Two regional auto body associations, the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association and the Wisconsin Collision Repair Professionals are inviting industry participation in their online surveys.
WMABA is opening a survey to anonymously rate insurance company market behaviors in a number of categories. Even though this is a local survey, meant for collision repairers in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Washington D.C., the association welcomes industry participation externally the region too.
The 2022 Shops Rate Insurers Survey covers the following topics: shop relations – claims handling; customer experience, insurer knowledge base, overall fairness, insurer payment for proper procedures, and open comment.
In addition to allowing shops to rate insurers on their market conduct, laptop computer gives shops the opportunity to share specific feedback about insurers.
“A lot is different in the marketplace since the last time we surveyed our regional shops for their feedback on insurance relations. More so since the start of pandemic, than in every other time I'm able to remember over my 22-plus years in the market,” said Jordan Hendler, executive director of WMABA.
“Our association is committed to providing ongoing resources not found elsewhere, and more importantly, useful in showing their own geographic region. This survey is helpful to get a gauge around the current interactions and customer experiences of the repairer-insurer dynamic.”
The survey is posted around the WMABA Website and also goes out to any or all regional members, is going to be featured in Hammer & Dolly, and made on the website inside a consumer-friendly format.
“While WMABA stands on the customer being the vehicle owner, the involvement of the insurance companies along the way is something hopefully will consistently improve. This survey can give repairers, consumers, regulatory bodies, or other your customers a body of information to assistance with future-facing decisions. Our hope is that this is going to be reflective of claims handling within our entire membership region,” Hendler said.
WCRP has launched two anonymous surveys, one on labor rates, and the other on insurance rankings and relationships.
The labor rate survey asks shops to list out calculated labor rates and market-adjusted rates for body labor, paint labor, paint and material each hour charge, and mechanical labor.
It also asks shops to list out additional charges for outdoor and indoor storage, and photo-documenting and estimating. “It is not illegal to accomplish a labor-rate survey. It IS illegal to agree on a labor rate and impose our collective effort to dictate that to the industry. Market research does not do that,” the organization stated.
“WCRP will always promote that the individual shop should set their individual rates based on their individual price of doing business. This really is evident by the many posts and labor-rate calculators WCRP promotes all year round,” it said.
Without market knowledge, “you're subject to following a price leader or having rates dictated for you with a third-party payer,” WCRP said. “Knowing what your rates should be, and having those rates posted will solidify you're reacting to the market.”
The labor rate survey can be found at https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/XeCaw5.
The WCRP insurance rankings and relationships survey asks participants to rank 20 insurance companies, based on their overall experience regarding claims processing.
It also asks shops many other questions, together with a section on DRP relationships and their effect, if any, on labor rates.
That survey are available at https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/TZCaVH.
