharing his pricing guide.
The Paul Kordon price matrix has now been widely adopted across the PDR industry. It’s even been integrated into Mobile Tech RX’s estimating software.
Paul Kordon’s 3 Tips for PDR Techs
1. Sell Yourself First
While he is happy to have moved away from his office job, there were skills Paul developed there that he has taken with him into PDR. He credits his ability to sell himself as a huge asset and accelerator to his career now.
“If you can sell yourself, then you can sell anything,” he says. “People will buy anything you’re selling if they buy you.”
Although sales came pretty naturally to him, he advises those entering the industry to be confident in the value of what they’re doing.
“What I always try to encourage guys to remember is the amount of time and energy they spent getting to that point where they can fix a small ding to perfection in just a few minutes,” he says. “I believe, according to the price guide, that a small door dent that you can fix in just a few minutes is worth a certain amount of money.”
“What I always try to encourage guys to remember is the amount of time and energy they spent getting to that point where they can fix a small ding to perfection in just a few minutes. I believe, according to the price guide, that a small door dent that you can fix in just a few minutes is worth a certain amount of money.”
Paul Kordon Owner of Dent Shop
2. Educate as You Estimate
There is often a disparity between the value of the work from a professional’s perspective and the customer’s. So Paul’s mantra is to educate as you estimate. That’s because customers will only see value in something they understand.
“We should be explaining the process, explaining what is happening with their vehicle,” he says. “What’s great about a tool like Mobile Tech RX is that it gives us data to back up what we’re saying.”
At Dent Shop, Paul and his brother have tried to instill a customer service focus in their culture, their team, and everything they do.
“I think it’s in helping the team understand that we’re here to serve people,” he says. “That our business is more about people than anyone else. And if we can get the people part right, then the transactions will come.”
3. Take Advantage of Technology
Paul has been driven by the potential for advancement in the industry as a whole. For this reason, he has taken advantage of technology whenever he can.
“We are always on a mission to find ways to make things faster and easier for people,” he explains. “Not just for our customers, but we’re also looking at our business and the choices we make in our investments in technology from that standpoint. What is going to free up our time to make our jobs faster and easier?”
After all, running a PDR business takes a lot more than the ability to do repairs. As Paul learned after years of being an employee, there are many responsibilities that come with running your own business – from having the right insurance to managing your finances to sourcing your team.
“Before you know it, you’ve got a full-time job just managing and building a company. And that’s when you dig and you start to look for tools.”
A Bright Future for PDR
One of the biggest rewards he’s experienced since deciding to run his own business is the innovation in the industry from PDR tools to new technology. He sees huge potential in the future of PDR. He also has a lot of faith in the next generation of PDR professionals.
“They’re younger, they’re more agile, and they understand digital better than generations before mine,” he says. “I think they have massive opportunity. I think the learning curve is shorter. The tools are getting better. With the help of the internet and the digital age, the opportunities are endless.”
Although technology has helped him to grow his business, he also advises newcomers to remember the importance of human interaction, too.
“I’d tell them not to be over-dependent on technology,” he says. “Develop some people skills, some selling skills, some ability to look a person in the eye, shake their hand, and sell yourself. If you can sell yourself, you can probably sell anything.”
In fact, if he could change anything from his past, it would have been to focus on developing his sales and leadership skills earlier in his career. That’s because a large part of Paul’s success has been centred on his philosophy of customers first. He believes that the key to higher prices in the industry as a whole will come from a professional approach to customer service.
When business owners are organized, detail-oriented, and have a consistent process for estimating, they show that they take their customer’s needs seriously. And customers, in turn, will see the value in the services being provided.
“I think that what it comes down to is that customers want to know that the people who are making their repairs on their cars or detailing their vehicle really care about what they’re doing.”
Dent Shop, an expert-led vehicle hail damage and paintless dent repair (PDR) organization, announces the opening of the company’s newest location at 3010 Cambell Drive in Rapid City, South Dakota. Dent Shop Rapid City delivers cost-effective repairs, faster turnaround times and protected vehicle value through insurance-preferred repair methods and reliable, trusted service.
Offering superb craftsmanship via vehicle hail damage repair and PDR services, the Dent Shop difference begins with state-of-the-art tools and professional technicians who are ARC Certified PDR Repair Technicians, ARC Certified in Master Hail Repair and certified with the PDR Nation Seal of Quality.
