Posted: January 17th, 2004, 11:36 pm
Look.
We have a bunch of posts concerning networks, again.
Let's forget either primary "network" for a moment and talk about the concept of networks generically instead of specifically.
A topic I was told had been beaten to death a month or so ago by me and my vociferous posts in that regard.
Yeah, sure.
Not according to the posts I've seen since I supposedly whipped that horse to death.
I'll talk about it anyway.
In the olden days, there were no networks, middle-men, or faxes to EDI conversion companies.
The insurance agent gave you a customer or you found the customer.
In the latter case, you verified coverage, the agent gave you the job, you performed the job, you either faxed or mailed the invoce to the agent or the insurance company's glass desk.
That procedure can still be accomplished with little or more problems than you encounter talking to some idiot on the other end of a network phone call who doesn't know a windshield from a side-lite but only knows that they can't give you a dispatch number because you aren't an "approved" member.
Implied character assassination and slander within itself.
Or that THEY won't guarantee the job or your integrity.
They don't GUARANTEE either even if you are a member to begin with.
In the beginning days, networks gave you leads and it was advantageous to join them. That happened for only a short time until they set up their own un-official sub-networks in place to whom they began to steer jobs to.
The reasons for the fact that leads from them are scarcer then hen's teeth at this stage should be obvious and evident to anyone who bothers to research as to who own's and controls those networks.
If you get a lead from a network today, it is either because you do business in an area where your basic bills are paid by milking cows or you are in the primary business of replacing certain windshields with certain logos.
Their windshields.
There is absolutely no reason to ally yourself with or to join a network other than the two reasons above.
None and none whatsoever.
Unless you are receiving plenty of jobs from that network.
Otherwise, don't join in the first place or terminate your contract if you are already a member and direct bill the insurance company.
The ONLY network we will ever join again is one with NO connection whatsoever to the replacement industry either directly or indirectly.
Anyone interested in how to direct bill should start another post in re that subject. I'll contribute my share and I'm sure I'll learn some good hints in that regard, myself.
And, you want to see a damned good reason why there might be some appeal to an agent to circumvent a network?
Check Sean's (AutoEgo) post concerning the loss/ratio and the 100 bucks an agent is debited for a 50 or 60 dollar repair as opposed to billing him direct.
We have a bunch of posts concerning networks, again.
Let's forget either primary "network" for a moment and talk about the concept of networks generically instead of specifically.
A topic I was told had been beaten to death a month or so ago by me and my vociferous posts in that regard.
Yeah, sure.
Not according to the posts I've seen since I supposedly whipped that horse to death.
I'll talk about it anyway.
In the olden days, there were no networks, middle-men, or faxes to EDI conversion companies.
The insurance agent gave you a customer or you found the customer.
In the latter case, you verified coverage, the agent gave you the job, you performed the job, you either faxed or mailed the invoce to the agent or the insurance company's glass desk.
That procedure can still be accomplished with little or more problems than you encounter talking to some idiot on the other end of a network phone call who doesn't know a windshield from a side-lite but only knows that they can't give you a dispatch number because you aren't an "approved" member.
Implied character assassination and slander within itself.
Or that THEY won't guarantee the job or your integrity.
They don't GUARANTEE either even if you are a member to begin with.
In the beginning days, networks gave you leads and it was advantageous to join them. That happened for only a short time until they set up their own un-official sub-networks in place to whom they began to steer jobs to.
The reasons for the fact that leads from them are scarcer then hen's teeth at this stage should be obvious and evident to anyone who bothers to research as to who own's and controls those networks.
If you get a lead from a network today, it is either because you do business in an area where your basic bills are paid by milking cows or you are in the primary business of replacing certain windshields with certain logos.
Their windshields.
There is absolutely no reason to ally yourself with or to join a network other than the two reasons above.
None and none whatsoever.
Unless you are receiving plenty of jobs from that network.
Otherwise, don't join in the first place or terminate your contract if you are already a member and direct bill the insurance company.
The ONLY network we will ever join again is one with NO connection whatsoever to the replacement industry either directly or indirectly.
Anyone interested in how to direct bill should start another post in re that subject. I'll contribute my share and I'm sure I'll learn some good hints in that regard, myself.
And, you want to see a damned good reason why there might be some appeal to an agent to circumvent a network?
Check Sean's (AutoEgo) post concerning the loss/ratio and the 100 bucks an agent is debited for a 50 or 60 dollar repair as opposed to billing him direct.