Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Body Shop Information on Display at NADA

Auto dealers can find out how their bodyshops can easily connect with more collision-repair jobs at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) convention Jan. 24-27.

A Web referral service called SceneExchange will be demonstrated by parent company Scene Genesis Inc. This Web portal lets insurance-company customers choose a body shop online. NADA attendees can visit booth 947 for a demonstration and one of two chances to win $150 Golf Galaxy gift cards.

“SceneExchange lets us increase our marketing via the Internet without taking time from anyone here,” said Ted James, body shop manager at Cook-Whitehead Ford in Panama City, Fla. “It gives us the chance to get exposure to owners who do not have a shop in mind.”

Participating insurance companies’ customers who’ve had a car accident use SceneExchange to choose their shop online. The repair price is set by an independent appraiser.

SceneExchange then alerts participating local body shops, which view the appraisal and compete for the business based on turnaround time and service. The vehicle owner goes online to review the shops' proposals and information about their training and warranty policies, and check ratings from other SceneExchange customers who've used the shop.

“By choosing to submit proposals only on jobs that we are interested in, it lets the vehicle owners know that we are really interested in helping them get their vehicles back on the road--that we have their interest at heart,” James said. “We also can put information about our shop and certifications online right where the customer can review them easily.

James and SceneExchange were featured in an article in Automotive News on Jan. 5. “We’re always glad to share this cutting-edge technology with body shop managers and insurance companies,” said Chrisa Hickey, Scene Genesis' director of product management. “It changes the way business is done in the collision repair industry.”

For more information, visit www.scenegenesis.com and www.sceneexchange.com.

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