Dent Shop Rapid City is led by a nationally recognized management team of industry experts and master technicians with over three decades of knowledge and hands-on expertise from serving as advisors and performing on-the-ground repair operations over the country. Their experience is leveraged at Dent Shop Rapid City for efficient estimations and repairs for consumers and auto-related businesses.
“The value that Dent Shop brings to the Rapid City community is our high standard of care and results stemming from our quality of service and how we do business,” says Dent Shop Rapid City Co-Owner Paul Kordon. “Customer needs and questions take priority– customers can text our team photos of their vehicle damage with free estimates that determine the suitability of PDR for their repair. We efficiently file claims with insurance companies, and send notifications on appointments, updates and job completions for easy consistent communication.”
With a growing roster of locations, Dent Shop’s team is excited to share the Dent Shop Difference and the value of PDR with the Rapid City community.
“We are excited to have Dent Shop in the Rapid City business community. They are not only providing a needed service to the community, but also creating jobs locally,” says Brandis Knudsen, Director of Small Business Development & Investor Relations at Elevate Rapid City. “Their investment shows their commitment to our mission of elevating the Rapid City region for all.”
Fully operational and ready to repair hail damage, dents and dings through quality PDR services, Dent Shop Rapid City invites the region’s residents to call, text or complete the website contact form.
National PDR Experts Offer Insurance Claims Processing and Fast Repair for Hail Damage to Area Vehicles
In the wake of damaging hail incidents across the Pennington County area on Monday, July 6th, leading hail repair experts Dent Shop Rapid City urges those who sustained damage to their vehicles to take action and choose the fast and effective solution for repairing hail damage to their vehicles: Paintless Dent Repair (PDR).
Dent Shop Rapid City uses Paintless Dent Repair to completely remove dents for a permanent solution that maintains the vehicle’s factory finish and manufacturer’s warranty and is typically covered by insurance. In contrast to the more expensive, intrusive and time-consuming conventional solutions, which reduces the value of your vehicle due to a superficial solution, paintless dent repair can be completed at a fraction of the time and helps retain vehicle value.
As your local Rapid City area PDR expert, Dent Shop Rapid City is offering full assistance to those in the Black Hills region who experienced hail damage from Monday night’s thunderstorm – or for anyone with existing body damage that might benefit from PDR. Call, text or schedule your appointment via the Dent Shop Rapid City website. Dent Shop Rapid City’s technicians can quickly and expertly determine the extent of your damage and provide an estimate, and work directly with your insurance company to approve your repair and fix the damage.
“The great news is that Paintless Dent Repair can fix most vehicle hail damage,” says Dent Shop Rapid City Partner Tim Kordon, “so choose an experienced PDR professional with proven technical expertise to fix your dents.”
About Dent Shop Rapid City: Dent Shop Rapid City uses its decades of PDR experience to efficiently and cost-effectively return vehicles back to their original condition. Dent Shop Rapid City’s leadership team are recognized experts in the PDR field and offer their expertise to a national network of PDR providers throughout the country in response to requests for dent repair assistance after major storms and other disasters. Dent Shop offers incredible PDR and hail damage repairs and top-notch customer service at all four of their business locations: Ashburn, VA, Tysons Corner, VA, Redlands, CA and Rapid City, SD.
The last thing you want to do is permanently damage your car’s paint. But you’d be surprised by just how many products, chemicals and weather conditions can permanently damage your car’s paint.
You can avoid ruining your paint job by knowing in advance which things can be harmful to your vehicle. Here are four surprising things that can damage your paint job and how you can avoid them.
Hail. You don’t need to live somewhere cold for hail to impact your vehicle. A hailstone can be smaller than a golf ball and can still damage your car. While a dent caused by a hailstone won’t necessarily ruin your paint, attempting DIY dent repair certainly will. Make sure you take your vehicle to a car dent repair service. Professional paintless dent repair ensures your car will look good as new again.
Bird droppings. There’s a reason why car washes exist and it’s not just to get your ride looking good again. Bird droppings can leave a permanent mark on the outside of your vehicle if they’re not taken care of. This is because bird droppings are acidic and harden onto the paint when they bake under the sun. To avoid paint damage caused by bird droppings, remove them as soon as possible with a wet rag and mild detergent.
