# http://www.web-est.com llms-full.txt
## Collision Estimating Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Collision Estimating Software For Independent Auto Body Shops
Designed for Independents, not for insurance companies. Discover the Web-Est difference and see why over 7,000 shops use Web-Est **collision estimating software**.
“ _I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great._”
**\- Jay Jorge, Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ**
## Get a 14-Day Free Trial Plus Two Months Absolutely Free!
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required! Start your 14-day free trial.
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
Web-Est is collision estimating software for IndependentBody Sh
A robust, purpose built software for small-mid size auto body shops.
[Get Started FREE](https://www.web-est.com/#home)
## Collision Estimating Software Designed for The Independent Auto Body Shop
Discover why thousands of small-mid size auto body shops use Web-Est auto collision estimating software.
##### Multiple Rate profiles
Estimators can have rates for your walk in customers, fleet accounts, non-taxable accounts or wholesale accounts. Choose from a pre-set profile for every situation and use preset charges to help your business account for other costs you should re-coup with each repair.
##### Mitchell Database
Web-Est uses one of the most respected sources of collision information in our industry. We include labor and paint times, part numbers/price information as well as under hood dimensions for all current and older model vehicles.
##### Unlimited Imaging
Web-Est gives you the ability to include as many photos as necessary on your estimate, allowing for smoother repair cost settlement between you and an adjuster or owner.
##### Point-and-Click Graphical
Easily choose parts to repair or replace, including: part pricing, labor times and your paint times (single stage, clear-coat, three stage or two tone) you can even choose to add edging, underside, and blending in any combination.
##### Quickbooks Integration
Quickly integrate accounting software packages including QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
##### Pro-Advisor
Pro-Advisor is an AI-guided estimation tool that jumpstarts the estimation process by pre-populating parts line items – this reduces the time your team spends on repairs, greatly increasing the overall efficiency of your operations.
##### Web-Est Pay
Web-Est Pay is our very own proprietary payment processing system. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Web-Est Pay is designed to streamline your payment collection process. Now, you can effortlessly, swiftly, and seamlessly gather payments without any hassle.
##### Access from Anywhere
Web-Est's collision estimating software gives auto body shops the ability to write an estimate from the shop, in the field or while working at home. All you need is your log-in information and you have access to your estimating program anytime, anyplace.
##### Aftermarket Information
Web-Est includes most aftermarket vendor’s parts information free of charge. If there is a vendor you are working with, and you do not see them listed in the system, simply let us know, and our Data group will work to get that companies information added to the system.
##### PDR Software
PDR-Software is a paintless dent repair estimating program created specifically for PDR repair professionals. By integrating paintless dent repair estimatics with logic-based technology, up-to-date OEM parts price data and additional parts R&I times, PDR-Software allows techs to write accurate estimates for their customers.
##### Frame Data Availability
Mitchell Full Frame and Opening Data. Available to Web-Est customers as an ala carte option, this information is universal and can be used with any frame machine/pulling device. Ask your Web-Est representative about adding Frame Data to our account.
##### Image Editor
Provides clarity to the insurance company, the Image Editor enables the user to notate, highlight damage areas, crop, copy and save zoomed-in areas of damage as a new image, as well as label and rotate the images.
##### Shop Management Software
Rome Basic is our very own proprietary shop management software. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Rome Basic is body shop management software that gives you control of your parts ordering, customer service, accounting and calendar.
We Build Collision Estimating Software for Independent Body Shops
~ And we're darn good at it. ~
[Start Your 14 Day Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/#home)
“I’ve been a Web-Est user since 2010 and I’ve always liked the product. Recently I tested Web-Est’s new product “Pro-Estimator” and I love it! I switched over to the new product after testing it, it’s faster with improved logic. I’ve already noticed where its picking up labor hour recommendation I would have otherwise missed, 2-hours on one sheet alone the other day! Working from my smart phone with this new layout is very convenient, I have already recommended the product to friends in the business.
”
##### Glenn Reynolds
Phil’s Body Shop
“I am very impressed. The program was easy to use, easy to configure the specifics for my shop, had all of the bells and whistles like part ordering sheets, repair authorization letters, POA letters, etc. It was also easy to manually override built in labor times. The fact that it is internet based means I can use it on more than 1 computer and use it on my notebook computer on the road.”
##### David Adams
Owner of Cook Collision in Goleta, CA
“I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great.”
##### Jay Jorge
Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ
E:
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/#)
P: (888) 932-3780
A: 12884 S Frontrunner Blvd, Ste 220
Draper, UT 84020
Give us a call, we answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.
We are open Monday - Friday from 8:30 EST - 5:30 EST.
## Web-Est Collision Software
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
### [How Web-Est Collision Estimating Software Helps Auto Body Shops](https://www.web-est.com/2014/2/17/how-web-est-collision-estimating-software-helps-auto-body-shops.html)
- February 17, 2014
- JR Seidel
- [Collision Estimating](https://www.web-est.com/blog.html#)
It's not uncommon for customers to ask us up front why they should make the switch to Web-Est Collision Estimating Software. "Why should I go through the hassle of learning a new program? Switching programs will only make my life more difficult." That's an honest question, one we hear from time to time. Well...let's ask that question here. Let's explore how Web-Est can make life easier for an auto body shop. [Read More...](https://www.web-est.com/2014/2/17/how-web-est-collision-estimating-software-helps-auto-body-shops.html)
### [Web-Est Announces New Feature Letter Feature to its Estimating Software](https://www.web-est.com/2014/2/7/letter-templates-for-web-est-collision-estimating-software.html)
- February 7, 2014
- JR Seidel
- [Press Releases](https://www.web-est.com/blog.html#)
Web-Est recently announced the addition of a new letter feature to their collision estimating software. "This feature offers a number of options for users when communicating with their customers," said Eric Seidel, President and CEO. Users now have access to authorization letters, follow-up letters, estimate approval letters, as well as custom made letters. The feature is available to all Web-Est collision estimating users. [Click here to read the full announcement.](https://www.web-est.com/2014/2/7/letter-templates-for-web-est-collision-estimating-software.html)
### [Web-Est Releases New Product Updates to Collision Estimating Software](https://www.web-est.com/2013/10/3/web-est-releases-new-product-updates-to-collision-estimating-software.html)
- October 3, 2013
- JR Seidel
- [Press Releases](https://www.web-est.com/blog.html#)
Web-Est recently announced the release of multiple product updates. The update to Web-Est Collision Estimating aim to optimize user experience by updating multiple aspects of the program. [Click here to get a list of the most important updates to the program.](https://www.web-est.com/2013/10/3/web-est-releases-new-product-updates-to-collision-estimating-software.html)
- [View Past Blog Posts](https://www.web-est.com/archives.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
[](https://www.web-est.com/blog.html#)
Need Assistance?
[](https://server.iad.liveperson.net/hc/14021135/?cmd=file&file=visitorWantsToChat&site=14021135&byhref=1&imageUrl=http://images.liveperson.com/lp/14021135)
## Auto Body Shop Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
## Independent Auto Body Shop Software Designed for You, The Small-Mid Size Auto Body Shop.
Discover why thousands of independent auto body shops use Web-Est collision estimating software.
Mitchell International OEM collision database
License Plate and VIN Scan Technology
Unlimited Imaging
Point-and-Click Graphical
Aftermarket Information
PDR Software
Quickbooks Integration
Shop Management Software
Credit Card Payment Processing
Unlimited Support
Work on any device, anywhere at anytime
No Applications to Download
No Auto-Renew Contracts
No Set Up Fees
14 Day Free Trial
100% Money Back Guarantee
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
## Web-Est Sitemap
http://web-est.com/2014-07-20T20:26:49+00:00http://web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspxhttp://web-est.com/index.html2014-07-20T20:26:49+00:00http://web-est.com/collision-estimating.html2014-07-20T20:26:47+00:00http://web-est.com/about-us.html2014-07-20T20:26:46+00:00http://web-est.com/resources.html2014-07-20T20:26:51+00:00http://web-est.com/blog.html2014-07-20T20:26:47+00:00http://web-est.com/contact.html2014-07-20T20:26:47+00:00http://web-est.com/training.html2014-07-20T20:26:51+00:00http://web-est.com/free-trial.html2014-07-20T20:26:48+00:00http://web-est.com/privacy-policy.html2014-07-20T20:26:51+00:00http://web-est.com/site-map.html2014-07-20T20:26:51+00:00http://web-est.com/contact.phphttp://web-est.com/executive-team.html2014-07-20T20:26:47+00:00http://web-est.com/2014/2/17/how-web-est-collision-estimating-software-helps-auto-body-shops.html2014-07-20T20:27:35+00:00http://web-est.com/2014/2/7/letter-templates-for-web-est-collision-estimating-software.html2014-07-20T20:27:35+00:00http://web-est.com/2013/10/3/web-est-releases-new-product-updates-to-collision-estimating-software.html2014-07-20T20:27:34+00:00http://web-est.com/archives.html2014-07-20T20:26:46+00:00http://web-est.com/espanol.html2014-07-20T20:26:47+00:00http://web-est.com/MyWebEst/Login.aspxhttp://web-est.com/mobile-collision-estimating.html2014-07-20T20:26:49+00:00http://web-est.com/auto-parts-connect.html2014-07-20T20:26:46+00:00http://web-est.com/2013/3/15/web-est-announces-vehicle-panel-replacement-costs-added-to-paintless-dent-repair-estimating-software.html2014-07-20T20:27:34+00:00http://web-est.com/2013/4/5/introducing-pdr-estimating-software.html2014-07-20T20:27:34+00:00http://web-est.com/2013/4/23/using-mobile-estimating-to-improve-customer-service.html2014-07-20T20:27:34+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/1/4/building-an-internet-marketing-plan-for-your-auto-body-business.html2014-07-20T20:27:30+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/1/10/estimating-to-keep-the-customer.html2014-07-20T20:27:30+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/5/30/optimizing-an-auto-body-shop-search-engine-listing.html2014-07-20T20:27:31+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/6/6/using-the-estimating-process-to-close-sales-at-the-auto-body-shop.html2014-07-20T20:27:32+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/8/24/the-basics-of-a-pay-per-click-ad-campaign-for-auto-body-shops.html2014-07-20T20:27:32+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/8/30/using-the-right-keywords-for-an-auto-body-shop-ppc-ad-campaign.html2014-07-20T20:27:32+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/9/14/top-ten-reasons-small-businesses-succeed.html2014-07-20T20:27:33+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/9/26/the-drive-to-digital-marketing-for-auto-body-shops.html2014-07-20T20:27:33+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/9/6/top-ten-reasons-auto-body-businesses-fail.html2014-07-20T20:27:33+00:00http://web-est.com/2012/10/11/writing-good-ads-for-your-auto-body-ppc-campaign.html2014-07-20T20:27:31+00:00http://web-est.com/2011/1/17/key-ingredients-for-smooth-auto-body-shop-operations.html2014-07-20T20:27:27+00:00http://web-est.com/2011/2/14/simple-marketing-ideas-for-your-startup-auto-body-shop-business.html2014-07-20T20:27:28+00:00http://web-est.com/2011/2/7/putting-a-strong-staff-in-place-for-your-auto-body-shop-business.html2014-07-20T20:27:28+00:00http://web-est.com/2011/3/28/using-email-to-grow-an-auto-body-shop-business.html2014-07-20T20:27:28+00:00http://web-est.com/2011/3/8/web-est-collision-estimating-software-integrates-with-collisionlink-online-parts-ordering-solution-from-oeconnection.html2014-07-20T20:27:28+00:00http://web-est.com/2011/5/5/good-manners-make-sense-for-automotive-marketing.html2014-07-20T20:27:30+00:00http://web-est.com/2010/1/26/pairing-up-for-success.html2014-07-20T20:27:24+00:00http://web-est.com/2010/10/11/general-rules-for-an-auto-body-shop-website.html2014-07-20T20:27:24+00:00http://web-est.com/2010/2/2/web-est-ahead-of-collision-estimating-competitors-in-64-bit-technology.html2014-07-20T20:27:25+00:00http://web-est.com/2010/7/29/collision-estimating-on-smart-phones-with-web-est-software.html2014-07-20T20:27:26+00:00http://web-est.com/2010/8/13/ways-to-use-facebook-to-market-an-auto-body-shop.html2014-07-20T20:27:26+00:00http://web-est.com/2010/8/25/using-google-places-to-market-an-auto-body-shop.html2014-07-20T20:27:27+00:00http://web-est.com/2009/10/11/customer's-view-of-web-est's-auto-body-estimating-program.html2014-07-20T20:27:22+00:00http://web-est.com/2009/10/13/building-a-new-body-shop.html2014-07-20T20:27:23+00:00http://web-est.com/2009/10/23/foundational-marketing-practices-for-an-auto-body-shop.html2014-07-20T20:27:23+00:00http://web-est.com/2009/11/12/advertising-for-a-new-auto-body-shop.html2014-07-20T20:27:23+00:00http://web-est.com/2009/11/24/the-advantages-of-having-a-website-for-your-auto-body-shop.html2014-07-20T20:27:23+00:00http://web-est.com/2009/12/8/marketing-your-auto-body-shop-with-a-referral-system.html2014-07-20T20:27:24+00:00
## Contact Web-Est
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## Contact Us
Fill out the form below.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- Message
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Submit
- Should be Empty:
## Collision Estimating Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Collision Estimating Software For Independent Auto Body Shops
Designed for Independents, not for insurance companies. Discover the Web-Est difference and see why over 7,000 shops use Web-Est **collision estimating software**.
“ _I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great._”
**\- Jay Jorge, Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ**
## Get a 14-Day Free Trial Plus Two Months Absolutely Free!
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required! Start your 14-day free trial.
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
Web-Est is collision estimating software for IndependentBody Sh
A robust, purpose built software for small-mid size auto body shops.
[Get Started FREE](https://www.web-est.com/#home)
## Collision Estimating Software Designed for The Independent Auto Body Shop
Discover why thousands of small-mid size auto body shops use Web-Est auto collision estimating software.
##### Multiple Rate profiles
Estimators can have rates for your walk in customers, fleet accounts, non-taxable accounts or wholesale accounts. Choose from a pre-set profile for every situation and use preset charges to help your business account for other costs you should re-coup with each repair.
##### Mitchell Database
Web-Est uses one of the most respected sources of collision information in our industry. We include labor and paint times, part numbers/price information as well as under hood dimensions for all current and older model vehicles.
##### Unlimited Imaging
Web-Est gives you the ability to include as many photos as necessary on your estimate, allowing for smoother repair cost settlement between you and an adjuster or owner.
##### Point-and-Click Graphical
Easily choose parts to repair or replace, including: part pricing, labor times and your paint times (single stage, clear-coat, three stage or two tone) you can even choose to add edging, underside, and blending in any combination.
##### Quickbooks Integration
Quickly integrate accounting software packages including QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
##### Pro-Advisor
Pro-Advisor is an AI-guided estimation tool that jumpstarts the estimation process by pre-populating parts line items – this reduces the time your team spends on repairs, greatly increasing the overall efficiency of your operations.
##### Web-Est Pay
Web-Est Pay is our very own proprietary payment processing system. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Web-Est Pay is designed to streamline your payment collection process. Now, you can effortlessly, swiftly, and seamlessly gather payments without any hassle.
##### Access from Anywhere
Web-Est's collision estimating software gives auto body shops the ability to write an estimate from the shop, in the field or while working at home. All you need is your log-in information and you have access to your estimating program anytime, anyplace.
##### Aftermarket Information
Web-Est includes most aftermarket vendor’s parts information free of charge. If there is a vendor you are working with, and you do not see them listed in the system, simply let us know, and our Data group will work to get that companies information added to the system.
##### PDR Software
PDR-Software is a paintless dent repair estimating program created specifically for PDR repair professionals. By integrating paintless dent repair estimatics with logic-based technology, up-to-date OEM parts price data and additional parts R&I times, PDR-Software allows techs to write accurate estimates for their customers.
##### Frame Data Availability
Mitchell Full Frame and Opening Data. Available to Web-Est customers as an ala carte option, this information is universal and can be used with any frame machine/pulling device. Ask your Web-Est representative about adding Frame Data to our account.
##### Image Editor
Provides clarity to the insurance company, the Image Editor enables the user to notate, highlight damage areas, crop, copy and save zoomed-in areas of damage as a new image, as well as label and rotate the images.
##### Shop Management Software
Rome Basic is our very own proprietary shop management software. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Rome Basic is body shop management software that gives you control of your parts ordering, customer service, accounting and calendar.
We Build Collision Estimating Software for Independent Body Shops
~ And we're darn good at it. ~
[Start Your 14 Day Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/#home)
“I’ve been a Web-Est user since 2010 and I’ve always liked the product. Recently I tested Web-Est’s new product “Pro-Estimator” and I love it! I switched over to the new product after testing it, it’s faster with improved logic. I’ve already noticed where its picking up labor hour recommendation I would have otherwise missed, 2-hours on one sheet alone the other day! Working from my smart phone with this new layout is very convenient, I have already recommended the product to friends in the business.
”
##### Glenn Reynolds
Phil’s Body Shop
“I am very impressed. The program was easy to use, easy to configure the specifics for my shop, had all of the bells and whistles like part ordering sheets, repair authorization letters, POA letters, etc. It was also easy to manually override built in labor times. The fact that it is internet based means I can use it on more than 1 computer and use it on my notebook computer on the road.”
##### David Adams
Owner of Cook Collision in Goleta, CA
“I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great.”
##### Jay Jorge
Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ
E:
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/#)
P: (888) 932-3780
A: 12884 S Frontrunner Blvd, Ste 220
Draper, UT 84020
Give us a call, we answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.
We are open Monday - Friday from 8:30 EST - 5:30 EST.
## ProEstimator Member Login
# Member Login
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Password
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For login assistance, contact Tech Support at 888-932-3780 x203, or select the Live Chat bubble in the lower left corner of this screen
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If the username exists, a message with further instructions has been sent to its associated email address.
# Your browser is not supported
It looks like you're using an outdated browser or an embedded browser that doesn't support some of the features required for this site.
Please try accessing this site using:
- Safari 12 or newer
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## Collision Estimating Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Collision Estimating Software For Independent Auto Body Shops
Designed for Independents, not for insurance companies. Discover the Web-Est difference and see why over 7,000 shops use Web-Est **collision estimating software**.
“ _I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great._”
**\- Jay Jorge, Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ**
## Get a 14-Day Free Trial Plus Two Months Absolutely Free!
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required! Start your 14-day free trial.
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
Web-Est is collision estimating software for IndependentBody Shops
A robust, purpose built software for small-mid size auto body shops.
[Get Started FREE](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#home)
## Collision Estimating Software Designed for The Independent Auto Body Shop
Discover why thousands of small-mid size auto body shops use Web-Est auto collision estimating software.
##### Multiple Rate profiles
Estimators can have rates for your walk in customers, fleet accounts, non-taxable accounts or wholesale accounts. Choose from a pre-set profile for every situation and use preset charges to help your business account for other costs you should re-coup with each repair.
##### Mitchell Database
Web-Est uses one of the most respected sources of collision information in our industry. We include labor and paint times, part numbers/price information as well as under hood dimensions for all current and older model vehicles.
##### Unlimited Imaging
Web-Est gives you the ability to include as many photos as necessary on your estimate, allowing for smoother repair cost settlement between you and an adjuster or owner.
##### Point-and-Click Graphical
Easily choose parts to repair or replace, including: part pricing, labor times and your paint times (single stage, clear-coat, three stage or two tone) you can even choose to add edging, underside, and blending in any combination.
##### Quickbooks Integration
Quickly integrate accounting software packages including QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
##### Pro-Advisor
Pro-Advisor is an AI-guided estimation tool that jumpstarts the estimation process by pre-populating parts line items – this reduces the time your team spends on repairs, greatly increasing the overall efficiency of your operations.
##### Web-Est Pay
Web-Est Pay is our very own proprietary payment processing system. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Web-Est Pay is designed to streamline your payment collection process. Now, you can effortlessly, swiftly, and seamlessly gather payments without any hassle.
##### Access from Anywhere
Web-Est's collision estimating software gives auto body shops the ability to write an estimate from the shop, in the field or while working at home. All you need is your log-in information and you have access to your estimating program anytime, anyplace.
##### Aftermarket Information
Web-Est includes most aftermarket vendor’s parts information free of charge. If there is a vendor you are working with, and you do not see them listed in the system, simply let us know, and our Data group will work to get that companies information added to the system.
##### PDR Software
PDR-Software is a paintless dent repair estimating program created specifically for PDR repair professionals. By integrating paintless dent repair estimatics with logic-based technology, up-to-date OEM parts price data and additional parts R&I times, PDR-Software allows techs to write accurate estimates for their customers.
##### Frame Data Availability
Mitchell Full Frame and Opening Data. Available to Web-Est customers as an ala carte option, this information is universal and can be used with any frame machine/pulling device. Ask your Web-Est representative about adding Frame Data to our account.
##### Image Editor
Provides clarity to the insurance company, the Image Editor enables the user to notate, highlight damage areas, crop, copy and save zoomed-in areas of damage as a new image, as well as label and rotate the images.
##### Shop Management Software
Rome Basic is our very own proprietary shop management software. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Rome Basic is body shop management software that gives you control of your parts ordering, customer service, accounting and calendar.
We Build Collision Estimating Software for Independent Body Shops
~ And we're darn good at it. ~
[Start Your 14 Day Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#home)
“I’ve been a Web-Est user since 2010 and I’ve always liked the product. Recently I tested Web-Est’s new product “Pro-Estimator” and I love it! I switched over to the new product after testing it, it’s faster with improved logic. I’ve already noticed where its picking up labor hour recommendation I would have otherwise missed, 2-hours on one sheet alone the other day! Working from my smart phone with this new layout is very convenient, I have already recommended the product to friends in the business.
”
##### Glenn Reynolds
Phil’s Body Shop
“I am very impressed. The program was easy to use, easy to configure the specifics for my shop, had all of the bells and whistles like part ordering sheets, repair authorization letters, POA letters, etc. It was also easy to manually override built in labor times. The fact that it is internet based means I can use it on more than 1 computer and use it on my notebook computer on the road.”
##### David Adams
Owner of Cook Collision in Goleta, CA
“I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great.”
##### Jay Jorge
Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ
E:
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#)
P: (888) 932-3780
A: 12884 S Frontrunner Blvd, Ste 220
Draper, UT 84020
Give us a call, we answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.
We are open Monday - Friday from 8:30 EST - 5:30 EST.
## Collision Estimating Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Collision Estimating Software For Independent Auto Body Shops
Designed for Independents, not for insurance companies. Discover the Web-Est difference and see why over 7,000 shops use Web-Est **collision estimating software**.
“ _I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great._”
**\- Jay Jorge, Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ**
## Get a 14-Day Free Trial Plus Two Months Absolutely Free!
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required! Start your 14-day free trial.
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
Web-Est is collision estimating software for IndependentBody Shops
A robust, purpose built software for small-mid size auto body shops.
[Get Started FREE](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#home)
## Collision Estimating Software Designed for The Independent Auto Body Shop
Discover why thousands of small-mid size auto body shops use Web-Est auto collision estimating software.
##### Multiple Rate profiles
Estimators can have rates for your walk in customers, fleet accounts, non-taxable accounts or wholesale accounts. Choose from a pre-set profile for every situation and use preset charges to help your business account for other costs you should re-coup with each repair.
##### Mitchell Database
Web-Est uses one of the most respected sources of collision information in our industry. We include labor and paint times, part numbers/price information as well as under hood dimensions for all current and older model vehicles.
##### Unlimited Imaging
Web-Est gives you the ability to include as many photos as necessary on your estimate, allowing for smoother repair cost settlement between you and an adjuster or owner.
##### Point-and-Click Graphical
Easily choose parts to repair or replace, including: part pricing, labor times and your paint times (single stage, clear-coat, three stage or two tone) you can even choose to add edging, underside, and blending in any combination.
##### Quickbooks Integration
Quickly integrate accounting software packages including QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
##### Pro-Advisor
Pro-Advisor is an AI-guided estimation tool that jumpstarts the estimation process by pre-populating parts line items – this reduces the time your team spends on repairs, greatly increasing the overall efficiency of your operations.
##### Web-Est Pay
Web-Est Pay is our very own proprietary payment processing system. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Web-Est Pay is designed to streamline your payment collection process. Now, you can effortlessly, swiftly, and seamlessly gather payments without any hassle.
##### Access from Anywhere
Web-Est's collision estimating software gives auto body shops the ability to write an estimate from the shop, in the field or while working at home. All you need is your log-in information and you have access to your estimating program anytime, anyplace.
##### Aftermarket Information
Web-Est includes most aftermarket vendor’s parts information free of charge. If there is a vendor you are working with, and you do not see them listed in the system, simply let us know, and our Data group will work to get that companies information added to the system.
##### PDR Software
PDR-Software is a paintless dent repair estimating program created specifically for PDR repair professionals. By integrating paintless dent repair estimatics with logic-based technology, up-to-date OEM parts price data and additional parts R&I times, PDR-Software allows techs to write accurate estimates for their customers.
##### Frame Data Availability
Mitchell Full Frame and Opening Data. Available to Web-Est customers as an ala carte option, this information is universal and can be used with any frame machine/pulling device. Ask your Web-Est representative about adding Frame Data to our account.
##### Image Editor
Provides clarity to the insurance company, the Image Editor enables the user to notate, highlight damage areas, crop, copy and save zoomed-in areas of damage as a new image, as well as label and rotate the images.
##### Shop Management Software
Rome Basic is our very own proprietary shop management software. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Rome Basic is body shop management software that gives you control of your parts ordering, customer service, accounting and calendar.
We Build Collision Estimating Software for Independent Body Shops
~ And we're darn good at it. ~
[Start Your 14 Day Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#home)
“I’ve been a Web-Est user since 2010 and I’ve always liked the product. Recently I tested Web-Est’s new product “Pro-Estimator” and I love it! I switched over to the new product after testing it, it’s faster with improved logic. I’ve already noticed where its picking up labor hour recommendation I would have otherwise missed, 2-hours on one sheet alone the other day! Working from my smart phone with this new layout is very convenient, I have already recommended the product to friends in the business.
”
##### Glenn Reynolds
Phil’s Body Shop
“I am very impressed. The program was easy to use, easy to configure the specifics for my shop, had all of the bells and whistles like part ordering sheets, repair authorization letters, POA letters, etc. It was also easy to manually override built in labor times. The fact that it is internet based means I can use it on more than 1 computer and use it on my notebook computer on the road.”
##### David Adams
Owner of Cook Collision in Goleta, CA
“I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great.”
##### Jay Jorge
Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ
E:
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#)
P: (888) 932-3780
A: 12884 S Frontrunner Blvd, Ste 220
Draper, UT 84020
Give us a call, we answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.
We are open Monday - Friday from 8:30 EST - 5:30 EST.
## Collision Estimating Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Collision Estimating Software For Independent Auto Body Shops
Designed for Independents, not for insurance companies. Discover the Web-Est difference and see why over 7,000 shops use Web-Est **collision estimating software**.
“ _I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great._”
**\- Jay Jorge, Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ**
## Get a 14-Day Free Trial Plus Two Months Absolutely Free!
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required! Start your 14-day free trial.
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
Web-Est is collision estimating software for IndependentBody Shops
A robust, purpose built software for small-mid size auto body shops.
[Get Started FREE](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#home)
## Collision Estimating Software Designed for The Independent Auto Body Shop
Discover why thousands of small-mid size auto body shops use Web-Est auto collision estimating software.
##### Multiple Rate profiles
Estimators can have rates for your walk in customers, fleet accounts, non-taxable accounts or wholesale accounts. Choose from a pre-set profile for every situation and use preset charges to help your business account for other costs you should re-coup with each repair.
##### Mitchell Database
Web-Est uses one of the most respected sources of collision information in our industry. We include labor and paint times, part numbers/price information as well as under hood dimensions for all current and older model vehicles.
