How Windham Body Shop Raised the Bar in Collision Repair Through OEM Certification

Overview

For more than three decades, Windham Body Shop has served the New Albany, Mississippi area with a commitment to quality and customer care. Founded by Robbie Windham in 1991, the shop grew from humble beginnings into a leading name in certified collision repair. As a member of the OEC Collision Performance Network, Windham Body Shop holds OEM certifications from Nissan, INFINITI, FCA (Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram), Hyundai, Genesis, Ford, GM, and Kia — with Tesla and Rivian certifications under consideration. The shop also maintains I-CAR Gold Class status.

The Challenge

After many years working within Direct Repair Programs (DRPs), Robbie recognized that the traditional approach wasn't always aligned with the level of precision and safety he wanted to deliver.

"I felt like it wasn't really fair to the consumer. Some of the things being considered for cost savings were safety items, and I knew it was better to be safe than sorry." — Robbie Windham

Robbie found further inspiration to evolve through Mike Anderson's Spartans Group, a network that strongly supports OEM certifications. He shifted focus and invested fully in manufacturer-aligned repair standards.

The Results

The impact of certification was measurable from the start.

New customer segments: The shop previously saw very few Lincoln vehicles; once certified, multiple customers brought Lincolns in for repair. In one standout case, a Genesis GV80 owner drove more than five hours from Montgomery, Alabama — having found Windham Body Shop through her vehicle's app.

"That Genesis repair turned out to be the largest job we've done in my entire career. It was a $47,000–$48,000 job." — Robbie Windham

Improved quality and efficiency: With direct access to OEM repair procedures and tools like RepairLogic, the team ensures every repair follows manufacturer guidelines. Certified training through I-CAR Gold and OEM-specific requirements raised the bar for technicians. Robbie credits organized workflows, streamlined inventory management, and clean processes as direct efficiency gains from certification.

"Things are where they belong, tools are maintained, and the process is clean. That alone increases efficiency." — Robbie Windham

Technician pipeline: In an industry facing staffing shortages, Windham Body Shop's certified status became a hiring advantage. Robbie hired and mentored a younger team, building the skills needed for certified repairs while fostering a culture of continuous learning.

"I think growing your own is the way to go. Being a certified shop makes us an appealing place to work." — Robbie Windham

Overcoming Certification Barriers

For shops considering certification, Robbie's advice is to start with one certification, get established, and grow from there. Windham Body Shop used a market study from paint partner Axalta to identify which certifications would have the greatest local impact — an approach that helped them invest strategically without overextending.

"The biggest barrier is the cost of tooling. OEMs all require something different. But if you can start with one, get your feet wet, and grow from there, it's worth it." — Robbie Windham

Looking Ahead

Robbie now serves as President of the Gulf States Collision Association, covering Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, where he continues to advocate for certification and higher industry standards across the region.