CRI News - Collision

1/1/10
Data Pump Streamlines CSI Process
Technology that automatically submits customer information to CRI saves time, money, and guarantees a legitimate CSI sample. CRI now offers a data pump that will automatically pull your customer information and stream it securely to the CRI call center database each evening. Having this safe program in place eliminates the time and expense involved with sending customer information. The CRI website upload process is a very efficient method, but doesn't eliminate employees from cherry-picking specific customers out of the queue. The data pump is the best data transfer process when attempting to ensure all customers are sent to CRI.

10/1/09
Monthly Referral Certificates Now Available Online
CRI is proud to announce a new option, which allows all clients to access monthly Referral Certificates online. Several clients expressed the fact that they do not post new certificates each month. The online version saves paper and allows you to print and post the monthly certificates you choose. This allows for printing of multiple certificates and gives you the option to post them in as many locations as you desire. When you log in to the CRI website, simply select “Referral Certificate”. From there you will be able to select the month of your choice, and print your certificates.

9/1/09
CEICA Announces Formation of CSI Committee
CIECA recently re-chartered its CSI Committee, which involves insurers, information providers, collision groups and CSI providers, including Customer Research, Inc. CIECA, the Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association, develops collision industry information technology standards and provides implementation guides for electronic commerce. The Mission of the CIECA CSI Committee is to facilitate appropriate collision industry segments and vendors’ electronic communications of CSI information.

6/1/09
New CRI Website Coming Soon
A new website is on its way. Only the public area of the website will change so everything behind your customer login will remain exactly the same. Therefore, the only difference for current clients is the location of the login and password area on the home page. The new website will have a far more cutting-edge look and feel. It contains clear detail on every automotive program we offer to each specific segment of the automotive industry we serve. It also contains more detail on our call center, along with every article CRI has published in national magazines.

9/01/08
New Collision Marketing Services to be Unveiled at 2008 NACE
Customer Research, Inc., will be exhibiting at NACE November 6 - 8, in Las Vegas, for the 7th consecutive year. This year, in addition to CSI services, revenue-generating services will be offered. Customer Research, Inc., now has the ability to send powerful messages to your customers using a strategic blend of Email, Direct Mail and Telephone (Live, Messaging, or Text). Utilizing a mix of several methods of communication provides a far better ROI than traditional marketing approaches. Also, Dusty Dunkle, owner of Customer Research, Inc., will be serving on the NACE Exhibitor Advisory Council this year.

7/15/08
"Your Opinion Matters" Stickers Provide Huge Benefits
Customer Research, Inc., is now offering stickers that inform your customers they may receive a follow-up call. Placed on repair orders, they provide several benefits. They show your customers you care about their satisfaction, reinforce that an unbiased third party specialist has been contracted to conduct the calls, and they allow the customer to prepare their ideas before the call. These factors increase the amount of information your customers provide, and increase the number of completed surveys. At any time, you may purchase rolls of 500 for $25. Select the following hyperlink to view the sticker:
https://www.customerresearch.com/custresweb/businessprocess/CRICollisionClientSticker.pdf

3/01/08
CSAA Inter Insurance Bureau / AAA Enroll
After a successful 2007 pilot, Customer Research, Inc., has enrolled the California State Auto Association in several ongoing CSI programs. These programs are established for rental and glass divisions, as well as for their independent appraisers. All programs were built for CSAA to meet their specific needs. Although Customer Research, Inc., offers a variety of turnkey programs and solutions, custom development is always an option. This includes incorporating completely custom calling rules using custom surveys and statistical reporting.

2/01/08
60-Seat Call Center is Completed in Tukwila, Washington
A new 4500+ square-foot call center is completed, and the Customer Research, Inc., call center staff has completed its migration to the new state-of-the-art facility. Steady growth to well over 100 employees has led to this increase from 40 to 60 call center seats. Also, the company has recently made the largest investment in its history with the purchase of a new Aspect dialer, which is the most robust dialing platform in the world. The administrative staff will remain at the national headquarters in Seahurst, Washington, and the company is now positioned for significant growth.

6/1/07
More Data Transmission Options Added
More functionality has recently been added to the Customer Research, Inc., web upload program. Summit, ROME, and Mitchell ABS Enterprise users now have templates to easily upload CSI customer information files, exactly like the Michell ABS template that has been in use for the past couple years. Uploading customer files, or entering the customer information directly on this website, eliminates several steps of transmitting customer information, and creates a quicker turnaround of CSI results allowing you to resolve CSI issues faster.

