Collision Estimating is NOT About Vehicle Damage

There isn't just one person or department that is most important to a shop. Everyone is equally important, from the estimator to the detailer. Example, the estimator can write all the fantastic money making estimates for all assigned cars, but who's going to repair that car? No money exist until that car leaves the shop repaired. As a body tech, estimators are no more important than a body tech and vise versa...

Lol, what decade are these people talking about? The business worked this way 20 years ago.

a very popular body shop owner says an estimate is just an observation of what you can see. it is not the actual REPAIR PLAN of what is actually needed to be repaired. huge difference.

Bro on the left keeps looking in the cup.. its cracking me up. Great video!

this video really shows the fact and the right way to do the business in the body shop repair. I really like the word "we are not non-profit" the body shop owner to run a shop is a whole different level, the video clear explain the shop is not just about fixing cars, but the shop operation and expense overheads. Do the big calculation the shop can not put the techs like a machine, come to the shop on time and start to get the hammer banging and do the work base on the insurance estimate, the insurance company is not stupid too the hourly rate just the low bottom price almost close to the wholesale price. Don't said the shop cut corner the shop does have follow the oe procedure to properly repair the car and the shop is under the monitor of the local dmv regulation.
insurance company is not stupid they have the big data calculation the premium rate on the insured on the possible loss, also they have the big data calculation the pay out to the loss of the property on the body shops weather a fully equipped certified shop or local mom and pap shop. its all balance out nothing going to be perfectly fair in any industry.
by the end of the da my personal thinking still favorite to the body shop remember the insurance company use the money （pass the $h!t) to pay the shop to get the job done and the body shop is actual the relationship with the customer together and at the end the body take the accountable and responsibility to GUARANTY the work final.

Regardless of certifications, experience as both estimator, tech, and rebuilding cars for profit as side hobby, thus seeing entire processes through different perspectives. It's really about patience, negotiation skills, being experienced, and educated in auto damage repair. It's generally a negative mindset as the customer is not excited, and happy their car got wrecked, especially if the are the claimant, the tech not happy having to advocate/defend daily like an attorney for every nickel owed, estimator trying to write a fair, and accurate estimate, while having to often try to please shop owner wanting more, tech wanting more, customer wanting more, customer stating entire car was perfect before damaged and every chip, maintenance, and wear item is part of the loss, then the insurance adjuster who tries to save every nickel, push aftermarket, used parts saying but the car is not brand new so it's a used car with used parts on it already, when it's a 20k mile one owner, garaged, and well kept, and the used parts are outside in the weather, with 80k miles on them, not the same. Then during negotiations with adjuster, factual visually apparent damages, and even a near perfect estimate estimate, adjuster says directly "Shop B does not charge us for that" at which point you decide stay calm, and restate the facts, knowing adjuster still going to not approve it, and renegotiate in supplemental estimate, or tell adjuster "Well this ain't Shop B! We charge and do proper repairs", or call customer and say review your policy, this is the safe and proper repair, and be prepared for extra time, and potential push back on costs from insurance adjuster, and hope that adjuster, or your competition does not call them and say " we can fix it quick with no hassle to you, insurance approved repairs, and insurance offers a lifetime warranty, tow it over we will start today, only to hack the job, and most customers unknowing. Or you say to owner, and tech they f'd us on this one, we got several other cars from that insurance company and write all 7 estimates on the high side where subjective dent repair times, frame straighten times, etc go from 4 hours to 6 as example, so a give and take, or more like cat & mouse game. Best is when have support of the owner to do proper repairs, and let the company reputation for quality, and customer service prevail as was lead estimator for the major insurance repair programs at different shops, a good owner tells insurance company to pound sand when try to be cheap, or unsafe, and backs the estimator, the weak owner cowers and says, we can tighten our belt, but keep the work coming our way while the estimator, techs, customer, and car get shorted. At bottom of estimate write "Hassle Factor 2.5 hours" when adjuster questions what it's for hold up a mirror, also ask for his personal home number when he asks what for, say so that if customer still pissed off (cause you tried to screw them) on Friday evening when picking up the car, and adjuster office closed, they or their attorney can get ahold of you. 😁

The video was good about estimating, till the big Italian sounding guy from Brooklyn took away from the lesson with the extra

I would love to see you do a video on when insurance company tries to total a car because of age of car NOT damage. No one has seen the car. It is in my driveway.

Basically the estimator makes the final call so they should have the most knowledge on the cost of supplies labor and parts and the process. If they fail to see the bigger picture the profit margin decreases.

For every extra .5 and plastic clip one of these “estimators” squeaks out, there’s a collision tech or a painter banging out an extra 5 hrs in flat rate for the bottom line at the end of the year. But, the estimators sure are the ones to claim the fame of making all the money.

🤡🤦🏽‍♂️🤷🏽

This video just emphasizes the FACT that body shops are looking to scam, overcharge, and practice unclear/deceitful business practices. Margin on parts and clear labor rates is a clear and fair way to do business. As a consumer first and insurance professional second, this video was eye opening as to how individual customers are preyed upon to bolster profit margins elsewhere. “Our estimating has nothing to do with vehicle repair”. Disgusting racket.