Case Study: How Deluca Collision Reduced Insurance Dependency by 30%

The Client

Deluca Collision Centre is a family-owned body shop in Mississauga, Ontario. Mike Deluca took over from his father in 2019, inheriting a 12,000 sq ft facility, a skilled team of 8, and a business that was almost entirely dependent on insurance company referrals.

The shop had a solid reputation for quality work, but like most collision centres, they were caught in the DRP trap—90% of their business came through insurance programs, which meant compressed rates, parts restrictions, and constant pressure.

The Challenge

When Mike contacted us in January 2025, his situation was typical of many Canadian body shops:

• 90% insurance work at rates 25% below his standard
• Only 12 direct leads per month from his outdated website
• 4.1 star rating on Google with only 38 reviews
• No follow-up system for estimates that didn't convert
• No differentiation from the 15 other body shops within 10 km

Mike's goal was ambitious but clear: Get to 50% direct work within 2 years.

The Strategy

We developed a comprehensive plan focused on four pillars:

1. Visual Trust Building

Body work is visual—customers need to see that you can restore their car to perfection. We implemented:

• Professional before/after photography for every significant repair
• A gallery-focused website redesign showcasing their best work
• Weekly social media posts featuring repair transformations
• Video content showing the paint booth, frame machine, and technicians at work

Result: Website time-on-site increased from 45 seconds to 3.5 minutes.

2. Local SEO for Direct Keywords

We targeted keywords that indicated direct-pay intent:

• "Bumper repair Mississauga" (often cash-pay)
• "Dent removal near me" (typically non-claim)
• "Best body shop Mississauga" (quality shoppers)
• "Lease return damage repair" (direct-pay opportunity)
• "Classic car restoration GTA" (premium customers)

We also created content educating customers about their right to choose any body shop, regardless of what their insurance says.

Result: Organic search traffic up 340% in 12 months.

3. Estimate Follow-Up Automation

Mike was giving out 30+ estimates per month but only converting about 25% of non-insurance ones. Most shops do zero follow-up.

We built an automated sequence:

1. Same day: Text with estimate PDF and thank you
2. Day 2: Email with before/after gallery link
3. Day 5: Text checking in, addressing common concerns
4. Day 10: Final follow-up with limited-time incentive

Result: Estimate conversion increased from 25% to 42%.

4. Review Generation at the Perfect Moment

The best time to ask for a review from a body shop customer? The moment they see their fully restored car.

We trained the team to:

1. Personally walk the customer to their vehicle
2. Point out the repair work
3. While they're admiring it, mention the review
4. Hand them a card with QR code to Google reviews
5. Follow up with automated text 2 hours later

Result: Monthly reviews increased from 2-3 to 12-15, rating improved from 4.1 to 4.9 stars.

The Results (After 12 Months)

The Financial Impact

Let's look at the numbers:

• Monthly repairs: ~40
• Direct repairs (before): 4 at $4,200 avg = $16,800
• Direct repairs (after): 16 at $5,100 avg = $81,600
• Monthly revenue increase from direct work: ~$64,800
• Annual additional revenue: ~$777,600
• Investment: $2,997/month
• ROI: 1,800%+

Key Takeaways

1. Visual proof wins. Body shops sell transformations. Show your work obsessively.
2. Direct customers exist. Many people don't want to file claims or are under-insured. Reach them.
3. Estimates aren't the end. Systematic follow-up recovers leads you're currently losing.
4. Review timing matters. Ask when they're standing next to their restored vehicle, not a week later.
5. Diversification is protection. The less you depend on insurance, the more control you have.

Is This Right for Your Shop?

This approach works best for body shops that:

• Do quality work they're proud to showcase
• Are tired of insurance company rate compression
• Have capacity to handle more work
• Want to build a business that's less vulnerable to DRP changes

If that sounds like you, let's talk. We'll do a free audit of your current situation and show you the opportunities.