BEDFORD, TX — The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) Database Task Force and four major estimating system providers recently concluded a series of meetings in an effort to enhance the accuracy and functionality of the estimating systems used by the collision repair community to estimate the cost to fix today’s high-tech vehicles.
The CIC Database Task Force – comprised of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP), the Automotive Service Association (ASA) and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) — met with representatives from CCC Information Services, Motor Information Systems, Audatex and Mitchell International. The meeting was held June 19 and 20 at ASA’s headquarters in Bedford, TX.
Among the issues discussed were the information providers’ response time to collision industry inquiries; feather, prime and block; refinishing flexible substrates; blending of repaired panels; new substrate material (identification, labor times and specific repair/replace procedures); disclosure of major product changes and system defects; and paint and materials calculations.
Members of the CIC Database Task Force in attendance included Darrell Amberson, AAM; Denise Caspersen, Lou DiLisio, Barry Dorn, Nick Kostakis, Daniel Risley and Rick Starbard. Among the attendees in the various meetings involving information providers were Bruce Yungkans, representing CCC Information Services Inc.; Phil Cunningham, John Lypen and Tom Stryker, representing Motor Information Systems; Rick Tuuri, representing Audatex; and Tom Fleming from Mitchell International.
Kostakis, immediate past president, AASP, and owner of Angelo’s Auto Body Inc. in Irvington, NJ, said, "Increasing tension between various industry segments has resulted in additional challenges for the Database Task Force, but there is good work to be done and resulting benefits for all parties if we can continue to find ways to work constructively with the information providers in pursuit of win-win solutions."
Dorn, SCRS vice chairman and owner of Dorn’s Body and Paint Inc. in Mechanicsville, VA, said, "We thank the information providers for their time and attention and look forward to renewed efforts to address the myriad of issues identified and discussed. We are also confident that we made inroads in developing a more open and timely communication methodology."
Amberson, ASA’s Collision Division director and president of Lehman’s Garage in Bloomington, MN, said, "We appreciate that the information providers came to Bedford and listened to the concerns of the repairers. As a follow-up from previous CIC Database Task Force meetings with the information providers, we are glad to see the progress being made on substrate material identification. After addressing the issues of blend within, database disclosure, refinishing flexible substrates and feather, prime and block, we hope solutions will be developed."
For more information about Alliance of Automotive Service Providers, visit http://www.autoserviceproviders.com.
For more information about ASA, go to: http://www.ASAshop.org.
For more information about SCRS, go to: http://www.scrs.com.
