Automotive Fleet, March 2019

AUTOMOTIVE FLEET I MARCH 2019 36 ACCIDENT MANAGEMENTa qualified network repair shop getting a detailed estimate and photographs negotiating a fair and reasonable repair price then following up to ensure the shop does the work promptly In the event of a total loss the vehicle is to be picked up and sold for salvage he said If subrogation is an option in either situation subrogation recoveries are also included Add to these ancillary services such as safety monitoring replacement rental vehicles driver training and MVRs and you have a complete program In order to be successful Martines leans on his own experience I know from my perspective I have continually challenged myself and then my team to not accept the mentality of that is the way it works I constantly stay in touch with my clients to see what they need how we can help them and relieve them of some burdens GOING FORWARD Martines said the challenges of accident management will evolve with the industry Anyone who will not invest in training and new learning will be left by the wayside he predicted Smart shop owners will invest in the equipment to perpetuate their existence and compete with dealers to keep up with the continuing OEM advances in materials and technology Telematics will continue to help fleet managers track drivers their behavior and overall costs he said But it isnt quite as simple as signing up for a telematics program On the negative side the plethora of information received is useless unless someone at the company end can do something with it he explained However telematics have made an impact for many companies as drivers know theyre being monitored not in a challenging way but to help them be safer drivers Martines will be passing the reins of CCM over to his daughter Tara Martines Brennan the companys president Tara is the heir apparent who now plays a major role in CCM and has done so for over 26 years he said Of anyone at CCM that there is blind trust both ways it is Tara having my back and me having hers AFdecisions Martines concluded In the past the recovery of the cost of damages or subrogation wasnt part of the initial forms of accident management Subrogation was not even a thought until the early 1980s Martines said No one understood it or realized how to assess liability It wasnt until around 1982 or 1983 when Earl Miller who previously worked for an insurance company joined Salex Miller said that insurance companies were not recovering the cost of damages for fleet customers Martines and his team at Salex developed a crude demand process and checks began to come in We knew we were on to a new idea that would help our clients he said and fleet subrogation recovery became a reality ADVANTAGES AND OTHER SERVICES The advantages of an accident management program according to Martines include expertise in negotiating repair costs reducing supplements additional costs added after repair cost is agreed upon and administrative ease and informed repair replace decisions to name a few But as with the other venerable fleet program maintenance management it provides a start to finish smooth process for fleet managers to manage physical damage costs And services dont stop there There is a misconception of accident management in general he said Full accident management includes taking a complete accurate detailed loss notice accident report for a client to review for management and liability purposes Followed by directing the vehicle to recognized the need to expand the scope of Salex Martines recalled Having some background in the auto repair industry with my dad and having 100 support from Alex I quickly took the lead on building a detailed accident management program with specific shops across the country Another key individual CCM VP Brian Colvin was also incredibly supportive in Martines quest That national body shop network as with maintenance management was one of the foundations of the program And it wasnt just a simple pick a shop make sure theyll bill you and bring them on board process I had a detailed internal check list to make sure the right shop was initiated as a network shop he explained And developing a good close working relationship with network shops is critical Many of the shops we worked with in the late 1970s are still in operation said Martines What I find incredibly rewarding is visiting a shop in various parts of the country and getting a warm greeting as if a long lost family member has returned for a visit Because he concludes strong relationships with network shops enter into how a shop owner manager treats one of CCMs clients EVOLUTION AND SUBROGATION As with nearly every other service vehicle and program in the fleet industry accident management has evolved to something that might be unrecognizable even in the late 1970 s The accident repair industry has changed so dramatically of the years he marveled Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s when vehicles were more affordable and the life cycle was 36 months 36000 miles it was rare that a client would spend up to 50 of wholesale value to repair a vehicle And repairs were much simpler then too Parts were relatively easy to repair or remove replace Martines explained As more assemblies plastics light weight steel and aluminum have been introduced along with safety technology the skillset at the shop to repair vehicles has become more demanding costs have skyrocketed and vehicle total losses have increased dramatically Adding the dizzying pace of these innovations its difficult for the industry to keep up While there is a surplus of information available online hands on experience is still vital in making Bob Martines founder of CCM with wife Emily who works as an accounting assistant for CCM Martines accomplishments in the industry include being inducted into the Fleet Hall of Fame in 2011 T MARTINES CCM