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Letter to the Editor

Mitchell Releases Latest Edition of Industry Trends Report

This edition's Quarterly Feature, "The Time has Come for the Mitchell Information Center," by Mitchell's Vice President of Industry Relations, Greg Horn, discusses the challenge faced by repairers in an environment where vehicle construction, equipment, and repairs grow more complex with each model year. In such an environment, insurance appraisers and collision repair technicians alike need to quickly and easily access the information that will give them the ability to accurately estimate and safely repair increasingly complex vehicles.

"The most accurate and up-to-date repair data is critical," said Horn. "Today, even the most basic repairs can require manufacturer specific instructions and parts. Yet obtaining detailed how-to instructions is complex, time consuming, and costly — as is ordering correct parts for the job at hand. Without an easy, effective way to address the repair information deficit there is a substantial liability risk for repairers when proper repair procedures are not followed, as well as potential loss in customer satisfaction."

Added Horn, "The growing number of hybrids on the road today is just one example of how the collision repair environment is constantly changing and at the same time creating corresponding pressure for repairers who need to keep pace with the demands of the increasing technology found on today’s vehicles. And hybrids are full of these challenges.

"Many leading hybrid automakers now use advanced safety technologies, and since this special equipment is present in more of today’s vehicles, it is increasingly appearing in collision repair shops, Horn concluded. "As part of our efforts to support the collision repair community with the latest in estimating and repair technologies, we developed Mitchell Information Center, which is the solution that helps bridge the data gap for repairers by giving them a single, easily accessed source for critical repair information."

The Mitchell Information Center can help shops and other participants in the collision repair process to reduce cycle time by avoiding the need to search multiple repair and parts sources. In addition, the Mitchell Information Center provides access to the most comprehensive and up-to-date year/make/model specific information to assist repairers in performing repairs in a safe manner and to the customer’s satisfaction.

Other topics covered in the current issue of Mitchell's ITR include:

• In Q4-2008, the average initial gross appraisal value for Comprehensive losses processed through Mitchell servers was $2,423, an increase of $56. Applying the prescribed 3% development factor yields an anticipated final comprehensive severity figure of $2,497.
• The initial average appraisal value, as calculated by combining data from all first- and third- party repairable vehicle appraisals uploaded through Mitchell systems in Q4-2008 was $2,556, $10 less than the previous year's Q4-2007 appraisal average of $2,566. Applying the prescribed development factor of 2.3% produces an anticipated average appraisal value of $2,615.

Complete content is available in the latest Industry Trends Report, which may be downloaded in PDF format at Mitchell's website: www.mitchell.com. First published in April 2001, Mitchell’s Trends Report has grown in both content and circulation, now reaching more than 23,000 collision and casualty industry professionals.

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