##### Unlimited Imaging
Web-Est gives you the ability to include as many photos as necessary on your estimate, allowing for smoother repair cost settlement between you and an adjuster or owner.
##### Point-and-Click Graphical
Easily choose parts to repair or replace, including: part pricing, labor times and your paint times (single stage, clear-coat, three stage or two tone) you can even choose to add edging, underside, and blending in any combination.
##### Quickbooks Integration
Quickly integrate accounting software packages including QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
##### Pro-Advisor
Pro-Advisor is an AI-guided estimation tool that jumpstarts the estimation process by pre-populating parts line items – this reduces the time your team spends on repairs, greatly increasing the overall efficiency of your operations.
##### Web-Est Pay
Web-Est Pay is our very own proprietary payment processing system. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Web-Est Pay is designed to streamline your payment collection process. Now, you can effortlessly, swiftly, and seamlessly gather payments without any hassle.
##### Access from Anywhere
Web-Est's collision estimating software gives auto body shops the ability to write an estimate from the shop, in the field or while working at home. All you need is your log-in information and you have access to your estimating program anytime, anyplace.
##### Aftermarket Information
Web-Est includes most aftermarket vendor’s parts information free of charge. If there is a vendor you are working with, and you do not see them listed in the system, simply let us know, and our Data group will work to get that companies information added to the system.
##### PDR Software
PDR-Software is a paintless dent repair estimating program created specifically for PDR repair professionals. By integrating paintless dent repair estimatics with logic-based technology, up-to-date OEM parts price data and additional parts R&I times, PDR-Software allows techs to write accurate estimates for their customers.
##### Frame Data Availability
Mitchell Full Frame and Opening Data. Available to Web-Est customers as an ala carte option, this information is universal and can be used with any frame machine/pulling device. Ask your Web-Est representative about adding Frame Data to our account.
##### Image Editor
Provides clarity to the insurance company, the Image Editor enables the user to notate, highlight damage areas, crop, copy and save zoomed-in areas of damage as a new image, as well as label and rotate the images.
##### Shop Management Software
Rome Basic is our very own proprietary shop management software. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Rome Basic is body shop management software that gives you control of your parts ordering, customer service, accounting and calendar.
We Build Collision Estimating Software for Independent Body Shops
~ And we're darn good at it. ~
[Start Your 14 Day Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#home)
“I’ve been a Web-Est user since 2010 and I’ve always liked the product. Recently I tested Web-Est’s new product “Pro-Estimator” and I love it! I switched over to the new product after testing it, it’s faster with improved logic. I’ve already noticed where its picking up labor hour recommendation I would have otherwise missed, 2-hours on one sheet alone the other day! Working from my smart phone with this new layout is very convenient, I have already recommended the product to friends in the business.
”
##### Glenn Reynolds
Phil’s Body Shop
“I am very impressed. The program was easy to use, easy to configure the specifics for my shop, had all of the bells and whistles like part ordering sheets, repair authorization letters, POA letters, etc. It was also easy to manually override built in labor times. The fact that it is internet based means I can use it on more than 1 computer and use it on my notebook computer on the road.”
##### David Adams
Owner of Cook Collision in Goleta, CA
“I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great.”
##### Jay Jorge
Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ
E:
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/index.html#)
P: (888) 932-3780
A: 12884 S Frontrunner Blvd, Ste 220
Draper, UT 84020
Give us a call, we answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.
We are open Monday - Friday from 8:30 EST - 5:30 EST.
## Contact Web-Est
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## Contact Us
Fill out the form below.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- Message
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Submit
- Should be Empty:
## Web-Est Training Videos
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Questions?
Click here to chat with us
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- [Features](https://www.web-est.com/features.html)
- [Pricing](https://www.web-est.com/pricing.html)
- [Videos](https://www.web-est.com/training-videos.html)
- [Contact Us](https://www.web-est.com/contact-us.html)
- Live Chat
- [Request Free Trial](https://www.web-est.com/web-est-trial.html)
- [Customer Log In](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
# Training Videos
## Training Videos
| |
| --- |
| **How to use Web-Est Collision Estimating**
How to use Web-Est collision estimating software. - YouTube
[How to use Web-Est collision estimating software.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4vdI5PnPSA)
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| **How to set up your rate profile**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software "How to set-up your Rate Profile" - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software "How to set-up your Rate Profile"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKKOApIDXBU)
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| **How to upload a logo**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software, How to upload a logo to your estimate header. - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software, How to upload a logo to your estimate header.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcAvYlxm-1k)
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| **How to enter pre-set charges**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: "How to Enter PreSet Charges" - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: "How to Enter PreSet Charges"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGyOKJXyJIE)
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| **How to update your tax rate in your profile settings**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software, How to update your Tax Rate in your profile settings.. - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software, How to update your Tax Rate in your profile settings..](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF0N-olNnlU)
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| **How to write an estimate**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Introduction - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Introduction](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFaRa1DjwUc)
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| **How to write a supplement**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software, How to Write a Supplement - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software, How to Write a Supplement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8e5zluFigY)
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| **How to email an estimate**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: How to email an estimate from Web-Est - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: How to email an estimate from Web-Est](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAhvVqiyyX4)
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| **How to export an EMS formatted estimate**
Web-Est Auto Collision Estimating Software: How to Export an EMS formated Estimate - YouTube
[Web-Est Auto Collision Estimating Software: How to Export an EMS formated Estimate](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JleGtum1HvQ)
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| **Easy maintenance for your computer**
Easy Maintenance for your Computer, tips by Web-Est - YouTube
[Easy Maintenance for your Computer, tips by Web-Est](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6WrR4hI68o)
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| **Como hacer un estimado con WEB-EST en español**
Como hacer un estimado con WEB-EST en español - YouTube
[Como hacer un estimado con WEB-EST en español](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4yTXU-n38g)
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| **Web-Est: Como establecer sus cargos predeterminados**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: establecer tus cargos predeterminados - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: establecer tus cargos predeterminados](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdsx3HpMgEc)
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| **Web-Est: Como actualizar su precio por mano de obra**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: establecer tus cargos predeterminados - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: establecer tus cargos predeterminados](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uKUXtSKU1A)
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| **Web-Est: Como actualizar el Sales Tax**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: Como actualizar el Sales Tax - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: Como actualizar el Sales Tax](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkgWHoiwYsU)
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| **Web-Est: Como subir tu logotipo**
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: Como subir su logotipo - YouTube
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: Como subir su logotipo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHGSWuwn6Sg)
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### Contact
**Web-Est, LLC.**
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
[techsupport@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
### From Our Blog
### Connect With Us
[Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html) \| [Site Map](https://www.web-est.com/training-videos.html#)
- [Features](https://www.web-est.com/features.html)
- [Pricing](https://www.web-est.com/pricing.html)
- [Videos](https://www.web-est.com/training-videos.html)
- [Contact Us](https://www.web-est.com/contact-us.html)
- Live Chat
- [Request Free Trial](https://www.web-est.com/web-est-trial.html)
- [Customer Log In](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
- [Features](https://www.web-est.com/features.html)
- [Pricing](https://www.web-est.com/pricing.html)
- [Videos](https://www.web-est.com/training-videos.html)
- [Contact Us](https://www.web-est.com/contact-us.html)
- Live Chat
- [Request Free Trial](https://www.web-est.com/web-est-trial.html)
- [Customer Log In](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
- [Features](https://www.web-est.com/features.html)
- [Pricing](https://www.web-est.com/pricing.html)
- [Videos](https://www.web-est.com/training-videos.html)
- [Contact Us](https://www.web-est.com/contact-us.html)
- Live Chat
- [Request Free Trial](https://www.web-est.com/web-est-trial.html)
- [Customer Log In](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
## Auto Body Shop Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
## Independent Auto Body Shop Software Designed for You, The Small-Mid Size Auto Body Shop.
Discover why thousands of independent auto body shops use Web-Est collision estimating software.
Mitchell International OEM collision database
License Plate and VIN Scan Technology
Unlimited Imaging
Point-and-Click Graphical
Aftermarket Information
PDR Software
Quickbooks Integration
Shop Management Software
Credit Card Payment Processing
Unlimited Support
Work on any device, anywhere at anytime
No Applications to Download
No Auto-Renew Contracts
No Set Up Fees
14 Day Free Trial
100% Money Back Guarantee
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
## Web-Est Privacy Policy
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
##### Your privacy is a primary concern to us at Web-Est.
**WEB-EST PRIVACY POLICY**
Last updated: 3.16.2022
Effective date: 4.16.2022
Web-Est, LLC ("Web-Est") is committed to maintaining robust privacy protections for its users. The terms "we," "us," and "our" refer to Web-Est. "You" refers to you, as a user of our website. Our Privacy Policy ("Privacy Policy") is designed to help you understand how we collect, use and safeguard the information you provide to us and to assist you in making informed decisions when using our website.
By using our website, you acknowledge our Privacy Policy, including our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. In addition, by using our services, or services across partnered and unaffiliated sites, you are accepting the policies and practices described in this Privacy Policy and such other sites. Each time you visit our website, and any time you voluntarily provide us with information, you agree that you are consenting to our collection, use, and disclosure of the information that you provide.
Information for California residents can be found in our [California Privacy Statement](https://mainstreetcomputers.com/california-privacy-policy.html).
**COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION**
We collect the domain name and other user information of site users and visitors to our website and general information on what pages site users and visitors access or visit.
The information we collect from your devices is used to improve the content of our web page, used to notify site users and visitors about updates to our website, shared with agents or contractors who assist in providing support for our internal operations, and used by us to contact site users and visitors for marketing and advertising purposes. This information is collected through web server logs, cookies, and other technologies (described below) that allow us to track the general statistics and data from our visitors as they utilize our website.
**COOKIES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES:**
Our website uses cookies, web beacons, java scripts, and similar technologies to automatically collect certain information about your activity relating to your visit to our website. These technologies collect your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and/or clickstream data. We use this data to analyze trends, administer our website, track users' movements through our website, and gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. We may receive reports based on these technologies on an individual or aggregated basis.
A "cookie" is a small text file that websites send to your computer or device other Internet-connected device to identify your browser or to store information or settings in the browser. A "web beacon", also known as an Internet tag, pixel tag or clear GIF, links web pages to web servers and their cookies and may be used to transmit information collected through cookies back to a web server.
We use these automated technologies to collect information about your devices, browsing actions, and usage patterns. The information we obtain in this manner includes information on your interaction with a website, application, or advertisement, your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and/or clickstream data. Our website uses first-party cookies (served directly by our website domain when you visit our website). We may collect information about your online activities over time and across different sites and services when you visit our website.
**BEHAVIORAL ADVERTISING, INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM OTHERS:**
Our ad network partner uses cookies and web beacons to collect information about your activities on this and other websites to provide you targeted advertising based upon your interests. If you wish to not have this information used for the purpose of serving you targeted ads, you may opt out by clicking here [http://www.google.com/privacy\_ads.html](http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html). Please note, this does not opt you out of being served advertising. You will continue to receive generic ads.
**DO NOT TRACK SIGNALS**
Some web browsers allow you to turn on Do Not Track ("DNT"), which sends signals to websites you visit, telling those sites that you do not want your online activities to be tracked. Our website currently is not designed to respond to DNT signals received from web browsers.
**HOW WE SHARE PERSONAL INFORMATION**
We do not collect personal information from you unless you provide it to us in conjunction with the services we offer. The information collected is used for account set up and the services you request.
We do not license, sell, rent, or trade any collected business information about your account or other personal information unless you request it. The personal information you provide is to help complete a transaction initiated by you, or the disclosure is otherwise lawfully permitted or requested. We will share your personal information with third parties only in the ways that are described in this privacy policy.
Affiliates and Business Partner: We may share your personal information with our affiliates, subsidiaries, business partners, and related entities if we need to, in order to maintain our business and provide products and services to you. Service Providers: We may provide your personal information to companies that provide services to help us with our business activities, such as customer service. These companies are authorized to use your personal information only as necessary to provide these services to us. These service providers may include internet service providers and operating systems and platforms. Google Analytics is one service provider included here, and you may access Google's Privacy Policy by visiting: [https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/)
Other Third Parties: We will disclose your personal information to other third parties upon your request.
Compliance with Legal Obligations: In certain situations, we may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. We may also disclose your personal information as required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, or similar legal process when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.
Changes in Business Structure or Ownership: We reserve the right to transfer your personal information in the event Web-Est is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its business or assets.
**SECURITY**
The security of your personal information is important to us. We use several security measures designed to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. If you have any questions about security on our website, you can contact us at [support@Web-Estcomputers.com](mailto:support@mainstreetcomputers.com).
We will retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. We will retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
**ACCESSING AND UPDATING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION**
Upon request, we will provide you with information about whether we hold any of your personal information. You may access, correct, or request deletion of your personal information by contacting your sales representative directly, or you may contact us at [support@Web-Estcomputers.com](mailto:support@mainstreetcomputers.com) or **800-698-6246**. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.
**CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY**
We reserve the right to change this policy and our Terms of Service at any time. We will notify you of significant changes to our Privacy Policy by placing a prominent notice on our site. Significant changes will go into effect within 30 days following such notification. Non-material changes or clarifications will take effect immediately. You should periodically check the Site and this privacy page for updates.
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Web-Est Site Map
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
## Navigate our website
- [Home Page](https://www.web-est.com/index.html "Collision Estimating Software Now at %SITEMAP% Down!")
- [Customer Login](http://web-est.com/MyWebEst/Login.aspx "Customer Login")
- [Resources](https://www.web-est.com/resources.html "Resources")
- [Contact Us](https://www.web-est.com/contact.html "Contact Us")
- [Training](https://www.web-est.com/training.html "Training")
- [Free Trial](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html "Free Trial")
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy-policy.html "Privacy Policy")
- [Site Map](https://www.web-est.com/site-map.html "Site Map")
- [Contact Us](https://www.web-est.com/contact.php "Web-Est")
- [Spanish](https://www.web-est.com/espanol.html "Spanish")
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## 404 Error Page
## 404 - File or directory not found.
### The resource you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.
## Web-Est Executive Team
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
## Meet Our Team
[LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/pub/eric-seidel/26/8b2/359)
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Eric Seidel
Co-Founder
President and CEO
As the President and CEO, Eric Seidel is vision caster and strategic planner for Web-Est.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Amber Seidel
Co-Founder
Accounting Executive
Amber Seidel is the Web-Est Accounting Executive, overseeing all daily office operations and the accounting department.
[Twitter](https://twitter.com/OSUGolfer)
[LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/pub/matthew-shanks/17/84/a7a)
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Matt Shanks
Executive VP of Operations
As the EVP of Operations, Matt Shanks oversees product management, technical support and sales and marketing.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Ryan Blade
CIO
The Chief Information Officer, Ryan Blade manages the Web-Est database and Information Technology team.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Becky Nabors
Senior Account Executive
Office Manager
As a senior account executive and office manager, Becky Nabors coordinates training and correspondence with all potential customers with other executives.
[LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/pub/eric-seidel-jr/49/218/120/)
[Twitter](http://twitter.com/ewjseidel)
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### JR Seidel
Director of Marketing
JR Seidel creates new ways for Web-Est connects to auto body shops and manages the multiple Web-Est marketing channels.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Gisela Stephens
Senior Account Executive
As a Senior Account Executive, Gisela Stephens assists customers with the Web-Est estimating platform, offering training and and answering questions. She also assists with the Spanish speaking customers.
[LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-hough/68/700/526)
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Mike Hough
Senior Account Executive
PDR Product Manager
Mike Hough is the product manager for PDR Estimating Software, a product owned by PDR-Software, which Web-Est is licensed to sell.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Christine Sinay
Account Executive
Christine Sinay is responsible for acquiring new accounts, training, answering questions and managing new accounts for Web-Est.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Leah Tinapay
Account Executive
Leah Tinapay acquires new accounts, offers assistance and training and helps new customers get acquainted with the Web-Est platform.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Pam Bouley
Account Executive
Pam Bouley helps new customers get familiar with the Web-Est platform by offering training and answering questions. She is also responsible for adding and managing new accounts.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Ron Bouley
Technical Support
Ron Bouley assists customers in all technical support inquiries, providing training, resolving issues and answering questions.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Justin Blade
Technical Support Specialist
As a technical support specialist, Justin Blade is responsible for being accessible to customers throughout the day to aid in any technical issues.
Bio (Coming Soon!)
###### Susan Abels
Executive Assistant
Susan Abels offers administrative assistance to the executive team and accounting department.
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Web-Est Collision Software
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### How Web-Est Collision Estimating Software Helps Auto Body Shops
It's not uncommon for customers to ask us up
front why they should make the switch to Web-Est Collision
Estimating Software. "Why should I go through the hassle of
learning a new program? Switching programs will only make my life
more difficult." That's an honest question, one we hear from time
to time. Well...let's ask that question here. Let's explore how
Web-Est can make life easier for an auto body shop. Just to give
some insight into how we think we can make life easier for an auto
shop, we can make life easier for an auto body shop because of our
efficiency, reliability, mobility and affordability.
Efficiency- We at Web-Est have built an
efficient way of estimating for body shops. Our platform is
entirely web-based. This provides a number of advantages for the
way estimating is done. One advantage is data updates. Our part
price updates are completed by our staff for subscribers every
month. Updating every month provides users with the latest
information almost as soon as it comes out. While we're on the
subject, our labor times are industry standard. Using data from
Mitchel International, our estimates are accepted by every
insurance company in the industry. With industry-standard labor
times, part prices and monthly updates, our data is timely,
accurate and available for your estimating needs immediately.
Reliability- Web-Est Collision Estimating
Software is a reliable program that comes complete with free
training and technical support. When customers purchase our
program, all of the shop's technicians are given professional
training on the platform. Our training aims to bring users
up-to-speed as quickly as possible. We want to equip customers with
the skills to do less busy work setting up for figuring out the
program. By the end of the training, users are able to breeze
through an estimate in under 5 minutes. Additionally, our program
comes complete with free technical support. While some auto
estimating programs charge for technical support, ours comes free
of charge.
Mobility- Web-Est Collision Estimating has
incredible mobility. Because our program is entirely on the web,
its accessible from any location. Are you out of the office and
want to see the shop's workflow? Hop online and check. Are you on
the road, checking the damage to a potential customer's vehicle?
Bring your tablet, jump online and write an estimate immediately.
With subscription purchase, no download is necessary with no
limitations to \*devices\* to access it.
Affordability- The primary aim of Web-Est has
always been to provide affordable auto estimating software for auto
body shops. At $99/monthly and a down payment for only one year,
our program is one of the lowest cost programs on the market. In
addition, our program comes complete at that rate. The package
includes unlimited estimating, point-and-click estimating, Vin
Decodes, Aftermarket Part pricing, LKQ-Keystone, reporting
capabilities, supplements, photo imaging, and letter templates.
There are no surprises, hidden fees or capabilities that we
withhold. All these features come included in our base package.
Web-Est offers a free, 14-day Free trial.
[Click here to\\
start your Free Trial](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html "Free Trial").
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Web-Est Letter Templates
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Letter Templates For Web-Est Collision Estimating Software
Web-Est is excited to announce a new feature
to our collision estimating software. We just added a new
letter-writing feature that is available to all users. This
new feature offers a number of options for users, such as
authorization letters, follow-up letters, estimate approval letters
and many others. Users also have the ability to create their
own letters. Each letter is formatted specific to each user's
company profile. It comes with an address header, plus any
logo users upload to their program. The feature is now
available to all collision estimting users.
See the images below to get a glance at the
new feature.
[Click here to start a free, 14-day\\
Trial](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html "Free Trial").
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Web-Est Software Updates
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Web-Est Releases New Product Updates to Collision Estimating Software
Web-Est is pleased to announce the recent rollout of some new
product upgrades. We have narrowed it down to the top most
requested items and have added the following features:
- Multiple payments can now be applied on any estimate on the
payment information tab after turning this feature on through your
print profile set up in your rate profile section.
- You now have the ability to turn on/off printing on the pdf
estimate of the estimate # and estimate ID #. See your print
profile settings under your rate profile
- You can now print an estimate directly from the Look Up
Estimate screen without having to open the estimate up.
- Time Zones are now active on the customer profile page and will
print the correct time for your time zone.
- You are now able to delete saved customer information from the
Customer Tab
- You are also able to delete saved Insurance companies from the
Insurance Tab
As always, we welcome any and all feedback from all of our
customers. We value every single one of you and hope that you find
these upgrades satisfactory. Should you need assistance with any of
these or have any further questions, please feel free to contact
our Tech Support Dept at 888-932-3780 Ext 203 Monday thru Friday
8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST.
We thank you for being a Web-Est Customer.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Web-Est Blog Archives
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
### Web-Est Blog Archives
###### Visit some of our past website articles and blog posts.
2013
- [Estimate with Web-Est using your mobile devices](https://www.web-est.com/mobile-collision-estimating.html)
- [Web-Est Auto Parts Connect is a Free Service that allows easy part ordering.](https://www.web-est.com/auto-parts-connect.html)
- [Web-Est Announces "Vehicle Panel Replacement Costs" Added to Paintless Dent Repair Estimating Software](https://www.web-est.com/2013/3/15/web-est-announces-vehicle-panel-replacement-costs-added-to-paintless-dent-repair-estimating-software.html)
- [Introducing PDR-Estimating Software](https://www.web-est.com/2013/4/5/introducing-pdr-estimating-software.html)
- [Using Mobile Estimating to Improve Customer Service](https://www.web-est.com/2013/4/23/using-mobile-estimating-to-improve-customer-service.html)
- [Web-Est Releases New Product Updates to Collision Estimating Software](https://www.web-est.com/2013/10/3/web-est-releases-new-product-updates-to-collision-estimating-software.html)
2012
- [Building an Internet Marketing Plan for Your Auto Body Business](https://www.web-est.com/2012/1/4/building-an-internet-marketing-plan-for-your-auto-body-business.html)
- [Estimating to Keep the Customer](https://www.web-est.com/2012/1/10/estimating-to-keep-the-customer.html)
- [Optimizing An Auto Body Shop Search Engine Listing](https://www.web-est.com/2012/5/30/optimizing-an-auto-body-shop-search-engine-listing.html)
- [Using the Estimating Process to Close Sales at the Auto Body Shop](https://www.web-est.com/2012/6/6/using-the-estimating-process-to-close-sales-at-the-auto-body-shop.html)
- [The Basics of a Pay Per Click Ad Campaign for Auto Body Shops](https://www.web-est.com/2012/8/24/the-basics-of-a-pay-per-click-ad-campaign-for-auto-body-shops.html)
- [Using The Right Keywords for an Auto Body Shop PPC Ad Campaign](https://www.web-est.com/2012/8/30/using-the-right-keywords-for-an-auto-body-shop-ppc-ad-campaign.html)
- [Top Ten Reasons Small Businesses Succeed](https://www.web-est.com/2012/9/14/top-ten-reasons-small-businesses-succeed.html)
- [The Drive to Digital Marketing for Auto Body Shops](https://www.web-est.com/2012/9/26/the-drive-to-digital-marketing-for-auto-body-shops.html)
- [Top Ten Reasons Auto Body Businesses Fail](https://www.web-est.com/2012/9/6/top-ten-reasons-auto-body-businesses-fail.html)
- [Writing Good Ads for Your Auto Body PPC Campaign](https://www.web-est.com/2012/10/11/writing-good-ads-for-your-auto-body-ppc-campaign.html)
2011
- [Key Ingredients for Smooth Auto Body Operations](https://www.web-est.com/2011/1/17/key-ingredients-for-smooth-auto-body-shop-operations.html)
- [Simple Marketing Ideas for Your Startup Auto Body Business](https://www.web-est.com/2011/2/14/simple-marketing-ideas-for-your-startup-auto-body-shop-business.html)
- [Putting A Strong Staff in Place For Your Auto Body Shop Business](https://www.web-est.com/2011/2/7/putting-a-strong-staff-in-place-for-your-auto-body-shop-business.html)
- [Using Email to Grow an Auto Body Shop Business](https://www.web-est.com/2011/3/28/using-email-to-grow-an-auto-body-shop-business.html)
- [Web-Est Collision Estimating Software Integrates with OEConnect](https://www.web-est.com/2011/3/8/web-est-collision-estimating-software-integrates-with-collisionlink-online-parts-ordering-solution-from-oeconnection.html)
- [Good Manners Make Sense for Automotive Marketing](https://www.web-est.com/2011/5/5/good-manners-make-sense-for-automotive-marketing.html)
2010
- [Pairing Up For Success](https://www.web-est.com/2010/1/26/pairing-up-for-success.html)
- [General Rules for An Auto Body Shop, Part I](https://www.web-est.com/2010/10/11/general-rules-for-an-auto-body-shop-website.html)
- [General Rules for An Auto Body Shop, Part II](https://www.web-est.com/2010/10/25/general-rules-for-an-auto-body-shop-website-part-2.html)
- [Using Facebook and Twitter for Auto Body Marketing](https://www.web-est.com/2010/10/4/using-facebook-and-twitter-for-auto-body-marketing.html)
- [Web-Est Ahead of Collision Estimating Competitors in 64-Bit Technology](https://www.web-est.com/2010/2/2/web-est-ahead-of-collision-estimating-competitors-in-64-bit-technology.html)
- [Collision Estimating on Smart Phones with Web-Est Collision Estimating](https://www.web-est.com/2010/7/29/collision-estimating-on-smart-phones-with-web-est-software.html)
- [Ways to Use Facebook To Market An Auto Body Shop](https://www.web-est.com/2010/8/13/ways-to-use-facebook-to-market-an-auto-body-shop.html)
- [Using Google Places to Market an Auto Body Shop](https://www.web-est.com/2010/8/25/using-google-places-to-market-an-auto-body-shop.html)
2009
- [Customer's View of Web-Est Collision estimating Software](https://www.web-est.com/2009/10/11/customer's-view-of-web-est's-auto-body-estimating-program.html)
- [Building a New Auto Body Shop](https://www.web-est.com/2009/10/13/building-a-new-body-shop.html)
- [Foundational Marketing Practices for an Auto Body Shop](https://www.web-est.com/2009/10/23/foundational-marketing-practices-for-an-auto-body-shop.html)
- [Advertising for a New Auto body Shop](https://www.web-est.com/2009/11/12/advertising-for-a-new-auto-body-shop.html)
- [The Advantages of Having a Website For Your Auto Body Shop](https://www.web-est.com/2009/11/24/the-advantages-of-having-a-website-for-your-auto-body-shop.html)
- [Marketing Your Auto Body Shop with a Referral System](https://www.web-est.com/2009/12/8/marketing-your-auto-body-shop-with-a-referral-system.html)
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Auto Body Shop Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
## Independent Auto Body Shop Software Designed for You, The Small-Mid Size Auto Body Shop.
Discover why thousands of independent auto body shops use Web-Est collision estimating software.
Mitchell International OEM collision database
License Plate and VIN Scan Technology
Unlimited Imaging
Point-and-Click Graphical
Aftermarket Information
PDR Software
Quickbooks Integration
Shop Management Software
Credit Card Payment Processing
Unlimited Support
Work on any device, anywhere at anytime
No Applications to Download
No Auto-Renew Contracts
No Set Up Fees
14 Day Free Trial
100% Money Back Guarantee
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
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- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
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## ProEstimator Member Login
# Member Login
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For login assistance, contact Tech Support at 888-932-3780 x203, or select the Live Chat bubble in the lower left corner of this screen
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If the username exists, a message with further instructions has been sent to its associated email address.
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Please try accessing this site using:
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## Web-Est iPad Estimating
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
### Using Web-Est on the Apple iPad
Unlike other leading estimating software products in the market, the Web-Est estimating software product has full functionality with the new Apple iPad. You can create new estimates, add parts graphically, edit estimates and print and email them just as you would from your regular desktop computer. Some information that is helpful when using the iPad to view, email or print the estimates is that the iPad has built-in support for the PDF format. For instance, if you get a PDF document as an email attachment or if you happen to click a PDF link inside the Safari browser, you can read the contents of that file inside the iPad without requiring an external PDF reader app. The same would apply for viewing a Web-Est estimate. Regardless of whether you choose to download one of the apps or just use the built-in support for the PDF format, below you will see how you can save the documents/estimates to your iPad, and then email them.
