The Automotive Service Association (ASA) board of directors has approved a newly revised position statement proposed by the volunteer leadership of its Collision Division after insurer USAA began requiring that DRP participants use a specific customer service information program at the shops' expense.

The position statement reads:

ASA supports an individual collision business owner's selection of an estimating system that meets the individual's business needs and commends those insurers that allow for the use of an "open platform."

ASA believes the same logic should apply – but is not limited – to management systems, paint systems, parts suppliers (OE, aftermarket and recycled), equipment and customer satisfaction indexing/customer service information programs.

In situations where collision repair estimates are transposed by insurers, all efforts should be made by the insurer to duplicate the collision repair facility's original document.

ASA says the organization decided to revise the position statement after USAA began requiring participants in its STARS DRP to enroll in a specific customer service information program at the shop's expense. The group has sent a letter to USAA explaining its concerns but says it hasn’t received a response from the insurer.

In the letter, ASA informed the San Antonio-based insurance company that its members don’t support the requirement to participate in a specific program without consideration for other customer service information programs a shop may have in place. ASA pointed out that this requirement could be repeated by other insurance companies, therefore creating redundancies of customer service information companies within the collision shop's business model, leading to confusion and shop inefficiencies.

“ASA's volunteer leaders, all of whom are independent collision and mechanical shop owners, believe strongly in a business owner's inherent right to structure, manage and orchestrate their personal business as they see fit,” said Darrell Amberson, AAM, director of ASA's Collision Division and member of the ASA board of directors.

ASA members may access the letter in the July issue of their Collision Division newsletter, ASA Collision Division Dispatch.

Visit www.ASAshop.org for more information.