Well,

Here is my prediction, bellron get the retail division, lof get the wholesale and the call center.

larry

who knows ;)

Who gets Larry?

It has been all quiet on the SGC/Belron front for awhile now. Wonder whats going on.

Hey Secret Agent -

The biggest value is the call center. Belron is too smart to pass that up!

we shall see...

I would agree, Belron will need the Safelite steering tactics to make a go at it successfully.

Does anyone think they are just paying to get rid of a problem?

nope. They want total control. Then Mr. Topping can actually retire

I agree with glasswoman on the control thing .

I believe that in order for Safelite to adhere to the bankruptcy, they have to sell the entire package. I'm fairly sure that is the word.

i work for the call center at sgc. So have you heard what will happen to the call center? will it get shipped out to India? will we have our jobs?

Hmmmm? Will they understand what STEERING is in India???

Broken Glass,

Not India, American Samoa. Their gov't has already wined and dined the SGC hierarchy. Should be interesting to see Belron's response to this pending move if the deal is cut.
Google...."safelite call center american samoa" (20th article on the list). Does the term "outsourcing ring a bell?

I wish Belron would buy SGC, as long as they promise to UPGRADE their computers.

Today we have had 3 "manual verifications" for SGC claims, all different ins. co. where SGC claims "our computers are down." 1/2 of the SGC claims went to "manual verification" last week, various ins. co as well.

ARGH !!!!!

ccc i do not think its safelite i think its the link they have to the insurance company...

Belron Buys Safelite:

www.belronus.com

It seems that they mentioned about every facet of Safelite's vertical integration (manufacturing, wholesale, retail, call center, etc.) in the extended press release on www.belronus.com.

For those of you at Safelite worried about your jobs, I wouldn't worry too much. Give them reason to keep you and they likely will for the next two to three years while they organize the mess they must now integrate.

"There is minimal overlap of resources between Safelite Group and BELRON Inc. At this point it appears that 99 percent of the combined work force of 6,500 nationwide will not be adversely affected by the merged operation."

As an former employee of Belron. I can state for a fact that they will cut everything that they can and need to as soon as they can. They will figure out what to do after that. Just give a call to AGS.

I wonder who is kicking themselves for sticking it out with Belron now
I smell a LOT of empty promises. They can talk all they want but lets see how they walk.

just a guy so your saying belron will cut employees?

Who speculates that pricing will change? Will it increase, will it decrease? Will NAGS be reactive? Who cares to speculate?

Wild speculations? here we go...

Belron will increase its manufacturing of auto glass (Belron brand, as SGC glass is to well know for bad fit) and not sell plants to pilkington. In fact they will open 2 more plants by 2015 to keep up with the demand just from their own retail outlets as their new NETWORK continues to feed their machine.

Belron will then publish its own "benchmark" based on the Chicago model that some Belron employees helped develop) and convince the insurers that their benchmark is the "gospel" not NAGS, as they are now the largest domestic producer of replacement windshields (perhaps tempered as well when they open their second plant). This will force all of us to invoice off their benchmark and our pricing to compete with theirs where they have an obvious advantage as they make their own glass, and none of us do.

Belron will then leverage itself to auto makers, by having its own manufacturing plants, thus undercutting PPG and Pilkington (its largest manufacturing competitors in the US). By showing millions of satisfied customers using their brand of glass (mainly large fleets "satisfied" with Belron branded glass), and starting with smaller auto makers, they will have they glass brand become an OEM (the one thing Safelite never did). Do you all remember HAL's comment about what if he could prove an aftermarket brand (assuming he meant SGC, his TPA's brand) was as good as OE brands?

Now the question would be, can they do it all? Futher, will the industry stand back and watch like we have in the recent past until it is to late to act or will we start doing our homework now, investigate where we need to, and prepare ourselves in case this new MACHINE (belron) rules the world?

You wanted speculations correct?

Great speculation ccc. I think a lot of people are already over reacting to this. Our shops are rural, so we are looking at this as an opportunity. Many of the agents are not satisfied with the current Safelite installs. Typically when a company buys out another, they will run with that companies standards and procedures for a while until they get a real grasp on how they conduct business. Then they start migrating their procedures into the new company. Because Safelite is the largest acquisition of shops so far, they may keep many of the existing procedures in place which just helps the independent. In addition, becasue we also have Elite and Benswinger in our market, we feel that Belron will probably adopt the Safelite pay scale and standards, eliminating the higher priced installers from the smaller companies they bought. These people will want work and we will be there to talk to them.

One last point, use the press announcement to your advantage. If the agents are so displeased with Safelite, make sure YOU let them know about this latest acquisition. Then we will see if indeed they are that displeased and we know we will pick up some portion of the work.

