Gerber Adds Virtual Assist Tech
Once and done. That’s the rallying cry for Gerber Collision & Glass as it adds Virtual Assist® – industry-leading software that creates efficiencies for the customer during a vehicle damage appraisal. Gerber announced the move this week at the DigIn Future of Insurance conference in Austin.
Gerber recently tested Virtual Assist using the collaboration software to create internal efficiencies before deciding to license the right to use it across its organization. The technology, licensed by Allstate, helps a body shop employee, or potentially a vehicle owner, connect with another employee using real-time video and skill routing technology to gain capacity, reduce overall cycle time and improve the customer experience.
With Virtual Assist, Gerber’s hundreds of US locations can help each other through their busiest periods. A decision on parts and labor is made in real time, and that helps reduce customer wait times. It all means a faster turnaround for a damage appraisal by an expert, which leads to a better experience for the vehicle owner.
“Getting the right work to the right resource in real time creates an opportunity for us to handle the entire process during a single customer interaction. This has the potential to be a game-changer for our business and the industry.” – Tim O’Day, president and chief operating officer of The Boyd Group, which owns Gerber Collision & Glass.
No personally identifiable customer information is shared or retained through the app, O’Day says.
The Boyd Group which owns Gerber Collision & Glass, will also use Virtual Assist in its Boyd Autobody & Glass shops across western Canada and its Assured Automotive shops in eastern Canada. The Boyd Group is known as an innovator in collision repair that pursues advancements to provide a more efficient and seamless experience for their company, their customers and their insurance partners.
Virtual Assist technology will be on display during a demonstration at the DigIn conference on Wednesday, May 29, at 2:55 p.m. in the Austin Convention Center.
