Chucks Creations Autobody

I enjoyed the E-Myth audio book

Anybody?

Hey guys and gals (if i'm not the only gal on here lol)! I have a questions for the other shop owners or estimators on the forum. Lately i've been dealing with a lot of headaches from insurance companies dragging their feet because we are not a "preferred" shop on their network. This one in particular that i'm dealing with is just driving me nuts. Breakdown of the ordeal: Customer dropped off their vehicle on 2/11/17 which was a Saturday. I called their insurance to notify them of the drop off the same day. Got ahold of someone on the 14th on when they could send someone out to inspect. Was instructed to write up my own estimate and take photos and submit it to their claim email and that because we are not a "preferred" shop, it could take 7-10 days for review. That was completed the same day (14th). I've followed up with them on the 16th to confirm the estimate and photos were received. Adjuster said that it didnt look like it was so I forwarded it over to her. I sent photos via a google drive link that allows others to view the photos. She said she was having issues so I just sent them as attachments. Finally worked for her and said it was forwarded to the person set to review... this was on the 16th. Yesterday, I emailed to check for status and was told that the person reviewing cannot see the pictures. This had me fuming. WHY was I not contacted back on the 16th or the 17th stating that? Why did I only hear it when I reached out. I resent photos, adjuster confirmed she received them and had forwarded them over again. Hours later asked if she had a confirmation that the reviewer was able to view and received a "well she hasnt contacted me back so that would mean that there isnt any issue..." if thats the truth then did she not send an email back on the 16th saying she couldnt view them? And if she did, why did I only find out on the 23rd when I reached out??!! I emailed a lengthy stern email requesting the reviewers info and the adjusters supervisors info... here we are 22 hours later, no reply. So after all that.... i'm afraid that it will still take another 7-10 days to review and another 7-10 for payment. My question here is, am I entitled to any storage fees because of their lack of concern and being put on the back burner because we arent a DRP shop of theirs? The customer is very patient but I am not. Especially when I hear the insurance adjuster straight out tell me, "oh you arent our preferred shop? its going to take longer then"... talk about steering tactics. Anyone have any words of wisdom on what I can do at this point? Am I in the right to request storage? Is there any law that I can cite to make them straighten up? I am in southern California if that helps. Thanks in advance!!!

I wouldve been heated too. We had a review from a customer that wanted a front lip spoiler painted with a paint code. When we told him that it wont match because his vehicle was 10+ yrs old and has since faded and that we would need him to bring the actual car so we can have the paint matched, He insisted that it was ok and for us to just paint according to the paint code. We never saw the car itself since he just brought the lip to paint. Of course when he took the lip, it didnt match. He came back to complain and wanted us to repaint it FOR FREE. Im all about customer service, but when you try to educate a customer about things that they know nothing about and they refuse to cooperate, I already know its not going to go well. He also took to yelp and left a negative review... stating he gave the paint code and that it should match but didnt and was upset that we wanted to charge him for the new materials to repaint after he refused to listen to us the first time when we asked him to bring his car in. Someone actually left a response to his review stating that in all fairness, its always best to bring the car or at least the gas cap to have to match the paint. You win some and you lose some... Same as you, its usually the "smaller" jobs that end up causing the headaches lol Take a breather and write the response after you've had time to let this mellow out if you decide to write it at all. Just know that you did everything the right way and some customers are just bitter people in general and you cant help that. Keep up the good work =)

How do you like that program? Compared to Mitchell? Pros vs Cons? I also just came across one called ABFSystems... anyone have experience with that one?

This is something that I noticed at the shop too cuz I was looking over the repair orders and noticed some didnt have signatures "because we know them", or "they are the mechanics down the street". I am wanting everything to have a signature because you just never know... im sure your situation happens a lot especially when they sometimes have to check in with their significant other and they get hassled for it, then it becomes a quick bout of amnesia on them giving you the verbal OK to do the work. Would an email confirming the "OK" work as an electronic "signature" ? Like even a text since everyone uses that now? And what if you have to add more to the work order because they ask for more... are they going to want to drive all the way down to the shop to sign it again?

