Needy families benefit from a total loss.

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Author: Grady, Tina

NEEDY FAMILIES BENEFIT FROM A TOTAL LOSS

An innovative Akzo Nobel program helps body shops restore totaled vehicles to pre-loss condition. The cars are then donated to families and organizations.

NORCROSS, Ga.--Move over, Santa--a totaled vehicle could become this year's best holiday present, thanks to Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc. and its Acoat-selected service centers. About 18 shops across the United States are participating in Akzo Nobel's Acoat National Benevolence Program, which obtains totaled cars and enlists local Acoat service centers to restore the vehicles to pre-loss condition. The vehicles are then given to needy families and organizations.

Acoat is an international association and network of collision repair shops. Members participate in ongoing business development training in areas such as financial management, personnel, customer service and benchmarking.

Akzo has worked for six months to recruit the Acoat service centers on a local level and pair them up with insurers willing to provide vehicle recipients with coverage for six months to one year.

The families and organizations benefiting from the program were expected to receive their gift vehicles by December 21, says Alan Murdy, a program coordinator and Akzo Nobel Acoat services manager of North America.

"We're finding local charities to donate cars within the market," Murdy says. "It's giving back to the community. The whole crux is getting the shops to promote the community within the local level."

Once a totaled vehicle is located and delivered to the local Acoat selected body shop, Akzo Nobel coaches the collision center through the National Benevolence Program, including contacting the local media to help inform the community and to give exposure to the repair centers.

"This program provides a lot of satisfaction," Murdy says. "We're taking typically totaled cars, bringing them back to pre-accident condition, then giving them to a needy organization or family--or whatever the local need is to support that community."

Even though the Acoat program benefits from the publicity generated by the effort, the primary goal is to help the communities.

"The whole concept is to promote good will at the local level within a community and he idea that body shops can do good for a community," Murdy says. "It makes a body shop ask, 'What can I do at the local level as a body shop that benefits the community?' and helps promote the automotive industry in a positive light."

PHOTO (COLOR): Alan Murdy, Acoat services manager of North America for Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc., explains the company's National Benevolence Program.

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By Tina Grady

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