They will buy PPG if they want to be in manufacturing. They will then own both of the big networks. PPG has been looking to get out of the glass business for a long time. At least that is what it looks like to an ex long time loyal customer like me.

I don't see them getting rid of too many employee's. Elite has their main accounting office in Denver. Those people should be worried.
I think the installers and managers that have been around will be running away! At least the ones from Belron's side. They built their customer base up for Belron. You will see more Belron employees going out on their own, as they should have done when Belron came back to the USA. Those who stay are just giving their customer base to Safelite/Belron. Poor customers, if they only knew what we all know!

Belron is just a larger mirror image of Safelite. They both provide high quality service and a repair first priority. I dont see much changing as far as SOP, but I do see them more agrressive in the marketplace.

George, I'm with ya on your first point, "Belron is a mirror image",, but on your second point hmmm Can't say I've seen Quality from either of them. In my market it's numbers only and little regard for safety or customer service. In most markets I am familiar with, they are the bottom feeders so to speak and we see the worst work come from them. as far as more aggressive in the market, I'm sure they are going to NEED to be, but I hope they really start by caring about safety, and customer satisfaction first and not to just crank out every job they can steal or get their greedy mits on. Oh and welcome to the forum. It sounds like you probably work for them,,, good luck!

HHHMMM George seems you wouldn't know quality work if it came up & smacked you in the windshield.

wow

MORE aggressive?????????????????? as opposed to the low profile they've been keeping........ mister, puhleeeeeeeeeeeze!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tell me about it. Had an Nationwide insured call me over the weekend. He told me that his agent had of course called SG right away, but he wanted OEM glass on his new Chevy Truck and SG told him that it would be 5 to 7 days before they could get that for him. Of course, they could install their own glass this morning. I informed him that I have his OEM glass in stock so we are doing the install today.

the Quality of glass is a joke .Its quanity..........

d2littlerabbit- do you work for them? if so did they promise something different?

Wow,mirror image of the Big S.Remember when Belron owned WA and then became Vistar and then The Big S leveraged them out.All WS people like myself hauled ass from the BIg S just to be sucked right in again.And from my experience.WA was nothing like the Big S.Operated totally different.
The Big S is quiet right now because all the DM and GM are crappying out there pants.Belron already started overhauling there management team from the west coast and moving toward the east.ols Big S management out and in with Belron boyz.Do you really think they are going to trust the ole management team that put them in the whole? .
Belson US will come out better the the ole Big S.And all those dirt bags from the past will be washing ws on the corner with news paper .Keep in mine they are in business to make money for themselves.Not overhaul the industry.they are not in it to make thier competitors money

you got that right!

Hmmm term BOTTOM FEEDERS.we call that company DT around here.the low cost provider

Interesting speculations, CCC.

Actually, one needs only to keep in mind that Belron intends to position itself as THE ONLY major player in our business from A to Z.

From manufacturer to end user while driving out independents in the process.

Safelite tried it and Safelite failed and Belron learned by Safelite's mistakes. Belron is cautious now but that will change. Bet on it and that includes gaining control of the two major TPA's in our business.

This quote from a contributor in the thread astounded me: "Belron is just a larger mirror image of Safelite. They both provide high quality service and a repair first priority. I dont see much changing as far as SOP, but I do see them more agrressive in the marketplace."

I agree about the future aggressiveness. I disagree with every other conclusion.

Jim
this is mayebe why the survey is going out to all shops. This info is how they will see what they can do to get even more into everyones business.

they ask Do you EDI? what software? hmmmm mayebe they want to start getting paid the edi batch fees if they start being edi service providers.

I dont know.. I didnt do the survey so it didnt let me see page #2

It's always a mental exercise, perhaps just idle thought thinking of what may or may not transpire over the next few months and years with Belron/Safelite

Just a thought,

If there is a 'shedding" of managers and employees, just look for new companies to spring up. I've seen it happen before. We all have. These companies may be the usual 1 man mobile or to those higher up the management chain, something much more complex.

No matter what, those who have experience, will and can usually find jobs or make their own.

Why does it always seem that half way thru any posting you guyz start attacking us installer. On how we install the glass and how our proceedures are. Yes I understand that there are some shady installers that dont do everything rite. But we also have alot of great installers that do the job the way is it supposed to be done (ALL QUALITY ALL THE TIME). Dont think for one second that if you had something like 8 to 10 jobs a day and had little time to get them all done that you yourself wouldn't start cutting some corners like jumping a wiper cowl, or wrap flex around the glass instead of wrestling w/ the oem molding. A quality job is done when if you treat you customers vehicals like it was your own, and we all know that we as installers would do our car and trucks correctly. For the self-employed yes you too also will install the way it is intended to be Because as a owner you dont want to go out and redo a windshield for the second time that will cut into your profits. But remember where you started from you had no idea how to install think back to all the shady installs you did. I know i did ,hech we all did or still do, But we as AUTOGLASS PROFESSIONALS have a job to do and a service to provide and we as installers learn thru the yrs on what a good install is verse's a great install.

