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Letter to the Editor

Mitchell International Praises Plans by Competitors ADP and CCC To Join in Allowing Open Communication of Estimate Data

SAN DIEGO -- Mitchell International has applauded recent statements by competitors -- ADP and CCC -- that they will reverse their stance and join Mitchell in allowing open access to CIECA-standard EMS output files from their estimating systems.

"We have always strongly supported open communication of estimate data," said Mitchell President and CEO Jim Lindner. "We believe it is the best interest of the entire industry because it promotes open competition and the ability to share information between shops and insurers -- which is so critical in our industry."

During April's Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Minneapolis, representatives from ADP and CCC made statements reversing their decisions to encrypt data.

Lindner said the result of all three data providers allowing open communication of estimate data will have both immediate and far-reaching impacts for the industry.

"This will allow customers to choose products based on price, features and functionality rather than proprietary requirements. We think everyone will benefit by being able to use and integrate with the products of their choice."

An immediate impact for users of CCC's and ADP's estimating systems will be the ability to export the EMS file to the body shop management system of their choice. Body shops using these estimating systems will now be able to easily export data to Mitchell's ABS Body Shop Management System.

Another immediate impact will be that insurers can now have estimators send files from any of the top three estimating systems through eMitchell.com for processing. Mitchell recently announced the availability of on-line claims processing at eMitchell.com, and used open communication standards in its design.

"In anticipating the ultimate adoption of these standards by the industry, Mitchell took action months ago to offer on-line claims processing at eMitchell.com based on open standards," Lindner said. "With the other data providers allowing open access, insurers can adopt claims processing at eMitchell.com to achieve greater efficiency and lowered costs without concern about which estimating system they currently use."

The subject of data access, which has become an extremely heated issue in the collision repair industry, came to the forefront last December at a CIC meeting in Orlando, Fla. At that meeting, attended by data providers, shop owners and other members of the collision repair industry, shop owners questioned the data providers on their stance on open communication. Only Mitchell of the three major data providers endorsed open access to estimate data.

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