Well-deserved kudos

Jan. 1, 2020
Like many of you, I can be plenty critical of the decisions made by insurance companies and some of the vendors serving our industry.

Like many of you, I can be plenty critical of the decisions made by insurance companies and some of the vendors serving our industry. I’m not bashful about calling them out when I think it’s needed.

That’s why I think it’s also important to give them a shout-out when they do something right. Just as with employees, they’re more apt to listen to and respond to what we tell them they’re doing wrong if we also make an effort to recognize what they are doing right.

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So here are three companies that I think have done something right.

• Toyota’s “predictive estimating.” If you haven’t yet seen a demo of this, it will likely blow you away when you do. Toyota’s Jerry Raskind called the system a “game-changer,” in that rather than having an estimator start from a blank page and add line items based on what they know or can locate about OEM procedures, the new system begins with a complete estimate that incorporates all necessary parts and Toyota-recommended procedures, along with links to all related Toyota bulletins and published documentation.

The system requires the user only to select the damaged portions of the vehicle (left front fender, for example), and all items related to that section of the vehicle are automatically listed, including such item as one-time use fasteners, necessary information labels, and procedures such as color sand and polish (with a link to Toyota’s bulletin indicating that is a procedure necessary even at the factory).

It allows the user to adjust the estimate, such as changing the type of part to be used or omitting a procedure not necessary based on the actual damage to the vehicle. Repairs can be substituted for parts replacement. But Toyota believes the system will help ensure estimates are more likely complete based on the automakers’ prescribed procedures.

Toyota indicated other automakers are interested in working on the project, and I think it could really improve the thoroughness of estimates and the accuracy of blueprinting, and eliminate a lot of the friction costs in the industry.

• CCC’s OpenShop. I’ve said for some time that a shop that’s not on an insurer’s direct repair program should be able to exchange estimates, supplements, digital images and reinspection requests electronically with the insurer. CCC Information Services’ new “Open Shop” product makes that possible. If a car comes into your shop and you’re not a DRP for the insurer involved, that insurer can still electronically send you an assignment through your CCC ONE system, and you can electronically send back your estimate and photos for approval.

This isn’t a cure-all for all the issues shops face when working in a non-DRP environment. But I think for a lot of jobs, this will expedite the estimating and supplement approval process tremendously, wasting less of your estimator’s time and letting your shop get to work on the car more quickly. It’s win-win for the shop and insurer – and for customers who we all know are happy when they get their cars back quickly. Hopefully this will be something a lot of insurers will embrace.

• State Farm’s Hi-Tech Toolbox. I’ve long been a proponent of using good line notes and great digital images to support that you “wrote it right” when it comes to the estimate. State Farm has added a 14-minute video to its online “toolbox” that offers some great tips and techniques for taking digital images that really document the damage well.

 For example, the auto-focus feature on most cameras won’t always work well when shooting damage on the dark underside of a vehicle. Try putting your hand next to the damage, depressing the camera button half way to initiate the auto-focus, and then remove your hand to take the photo.

Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5pBlqMM9xc

And while you’re there, check out some of the other videos State Farm has posted there.

As I said, we all tend to be quick to beat up on State Farm or others when we don’t like what they do. I like to give these companies credit for making decisions that can help improve the day-to-day challenges we all face in this industry.

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