By Mike Davey
Hamilton, Ontario — January 5, 2016 — A new accreditation program is being launched by Collision Industry Information Assistance (CIIA). Called ROADTRUST, a statement from CIIA says it’s “an accreditation program designed to bring more traffic to your door.”
CIIA will host a special dinner meeting and presentation on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 6 p.m. The event takes place at the Best Kept Secret Banquet Centre, located at 6 Eugene St. in Toronto. The evening will also include a question and answer session and provide an opportunity for repairers to give input into this new program.
John Norris is the Executive Director of CIIA. He discussed the new program in a recent interview with Collision Repair magazine.
“There are a lot of different views floating around when it comes to the value of shop accreditation,” says Norris. “Accreditation programs have traditionally had some challenges, including concerns from insurers that sending a car to an accredited shop will carry a higher repair cost, and OEMs are sometimes suspicious that accredited shops aren’t looking up OEM repair data or using the right equipment or methods. ROADTRUST wants to ensure that customers, OEMs and insurers trust the competence, value and compliance skills of your shop.”
Some of the highlights of the ROADTRUST program are:
– Post-repair scanning of vehicles using a ROADTRUST authorized scanning system is mandatory and uses OEM scanners. Insurers and customers and OEMs can receive copies.
– All vehicles must be looked up for repair specifications and repair process data on a new national web site being introduced on January 16, 2017 in Canada.
– Any recall or campaign data is offered to the customer.
– An electronic phone application is included in the program that will let your past three years of customers be able to automatically contact your shop immediately after a collision or any roadside incident if they choose to do so.
– Motorists will be able to just touch their phones to instantly be connected with the closest accredited shop.
– Motorists involved in an accident will get automatic phone notifications of what to do and an actual personal call from the accredited shop within 30 seconds.
– Shops will provide immediate response and tow services that will allow the motorist to be taken home and never needs to visit the shop unless they want to.
According to Norris, the actual collision repair shop standards have not changed and the standards used by ROADTRUST reflect other programs and are very similar to the programs offered by ARA of BC and the CCIAP program offered by AIA Canada.