If one is to assume that many of the posts on this forum are correct and Safelite has a large number of bad technicians. I would then logically assume that there is a flaw in the way that Safelite trains there techs.

If this is correct, why then have so many INDEPENDENT glass companies sent brand new trainees to get hired & trained at Safelite, "then come back to my company and I will pay you more money than they will."

THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS!!!!!!

This is one of the reasons that Safelite now requires new trainees to sign a promissory note.

It would be interesting to find out how many installers, whomever they work for now, have been trained by the BIG BAD Safelite!! My own guess would be a substantial percentage.

Besides, if it weren't for Safelite, what else would most of you people have to bi*ch about!!

O.K. Let the bombardment of criticism begin!

no you need to remember that you cant teach old dogs new tricks. you can show them all you want and if they adapt thats great but they still do it there way

To Interested Observer:

In my area Safelite employees get more money the more windshields they install. That is the ONLY training they give their employees.

The only thing to hope for beyond that, is to pray that the installer has a conscience, and doesn't JUST want a fat paycheck, otherwise, you guessed it, a HACK is born.

Excellent observation, GLASSTECH IL.

Furthermore, I don't think that most of us feel that the average Safelite installer is a dud. Many of those who are "duds" find themselves between a rock and a hard place because they are forced to slam in so many shields a day in order to make any money.

Guys listen it think you have SGC mixed up w/ D/T. Any new guy that has been trained thru our facility will not and dosen't have a chance to even get a mobile pro position. They are a tech and thats all there is to it. We wont send some rookie out thinking he is NOT going to destroy a customers car,after only a few weeks into training. Now D/T on the other hand, I've seen guys come in do a couple weeks ride alongs, and then they got there own van and was sent out on there own. now that was, and still is there method off madness not a single tech at D/T when I was there was even certified. Now things may have changed but i dont know anyone that works for D/T anymore we all left and went somewhere else. And further more D/T would hand out the 10 jobs a day and say get it done. (oh and by the way there is no overtime) Most of us mobile pros are LAZY old guys we just want 5 jobs a day so we dont have to hurry up and get it done.That way we got 8 hours to do 5 jobs thats 200.00 bucks a day beats any hourly wage.

Yeah DT guyz just get the $18.00 an hours techninain pay up front and get handed 10 jobs ady.At the Big S they cap your pay at $15.00 an hour and send you out with 7 to 8 a day and you have to struggle to make the $18.00 an hour thru there crappy PPP incentive.Different technics to strive to get to the same GOAL,UNITS .And as far as Mobile pro positions are.Ive seen them destroy a area by us.these techs had less then a year experience and they let them loose. .Im soory but having your parts sent to a dog house and decieving Lynx that a actual location with a CSR and a phone and computer is my cup of tea .Just out of curiosity,does DT guyz even have to be certified??I know The Big S guyz have to be Safetech certified.Thats a joke all by itself. .Of course youre gonna pass you own technicains that are slamming in 7-8 installs a day .Lets be for real here

FXS I hate to rain on your parade but if the mobile pro doesnt pass the safetech certifacation test they have 3 times to pass if they cant they get dropped back to tech status. Oh and for the record the test is over the computer so when your done and you press the finsh button it gives you the grade pass or fail. and noone is w/ you or near you when you have to take the test. Its not only on auto glass install's we have to know. its all about the flash points of primers cureing times w/ the weather and so on and so on....

So fxs if you think you can pass the safetech test why dont you come over and try it sometime and see how easy it really is... I would bet you would bomb it the first go at it

Thats the problem w/ everyone all they do is speculate on what a company does if you never worked for the company and dont know the whole story then you shouldn't say things like you know what your talking about

Well there Yankee.1st of all dont you mean kicked back to trainee status?? .2nd thing is what makes you think I wasnt there already.? .I passed with a 98 percent 1st shot .also was Repair medic certified .Also what does where can you not smoke a ws installation or technical question on the test??? .I guess you hate when it rain Huh?.Working in that self car wash Bayz,can be kinda tight huh,especially with that nozzle on that hose jambing up you A*s .dont forget the 3m roll of wonder for the boy blunder .Been there done that Young Yankee.

You really are a dandy.

FXS so i didnt know that you worked for us. I dont know what store you were out of, but if its raining out anymore i dont do the job and they get rescheduled. Hell why should I get wet for 40 bucks.
and for the record I do NOT I REPEAT DO NOT use any kind of butyle tape at all. And yes you are rite it is trainee status sorry i forgot...

This company is expending lots of money in new equipment like new winshield repair machines and what about the employees we need better pay !!!!