Certified Standards: Beyond the initial qualifications and basic requirements,qualified repair businesses of Assured Performance Network must meet a tiered set of standards to gain "Certified" status. Each area adds to the accumulative overall rating.

• Collision Care and Auto Care
  • Do your adjustors or sales people have training and exact procedures for selling according to your philosophy and company approach?
    
  • Does your sales staff offer extra services, add-ons or up-sells?
    
  • Do you have a Customer e-Newsletter?
    
  • Do you have sublet contractors for towing, rental, glass, mechanical repair, alignment, full service, tires and other auto needs?
    
  • Do you have the ability to perform express repairs?
    
  • Do you send special announcements to your past customers that offer additional services?
    
  • Do you have an active Collision and Auto Care Membership Program with a sales process for your current and past customers?
    
  • Do you have on-line trading and e-commerce ability?
    
  • Do you have advertising and marketing campaigns?
    
  • Do your advertisements describe the services you offer? (Repairs, paint, details, mechanical, etc.) And does it provide directions or location information?
    
  • Do you have a Customer Relations Management System (electronic CRMS) with all of the names and addresses of your customers, and scheduled follow-up calls or contacts?
    
  • Do you have complete vendor inventory for all customer transportation needs?
    
  • Do you have an 800 number, and a 24/7 call center support for interested customers?
    
  • Do your sales people/estimators use daily telemarketing follow-up call lists?
    
  • Do you measure and monitor closing ratios for DRP and Non-DRP sales?
    
  • Have you identified the markets that you want to reach with advertising? (E.g. new domestic vehicle owners who live or work within a four-mile radius.)
    
  • Do you have a marketing and advertising plan geared towards those markets?
    
  • Do you offer Auto Care Services and retail products beyond collision repair and refinishing?
    
  • Do you have an 800 number referral service with rental car coordination and towing dispatch?
    
  • Do you have participation in network wide warrantee?
    
  • Do you have email addresses and profiles on all of your customers for the last 2 years?
    
  • Do you have scheduled contact for all of your customers that still live in your area? (e.g. birthdays, holidays, re- inspections, additional services,)
    
  • Do you have displays offering complementary services such as detailing, body tune-ups or 30-day re-inspections?
    
  • Assured Performance "Certified Standards"
    
  • Performance is Assured
    
  • Peace-of-Mind is Assured
    
  • Do you collect the email addresses for all of your customers?
    
  • Do you have email addresses and web links for all of your vendors?
    
  • Are the marketing and advertising mediums that you are using appealing to the markets you are trying to reach?
    
  • Do you go out into the community to local schools, civic groups and professional organizations to educate them on collision repair?
  • Have you conducted an open-house for your community, potential customers, etc, within the last 18 months?
    
  • Do you conduct car care clinics at least once each year?
    
  • Do you offer and display retail auto care products that your customers might be enticed to purchase?
    
  • Do you run a waiting room video, offer a Kiosk or similar, so customers can watch a professional demonstration of the repair process and learn more about your business, and purchase retail products beyond collision repair and refinish?
    
  • Do you offer new and used car sales opportunities with special pricing or treatment for your past and potential customers?
    
  • Do you have the ability to manage a flat rate billing and repair program based upon categorized capitation and categories of repair?
    
  • Do you offer an express service?
    
  • Do you offer a specialized higher level or lower level service other than the main services normally provided?
    
  • Are you able to participate in a national warrantee and arbitration service on repairs?
    
  • Are you actively conducting a marketing campaign targeting vehicle drivers?
    
  • Do you offer other services besides collision repair?
    
  • Do you offer valet service for your customers?
• Image and Presentation
  • Do you have an employee lounge/lunchroom/training area separate from the normal work and office areas?
    
  • Do you have mandatory office apparel or uniforms?
    
  • Do your technicians wear clean uniforms with appropriate badges?
    
  • Do you have a mission statement that outlines your commitment to service, quality and customer satisfaction?
    
  • Is your parking lot free of cracks and potholes?
    
  • Is your parking area landscaped?
    
  • Are the exterior plants well cared for and otherwise presentable?
    
  • Do you have a sign explaining your "door rate"?
    
  • Do you have a viewing area for your customers to see the repair and refinish process?
    
  • Do you have an area designated for children to play with toys (safety approved toys) so they won't be tempted to play with your computers or distract their parents during the sales or estimating process?
    
  • Collision Care and Auto Care - Continued...
    
  • Are there signs directing customers where to park?
    
  • Are all cracks in the shop floor patched?
    
  • Is the work area properly lit to provide a bright work environment?
    
  • Are there signs directing your customers where to park for estimates?
    
  • Is your business signage professionally prepared in coordinating colors to your business, logo, and marketing material?
    
  • Is your business sign visible from the street at least one block away in both directions?
    