##### Follow these Steps
**Step 1**: Open your web-browser
**Step 2**: Log In to Web-Est as you would normally do and begin writing your estimate.
Once you have completed your estimate and you click on "Print Estimate" to view it, then size the estimate to the full screen of your iPad using your thumb & fore-finger, you can then save a copy of that estimate to your iPad and either view it at a later date or email it to an adjuster, a customer or even back to your shop/office if you are out in the field writing estimates.
Step 3: While viewing the estimate on your iPad screen, Press and hold the "Function" button at the bottom and at the same time, press the "Power" button at the top of the iPad.
Final At this point what you are doing is creating a snapshot image of the estimate on your screen. (Basically a "Screen Print" of what is displaying on your screen) Once you click the power button, you will see your screen refresh. Your estimate has now been saved in your "Photos" folder on your desktop. You can go to your photos, find the estimate and from here you can email the estimate.
**Step 4**: Go to your "Photos" Icon on your desktop.
Scroll through the images until you find the correct estimate you are looking for. Open the Image (estimate) so you are able to view it on your screen.
**Step 5**: From this screen, click on the "icon" in the upper right hand corner and a crop down box will appear with options so you will be able to Email the estimate.
There are also a few apps out there at the Apple Store that you can download for a minimal fee, which would allow a greater flexibility in managing how you handle your completed estimates. iPad Example Apps Several customers have used the following and it is called Documentz Pro for iPad and is also found in the App Store. Cost is a one-time fee of $6.99.
Web-Est offers a free, 14-day Free trial. [Click here to start your Free Trial.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
[](https://www.web-est.com/mobile-collision-estimating.html#)
Need Assistance?
[](https://server.iad.liveperson.net/hc/14021135/?cmd=file&file=visitorWantsToChat&site=14021135&byhref=1&imageUrl=http://images.liveperson.com/lp/14021135)
## Auto Parts Connect Service
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
### Auto Parts Connect
Auto Parts Connect (APC) is a FREE service for both the end-user and our aftermarket trading partners. Web-Est will be offering a procurement feature before the end of the year, which will enable our body shops to send a parts order to your company programmatically. Once the procurement program is available your organization will be given the opportunity to subscribe to it should you wish to do so; however, APC will remain free of charge.
The value of participating in Web-Est's Auto Parts Connect is to provide our customers with the most current and complete information available, we are inviting all vendors to supply our customers with parts information, which will be integrated into our estimating platform. By incorporating your information for our body shop customers, it creates a reciprocating relationship between yourself and us. Your data enhances the appeal of our software to current subscribers and our software gets your parts information in front of more shops that may not be currently ordering from you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office at the number provided below and we will be happy to answer them.
We look forward to doing business with you in the near future.
Becky Nabors,
Web-Est, LLC
888-WEB-EST -0 (932-3780)
813-854-9051 - Fax
[bnabors@web-est.com](mailto:bnabors@web-est.com)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
[](https://www.web-est.com/auto-parts-connect.html#)
Need Assistance?
[](https://server.iad.liveperson.net/hc/14021135/?cmd=file&file=visitorWantsToChat&site=14021135&byhref=1&imageUrl=http://images.liveperson.com/lp/14021135)
## Panel Replacement Costs Added
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Web-Est Announces Vehicle Panel Replacement Costs Added to Paintless Dent Repair-Estimating Software
March 13, 2013. Oldsmar, FL. Today, Web-Est, LLC announced the
inclusion of Panel Refinishing and R&R times in PDR-Software,
the paintless dent repair estimating software the company
distributes. The new data expands the information used by the PDR
Technician when writing an estimate. The Part Pricing and the
R&R plus Refinish value are displayed in the Rate Matrix
allowing the estimator to know when conventional repairs are more
cost effective than a PDR repair. The additional data was recently
completed & deployed by the product's developer, Community Data
Group, LLC.
Eric Seidel, President/CEO of Web-Est commented "We are pleased
the final piece of the data puzzle has now been added to the
software." Seidel continued, "Having the replacement cost built-in
to the PDR Rate Matrix will save time in the appraisal process and
net solid estimates the first time written. The additional data
reduces cycle time for a PDR company's insurance clients."
PDR-Software is a web-based estimating platform designed for
both the Hail Management Industry and the PDR professional who
provide retail and wholesale services. The product is designed to
work with Mobile tablets for speed in the field. The product runs
on a different database then Web-Est's collision estimating
software. To get your free 14-day Trial go to [PDR-Software.com](http://pdr-software.com/) or call 1
(888) 932-3780. A monthly subscription starts at $39 a month.
About Web-Est
Web-Est is a leader in online Collision Estimating Software and
has a customer base of 1,000's of users across the United States.
The company's software users write tens of thousands of estimates
monthly. Web-Est is based in Oldsmar, Florida. To learn more visit
[Web-Est.com](https://www.web-est.com/) or Call 1 (888) 932-3780. Web-Est is
located at: 3905 Tampa Road #1517, Oldsmar FL 34677.
Community Data Group (CDG) is an organization that develops
technologies and Product's which create Business Intelligence data
for the Product's users. CDG are developers, investors and
strategic advisors to all their projects. The company is located
at: 13851 W. Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33635.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## PDR Estimating Software
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Introducing PDR Estimating Software
As you might have noticed, we have been very
busy here at Web-Est with the launch of _PDR-Software_. This
is something we are real excited about. Web-Est entered into an
agreement with Community Data Group to begin selling this useful
tool and the response has been great. I wanted to take some time to
explore what it can do and how we think it benefits your
business.
_PDR-Software_ is a paintless dent repair estimating
program created specifically for PDR repair professionals. By
integrating paintless dent repair estimatics with logic-based
technology, up-to-date **OEM parts price data** and
additional **parts R&I times**,
_PDR-Software_ allows techs to write accurate estimates for
their customers by efficiently using our Internet-based platform.
Additionally, since _PDR-Software_ is a web-based program,
its compatible with all mobile technology. So if you are out on the
road respond to a hail claim or traditional PDR claim, you
conveniently pull out your IPadTM, IPhoneTM
or AndroidTM device and begin writing your estimate
using our point-and-click functionality. When you are finished,
simply email the estimate to your customer and move on to the next
assignment.
Writing an estimate on _PDR-Software_ is simple. After you
enter the vehicle information, you can view the estimating matrix
and enter in the number of dents by size, quantity, depth and even
allow for special circumstances (oversized dents, contour lines,
aluminum parts etc) simply by clicking on the appropriate
selection.
All of your selections calculate at the bottom
in a table.
Once complete, you can generate a professional estimate with your
company information on it.
Other key features that tech find helpful are
easily accessible OEM part pricing. These prices appear on the
left-hand side of each part category. You will also see a combined
labor amount for traditional replacement of the part listed. A tech
can look at these two figures and get a very good idea on cost of
traditional repair on the panel versus PDR on the panel.
Another unique feature is the labor rate setting. Estimators have
two options for setting their labor rates. Techs can establish
their own rates by creating a rate matrix as they would normally
do. Techs also have the ability to use **Community**
**Data** rates. The community data rates are averages based on
other users in a given repair area or catastrophe location. This
helps a tech coming in from a different location know what the
average repair rates are for that location and gives him the
ability to step right into the situation knowing his repair rates
are in line with other techs in the area.
_PDR-Software_ was established to satisfy a need in the PDR
community. Many techs that we have spoken to have been writing
estimates on pre-made spreadsheets for years. The long-standing
dilemma is the additional labor times and costs associated with the
repair beyond the actual "popping" of a dent. Our program provides
that information in an easily accessible and reliable format. It
enables PDR professionals everywhere the ability to work
efficiently and at a fraction of the cost of the more expensive
software or traditional collision repair estimatics. With a
starting cost as low as $39.00 per month, _PDR-Software_ is
the best program in the market.
Simply put, _PDR-Software_ was
developed **by** PDR professionals
**for** PDR professionals.
You can start a no commitment, 14-day free
trial by visiting _[PDR-Software.com](http://pdr-software.com/index.php/contact)._
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Mobile Estimating Benefits
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Using Mobile Estimating To Improve Customer Service
Written by Senior Account Executive, Mike
Hough
I am frequently asked by our customers "How
can I increase my Sales-to-Estimates percentages?" While there are
many areas to touch on in regards to that question, I am going to
focus on a commonly overlooked way to make your shop stand out as a
Service Leader by using just a fraction of the potential that
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software provides you.
Customer Service is more than just a
catch-phrase; it is so important that it can be the only reason a
vehicle owner chooses your shop over all others that they may have
visited. While any body shop can write an estimate, many forget a
golden rule: First Impressions are Lasting Impressions!
We must never forget that from the moment a
potential customer's vehicle is damaged until the repair process is
complete and the vehicle returned to them, their daily routines are
interrupted and they are both inconvenienced and stressed out. They
must take the vehicle for estimates, wait for insurance approval,
arrange for a rental car, drop off the vehicle for repair, return
the rental car and pick up their repaired vehicle. For most this
will cause interference in their job, school or home schedule
multiple times over the course of the repair process. Also, the
average vehicle owner will find the repair process completely
foreign, intimidating and frustrating. The question is; How can I
stand out as Service Leader in a sea of body shops? One Web-Est
solution is to offer Mobile Estimating.
Since Web-Est is web based, and is smart
device compatible, you already have the ability to get a "Jump" on
the competitors in your area. When a potential customer calls to
inquire about getting an estimate, you can schedule to inspect
their vehicle at their home or place of employment. When you make
that offer, you will probably be answered with something similar to
"You would do that for me?" Congratulations! You have just
separated yourself from all of the other shops in your area with
Customer Service. You have made the first step in the repair
process a much more pleasant experience for your potential new
customer. The vehicle owner will not forget that when it is time to
decide on who will be entrusted with the repairs to their
vehicle.
Not only can you write the estimate at the
vehicle's location, but you can also attach images to the estimate
and email it to the customer/insurance company directly from the
site. You have just saved the customer from lost time at
work/school/home and reduced their stress on the front end of the
repair process. The potential customer will take note of your
unequaled Customer Service, and it will weigh heavily in their shop
choice decision.
You have just taken advantage of a golden
rule: First Impressions are Lasting Impressions! All you need do is
utilize the awesome potential of a tool you already possess:
Web-Est Collision Estimating Software!
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Internet Marketing for Auto Body
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Building an Internet Marketing Plan for your Auto Body Business
By [JR Seidel](https://www.web-est.com/executive-team.html "Executive Team")
Well, a new year is upon us. Let us all hope that the New Year
will bring with it great success, an abundance of blessings to our
work and our families and political leadership in D.C. that has the
courage to tackle the economic problems of this country (but that's
for another blog somewhere else!). Our true hope at Web-Est is just
to empower you to run your auto body business as smoothly as
possible, while saving you as many pennies as possible. That's not
a joke or a company tag line. It's the simple truth. We're in
business to bring you business and to help your business.
That is always our goal and that is our hope for you this New
Year. So I'd like to spend as much energy as possible to give tid
bits on getting maximum exposure to your business at the lowest
possible costs. The absolute best way to do that is through the
Internet. The Internet is brilliant. It levels the
playing field for small businesses and gives them a chance to
succeed with abundance. You just have to understand it and
know how to work it. Know how to do that, and you'll be on your way
to success. So I'd like to spend some time laying some
foundation for building an auto body marketing plan, most of which
will come from the Internet. In order to do that, you have to do
some research on your business, on your customers and competition
and set some goals.
When it comes to marketing your business on
the Internet, you need to crawl before you can walk. It's real easy
to want to jump into the marketing trends of the day without first
asking some basic questions. This is one of the reasons why
utilizing a marketing plan is so important. If you just jump into
the latest trends without knowing your marketing goals, target
customers, competition or anything else about the Internet, you'll
end up wasting time, money and other resources. It would be like
driving to a destination without a road map. Once you answer some
of these basic questions, you'll be able to dig into an Internet
marketing plan. You'll be able to explore what the Internet can do
for the goals you have, namely, how to reach the customers you
want, how to accomplish your goals and how to beat your
competition.
First and foremost, what is your product? What
are you selling? It seems a little too basic, but that's the point,
and it will make a difference how you decide certain things later,
mainly, your keyword selection. This, of course, is determined by
your expertise, resources and interests in general. Are you
offering paint services? Frame services? Paintless dent repair?
Strictly restoration services? Are you doing collision work? Would
you rather focus more on glass repair? Narrowing your products down
to what you can handle is important, but from an Internet marketing
perspective, it's even more important. If it's just restoration
services that you want to offer, then when it comes time to decide
keywords, you'll want to focus just on words related to that
product. (Side note: keywords are basically the words you identify
that your business is relevant to, and work to become more and more
relevant to so that you can use the search engines to gain visitors
to your website, and hopefully to your shop...more on that later).
You'll want to target words like "auto restoration" or "classic
car" or "corvette repair," etc. If all you're providing is
restoration, then you'll want to avoid the keywords "auto collision
repair" or "paintless dent repair" or "auto paint service." If you
don't provide (and put it on your website), it will waste website
visitors' time and it will waste your money.
What about your potential customers? Who are
they? Always an important question. First of all, where do you
live? Do you live in the Rippon, West Virginia's of the world (a
beautiful, rural town in the Shenandoah Valley that my wife's
family hails from...population 250!)? If you live in a town like
Rippon, chances are, Internet usage could be scarce, which would
require that you either enlarge your reach into neighboring towns,
or even explore offline marketing opportunities. Or do you live in
the Atlanta, Georgia's of the world (my hometown with a church and
a body shop on every street corner, all of which are named
Peachtree)? If you live in a place like Atlanta-population 6
million-then there's probably 250 people living within one-quarter
of a square mile from where your business is located. And chances
are they're all Googling, Facebooking and Tweeting at this very
moment (Are you?!). All of this makes a huge difference from a
marketing perspective. It will dictate the methods you use. The
type of town your business is located may be the difference between
you using Facebook to reach your younger audience, Google
advertisements to reach online shoppers and searchers, or
newspapers and TV to reach an older audience.
What about your competition? Who's your
strongest competitor? I've had the chance to speak with shop owners
the last several years, and you guys are like a fraternity that
bands together like no other. But any business is competition,
plain and simple. It certainly doesn't have to be nasty and ugly,
but you're trying to run a business, thinking about your future,
your family and your employees. You're faced with the task of
building out your brand to be the best on the block. So what about
the competition? What are other shops doing? Where have they
dropped the ball in the community that you may be able to pick up
and nab a few new customers? What services are other shops not
providing that you have the resources to provide?
These are just some simple questions to be
asking before you start developing your Internet focused marketing
plan. It will go a long way. Perhaps you already have these things
decided in your business plan. That's great. It means less research
for you and for your team. But once these things are decided, then
you can get into more technical decisions like your keyword
selection, website development and structure and where and how you
market online, such as with Facebook, Google Search and pay per
click advertisements. More on that next week.
Questions? Feel free to contact me at [jr@web-est.com](mailto:jr@web-est.com)
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Estimating for Customer Retention
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Estimating To Keep the Customer
By our guest writer Bob Winfrey
I am writing this to help some of you guys
improve your estimating processes to help you catch those jobs that
we seem to pass paper on and they never seem to return. Alot of the
time when insurers do not inspect a drivable car they tell the
customer to go get three estimates. Well 9 times out of 10 unless
that customer is sold on you and your shop, they are going to go
with the cheapest of the estimates. Sometimes it is hard to manage
customer's expectations as far as price. Some people hear over a
thousand dollars and shock sets in! With higher deductibles,
peoples fear of turning in claims and a tight economy some people
are just trying to get the claim money and not fix the car!
In order to avoid being the highest estimate
you have to be a little creative. You don't want to miss anything
important and look like you do not know what you are doing. I have
found a few little tricks that can help you and I am going to share
them here.
This works well for drive up estimates, tow
ins are a different situation.
I always ask if they have an insurance estimate or an estimate
from another shop. If they have an insurance estimate I explain
that we have to work off of their estimate to get started since
they are paying the claim. I usually know what my competitor's
write so it is not critical I see the estimate, it is nice to know
the total price. If I can't get near the total of the other shop I
will definitely ask to see it to see what they missed and explain
that to the client. I know some people are hoping the shop will be
cheaper than the Insurer, but that is really tough in today's
economy. If you can beat an Insurer's estimate you are usually
selling yourself short unless you are a shade tree body shop.
You also need to manage your customers
expectations, are they ok with used parts or aftermarket? Sometimes
on a few year old car it can be saved from being a total loss that
way. If they are adamant about OEM parts on an older car it is
going to be a tough battle. I usually tell them to read their
policy and it may exclude OEM parts or require used or aftermarket.
I will write what they want but sometimes that will definitely make
you the highest estimate.
If there is obvious unibody damage you make a
note on the estimate that there is possible structural damage and
the vehicle will need to be measured to identify the degree of
damage. This way you are not guessing and this will usually knock
several hundred dollars off of the estimate. The same thing
works on suspension damage, hood hinges, trunk hinges and some
scratches and scuffs.
We do not write sand and buff on a drive up
estimate although we do write tint color and blend, explaining to
the customer why we have to tint and blend color. There are
hundreds of variants for some colors and we explain location of
assembly has a lot to do with which variant color we have to
use.
Some of you may or may not know of me but I am
a 33 year veteran of the auto body trade. I have a ton of I-Car
certifications; I am ASE Master certified and too many others to
list. I currently own my own shop and teach I-Car part time. I also
do diminished value claims and have made myself available as an
expert witness.
If you would like to contribute to Web-Est blogs by writing an
article of your own, please feel free to contact JR Seidel at [jr@web-est.com](mailto:jr@web-est.com)
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Auto Body Shop SEO Tips
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Optimizing an Auto Body Shop Search Engine Listing
Search engine optimization is a difficult thing, especially for
local businesses with a market as competitive as auto body shops.
Getting your shop listed high on Google or Bing would be a
tough task, which is one of the reasons we've never really
advocated for it here on this blog to our customers. But
alas, there are some ways to get more out of the search engine
rankings for local businesses.
Blogging your way to success
One of the advantages that auto body shops have when marketing
online is that they have a lot of knowledge that is interesting and
useful to customers. Many customers want advice on how they can
perform preventative maintenance on their vehicles. A blog is an
efficient way to answer questions commonly asked by customers,
reducing the amount of work that technicians must perform when
offering customer service. But most importantly, a blog will
potentially be picked up by a major search engine, leading to
traffic and potential customers. Blogs take alot of time and
work. Its wise to create a plan for what you want to write
about, research it, and put it out there on your website.
Otherwise, it'll sit dormant and your busy life will prevent
you from writing using it for marketing.
Include Local Keywords
When users type words into a search engine, the results that the
search engine returns to the user are based on different factors,
including the words that are contained in the text found on the
website. For that reason, websites want to include words on their
websites that contain the types of keywords that people would type
into the search engine to find them.
Customers are beginning to include local towns or cities into
their searches. This is very useful, since local customers are much
more likely to find a specific local business that they will bring
their car into. However, auto body repair shops will be competing
with other local repair shops that also engage in information
marketing. One way to overcome this is to include a town or city
next to relevant keywords. For example, instead of including "auto
body repair," include "Newhaven auto body repair."
Information marketing is highly useful for auto repair shops
because repair shops need to convince customers that they are the
best at what they do. In addition to attracting the attention of
new customers, auto body shops can become the first place that
customers think of when they visit an auto repair shop. Blog posts
and useful social media content will help build up the auto body
shop as one of the most trustworthy brands.
Research and Respond to Reviews
While reviews don't weigh as significant on search engine
rankings as other factors, they still get weighed. More
importantly, it has an incredible ability to immediately create a
negative image to your business if you don't watch them like a
hawk. Most of these reviews can be found on search engines.
Auto body shops must make sure to research reviews that have
been written for their auto body shop. The reviews have a powerful
effect on how willing customers are to trust the business. Whenever
possible, the auto body shop should respond to the negative review.
A professional response is more likely to minimize the effects of
the negative review. Poor reviews also help auto body shops
determine what they should be doing differently to attract more
customers.
There are many websites that display reviews of businesses,
including Yelp, Google Places and Yahoo Local.
Ask Customers to Leave Positive Reviews
When an auto body shop has a collection of emails from their
customers, they should occasionally send out email asking their
customers to provide reviews for their services. Customers who are
satisfied with the auto body shop are not likely to leave a
positive review because they have less of an incentive to do so.
However, satisfied customers are much more likely to leave a
positive review if they receive a direct link to a review
website.
Use Local Directories
While global search engines are effective at drawing in traffic
to local businesses, the online content produced by auto body
repair shops will be competing with content from other auto body
shops throughout the world. Auto body repair shops will want to get
their businesses listed in local search engines. The best way to
get a business listed in a local search engine is to add the
business to local directories. Most local directories are free for
businesses. Some of the best local directories to be listed in are
Yahoo! Local, Local.com, SuperPages and Yellow Pages. The
other good thing about getting listed in local directories is that
it helps you get ranked higher in search engines.
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## Estimating for Auto Body Sales
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#### Using the Estimating Process to Close Sales at the Auto Body Shop
By Bob Winfrey
I hope that this article will help your estimators close some
sales!
When a customer pulls up to our shop, one of the first things we
do is greet the customer. Some shops have greeters and some smaller
shops leave that to the estimator to do the greeting. One of the
most polite things to say is to just simply say hello, introduce
yourself, and ask "How can I help you?" A golf shirt or name tag is
helpful for identification purposes. Some of us still wear uniforms
so our name and shop name are pretty evident but sometimes I wonder
if people take the time to read them! I teach I-Car classes and one
of the things I have learned is that there are no dumb questions
(no matter how it seems to us). If you answer the questions asked
with an intelligent answer it goes a long way to win over trust
with the potential customer.
If it actually turns out to be a customer there are two things I
ask politely for. My first question is "Has anyone written you an
estimate yet"? If they say yes, I ask them politely if I could see
the estimate. Sometimes they don't like to share the estimate but I
have found that if I can get a look at it, it helps me explain any
shortfalls as my sheet comes together in front of the computer. If
they won't share it, insurer estimates are most important as this
is what the customer's payment is based on. I will tell the
customer that if they already have the insurer estimate it is not
necessary for me to write one. I can take the car in and any
shortfalls will be noted and the insurer contacted to cover the
additional damage or lack of labor to cover necessary items. I just
get a copy of the insurer estimate and have them sign my
authorization to repair. We will get it in the shop and disassemble
as soon as possible. Then we contact the insurer involved and get a
re-inspection scheduled. I think a lot of cut rate insurance
companies are writing 50% of the repair costs in hopes that
customers either find someone hard up enough to fix it for the low
price or that the customer will not have the vehicle fixed. If they
are seeking your help or advice they are at least considering your
services.
The second thing I ask for is the registration, this solves two
problems. Firstly, you will know who the registered owner is.
Secondly, you will have the 17 digit vin number that I can never
read when I get back to the office to write the estimate.
On newer cars aftermarket parts can be an issue. If the other
estimate has aftermarket parts on it make sure you mention how your
company deals with the quality and warranty of used and aftermarket
parts. Most customers cannot read an estimate so I like to explain
every item as I hand them the sheet. It is funny when you are
writing the estimate most customers like to chat about the weather
or golf but I usually test the waters by asking about the accident
and anything related to the cause. Sometimes it can be important to
know if the car was sitting when hit, how many people were in the
car for seatbelt inspections etc. If you are the first estimator
then your estimate will be what the customer bases the rest of his
experience on. I myself prefer to be honest and write a straight up
sheet to cover what we are going to have to do to repair the
vehicle properly and offer a lifetime warranty. Sometimes customers
think that they can file a claim and not have to pay their
deductible; in our area backyard shops with no overhead may be able
to save them that percentage of the gross. I have found that you
cannot do a quality repair and save a deductible. Being honest with
the customer, I explain that the deductible is the first part of
the payment of the claim and is to be paid first, then insurance
kicks in. The customer needs to know that it is tough enough to get
the insurer to do the right thing and pay what is necessary to
repair the car properly! None the less save them $250, $500 or
$1,000. If they are adamant about trying to save the deductible ask
them what parts they would like you to leave off of the estimate. I
start with the fender, door, broken windshield or bent rim. That
usually gets the point across. Pick a large item that is important
and they will get the point. I have been asked to leave airbag
parts off and safety restraints off but that is a huge liability
and against federal law.
I try to be flexible and work with the customer but sometimes
there are things that I just cannot do. One thing you can do is
write them an estimate for OEM parts and then a separate estimate
for used or aftermarket. If you are writing for a DRP relationship
then you are bound by your DRP deal.
To close the deal I usually let them know we can start on the
car right away once they decide who they are going to use to repair
their vehicle. Allover paint jobs are a little trickier. I
generally have a set of hours in mind for a small car, a mid size
car, large car, van or SUV and pickup truck. Semi cabs and box
trucks are bid as you go kind of items. I cannot compete with the
shake and bakes. They are not so cheap nowadays. They charge about
$1,500 a car around us and their work is something to be desired. I
explain that it is cheaper to have us paint the vehicle once and
last for 8 or 10 years than to have shake and bake paint it and
need a repaint in one year. We charge what we need to de-trim
the car and as always the age of the vehicle and cost is important.
I try to feel the customer out to see what they are trying to
spend and sometimes they can afford us and sometimes they can't. I
know a decent material I trust that will last the length of time I
warranty the work for is going to last longer than I need it to.
This material is going to cost about $700.00 with clear for a small
car. Being aware of your fixed costs is important.
You have to operate lean to survive but there are only so many
corners you can cut!
I hope this helps you, it has worked for me for 35 years.
Bob Winfrey
[www.apcr.biz](http://www.apcr.biz/)
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## PPC Basics for Auto Shops
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#### The Basics of a Pay-Per-Click Ad Campaign for Auto Body Shops
We at Web-Est are always trying to help auto
body shops learn more about marketing on the Internet. The Internet
is such an important part of the way we do business, both in how we
look for purchases, but also in terms of our operations. Its one of
the reasons we decided to put our auto estimating program on the
Internet. We're beginning to see auto body shops move in that
direction. The Internet is also a powerful place to market an auto
repair shop. There are a number of different tools an auto shop can
use to market online: search engine optimization, social media,
email marketing, affiliate marketing, mobile marketing, video
marketing, and other methods. One method that is highly effective
with a quick turn-around, is Search Engine Marketing (also known as
"pay per click advertising"). We've briefly talked about this
before on our blogs in the past, but we'd like to dig deeper into
this so collision repair shops can get up and running. This is the
first article in a series of six articles to help auto body shops
get a campaign activated.
Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising is simple: a
business puts has advertisement automatically appear on a search
engine that's triggered by specified keywords that the business is
relevant to. The business then pays the search engine a bid price
if the advertisement is clicked on, which will then bring the web
user to the website of the advertiser. So if a prospective consumer
clicks on your ad and lands onto your internet site, then you must
pay for that click, even if the user clicks away without reading or
purchasing from the site. The most significant PPC advertising
platform online at the moment, is Google AdWords. With Google
Adwords in particular, your advertisement will run when people type
in certain key words or phrases into the Google search engine. It
is then up to the user to click on your advertisement. This means
that hundreds of people could see your advertisement, but if nobody
clicks on it, then you do not have to pay. Other Pay Per Click
advertising allows your advertisement to run under certain
criteria. For example, on eBay you can have your advertisement run
on the "automotive" section when someone searches for auto parts.
Bing is another search engine that has a PPC campaign. [Click here](http://support.google.com/adwords/?hl=en) to learn more about PPC advertising
on Google AdWords.
Setting up an account in order to start
running PPC advertisement on Bing or Google is remarkably easy.