Yeah I'm just looking for the collision estimating program... I know the CCC one has all the estimating and management together but of course when I speak to reps from both sides, they bad mouth the other. Do you have the CCC One?

Yes!! It puts a lot into prospective! I'm easily distracted and impatient at times, so reading that book wouldve kept my attention because of the content but my ADD wouldve kicked in eventually lol So I opted for the audio that is FREE on youtube!! its about 8 hours but great to listen to the narrator emphasis on things. Here is the link for those that are just like me lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrqwYB2WUos

One of my best reads so far. Thank you!

Im still debating between the Mitchell Ultramate and CCC estimating program. I dont think i've seen anyone mention CCC on here. I have Quickbooks to pair with them. Any input on CCC?

Agreed! I believe its the only way to go. Trust me, I am super excited to start this venture, but I've learned from others mistakes and am doing what I can to be prepared for the task ahead instead of just jumping in and winging it lol Luck can only take you so far.

Definitely! Thank you for the reply.

Hello everyone out there in ASO land. You will all become use to seeing my screen name all over this forum because I have a lot of questions lol. A little about why Im here. My father has been doing bodywork for 40+ years and about 12 years ago, he decided that he wanted to open up shop for himself. Business was up and down since and actually closed the shop about 3 years into it because it wasnt making enough to keep the doors open. It started because my father enjoyed what he did, and was very good at it... but didnt know how to manage a business. He was great at his trade, but didnt know what came along with actually running the business side of it. He was the only tech there and my brothers and myself lent a hand but could only do so much. He felt defeated at the time but wanted to try it again when the time was right. They opened up again in 2008 and moved into a bigger location in 2010 where they are at right now. Now my brothers are older and picked up the knowledge from my dad and have done well for themselves as far as getting customers. Problem is, there is no management in play. They know how to do the work and enjoy it, but the business aspect of it is wearing them thin since my younger brother has been stand in office manager/tech/painter. I see the potential in the business and would love to see it flourish so we can continue to build what my father had envisioned. I have a lot of goals and doing my research so that I may see them through. I came across a site that really put things in prospective as far as starting a business. It explained that many times businesses fail because someone gets the itch to open up for themselves because they enjoy something and want to do it for themselves... but dont think about the business aspect of it.. only the trade part. They called the "entrepreneurial seizure" and its explained as: An entrepreneurial seizure is the moment the entrepreneur decides it would be a great idea to start his or her own business. It's when one believes that knowing how to do the work of a business is all one needs to understand in order to start and grow a business. So the accountant starts an accounting practice; the mechanic starts an auto repair business; the cook opens up a restaurant. They go to work, accounting, fixing cars, or cooking meals, none of which is the true work of the entrepreneur. In doing so, the person who starts his or her own business is lost in the teeming confusion created by demands he or she never anticipated...the demands of organization, the demands of cash flow, the demands of people -- employees, customers, suppliers, banks, family -- and so forth and so on. They are simply not prepared for the demands that are going to be made on them. The longer they're in business, the worse it gets. There is no vision; there is only being a slave to work and staying alive. The seizure is long gone, the entrepreneurial vision a vague memory. And I believe this is what happens a lot. Which is why I know that getting feedback from experienced shop owners like yourselves, can only help with what im trying to do to get this business going. I am looking for workflow ideas for organization, management/estimating systems, I have Quickbooks and I'm working on getting the shop cleaned up and looking like a professional location instead of a pile of bondo dust lol (although I love the smell of bondo lol). I do have questions but feel that my "intro" has been super long and I mightve lost a few readers along the way lol. For those that have stuck around, thank you =) I look forward to feedback and to building "friendships" with my fellow ASO'ers . Thanks again for your time. *** for those wondering the site that excerpt was from, its called www.e-myth.com ... highly recommend it for the newbies out there looking to start a business from their hobby just for insight *** *** Gina