Selling Cash Vs. Ins. Work

[StarQuest]

mrchip,

Actually they do! What may shock you even more is I'm currently getting all these from only one network. Not even signed up with Lynx or Safelite.

My all time daily record was 21 and weekly record stands at 58.

[all starr]

Starqwest..

Can you please explain what network is giving you that many referrals. Is it harmon? How long have you been doing insurance work with this network and what is your coverage area. Also did you sign up at super low repair rate so that gurantees you get the repair?

[StarQuest]

Yes, it's Harmon and No.....I didn't give a super low rate ($50/10/10/10) I originally asked for $60 but told them if they could promise volume I'd accept $50. So far they've kept their promise.

I've only been doing insurance work since March of 2006. Prior to that I was lucky to get 1-2 referrals a month.

[all starr]

wow, thats amazing.. Congradulations. I have had a few referrals from them, but hopefully I will someday get as many as you are getting, thats awesome..

[SGT]

Allstar,

Very good questions. I was thinking the same things. It might also be Netcost network. Either way that is great volume.

I look at network referrals as gravy money not a guaranteed source of revenue. I will tell you this, since I signed with edirect I thought my referral volume might have increased a little, but actually, it has decreased compared to when I used to pay the fax in processing fees. Who knows why? I just thought they looked more favorably towards shops that were EDI capable.

[all starr]

Brian,
Do you also use netcost? i figure the more networks your signed up with, the more gravy work you wll get, right? I will sign up with everyone I can. So far Harmon has been the only one sending me any business. Hopefully someday it will increase....

[SGT]

Yes we are on with Netcost. I was told we are the only shop in our area so we would get all work, unfortuantly there are not many of there insc. co. in our area yet. We have only had a handfull of referrals from them. They said they are picking up a couple larger accounts in the near future. Give them a call and speak with Joey Wardecki. He handles vendor relations.

This is the order in which we get network refferrals by volume.

1.Lynx
2.Harmon Solutions
3.Netcost
4.Safelite

So if you do not mind dealing with the networks and plan on doing a any kind of insc work volume, it would be a good idea to sign on with as many as possible. Just don't expect any work at all. Use them as a tool to bill your work out with a lot less aggravation than direct billing.

[StarQuest]

allstar,

I forgot to answer your second question. How large of a service area do I cover?

Approximately 300 square miles! Average daily travel is around 140-150 miles. (which was the same distance I traveled daily to service all fleet and rentals)

I also want to be honest with everybody. I love doing insurance work simply because I love meeting new people every day. Is it easy handling all these referrals? Not always!

Scheduling daily jobs and entering EDI invoices sometimes require 1-2 additional office hours of work every evening and rain days can become a logistic nightmare at times.

How did I build my insurance to this level?

Simply by developing great relationships with CSR's and their customers. Also by always answering phone calls and not letting them ever go to voice mail. Nothing ticks off the networks more than getting your voice mail greeting. They want more and expect more than that from you.

Back to you Mr Coitster,

Everybody, don't let David's modesty fool you....he is a great sales person but more importantly is a friendly people person. That means he has the personality to make friends with others upon first contact. That is what others need to focus on.

Many of his past post have helped me understand what you need to do in this business to get more jobs.

Thanks David!

[Onsite]

I talk to someone from ACT the other day. They suggested that if I signed up with them that I keep a small mileage radius for doing repairs.Any reason why you think they would tell you that?

[Coitster]

Well Shawn,
Its a nice thing for them to say but hard to actualy get away with. You go where the jobs are. Sure if it was up to me people would call me up all day long and park outside my house. That would be great.... but it doesn't happen. They need to be a little more realistic.
David
Coitster