Exactly who are we?

[desertstars]

In a conversation earlier tonight with someone in this business, I predicted that the present S and L dominance of the network system would be as extinct as the Dodo bird in a couple of years.

I also said that if enough independent repair and replacement shops started to practice direct-billing insurance companies, that eventuality could and would be accelerated.

How many snowflakes does it take to transform a snowball into an avalanche?

For us to sit back and await the results of the present Diamond-T lawsuit is an indication of lack of organization, interest, ignorance or a patent disregard for the future.

It is to the advantage of us as well as the insurance companies in this day and age of computers to EDI invoices by use of a billing network.

It is NOT to our advantage to EDI our invoices and our customer lists through a billing network that is one of of our competitors.

That is just plain stupid as well as asinine.

Granted that it is not a simple process to direct bill, anymore.

But, it can be done and IS being done each and every day.

We do it in spite of the headaches.

When that insurance agent tells you that you need to run it through the "network", you tell him that you will the day he offers his customer list to an agent at another insurance company.

When that insurance agent starts to insinuate that either S or L warranties the work, you ask them since when?

They warranty nothing as far as I know.

And when that insurance agent gives you any other kind of flack, you ask them a direct question either in front of your customer or on the phone if you have three-way calling (we do) and preface the question by informing them the conversation will be recorded from that point.

The question is simple: "Are you stating that your customer does NOT have the right to use whomever they want to effect the repair and are you suggesting that we do NOT warranty our work?"

If enough of us direct-bill because we refuse to shunt our invoices and customer lists through a competitor, the insurance companies will finally get the point and set up networks that are truly objective and have no connection whatsover with the w/s industry.

Until they do that, my company will continue to direct-bill them.

Hopefully, we will be joined by other snow-flakes intent on creating the eventual avalanche that will bury this present system and result in a network that will honestly assign windshield work whether it be repair or replacement.

Preferably, a network that will ask certain salient questions designed to isolate whether or not there is a repair possibility and if there is to allow repair techs to make a final determination based on a phone call before turning it back to the network for a replacement.

I guarantee you it is going to happen.

The only question is when as well as when the insurance companies are stopped in their tracks when it comes to passing on their losses by increasing our policy premiums.

They will either figure out themselves or be forced to figure out the amount of monies they pay out every year for windshields that could have been repaired rather than replaced and the amount of lawsuits they settle for some of the shoddy replacements.

I'm not talking about the responsible replacement companies. I'm talking about the fast-buck, bait and switch companies that we all know exist.

Frankly, I don't get it. I see people giving advice as to how to connect with two major networks that suck individual business information when how NOT to deal with those networks could not only benefit the newbies but benefit our trade in the long run.

For what logical reason are we promoting the longevity of our competitors?

I won't apologize for the length because this ain't no simplistic subject.

It is, however, real important to the future of our business and how that future will relate to whether or not we are nothing more than a left tit and second-cousin to the windshield replacement segment.

Desertstars is not compliant to the present system and we will direct-bill with all of the disadvantages and advantages until the insurance companies come to their senses and provide us with an alternative network or networks that do not have sticky-finger access to our business.

Or vested interests in glueing new windshields rather than saving energy by repairing them.

It's as simple as that.

[sydfloyd44]

Holy Bananas Batman!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Working in both Repair and replacement, there are obviously many issues relevant to just one or both. The same result is needed in both!!!

I commend you Desertstars and I cannot state to everyone else how important of a message you just read. It shall be a long, hard, bloody battle ahead! Diamond finally got the craps of the big S and will hopefully give them what they deserve!! Diamond is a "big dog" that can bite back. We all need to be the little dogs in the background supporting the resolution to the problems. The issues are deep and complex. You DO NOT have to be an expert to understand it all, just a desire to STOP GETTING SCREWED!!!

Well said Desertstars!!

[desertstars]

Thanks sydflod. Welcome to the forum.

I like your analogies.

[desertstars]

I looked again at your short message, Sydfloyd because I felt there was something I missed the first time around other than your apt analogy.

And, I realized what it was.

To quote:

"We all need to be the little dogs in the background supporting the resolution to the problems."

In that respect, how many of us have bothered to chronicle our individual experiences with "steering" and outright lies perpetrated by the present networks?

We are "not on the list" or they "may" not warranty their work or we "never heard of THEM" ad nauseum.

I admit that I haven't done so other than recalling or relating off the cuff conversations with network representatives on or aside from this forum with compatriots in this business.

Those network telephone reps don't know our problems! They just know what they've been told to do and say.

Nor do the individual insurance agents until you explain the idiocies resulting from giving their competition the keys to their office files.

Ah. The light goes on in their attic and they can relate.

We need to start making records of our dealings with those networks. We need to get names of those who give us any kind of flak or argument to the insured either from the network or the insurance agent or the insurance company glass desk.

And, we need to e-mail those chronicles to Diamond-T before this seemingly unending lawsuit finally goes to court for final resolution instead of whirling around and biting our own tails in frustation like an unruly pack of rabid dogs.

You are absolutely right.

We need to support the "big dog" in this endeavor. We need to make things happen instead of waiting for them to happen. We need to become proactive.

Take names. Either record the conversation or take short notes along with dates and times.

It was so damned obvious that I forgot to contact Diamond-T with that sort of information.

I'm glad I re-read your post.

I intend to be either along-side or in the fore-front of those who realize the absolute necessity of eradicating this present network system and forcing the insurance companies to substitute an honest network system totally removed from any vested interests in it's place.