Collision Repair Centers Speed Up Turnaround Times with Enterprise Rent-A-Car ARMS Automotive Suite

ST. LOUIS, July 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Data indicates that insurance companies are significantly improving turn-around times – by more than 25 percent – when they refer policyholders to collision repair centers using the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Automated Rental Management System (ARMS^®).

Although ARMS helps decrease the duration of rental periods, Enterprise has embraced the product as an opportunity to increase customer service and value for the long term.  "Enterprise's length-of-rental reporting allows us to measure our performance against the market average. It's helped us shave more than two days off our cycle time," said Chris Pohanka, vice president of operations, Pohanka Collision Centers of Virginia and Maryland.

Facilities like Pohanka Collision Centers use ARMS to benchmark their performance against local, regional and national trends, as well as to sort their results by insurance company. "By getting customers back into their repaired vehicles faster," Pohanka noted, "we've been able to grow our business and maintain excellent relationships with customers and insurance companies alike."

Enterprise first developed ARMS in 1999 in response to feedback received from focus groups and the collision repair industry. In 2007, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a trademark for ARMS, reflecting Enterprise's significant investment in resources, initiative and intellectual capital.

Enterprise began sharing this information – at no cost – with collision repair centers five years ago in an effort to highlight below-market-average cycle times and provide critical performance data for consistent industrywide comparisons.  Today, the ARMS length-of-rental (LOR) data helps collision repair centers increase operating efficiencies, enhance customer service and streamline communications with insurance companies and customers.

The ARMS digital management platform enables repair centers to book rental reservations and send vehicle status updates to insurance partners and customers.  In addition, repair centers can track, measure and forecast labor needs, and generate monthly reports through ARMS. These LOR metrics have gained traction with insurers and repairers as a means to track and improve cycle time. In fact, CollisionWeek magazine and Mitchell Industry Trends Report regularly publish the Enterprise data as a comprehensive industry resource.

With more than 5,500 airport and neighborhood offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand is able to provide replacement rentals to customers of collision repair centers and insurance companies all around the country. Customer satisfaction research firm J.D. Power has reported that providing exceptional customer service during the auto claims process is an important element in driving customer loyalty and advocacy. J.D. Power also recognized the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand as one of the 50 2014 Customer Champions, basing the distinction on customer feedback, opinions and perceptions.

"Losing a customer due to perceived excessive repair time is costly for both collision repair centers and insurers," said Frank LaViola, Assistant Vice President of Collision Industry Relations, Enterprise Rent-A-Car. "That's why cycle time has become one of the most important performance metrics in the collision repair industry. With ARMS, communication between insurance companies, collision repair centers and car rental offices is streamlined to help reduce cycle time and get policy holders back in their cars sooner."

To learn more about the ARMS Automotive Suite, visit www.armsautosuite.com, which includes a privacy policy. Enterprise is hosting an ARMS Automotive Suite exhibit at next week's annual NACE/CARS conference in Detroit.

About Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Founded in 1957, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an internationally recognized brand known for an extensive network of locations, affordable rates and outstanding customer service. For more than 50 years, Enterprise has partnered with repair centers and insurance companies to help customers whose cars have been damaged or stolen. When severe weather strikes, the Enterprise neighborhood network plays an integral role in mobilizing the local recovery efforts of insurance providers, emergency response organizations and repair centers. Enterprise Rent-A-Car's local branches and its insurance and collision partners can also leverage the company's evolving technology platforms, such as ARMS and the Priority Pass program.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130730/MM55552LOGO-d

SOURCE Enterprise Rent-A-Car