Everybody hates car salesman. They talk too fast, use too many clichés, and are generally exasperating. There’s nothing worse than being verbally romanced only to find out you were ripped-off—or is there?

How about getting ripped-off repeatedly? How about getting ripped-off repeatedly for years? How about never even knowing you were ripped-off, repeatedly, and for years?

Welcome to service! When it comes to swindling, automotive service representatives are the real experts. They have more experience, and way more opportunity to rip you off.

A car salesman has only a few chances to rip you off provided you even engage in negotiations. There’s the price of the car, financing, leasing, accessories/options, extended warranties, your trade-in, and the general bull that wafts from the salesmen’s mouth.

You should also watch out for the finance manager. Today’s finance folks aren’t just number crunchers, they’re salesmen in disguise. This is where you’ll be encouraged to buy the extended warranty and a host of other accessories that can all be packaged up nicely into your financing.

Car sales rip-off attempts are easily thwarted. Number one, you can just walk away! Also, there are numerous resources on how to buy a car without losing your shirt. If you’re interested, visit the RepairTrust resource link @ www.repairtrust.com and you’ll find several sites that will tell you everything you want to know about buying, trading, leasing, financing, new, used…etc.

It’s quite different in the world of car repair. Your car needs service. You HAVE to deal with a service representative, like it or not.

The folks in the dim underworld of automotive service are well-trained in the art of ripping people off. They’re not the feeding-frenzied, thrashing sharks of sales that are easy to spot.

No, service representatives are the Great Whites. They primarily hunt alone, hiding in the murky waters of service, striking without warning.

What’s really scary is that the service industry is infested with Great Whites. Traditional tips and suggestions to avoid their attacks don’t work. This is evidenced by the fact that service customers are scammed “tens of billions of dollars every year.”

Information is the key to STOP a Great White. If one knows who, what, when, where, why, and how it hunts, one can take control.

Importantly, “Sharks are not mindless eating machines.” The Great Whites of the service industry are experienced and smart. There are so many attacks from so many different directions, and new technologies provide fresh chum daily.

With auto repair, technology creates confusion. Technology creates ripples and waves, making it difficult to see below the surface of even simple auto repairs.

The Great White can sense the anxiety of a service customer, like it can a struggling swimmer. In the midst of this confusion, the waters of service get even murkier, and SPLASH—it’s cost you an arm and a leg.

In today’s service environment, the service customer needs protection, and needs to be empowered with accurate information and powerful tools before even entering the waters. There’s no need to lose any limbs, ever!

The Nebraska Autobody Association found that consumers were disinclined to file automotive claims with their insurance company.

Sixty-four percent of survey respondents said they would generally feel hesitant about filing an insurance claim, and eighty-four percent said they might not report a small claim at all since doing so might increase insurance costs.

“Claimants should not have to be afraid of their insurance company or worry about whether or not they received a fair claims settlement, but they do,” said NABA executive director, Norbert Zaenglein.

The survey raises a number of concerns about Nebraska claims settlement practices. When asked if insurance adjusters are trained to reduce legitimate claims payouts, an overwhelming eighty-six percent of respondents agreed. “This finding should raise some eyebrows particularly by the Nebraska Department of Insurance, the Attorney General, and state legislators, Zaenglein added. ”Nebraska market conduct regulation is weak and there is no shortage of insurers who will take advantage of the situation.”

The sheer scope of market conduct problems in the area of collision repair claims settlement practices have been corroborated by numerous studies. “It has became painfully clear that those insurers who want to take unfair advantage of claimants can do so without fear of any repercussions,” Zaenglein added. “Nebraska regulators have repeatedly turned a blind eye to a substantial and credible body of evidence that supports widespread violations of Nebraska Unfair Claims Settlement laws by some insurance companies.”

The survey included statistical summaries of nine additional questions designed to measure consumers’ attitude about the integrity of insurance companies.

The Nebraska Autobody Association is committed to professionalism in the art and science of collision repair and to treat customers, claimants, and insurers in a fair and ethical manner while supporting accurate accounting throughout the claims settlement process. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: nebraska autobody association | nebraska market | naba | survey | hesitant