Dent and Ding isn’t a new category for F&I by any means, but in recent years it has seen a surge of growth, according to our experts — Steven Apicella, president of dentGuy Network Inc.; Aaron Cooper, national director of F&I, Dent Wizard; and Troy Good, vice chairman, Dent Zone.
All three pointed out that the segment’s growth has brought a renewed emphasis on service. Providers who private label their services expect the end users — both dealers and consumers — to associate the product with quality repairs and service, so they will be more likely to want to use it again.
That being said, each of them approaches that mission in a different way. dentGuy Network and Dent Zone each use licensed technicians, although they go about finding them in different ways, while Dent Wizard prides itself that all of their technicians are full time Dent Wizard employees. Along with varying methods paintless dent repair that each of them has developed, the different approaches to service give providers a real choice when making the decision on who to partner with.
Appearance protection has continued to expand into other areas, like windshield replacement, or wheel repair, but dent and ding continues to be one of the category drivers. As a stand-alone product or as part of a bundle, end-consumers see the value of dent and ding, and providers who want to offer a wide range of services are finding that private labeling is a great way to get a quality product to add to the mix.
Click on each of the company names below to access the Q&A from each of the three companies, so you can see, in their own words, what sets them apart from the rest.
Dent & Ding Roundup
dentGuy Network Inc.
dentGuy Network Inc. Steven Apicella, President
Please give me a little bit of your company history, and how you became involved in the Dent & Ding product category.
dentGuy Network or "DGN" has successfully supported and enhanced appearance protection programs, including the Dent category, for over a decade. DGN focuses on providing an unparalleled service solution for Third Party Administrators (TPAs) by leveraging a premier network of technicians and proprietary claims management technology.
Dent Wizard
Dent Wizard Aaron Cooper, National Director of F&I
Please give me a little bit of your company history, and how you became involved in the Dent & Ding product category.
Dent Wizard was founded in 1983 by people who were innovators in the tools and processes behind paintless dent removal, today known as PDR. Today, with more than 1,500 employees working in the U.S. and Canada, we provide on-site cosmetic reconditioning services and products to the automotive industry through our relationships with dealerships, auto auctions, rental companies, body shops, insurance companies and manufacturers. We’re an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital, a leading global private equity investment firm.
Dent Zone
Dent Zone Troy Good, Vice Chairman
Please give me a little bit of your company history, and how you became involved in the Dent & Ding product category.
Dent Zone Companies Inc. is the auto industry’s original and largest provider of dent and door ding protection for new and pre-owned vehicle leases and purchases. The company is a privately owned corporation with its headquarters in the Las Colinas business district in Irving, Texas. Dent Zone offers Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) and all auto reconditioning services throughout the United States and Canada.
