State/Lease Inspections & Your Warranty

[splitpit]

You can't bill a customer you don't have, right? So many of my current ins. referals come directly through the network without any previous contact with my shop. So those are customers that I would never have been able to direct bill.

Me set up a tent? Nope, absolutely won't need one to stay ahead of the game! Yep, it'll be dog eat dog! Only the strong will survive!

[GlassStarz]

I know if it fails Vermont State Ispection it about visibility and if it isnt damn near invisible it wont pass its not about saving the glass its about a altered view. I know this going in so if it doesnt pass I dont charge

[Glassdoc]

Unless it has changed over the past few years, The ins co's have the 3 strike rule.. (3 unsatisfied customers or failed repairs) and your out regardless.. Now, on to the other point you stated. In PA the final paragraph in the State Inspection Guidelines read: The Inspection Mechanic has the final say at his discretion.. That means it does not matter were the repair is located, if he is having a bad day and doesn't want to be fair. It will fail.. But the Insurance industry does not care about that..

Originally Posted by SGT

I think we all can pretty much agree on positives and negatives associated with the networks and have each made decisions that are right for us.

If you are a GSP, has anyone read there O&A agreements? Specifically Allstates and how it relates to my original post? The way I read it, I do not see language that prevents you from going back to the customer if they signed that they are satisfied and then go for an inspection and becuase the mechcanic subjective opinion they fail, she inturn is now not satisfied. You might get booted out of the program becuase I believe they reserve the right to do so at any time and this would probably not sit well.

On the retail side now what your thoughts with regard to uncontrollable / uneducated inspectors subjective opinions of repair that fail and send a customer back with a negative outlook on repair?

[splitpit]

Never heard of the 3 strike rule and I've been in business and a netowrk member shop for almost 13 years.

[SGT]

Originally Posted by Coitster

Reminds me why I don't do insurance work anymore.
Coitster

Welcome back buddy. I will give you a hollar later this week.

[splitpit]

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse or create an argument here but there's one thing I don't understand and that is why some shops refuse to be network members and refuse to do insurance work? I have been doing insurance work as a member of nearly every claims network there is for a very long time. Throughout the entire time that I've been doing this, I have only been back charged for a warranty refund two times. Two times. And one of those two was a customer who decided that she simply didn't like the small scar on her glass. The other was a crack repair that failed at the base of a windshield. Two warranty refunds on insurance work out of thousands of repairs. And as I stated in a previous reply, a large number of these referals are ones that come from being selected by the claims network, not because the customer chose us. I would not have had those customers if not for being a network member. In my opinion, the risk involved as a network member of being back charged on repairs is extremely low.

Yes, I know that it is probably just a matter of time before insurance waived deductible repairs go by the wayside. But if you are a new guy starting out in this business, I still recommend that you become a network member and take as much ins. referal work as you can. Each and every one you get is money in the bank as well as gaining you a new future customer, regardless of what the insurance companies do. Don't forget, for every satisfied customer you have, there is a positive residual effect for your business in the form of relatives, neigbors, co-workers, etc, etc, etc, The more business you do, the more business you will receive.

[SGT]

Originally Posted by Glassdoc

Unless it has changed over the past few years, The ins co's have the 3 strike rule.. (3 unsatisfied customers or failed repairs) and your out regardless.. Now, on to the other point you stated. In PA the final paragraph in the State Inspection Guidelines read: The Inspection Mechanic has the final say at his discretion.. That means it does not matter were the repair is located, if he is having a bad day and doesn't want to be fair. It will fail.. But the Insurance industry does not care about that..

3 strike rule I am unaware but interesting. The very nature/limitations of windshield repair lends itself at times to disatisfied customers who expected more than the current technology can provide no matter how well it came out. Sooner than later I think we would all eventually run into three customers that expected a new windshield from the process. Seems a bit drastic and unfair on the networks part.

With regard to inspections, you got it. That is why I am considering a change in my warranty as to not allow the customer to think they will / should pass inspections. We certainly can not overide a mechanics subjective opinion on what is a good repair and what a bad repair is. It leaves us looking bad in the inconvienced customers eye. Granted it is extremely far and few in between and perhaps not worth holding the customer responsible for payment but it is also not worth having a customer feel windshield repair is a not a wise choice.