  • Is your signage and store front well lit?
    
  • Is your sign free from peeling paint, cracks or chips?
    
  • Is your signage free from burned out lights?
    
  • Page
  • Is the exterior of your building painted in attractive, coordinated colors?
    
  • Is the building free from peeling paint, cracks or chips?
    
  • Do you have a paved parking lot?
    
  • Are there signs directing your customers to the lobby?
    
  • Is your reception counter inviting and friendly, and not a barrier between you and your customers?
    
  • Is there adequate, comfortable seating that is clean and presentable?
    
  • Do you have a clean restroom that is available for your customers and guests? Do you have handicap access?
    
  • Are the interior walls clean and free from peeling or chipped paint, plaster, or wallpaper?
    
  • Are all of your signs positive and professional?
    
  • Have you removed all signs, posters and calendars, which could be found offensive or in bad taste?
    
  • Do you display your up to date training and education certificates that you and your employees have earned?
    
  • Is there a sign explaining what the certificates are or what they mean?
    
  • Are all employees, including technicians, trained in how to answer phones?
    
  • Do you have displayed any community or professional affiliations you might belong to, such as: Rotary, Kiwanis, and Chamber of Commerce?
    
  • If you are in a multi-lingual neighborhood, are your signs printed in the appropriate languages?
    
  • Do you have "easy-to-read" signs that state your business hours?
    
  • Are your emergency phone numbers displayed on the exterior of your building?
    
  • Do you have a reception or lobby area, or office in which to greet customers or guests that is separate from the shop area?
    
  • Is your lobby or office area, neat, clean, well organized and free from shop noise and odors?
    
  • Is the shop clean, organized and safe?
    
  • Do you have fresh flowers and other pleasantries displayed?
    
  • Do you provide refreshments such as coffee, tea or soft drinks?
    
  • Is this refreshment area kept stocked and cleaned throughout the day?
  • Do you have any displays that explain the repair process such as brochures, before and after photos, or testimonials?
    
  • Is the interior of your paint room clean and properly ventilated?
    
  • Is your reception area decorated in (at least) a modest or contemporary fashion?
    
  • Do you have a separate and secure vehicle storage area that is not unsightly to the passing traffic or customers visiting the business?
    
  • Do you provide an area for adjusters to park?
    
  • Do you provide space for adjusters to work in the office?
    
  • Do you have a consistent and defined marketing message?
    
  • Image and Presentation Continued...
    
  • Are your vendors, suppliers and other trading partners automated, organized, reputable, and in compliance with all business requirements?
  • Do you meet regularly with insurance company representatives, vendors, other business professionals, civic groups, and government representatives?
    
  • If you run print or broadcast advertising including magazines, newspapers, flyers, yellow pages, cable television, and/or radio, are the advertisements easy to read and understand?
    
  • In addition to the name of the company and the phone numbers, do your marketing advertisements project an image of friendliness and service?
    
  • Are you advertising in a publication that correctly represents the image you are trying to project?
• Quality Assurance
  • Do you have a Quality Assurance Program functionally implemented?
    
  • Does your Quality Assurance Program include periodic re-inspection?
    
  • Do you have quality repair and refinish standards and procedures for all tasks to be performed?
    
  • Do you have a Production Tracking System including vehicle delivery and process tracking?
    
  • Can you add on multiple shifts when necessary to absorb high volume?
    
  • Do you have a system to ensure that any problems or defects reported and identified by the customer, inspector or insurance representative, is immediately corrected?
    
  • Are your standards and procedures posted?
    
  • Does the detailer have a checklist of procedures to follow?
    
  • Do you regularly measure your shop's production efficiency?
    
  • Does your sales staff follow a pre-repair checklist?
    
  • Image and Presentation Continued...
    
  • Are tours of your shop conducted (if permitted by insurance carrier)?
    
  • Do you have a secure area to store customer valuables from the vehicle with a check-in process?
    
  • Do you have an electronic measuring and monitoring system that automatically watches and alerts you related to variances on: Cycle time, efficiency, and other productivity benchmarks?
• Satisfaction Assurance
  • Does your staff explain what is expected from the customer in terms of deductibles and other responsibilities?
    
  • Do you agree to and adhere to a code of ethics?
    
  • Do your adjusters or sales people present themselves as expert consultants?
    
  • Does your staff use systems or procedures to educate and guide the customer through the process? Do you make appointments for evenings or weekends, if that is convenient for the customer?
    
  • If and when conflicts or disputes arise with vendors, adjusters, or customers, do you have a special office or private area to deal with these problems that is out of earshot of other people in your reception area?
    
  • Do you have a system to ensure that your customers are received promptly and in a courteous manner?
    
  • Do you have job tracking with related customer communications?
    
  • Do all employees that interface with customers follow a method of selling the vehicle back to your customer?
    
