Repaint Reporter

certification are evaluated in all areas of refinish repair. Their industry knowledge and abilities are confirmed through an Online Skills Assessment and a two-day Hands-on Performance Evaluation. The online evaluation gauges the tech rep's automotive refinish knowledge; while the rigorous hands-on evaluation requires the candidate to demonstrate his or her expertise in performing a complete refinish repair, start to finish. Once certified, the Certified Distributor Technical Representative also receives a number of benifits, including exclusive training sessions and webinars to stay current on industry advancements, priority access to PPG's technical team and more. "This program raises the bar for distributor reps," says Randy Cremeans, PPG director of training for automotive refinish. "Completing this challenging set of requirements makes them 'the best of the best.'" Colours Inc., based in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., is but one example of the progressive PPG distributors that have enthusiastically participated in the DTRC program. "It's played a huge role in our success," says Tim Evans, owner of the 30-store operation, serving five mid-Atlantic states. "Our certified tech team is what sells us. It's an extremely knowledgeable group, well prepared to assist our customers, give them sound guidance and help make their shops as productive as possible." Today, Colours Inc. has four certified tech representatives, including the first female to complete the program. According to Ed Pienta, the company's technical representative manager, "We offer customers something many other distributors can't: our training, skills and abilities to address any refinish issue—from troubleshooting and determining which products and equipment are best, to selecting entire systems. Our customers know they can rely on us for all refinish concerns." For more information about the DTRC program and how it can help you serve your customers, contact your PPG territory manager. Below: The DTRC team at Colours Inc.

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