They make it so that you sign up by following their simple
instructions, and then when you get to the marketing campaign
section you find that it is a exceptionally easy and intuitive
interface. Google for example, gives you the simplest and automated
options first, and then if you want to get a little more advanced,
you can click to expand the menus. So you can create a quick PPC
advertisement using the basic settings, or you can expand the menus
and set costs per bids, locations and times the advertisement
should run etc.
Paying for clicks is straightforward. If you
want your advertisement to run every time somebody types in a
keyword such as "auto body shop," then you can agree to pay $1.00
every time somebody clicks on your advertisement. You can then set
a budget, such as $50 per day. That way your advertisement will run
hundreds, maybe thousands of times that day, but if it is clicked
on fifty times then your budget for the day is reached and your
advertisement will not run for the rest of the day. If you set a
daily budget, then it helps stop you from losing money if your
advertisement gets lots of clicks but no sales. You can also set
the advertisement to run in a specific geographic location so it
doesn't run outside of your target area.
Bidding works by competing with other
advertisers. To take the previous "auto body shop" keyword example,
if you are paying $1.00 per click for that keyword and three other
advertisers are doing the same, but they are bidding at $1.25,
$1.50 and $2.00 per click, then their advertisement will appear
above yours because they have bid higher. If there are lots of
other advertisers with bigger bids, then it may be a long time
before your advertisements are seen. Google however, tells you the
average amount that other people are spending on each keyword, so
you can judge how much to bid if you want to be seen.
When asked what network you want to market on,
it seems wise to go with just the Search network. The display
network will not work very well for your ROI, because it will drive
up unnecessary clicks. When a Pay Per Click advertisement is
activated via people typing in keywords, the biggest problem you
have is finding the right keywords. Of course, the most important
keyword an auto body shop will use will be "auto body shop" and all
other related terms. [Click here](https://www.web-est.com/2012/1/4/building-an-internet-marketing-plan-for-your-auto-body-business.aspx) and visit this article to
brainstorm about other keywords to look at. You'll need make sure
the advertisement points back to your website. The next article
will focus on writing good advertisements. Stay tuned!
Any questions? Email me at jr@web-est.com.
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3905 Tampa Road #1517
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(888) Web-Est-0
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## Keyword Strategies for PPC
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#### Using the Right Keywords for an Auto Body Shop PPC Ad Campaign
Last week we spoke about getting a PPC ad campaign launched for
your marketing efforts. A very important aspect to that is
bidding on good keywords. Selecting the right keywords is
essential if you wish to see any return on your investment. So many
people waste thousands on PPC (Pay Per Click) marketing because
they misunderstand the concept. The aim of PPC marketing is to
drive as much TARGETED traffic to your landing page as possible.
The keywords you pick should be based on deep research and analysis
of your potential customers search and online habits. There are
lots of online tools that will show you the keywords/keyphrases
that the many online users are typing in, but this should not
affect your decision when selecting your keywords. A hundred
million people could search for the same keyword every day, but if
none of them are searching for your products, then it does not
matter how many people click on your advert. None of them will
convert into sales and the money you pay on clicks will be wasted.
Check out the [Google AdWords Keyword Tool](https://adwords.google.com/o/KeywordTool) to find keywords
that your business is relevant to.
Bidding occurs when more than one person wants to run adverts
under the same keyword. The person who agrees to pay the most per
click on their advert will be featured first and/or at the top. You
may pay a certain amount of money per click, but you should set a
budget limit so that you do not spend too much money per day. Start
by setting your bid per advert/keyword extremely low manually. If
you are new to bidding for keywords, then set your daily budget
exceptionally low and allow the platform to bid for you
automatically. Do not be fooled by the figures shown on the PPC
platform. There are times during the day when your low cost adverts
will run, because other peoples budgets are maxed or other people
have picked different time to run their adverts.
Slowly increase the amount you spend per keyword/advert per day
and see what difference it makes. When you start receiving traffic,
check which keywords are pulling in the most and figure which are
converting into sales. Those are the keywords/phrases on which you
should concentrate your future effort.
If you fancy some cheaper keywords, then try long tailed
keywords. Examine what your potential customers may search for and
use those. So, for example, instead of having "auto body shops",
try "auto body shop cheap repairs". Better still, add your location
in there, for example, "auto body shops Sandusky OH". The bid price
for key phrases such as these will be lower and will bring in far
more targeted traffic. [Check this article](http://onlinebusiness.volusion.com/articles/find-keywords-finding-the-right-keywords/) out to see some other good
tips on developing good keywords for your PPC ad campaign.
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3905 Tampa Road #1517
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## Reasons Small Businesses Succeed
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#### Top Ten Reasons Small Businesses Succeed
Running a small business successfully is a daunting task.
Statistics have shown that 90% of all new businesses fail within
the first five years. How could you survive? [Last week we\\
offered the top ten reasons why small businesses fail](https://www.web-est.com/2012/9/6/top-ten-reasons-auto-body-businesses-fail.html "Top Ten Reasons Auto Body Businesses Fail"). But
because we're always optimistic here at Web-Est, we'd like to
provide a top ten list of why small businesses succeed. Because
while there are plenty of auto body shop businesses out there than
aren't able to make it out successfully, there's a great number of
shops out there that are incredibly successful. You should analyze
your current small business to see if your business has all the
criteria listed in here or not. If it doesn't, start re-organizing
your business to make it a successful one.
1\. Managerial Competency
The competency of the managers plays an important part in the
success of any business. Expertise in the craft of auto repair, or
any other skill for that matter, sets you apart from all the rest,
but when you're in charge, it isn't enough. Managerial skills,
people skills, leadership ability, attention to detail...all these
things greatly influence the success of a business. It's the
difference between having employees that love working for you
versus those places where employees are looking for ways out.
2\. The Determination of the Owner
Running a new small business is very tough at the beginning.
During those tough times, it is the determination, resourcefulness
and persistence of the owner that help make the business survive.
Its almost a guarantee that tough times will come with your
endeavors. How much do you want it? Are the sacrifices worth it?
When the answer is "Yes" every time, then you're on the right
path.
3\. A Proper Marketing Strategy
Marketing means everything in business. Even if you have managed
to create a wonderful service or product, your efforts will go in
vain if you cannot manage to inform potential customers about your
service or product. Spend time to design a detailed marketing plan
to reach out to the right targeted customers. A great place to
start is a website, learn some Internet marketing techniques, and
do everything you can be viral, both online and offline.
Check our [marketing blog](https://www.web-est.com/auto-body-marketing.html "Auto Body Marketing") to learn more about
marketing techniques.
4\. Negotiation Skills
Everytime I speak with a shop manager, one of the first things
they talk about is how the insurance companies try to get as much
out of you as possible. An adjuster will come in, expecting a job
to be done at half the hours and half the price. There's a number
of different ways I hear shops approach this. Try to build a
rapport with the adjusters that you deal so that there's more
relationship behind the negotiation than straight business. With
that, don't be afraid to push back a little. You don't need the
insurance company to stay afloat. There's plenty of jobs out there
that people will bring to your shop, looking for a better deal.
5\. Building a Customer Base
For all businesses, it is important to develop a good
relationship with your customers and turn them into loyal
customers. Of course, this starts with marketing, but follow up and
retention are incredibly important. Make accommodations for your
customers. Make sure you pay attention to the quality of the
customer support service and that your customers are happy with
your products. Have a comfortable waiting area with coffee, offer
discounts to return customers or referrals. Do what you can to make
your customer realize that you value their business above all other
things in what you do. Because its true: your best marketing asset
is a satisfied customer. That's especially true in today's Internet
age where customer reviews and viral social media is so
prominent.
6\. Building the Right Team
Don't just hire an employee for the sake of filling a position.
Make sure your employees are part of a team striving to develop
your business. Being able to do the job right shouldn't be the only
qualification. Do as much due diligence on a person as you can.
There's plenty of encounters that people have with employees that
have stolen from them at some point. Avoid these situations by be
diligent with the people you bring on board.
7\. Leaving Your Comfort Zone
Never feel contented with your achievements. Always strive for
better results and higher goals. You should be willing to try out
new technology and marketing concepts and never assume that any
strategy or technology is just not suitable for your business.
8\. The Ability to Treat Employees, Partners, and Suppliers
Respectfully and Fairly
This is very important. A good business owner should develop
communication and management skills to better deal with people. A
person who is adept at communication will have a higher chance of
success than a person who is not.
9\. A Great Attitude
Never feel pessimistic about the future of your business. You
need a positive attitude to win in the harsh business environment.
Not only do you have to be confident and optimistic, you also have
to train your employees to have the same attitude.
10\. Aim to Expand
If your auto body shop is having sustained, long term success,
consider expanding to other parts of town. Try to grow out your
business as much as you can by adding new locations.
Above are the top ten most important things that make a business
a successful one. No matter how novice or experienced you are, make
sure you memorize these factors and implement them whenever
possible.
What are some techniques or experiences you've had with hiring
new staff? Please share!
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## Digital Marketing for Auto Shops
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#### The Drive to Digital Marketing for Auto Body Shops
At [Web-Est](https://www.web-est.com/), we
don't just sell [collision estimating](https://www.web-est.com/products-and-services.html "Products and Services"). We
are always trying to help shops get more business through
marketing. There are a great number of shops that we speak to
that are still relying heavily on word-of-mouth marketing for their
business model. This works great for alot of auto body shops,
especially the ones that have been around for a while. But
for those starting out or losing to the competition, utilizing the
Internet is integral for an auto body shop marketing strategy.
See the statistics below. The number one thing to note
is simple: _America is now going online to search for products_
_and services_. Long gone are the days of phone books,
effectiveness of traditional advertising, and the challenging
referral marketing for those just opening up. If you're
brick-and-mortar business doesn't figure out how to market online,
you put yourself behind the competition, as well as the future
generations figuing out how to beat the shops that have been around
for a while.
Here's a couple of takeaways from the graphic
below:
- 80% of the US population uses the Internet.
That's 250 milliion people.
- Every month, 100 million users conduct online
searches for auto boy shops
- Online searches for local business has
increased 200%, with 64% of searches for local services
- 88% of American companies are using social
media to build their brand and facilitate referrals.
Word-of-mouth marketing still works, but our
culture is moving...it has moved...online for business activity.
Don't get left behind!
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3905 Tampa Road #1517
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(888) Web-Est-0
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## Reasons Auto Body Failures
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#### Top Ten Reasons Auto Body Businesses Fail
At Web-Est, we don't just sell collision
estimating software. Our goal is to provide shops with as much
resources as possible for them to succeed in their endeavors. The
dream of being independent and owning a business is the goal of
many, yet most small businesses go under within three years. There
are several reasons for the failures that hold true for almost any
small business, be it an auto body repair shop or a high tech
software company. In order to prevent failure with a small business
it helps to understand and know what are some of the biggest causes
for business failure. Here are some researched points on what
contribute to the failure of a small business.
**1) Failure to realistically calculate**
**the market and demand for the product or service-**
This one stands to reason: that success is based on supply and
demand and the size of the market. In short, don't try to set up an
ice-making factory in the arctic. Take the auto restoration field.
[According\\
to Peter MacGillivray](http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/568.cfm), the VP of Communications Specialty
Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA), car restoration field isn't
as significant as people think. He points out that it is indeed a
$1.9 billion industry, but when you segment it off by dividing that
number by the makes/models that are actually restored, the number
is quite small. So the question becomes, "Is the market big enough
to just do auto restorations?" It's tough to determine, but if the
demand isn't that high in your area, then it might make more sense
to add some services to your business.
**2) Failure to understand how to manage**
**a small business's books and finances-** Most people
who start a small business are masters in the trade or service the
business offers but have no idea how to actually run the business.
Take some business classes and basic book-keeping courses before
opening shop. This is so important. It's just like the family
budget: if someone isn't keeping track of the bank account in the
family, then money starts going in and out, and before you know,
there's nothing there to pay the bills.
**3) Lack of operating**
**capital-** A sure kiss of death for any business is not
having adequate funds to keep the business going through the first
two years. This includes securing lines of credit, having money to
pay employees and making sure the overhead costs are met on time.
It isn't just start-up that is needed. Matt Shanks, Vice President
of Operations at Web-Est, [wrote on this topic in the past](http://www.web-est.com/2009/10/13/building-a-new-body-shop.html). He recommends repair shops
definitely visit the bank, but also check out Small Business
Administration's website for more ideas on obtaining more
capital.
**4) Poor management**
**skills-** Once again, when it comes to opening a small
business, most of the folks starting have tremendous skills in the
service or product offered. How's do you train guys you bring on
staff? What's the work flow that you have in mind for them to stay
busy? Will you have specialists or is everyone going to contribute
to the jobs in the garage? If you don't have a plan in place for
how your people will work, then there'll be chaos.
**5) Lack of a clear business plan that**
**includes business growth and expansion**. A business plan is
a necessity for success with a small business. This is incredibly
important. You can't just dive into an initiative as significant as
starting a business without a road map for the future and a plan to
get there. It should be referenced when the business's mission is
forgotten. The plan needs to include a realistic growth rate and
plans for bringing in employees as the company develops and builds.
[Click here](http://www.web-est.com/2011/6/14/implementing-a-business-plan-into-your-auto-body-shop.html) to check out our past article on writing a business
plan
**6) Not recognizing a dying**
**market.** Some businesses will never succeed because
they are built around a dying market. A great example of this would
be someone trying to open a pager and beeper store next to a cell
phone shop. If the market is saturated or dying the business will
not succeed no matter what. An important thing to look at in your
area is the number of auto shops that are already up and running in
the area. Will their competition be stiff? How many are there that
are doing well? If it seems difficult to penetrate their market
share, maybe look elsewhere for a start up that isn't as tough.
**7) Failure to**
**negotiate-** A small business has a lot of overhead.
This includes rent or mortgage payments, utilities, inventory
supplies, infrastructure, and in the case of an auto body shop,
tools and materials. A shrewd business owner knows how to negotiate
with creditors, landlords and suppliers to get a consistent and
acceptable rate for the needed goods. When this is not done,
critical money is lost. Don't be afraid to stick it to the
adjusters that come into the shop expecting less labor at lower
costs. This is the Internet age where businesses have direct access
to potential customers. Don't let them think they own you and you
have to cave to them.
**8) Not raising the**
**bar-** All too often start-up business owners sit back
on their laurels and think that "just good enough" will lead to
success. It will not. Shoot high. Even if the goals do not get met
entirely, the fact that the bar was raised to a high level helps
keep things going during lean times. Perfect your craft and pay
attention to every detail.
**9) Stubborn owners-** Ego
and pride often gets tossed into the mix, especially with services
that are parts "art and tech" like auto repair. In a
service-oriented business such as this it does not pay to act as if
the customer is wrong and that they are being given a favor from
the shop itself. Treat the customer like a valuable asset to
helping build your business. Getting into arguments with your
customers or trying to show you know more than them is a losing
place to be. Impress them with your smarts, but empower them with
choice if you can. They're valuable assets for references.
**10) Growing too**
**fast-** When a business begins to succeed or show signs
of operating in the black there is a tendency to try and expand and
grow too fast. Plan the growth responsibly and stick to the plan.
You'd be surprised how much of an issue this can be. There's plenty
of stories of businesses using the daily deals and getting such a
high volume of customers that they can't keep up. Make sure you can
handle the volume any new marketing effort will bring or else it
will really hurt your brand.
What are some reasons you've experienced that
contribute the failure of a small business? Please share. Be on the
look out for our next article: Top Ten reasons Auto Body Businesses
Succeed.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Effective PPC Ads Guide
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Writing Good Ads for your Auto Body PPC Campaign
We started a series a couple weeks ago on
starting Pay-Per-Click marketing campaigns for auto body shops.
If you're in need of a boost in your business, PPC campaigns
are a good way to get it. Check out our articles [The Basics of a Pay-Per-Click marketing campaign](https://www.web-est.com/2012/8/24/the-basics-of-a-pay-per-click-ad-campaign-for-auto-body-shops.html) and [Using the Right Keywords](https://www.web-est.com/2012/8/30/using-the-right-keywords-for-an-auto-body-shop-ppc-ad-campaign.html). The next important thing to
keep in mind is the content of your advertisements on the search
engines.
Writing good advertisements are the most
important thing that separates you from your competition.
Besides choosing the more relevant keywords that pertain to
your product or services, the ad text used for your PPC campaign
greatly influences its success. In a few words, the advertisement
must engage the reader and motivate them to click on the link to
your landing page, which will convert that person's click into a
sale. With careful planning, a "less is more" approach to the
content of your PPC ad will increase the click through rate, which
increases sales. For auto body shops, the advertisements are
important because of the level of competition that you'll face on
the search results. So you'll want your advertisement to really
stand out in a compelling way.
**The Basic Format of a PPC**
**Advertisement**
The starting point for an effective PPC
advertisement is to follow the formatting rules established by
Google for PPC ads. If your PPC ad does not meet the requirements
established by Google, the ad will not appear. These guidelines are
as follows:
- The headline must not exceed 25
characters.
- Each row of text should not be more than 35
characters.
- Including the URL for the website, the ad
should not exceed four rows.
The guidelines for Yahoo! Search and Bing ads
have similar requirements.
**The Content of PPC**
**Advertisements**
The content of an effective PPC advertisement
should speak directly to readers and appeal to them on both a
cognitive and emotional level, without sounding like an overbearing
sales job. The first questions to ask is "What services do you
offer? What are the potential customers you want to connect with
through the search engines? Since many people have an inherent
distrust of paid search results, the copy should be relevant to the
keyword and suggest the website provides some type of authoritative
value.
Some tips for writing effective PPC
advertising copy include:
- When writing the title and description of the
advertisement, include the keywords so they flow with the rest of
the content. The term "auto body shop" is a good example. If you're
targeting this keyword (and you should be), then you'll want the
keyword in the top line.
- The description included in the ad should
motivate the reader to click on the link to learn more at the site.
One way to do this is to suggest the website has information that
provides a solution to a particular problem. In keeping with "auto
body shop" as our example, a good description would be "High
Quality Auto Repair at a Low Cost."
- The content of the ad should be relevant to
the keyword and localized to the target audience. The copy needs to
succinctly state the value of the product, describe what the
product offers and its benefits, and include a call to action. The
content should appeal to a certain geographic area and the
demographic most likely to use the product or service.
Additionally, the landing page to which the PPC ad directs should
also contain specific targeted information that highlights the
benefits of a product.
- Use words that elicit emotions or strong
images. Since the word count in PPC ads is extremely limited, the
content must move the readers mind beyond the words they read so
they can visualize the product and services, as well as the
potential value of the content on the website associated with the
ad.
- Make sure the ad copy differentiates the
product or service offered from its competition. When writing
content for a PPC ad, describe the product or service in a manner
that distinguishes it not only from those offered by other PPC ads,
but also those found in the organic search results.
Many people have the impression that writing
PPC ads is very simple since the content is so limited. The concise
word count actually means the writing must skillfully create
relevant content that engages the reader and motivates them to
click on the link. Do this and you'll get visitors to your
website.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
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## Auto Body Shop Success
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Key Ingredients For Smooth Auto Body Shop Operations
While there is no set formula for running an
auto body shop, there are some things you can do with your auto
body operations to improve the chances you have for success.
**Marketing**\- One of the first
things that any body shop should do is learn proper marketing
techniques to get customers to their site. This could be done
online, on TV, through the mail, on the radio, or through any
number of other venues you may use for your business. Take an auto
body shop profit training course to see what you can do to get a
fair amount of customers coming to you daily.
**Customer Base**\- You need to
understand the needs of your customers so you can respond to them.
As part of your auto body operations, you should make an effort to
talk to your customers on a regular basis so you can get a feel for
what they like and don't like about your business. You will also
make a good impression this way by being directly involved with
your customers. You will create a face for the business that people
will learn to trust. They will come back to you as a result of
that.
**Staff Training**\- Never stop
training your staff or yourself. If there is an auto body seminar
in the area, take the whole shop down to learn and develop
together. If you know that there is one staff member that is
lacking in certain areas, you need to dedicate some time with that
person to make sure he or she lives up to the standards of the
shop. Maybe even consider holding a training seminar at your own
shop. Sometimes all people need is a good trainer to be the best in
their profession. You could be that for someone that works for
you.
**Budget, Expenses**\- Always pay
yourself last. This is a tough lesson in small business ownership,
but its the truth. It's one of the biggest lessons you will learn
in any profit training you go through. While it may be tempting to
pay yourself first when you are low on money, you have to remember
that your staff member have bills to pay too. If you cannot pay
them well enough to get food on the table, they will go elsewhere.
Then you will be left to handle all of your auto body operations on
your own. Do what you can to keep your staff around and take the
sacrifices on your own in the mean time.
What are some things you would add? What
are important ingredients to consider when it comes to owning a
small business or managing an auto body shop to success?
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Marketing Ideas for Auto Shops
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Simple Marketing Ideas for Your Startup Auto Body Shop Business
If you have just recently started an auto body
shop, you need traffic coming to it in order to make money. This
can all be derived from proper auto body marketing, which is
something that even seasoned shops struggle with over time.
Marketing is not necessarily hard if you know who your customers
are. Then all you have to do is figure out a way to reach out to
them. Here are some easy marketing tips that you can abide by as a
startup business that may bring you many return customers for the
future.
**Build a website**\- This is an absolute must
in today's business world. We at Web-Est have talked about this at
length (click here for more entries on building a website: [General Rules for Building an Auto Body Website](https://www.web-est.com/2010/10/25/general-rules-for-an-auto-body-shop-website-part-2.html)). It bears
repeating, because you'd be surprised how many businesses don't
value the Internet. The Internet has become the first place people
go to look for their services regardless of if you're there or not.
If you choose to market your business by doing online marketing
(search engine advertising, social media marketing) then you'll
need a website. If you choose to only do offline marketing
(mailouts, yellow page ads, newspaper advertisements, tv),
consumers will still want to look you up online to get more
information about your business. The point is, you're going to need
a website. You can get a site built by [Godaddy.com](http://www.godaddy.com/) or
you can use [Web-Est's Shop Find\\
Local program](https://www.web-est.com/shop-find-local.html) to build you a site with your needs in mind.
Click here for more info on that.
**Internet Marketing**\- Internet marketing has to do
with all the efforts you do to market your business on the
Internet. The most effective form of Internet marketing is search
engine marketing (SEM). This form of marketing allows you to put up
advertisements on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. Those
advertisements appear whenever a search engine user enters a search
query by typing a term that's relevant to your business, "auto body
shop" for example. That advertisement lists a link to your website
and those users become exposed to your business. Its targetted to
Internet users that are specifically relevant to the services you
offer, so its the most effective form of Internet marketing on the
block. Visit [Google\\
AdWords](https://www.web-est.com/2011/2/14/adwords.google.com) or the [Bing AdCenter](https://adcenter.microsoft.com/) to begin your campaign. Because
it can be a bit pricey though, there are other options. You can
create a local listing on the search engines. Those listings are
free and still targeted to relevant Internet users, but they don't
have as much of a reach as advertisements. [Web-Est's Shop Find\\
Local program](https://www.web-est.com/shop-find-local.html) thats mentioned above can help you get started on
a local listing campaign with Google, Bing and Yahoo. Another
Internet marketing option is on social media websites like [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/) and [Twitter](http://twitter.com/). These sites
are very popular, but are still in development in marketing usage
for auto body shops. Marketing with these sites are free and can be
effective in reaching an audience in your local area and its
continuing to grow in influence. Visit this recent postings for
more information:
**Offline Marketing**\- While
marketing is now heavy on the Internet, there's still plenty of
opportunity to be had off the Internet. Sending out fliers to
particular communities can still spread the word. Offering specials
or marked down prices in newspaper or yellow page advertisements
still have some sway in reaching out to perspective customers.
Another offline opportunity to consider that has been around for a
while and has gone down significantly in price is television
advertisements. One may think that those ads are too expensive for
small businesses, but you'd be surprised. While advertising during
the Super Bowl may be astronomical, tv ads during daytime
television, local evening news and late night television aren't as
expensive as they used to be. They now run at about $5-$10 per
1,000 viewers. So depending on the market available, it could be
pretty low cost for you. What you'll want to do is to reach out to
your local cable company and contact their media sales department
to get a quote. Visit these sites for more info: [Guide to Local Advertising](http://www.work.com/advertising-on-local-television-and-cable-588/) and [Televisionadvertising.com](http://televisionadvertising.com/faq.htm).
**Business signs**\- It may seem too simple to be
significant, but if you have just started your business or are
getting ready to, do what you can to get your sign up near traffic
so people know where you are and how to get to you. People may not
find your shop if they don't know where it is. The marketing
efforts that are described above will do good at getting your name
out there to the public, but getting some pointers out on the roads
to where your location is will make it easy for those customers to
know where to go.
To continue some assistance to all those small
business start-ups, visit recent articles written by Executive Vice
President Matt Shanks, who has over 20 years of experience in the
auto body industry: [Building a New Auto Body Shop](http://www.web-est.com/2009/10/13/building-a-new-body-shop.html) and [Advertising for a New Auto Body Shop](https://www.web-est.com/2009/11/12/advertising-for-a-new-auto-body-shop.html)
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Strong Staff for Auto Shops
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Putting a Strong Staff in Place for Your Auto Body Shop Business
If you are going to go through any kind of
auto body shop profit training, you need to realize just how big of
an impact your staff has on the amount of money you make. Your
staff provides the face of your company. They are the people your
customers interact with on a regular basis. In addition to that,
the staff you put in place has an enormous impact on the
productivity of your business. As the owner, you know you can't do
it all. If you try to, it'll always be a one man show and your
results will reflect it. Bringing people on board to help out will
take your business a long way. Thus the better the staff you have,
the more money you can make in the end. Here are some thoughts to
ponder when analyzing how to grow your staff:
**Be selective about who you bring**
**in**. I'm sure it's a tempting thing to hire the first guy
that comes through the door if you're busy and need the hands, but
that's a recipe for disaster. This is your business. It's your
baby. Take the time to verify the credentials and certifications
they list, don't just assume. You also want to spend the extra time
reaching out to the personal references they list. A shop owner in
Texas shared with me his experience with a guy he brought in. He
accepted a guy's application once who had tons of experience.
Graduated from a nearby tech school, spent years working with
bigger shops around town. He thought he wouldn't have to spend much
time training him. So he took him in to help with the work flow. He
later found out from his previous employer that he was struggling
with a drug addiction, but it wasn't discovered until after the
damage was done to his business. Be selective and do your due
diligence on the guys you bring in.
**Train your guys as an**
**investment**. Jason Stahl of Body Shop Business [shares his experience with Doug Keilian of Auto\\
Kraft](http://www.bodyshopbusiness.com/Article/70699/editors_notes_a_worthwhile_investment.html) in Lincoln, Nebraska. Responding to the problem of
training guys then watching them leave to his competitors, Keilian
says he has no issue with it at all. "To see young guys advance
with skills and talents because they don't need you anymore is
satisfying because you know you had an impact on them and will
still be having an impact in the industry, even though you're not
reaping the rewards directly anymore." Clearly, Keilian takes on
the task of training his team as an investment in them as men, in
the industry itself, but also in his own reputation and the
reputation of his shop. The benefits of that effort on his part
plays itself out in other areas: employee satisfaction, quality of
work provided, customer experience, etc. All of these things will
positively effect both your customer retention rate and your
customer referrals. Train your guys as a marketing investment.
**Keeping business goals in mind when**
**gauging their performance**. Create benchmarks for
your guys to measure their performance. Reward good staff
members when they do a good job. Terminate those who are habitually
hindering your business. The whole goal in doing this will be to
keep your auto body operations running smoothly and to bring in
customers. You need to cater to your customers as much as possible,
and if that means making adjustments to your staff, so be it.
What are some experiences you as a shop owner
and/or manager have had when it comes to your staff? What are some
good/bad experiences you've had? What are some things you've
learned when it comes to training your team?
