Collision repair estimating is a combination of art and science. Science consists of provable and repeatable rules for the way things work. Art consists of personal opinion and judgment for the way things are done. Estimating is a little bit of both. The science part is the same for everybody. The art part is different for everybody.
The art of personal opinion and judgment depend on many variables, including knowledge, experience, personality and company policies. Each of these and more may affect the way one would inspect collision damage, decide about repairs and choose cost amounts. Consistency may be found with the way an individual or an office staff makes decisions, but consistency among the wide variety of estimators out there today is near impossible. Hence, there is plenty of room for disagreement.
There is also plenty of room for improvement, but that all has to be done at the local level. Work at consistency within your shop or office, work with your relationships from the other side, and work within your local market conditions. There is plenty of room for agreement, too.
The science of provable and repeatable rules comes with estimating systems, known as procedure pages. These are the rules of the game and may be different between estimating systems, but they are consistent within each one. Not only have Procedure Pages (P-Pages) grown in size and complexity throughout the years, but they have also grown more accessible.
Procedure Pages are there for estimators to understand the rules of the game. Using these as a guide to more effectively estimate damage should make the whole process more consistent. But is this easier said than done?
Actually, it’s done easier today than ever. In this information age, accessibility is available, although a little effort is needed. You can have the latest P-Pages as close as your computer screen with a few keystrokes and a few file downloads. You can get them from the following Web sites:
ADP: http://www.training.adpclaims.com
MOTORS: http://www.motor.com
Mitchell: https://www.mitchell.com/support/kbcenter.cfm
With these, you can support your decision by simply printing the appropriate page. Electronically, it could go in your file notes.
Now how about the rules for individual parts on individual vehicles? These are additions and exceptions to P-Pages for a specific vehicle. These notes are the ones that tell you this fender labor is after front bumper R&I or this vehicle’s headlamp replacement labor includes R&I grille. These notes can be important information for subsequent users of that estimate by instantly justifying decisions about additional or R&I operations.
Although it would be convenient to simply print a report of labor and part notes, that is not available…yet. However, as Windows programs, information can be used for more than simply reading. “Copy & Paste” comes in handy here. Notes could be shown right on the estimate print with just a little extra effort. If it helps answer a question before it is asked, it may be worth it.
On Mitchell’s system highlight the note text and hit both and keys simultaneously to copy the note. On the damage line, right-click and select “Add Explanation Line” and hit both and keys simultaneously to paste the note text in it.
On CCC’s system highlight the note text and hit both and keys simultaneously to copy the note. On the damage line, right-click and select “Estimate Line Notes” and hit both and keys simultaneously to paste the note text in it.
ADP’s system has no labor notes. There are some part notes for selection decisions, including Information Label descriptions, Order by Color parts, and Gold/Chrome choices. These cannot be copied, but could be simply retyped into the estimate line Remarks.
We have the rules of the game. As an industry it would make sense to apply the science as designed and tune-up the art side to be as consistent as possible.
“Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest.”
— Mark Twain
