Do you remember when businesses started implementing more computers? I kept hearing of how much paperwork this was going to save and how much easier the computers will make our work. Well, years later I’m still not fully convinced of that theory. It seems like we have more forms, files, and paperwork than we ever had before. I keep hearing paperless, but I am not seeing it. I think perhaps every item that goes paperless, there are two or three additional things come up that we must manage. However, I do like the ways computers work and believe that we keep better records of everything. I think that we did not have a lot of the work because we were just not doing it. We really have all of our records at our fingertips even though it seems like a lot of work to manage. It was painful getting to this point as an estimator. I remember the first computerized estimating system that Mitchell came out with. We had twice the amount of estimating guides to pack around and we still have to flip through the pages to swipe the bar codes. I did not like that system, but the systems that they have today make it much easier to write auto repair estimates. I mean, who can’t point and click?
One of the advantages of computerized auto repair estimates is that there are no errors. Well, an auto estimator can still leave a lot of money on the table by not adding non- included operations, but computers have eliminated all of the calculation errors. It is pretty hard to misplace an estimate when it is stored in your computer as well. Therefore, computers are more accurate and remove much of the human error out of the equation.
Most computer estimating systems update their information on a monthly basis. As fast as the parts prices can change this is a big benefit as well. When we used the estimating guides, they were sent out every three months, which would be outdated before you received your new copy. The computer also eliminates a lot of writing. Remember I said to list each item separately in an earlier post? Now you may only have to type a few of the operations that are not in the system. However, you can point and click most of your estimate with ease.
The internet also made it possible to work directly with insurance companies. Both the shop and the insurance can look at the same estimate online. They can also view digital photos. This was the birth of Direct Repair Program (DRP). This started out as a good thing, which allowed shops to partner with insurance claims handling process, but the program took a different direction in my opinion. Insurance companies started demanding discounts and requiring the customers to use the shops that they had relationships with. Again, that is another subject that we may discuss at a later time. The internet and computers along with digital cameras have simplified the claims process.
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