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Email for Auto Shops
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Using Email to Grow An Auto Body Shop Business
Many of our customers who sign up for Web-Est
are fairly new to the Internet Age and the capabilities and
benefits that Email can bring to their business. This article will
explain some of those benefits and will hopefully bring to light
some ideas and resources that we did not have available prior to
having high-speed internet access.
One of the most important aspects of running a
customer service oriented business, is most obvious, which is
servicing your customers at the highest possible level. The ability
to quickly send a "thank you" letter or a customer survey, is the
easiest way to keep your business exposed to your customer base.
Email templates can be drafted and saved, allowing you to apply the
template to a customer address book, instantly reaching your entire
customer base in a matter of seconds.
Let's take a closer look at the possibilities.
As of the third quarter of 2010, it is reported that 28 percent of
U.S. Mobile cell phone subscribers are using Smartphones. This
trend is continuing to grow as statistics show that 41 percent of
new cell phone subscribers opted for a Smartphone over the
standard-featured phone.
Smartphones, as you may know differ from the
standard cellular phone in many ways; most importantly, Smartphones
have the ability to allow the user instant access to his or her
email inboxes. This means that when an email is received by a
Smartphone user, they no longer have to be in front of their
computer to read and/or respond to email messages. Keeping a steady
stream of emails flowing to your customers also keeps your name in
front of them and you will likely be remembered first if a need for
a repair shop comes along.
Another way to stay on top of your valuable
customer base is to keep them informed of any new services or
specials offered. An example of this could be announcing a menu of
new services available to your customers. Full Vehicle Detailing
Services, Oil Changes/Maintenance, Tire Rotations, are just some of
these examples that you could send an "Email Coupon" to your email
list.
Lastly, an important habit to get into when
gathering information about your customers, is to ask for their
email address. This simple step will open the door to endless
opportunities when it comes to communicating directly to your
growing customer base.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Web-Est CollisionLink Integration
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Web-Est Collision Estimating Software Integrates with CollisionLink Online Parts Ordering Solution from OEConnection
Oldsmar Florida. Web-Est LLC, provider of an
online auto collsion estimating program, has announced its product
ability to integrate into CollisionLink, the leading Original
Equipment (OE) parts procurement solution from OEConnection LLC.
With the rollout of its latest product update, released early last
week, OEConnection has established seamless integration between the
Web-Est collision estimating software product and
CollisionLink.
Web-Est body shop customers are now able to
send their auto collision estimates electronically to their
respective OE parts suppliers. CollisionLink automatically scrubs
the data by VIN and verifies every part on the estimate, allowing
dealerships to respond with greater speed and accuracy. In addition
to extending the CollisionLink core value proposition of reduced
returns, improved accuracy and improved customer satisfaction, the
integrated solution will help Web-Est customers take advantage of
automaker parts programs. These programs are designed to help shops
utilize more OE parts instead of aftermarket. Today, CollisionLink
administers competitive parts marketing programs on behalf of Ford,
GM, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda, and Volkswagen.
Eric Seidel, Web-Est CEO/President stated, "We
are very excited to have the parts ordering integration between our
auto collision estimating system and CollisionLink." Seidel
continued "This integration provides our customers with yet another
powerful, time-saving benefit within the Web-Est product. Using
CollisionLink, our shops have the opportunity to streamline their
OE parts ordering processes and better serve their customers."
Mark Tomasetti, Sr. Vice President & Chief
Commercial Officer of OEConnection added, "The integration with
Web-Est represents an important partnership for OEConnection and
our CollsionLink product team. Most importantly, it will help body
shops improve their parts ordering efficiency and accuracy so that
they can repair cars faster and more economically."
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Good Manners in Marketing
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Good Manners Make Sense for Automotive Marketing
One of our [previous posts](https://www.web-est.com/2011/5/2/creating-a-buzzworthy-tagline-for-your-automotive-repair-advertising.html "Creating a Buzzworthy tagline for your Automotive Repair Advertising") suggested that as a business, you want to stand
out to your target audience when conducing automotive
marketing. A good tip is to create a buzz worthy tagline that
helps you stand out from the competition. But caution: don't
get too cute. Remember good manners and good common
sense. You don't want to say something that might give them
reason to feel uncomfortable. A lot of times, people that
market online try to get too cute for their own good. When it
comes to using the Internet in order to promote a business, it is
important to use socially acceptable behaviors. Conveying the wrong
message or inadvertently offending the audience is a public
relations nightmare for repair shop marketing endeavors. In order
to effectively utilize automotive marketing services, keep in mind
the main intent is to build relationships. While many people adopt
a more casual conversational tone when using various social media
sites, this can be detrimental to the long term well-being of a
corporation. A little kindness can go a long way toward building a
trusting and respected image online.
One approach to use before releasing a message for automotive
marketing services on various websites is to perform thorough
usability testing. Select a diverse group of people and record
their feedback. All messages that pertain to repair shop marketing
should be easy to understand and to the point. While humor can be
an eye catching method to attract attention, the wrong approach can
hamper the ability for an advertising campaign to make a positive
impression. If a humorous approach is attempted, keep the tone very
friendly and basic. Try not to single out a specific topic that may
cause some people to react negatively. You also want to use
discretion when it comes to the hot button topics of our culture:
politics and religion. Those topics may get some crowds to
look favorably upon your business, but there's the other side of
the conversation that may not hold your view. An effective
business owner should welcome everyone's business, even those whom
you disagree with. Don't give them a reason not to receive
your services.
There are many reasons why social media tools have become so
popular and effective for distributing information. The ease of use
and ability for consumers to interact with experts for various
services allows a thorough exchange of information. Responding to
client queries when using repair shop marketing techniques in a
timely fashion will help a company build up a large following.
Minding your manners has never been more important than when a vast
audience is exposed to the automotive marketing services messages.
Choosing your words carefully so that the majority of customers
gain value out of the posting will greatly enhance your social
media savvy. And if for some reason, a customer is being
unreasonably angry with you and your staff (which will happen in
the life of a business), keep the high ground. Don't fight
fire with fire. That's not a good ingredient for business
growth. Always respond to angry customers with a cool head.
It doesn't mean you attempt to appease an unreasonable
customer with unreasonable concessions. Be firm, but don't
unleash anger. Word spreads quickly in the Internet age.
The use of various online tools is the rule rather than the
exception in today's day and age. Companies that are not making
efforts toward utilizing the power of automotive marketing services
at their disposal run the risk of losing clients to the
competition. A repair shop marketing process can be easy to
establish and does not require a huge investment in either
personnel or financial resources. Allowing the web to do the work
of sharing your message to the world can have a great impact upon
the success of an organization. Treating others as you would hope
they treat you can reward your efforts with a number of new
clients.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Auto Body Marketing Success
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Pairing Up For Success
When it comes to auto body marketing, it can be hard to know
what method is best. While there are plenty of marketing solutions
out there, deciding where to put your ad dollars can always seem
like a bit of a gamble. Especially for a business such as this,
reaching people who are in need of your services at that exact
moment is key. As people tend to search for an auto body shop only
when they are in need of repairs or alterations, it can be
difficult to move to the top of the pile when the time comes.
Therefore, the best auto body shop marketing methods aim to reach
people that are likely already looking to have work done on their
cars.
One of the best ways to accomplish this type of auto body
marketing is by pairing up with other, related, service providers
or retailers. This means working with companies that deal with
various aspects of a vehicle. Of course, in order to make this sort
of relationship successful you will need to offer something in
return as well. Word of mouth referrals are always a great way to
drum up business. However, its potential is even greater when
coming from a trusted professional. As many people already have a
relationship with a certain service provider, when looking to get
auto body work done, they are very likely to take a recommendation
from them.
Therefore, this type of auto body shop marketing serves you both
by building up clientele for one another without putting in
virtually any extra work. It is truly a situation in which
everybody wins, including the customer. However, you may be
wondering who you should pair up with for this kind of auto body
marketing. Although not every single business you approach will be
open to it, a few good places to start are car dealerships, both
new and used, gas stations, and car washes.
Reaching people while they are in the "auto mindset" is key to
successful auto body shop marketing. This way, you are not simply
putting ad dollars into coupon books or newspaper ads that simply
get glossed over and then pushed to the back of someone's drawer.
Not only is this method highly effective at reaching your target
audience, but you are also helping other businesses in the process.
Therefore, this type of symbiotic auto body marketing is a great
way to grow a successful business as well as a community.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Auto Body Shop Website Rules
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### General Rules for an Auto Body Shop Website
If you've read this blog often, you know that we at Web-Est
encourage auto body shops to move online to bring in more business.
Its the most effective way to get new business at the lowest
possible cost. Nowadays pretty much everything is happening
online. Anyone owning a business will need to learn how to market
themselves over the internet. Gone are the days when business
cards, posters and fliers would do the trick. Those tools can still
be helpful, but most people now just boot up, log on, and search to
find what they are looking for. So if a business is going to
move its marketing efforts online, you need a website...plain and
simple. None of it can be done with out one. Here are
some general rules to live by when building your website.
Your web site must look very professional. A clean web site
works best. You don't want to clutter up your web site with so much
junk, colors, and graphics that your customers don't know how to
find their way around. At the same time, you don't want your web
site to look empty either. No one will go into a house that looks
abandoned. So be sure to think of how your web site will look while
you are designing it. It really is a balancing act to make sure
that it doesn't look too cluttered or to amateurish.
You want your auto body web site to say that your company is
professional. If you have sloppy graphics, dancing graphics, or
misspelled words, your auto body web site will give the impression
that you are not a professional and customers may not want to do
business with you. White colored websites, with a off-colored back
frame work best (notice web-est.com). It makes the text more
distinguishable and provides the appearance of better organization.
Sometimes people use solid black web sites, which can work if
done right. If you use black web sites, you can use yellow
and blue, or red and green for fonts. The drawback to that,
however, is that it can become hazy to those with bad vision, which
makes a difference in terms of user experience.
When it comes to graphics, less is really more for a web site.
Cartoons can look silly but sometimes they can work if they are
well-drawn and of images the customers will recognize. A better
idea is to put photos on your web site. Photos of you, your
business, the neighborhood, and especially your product will be
tremendously effective. The more photos you can get of your
product, the better for you and your business and your customer.
People want to know what they are getting themselves into when they
buy something, and photos of the auto body supplies and parts that
you sell will help them feel more at ease.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Collision Estimating Software
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Web-Est Ahead of Collision Estimating Competitors in 64-Bit Technology
Web-Est Customer: "I just recently bought seven new computers
for my shop, but I can't write estimates because my provider's
collision estimating software isn't compatible with the new
computer technology out there in the market."
Are you a shop owner that has recently bought a new computer or
are thinking about buying a new computer? Are you a shop owner with
a new computer who can't write estimates because your collision
estimating provider doesn't have the technology to match your
computing capabilities? Countless auto shops that have made
technology upgrades have reached out to us to ask if we're able to
provide them with their auto body estimating needs because they're
estimate programs aren't functioning properly. Are you one of those
shops?
Within the last five years or so, technology providers such as
Microsoft, Google and Apple have pushed what's called 64-bit
computer processing to their consumer product line. A computer's
processing technology has to do with its ability to process
information as it performs tasks for its user. Basically, the
higher the bit, the faster it performs its users tasks. The
processing technology that has been dominant for consumer computers
has long been 32-bit, while super-computers and government
computing stations have operated under 64-bit since the 1970's. A
computer with 64-bit technology is able to process information much
faster than 32-bit. With these recent upgrades by the major
technology companies, everyday consumers, like auto body
technicians, are able to perform everyday tasks with the technology
that super-computers have operated under for last 30-40 years.
The problem that occurs, however, is that programs that have
been designed specifically for 32-bit computers are unable to
function properly on the new 64-bit computers that consumers have
been flooding stores to get their hands on. Software providers have
been blindsided by the technology upgrade and have been playing
catch up to get their programs functionable on the new computing
technology.
Collision repair estimating companies are having the same
problems. Estimating providers that are still ancient enough to
operate on disks are the ones still playing catch up. Those
providers have not generated the technology to make their software
compatible with the new 64-bit technology that allow auto body shop
managers and technicians to perform their tasks with greater speed.
In other words...they're slow and behind the technology curve!
Are you a shop owner that has upgraded your computers, yet have
been blind sided by the fact that your estimate provider is not as
technologically advanced as you are? Is your shop now equipped with
the latest computing technology, yet unable to do something as
basic as writing estimates because you're provider is too slow to
provide the proper compatibility?
Our internet technology at Web-Est allows us to remain
up-to-date with the computer processing advancements that have been
taking place in the consumer market. If you have invested that
boat-load of cash to upgrade your shop computer's performance, or
you're thinking about it, then Web-Est can provide you with the
estsimating capabilities that other providers cannot. Our collision
estimating software functions to full capacity on the 64-bit
processor, allowing you as a shop owner to take full advantage of
the advancements that the market is pressing forward with. Our
competitors? They're still playing catch up.
[Start A Free Trial\\
Today](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial-search.html)
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Smartphone Collision Estimating
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Collision Estimating On Smart Phones with Web-Est Software
The following interview was conducted with
Terry Siegler, owner of JPS Motorsports of Doniphan, MO. We at
Web-Est asked him a series of questions regarding his use of the
iPhone for estimating the damage of his customer's vehicles on the
road and at the shop.
**How do you use your smart phone for estimating damage to**
**vehicles?**
I'll go out into the field and just write up an estimate on my
phone like any other estimate being written on a PC. Because of the
3G and wireless Internet everywhere, it works all the time. I can
take pictures with the phone, go to Web-Est.com to write the
estimate, and download it right to my phone for the customer to
see. I can then email that estimate from my device to the shop or
to the customer from the road. It works so well that I actually
don't even use the PC in our shop that much anymore. If a customer
brings a vehicle to work on, I'll write estimate for them right
there in the parking lot on my phone. It saves time for both the
customer and I, rather than going in and out of the shop.
**Does the size of the phone and the**
**text on the mobile web browser cause you any issues with the**
**readability of the estimating software and the estimate**
**itself?**
All Apple devices have a feature that permits you to magnify all
the text of a page to as large as you want. As you do that, the
text on the Internet page reformats to fit on your screen so you
don't have to scroll left and right for every line you read. This
magnifying feature is also available on just about every smart
phone that's on the market. Getting accustomed to this feature is
just like any new operation a shop takes on: it takes a little
getting used to, but after awhile, it becomes second nature and
you're able to utilize all the advantages that come with smart
phone estimating.
**Do you ever use a laptop for mobile**
**collision estimating?**
You certainly can, but once you master estimating with a smart
phone, there's no need to. With laptops, you need an Internet
connection either through someone elses wireless Internet
connection, or you need a wireless card. A smart phone like the
iPhone has the wireless capabilities, but it also has 3G and
sometimes 4G Internet that can operate without a wireless
connection. As a matter of fact, we only use our PC for printing
and for when the customer is in the office. Other than that, we use
our smart phone for estimating, which is about 90% of the time.
**Does conducting smart phone estimating**
**give you an edge over your competition with your**
**customers?**
Absolutely! Alot of times, in my community, the question is "Who
can get you the best estimate the quickest?" The smart phone
capabilities, coupled with the Internet technology of Web-Est
Collision Estimating, gives us the opportunity to write estimates
at the location of car accidents, vehicle break-downs and anything
else that would prevent a customer from bringing it to our shop.
The software is the biggest thing. It enables us to stay ahead of
our competitors by being able to give estimates at up-to-the minute
speed. Other estimating providers have no way to compete with
that.
**How helpful is Web-Est Collision**
**Estimating Software to your mobile estimating**
**operations?**
Using Web-Est is a crucial aspect to doing smart phone estimating.
It can't be done otherwise. I don't know of another estimating
company that has the technology that Web-Est has, and yes, I've
used them all. Without the Internet functionalities, writing
estimates on your smart phone is not possible. Web-Est is ahead of
the game in Internet estimating technology and is the only one out
there that can handle this new estimating platform.
**Are you satisfied with your experience**
**using Web-Est overall?**
Web-est is one of the few tools out on the auto-collision market
that has helped make us recession-proof. It has cut our costs
significantly. It has made our operations more efficient with the
Internet functionalities and mobile estimating. They're Aftermarket
and LKQ parts database gives me an edge over competition that only
provides OEM parts. The list goes on and on. I feel comfortable
attributing alot of our success as a business and in this community
to Web-Est products and services. I love this program and this
company. I would recommend them to anyone in the auto collision
industry.
Mr. Siegler agreed to make himself available
for contact. He can be reached at (573) 707-0260.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Facebook Marketing Tips
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Ways to Use Facebook to Market an Auto Body Shop
Recent posts on this blog have spoken about [SEM](https://www.web-est.com/2010/8/9/marketing-an-auto-body-shop-with-search-engine-marketing.html) and [Geo Marketing](https://www.web-est.com/2010/8/3/marketing-an-auto-body-shop-online.html) with Google. Because of
their ability to connect businesses with consumers so efficiently,
we believe they are the most suitable approach for marketing an
auto body shop on the Internet. There is another area that is
effective in connecting businesses with consumers: social websites.
This article will focus primarily on a strategy for social
marketing, with emphasis on Facebook.
Still a relatively young company, Facebook has
become so popular, they are [projected to take Google's place as the most\\
dominant website on the Internet sometime soon](http://mashable.com/2010/07/13/facebook-traffic/). In other words,
Facebook is not just the new trendy thing among teenagers.
Businesses should get used to them being around and should take
notice that it has 500 million users. Facebook has done a great job
maturing from a social networking site built for college students
to a website with the capabilities of connecting a business to its
local area customers. If you don't already know what it does,
here's a quick re-cap. Facebook allows its users to create personal
profile pages, giving them the freedom to list their interests,
employment information, adding and sharing photos, while providing
them a tool to update their profile status. The means of connecting
people together is by becoming "friends" with other people on the
website. This creates the connection point between all its users
and the status update per profile gives users the chance to shares
with all their friends what they are doing at any particular
moment. Businesses are able to do this exact same thing. By
creating a page for your business, you are able to list important
information (a bio, geographical location, services provided), post
and share pictures, and, through the status updates, communicate
with your friends.
The key feature about Facebook that's
beneficial for auto body shops is 1) its ability to connect shops
with previous customers and potential new customers, and 2) its
ability to provide an online space for those customers to refer
your business. Nothing replaces the significance of personal
referrals from previous customers to potential new ones as a
marketing strategy. No new online gizmo will come close to that
strategy's strength. Tons of shops still use only that method and
do quite well. But [Facebook has 500 million active users and 50% of\\
those users are messing around on Facebook per day](http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics). There's no
data available to suggest this, but there's an incredibly good
chance that the people in your communities are among those users.
So if they're willing to recommend your business offline, then its
okay to assume that they'll be willing to recommend your business
online. That's the whole idea behind this particular Facebook
marketing strategy for auto body shops.
The first thing that you would want to do is
create a business page on Facebook. Tony Bradley over at [PCWorld.com](http://www.pcworld.com/) has
a good article on [how to get a Facebook page started for\\
businesses](http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/201656/secrets_to_using_facebook_to_market_your_business.html). You'll need a personal page to get one started, so
if you don't have one, you'll need to do that. Once created, do
what you wish with it: write a bio, establish your geographical
location, put up pictures, etc. As you're putting the page
together, ask yourself, "What do I want my customers to know and
see?" That should be a good guide as you move along.
After you feel comfortable with the way your
page looks, its time to begin adding friends. This is the
connection point between the business and the customer and it will
take continual work over a period of time. Facebook will provide
you with some techniques on ways to add friends. I recommend you
consider those ideas. Some of those include, posting status
updates, promoting the page on your website and suggesting friends
you already have to friend the business. Another important thought
to consider is your offline efforts to promote your page. This is a
big takeaway from these thoughts: make sure every customer you have
is informed that you have a Facebook page and they are invited to
become your friends. Let every customer that has received your
services know about your page. After the services are complete, you
can simply say to them, "Hey, if you liked our services, become
friends with us on Facebook." You can also do a number of
non-verbal communications with them. Take the words "Follow Us On
Facebook" and put it everywhere you can think of that your customer
sees. Put it on invoices. Put it on email signatures with links
back to the Facebook page. Post it on your site as Facebook
suggests. Put it on business cards the next time you order a set.
Provide customers with satisfaction surveys with an invitation at
the end of it to be friends. Put it everywhere they see! And if
your customer had a good experience with your services, and
assuming they have a Facebook account, then there's a good chance
they'll become your friend. They're able to suggest friends
themselves. So just in the same way that a person can
recommend your business through "word of mouth" by simply telling
others, they're able to digitally recommend your business page by
the "suggesting friends" feature. This gives that new
customer an opportunity to look at what they've been told is a
credible business, all with information about it right in front of
them: your page, your photos, bio, website, and all the other
material that post on your page.
Remember, the goal here is to provide your
customers with a new platform to recommend your business to other
people in their community. If they'll recommend your business
offline, then I believe its safe to assume that they'll recommend
your business online. Facebook is the online community space that
they'll most likely do it with. Candidly, Facebook is still young.
The auto body presence on Facebook is even younger. There's still
no systematic, established model for how to effectively use the
popular social-networking site for auto body shops with the
exception of the one described here. Recent news has been coming
out that [Facebook will be adding geolocation applications\\
to their program](http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/facebook-geolocation-software-is-coming-soon/), which hopefully means that they'll consider
developing a system to allow local business owners to post
advertisements targeted to their communities. That's still
undeveloped, however, and unlikely to be here anytime soon. But it
would be an absolute travesty if any business owner assumes that
there is no value to Facebook in empowering their business with
more revenue. Give it a try and let us know how it works!
JR Seidel can be reached at
jr@web-est.com.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Google Places Marketing
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Using Google Places to Market An Auto Body Shop
We at Web-Est have spent a lot of time writing
and talking about the strength of the Internet to bring in
customers to auto body shops in this tough economy. [Search Engine Marketing](https://www.web-est.com/2010/8/30/marketing-an-auto-body-shop-with-search-engine-marketing.html) (SEM) and [Facebook](https://www.web-est.com/2010/8/13/ways-to-use-facebook-to-market-an-auto-body-shop.html) have been recent topics of discussion. SEM is the way
to go if your willing to spend big money. There's another tool out
there that is much more cost efficient, yet still highly effective:
Search Engine Local Listings. All search engines have a
business-listing program that is specifically designed for services
to the local community. We'll spend the next few blog entries
talking about these programs. Lets first start with the Internet
big dog: **_Google Places_**.
Google has had a local business listing for a
long time, with its "Maps" application being the dominant tool. In
April, [Google did a re-launch by adding new features to\\
the program and renaming it "Google Places."](http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/introducing-google-places.html) Of course, you've
got to be asking yourself the question, "What does it do and how
can it help my business?" Google Places gives businesses a chance
to connect with consumers in a specified location by listing the
business online in a Yellow Pages-like directory that appears to a
consumer every time they search particular terms in Google's search
engine. By setting up an account, you build a single page, called a
Place Page, that allows you to add a business description, business
hours, photos, coupons customers can print out, as well as a link
to your website should you have one. You're also listed in their
Maps application, which will give potential customers the
opportunity to obtain driving directions from their location to
yours. Another cool feature is its adaptability to mobile devices.
Once you set up your Place Page, it immediately becomes available
to Google's users on their mobile applications. For example, if a
consumer in your area gets into a car accident and has no auto body
shop in mind to go to, all that consumer would have to do is go to
his or her mobile device, search "auto body shop," and your listing
will come up. The listing that customer sees comes with directions,
a phone number to call and access to your website. This reach into
mobile Internet users is pretty important for small local
businesses because [estimates by some experts are that by 2015, mobile\\
Internet users will exceed PC Internet users](http://gigaom.com/2010/04/12/mary-meeker-mobile-internet-will-soon-overtake-fixed-internet/). So take note.
The biggest kicker of all for this program is
that its free of charge. Google offers this product as a free
service to its users. There is a feature that costs a flat fee of
$25 per month, but its not essential to the service as a whole, nor
is detrimental to its effectiveness if you don't use it. Its also a
complete turnkey product. You spend a little bit of time setting up
your Page Place, activate it, then let it ride. Very little
management is required. Setting up an account will give you
immediate access to potential customers in your are without you
having to really do much or spend much. Just as an example of its
effectiveness, the leadership at my church just put up a listing on
Google Places. The church is located in a suburb of Atlanta and has
been running the listing for over a month. Our listing has already
been viewed over 300 times, clicked on 70 times and has produced 41
requests for driving directions. And we're not even a business! Of
course, the demographic for a church is much different than that of
a an auto body business, but the key point is that it produces
visitors, it creates a bigger audience for you to target and its
completely free. Imagine this program producing just one job for
your business. If it produces even one job for you, its already
worth the investment. And it has the potential to produce more than
just one job per month for you. [Give it a try! Let us know how it works for\\
you.](https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=lbc&passive=1209600&continue=https://www.google.com/local/add/login?gl%3DGB%26hl%3Den-GB&followup=https://www.google.com/local/add/login?gl%3DGB%26hl%3Den-GB&hl=en-GB)
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Web-Est Auto Estimating
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Customer's View of Web-Est's Auto Body Estimating Program
We at Web-Est take pride in the products we have to offer.
Our [auto estimating program](https://www.web-est.com/products-and-services.html "Products and Services") has
all the functions shop managers and technicians will look for in a
program. Below is an interview with Abshir Hassan, a recent new
customer of ours. He's a shop manager from Ohio and he became a
customer this past June. Here's what he has to say about
Web-Est.
**1\. What do you think is the best thing about the**
**program?**
The price for the program and the internet functionality are the
two best features. The price is $99 per month and that beats all
the other providers, while also doing exactly the same thing they
do, often times doing it better. The internet functionality is
great because if I'm home and want to look at what my shop did for
the day, I can just go online and take a look. I also have a
laptop, so if I'm on the road and need to give an estimate to a
customer, I just look it up on my laptop. The program is excellent
for shops that go on the road to do work.
**2\. Some say the internet is a drawback for the program.**
**What do you think about the internet as a tool for [auto body\**\
**estimating](https://www.web-est.com/products-and-services.html "Products and Services")?**
I've had no problems with the internet. The internet is always
accessible for me. But what's better is that the internet allows
you guys to do all of the part price updates for me. I don't have
to worry about that at all. I used Comp-Est in the past and it was
always such a hassle to update my program every month. Getting the
updates automatically is much more convenient.
**3\. What about the part prices on the program? Have they**
**been accurate for you as you've written estimates for your**
**customers?**
Prices have been exactly the same as some of the other providers
out there. I've had customers come in with estimates from other
shops using different programs, and my prices are always the same
as theirs. Because Web-Est uses Mitchell for their part pricing
information, I've never had any problem.
**4\. Some shop owners have used the same program for years**
**and just don't want to switch over and learn a new program. How**
**easy was it for you to learn the program when you first**
**started?**
It didn't take long at all. The 14-day trial helped me learn the
program before I committed to it. Because of the trial and the
training from your staff, I was ready to start writing estimates
for customers almost as soon as I bought it.
**5\. How has the program worked for you so**
**far?**
The program has been fantastic. I've been really happy with how it
functions and how easy it is to use. Whenever I have to write an
estimate, I just jump onto the program, whip right through it
within 5 minutes and hand it off to my customer. The estimates the
program produces are organized and professional. We've been really
happy with the program.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Starting a Body Shop
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Building a New Body Shop
The purpose of this article, and the subsequent follow ups I
will be writing, is to share with our customers what we hope will
be valuable information in not only starting but running a
successful collision repair facility. Additionally, there may be
discussions stemming from these articles that we will move to the
blog areas of our website, [www.web-est.com](http://www.web-est.com/). We invite any
commentary and input you may have.
When someone decides they are going to start a business, it
usually comes from the thought that "Hey...not only can I do
that...but I can do it better than the other guy....AND I can make
some money doing it." As such, the entrepreneurial spirit in us
kicks in. We put together a business plan, we weigh the options of
cost/loss versus profit and we decide to roll the dice, as it were,
because we know we can build a better mouse trap. It is this spirit
that drives us all in business.
