Dec. 10, 2019—Ryan Taylor, CEO and founder of BodyShop Booster, has been working on a concept for body shops that would make the process more similar to a doctor's office.
Taylor's idea formats the body shop as a dentist office, in the respect that it collects First Notice of Loss information and the authority to file the claim on behalf of the customer. The service helps alleviate some frustration that can occur when body shop staff members spend time informing the customer of his or her right to repair, and how the process works only to have the customer still need to go the insurance company before scheduling the car.
"Once a customer makes a choice, it's about focusing on how can we streamline and make it really easy for the customer, the body shop and the insurance company" Taylor says.
Taylor discovered his solution when he went to visit his dentist and reflected on how fast and easy the process was for him.
Taylor says BodyShop Booster has been beta-testing the concept with shops for about two years. They've also opened up an organization called the Insurance Claims Bureau, a non-profit organization that will help body shops and customers streamline the shop experience.
"We're taking on shops right now that want to make this part of their daily workload," he says. "It's limited but we've hired teams of insurance adjusters who will actually take the first notice of loss and handle the claim on behalf of the customer."
In the process, the FNOL and claim would go to a team of licensed insurance adjusters who would then file the claim, and handle the paperwork. While the claim is with the adjuster, the body shop can go ahead and schedule the repair for the customer.
"It's been challenging for shops just because they feel like they're not in control of their business -- and that's something we want to help them take back," Taylor says.
Overall, the process aims to help accelerate the claims handling and all the front-end pieces of the repair, Taylor says. Through the bureau, the car is not waiting for weeks for approval. And, on, the customer service side, it helps create a one-stop call for the customer.
"Basically one call does it all," Taylor says. "No one's waiting on hold to file the FNOL."
The predicted launch date would be in 2020, Taylor says. His goal is to grow to 150 shops in the beta-tests by the first quarter and then he hopes to open the service to the public.
