O’Hare Auto Body in Bensenville, IL, proudly boasts it has been the “premier auto body and service shop in the Chicagoland area” since it opened in 1985. Certified by a wide range of OEMs, including Ford, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Lucid and Tesla, the busy shop repairs about 120 vehicles per month.
Lee Serling is O’Hare Auto Body’s lead ADAS/scan technician, joining in 2019, coming from a background in information technology.
Serling said he first learned about Opus IVS and its DriveSafe scan tool from a webinar in November 2020. The DriveSafe scan tool is the “one collision solution that does it all,” offering OEM and aftermarket scanning, ADAS calibration, programming and live expert support, all in one tool.
O’Hare Auto Body
Bensenville, IL
630-766-6668
ohareautobody.com
Facebook: @ohareabltd
Instagram: @ohareabltd
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 30
In Business Since: 1985
Number of Locations: One
Production Space: 18,500 square feet
When management found out DriveSafe integrates with CCC Intelligent Solutions’ estimating software, which the shop was already using, they reached out to Opus IVS to set up a demonstration.
After a multi-day demonstration showing the capabilities of the tool, O’Hare Auto Body was sold, and the Opus IVS DriveSafe unit has been the shop’s primary OE scan tool since 2021.
Serling said using the DriveSafe tool has reduced the shop’s cycle times by helping the crew write accurate repair plans quickly and giving them instant access to highly-skilled remote experts when help is needed, which has all contributed to increased customer satisfaction.
“After doing the demo, I was most impressed with the level of support from the technicians on [Opus’s] staff,” Serling said. “I like to ask a lot of questions, almost to the point where it would make an ordinary technician on the other end of the line angry, but the Opus technicians happily address any questions or concerns that I might have about repairing the vehicle. They’re not just clearing codes.
“As far as extracting info from scan reports, before [with other scan tools], it was just ‘here’s the scan report, good luck,’” Serling said. “Now, Opus’ technicians can discuss over the phone what may be related and how to address it, because they have years of experience.”
Serling said Opus IVS hires high-caliber technicians, and then is able to retain them.
“We’ve been working with the same [technicians] since we bought the Opus tool,” Serling said. “It seems like the people who work there like working there, because they’re not being pressured to just get [codes] cleared. They can focus on quality.”
As an example of the level of support O’Hare gets, Serling remembered when the shop was replacing a Land Rover’s blind spot module.
“Jaguar/Land Rover vehicles are finicky,” Serling said. “I was really impressed with the [Opus] tech’s foresight to make sure everything was correct before the scan. He noticed the battery voltage wasn’t right, so we got that adjusted, and got the module programmed.
“The [local Land Rover] dealer wouldn’t have been able to take it in for five days, so the customer got the car back a lot sooner,” Serling said.
“Programming modules is a big one,” Serling added. “The convenience factor is something that really sticks out, just with the volume [of vehicles we repair.]”
Serling said another selling point was that Opus IVS can do dynamic and static calibrations remotely for shops using DriveSafe, which can be a lifesaver. So many shops---O’Hare included---don’t always have the necessary space to properly complete them.
“The partnership with Opus helps to plan for each unique calibration and determine if we can do it onsite with Opus,” Serling said.
The feature that initially piqued the shop’s interest in Opus IVS---the integration with CCC estimating software---has also more than proven its value, Serling said.
“The scan report uploads immediately to CCC’s attachments, and CCC generates the invoice, so it makes our accounting staff happy,” Serling said. “It’s nice and seamless; we don’t have to go searching for something to download from a portal.” It also shows up for insurers as a verified scan.
Serling said he would recommend the Opus IVS DriveSafe scan tool to any shop that “takes scanning and calibrations seriously.”
“It’s a commitment,” he said. “You need somebody who will take the responsibility of extracting info and passing it along to the estimator or technician, because it will save you time and money in the long run. Even if you can’t do all the calibrations in house, it will help you plan for the ones that will need to be [sublet] after a repair.
“You can try to problem-solve with the [support] tech on other end, which means you will learn a lot and add to your knowledge base at the shop,” Serling added. “Taking advantage of all the resources available makes for a better experience for everyone.
“There’s peace of mind in having Opus as an option,” Serling said.
Opus IVS
877-945-6442
www.opusivs.com
7322 Newman Blvd., Bldg #3
Dexter, MI 48130
Facebook: @OpusIVS.US
LinkedIn: @opus-ivs
YouTube: @AutologicTV
To read more auto body shop profiles in the October 2023 Shop and Product Showcase, click here.