In starting a collision repair facility, there are essentially
two schools of thought. The first being the "corporate" path where
one looks to build large scale, borrowing heavily either from banks
or investors to finance the designing, building, staffing and
managing of a larger facility. The second, and far more common is
the "mom and pop" approach. Now arguments can be made as to which
one is better for the ROI of the investment, but I tend to believe
that the smaller shop is a better investment, long term for the
ownership. I recently spoke with a long-time customer of mine about
his thoughts on a start up body shop. He had successfully expanded
and maintained a very large facility over the past 20 years. His
annual gross numbers are well above 2 million. When I asked him his
opinion on a best case scenario for starting a body shop, I was
surprised to hear that his views are very much like mine
considering he chose the "corporate" method and it has done
extremely well for him.
When my friend Robert went to the bank 8 years ago, he was
asking to borrow about one million dollars to build his new shop.
He was looking at increasing the size of his operation by over four
times its current state. Expanding his operation from a 4200 square
feet facility to a building well over 22,000 square feet was a
mammoth undertaking. He rolled the dice, borrowed heavily and has
since made a very good living for himself as well as his employees.
Yet when asked if he would recommend doing the "corporate" start
up, he said he would not and that the "mom & pop" approach was
a much better decision for a new shop owner. As we discussed the
issue over a few phone calls, these were some of the key points we
agreed upon.
1\. You should not start any business without a business plan and
you will not borrow money from a bank for a new business without a
business plan, period. My advice is to seek professional help on
this. Look to the [Small Business\\
Administration](http://www.sba.gov/) to help you with establishing your plan. They
have a large library of "how do I's" for the small business
starter. They can recommend advisors, give ideas about money
management and in some case help you secure some funding sources to
help in the startup process. Additionally, with the current economy
having banks scared of lending money to anyone regardless of your
credit score, borrowing history or cash flow, they can help you
solidify your smaller business plan. Also getting a bank to lend
you a smaller amount of money maybe a little easier if you have a
well thought out and structured business plan as long as they feel
comfortable with the amounts and the diligence you have put into
the research of the plan. Be sure to include studies of the
surrounding marketplace. How many other shops are in an immediate
proximity to your proposed location? Is there sufficient egress to
the property via main intersections or other businesses in the area
that can generate potential "drive by" advertising for you? Do you
plan to build or perhaps lease an existing building? Have you made
any contacts with potential clients such as rental companies,
delivery companies, cab companies, or perhaps municipalities for
bid work? Getting secured, contracted work will add bottom line
receivables to your business that banks like to see. Be sure to
approach suppliers and work out some soft numbers for discounts on
parts and materials so you know your margins based on percentages.
As you are looking for a location or perhaps looking to build,
remember that you can always expand if the business calls for it.
Avoid going into "building" debt and not being able to afford to
install the necessary tools you need for opening day. Try not to
over extend your business on Day 1 by over borrowing. Establish the
track record with the lender by borrowing what you need to get your
shop up and running and perhaps a small operating cushion. Sell
them on the fact that you will be profitable quickly.
2\. You will need to further decide how your business plan will
be incorporated into a complete business model for your shop. A
common misconception is that "bigger makes more money". This can be
true as we see in the larger consolidators. It means, however, as
we are starting up more cost, higher risk and an inability, far too
often, to survive. Start with what you know. Perhaps you are a good
painter/body man. You have a good body man ready to come on board.
Perhaps another fellow is a frame man. All you need is a small
space, perhaps three bays, a small [Chief](http://www.chiefautomotive.com/) rack and a
paint booth to make it all happen. It is as simple as that. Start
small and grow. Do not over commit unless you have something you
can fall back on. In Robert's case, he was maintaining his original
shop while he expanded and built his new shop. As you establish
your business, your customer base and your reputation, you will see
opportunities to expand as your bottom line grows.
3\. Pay "cash" as much as possible until you have established
your cash flow patterns. Many shops I have talked to over the years
get strangled in a cash flow net. It is easy to do regardless of
the industry but in our collision repair industry, it happens more
than most due to the nature of the business. Fronting repair costs
of parts and labor, awaiting payment for past repairs, fleet
accounts that pay on 30 or 60 notes or getting stuck with abandoned
vehicles are only few of the problems shops face. These and many
more lead to faster cash out and slower cash in. So do what you can
to minimize credit exposure. Pay cash for parts when possible. Try
not to give away profits by "financing" deductibles whenever you
can. As you establish your profit margins, you could consider this
as an alternate revenue source but I caution against it in a start
up shop.
4\. Try not to bog your shop down with "stall sitters" such as
severe hits or restoration projects. If you have the physical space
to store them or move them easily from the work areas, it isn't a
big deal but remember, we are looking at a small shop scenario. The
longer a car sits on the frame rack or in a tear down stall waiting
on another car to come out means higher turn time and less flow
through your shop. Try to establish a quick fix mentality. "Hang
and Paint" repairs, while considerably less dollar amounts, tend to
be as high or higher profit percentage than heavy hits. The turn
time for fender benders is obviously less and can lead to
attracting clients such as rental companies or service companies
that need their vehicles on the road. A faster turn time for
repairs on a rental car equates to more money for the rental
company. This can obviously lead to more work in volume from the
rental company to your shop. So consider keeping a streamlined
process to handle smaller hits more efficiently to be more
profitable. I am not suggesting you turn work away but rather be a
little selective on the scheduling if you can.
5\. Work to make sure your customers are the top priority in your
business. They are the reason you are here. Go the extra mile. Make
them realize they came to your business for a reason. A business
man I know is fond of saying "the difference in ordinary and
extraordinary is the extra." When you think about it, it is the
extra things one does for the customer that offsets them from the
competition. Taking care of your customer is the easiest way to
secure another customer. Generations of family member continue to
take their vehicles the same shop because they have an attachment
to the repair facility by some means. If you can establish that
type of relationship by taking care of the extras, you can grow
your client base laterally without much cost. Remember, every job
we do in a body shop is like a rolling billboard for the next
potential customer. Friends know that "Joe Consumer" wrecked his
car. When they ask, you clearly want "Joe" to tell them that every
aspect of the repair process was handled professionally, quickly
and without incident. Since on the average, drivers only come to
need repairs done once every 7 years. That is a long stretch if you
are not ambitiously going after more customers. You do this by
taking care of the details, the extras.
While these steps might seem simplistically drawn out, they are
the cornerstone to a thriving business. What needs to be understood
is that there are a lot of moving parts to getting a shop open.
These are more fundamental practices. In my next article, we are
going to get more involved with the actual shop set up, discuss DRP
relationship and how we go about marketing to the public for our
new body shop.
_Keep an eye out for the next posting by Matt Shanks on how to_
_Start a New Shop_
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## Auto Body Shop Marketing
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#### Foundational Marketing Practices for an Auto Body Shop
When owning a small business, the owner has to keep in mind that
a successful marketing strategy hinges on individual customer
experience. As advanced as our technology has become, and as
advanced as our business practices have become, nothing has
exceeded the primacy of the old phrase, "The customer is always
right." Even if the customer is wrong, they're still right. In
fact, with Internet technology, customers have the ability to
spread the word about a bad experience much easier these days, with
tools like blogs, community forums, social networking sites, and a
whole bunch of others. For example, popular Internet blogger, Randy
Cassingham, wrote a blog entry titled " [Dell\\
Hell](http://www.thisistrue.com/dellhell.html)" and it destroyed Dell's credibility and profits for the
remainder of the year. On the other hand, a customer that walks
away having loved the service received is your absolute best
marketing tool, especially for local small businesses like auto
body shops. Every customer that walks through your door represents
5 or even 10 more potential jobs for your business. When it comes
to marketing, making the customers you have happy is one of the
best ways you can generate more leads.
The idea that the customer is always right suggests a mentality
about the business: customers are top priority. The mentality that
every customer you have is the top priority in everything you do
can pay huge dividends as you go about marketing your business. I
say this because marketing is about getting customers to believe
you're the best person for the job they need done. That requires
getting the word out and using different tools at your disposal to
make that happen. But all the tools in the world won't help a
business succeed if they don't care about their customers. You just
can't have a good marketing strategy for your business if you don't
have a satisfied customer. Or to say it in another way...you simply
can't market a brand successfully that sucks to the customers
you've had. Its that simple. This is true even more so for a
business that relies on local residents. There isn't a single
gadget in the Internet world that will replace your services as the
foundational tool for bringing you more business. Keeping these
things in mind as the "Auto Body Marketing" blog moves forward to
provide new ways to maximize your shop's exposure, here are some
things to take note of. A business that builds around the
"Customers First" strategy requires at least two practices:
providing quality customer service and quality work.
**Providing Quality Customer Service**
Providing quality customer service is important because of how it
can impact the impression your customer has as they're leaving your
business. We're not suggesting you whistle around your shop so
gleefully that you seem like all is perfect in your world (that's
just annoying and unrealistic). We're suggesting that you focus on
creating an environment for your customer that leaves a lasting
positive impression on them. You know whats best for your business,
so we're not going to tell you to reformat everything you do at
your shop. We're simply recommending that you do you what it takes
to make your customers believe that the work they just gave you is
important to you and you want them to come back. Keep that
principle in mind and tailor your shop practices around it. Build a
waiting room if you can and keep it clean, provide transportation
for customers if they need it, have coffee available to all
walk-ins, or any other small thing that you think a customer would
find valuable. Focus on creating the impression that they're
experience with your business is your top priority. John Webb of
CSi Complete says in his [Body Shop Business article](http://bodyshopbusiness.com/Article/16156/customers_for_life.aspx) that auto shops
should shift away from viewing customers just as transactions and
focus on building relationships with customers for the sake of
long-term loyalty. This is big for marketing your business because
if you can manage to develop an impression in their mind as they
walk away that says, "They did great work and I'm never again going
to another body shop other than the one I just went to," then you
just earned their business the next time they need repairs. Even
better is that you just established a marketing partner. Every time
someone close to them needs repairs, then recommendations to your
business will come easy to them.
**Providing Quality Work**
Providing quality work is very important in generating that
positive impression in your customer's mind. You want them to walk
away with the mindset that your the best on the block at what you
do. Creating an environment that's focused on the customer helps
generate that mindset, but ultimately, they're coming to you for
services on their vehicle. Provide good work by implementing good
practices in the shop. Again, you know what's best for your
business, and we don't think we know more about your business than
you do. But build everyday practices around the strategy of
"Customers First." David William's [article in Body Shop Business](http://bodyshopbusiness.com/Article/15094/customer_care_to_the_max.aspx) shared a story
regarding Fred Haas Collision Center in a suburb of Houston. He
says that when they were struggling and shops around them were
closing, rather then cutting guys to stay afloat financially, he
started adding guys to the payroll. Doing that allowed his
employees to pay closer attention to customers and their repairs,
thus making customers the top priority. Now, I understand that Fred
Haas was a dealership that had a ton more resources, but take note
of the mindset. They had a business strategy that was focused on
the customer and tailored shop practices around that to make their
work more quality for their customer. Ultimately that translated
into more success as more customers kept coming in.
**Make the Customer First**
We say all these things to help initiate some thought about your
shop. Are you having a hard time getting jobs through the door? If
so, take a magnifying glass to your shop's practices and see how
you can improve. Ask yourself questions for the sake of
improvement. Ask questions such as: what are some internal
alterations we can make to gain an edge over our competition? How
can we make our potential customers think we're the best there is?
What can I do to my shop to make customers feel more comfortable
coming to me for their business rather than someone else? How can
the work I do for them give them the impression that our work is
the best there is? Ask yourself these questions and work to make
your business "Customer First" oriented. We're not promising
business will start pouring in after all this, but this is a good
foundation to build your marketing strategy around, and that's what
"Auto Body Marketing" is set up to talk about. We'll show you some
tools in this blog on how to maximize your shop's exposure. But
again, you can't successfully market a business that customers
don't want to return to.
##### Did you know?
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## Auto Body Shop Advertising
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#### Advertising For a New Auto Body Shop
A short time ago, I [wrote an article](http://www.web-est.com/2009/10/13/building-a-new-body-shop.html) outlining some basic ideas
when opening a body shop. I touched upon the business model,
location and service as key points to making a successful operation
of your new shop. I will assume each new body shop has established
themselves as such and are driving forward with their individual
business plan. Remember, we passed on borrowing heavily and
financing a large debt. Instead, let us assume we picked up a
lease/buy-out option on a 5000 sq. foot facility from a former shop
owner who was retiring ( a very common scenario). In doing this, we
were able to secure a cheaper property that had an existing layout
for the collision business, had an established visual presence in
the community and was deliverable without the hassles of a lot of
the permitting/zoning one faces when trying to build a new
facility. Yet, as with buying anything "used", our facility will
need a face lift. Set aside some capital for new paint, fresh decor
and new signage as well as updating potential administrative tools
(computers, phones etc). On a positive note, our existing frame
machine, paint mixing station and spray booth were in good enough
shape for us to get by using for a few years. Therefore, we can
reinvest money normally spent on equipment into other parts of the
business, such as advertising and getting work through our doors.
But this raises one of the toughest decisions a proprietor must
make when determining the future of his shop. How do I invest in my
business for maximum returns? **R** eturn
**O** n **I** nvestment, or
**R.O.I.**, is what we are looking to build; finding
the greatest yield of profit for the most economical investment. It
is truly a hard question. So let us look at some of the different
scenarios and how they may affect our small, start up shop.
1. **_THE INTERNET_** \- In today's world, the
Internet is as much an integral part of society as we are. So much
of what we do every day is in some way tied to the Internet. Think
about it. Banking, shopping, etc are all done through the internet.
Why not advertising? Ever type something into a web search engine?
Amazing what it can find you. Why not let the web find us customers
for our shop? Google is growing everyday as more and more people
look to find the products they use and the services they need. We
obviously will have a web-site for our shop. Why not build an
Ad-Words campaign through Google to help land us some business.
Through the Pay-per-click advertising process, not only can we
determine and control a spending budget monthly, but we have live
data feedback on how many people saw our advertisement, how many
people came to our landing page. All of the information we gather
from the customers submitting inquiries (names, addresses, phone
number etc). The most effective and valuable commodity we can get
our hands on in business is information. **Who** is
looking for our product? **How** can I reach that
consumer? **When** will I see his business?
**Where** else is he looking? **Why**
didn't he come to me for his collision needs? If we work hard to
make sure our product is the best it can be, the last two questions
will never be an issue. But, we definitely must attract the
consumer to us first. So we build a Google Ad-Words campaign for
our shop. We work on optimizing our website to find the front
landing page for any and every search category we can think of. If
we recall I discussed my friend's shop in my last article. I will
simply use his Ad-Words budget amounts as my own . Basically, we
establish that we will spend $100.00 monthly. We will be able to
adjust monthly spending based on results and reset that spending
limit according to the effectiveness of our Ad-Words campaign. So
we look at the [Web-Est Shop-Find](http://www.web-est.com/shopfind.html) program. Highly effective,
extremely affordable and 100% adaptable to our web-advertising
needs. Consumers are going to the web to find the service they
need. On an average, we will spend between $2.00 and $3.00 for
every click-through lead that comes to our landing page and
requests a quote for repairs. Even though we only budget $100.00
per month for the Ad-Words campaign, we can assume our
pay-per-click results will get us between 30 and 50 visitors to our
website ($100/$2.00 and $3.00, respectively). If we convert even
25% of those potential customers, we are looking at between 8 and
13 customers per month. And according to a recent industry survey
from [Mitchell International](https://www.mitchell.com/mitch/start.asp), the average loss per
claim in 2008 was approximately $2,600.00. Translation: Our $100.00
monthly advertising budget just grossed us between $249,000 and
$405,000 annually; not to mention off the street/drive by or
referral work. AND, we know exactly which Ad-Word campaign jargon
works the most effectively, which campaigns landed higher close
rates, etc. Importantly, we captured information of customers who
did not bring us there car. We can follow up with them and find out
why not. We can adapt our business model to incorporate solutions
for those lost customer opportunities. The bottom line is that we
captured their information and we can reach back out to them
(whether they brought us their car or not) and try again.
2. **_TRADITIONAL MEDIA_** \- Traditionally, the
phone book was the way most shops advertised. Some used billboards,
radio and even a few used television to reach customers. These
advertising outlets, while potentially effective, are extremely
expensive. Of the three, radio is still the best "bang for your
buck." You can reach massive amounts of people by simply airing a
commercial. The phone book (Yellow Pages, Yellow Book, etc) is
simply archaic. Very few people still open a phone book to find
anything. Those that are looking for something generally start in
the "As" and call the first name listed. In the past, I have seen
shops list themselves as "AAAA-Walter's Collision" because
otherwise, nobody makes it to the "W" section. Billboards are
effective. But in order to the most visibility, you have to put
them near roads such as freeways. The problem is getting the drive
by customer to you from the freeway. Television is so expensive
that we will not consider it. So what does that leave? Well we can
do it the old fashioned way. Some hard work, word of mouth and a
few well-placed ads can land us some customers. Perhaps generating
some flyer leaflets and passing them out at the local grocery
store? These are several ways to attract customers through
traditional means. Some of them cost a large amount of money and
all of them require a labor-intensive process of reaching out to
the consumer. Traditional medias are more expensive than internet
marketing. At times the conversion can be higher but remember, when
you directly advertise, you are blanketing the consumers, wholesale
style. Your individual per/customer costs for acquiring the
customer will be considerably more. But we are trying to optimize
our ROI. We want to make money. So we need to be careful when
budgeting these types of advertising expenses. A few expenditures
here or there in traditional media may yield results but we need to
be very selective and cost-conscious when using these
campaigns.
3\. **_Traditional DRP_** \- Now there are many
pros and cons when considering a DRP. Depending on who you ask, the
pros will outweigh the cons and subsequently, the next person you
ask, will tell you the exact opposite. There are many political,
financial and personal reasons a shop will or will not participate
in a DRP. Ideally, the premise of a DRP is sold to a shop on the
idea that they will be the "select" shop for doing work for this
particular insurance carrier. This would be a tremendous advantage
if this shop were the sole provider of service for this carrier,
but we all know that is not how it works. Part discounts, labor
concessions and other "freebies" aside, an insurance carrier uses a
DRP relationship as a means of cost control by establishing a
streamlined competition within the local repair community. While
shops on these programs are usually getting volume work, the profit
for the majority of them may get consumed through the
aforementioned giveaways. Basically the decision is "will the spend
rate merit the gain?". Spend enough money on mandated software, and
maybe you will get some work from your carrier. Maybe that work
will be profitable. There are no guarantees. So for bigger shops,
where volume through the doors is the key to success, they can
generally handle the tighter profit margins through attrition.
Since we are going small, however, we need to concentrate on
optimizing our R.O.I., on each car and maintaining a high
percentage of repeat business to fuel our business model. We cannot
turn the volume of cars to make the numbers work that a big
production shop turns. But we do not need to. Our overhead is far
lower and our variable costs are less impacting on a day to day
basis.
4\. **_Non-Standard DRP_** \- Sometimes, however,
a non-standard insurer (also known as a tier 2 or tier 3 carrier)
may approach a smaller shop with the desire to move into a DRP
agreement. These carriers are generally focused on turning claims
over quicker and typically have fewer physical damage experts on
hand to review files. Instead, they rely on adjusters (usually
independents) who may push the claim through faster, resulting in
quicker pay cycles. They also may not require specific software be
used to process the claim and may be more willing to work with the
shop's estimate and supplements. This can be beneficial for us
since the number of vehicles the smaller carrier insurers is less
and translates into less work from them. Therefore, we can push
back on any concessions they ask for since they cannot provide the
volume that will merit any real discounts
So as we weigh out the options, which is the best for our shop? We
are in a higher populated area with street presence already
established thanks to buying an existing facility. We gave our
business a cosmetic facelift and have maybe spent a little money in
local advertising but not much. So we hang our shingle up, fill our
bays with vehicles and work with our customers and make sure we
give them the best experience we can when fixing their car. We know
we have some controlled advertising expenses that are going to land
us potential customers. We will work to get them in the doors and
get them satisfied. And that is the key to success. Doing better
than the other guy. Remember, in our business, every car is a
rolling advertisement. The best advertisement we can possibly hope
for is the free one. The satisfied customer's referral. So as we
put our name and our reputation on every vehicle that goes out our
door, we are putting one more piece of advertising in front of the
consumer. So we cannot fail to exceed the customer's expectations.
Because no matter how much advertising we do, it is the end result
of a satisfied customer that determines our success in
business.
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## Website Benefits for Auto Shops
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#### The Advantages of Having a Website for Your Auto Body Shop
If you work in the collision repair industry, you have probably
gotten by without a website easily in the past. After all, if a
client wants to utilize your service to have their car repaired,
they must physically bring their vehicle to the shop. There is no
such thing as online car repair! Despite this, there is still the
fact that customers will not come to your door unless they know you
offer reliable service. An auto body shop website is the perfect
way to advertise your company.
Many times, a business in the collision repair industry will have
promotional services during certain times of the year or other
special events. Traditionally, expensive ads could be placed in the
phonebook or newspaper, but when you have a website, you can add
your special pricing and deals with a few clicks of the mouse.
Then, when customers come to your site for contact or location
information, they instantly find out about the deals your auto body
shop is offering.
People may search the internet for locations of a nearby auto body
shop. Fewer and fewer people turn to the yellow pages for
information, phone numbers and locations anymore. Your website need
not be anything overly complicated, but it should give a concise
review of what services you provide your customers with. Pricing is
also important to include. Having one succinct overview of your
services is much less expensive than auto body marketing with
traditional print advertising. This is very important for any
company, but most especially small, locally owned businesses. It is
a perfect compromise because paying a hosting company to maintain a
website is much less expensive than other forms of advertising,
plus your reach is far more expansive.
When you take advantage of the great benefits of the internet, auto
body marketing is significantly simplified. Many clients will
respond positively to your online presence. There are easy ways to
utilize auto body marketing both online and off that can get
interested customers to your website. When they see the benefits
you contribute to the collision repair industry, they will become
one step closer to becoming a paying customer. If you come through
on your promises, a paying customer will likely become a loyal
returning customer. This is the goal of every auto body shop. The
next step after getting a website set up is to work on your auto
body marketing techniques.
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## Referral System Marketing
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#### Marketing Your Auto Body Shop With a Referral System
There are many reasons to implement a website for your auto body
shop business. An online presence is never a negative thing, as you
can reach out to a much greater number of possible clients and
advertise inexpensively. Auto body marketing can occur in many
ways. You can advertise online and off. One offline marketing
method is to use a referral system. Many benefits can be yours with
such a system and there are certain strategies within the method
that work the best for the collision repair industry.
The benefits of a referral system are far reaching. The first
notable benefit is that a greater amount of customer assistance,
relationship development and loyalty improvement can be had with a
referral system. Also, such a system grows with time, so you will
see a sequential increase of referrals after each year passes. You
can appreciate all these benefits within your auto body shop while
at the same time saving your employees time, giving them a greater
opportunity to spend their time doing more useful things for the
collision repair industry. Strangely, even with these obvious
benefits, many marketers do not view it as a serious auto body
marketing method. You can see how much of a myth this thought is
when you put it into practice for yourself.
To start a referral system for your auto body shop, learn what
works the best for the collision repair industry. Many businesses
today, when implementing this system correctly, can offset
one-fifth, one-half or even all of their yearly advertising
efforts. If a company can reach the point of generating business
with 100% referrals, the auto body marketing fund will practically
be zero, allowing the saved funds to either become increased profit
for the owner or put toward other elements to better the shop.
When you set up your business to reward customers for referring
their friends, you have an increased probability that it will work,
in the collision repair industry or virtually any other. The
rewards and financial benefits you can see in your auto body shop
are undeniable, no matter what angle you look at setting up a
referral system in addition to or even to completely replace your
other auto body marketing efforts. No matter exactly how you choose
to implement a referral system in your business, the general
purpose is to assist people in loving your service enough to tell
their friends and family "what is so great" about your
business.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Web-Est Privacy Policy
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
WEB-EST PRIVACY POLICY
Last updated: 3.16.2022
Effective date: 4.16.2022
Web-Est, LLC ("Web-Est") is committed to maintaining robust privacy protections for its users. The terms "we," "us," and "our" refer to Web-Est. "You" refers to you, as a user of our website. Our Privacy Policy ("Privacy Policy") is designed to help you understand how we collect, use and safeguard the information you provide to us and to assist you in making informed decisions when using our website.
By using our website, you acknowledge our Privacy Policy, including our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. In addition, by using our services, or services across partnered and unaffiliated sites, you are accepting the policies and practices described in this Privacy Policy and such other sites. Each time you visit our website, and any time you voluntarily provide us with information, you agree that you are consenting to our collection, use, and disclosure of the information that you provide.
Information for California residents can be found in our [California Privacy Statement](https://web-est.com/privacy-california.html).
**COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION**
We collect the domain name and other user information of site users and visitors to our website and general information on what pages site users and visitors access or visit.
The information we collect from your devices is used to improve the content of our web page, used to notify site users and visitors about updates to our website, shared with agents or contractors who assist in providing support for our internal operations, and used by us to contact site users and visitors for marketing and advertising purposes. This information is collected through web server logs, cookies, and other technologies (described below) that allow us to track the general statistics and data from our visitors as they utilize our website.
**COOKIES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES:**
Our website uses cookies, web beacons, java scripts, and similar technologies to automatically collect certain information about your activity relating to your visit to our website. These technologies collect your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and/or clickstream data. We use this data to analyze trends, administer our website, track users' movements through our website, and gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. We may receive reports based on these technologies on an individual or aggregated basis.
A "cookie" is a small text file that websites send to your computer or device other Internet-connected device to identify your browser or to store information or settings in the browser. A "web beacon", also known as an Internet tag, pixel tag or clear GIF, links web pages to web servers and their cookies and may be used to transmit information collected through cookies back to a web server.
We use these automated technologies to collect information about your devices, browsing actions, and usage patterns. The information we obtain in this manner includes information on your interaction with a website, application, or advertisement, your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and/or clickstream data. Our website uses first-party cookies (served directly by our website domain when you visit our website). We may collect information about your online activities over time and across different sites and services when you visit our website.
**BEHAVIORAL ADVERTISING, INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM OTHERS:**
Our ad network partner uses cookies and web beacons to collect information about your activities on this and other websites to provide you targeted advertising based upon your interests. If you wish to not have this information used for the purpose of serving you targeted ads, you may opt out by clicking here [http://www.google.com/privacy\_ads.html](http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html). Please note, this does not opt you out of being served advertising. You will continue to receive generic ads.
**DO NOT TRACK SIGNALS**
Some web browsers allow you to turn on Do Not Track ("DNT"), which sends signals to websites you visit, telling those sites that you do not want your online activities to be tracked. Our website currently is not designed to respond to DNT signals received from web browsers.
**HOW WE SHARE PERSONAL INFORMATION**
We do not collect personal information from you unless you provide it to us in conjunction with the services we offer. The information collected is used for account set up and the services you request.
We do not license, sell, rent, or trade any collected business information about your account or other personal information unless you request it. The personal information you provide is to help complete a transaction initiated by you, or the disclosure is otherwise lawfully permitted or requested. We will share your personal information with third parties only in the ways that are described in this privacy policy.
Affiliates and Business Partner: We may share your personal information with our affiliates, subsidiaries, business partners, and related entities if we need to, in order to maintain our business and provide products and services to you. Service Providers: We may provide your personal information to companies that provide services to help us with our business activities, such as customer service. These companies are authorized to use your personal information only as necessary to provide these services to us. These service providers may include internet service providers and operating systems and platforms. Google Analytics is one service provider included here, and you may access Google's Privacy Policy by visiting: [https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/](https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/)
Other Third Parties: We will disclose your personal information to other third parties upon your request.
Compliance with Legal Obligations: In certain situations, we may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements. We may also disclose your personal information as required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, or similar legal process when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.