[SGT]

Originally Posted by splitpit

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse or create an argument here but there's one thing I don't understand and that is why some shops refuse to be network members and refuse to do insurance work? I have been doing insurance work as a member of nearly every claims network there is for a very long time. Throughout the entire time that I've been doing this, I have only been back charged for a warranty refund two times. Two times. And one of those two was a customer who decided that she simply didn't like the small scar on her glass. The other was a crack repair that failed at the base of a windshield. Two warranty refunds on insurance work out of thousands of repairs. And as I stated in a previous reply, a large number of these referals are ones that come from being selected by the claims network, not because the customer chose us. I would not have had those customers if not for being a network member. In my opinion, the risk involved as a network member of being back charged on repairs is extremely low.

Yes, I know that it is probably just a matter of time before insurance waived deductible repairs go by the wayside. But if you are a new guy starting out in this business, I still recommend that you become a network member and take as much ins. referal work as you can. Each and every one you get is money in the bank as well as gaining you a new future customer, regardless of what the insurance companies do. Don't forget, for every satisfied customer you have, there is a positive residual effect for your business in the form of relatives, neigbors, co-workers, etc, etc, etc, The more business you do, the more business you will receive.

I personally agree there is plenty of good to being on with the networks and to this point I am glad I did. I also can see why people would not want to be involved. To each there own. As far as being back charged, for us anyway, it certainly has been far and few in between and does not out weigh the volume of referrals. That was not really my intent of the thread.

If we can get back on track, does anyone have true understanding the agreements we are under?

As for moving forward with insurance/retail customers, I do not feel comfortable allowing a customer to think they will pass inspections becuase my warranty stipulates they will, when in fact it is ultimately up to the inspectors opinion and beyond our control, just becuase I am playing the odds of those that will and those that wont pass. Sure it may only happen once in a blue moon and the dollar ammount is insignificant IMHO compared to the negative impact it has on the customer towards my company and windshield repair should they fail. They probably will never get a WSR again and tell many people of there poor experience even if the service was greatand it really was a great repair. Now, the monitary potential could be substantial. I always ask and hope my customers will spread the word about my company/service in a positive light.

[Dave M]

This may be a bit off the original post but, if your warranty covers passing state inspection, as mine does, regardless of whether it was an insurance or cash job a refund should be given if the repaired area is failing to pass. Should not matter if it is one week after repair or three years. I also have changed the wording on my warranty because of an experience I had a year ago. I mentioned it on this forum at the time!
My last line reads "I must inspect the windshield prior to replacement or guarantee is void." This does two things for me. Gives me a chance to "touch up" the old repair if possible and more importantly verify it is my repair. When I've done this, 99.9% of the time it's the impact point that needs to be refilled, and one that was larger than an pencil eraser. The state inspectors in Maine must go to the same school as the one's in Vermont! Getting very picky.
Do I understand the network contracts? I'm still working on that!

[SGT]

Originally Posted by Dave M

This may be a bit off the original post but, if your warranty covers passing state inspection, as mine does, regardless of whether it was an insurance or cash job a refund should be given if the repaired area is failing to pass. Should not matter if it is one week after repair or three years. I also have changed the wording on my warranty because of an experience I had a year ago. I mentioned it on this forum at the time!
My last line reads "I must inspect the windshield prior to replacement or guarantee is void." This does two things for me. Gives me a chance to "touch up" the old repair if possible and more importantly verify it is my repair. When I've done this, 99.9% of the time it's the impact point that needs to be refilled, and one that was larger than an pencil eraser. The state inspectors in Maine must go to the same school as the one's in Vermont! Getting very picky.
Do I understand the network contracts? I'm still working on that!

I agree if you offer something verbaly or written you should honor it. I try to go to great lenghths to make a customer happy becuase I want them to come back.

I also, since I wrote my original warranty way back included that stipulation that requires inspection prior to refund or otherwise void. You can check out my current warranty on my website for ideas but it will be slightly changing in the near future.