2/1/07
AIG Selects Customer Research, Inc., as Personal Care FIRST Vendor
AIG insurance company has selected Customer Research, Inc., as a preferred vendor to conduct CSI Follow-up for their Personal Care FIRST shops. American International Group, Inc. (AIG), world leaders in insurance and financial services, is the leading international insurance organization with operations in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions. AIG is the latest in the growing number of Customer Research, Inc., insurance company relationships.

1/1/07
LKQ Enrolls, Bolstering Number of Recycler Industry Clients
LKQ Corporation has enrolled in CSI follow-up services for their 100+ nationwide locations, adding to the existing 150 ARA and URG recycler clients. LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ LKQX) is the largest nationwide provider of recycled light vehicle OEM products and related services and the second largest nationwide provider of aftermarket collision replacement products and refurbished wheels. Currently, the 3 largest recycler groups in the country exclusively use Customer Research, Inc., for their CSI follow-up.

8/1/06
Sherwin-Williams Selects Customer Research, Inc., as Approved Vendor
Members of Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corp. A-Plus value-added program will soon have a new real-time tool to monitor their shop's CSI. In partnership with Customer Research Inc., a leading CSI tracking organization, A-Plus members are eligible for this valuable service at a nominal charge. Ken Melcher, A-Plus Program Manager explains; "The CSI program from Customer Research Inc. provides an in-depth look at the entire vehicle repair process - from the time the estimate is written to when the vehicle is delivered.

7/1/06
Customer Research, Inc., Launching Corporate Summary Reports
All clients with 2 or more shops will have access to new "Corporate CSI Summary Reports" on the Customer Research, Inc., website beginning in July. These reports are a powerful management tool designed for the highest level of ownership or management. They provide comparisons of each individual shop location to the group average, as well as our national database average. This web page will also provide access to individual shop web menus, no longer requiring individual logins for each account.

6/15/06
Survey Change for USAA STARS Shops
USAA is requiring the approved CSI Follow-up vendors to make a slight modification to the CSI survey beginning July 1 st . The two current "Quality" questions will be combined, using the question " Were you satisfied with the quality of the repair?" Although we are just asking this one question, we will continue to report CSI by body and paint tech. The USAA "Service" score will also be driven by a new question, "Were you satisfied with the shop's communication?" A new summary report "USAA STARS CSI Scores" will display the scores that are reported to USAA.

10/1/05
Launch of New Website Menu Scheduled
More than 800 Customer Research, Inc., clients will be introduced to a new CSI website menu in the next month. Auto dealers (launching 11/1) and collision centers (launching 10/17) will have independent menus, catering to their specific business. The menus will be easier to navigate, and will allow you to: (1) Set-up and manage your E-Results (2) Add and view "Do Not Call" customers (3) Enter and upload customer information, and (4) Easily offer us feedback. Also, beginning 11/1, all clients will be able to login to the CSI menu directly from the Customer Research, Inc., home page.

7/1/05
Customer Research, Inc., "Do Not Call" Database
As a service to you, and a courtesy to your customers, Customer Research, Inc., maintains a confidential "Do Not Call" database for your customers that do not want future follow-up calls. Since our services are not considered "telemarketing", law does not require this process, but it is essential in good business. As a client, you may also inform us of any customer you would like added to this list in advance, which would prevent us from making any future call attempts to that number.

5/1/05
USAA Selects Customer Research, Inc. as Approved Vendor
The USAA insurance company recently selected Customer Research, Inc., as one of only 4 nationally approved CSI telephone follow-up vendors. Beginning April 1st, USAA required their 2100 “STARS” collision centers to implement a CSI follow-up program using one of the four selected vendors. These “STARS” collision centers are the most elite USAA contracted shops, and Customer Research, Inc., would like to thank the hundreds that enrolled.

4/1/05
CSI Consulting Always Available
We always appreciate the opportunity to analyze your Customer Research, Inc., CSI summary reports with you, and we have the technology to streamline this process. If you would like to discuss your CSI reports with us, we have customer service representatives standing by. We have technology that allows you to view our computer screens over the Internet, so you can sit back and watch, as we uncover possible areas of concern on your summary reports.