Gasoline. Make sure that you’re careful when you’re filling up your tank. When your gas overflows and drips onto the body of your car, it can leave a stain. Once the gasoline evaporates, the chemicals can leave marks behind on your paint. To avoid stains like these, don’t top off your gas tank. You could also consider having your car waxed after every car wash.
Ashes. If you smoke, don’t lean against your car while you’re on your lunch break. Ashes that settle on the outside of a vehicle cause a chemical reaction when they’re exposed to moisture. The potassium and calcium in the ashes can mark up your vehicle’s paint when they become wet and leave a dark gray stain.
Need paintless dent repair for your vehicle?
If your car has one or more dents and you’re worried about ruining your paint job trying to fix them, then Dent Shop is the place for you. Our dent removal experts report that 80% to 90% of dents can be repaired using paintless dent repair techniques so you don’t have to worry about damaging the paint finish, making your car susceptible to rust. For more information on paintless dent repair, contact the Dent Shop today.
Winter is just around the corner, and with the change of seasons comes a change in the type of weather you can expect. As temperatures drop, certain types of weather are more common, including sleet, snow, and hail. If you’re not careful and caught unprepared, these could cause serious damage to your vehicle. Here are a few ways you can protect your car from winter weather this year and avoid future damage.
Park Smart
During the winter months, look for places to park that are sheltered and safe from inclement weather. If you have a garage at home, clear out enough space to keep your car in your garage. If you normally park on the street or in a driveway, try to park in a space that’s relatively sheltered against snow or hail. Ideally, this will minimize the damage your car sustains in inclement weather.
Drive Safe
There are some situations where you’ll have to drive in difficult weather, but try to limit the amount you drive during storms as much as you can. Hail storms might not seem too serious at first, but they can wreak havoc on your car’s exterior if your car isn’t sheltered. The National Weather Service reports that it only takes a hailstone the size of a golf ball to damage a vehicle, and winter storms can become serious fairly quickly, catching you by surprise on the road.
Have A Plan For Dent Repair
If you do have to drive in a hail storm or other winter storm, it’s possible you’ll end up in need of some small dent repair or dent removal. In this case, knowing your options for hail damage repair can help. Paintless dent repair is a minimally invasive option that can have your car ready to drive again as soon as possible. Paintless dent repair is a great solution for small damage from hail or other common types of winter weather, and can also be cost effective.
With winter just around the corner, it’s important to know your options for paintless dent repair and other solutions for winter weather damage. Use this information to protect your car as much as possible this upcoming winter.
Most of us have seen the Carfax logo at our local dealer or seen a commercial about the Carfax and their cute little fox. But what do they do, and how does it affect you? Carfax is a company that documents vehicle history. For example, if a dealer or body shop participates with Carfax and most do, they can add value to their operation by documenting regular vehicle maintenance and repairs showing the vehicle has been well taken care of. Or if a body shop does a repair, they describe the damage, usually based upon a description from the insurance company.
Now here is the most important part; in a body repair, how the damage is described will greatly affect the value of your vehicle. It can affect the value of your vehicle by thousands.
Also, the more expensive car you drive, the greater the potential for loss of value. So when do I lose this value on my vehicle you ask?
Great question. Most of the time your vehicles value is affected right away but you don’t know until trade in. The dealers are experts in profitability. They are trained to look for repainted panels even if you paid out of pocket and used a shop that doesn’t report the Carfax vehicle history report system. Many of our customers have experienced this in the past, and It can affect your vehicle by thousands of dollar on trade in, and you will pay interest on the additional money financed into your next vehicle.
Thus the reason why we stress anytime you can avoid repainting your car its best for the value of your vehicle. Even if you have damage that may only be 90 or 95% repairable with paintless dent repair. Whether that means you touch up a scratch, crack or chip in the paint. Used vehicle are assumed to have minor imperfections. That’s what makes them used. Minor paint imperfections do not affect the value of your vehicle. Its always good to check your Carfax report after having a repair done to make sure they have documented the damage properly. If not you can call Carfax and dispute it. Make sure you have the proper documentation ie: photos and paperwork to prove your claim. And remember: Don’t paint your car try PDR.
