In 1979, Grossman became the next generation owner of the family repair business. Eager to build continuous learning into his business’s culture, Grossman began looking for technical training for his staff. Yet, at that time, very few options were available in his local area. To overcome the training shortage, Grossman found I-CAR, which also opened its doors in 1979. Seeing the value of training that I-CAR offered to the industry, particularly due to the introduction of the unibody design the same year, Grossman not only introduced I-CAR training to his business, but also became an I-CAR collision repair instructor himself, a committee member and ultimately a mentor in his local community.
“I have been a supporter of I-CAR and the training they have provided since the beginning,” said Grossman. “Technology has changed dramatically since then, and I-CAR has done a great job shifting with the industry. A few years ago technicians were resistant to training. Now, I commonly hear technicians remark on a new skill or technique that they learned from I-CAR. Training to Gold Class means my business has one more tool that gets cars back to customers on time and with a quality repair, done right."
I-CAR CEO & President John Van Alstyne shared his thoughts: “I want to personally congratulate Eric Grossman and the team at Eric’s CARSTAR for its unwavering commitment to training, and their 25-year Gold Class milestone. A business that supports and commits to a culture of learning paves the way to continued excellence and complete, safe and quality repairs for its customers.”
Achieving Gold Class awards collision repair facilities the opportunity to differentiate their business by promoting their Gold Class achievement to consumers with marketing materials provided by I-CAR. All the materials are provided in a kit and have tested well with consumers for understanding that the training commitment that Gold Class represents is an important differentiator when selecting collision repair shops.
