Process #5:  Manage your Relationships

In order to achieve our objective of being, ‘TRPOC,” in our community we must manage our insurance relationships effectively.  Insurance compliance unsurpassed, continuous improvements and transparency is what is needed in order to achieve 100% trust with our partners.

Being an independent provider, it will be critical that we provide a world class repair experience. MSO providers will be given opportunities in our market regardless of which clients we have, so in order to maintain our existing relationships we must deliver their customers world class service surpassing client metrics. If you are a dealership, we have some opportunities that we can take advantage of when or if we have a world class operation. With OEM certifications and a world class operation we are in the driver seat. But we must first deliver on our objective, “TRPOC,’ in our community.

We have multiple approaches that would need to be taken here depending on you as a client, independent or dealership. These options or strategies can be discussed in length with the appropriate principals.

• Every facility will exceed client’s metrics.
• Knowledge of all insurance specific guidelines.
• All insurance online guidelines will be reviewed monthly to insure full compliance.
• All estimates, photos to be locked and uploaded within 4 hours for drivable vehicles and 24 hours for non-drives meeting all insurance guidelines.
  • Observe photo guidelines and limits. Know them, and notes should tell the story, if you get called about an estimate share the call with upper management. What caused the call what could you have done better to avoid the call, learn from our mistakes and share with our fellow associates so they can learn. Insurers do not like to catch the same issues multiple times.
  • All supplements immediate upload or per guidelines, some insurers only want one supplement, know your guidelines or have cheat sheets.

Communicate with our partners as deemed necessary. Be honest.

• Make sure all customers are always happy with the repair experience and process. If you are encountering any concerns notify your superiors, what seems small to you can be huge with your customers. Many times, it could be helpful when in doubt to have an associate talk to your customer they might be able to get out of them what you cannot. Also, it is very important that you notify our partners when customers are upset with them, this can negatively impact us, and we want both our partners and ourselves to both be in good standing with our mutual customers.
• If you are missing any partner guidelines talk openly with them, let them know your issues and work together to achieve better results. Your results are there results, your success or failure affects their income, do not forget this. If they know you understand and they see you working to correct the issues with success you will be ok, but no communication and continued poor performance will lose you the account.
• 100% disassembly. Suspension diagnostic, undercarriage inspections will eliminate large supplements. The one place you do not want to be is writing a large supplement that totals a car. You have the opportunity to get it right the first time do it!!
• Inform your partner contact of any issues you may feel could come up during the repairs. Engine will not start etc

What reports are you utilizing to ensure compliance?

• Review all information available and work on plan to maintain and achieve better results.
• Some parts procurement programs will track this for you and your team, if available utilize them.
• Know what your metrics are, have regular discussions with your insurance coordinator, do not put yourself in a bad position on multiple times. Insurance managers can and will shut you down instantly
• Remember you and your insurance contact are a team you win and lose together; they will only allow you to lose one game and then you will be on the side lines. You need you’re,” A” game each and every day with these relationships.

Remember that these customers in many cases were sent to us through the insurance providers. Many cases they are our customers but insured by the insurance company. Whatever the case never put the insurance company in a bad light with the insured. The way we handle these customers is a direct reflection on the insurance company. You need to know insurance renewal decisions are being determined during this interaction we are having, in many cases the first time the insured see’s how the company they have sent money to for years respect them as customers.  Do not be the reason for a non-renewal.  Let the insurer know of any issues and together work to resolve them to everyone’s benefit.

Building a strong relationship with these providers is critical. Become confident and communicate with your account manager on several levels. Get to know them as a human being, know their families, and what they do on their off time for enjoyment. Make them want to come to your facility and want to do business with you.

How do we measure our success?

• Net promoter score of Top 20%, 90% or better.
• Exceed client specific requirements.
• Grow your DRP account sales quarterly year after year.
• If available utilize any sort of estimate review at your disposal.