Steven Siessman's Page

I am proud to say I founded VehicleOwnersGuide.com, wrote every line of code in its internet applications and am now out introducing it to the industry and consumers. I tried to focus on the consumer of the repairs, the vehicle owner, and think about what are their needs and how to address them.

The Vehicle Owner
If you think about a consumer they buy a vehicle, use the vehicle and dispose of the vehicle when they are done with it. Along the way they may or may not purchase collision repair services, but they purchase insurance. So what does consumer marketing through estimate interpretation have to do with anything.

A consumer selling a repaired vehicle runs into an issue of disclosure. They can probably provide records of service and oil changes but how to explain a collision repair from 12 months ago. A damage estimate interpretation provides a seller or buyer a document that indicates in lay terms what was done. It takes an unknown and turns it into a known. If more information is required the potential buyer could have the car inspected. The point is that the consumer has been given a document to assist them in the future on vehicle disposal. While you might argue of the value of the document, the ability to market directly to the consumer this extra may represent the difference from capturing or not capturing the vehicle in the first place. Not unlike a CARFAX the document provides consumer a more "warm and fuzzy" experience.

Insurer
For an insurer estimate interpretation provides an initial product differentiation by taking the claims process, and documents, and turning them to marketing tools. Its a sort of marketing buzz, think of Nationwide Insurance and its advertising of the iphone app in their commercials. For example, it helps facilitates target marketing to specific ethnic groups such as Chinese or Hispanics. You can provide "customer care" at the drive through claims center catering to consumers needs and language.

For the insurer, or agents, it facilitates target marketing by providing something different to consumers. Also, by providing an interpretation at the initial estimate writing some of the industry scariness is removed from the consumer simply by giving them something to grasp on to as a starting point which I believe will increase initial customer satisfaction and have positive impact on retention.

Your writers have only so much time with a consumer. The consumer interpretation provides supporting information and answers to questions before they are asked, all in a consistent presentation across thousands of consumers and writers.

Collision Repairer
For a collision repair shop estimate interpretation again provides differentiation. A consumer needs a collision repair shop not your collision repair shop. Once in the door the normal selling process can commence with estimators trying to get the keys.

A key question is how to market to consumers and insurers. What makes your shop different and the place to go, or to be the top shop on the list if in a direct repair program? Quality of repairs is really important, no question there, so is messaging and communications, again I agree, however, the key question in my opinion is how to get the customer in the door in the first place.

Just like insurance companies collision repair facilities can market to consumers directly, but I believe they need to address the customer issues. That is the difference between marketing and sales. Marketing is longer term and nebulous and often the results aren't directly seen. It is capturing that space in a consumer's, that when they think about repairs they think of you.

How many people do you think will email a copy of their consumer interpretation to their friends. I would bet that for every one that you write 3-5 will be sent to their friends. When I was younger we called it the nib factor. That nib factor markets on your behalf as each of those receive not only the interpretation but your shop information with it. Your customers can provide FREE electronic advertising on your behalf, turning word of mouth to word email.

My 2 Sites
For Consumer Marketing
http://WWW.VehicleOwnersGuide.com

The Estimate Interpreter Tool for Consumer Marketing
http://WWW.InterpreterTool.com