To succeed in today’s fast-evolving collision repair industry, we focus our time and energy on activities that we know will provide the fastest and most obvious returns—those we know will have a direct impact on innovation, growth, efficiency, and productivity. There’s no doubt such strategies are important, not only to help our own businesses grow and succeed, but also to strengthen and improve the future of the industry.
But there’s another strategy—less obvious yet equally powerful—that we can and should be leveraging to drive meaningful change in the collision repair industry: donating.
When we hear the terms “donation” or “giving back,” money is what usually first comes to mind. After all, financial donations are widely perceived as the most impactful way to support a non-profit organization. Yet financial support is just one of the many forms that generosity can take.
In today’s blog, we’ll take an in-depth look at other ways you can give back that will have dramatic, long-term benefits, both for the automotive industry and for the future health, growth, and longevity of your business.
The Three Pillars (aka the Triple T) of Giving
Have you ever heard of the “Triple T’s of Giving?” A well-known concept in the philanthropy world, “Triple T” references the three main pillars or types of support you can offer to a charity, cause, or industry—Time, Talent and Treasure. It’s a great way to remind ourselves that we all have something of value to offer— whether it’s volunteering our time, sharing our unique skills, or providing financial support.
Let’s take a closer look at what each of these Three Pillars of Giving entails:
Time
Precious, fleeting and valuable, time is arguably the most meaningful gift we can give. Even something as simple as organizing a Saturday afternoon car wash to raise money for a local charity can elevate the industry in the eyes of the public and have far-reaching, beneficial effects.
Use your imagination, look for opportunities, and make it known that you are willing to donate the gift of your time when opportunities arise. If you’d like some ideas and inspiration, click here to visit the “Get Involved” section of our website and read about the many ways you can give the gift of your time.
Talent
As an established individual or organization in the automotive industry, your skills and experience can be applied in a variety of ways to promote the industry in a favorable light.
When we share our talents—whether hands-on expertise or specialized skills like management or marketing—we’re building a stronger, more skilled workforce and setting higher standards across the industry. By sharing your own skills, successes and real-life experience, you can provide that spark of interest and excitement it takes to attract fresh new talent into the workforce.
Treasure
Automotive schools are always in need of help to increase their minimal budgets, keep their costs down and ensure their offerings stay current, and even modest contributions can go a long way. If you happen to have viable tools, equipment, or even cars available to donate, why not offer them to collision repair schools in your area?
It’s been done before, with gratifying results. In 2023, Audi and Volkswagen teamed up to donate 78 slightly damaged vehicles to a number of US collision repair programs, allowing countless students to gain vital, hands-on repair experience. More recently, CREF’s generous industry partners came together to donate a total of $536,000 in Benchmark Grant funding to 80 collision schools throughout the U.S. Their generosity will greatly enhance the ability of these schools to provide a quality technical education to more than 4,000 students! Even though your contribution may not be on such a large scale, it is sure to be just as appreciated and well received.
Proven Benefits of Giving Back
By supporting charitable causes and non-profit organizations, holding community fundraisers, and actively contributing to industry growth, businesses can make a real difference. Over the past decade, we’ve seen inspiring examples of the positive ripple effects such acts of generosity can have and the benefits gained, both for the local communities and for the donors themselves.
Let’s dive a little deeper into some of the ways that a business can give of its time, resources, and support—and also at the rewards they are sure to gain in doing so.
Employees Serving a Bigger Purpose
Individually or as a group, people enjoy the sense of being of use, serving a valuable purpose, and helping those in need. In terms of hiring and employee retention, it’s been shown that employees prefer to work for companies that have a history of giving back. A 2020 study of 1,200 US workers by Fidelity Investments revealed that 66% felt it was essential for companies to participate in charitable initiatives, and 42% believed that employers should be willing to match charitable contributions made by their staff.
Have you ever held a fundraiser or event that served to support and help others? A whole team working together generates goodwill by creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and togetherness. Employees enjoy knowing they are more than merely “cogs in the wheel” or “doing a job.” By making a difference for others they are serving a bigger purpose, which in turn can improve employee morale, productivity, and performance.
Customer Loyalty
Generous companies stand out to customers because they truly show what it means to care about the community and the people within it. When we come together to support each other, we create lasting bonds that go beyond business. Your commitment to making a difference through non-profit support speaks to your brand’s values and integrity. It’s this kind of genuine dedication that inspires customers to trust and recommend you to others, knowing you’re a business that believes in giving back.
Brand Reputation and Trust
In times like these, everyone appreciates a good news story, and acts of generosity tend to spread quickly on social media and in real life. When you give back, you’re not just supporting a cause—you’re inspiring others and creating a lasting, positive impression. Even if people don’t have need of your products or services right now, they’ll remember the heart behind your brand. Your kindness can be the reason they turn to you in future or recommend you to someone else in need.
Potential Tax Benefits
Depending on the specific circumstances, your business may be able to claim all or a portion of your charitable contributions to offset your tax liability. Prior to contributing, you should always confirm whether this is in fact the case with a qualified accountant or financial advisor, and be sure to keep detailed records of every donation to provide as backup when filing your annual return.
Coming Together to Create a Better Tomorrow
If you’ve got time, talent, or treasure to share, now is the time. In a recent Bodyshop Business article, author and editor Jason Stahl states, “A combination of unfilled roles and expected retirements over the next five years is estimated to leave the collision industry specifically 100,000 skilled technicians short.”
In addition to this ongoing shortage of technicians, there are other detrimental issues holding our industry back. Difficulty attracting future students to pursue automotive careers has led to low enrollment in collision repair programs, which has led in turn to a reduction of the tuition income needed to keep those programs going strong.
Your help is needed more than ever, and even modest contributions can have an oversized impact in attracting and retaining the next generation of skilled workers that are vital to safeguard the health of our industry.
With so many factors conspiring against us, it’s clear we still have a lot of work to do. We need to leverage the power of our industry and come together to create more awareness of the problems we face, and to creative innovative solutions to reverse these trends,
Begin Your Generosity Journey with CREF Today!
Joining forces with CREF is an ideal way to get involved and be a force for positive change. From talent pipelines and school improvements to career fairs and even car donation programs, we take great pride in the meaningful contributions we’ve made, and will continue to make, toward ensure the industry’s ability to thrive. Thanks to the generous support of industry partners, our initiatives have already benefited more than 40,000 students from 900 collision schools and colleges!
If you would like more detailed information about making a monetary or in-kind donation, and/or partnership and volunteer opportunities, please complete our donation inquiry form, and a CREF team member will get back to you with details.
If you are ready to make a monetary donation, your support of any level is greatly appreciated! Please click here to complete and submit the CREF Donation Form. You can specify a one-time or recurring donation of any amount and, if you wish, you can also select the fund you would specifically like to benefit from your generosity.
At the end of the day, we’re all in this together! The health of our businesses, our employees and our future livelihoods are all resting on our willingness to go above and beyond. The key is to step up, get involved and be alert for opportunities to offer our support and make a difference—in any way, shape or form of which we are capable.