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.