The Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) Collision Division Operations Committee continues to study time requirements for properly handling repairs, including its time study of feather, edge and fill, which ASA says is often improperly compensated due to overlooked steps. ASA is asking members to participate in its study by gathering data.
“The issue of proper compensation for feather, edge and fill continues to hamper the efficiencies of the repair shop and strain the relationship between the repairer and the insurer,” said Darrell Amberson, AAM, ASA Collision Division director and president of Lehman’s Garage, Bloomington, Minn. “The goal is to have an automated process to compensate for the overlooked steps necessary to complete a quality repair. This could be based on the area of the repair involving feather, edge and fill or a percentage of the straightening time, similar to the concept of paint and material calculations.”
ASA’s previous feather, edge and fill study was conducted in 2005 and included more than 100 records. This year, ASA is asking Collision Division members to complete 10 time studies each.
“Participation is critical to this project; yet, the effort is simple and systematic. It requires photographs and completing an official feather, edge and fill form for each vehicle report submitted for the project,” said Denise Caspersen, ASA’s Collision Division manager.
To participate, ASA members can download the project kit (a three-page PDF file) in the Members Only section at www.ASAshop.org. The kit includes the following items:
• The 2009 Feather, Edge and Fill Project sheet, which explains the project and the process.
• The 2009 Feather, Edge and Fill Project time study form, which is used to collect the data for each time study.
• The 2009 Feather, Edge and Fill Time Study example form, which provides a sample of a completed time study.
E-mail photographs and documentation submitted for the study to [email protected]. Forms may be submitted through Aug. 31, 2009.
For more information, contact Caspersen at (800) 272-7467, ext. 236, or by e-mail.