Changes in Business Structure or Ownership: We reserve the right to transfer your personal information in the event Web-Est is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its business or assets.
SMS NOT SHARED: SMS opt-in or phone numbers for the purpose of SMS are not being shared with any third party and affiliate company for marketing purposes.
**SECURITY**
The security of your personal information is important to us. We use several security measures designed to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. If you have any questions about security on our website, you can contact us at [info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com).
We will retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. We will retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
**ACCESSING AND UPDATING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION**
Upon request, we will provide you with information about whether we hold any of your personal information. You may access, correct, or request deletion of your personal information by contacting your sales representative directly, or you may contact us at [info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com) or **(888) 932-3780**. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.
**SMS CONSENT COMMUNICATION**
The information (Phone Numbers) obtained as part of the SMS consent process will not be shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
**TYPES OF SMS COMMUNICATIONS**
If you have consented to receive text messages from Web-Est, you may receive messages related to the following :
- Appointment reminders
- Follow-up messages
- Billing inquiries
- Promotions or offers (if applicable)
**Example:** "Hello, I'm just following on up on your Web-Est free trial request. How can I help you today?" You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time.
**MESSAGE FREQUENCY**
Message frequency may vary depending on the type of communication. For example, you may receive up to 1 SMS messages per week related to your account.
**Example:** "Message frequency may vary. You may receive up to 2 SMS messages per week regarding your appointments or account status."
**POTENTIAL FEES FOR SMS MESSAGING**
Please note that standard message and data rates may apply, depending on your carrier's pricing plan. These fees may vary if the message is sent domestically or internationally.
**OPT-IN METHOD**
You may opt-in to receive SMS messages from Web-Est in the following ways:
- By submitting an online form
**OPT-OUT METHOD**
You can opt out of receiving SMS messages at any time. To do so, simply reply "STOP" to any SMS message you receive. Alternatively, you can contact us directly to request removal from our messaging list.
**HELP**
If you are experiencing any issues, you can reply with the keyword HELP. Or, you can get help directly from us at [https://www.web-est.com/contactus.html](https://www.web-est.com/contactus.html)
**Additional Options:** If you do not wish to receive SMS messages, you can choose not to check the SMS consent box on our forms.
**STANDARD MESSAGING DISCLOSURES**
- Message and data rates may apply.
- You can opt-out at any time by texting "STOP."
- For assistance, text "HELP" or visit [https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html)
**SMS NOT SHARED**
SMS opt-in or phone numbers for the purpose of SMS are not being shared with any third party and affiliate company for marketing purposes.
**CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY**
We reserve the right to change this policy and our Terms of Service at any time. We will notify you of significant changes to our Privacy Policy by placing a prominent notice on our site. Significant changes will go into effect within 30 days following such notification. Non-material changes or clarifications will take effect immediately. You should periodically check the Site and this privacy page for updates.
E:
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html#)
P: (888) 932-3780
A: 12884 S Frontrunner Blvd, Ste 220 Draper, UT 84020
Give us a call, we answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.
We are open Monday - Friday from 8:30 EST - 5:30 EST.
## Collision Estimating Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# We're designed for Independents. Others aren't. Simple as that.
| | Best Value
Web-EstStarting a $154 a month | OthersUp to $1,000 a month |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purpose built software for small-mid size auto body shops. |
| Purpose built software for small-mid size auto body shops. | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Mitchell International OEM collision database |
| Mitchell International OEM collision database | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| License Plate and VIN Scan Technology |
| License Plate and VIN Scan Technology | Feature is included. | Feature is included. |
| Unlimited Imaging |
| Unlimited Imaging | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Point-and-Click Graphical |
| Point-and-Click Graphical | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Aftermarket Information |
| Aftermarket Information | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| PDR Software |
| PDR Software | Feature is included. | Feature is included. |
| Multiple Rate profiles |
| Multiple Rate profiles | Feature is included. | Feature is included. |
| LOGO - (Customize estimate PDF) |
| LOGO - (Customize estimate PDF) | Feature is included. | Feature is included. |
| Adjuster Package (Alt ID's & Repair Facilities) |
| Adjuster Package (Alt ID's & Repair Facilities) | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| eMail from within estimate |
| eMail from within estimate | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Access control (User Permissions) |
| Access control (User Permissions) | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Frame Data Availability |
| Frame Data Availability | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Quickbooks Integration |
| Quickbooks Integration | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Pro-Advisor (AI) |
| Pro-Advisor (AI) | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Pro-Image Editor |
| Pro-Image Editor | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Pro-Reporting |
| Pro-Reporting | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Web-Est Pay Payment Processing |
| Web-Est Pay Payment Processing | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| EMS |
| EMS | Feature is included. | Feature is included. |
| Shop Management Software |
| Shop Management Software | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Unlimited Support |
| Unlimited Support | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Chat Support |
| Chat Support | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| 14 Day Free Trial |
| 14 Day Free Trial | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| No Auto-Renew Contracts |
| No Auto-Renew Contracts | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| 30 day money back |
| 30 day money back | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Access From Anywhere and Any Device |
| Access From Anywhere and Any Device | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| No Startup fee |
| No Startup fee | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
| Free Onboarding (Training) |
| Free Onboarding (Training) | Feature is included. | Feature is not included. |
Built for Independent Body Shops. Not for insurance companies.
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
## Web-Est Reviews
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Outstanding support is at the heart of what we do. ❤️
| | Feedback |
| --- | --- |
| Support |
| Support | John has been the absolute best. Looking forward to our continued business. Thank you again |
| Support |
| Support | "Andrea was very good and professional He walked me true for any questions. Well done!" |
| Support |
| Support | John was very through and helpful for onboarding. Excellent communicator and very easy to follow through as he explained all the features. |
| Support |
| Support | My hats off to John he saves the day again. THANKS JOHN! |
| Support |
| Support | I learn best hands on but, Jon was very helpful giving me inside tips and the system setup is impeccable. Very easy to learn if you take the time to explore and adjust things but if you have any questions to reach what you're looking for faster you can call and they will step by step with you. |
| Support |
| Support | Love this program so far. I'm still a new user so I have not mastered it by no means but the tutorial is extremely helpful, especially with the videos. |
| Support |
| Support | Andre has been very helpful. He consistently calls me to check in and if I have a question calls me back immediately. |
| Support |
| Support | We have worked with John Clifford several times and our experience with him has been great. He is professional and very knowledgeable. With his guidance it has been easy to understand and navigate the Web-Est platform, especially being new to the site. He is quick in getting back to us and efficient with solving our issues, which we appreciate very much. |
| Support |
| Support | John Clifford has been a HUGE asset to our business ! |
| Support |
| Support | Communication and training has been great. Would be hard to tell you what to do better! Thanks for the support |
| Support |
| Support | Farrell Jordan and Andres Barrios have been very helpful since we got the trial . |
| Support |
| Support | John is the MAN hands down! |
| Support |
| Support | John help us a great deal. Very kind and informative !!! |
| Support |
| Support | John was very patient and very helpful!!! |
| Support |
| Support | "I am happy with this program. It has been a game changer for my Business. Andres has been very helpful and professional. He's always ready to assist me with any question. " |
| Support |
| Support | "The team at Web-Est is outstanding! I receive phone calls every couple of weeks asking how we are doing and if there is anything they can do to help. Customer Service is Exceptional" |
| Support |
| Support | "Excellent program and professional team Five stars customer service " |
| Support |
| Support | I love this program, it is fast, simple and very good. |
| Support |
| Support | the best service I ever experienced thank you for making my job so easy thank you to your customer service for helping me step by step Andres Barrios being an awesome assistant thank you for giving the best to us the people who help our customers to give them fair rates |
| Support |
| Support | GREAT JOB...JOHN & CASSIE 5 STAR CUST SERVICE |
| Product |
| Product | 10 years of using them. If you are not a DRP and charge the customer when insurance doesn't want to pay. This system makes money. We are a smaller shop and love it |
| Product |
| Product | "Customer service is awesome and pretty easy to use" |
| Product |
| Product | "Used it for a few years now and love it" |
| Product |
| Product | "Have nothing but great things to say about it ." |
| Product |
| Product | "I've been using it since day one and that's over ten years ago, get it learn it and start making money also look into a materials invoice system I use Yanni Koutmos Eaglemms for billing my materials out and I get paid!!!! We don't lose money on materials anymore been using it for 2 years now do yourself a favor and get them both" |
| Product |
| Product | "Been using 20 years at our shop, it's a great system , depending how in depth your writing your repair plans it can become time consuming , but the price point makes up for a lot of that , need to spend a good amount of time creating your own manual entry database" |
| Product |
| Product | "I have been using it for 10 years absolutely love it would not be without it call them up talk to feral Jordan extension 107 very patient very knowledgeable toughest computer illiterate body Tech now shop owner how to write a decent estimate web est is the best money maker I have invested" |
| Product |
| Product | "Absolutely love it been using it for 10 years. I would not run my shop without it . the best money maker I've invested in. Call them up talk to Farrell Jordan extension 107 if you are considering they would let you try it at least 2 weeks for free.farrell very knowledgeable very patient and great to work with" |
| Product |
| Product | "our shop has been with them since its inception(12 years) and I've personally used it for 8. Really good especially for the price." |
| Product |
| Product | "Just wrote my first official estimate with it. I like it so far. To me easier than CCC." |
| Product |
| Product | "I use it daily as well and love it" |
| Product |
| Product | "Love it, I've been using it since I opened my own shop 7 years now and a friend of mine just switched over to it last month" |
| Product |
| Product | "I've been using webest for two years now and love it. Also a lot of times adjusters will just pay the estimate because they can't easily transfer it over to rekey it" |
| Product |
| Product | "Web-Est is definitely easy to use, much better than any competitors. I like it overall and it is doing the job I need it to do" |
| Product |
| Product | "I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great." |
| Product |
| Product | "I used CCC for years before finding Web-est. The training and support team go way beyond their program. They are there to help whenever I have a question." |
| Product |
| Product | "The system is easy to use and the staff is more than helpful whenever I call." |
| Product |
| Product | "I used Comp-Est for years before switching to Web-Est. We absolutely love the online product. The customer service is excellent and you cannot beat the price." |
| Product |
| Product | "I want to thank Web-Est for giving me the chance to look over your software. The software makes a beginner look like a pro right from the start. I was able to go from start to finish without a lot of knowledge of the software. I felt so comfortable with the software I signed up as an experienced auto adjuster because this software made me feel that confident in myself. Thanks so much." |
| Product |
| Product | "I am very impressed. The program was easy to use, easy to configure the specifics for my shop, had all of the bells and whistles like part ordering sheets, repair authorization letters, POA letters, etc. It was also easy to manually override built in labor times. The printed estimate categorizes repairs by area of the car, front to back regardless of the order input by the estimator, is easy to read and looks professional. The fact that it is internet based means I can use it on more than 1 computer and use it on my notebook computer on the road." |
| Product |
| Product | "We've had the estimating program for almost 2 years now and we are extremely happy with it. The product is a perfect fit for my business." |
| Product |
| Product | "We have been using Web-Est's online estimating software in our shop for almost three years and have written almost 1000 estimates on it. We are very happy with the program and look forward to the coming years." |
| Product |
| Product | "I'm thrilled with the Management Team at Web-Est, as a long-time user of the product we are very excited about their commitment to growing their products & services" |
Built for Independent Body Shops. Not for insurance companies.
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
## Web-Est Customer Testimonials
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
## See What Customers Are Saying
"Web-Est is definitely easy to use, much better than any competitors. I like it overall and it is doing the job I need it to do."
-Gary Mahott, Manager of Con Edison in Astoria, NY
"I was a former CCC customer before Web-Est and I just prefer Web-Est over CCC because I Iike it better."
-Darin Tall, Owner of Allstar Automotive in Salt Lake City, UT
"I have used every estimating software out there and by far, hands down, Web-Est beats all of them. From the Set Up of the system, to the format of the estimate. It's easier to read, a lot less paperwork and you can't beat the price. You are paying 1/3 of the price for the same data. The service is great."
-Jay Jorge, Owner of JJ Autobody in Linden, NJ
"I used CCC for years before finding Web-est. The training and support team go way beyond their program. They are there to help whenever I have a question."
-Burton Brannock of 67 Body Shop in North Carolina
"The system is easy to use and the staff is more than helpful whenever I call."
-Gerry Lopez of Miami's Finest in Miami, FL
"I used Comp-Est for years before switching to Web-Est. We absolutely love the online product. The customer service is excellent and you cannot beat the price."
-John Ronk, of Frontier Adjuster in Mohamet, Illinois
"We really like the ease of use of the system. This the first estimating program I have used and it was very simple to learn."
-Scott Shear of Professional Auto in Bowman, North Dakota
2011
"I want to thank Web-Est for giving me the chance to look over your software. The software makes a beginner look like a pro right from the start. I was able to go from start to finish without a lot of knowledge of the software. I felt so comfortable with the software I signed up as an experienced auto adjuster because this software made me feel that confident in myself. Thanks so much."
-Graylin, Independent Adjuster
"I am very impressed. The program was easy to use, easy to configure the specifics for my shop, had all of the bells and whistles like part ordering sheets, repair authorization letters, POA letters, etc. It was also easy to manually override built in labor times. The printed estimate categorizes repairs by area of the car, front to back regardless of the order input by the estimator, is easy to read and looks professional. The fact that it is internet based means I can use it on more than 1 computer and use it on my notebook computer on the road."
-Auto Body owner from Goleta, CA
"We've had the estimating program for almost 2 years now and we are extremely happy with it. The product is a perfect fit for my business."
-Auto Body owner from Grand Rapids, MI
"We have been using Web-Est's online estimating software in our shop for almost three years and have written almost 1000 estimates on it. We are very happy with the program and look forward to the coming years."
-Auto body owner from Stratford, CT
"I'm thrilled with the Management Team at Web-Est, as a long-time user of the product we are very excited about their commitment to growing their products & services."
-Bodywerx Paint & Body Wilson, NC
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Auto Body Shop Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Software Designed for The Independent Auto Body Shop
Discover why thousands of small-mid size auto body shops use Web-Est auto collision estimating software.
##### Multiple Rate profiles
Estimators can have rates for your walk in customers, fleet accounts, non-taxable accounts or wholesale accounts. Choose from a pre-set profile for every situation and use preset charges to help your business account for other costs you should re-coup with each repair.
##### Mitchell Database
Web-Est uses one of the most respected sources of collision information in our industry. We include labor and paint times, part numbers/price information as well as under hood dimensions for all current and older model vehicles.
##### Unlimited Imaging
Web-Est gives you the ability to include as many photos as necessary on your estimate, allowing for smoother repair cost settlement between you and an adjuster or owner.
##### Point-and-Click Graphical
Easily choose parts to repair or replace, including: part pricing, labor times and your paint times (single stage, clear-coat, three stage or two tone) you can even choose to add edging, underside, and blending in any combination.
##### Quickbooks Integration
Quickly integrate accounting software packages including QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online
##### Pro-Advisor
Pro-Advisor is an AI-guided estimation tool that jumpstarts the estimation process by pre-populating parts line items – this reduces the time your team spends on repairs, greatly increasing the overall efficiency of your operations.
##### Web-Est Pay
Web-Est Pay is our very own proprietary payment processing system. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Web-Est Pay is designed to streamline your payment collection process. Now, you can effortlessly, swiftly, and seamlessly gather payments without any hassle.
##### Access from Anywhere
Web-Est's collision estimating software gives auto body shops the ability to write an estimate from the shop, in the field or while working at home. All you need is your log-in information and you have access to your estimating program anytime, anyplace.
##### Aftermarket Information
Web-Est includes most aftermarket vendor’s parts information free of charge. If there is a vendor you are working with, and you do not see them listed in the system, simply let us know, and our Data group will work to get that companies information added to the system.
##### PDR Software
PDR-Software is a paintless dent repair estimating program created specifically for PDR repair professionals. By integrating paintless dent repair estimatics with logic-based technology, up-to-date OEM parts price data and additional parts R&I times, PDR-Software allows techs to write accurate estimates for their customers.
##### Frame Data Availability
Mitchell Full Frame and Opening Data. Available to Web-Est customers as an ala carte option, this information is universal and can be used with any frame machine/pulling device. Ask your Web-Est representative about adding Frame Data to our account.
##### Image Editor
Provides clarity to the insurance company, the Image Editor enables the user to notate, highlight damage areas, crop, copy and save zoomed-in areas of damage as a new image, as well as label and rotate the images.
##### Shop Management Software
Rome Basic is our very own proprietary shop management software. Crafted exclusively for independent collision repair shops like yours, Rome Basic is body shop management software that gives you control of your parts ordering, customer service, accounting and calendar.
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
## Web-Est MyPriceLink Integration
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/login.aspx)
### Web-Est Announces participation with GM’s MyPriceLink
Web-Est is excited to be using GM's MyPriceLink data with their estimating products. MyPriceLink is designed to make GM part prices available instantly, allowing collision estimating providers to use real-time part price data in their estimating platforms.
###### How will this impact Web-Est users?
Web-Est will be using MyPriceLink to provide our customers with real-time data to make their estimates more accurate and efficient. This means better part prices for your GM vehicle estimates. Once completely rolled out, the new data will also include an order number that can be used with your local GM dealer to order parts electronically which translates to less time on the phone.
###### What do I need to do as a Web-Est user?
In a word, nothing. Web-Est will be collecting the data while you are writing the estimate in real-time. Because of Web-Est’s online platform we are able to make this change behind the scenes without any additional work from our users.
#### Frequently Asked Questions:
###### What is being tested this summer?
GM is working with the major estimating systems to ensure that the end users can write estimates in a seamless, transparent manner. The testing will assess the following objectives:
- Confirm the technology and data flow is performing as designed
- Confirm estimates can be written with minimal disruption to current daily workflow
- Confirm that estimates are displaying the correct pricing
The testing will also engage GM dealers and DMS companies, making sure a dealer can fulfill an order with MPL pricing and DMS invoice integration.
###### When will this happen?
GM is engaging with all participants and is targeting a summer timeframe for testing, which will result in a Fall launch for MyPriceLink.
**For more information contact Web-Est or wait for our next update.**
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
[](https://www.web-est.com/MyPriceLink.html#)
Need Assistance?
[](https://server.iad.liveperson.net/hc/14021135/?cmd=file&file=visitorWantsToChat&site=14021135&byhref=1&imageUrl=http://images.liveperson.com/lp/14021135)
## Independent Repair Shop Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Why Web-Est
Hi there!
If you've landed on this page, you might be wondering, "Why should I choose Web-Est over other estimating software?" It's a great question! Here's some key information to help you make an informed decision.
## **1) Purpose-Built for Independents**
Web-Est is built exclusively for independent repair shops--period. Our mission has always been to empower independents, not cater to insurance companies. Unlike other software providers that prioritize insurance company demands, Web-Est is designed with your shop's needs in mind. With over 7,000 independent repair shops across the country relying on our software, you can trust that it was built specifically for you.
## **2) Our Agreements Don't Tie You Down for Multiple Years**
Their prices often require a multi-year agreement. At Web-Est, we don't do multi-year contracts. We believe in earning your business every year. It's one of the main reasons we don't have auto-renew contracts.
## **3) Service That Speaks for Itself**
Outstanding customer service is the cornerstone of our business. At Web-Est, we pride ourselves on delivering personalized, attentive support that exceeds expectations. Before committing to another software company, we encourage you to research service reviews---you might be surprised by what you find.
Here's what our customers have to say: [Read Our Reviews](https://www.web-est.com/reviews.html)
## **4) Regret-Free Guarantee**
At Web-Est, we offer:
- \- A **14-day free trial**
- \- A **30-day money-back guarantee**
- \- Unlimited support by email, phone, or chat
- \- Free training and onboarding
- \- No credit card trials
- \- No Auto-Renew Contracts
Our goal is to make sure you feel confident and supported every step of the way.
## **5) Products Designed for Independents**
Every Web-Est product and feature is intently designed and built with the Independent shop in mind. We've recently launched our shop management software, payment processing, and now offer websites to our shops, as well. What's included in our bundles is clear and can be located here: [View Our Bundles](https://www.web-est.com/bundles.html).
Have questions? Ready to see what sets Web-Est apart? Start Your Free Trial Today
Let's keep your shop independent and thriving!
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
## Collision Estimating Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
### Standard
$154\* a month
[Start Your Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/trial.html)
* * *
#### Includes:
- Pro-Estimator
- Mitchell International OEM collision database
- License Plate and VIN Scan Technology
- Unlimited Imaging
- Point-and-Click Graphical
- Aftermarket Information
- PDR Software
- Multiple Rate profiles
- Frame Data Availability
- Quickbooks Integration
- Pro-Advisor
- Pro-Image Editor
- Pro-Reporting
- Web Est Pay (Credit Cards)
- EMS
- Shop Management Software
- Unlimited Support
- 14 Day Free Trial
- No Auto-Renew Contracts
### Growth
Contact for pricing
[Start Your Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/trial.html)
* * *
#### Includes:
- Pro-Estimator
- Mitchell International OEM collision database
- License Plate and VIN Scan Technology
- Unlimited Imaging
- Point-and-Click Graphical
- Aftermarket Information
- PDR Software
- Multiple Rate profiles
- Frame Data Availability
- Quickbooks Integration
- Pro-Advisor
- Pro-Image Editor
- Pro-Reporting
- Web Est Pay (Credit Cards)
- EMS
- Shop Management Software
- Unlimited Support
- 14 Day Free Trial
- No Auto-Renew Contracts
Most popular
### Established
Contact for pricing
[Start Your Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/trial.html)
* * *
#### Includes:
- Pro-Estimator
- Mitchell International OEM collision database
- License Plate and VIN Scan Technology
- Unlimited Imaging
- Point-and-Click Graphical
- Aftermarket Information
- PDR Software
- Multiple Rate profiles
- Frame Data Availability
- Quickbooks Integration
- Pro-Advisor
- Pro-Image Editor
- Pro-Reporting
- Web Est Pay (Credit Cards)
- EMS
- Shop Management Software
- Unlimited Support
- 14 Day Free Trial
- No Auto-Renew Contracts
### Premium
Contact for pricing
[Start Your Free Trial Now](https://www.web-est.com/trial.html)
* * *
#### Includes:
- Pro-Estimator
- Mitchell International OEM collision database
- License Plate and VIN Scan Technology
- Unlimited Imaging
- Point-and-Click Graphical
- Aftermarket Information
- PDR Software
- Multiple Rate profiles
- Frame Data Availability
- Quickbooks Integration
- Pro-Advisor
- Pro-Image Editor
- Pro-Reporting
- Web Est Pay (Credit Cards)
- EMS
- Shop Management Software
- Unlimited Support
- 14 Day Free Trial
- No Auto-Renew Contracts
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
## Mobile Collision Estimating Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
Web-Est Launches First Completely Mobile-Friendly Collision Estimating Software
Web-Est, the leader in providing Collision Estimating Software to the Independent Body Shop market, is pleased to announce the release of Pro-Estimator, the collision industries first, completely mobile-friendly estimating software.
There is no app to download, no tablet to purchase or separate account to configure. It's the first collision repair estimating software that is built specifically to work on any device with an internet connection.
"When we set out to build Pro-Estimator, our goal was to develop collision estimating software that can transition seamlessly between mobile, tablet and PC interfaces without the need to download or purchase additional software," said Eric Seidel, CEO of Web-Est. "Pro-Estimator is built using a responsive design framework, meaning the software will adapt to any device you are on. It changes the way collision repair shops engage with their customers. Estimators can now check in a vehicle, complete the estimate and print a copy as they stand with their customer anywhere in the shop. This engagement is being used to educate, build trust, and capture more business." Pro-Estimator is now available at no additional charge to all Web-Est repair shop customers.
About Web-Est, LLC:
Web-Est, LLC is a provider of online auto estimating software for the collision repair industry. Web-Est licenses their collision repair data from Mitchell International and configures the information into its online platform.
Web-Est's services cater to the small to mid-size auto collision repair market by providing a low-cost, high-value, logic-based collision repair estimating software solution. The company's estimates are accepted by most major insurance companies. Additionally, Web-Est provides services specifically developed to meet the needs of independent collision repair shops in the area of online Internet marketing.
Privately held and based in the Tampa Bay, Florida Area, Web-Est is located in the community of Oldsmar. The company also maintains satellite offices in Columbus, OH and Atlanta, GA.
Contact them at:
Web-Est, L.L.C.
4033 Tampa Road, Suite 100
Oldsmar, FL 34677
http://www.web-est.com
Toll Free: (888) Web-Est-0 or (888) 932-3780
E:
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/pr.html#)
P: (888) 932-3780
A: 3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
Give us a call, we answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.
We are open Monday - Friday from 8:30 EST - 5:30 EST.
## Crash-Writer Software
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
### Crash-Writer by Web-Est
Crash-Writer and Web-Est, the two leaders in Independent body shop software, joined as one company! This creates the largest base of independent shops in the nation, but more importantly it brought together two teams focused on helping small to mid-size shops succeed. Our estimating software is purpose built to serve this market and with the collaboration of the industry's top Independent shop software experts, we are focused on creating tools to make the independent look and feel like the big shops, but on a small shop budget.
New Customers, Limited Time Only: Get unlimited estimates for as low as $123 a month!
Start your free trial and find out why thousands of independent body shops use our estimating software!
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
E:
[info@web-est.com](https://www.web-est.com/cw.html#)
P: (888) 932-3780
A: 3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
Give us a call, we answer all inquiries within 24 hours on business days.
We are open Monday - Friday from 8:30 EST - 5:30 EST.
[Powered by Formstack](http://www.formstack.com/?utm_source=jsembed&utm_medium=product&utm_campaign=product+branding&fa=h,4442805 "Powered by Formstack")
## Web-Est Pricing Trial
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
### Try Web-Est Free For 14 Days. No Obligation. Then Decide if $154 a Month Works For You.
There's nothing behind the curtain on our pricing. Once you submit the form below you will get an email with your
no credit card necessary, free trial. Experience why thousands of independent auto body shops use Web-Est collision estimating software and get instant access to:
Mitchell International OEM collision database
Unlimited Imaging
Point-and-Click Graphical
Aftermarket Information
PDR Software Included
Quickbooks Integration
Shop Management Software
Credit Card Payment Processing
Personal Onboarding for 1-Year Included
Work on any device, anywhere at anytime
Option to convert program to Spanish
No Applications to Download
No Auto-Renew Contracts
No Set Up Fees
14 Day Free Trial
100% Money Back Guarantee
Collision Estimating Software Trial
- ## No credit card required. Start your 14-day free trial!
Fill out the form below to access Web-Est collision estimating software.
- First Name\*
- Last Name\*
- Body Shop Name\*
- Web-Est is not for personal use. Are you looking for an estimate on your personal vehicle?
