April 7, 2005 -- If you have an idea to share, an experience to be related, or a repair technique to teach, do it at www.crashtalking.com
Beginning this week, crashtalking.com gives members of the collision repair community a cost-free opportunity to "communicate, collaborate and educate." The crashtalking.com website
allows users to post photos of collision repairs. "If there's uncertainty about how to perform a repair or if someone wants to illustrate how a part doesn't fit, this is a great forum to
do that," explains Ned Land, the site's co-founder.
Users can also upload PowerPoint presentations, association minutes, newsletters and other documents in a variety of formats, where they can be accessed by other users. "In the past,
being able to compare notes on industry issues was something that was limited to a lucky few who could afford to regularly attend industry meetings," Land explains. While Internet "chat
rooms" have helped increase the base of participation, these efforts are often homogeneous communities that do not encourage a diversity of opinion.
"The purpose of crashtalking.com is to increase the base of participation in collision industry dialogue," explains Land. Not only are collision repairers who have seldom before
participated in industry dialogue welcome, but so too "are insurance adjusters, software vendors, parts suppliers and consumers. In short, the crashtalking.com community is open to anyone
who has a passion for the business, and a desire to communicate, collaborate and educate."