Assured Performance last week announced a new mechanism for shops to confirm and stand by a proper repair.

The OEM collision network management company in a news release described the launch of “serialized and registered ‘Certified Repair'” certificates.

Assured Performance CEO Scott Biggs said in an interview Thursday that the certificate is generated automatically by Assured Performance’s software upon the detection of files associated with the repair order.

A shop which fails to support its repair with documentation can’t receive the certificate, according to Biggs. As he described it, the system checks the collision repairer’s files. If it encounters an empty folder, you’re not getting a certificate. If there’s something in there, you will.

The shop is thus encouraged to back up its repair with files like photos and the OEM repair procedures used. The documentation gives reassurance the work was done correctly and serves as evidence in the shop’s favor should it ever get hauled into court.

Biggs said the technology is in place now but anticipated each of the network’s repairers would embrace it at their own pace over the course of about a year.

“Our initial objective was to develop complete national demographic and geographic coverage for superior consumer handling strategies. Now, we are introducing the critical tools and processes for our network and the industry to deliver the ultimate output – a Certified Repair,” Biggs said in a statement. “All these elements combined create a new operating model ecosystem with greater efficiencies and proper/safe repairs and an environment that embraces innovation.”

Though Assured Performance’s tool generates the certificates, the company reiterated in the news release that the shop retains the liability and responsibility for its repairs. The company gives them a series of tools to manage both, including a digital archive on Amazon. (Should an Assured Performance-certified shop decide to leave the program, Biggs said the repairer retains the ability to access their records.)

“Assured Performance explained that their decade long development of the critical tools built to accommodate a new environment in vehicle repair collaboration between OEMs, insurers and repairers includes ShopOps, OE-QC, dataIQ KPI scorecards, and shop skills inventory. Combined, these innovative solutions give Certified Repair Providers the ability to offer ‘Certified Repairs’ based upon objective and validated 5Ms; Machine, Method, Materials, Man and Measurement.

“A critical detail of this innovative program is that the ‘Certified Repair Provider’ documents the repair, provides the certificate, and continues to carry all related responsibility and liability.  ShopOps and APEX Network Management provide the IT infrastructure to efficiently document the repair, independently validate compliance with the 5Ms, and generate a registered, serialized ‘Certified Repair Certificate’ that is associated with the VIN and electronically stored.  Now, the Certified Repair Provider has a robust process to illustrate and prove they are delivering a safe, quality-driven repair while mitigating their liability exposure.”

Other certification programs engage in shop output audits, but Biggs has argued that the responsibility for quality control should lay with the shops, not his program.

“It’s not our place to be overstepping our position,” Biggs said in 2017.

More information:

“Assured Performance Introduces Solution for Ultimate Quality Repair Output with ‘Certified Repair Program’”

Assured Performance, Oct. 30, 2018

Images:

Assured Performance’s ShopOps platform is shown in this NACE 2018 display. (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)

Assured Performance in October 2018 announced the launch of “serialized and registered ‘Certified Repair'” certificates. This illustration of the documentation has been blurred by Assured Performance as the final wording is still being worked out. (Provided by Assured Performance)

Assured Performance’s OE-QC and ShopOps software is highlighted in this NACE 2018 display. (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)