By Rick Tuuri
Half the time to blend a panel! That's absurd! It takes just as long to blend a panel as to paint one, even longer. And it's more difficult. Blending requires a lot more skill and experience. So how can anyone justify a “blend” formula of 50 percent?
Sound familiar? It does to me. I have heard this countless times from knowledgeable industry professionals at inter-industry meetings, shop association meetings, in letters, in the media, on the Web, in my e-mail ... well, you get the picture.
I understand how these people feel. I have spoken with many who felt the same way. But we have to focus on what we have found. Over the past two decades, ADP has conducted hundreds of field studies in the real world at collision repair facilities throughout North America. These studies have yielded thousands of hours of study data.
This data clearly indicates that although most of the same steps are performed in blend refinish, the time per operation is significantly less when blending than when painting a complete panel. The facts speak for themselves. On average, blending takes 50 percent of full-panel refinish time.
Period. But not “end of story.” I believe three factors come into play that confuse these facts and turn “blend time” into an emotional issue.
First, blending is “the application of color into a portion of an undamaged panel and the application of clear coat (when applicable) to the entire panel to facilitate the appearance of color match.” Not refinishing a repaired panel or refinish within panel boundaries (a.k.a. “blending within a panel,” formerly “spot-painting”).
ADP publishes this definition in the Database Reference Manual, but there has still been some confusion. We are taking steps in our latest versions of estimating software to “block” selection of automated blend when replacing or repairing panels. This should help avoid confusion in the future.
Second, many suggest blending requires more skill, experience and expertise than complete panel refinish. As an information provider, ADP is called upon to provide average times to perform labor operations (when they can be substantiated and fall within statistically reliable parameters). No estimating system I know of accounts for varying skill levels within a job category. There is no “breakdown” based on prep technicians, painters' helpers, painters and journeyman painters. Paint time is paint time.
Third, let's consider paint materials. This, in my opinion, may be the prime contributor to the “emotional” side of the blend time issue.
“Paint Materials” in an estimate is usually based on paint time. Therefore, when blending a panel at 50 percent, one-half of the paint material value calculates into the estimate because of time. This raises the question, “Does blend refinish consume half the materials required for full-panel refinish?”
Since the dollar value for paint materials is user-assigned, the materials covered are user-defined. Therefore, the user may want to consider this when assigning paint materials values.
Correct use of the blend operation can be automated. Skill levels may be important but they don't impact average time required to perform an operation. And the user can address paint materials.
So the next time you think blend times are the problem, ask yourself if time is the issue or does one of these other factors come into play. These issues are understandable, but they don't change the average blend time. The facts about blend times are just that: facts. Period. End of story.
 | Rick Tuuri is senior director of industry relations for ADP Claims Services Group.
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