  • Do you have an area for customers to have their estimate written that is protected from the weather conditions (drive- in)?
  • Do you have written agreements and/or policies with the vendors, insurers and other trading partners in order to reduce the risk of misunderstandings and conflicts? (Are all financial or property arrangements in writing)
    
  • Do your employees have a follow-up procedure after the vehicle is delivered?
    
  • Do you send thank you letters and seasonal cards to your past customers?
    
  • Do you have a CSA program (Customer Satisfaction Assurance) ?
    
  • CSI Measurement with voice-to-voice status reminders (as scheduled), or email equivalent job tracking and/or Web?
    
  • Do you have telephone follow-up on all sales and CSI?
    
  • Do you have an active appointment calendar that you use to schedule estimating, pickup and delivery appointments?
    
  • In the event that a salesperson, adjuster or manager is unavailable, is the office staff trained and authorized to answer inquiries?
    
  • Is your staff trained to handle irate or upset callers?
    
  • Is your staff trained and authorized to make customer satisfaction decisions?
    
  • Are your estimates computer-generated, legible, readable and understandable?
    
  • Do you offer Valet Service (pick-up and de livery form home or place of work)?
• Training, Education and Employee Development
  • Do you employ a zero tolerance for fraud by any and all staff members?
    
  • Do you have career paths, titles and job descriptions for each employee?
    
  • Do you have Internal Training System and External training tracking that matches your skills inventory?
    
  • Do you have Skills Inventory and Total Skill coverage?
    
  • Do you have education and training provided for every job in your business as part of an internal training department?
    
  • Do you have education and training provided for production management?
    
  • Do you train your technicians on all posted processes, rules and procedures?
    
  • Are employees held accountable for their actions (rewarded for compliance, reprimanded for noncompliance)?
    
  • Do you have education and ongoing training for your office staff?
    
  • Do you have formal training on customer service?
    
  • Do you have formal training on sales techniques?
    
  • Do you have staff training on all SOPs?
    
  • Have all shop management attended educational programs within the last 24 months?
    
  • Do you have a zero tolerance drug policy for all employees?
    
  • Do you offer fraud training to all staff?
    
  • Is your workforce segmented into ranking skill levels with compensation that adjusts according to the skill level?
    
  • Do you assign portions and segments of an overall repair to various technicians according to their skill level, whereas multiple technicians will work on multiple aspects of the repair?
    
  • Do you have a complete inventory of what the proper tools and equipment must be for each technician depending upon their skill level?
• Tools, Equipment Organization and Business Development
  • Do you have SOPs for every task as required on your job descriptions and matching training for each item throughout the business operations?
    
  • Do you have an electronic Production Tracking System including vehicle delivery and process tracking?
    
  • Do you have benchmarks of Key Performance Indicators (KPI), and regularly compare those with other similar type operations and your own past performance?
    
  • Do you have a filing system and defined office organization?
    
  • Are all tools and equipment properly stored when not in use?
    
  • Do you have job descriptions for all employees that include itemized tasks, checklists, and forms for all tasks?
    
  • Do you ensure that each technician has all of the proper tools needed, and has their tool box organized for maximum efficiency?
    
  • Are technicians' tools properly stored in an organized toolbox, and maintained in proper working order?
    
  • Do you have defined business organization and maintenance system that is accessible to all staff such as EOM, eBOSS or APEX equivalent?
    
  • If you have multiple shop operations are they all operated according to consistent work product, customer service, vendor handling and insurer/appraiser handling throughout your network?
    
  • Do you have advertising and marketing campaigns, and plans for a three year period?
    
  • Do you have Hi-speed Internet access (where available)?
    
  • Do you have Web site and linkage to related key organizations and strategic partners?
    
  • Do you have all of your vendors inventoried in a database (CMS)?
    
  • Do you have Electronic Claims Processing?
    
  • Do you have computer workstations for all employees or at least all work areas that might require access to a computer?
    
  • Do you have a Project Management System?
    
  • Do you measure and monitor cycle time, efficiency, and other productivity benchmarks?
    
  • Do you regularly measure your business in terms of turn rate?
    
  • Do you regularly measure dollars per day?
    
  • Do you have a system to automatically and regularly monitor your profit? Per Job? Daily? Monthly? Yearly?
    
  • Do you have comparative performance tracki ng benchmarking (regional, local and national)?
    
  • Do you have financial forecasts for the next year?
    
  • Do you have budgets for the next year?
    
  • Do you have electronic workstations and full computer access for all of your staff, including email addresses and an automated email system that checks emails at least every 30 minutes?

Corporate Office
1350 Reynolds Ave. Ste 101
Irvine, CA 92614 (map)

949 221-0088 Phone
800 397-5505 Toll Free
949 266-8417 Fax