Pre-accident damage, or not?

Listening to our users we hear stories about customers who point out "extra" damage when they collect their vehicles after a repair which, the customers claim, wasn't there when the vehicle went in to the bodyshop.

Although many repairers may already have some kind of vehicle handover check, we've found that quite a few of these are based on outdated forms, and there doesn't appear to be any fixed processes in place to make sure that every vehicle is thoroughly and systematically checked for unrelated damage.

When a customer starts claiming that additional damage has been caused while the vehicle was in for repair, and there are inadequate records of the vehicle's condition when it arrived on-site, many repairers end up having to undertake additional work just to keep an insurer or a customer happy, and have to foot the bill themselves.

To address this problem Motex EasiEst have developed a very simple and easy to use PDA (palm top) system, called VIS-IT, which encourages the user to complete a quick vehicle condition report, in a standard format, when a customer hands over their vehicle, and collects a courtesy car.

The new VIS-IT system enables the user to capture all of the vehicle and damage information, clearly showing what's part of the repair, and what is unrelated, and also allows for photographs to be taken and tied up to the report.

When completing the report, the repairer is encouraged to up-sell it's services by offering the customer a quote for any un-related damage, and this request can be automatically sent to the estimators for them to action. Once the information has been captured, the customer electronically accepts the content of the report by signing their name on the screen.

The handheld system transmits the completed report, and photos, back to the Motex bodyshop management system and a copy of the report, pictures and, optionally, a copy of the repairer's terms and conditions, are automatically emailed to the customer.

This report is then stored against the job file on the management system and can be viewed, along with the photos, at any point in the future.

The VIS-IT system can also download the customer's details and admin data from the management system to provide a useful paper-free tool for drivers involved in collecting and delivering courtesy, and customer's, vehicles.

Motex have purposely designed the VIS-IT PDA system as a standalone product so that it can be integrated with any bodyshop management system. We've published a standard import / export routine which could be easily integrated into other systems, and we're pleased to make this available to anyone who would like to benefit from this new system.

Like all the other Motex EasiEst products, there are no big investments required to start using the VIS-IT system, as it will run on the majority of modern PDA's, or even smart phones, and is available for a small monthly licence fee. It's already beginning to demonstrate that it can more than pay for itself through savings made by avoiding having to undertake unrelated work, and increased revenue through up-selling labour to customers for old damage.

VIS-IT is the perfect solution for anyone involved in courtesy cars, hire cars, or vehicle collection/transportation/delivery. VIS-IT provides a uniform and transparent way of controlling your vehicles, capturing customer and driver signatures, and taking photographs of existing vehicle damage.

VIS-IT's capabilities would benifit many companies within the motor industry:

• Accident Repairers
  VIS-IT will help prevent you being held accountable for pre-accident damage and could generate additional chargable work.
  
• Auction Houses
  VIS-IT will record the condition of vehicles for auction and export inspection details into your aution list.
  
• Finance Companies
  VIS-IT will help track the location and condition of financed vehicles thereby protecting your investment.
  
• Fleet Companies
  VIS-IT will help track the location and condition of your entire fleet collating the information centrally.
  
• Hire Companies
  VIS-IT can cross-reference pre and post-hire vehicle condition ensuring damage is charged where applicable.
  
• Parking Enforcement Agencies
  VIS-IT can record the condition of the vehicle prior to tow away thereby combating claims against you for pre-collection damage.
  
• Transport Companies
  VIS-IT will help track vehicle transportation and condition ensuring pre-collection damage is not charged to you.
  

VIS-IS has been designed to:

• Prevent Problems.
  VIS-IT logs vehicle damage to the party that actually caused the damage, thereby protecting the innocent party.
  
• Generate Work.
  VIS-IT allows pre-collection damage to be identified and quoted for, which could be converted into additional repair work.
  
• Be Customised.
  VIS-IT can be tailored to meet and match your own precise inspection procedures.
  
• Be Transparent.
  VIS-IT's clear and understandable inspection process ensures a standardised, reliable and provable vehicle condition/inspection.
  
• Be Quick and Easy.
  VIS-IT has been designed so that inspections are carried out to an exact standard in an efficient and orderly procedure.
  
• Include Integrated Images.
  VIS-IT allows images/photographs to be electronically attached to inspections.
  
• Capture Signature Confirmation.
  VIS-IT can capture the signature of both the inspector and the driver/customer to ensure future accountability.
  

Additional Information

• Vehicle Inspection System Demonstration
• Price List
• Reseller Commission Program