I HATE NETWORKS CUSTOMER SERVICE

[dgarza]

I'm just starting out in this business and so far every single call to any network that's made takes forever cause they want to talk to the cust right away and wont let me give them any information. I think these networks can be a good thing as far as getting us paid quickly and having our shop info in their system but they need to come up with a policy that we can speak on behalf of the cust. I mean it sucks when I've already went through all the custs info yet they talk to the cust and confuse them by asking questions that I have already asked in a different way. In my opinion these network cust service lines are there for us as shop owners not for custs because we can answer their questions in a much more accurate and timely way than the cust. If this doesn't change I'm going to have to prep every single cust before the phone call just to make it go smoothly and frankly I hate to do that cause that will give the impression that this is a shady deal! I wish we could all do a conference call with all these networks and repair shops to get this straightened out. I think that might be wishful thinking.

[GlassStarz]

I think the way to speed up the networks is to begin the conversation with" I JUST FINISHED A REPAIR FOR YOU CUSTOMER AND NEED AN AUTHORIZATION NUMBER HERES THE CUSTOMER" then put the customer on line. The repair material costs less than a buck what do you have to lose fixxing it first? a couple minutes time less than a dollar in material for the potential of $50-$90 well DUH! thats easy to decide. And just so you know they arnt phycic they are going to need the customers information from the customer whether its been given to you or not my point is fix and worry about getting paid later and all insurance companys have a different way of processing thier claims some need alot of info some dont need anything other than the policy # get used to it its how the world turns. Personnaly this is the reason I use ACT no brain damage no worrying about getting paid I repair it and move on and after all who in thier right mind would want to spend any time at all talking to insurance weinies? 8)

[desertstars]

GlassStarz.

How much are you paying ACT now?

[mafsu]

Dgarza have you read the archives on this forum? Never mind that just pull up desert's old posts. It's much more than wishful thinking, you have more luck getting ruby slippers and clicking the heels together. If you agree with glassstarz, make an experiment of your next insurance job. Do the repair, get the customer's insurance info, Send your bill directly to the customer's insurance agent. I don't do a lot of insurance work, mostly fleet. I do about half a dozen ins. jobs a month. I have been billing the ins. companies directly for about six months. Only problem I can recall is Nationwide calling to ask if they needed to send the check to the customer or me. An added perk is they usually pay in half the time of the networks.

[GlassStarz]

if you call up and get a authorization number its $7.95 otherwise $14.95 for ACT I hate paperwork and refuse to waste my time on it the price is well worth it to me. Sice i wont do paperwork ever I would have to pay someone to do it its easier to go the ACT way for me

[desertstars]

Thnx, GlassStarz.

ACT does save a lot of steps.

The strange thing is that when dealing with LYNX, one actually does not need an authorization number in order to bill through them. I pulled out of Safelite a long time ago but still get referrals from Lynx. (They are definitely not as outrageous when it comes to steering.)

We are listed with them as repair only and when we perform a replacement they say we are not approved every time. Kind of embarrassing when the customer is also on the line. I lost my temper a few times but never the job.

When not billing the insurance company direct for some reason or another, I just fax the invoice to Lynx with no authorization number and they pay it every time.

The down-side to that is the $7.50 fee since Datatranz won't forward it without an authorization number.

Strange world we live in.

[AutoEgo]

I was using ACT. The operative word is was. Why give them 7 to 14 dollars for 2 minutes worth of youir time. The networks have ways for yoiu to submit invoices online now. It takes no time to do this and you can track yoiur invoices after they are submitted. If I can do this, anyone can. I hate paperwork with a passion, but this is just too easy not to take advantage of.

Sean

[GlassStarz]

Auto
But you still doing paperwork that way. You have to sit down and fill out forms on the computor or fill out a form and fax it somewher then track things call on the ones that havnt been paid basic buisness stuff. I dont do any of that I literaly did every insurance repair last month without picking up a pen if its a pre aprov I have them fax it to ACT otherwise I just hand the phone to the customer. I go to work at 11 usualy leave by 3 do 4-5 repairs while im there and go home never think about them again until I cash the check they send twice a week. If I were to go the dirrect deposit route I wouldnt even have the paperwork of a check works for me . Leaves me more time to spend with my 15 yr old son ( we lost his 17 yr old brother to meningitis in sept) and time to work on my art $1000 a week and no brain damage.

[BushWacke]

GlassStarz

Are you saying that we can make the call to the insurance company and then send that information to ACT and reduce the price we pay them from $14.95 to $7.95?? If this is so, then how difficult is that to deal with the insurance company and get the authorization number? I am curently going the entire route with ACT but if I could reduce that number by almost 50% then why not. Seems like it is a no brainer unless the insurance company is difficult to deal with.

[GlassStarz]

Your right if you have a authorization # from the customer its only 7.95 instead of calling act 1st call the number on the back of the customers card start the repair first so you cant be steered its simple my name is --- im in the middle of a repair for your customer here they are and hand them the phone have the insurance company fax the approval to ACT call ACT when the customer is done with thier ins cpny give them the info and app # you cut your costs in half. its a 2 minute call to ACT if you have pre approval. So if it bothers you to pay $14.95 there is another way for less its a hair more bother but if you do 5 a day ya save $35 50 a month is $350 its your call. 8)