The Jury’s In: Save their Deductibles?
They come in all shapes and sizes, but their goal is the same: They want you to save their deductible. Thirty years ago, deductibles didn’t seem to be such a big deal. In fact, 30 years ago, some insurance companies actually wrote policies with zero deductibles. In the late 1960s, I was an apprentice in
Truce: Working with Insurance Adjusters
If you ever need to energize a bunch of bored shop owners, bring up working with insurance adjusters. This topic can incite a lively discussion among even a reserved group of repairers. That’s because everyone has a war story or two about an adjuster experience and they’re usually eager to share it. One of my
Do You See What I See
Does anyone find it the least bit surprising that the general public doesn’t trust the collision industry?
DRPs: Strictly A Business Decision
In 1984, direct-repair program (DRP) – the original Allstate PRO System – was virtually unheard of. Although the concept had been tested on the East Coast and in some of the big cities, most body shops had never been introduced to the idea. One spring day, two people – known as “inspectors” – from Allstate
Charge for What You Do: Replacing a Quarter Panel
What’s a quarter worth these days? No, I’m not asking the value of an American quarter dollar. I’m asking you to consider what you should be charging to replace a quarter panel. Are you charging enough for the amount of work involved in a good quality repair? A lot of shop owners and managers insist
Selling Services
Some shops are making it standard practice to bill insurance companies in dollar amounts with no reference to the number of hours spent on a repair. As much as insurers fight this practice, the shops – which could include yours – are within their rights.
Better Safe Than Liable: Check the Safety Features
Hurried techs sometimes forget to – or just simply don’t – check the safety features on a collision-damaged vehicle. But being rushed is no excuse.
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Give Yourself a Raise: Working Together
Insurers know a local shop environment is very competitive, and they use this to pit local shop against local shop. But what if repairers refused to play this game and started working together instead of against one another?
E-Commerce Has Arrived
Can e-commerce solutions truly improve dispatch, load leveling and cycle time to impact throughput and profits? In a word, yes.