LAS VEGAS, Oct. 30, 2018—Clint Marlow from Allstate, led the first panel of the 2018 CIC meetings' afternoon session.
A group of panelists consisting of representatives from Allstate, Progressive, collision repair body shop, and businesses like Catastrophe Solutions International discussed the topic of using third-party to help in damage assessment and more.
Chris Andreoli, Progressive Insurance, shared that a third-party provider advantage is providing cost-savings when a shop gets hit with more claims than expected.
Matthew McDonnell of Big Sky Collision had the challenge to represent all repairers on the panel. He said that an advantage to third-party carriers and working with them make it possible for a shop to work on one carrier's car and be busy. A disadvantage to the process is not knowing what the customer expects and whether they feel like they are being treated just a like a claim.
Brandon Eckenrode, director of development for Collision Repair Education Foundation went on stage towards the end of the meeting to introduce a surprise guest. He said that CREF is getting more and more calls in which instructors are saying that if they do not get more students, they will be shut down.
"We're in crisis mode," Eckenrode said.
He said that a collision repair shop owner can make a difference simply by freshening the shop with a new coat of paint and make it look more appealing for students who go on tours to the shops.
Eckenrode's guest, Jo Boden from Aims Community College in Windsor, Colo., and past recipient of 3M Hire Our Heroes veteran family member scholarship and tool grant, shared her experience in the automotive industry and how she would not be able to finish her schooling without the scholarship.
