Selling Cash Vs. Ins. Work

[Coitster]

Hey everyone,
I wanted to put out another post. I have been doing windshield repair for about 14 years now and when I first got into the business I was trained to sell Ins. jobs. Thats litteraly all I did for 12 of those 14 years. I almost never did a cash job and so as I used to post on this forum I was a very big advocate for selling insurance work. See post (Building Your Windshield Repair Business). When I moved to California I experianced something that was different. I ran into people, a lot of people that didn't want to turn claims into their insurance.

So I started doing strictly cash work. BTW I love doing cash work now because in my opinion its no harder to sell then free ins. work but also and this is the cool part, I don't have to pay the recievable game. You know doing the work and then having to play the part of a collection agent and billing insurance companies and then waiting 45 days to get paid for my work.

I started seeing things a different way. I would explain to people why put a claim on your insurance for only 50 bucks. Guess what... people agree'd with me. BTW this works outside of calif. because I have sold cash work back in Dallas too when I was on trips to there.

I have since moved to the point were its been almost 2 years since I even did an insurance job. I am not even on the networks anymore and tossed all my phone numbers for them at that.

I am curious how many others have started moving or have done a mostly or all cash business, and or are tired of dealing with the insurance companies and networks. Have you seen any decline in your business? Personaly I havn't seen any but then again I go after all my own business anyway. Who else does this and what are your results? I would like to get a dialog going on this.

David
Coitster

[StarQuest]

David,

We all know your one of the kings in selling repairs on this forum! Unfortunately, many that follow your post just don't have what it takes to be like you David!!

Cash jobs are always nice....but from my years of experience I wouldn't put my heart and soul in any of the messages your delivering.

Not to sound harsh....but this is my honest opinion about what your trying to sell onto others. Cash jobs alone presently won't pay the bills for new people starting out!! If any of you believe they will.....try it and see what happens!

Please understand, every individual market requires a different sales tacket or approach to aquire the desired profits for your repair area.

Your given advice seems to be only centered on your location, which really doesn't help many outside of that, does it?

Welcome your response Coister!

[Dave M]

Coitster,
In the past 2 years that you have not done any ins. jobs, have you had any customers that have requested going through their ins. so as to have the deductible waived? If so, did you refuse the job or try to talk them into paying up front?
My ins. work has doubled over last year (use Glass Comp for EDI billing). No particular explanation for the increase. Did an ins. job Friday for a customer that insisted on billing the ins.co. Received confirmation from agent. 7 repairs on same w/s, Land Rover w/s istalled for $1100, repaired for $150. Insurance Company refused to replace (long story re. customer)
Could I survive on cash only in Maine? Doughtful!

[mrchip]

hey different strokes for different folks..to me its all one piece of the pie..ins work(and by the way with e-direct im getting much more ins work) a few used car lots, new car dealers.,wholesalers,fleets, retail makes a sweet pie and from that we make a living

[StarQuest]

I've been getiting 30-35 insurance referrals weekly since of May 2006 and that numer continues to grow. Simply take care of the customer and things willl happen!

[Bois]

I do a mixed bag of ins. & cash jobs. Sometimes customers get out of their car with their insurance card in hand. I don't question, just do the work and bill insurance. Otherwise, if asked how much for the repair, I quote my cash price first. I watch for facial expressions or any hesitancy and then ask if they have full insurance coverage. If yes, I explain the program.

Dale...

[tooldini]

WOW starqwest are those thru the networks? I usually get like 3 a week. I live in Michigan very close to toledo so I have them in my area of coverage.

Jeff

[Coitster]

Interesting responce StarQwest, in the 12 years that I was doing insurance work I was lucky to get 1 referal a month. I would never get jobs from either Lynx or Safelite. Safelite was never. Now I would get insurance jobs from previous customers but they would always call me and not the insurance company first. So I bow down in homage to you StarQwest. You are my idol.

As to answer your question about do I lose jobs because I don't do insurance work.... yea a few every now and then. If I lose like 1 job every 3 weeks because I don't do insurance no big deal. Its very rare. It just doesn't seam like a big deal to me.
David
Coitster

[Coitster]

Oh one more thing, as to the comment I am the king of selling windshield repair.... thanks for the comment but I don't think so. Selling WSR has got to be one of the simplest, easiest, cake sales I have ever done. Litteraly all you have to do is walk up to someone look them in the eye, smile and talk with confidence.

I have had tons of people ride with me over the years and they are amazed at how simple my approach is. I myself and shocked more people don't do it and have great success with it. Don't get me wrong, I am glad most people don't do it but come on, its stupid how easy it is. People seam to think you have to be a super salesman to do this you don't.

In truth I don't even have to overcome any objections most of the time. Every once and I will I do but its always just one time. If they still are like well I would but....... I just say thats ok and leave.

I believe that people make this biz way to complicated. People generaly don't get chips fixed because they don't know anyone who does it or they don't have the time. When I come in and say I was working next door or a few doors down and just wanted to see if they want to fix it before I leave they 70% of the time say yea go ahead and fix it. I have been meaning to get it done.

Now I know that most people still do insurance work, personaly I would like to see all insurance companies stop covering windshield repair. I know that won't make me popular but it would actualy do the industry a favor by getting the insurance out of our industry. I mean when I used to do work for them it was like hitting my head against a wall.
David
Coitster

[mrchip]

star quest..30-35 referals a week??? that cant be all calls from the network