Allstate has announced that its Virtual Assist, a software that helps a body shop employee connect with an Allstate employee via real-time video, has been licensed for use by Gerber Collision & Glass. The technology works to create efficiencies during damage appraisal, reduce cycle times and improve customer experience. Gerber announced the move at the DigIn Future of Insurance conference in Austin, according to a release by Allstate.
With Virtual Assist, Gerber’s hundreds of U.S. locations can help each other through their busiest periods. A decision on parts and labor is made in real time, and that helps reduce customer wait times, according to the release.
“Getting the right work to the right resource in real time creates an opportunity for us to handle the entire process during a single customer interaction,” said Tim O’Day, president and chief operating officer of The Boyd Group, which owns Gerber Collision & Glass. “This has the potential to be a game-changer for our business and the industry.”
No personally identifiable customer information is shared or retained through the app, O’Day says.
The Boyd Group will also use Virtual Assist in its Boyd Autobody & Glass shops across western Canada and its Assured Automotive shops in eastern Canada.