12/15/04
Customer Research, Inc., Enjoys First Year as Supplier for DaimlerChrysler
Since being selected by DaimlerChrysler as the exclusive supplier for the SmartLink Lost Souls program, Customer Research, Inc., has observed tremendous growth. Launching nationally in 2004, the Lost Souls program involves appointment setting and gathering of follow-up information from service customers that have not returned to the dealership for an extended period of time. It is available to all Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep dealers throughout the US.

7/1/04
Trend Report is added to CSI Programs
New interactive "Trend" system to be added to the Customer Research, Inc., web CSI programs. Beginning July 15th, you will have the ability to trend comments from your "Follow-up Results" screen. As you select a trend for your surveys, a real-time trending report takes shape and can be viewed in "Summary Reporting". This trending process is required by several manufacturer programs, and will help you track detailed problem areas within your department.

4/15/04
May Launch Set for Web Based Collision Center Summary Reports
Beginning May 1st, all collision center clients will have the ability to pull April summary reports from the Customer Research, Inc., website. These reports will be available 24/7, throughout the month, and will be updated in "real time". The web summary reports will also include "CSI by Insurance Company", "CSI by Cycle Time", a "Body Tech Analysis", and a "Paint Tech Analysis".

3/01/04
Gold Putter Giveaway
Customer Research, Inc., has launched a new referral program exclusively for current clients. If any client refers a new account (which becomes active), to Customer Research, Inc., they will receive a Customer Research, Inc., logo putter from Sedona Golf. A gold putter is awarded for dealership referrals, and a satin putter is awarded for collision center referrals. Select the following hyperlink to view the gold putter: http://www.sedonagolf.com/images/GP02_detail

11/01/03
Increase the Security of your Customer Information and CSI Results
It is critical that you periodically change your password on the Customer Research, Inc., web login, especially if there has been a personnel change. Remember, any person with your confidential user name and password, may access the information any time, from any web enabled computer. To change your password, login to the Customer Research, Inc., website, select "Change Password", and complete the short form.

8/15/03
ASA and AAA Approve Customer Research, Inc.
ASA Washington and AAA Washington/Inland have recently selected Customer Research, Inc. as an approved CSI follow-up vendor. Customer Research, Inc. is the exclusive CSI follow-up vendor for ASA Washington, who currently has more than 900 members. AAA Washington/Inland selected Customer Research, Inc. as an approved vendor after an onsite inspection and a detailed review of their follow-up programs.

4/15/03
Toyota Motor Sales USA Approves Customer Research, Inc.
Customer Research, Inc. has been selected as an approved vendor in support of the national Toyota Certified Collision Center (TCCC) program. Only four CSI vendors in the country met the requirements established by Toyota for this program. Of approximately 450 Toyota collision centers nationwide, a large percentage are TCCC certified. These certified shops meet high CSI levels and are required to utilize an approved TCCC vendor for CSI telephone follow-up.

3/1/03
Customer Research Launches E-Results Program
Customer Research, Inc. has the ability to e-mail all urgent follow-up results immediately each day to as many addresses as you choose. We e-mail all customer "Requests", "Complaints", "Comments", "Hot Prospects" and "Leads" (depending which follow-up program you are on), directly to you immediately each day. If you are not retrieving your follow-up results from www.CustomerResearch.com daily, and resolving customer issues in an extremely timely manner, E-Results will prove to be a tremendous benefit.

1/15/03
Internet Explorer Settings
To properly view Customer Research, Inc. follow-up results on the Internet, please make sure your computer settings are correct. You must use Microsoft Internet Explorer as your Internet browser, and there is one Explorer default that should be changed before you begin. To change this feature, open Microsoft Internet Explorer and select "Tools", then "Internet Options". Under the "General" tab, click "Settings" in the "Temporary Internet Files" section. Under "Check for newer versions of stored pages:" choose "Every visit to the page" and click "OK" twice. Once you have updated this setting, you may leave it "as is". This will not have a negative impact on any other Internet usage.

1/1/03
New Password Level Of Access Introduced
We can now provide a second user name and password that prevents the user from deleting CTR’s within the Customer Research, Inc. follow-up results database. With two levels of user names and passwords, managers may create CTR’s, and require employees to complete the action plan. Employees will no longer have the ability to delete CTR’s, only the manager may do so. This creates total accountability for employees in following through with each and every CTR.