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SMYRNA, Del. – The Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) announced that, as projected in a release in June 2008, it has processed more than 1,000 inquiries, a milestone for the breakout initiative that comes before the close of its first full year of operation.
“Inspiring,” says Darrell Amberson of the DEG Joint Operating Committee (JOC). “The three national trade associations joined together for this initiative to offer a service to the industry that we believed would improve the communication process as it related to collision estimating data. With no other similar initiative in place it made it difficult in the beginning for us to effectively project how successful the endeavor would be and if, and how quickly, it would establish itself within the industry to accomplish its goal. Clearly at the end of the first year, we are elated that we have achieved this level of use and even more so with the impact this initiative has had on the industry.”
Nick Kostakis, fellow DEG JOC member adds, “The DEG relies upon several things for it to effectively work. We want to recognize that without the industry utilizing the DEG for their questions and communications with the Information Providers the success of this initiative would not be possible. Similarly, without the support, cooperation, and dedicated efforts of Audatex, CCC/MOTOR, and Mitchell we would be left with a whole lot of unanswered questions. Thank you to all that have been involved in the process for helping us realize the success that we have had in this first year. We look forward to continued growth and impact next year!”
The formation of the DEG has been often credited as a logical extension to the success of volunteer efforts led by March Taylor prior to the DEG’s creation. March inspired many initiatives because of his unrelenting belief that a single individual could in fact make a difference. In recognition of the spirit in which the foundation of the DEG was established, the Joint Operating Committee would be pleased to recognize two individuals within the industry who have exemplified good industry stewardship by submitting the leading volume of inquiries through the DEG website. It is with great appreciation that the DEG would like to personally thank Benjamin Stephens, Manager of North Star Automotive in Bethlehem, PA, and Patrick Burke, Estimator at Olsen Auto Body & Collision in Bellingham, WA, for their individual efforts to improve database accuracy.
While the first year comes to a close with this accomplishment, those involved in this project recognize that there is still significant room for growth and an opportunity for the industry to take greater advantage of communicating questions and concerns with the Information Providers in regard to the estimating data.
“One-thousand inquiries is an accomplishment all of us are incredibly proud to see come to fruition,” says Barry Dorn, DEG JOC member, “but we also realize that we are only currently capitalizing on a small percentage of the inquiries that potentially exist. Our hope is that as the successes of the DEG are relayed throughout the industry more individuals will take advantage of opportunities available to them, such as the DEG, to proactively communicate with the Information providers in the interest of helping to achieve the most accurate data possible.”
The DEG is focused on continued processing of inquiries from the estimating system end user, and to continue to find opportunities to address real world concerns through proactive communication between the end user and the respective Information Providers. While the DEG has been met with tremendous approval from those who have utilized the online system, they continue to work on initiatives to educate the industry on the availability of this resource.
For more information about the DEG, or if you have an inquiry regarding estimating software data, please visit www.degweb.org.