Please SelectYesNo
- Email\*
- Phone Number\*
- State\*
Please SelectAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
- Terms and Condition widget
By checking this box, you agree to receive SMS messages from Web-Est related to your trial request at the phone number you provided above. You can reply 'STOP' to opt out at any time. Reply Help for assistance. Messages and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Learn more on our [Privacy Policy](https://www.web-est.com/privacy.html). \\* REQUIRED
- Start Your Free Trial
- Should be Empty:
## Free Trial Activation
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
# Thank You
**We are actively setting up your free trial and will contact you in less than 5 minutes. The call is short and sweet and only needed to activate your account.**
**Please be on the look out for a call in the next few minutes.**
**[](http://clicky.com/100900840 "Real Time Web Analytics")**
## Web-Est User Guide
# User Guide
And
Frequently Asked questions
# Contents
Getting Started Login Start Page Creating a New Estimate Opening an Existing Estimate
Company Profile and Rate Profiles Setting up a Rate Profile Create, Edit, or Delete Rate Profiles Charges for Supplies
Page 4
Page 5
# Paint and Finish Overlap and Options
Page 5
Page 6
Printing Options Report Appearance Report Types Footer Text for Estimate Report
# Sales Tax Rate
Page 7
Page 7
Preset Charges Notes for Preset Charges Printing Internal and External Notes View, Edit or Delete Preset Charges
Creating a New Estimate Owner, Insured, Claimant, and Other Contact Information Contact Printing Options
Page 8
Vehicle Information VIN Decode, Vehicle Make and Model, Manually Selecting Vehicle
Page 8
Adding Parts to the Estimate Graphical Parts Selection Manual Parts Selection Preset Charge Selection
Page 9 – 10
Page 11
Page 11
Commit Estimate and Creating Supplements
Page 12
Estimate Report, Viewing and Printing
Page 13 - 14
Saving Multiple Reports from the Same Estimate
Page 13 - 14
Frequently Asked Questions
Page 15 -18
Web-Est
4033 Tampa Road, Suite 100
Oldsmar, FL 34677
(888) 362-8790
[www.myweb-est.com](http://www.myweb-est.com/)
Log into Web-Est using the credentials issued in the Thank You letter. All information must be entered exactly as printed on the letter. The password field is case sensitive. Please make sure you do not have your CAPS lock on.
If any problem is encountered while attempting to log into Web-Est, or for any reason, please do not hesitate to call us for technical support. Our toll-free phone number is (888) 362- 8790 EXT 112 and the hours of operation are weekdays between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM EST.
The “Minimum Requirements” link in the bottom blue bar will be helpful. If Adobe Acrobat Reader or Viewpoint Viewer is not installed on the computer, there are links to install them that may be reached from the “Minimum Requirements” link.
# WEBEST ADEAFFORDABLE
Click on “System Setup” to begin entering Company information, labor rates, sales tax, and other preset options. The other buttons shown on the start page are shortcuts to open an existing estimate or to create a new one, parts lookup, and Vendor selection.
The first step in getting started is to create a Company Profile.
Click the “Company Profile” button. This is where the name address, and all Company contact information will be entered. Some of the entries are optional because Web-Est may be used for any type of business related to the crash industry.
Upload a logo
Tip: An uploaded logo willdisplay on the upper left corner of any estimate report using that rate piofile.
Note the button to upload a logo at the bottom of the company profile page. If desired, a picture stored on your computer may be uploaded to be included on the header of your estimate reports. When finished, Click the “Save” button at the top of the page.
# Setting Up Rate Profiles
Click on the “Rate Profiles” button on the left side of the page. Follow the instructions at the top of the rate profile page to “add a blank” form should you need to create multiple profiles or proceed to click on “Edit” to edit the current rate profile. Multiple rate profiles may be created and should be named according to the intended usage. Examples of this would be “ABC Fleet Rate”, “XYZ Insurance Co.” and “Standard”. One profile should be checked as a “default” by checking the option for it on the profile page.
After clicking on “Edit”, you may enter or change the labor rates in the table and check the option if sales tax is applicable. The sales tax rate will be entered later. Please remember to click on the “SAVE” button at the top of the page.
The following entries are optional. Labor rates for an operation may be included in the total for another operation by using the appropriate drop-down box in the rate table. The example below will include the Clearcoat rate with the total for the Paint labor. Caps apply a limit to the total accrued for the entry. Caps may be set to hours or a dollar amount. However, if a cap is selected, its amount may not be zero.
Ifanitemiscappedand includedintoanotheritem,the cap willbeapplied beforebeing included.
“Discount/Markup” If a discount is to be applied, enter a minus sign before the number for the percentage of discount. A markup is accomplished by entering the number for the percentage alone. This enables the estimator to enter the actual wholesale or jobber part cost while Web-Est calculates resale charges and prints them on the estimate report.
Supplies may be set up to have an hourly charge assessed as shown in the table below hourly labor rates. Like labor changes, supply totals may be included with another by using the drop-down box in that table.
In this example above, supplies for bodywork would be charged $$ 18$ per hour times the total hour of body labor for th estimate.
This completes the Rates/Caps/Discounts page of Rate Profiles. Please note the other button options at the top of the Rate Profile page, as there is a total of five sections to each profile. The next section is the Paint/Finish page.
# Profile Pages Rates/Caps/Discs
# Paint/Finish
Click on the Paint/Finish button to proceed to that section. Options for adjacent panels, paint set up, blending, edging, and related operations are included on this page. Default variables have been preset but should be checked for accuracy and saved using the save button at the top of the page.
# Profiles - Paint/Finish
Tip: Profile pages will be automatically saved when changing pages within Web-Est. However, we recommend periodically clicking “Save” at the top of the page to ensure a back-up of estimate information. Also please remember data will not be saved when navigating out of Web-Est or when the web browser is closed unless the “Save” button is clicked.
The next section of Rate Profiles includes options for printing estimate reports. The look and content of printed reports may be customized by clicking the “Printing” button and selecting these options. These printing options will be stored separately for different rate profiles.
# Profiles - Print Setup
Examples of how these printing and supplement options will look are shown after selecting the option on the Web-Est screen.
# Supplement Options:
$\\odot$ Full Report
$\\bigcirc$ Full Alternate
$\\bigcirc$ Changes since Original Estimate
$0$ Changes in Most Recent Supplement
$\\bigcirc$ Final (Merged)
| | |
| --- | --- |
| O Line Format O Label Format ohtactInioridtioi | Exalpieol itactOptiohChosen. Vehicle Info |
| 2001Porsche911Carrera4 | VIN WP0CA29931S65022 |
| Owner | InsuranceCompany |
| John Doe 400ComboLane | ErieInsurance Company |
| Columbus,OH43215 | 100 Erie InsPI. Erie,PA16530 |
| WorkPhone:614-555-1234 | FaxNumber:555-333-4444 |
| | |
| --- | --- |
| 8500-SDA- $441.301 | ExampleofSupplementOptionChosen. 3.0Body(Bet),3.0MajorClear(Bet),1.2 |
| Z | Clearcoat(Bet),1.5Edging(Bet) |
| | |
| S0.000 | |
| $0.00 1 | 5.00Taxed 20.0Clearcoat5.0Edging |
| | SupplementVersion1 |
| 5-SDA-C00 $11.331 | 5.0Body |
| | SupplementVersion2 |
| $0.000 | 6.00Nontaxed |
| $100.001 | 1.0Bodv.2.0MaiorClear |
| | |
At the bottom of the “Printing” options page, estimate report footer text may be entered to create a disclaimer, warranty, or any other information to be printed on an estimate report.
Estimate report footer text: (Max. 4ooo Characters)
The “Misc” page in rate profiles includes a field to enter sales tax rate and a few automatic charges. At this time, the automatic charges have not been made active but will be included in a future Web-Est update.
The final section of Rate Profiles deals with “Preset Charges”. Adding a preset charge from this page creates an entry in a dropdown box near the
# Profiles - Misc
top of the manual parts entry page. Some common uses for preset charges would be hazardous materials disposal, mask car for paint, setup for frame pull, and tint base/clear. Fields on this page are optional and depend upon the operation specified for the preset item being created.
# Profiles - Preset Charges
# Operation □BettermentSublet
These entries will produce a preset charge for a front-end alignment. Preset charges may be set up a number of ways and may include a part number and price, labor type and time, other charges, and / or paint process time.
The “Show/Hide” Notes button at the bottom of the preset item page will open the window shown to the right, which enables entry of internal and external notes for the preset item being created. internal and external notes may be turned on or off, through “Printing” Options in “Rate Profile” and is shown below.
# Profiles - Print Setup
EstimateReportOptions:
No Header Logo
No Insurance Section
No Vehicle Accessories
No Photo Page
□External Notes
Internal Only Notes ("Internal Use Only" will appear on the report")
When the preset charge is complete, click the “Add” button. Saved preset charges may be viewed, edited, or deleted from the bottom of the “Preset Charges” page.
| | | | | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PresetLines | |
| | Op | OpDescription | | | Part Name Part # Part Price Part Source Overhaul Labor Items | | | |
| Edit | | RefinishRefinish Hazardous Waste | | $5.00 | No | | Delete | |
| Edit | Other | otherbuffing | | $50.00 | No | | Delete | |
| Edit | Align | AlignFront EndAlignment | | $48.00 | No | F | Delete | |
Page 7
# Creating an Estimate
“Customer” Information: Please fill out any required fields for your records. Once all information has been entered, click on the “Vehicle” Information tab. Here is where you will enter any pertinent vehicle information. A vehicle may be selected one of two ways. Enter the VIN and click the “Decode” button or use the drop-down boxes. You must always be sure to enter the “Trim Level” of the vehicle in order to be able to use the “Graphical” section to enter your repair parts.
Click “Save” and proceed to the “Add Part (Graphical)” page when finished entering the vehicle information.
# Adding Parts to the Estimate
The “Sections” menu for the graphical parts entry page will be listed on the left hand side of the page. The parts section is listed in the following order: front of vehicle to rear of vehicle. We will demonstrate how to add a fender to this estimate in the following steps.
1. Click the “Front Fender” link in the “Sections” menu on the left. A picture of the fender and surrounding components will be displayed. The operation task will always default to “Replace”. Should you need to Repair, Refinish, etc, please click on the gray buttons listed at the top of the “Graphical Picture Viewer”
2. Select the source, if necessary i.e.; OEM, Aftermarket, LKQ. Choosing a source enables selection of Vendors from a drop-down box in the next step. Please note that Vendors must be set up separately from the Vendor pages in the “System Setup” section. Next click on the fender, item number 1. The system is automatically set up to default to the left side of the vehicle. If you hover your mouse over the number 1 and left click your mouse, it will add the left fender, if you right click your mouse it will add the right fender. You also have the option to select left or right side of the vehicle located in the upper right hand side of the “Graphical Viewer Screen”.
Please note that if at any given time you cannot determine which part you are looking for by looking at the picture window, please click on the gray “Parts & Labor” Button at the top of the picture to give you a listing of all the parts and operations pertaining to that section of the vehicle.
Adding a part is that easy! When a part has been added to the estimate you will see that line item at the bottom of your “Graphical Viewer Screen”.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | T |
| Line # | Status | Group | Op | Op Dex | Part Desc | Part # | Part Prite | Source | O/H' | Labor Info |
| 1 | | FRONT FENDER | Replace | | Fender (Lef) | 5003951AG | 844.00 | OEM | No | 2.5 hrs.Bedy2rsPantpel,0.hCet |
Web-Est keeps a running total of your estimate near the upper right hand corner of your “Graphical Viewer Screen”. You can also click on the total dollar amount at any time to see a summarized version of your totals to include labor hours, parts, sales tax, etc.
Next we will “Repair” the Front Face Bar. Click on Front Fender in the “Sections” menu. Click on the gray “Repair” tab at the top of the “Graphical Viewer Screen”.
If you hover you mouse over the number 1 in picture window, you will also notice all of the part information listed on the right-hand side of your screen. Web-Est will produce the pop-up prompt shown on the right to enter the estimated repair time for the part or click ok to accept the already populated repair time listed.
This example shows that the fender is being replaced and the front face bar is being repaired.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Line # | Status Group | | Op | Op Desc | Part Dest | Part # | Part Price | Sourte | 0/H? | Labor Info |
| 1 | FRONT BUMPER | | Repsir | | Face Bar | 5ED16JX8AF | 0.00 | | No | 1\. 6 hr8. Body |
| ！ | | FRONT FENDER | Replare | | Fender (Lef) | 5003951AG | 844.00 | OEM | No | 2.5 hrs. Body10ra. Pait pel,0.8h.Cot |
Click the red X in the upper right corner of the “Graphical Viewer Screen” at any time to exit the graphics viewer and proceed with writing the estimate manually.
# Adding Part Manually
Click on “Add Parts (Manual)” to proceed.
The manual item entry screen provides all the necessary fields to add parts that cannot be added through the graphical interface. Notes may be added to these parts, exactly as they were with the preset items on page 6 of this guide. When finished creating the entry, click the “Add” button.
The manual parts entry page is also where preset charges are added to an estimate. Select the desired preset item from the drop-down menu and click the “Add” button.
# Add Manual Entry Item
Any part on the current estimate may be edited or deleted from the “Estimate Lines” table at the bottom of the manual parts entry page. When finished making changes, click the “Update” button on the manual parts entry page.
Estimate Lines
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | Line | StatusGroup | Op | Description | Parte | Part# | Parte | Paurce | Overhaul LaborItems | | |
| |
| Edit | | ERMNTR | Repair | | Face Bar | | 5ED16JX8AF0.00 | | No | 1.6 hrs.Body | | Delete |
| Edit | | FRONT | | Replace | | Fender | 5003951AG844.00 | | OEM | No | 2.5:oy.2.hr.ant | Delete |
# Committing an Estimate and Creating a Supplement
From the “Customer” Information tab or the “Vehicle” Information tab, click on the “Details” tab listed at the top of the page.
You will see that you can “Change” the status of your estimate and convert it to a “Repair Order” as well as “Commit” your original estimate and create a “Supplement” if needed.
The additional fields in the “Estimate Information” section on this page are optional and include a field for you to name or give a description of the estimate, select a report header should you want to print a “Final Bill” or an “Invoice” as well as selecting a different rate profile to apply to the current estimate. There is also a section for you to add any additional notes you may want to appear on the estimate when you print it. Please be sure to mark the check box below to include the note on the estimate report. And always remember to click the “Save” button at the top of the page.
# Viewing an Estimate Report
An estimate must be open and Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed on the computer before a report can be viewed.
Most computers already come with this program but if you need to download it, please go to [www.adobe.com](http://www.adobe.com/) .
Click on the “Print Estimate” link under the “Reports” section on the left hand side.
By default, the following page is not enabled and Web-Est will launch Adobe Acrobat reader immediately. However, it may be useful to save and name different estimate reports intended for insurers, claimants, shop copies, and customer copies. To enable this page, click on the “Login Information” under the System Setup heading
# Print Estimate
□In the future do not show this page, just show the reports and do not store them. After seting this option, you can set it back on the Login Information Link in the left menu
Create a new report, or select and view a previously created report.
Select a profile to apply to this estimate: Default Standard
Enter a description for the new report:
Select a previously created report to view or delete.
| | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | Description | Date Created |
| View | Delete | | Customer Copy 03/04/09 - 09:52:20 AM |
| View | Delete | | 03/04/09 - 09:45:37 AM |
To enable report naming and the ability to save multiple reports for the same job, check “Keep old Printouts” as shown below.
# Login Information
# Save
Login Name: becky Login ID Customer Number:
How do you want estimate reports to OKeep old printouts so I can print them later act? $\\mathtt { O I }$ only need the most recent printout
# Tom's Body Shop
Tom's Body Shop 458 Main Street Oldsmar, FL 34677 Work Phone: 888-382-8790
| | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Work Fn0ne:888-3o2-87BU | FederalTaxlD: 45-458458456 |
| Vehicle: Info | VIN | Color Ext. / Int. | | License (St.) | Miles In /Out |
| 2005 Jeep Wrangler UnlImlted Rublcon | | Black / Smoke Grey | 123-456 (FL) | | 32000 /32000 |
| Vehicle Aocessories Power Brakes,ower SteeCuse ContoAlCononlBag-rrAlagPassengerAFadoCD aeter |
| ConsoleCoeouSatsovleTopeg WceSeatstydSteesgLschungadc Transmisslon | | |
| Owner | Insurance Company | Estimator Adjuster |
| John Jones | ABC Insurance Becxy Nabors | Paty Thomas |
| 555 Sovh Maln Street | | |
| Oldsmar, FL 34677 | Other Info | |
| Home Ph0ne: 813-555-5555 | Pollcy Number: 123456 | |
| Work Phone: 813-444-4444 | Clalm Number: 7891011 Loss Date: 2/15/2009 | |
| Cell Phone: 813-333-3333 Jones@emall.com | Deductible: 500.00 | |
| | |
| Description | Part# Price Qty | Labor Paint |
| FRONTBUMPER | | |
| Repalr Face Bar | 5ED16JX8AF | 1.6 Body hrs. |
| FRONTFENDER | | 2.0 nrs. |
| Replace Fender (Left) 0.8hrs. Clearcoat | 5003951AG 5844.00 | 2.5 Body hr6. |
Totals
| | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Type | Hour8 | Rate (s/hr) | Total | Taxable |
| OEM Parts | | | $844.00 | |
| Body Labor | 4.1 | 542.00 | $172.20 | |
| Palnt Labor | 2.8 | 540.00 | $112.00 | |
| Body Supples | 4.1 | $18.00 | $73.80 | |
| Palnt Supples | 2.8 | 518.00 | $50.40 | |
| Taxable Amount | | | $1,252.40 | |
| Tax 6.000% | | | $75.14 | |
| Grand Total | | | $1,327.54 | |
| Less deductible | | | ($500.0O) | |
| Net Total | | | $827.54 | |
Estimate Notes:
Test Notes, Test Notes,Test Notes
# Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is there any additional software that I need to install or download to my computer in order to us Web-Est Collision Estimating Software?
A: No. Web-Est is a web-based estimating system which is available online, all the time. All you need is computer with a web-browser, and Internet access.
Q: Will I be able to use Web-Est on my web-enabled hand-held device, such as Blackberry or I-phone?
A: While you will be able to access the system on your handheld device, you may find it a bit cumbersome to use because Web-Est was not designed with these handheld devices in mind. Stay tuned as we explore this new technology, and the possibility of offering a portable, PDA-compatible version of Web-Est in the future.
Q: Do I have to be on the Internet to view previously written estimates?
A: No. You have the ability to save estimates and other reports as a .pdf file onto your personal computer or external drive, so that you may view them at any time. Additionally, you have the ability to email these estimates and reports simply by attaching the saved .pdf document to an email, just as you would attach a photo or any other type of file attachment.
Q: What are the first steps necessary to start using Web-Est?
A: From the Start Page, go to “System Setup” to enter Company Profile and Rate Profile information.
# Q: How is a new estimate created?
A: Click the “New Estimate” button from the Start Page or use the “New Estimate” link in the menu on the left side of the page.
# Q: How do I print an estimate?
A: Under the “Reports” heading in the menu on the left side of the page. Click on Print Estimate/Appraisal then click “Create Estimate as PDF”. An estimate must be open and a rate profile must be selected before a report can be created/printed.
Q: Why does the estimate report appear blank?
A: It is likely that Acrobat Reader is not installed. Navigate to the Web-Est login page at [http://myweb-est.com/](http://myweb-est.com/) and follow the link to “Minimum Requirements” at the bottom of the screen. Click the link “Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded here” and follow Adobe’s instructions to install their software“. Or you may need to restart your computer as sometimes Adobe does updates and your computer may not have received the update yet.
# Q: What does committing a Supplement mean?
A: Committing an estimate locks entries to where they may not be edited. Once an estimate has been committed, any changes must be in the form of a supplement. Once a supplement has been created, you may continue to the graphical section or the manual entry section to continue writing your estimate. Anything added to the estimate from this point forward would all be supplemental items. This can be accomplished by clicking on the “Details” tab within Web-Est.
# Q: Why won’t any graphics display?
A: It is likely that the viewer for the graphics is not installed. Navigate to the Web-Est login page at [http://myweb-est.com/](http://myweb-est.com/) and then follow the link to “Minimum Requirements” found at the bottom of the page. Click the link “Viewpoint Media Player which can be downloaded here” and follow ViewPoint’s instructions to install the viewer. “Viewpoint Media Player, which can be downloaded here”. You may also need to log out of Web-Est and then log back in.
Q: What if that didn’t work for graphics or estimate reports?
A: It is possible that Internet Explorer’s security settings are preventing the Viewpoint or Adobe plug-ins from running. If prompted (by gold bar at the top of the Web-Est screen), select “Allow blocked content” or “Always allow”. Otherwise it may be necessary to change settings within Internet Explorer (IE). Use the “Tools” menu at the top of an IE window and select “Internet Options”. Click the “Security” tab. Click on the GREEN icon named “Trusted Sites”, then click the “Sites” button below the icons. Click the “Add” button and enter [http://mywebest.com/](http://mywebest.com/). Click the “OK” buttons to close the open tools.
Q: How do I get the hours for two tone and 3-stage paint?
A: When filling out the vehicle information, below the trim level section there is a button for paint type verride.
Q: How do I get the hours for edging and underside paint?
A: On the upper right side of the graphical page there is a drop down to add blend, edge, and underside.
Q: How do I change my labor rates?
A: System setup> rate profiles> edit (not “View”).
Q: How do I change my sales tax?
A: System setup> rate profiles $>$ Misc tab.
Q: Where do I add charges/services that I perform on every job that the system will remember (preset charges)?
A: System setup> rate profiles> preset charges tab.
Q: Can I alter the way the estimate looks?
A: System setup> rate profiles> Printing tab.
Q: How do I put my shop info in and upload a logo?
A: System setup> company profile.
Q: How do I change it to an appraisal rather than an estimate or vice versa?
A: System setup> company profile> company type.
Q: How do I do a parts search if I don’t need to write an estimate?
A: New estimate> vehicle tab> "enter vehicle info" $>$ left side menu> parts lookup.
Q: How do I select an aftermarket vendor?
A: System setup>Select Vendors.
Q: Why does the VIN not decode with specificity?
A: Web-Est is not equipped with a complete VIN decoding system as of yet. It only provides limited information. You may need to look through several vehicles to determine which one you need to select. If unsure, then you may also just enter the year make and model and trim level of the vehicle using the drop down menus.
Q: Do I need to fill in every field on the vehicle information tab to get to the graphic viewer (drive type, body type, mileage, etc.)?
A: No you do not. The only requirement is the year, make, model and trim level.
Q: How do I change/close the job status?
A: Under the details tab within Web-Est you may convert to Repair Order or Close the Repair Order.
Q: How do I select anyone of the profiles I’ve created for a particular estimate?
A: Under the details tab within Web-Est, “Select a rate profile to apply to this estimate”. Click on the drop down arrow and select which rate profile you wish to apply to the current estimate.
Q: I entered the vehicle in the drop down boxes, but it won’t let me view the graphic viewer?
A: Please double check and make sure you have entered a “TRIM” level. If you are unsure of which trim level, it is always best to use the BASE model.
Q: I changed the rates but it went back to the old rates. Why does it do that?
A: More than likely, you had an estimate currently open in which your changes only affected the current estimate you were working on. Please make sure to have all estimates closed when you need to make a change to the overall rate profiles. Or you selected “View” instead of “Edit” on the Customer Profile page. Viewing the rate profiles will not allow you to save your changes. You must click the edit button in order for your changes to save.
# Q: How do I delete a line?
A: You can do this one of two ways. 1) While in the graphical section, click on the parts and labor button above the picture and scroll to find the part you wish to remove and select remove. 2) Go to the manual entry screen and scroll towards the bottom and you can click on the delete button on the right hand side of the screen for the line item you wish to delete.
Q: The graphic viewer will only let me pick the left side. How do I select a part on the right side of the vehicle?
A: The graphical section will always default to the left side of the vehicle. You can either select the right side of the vehicle by clicking on the radio button in the upper right hand corner by the total of the estimate or you can hold your mouse over the number of the part you wish to add and “RIGHT” click your mouse to add the right side of a vehicle.
# Q: How do I add R&I with a repair?
A: Graphical viewer> select section of desired part> select repair> select part> Check R&I check box to include.
Q: How do I add to refinish?
A: Graphic viewer> select section of desired part> select refinish> select part to refinish.
Q: How do I select a preset charge?
A: Manual entry screen> select a preset charge from the drop down box.
Q: How do I attach images?
A: Open estimate> left side menu: select attach images> "browse" $\\mathrm { \\Delta } >$ select picture from hard-drive> click upload.
Q: The image does not exist for the section of the vehicle I need to look at. How do I add a part in if can’t view the image?
A: Click on the parts and labor button above the graphical picture. Select part to add.
Q: How do I write an estimate for a vehicle not in the program?
A: New estimate> vehicle information> manual tab. Note…you will only be able to add items to the estimate from the manual entry screen.
Q: How do I make the image in the graphic viewer bigger?
A: System setup> login information
Q: Where can I find an authorization letter?
A: Open estimate> left side menu: letters
Q: How do I add text so that it shows on every estimate that I write?
A: System setup> rate profiles> printing tab> scroll to bottom of the page> click on save at top of page
Q: How do I add a line manually?
A: From the manual entry screen, enter all necessary information regarding part or operation and click the ad button at the top of the page.
Q: How do I edit a line?
A: From the manual entry screen, scroll down and find the line number you wish to edit. Click on the edit button, make changes needed, and then click on the update button.
Q: How do I edit a rate profile for an open estimate?
A: Open estimate> left side menu: $>$ Edit Estimate’s Rate Profile
## Collision Estimating Supplement
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software, How to Write a Supplement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8e5zluFigY)
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## Web-Est Software Guide
[How to use Web-Est collision estimating software.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4vdI5PnPSA)
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## Email Estimates with Web-Est
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: How to email an estimate from Web-Est](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAhvVqiyyX4)
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## Web-Est PreSet Charges
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software: "How to Enter PreSet Charges"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGyOKJXyJIE)
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## Export EMS Estimates
[Web-Est Auto Collision Estimating Software: How to Export an EMS formated Estimate](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JleGtum1HvQ)
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## Beta System Requirements
| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  |
| | | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | | | |
| **The beta has only been tested with the following:**
- Microsoft® Windows XP (sp1 and sp2), Microsoft® Windows 2000 (sp5),
Microsoft® Windows 98se
- Microsoft® Internet Explorer 6.0.2900.2180, but should work with version 5.01
and later
- Cookies and active scripting must be enabled for at least [http://demo.focuswrite.com](http://demo.focuswrite.com/)
in order to use the site.
- ActiveX must be enabled in order to use Viewpoint Viewer adn view the 3d
graphics.
- Popup blockers will not allow the installation of the Viewpoint
Viewer.
- [Adobe Acrobat which \
can be downloaded here](http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html) is required to view the estimates in the
beta. Other viewers might be supported in later versions.
- [Please \
view the system requirements for Adobe Acrobat here](http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/acrrsystemreqs.html#60win).
- [Viewpoint Media \
Player which can be downloaded here.](http://www.viewpoint.com/cgi-bin/installer.v3/iframe.pl?#) - [Please \
view the system requirements for Viewpoint Media Player](http://developer.viewpoint.com/developerzone/requirements.html)
**What we believe should work but has not been tested:**
- Netscape Navigator® 7.x
- AOL Version 7 or later
- Compuserve 7 or later
- Apple® Macintosh® Jaguar ™ 10.2 on a PowerPC G3® with Safari ™ 1.1 or
Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.2
**What we know that the following will not work with the 3d graphics:**
- Mozilla or Firefox web browsers
- Any browser running under Linux |
| |
| | | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | [Lost Password](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/LostPassword.aspx)
\|
[Request Login](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/RequestLogin.aspx)
\|
[Terms Of Use](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/TermsOfUse.aspx) | | |
## Web-Est New Website
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Web-Est Launches New Website
Welcome to the new look Web-Est website! We at Web-Est are excited to introduce you to our brand new website, designed for optimal user experience, mobile-browser functionality and an all-around cleaner and fresher look. We’d like to take the time to introduce the new site page-by-page to help users navigate around
###### [Home Page](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
The first thing we would like to introduce is the home page. As with every page on the new site, its designed for easy navigation. The most important things to point out are the headers and footers that are on every page.
- The Customer Login Button is on the upper-right corner of every page, titled, “Customer Login.” Clicking on the link will take you to the customer login page and allow you to access the collision estimating platform.
- Live chat is available to all web visitors by checking on the “Chat Now” button on the right-hand side.
- Contact information to call or email Web-Est is on the upper right-corner as well as on the bottom of the page.
Also note that as you scroll down past the initial position on the page you land, a button displays to click that jumps you back to the initial view of the page.
###### [Collision Estimating](https://www.web-est.com/collision-estimating.html)
Our collision estimating page is a simple introduction to our collision estimating software, but also a description of the products and services that we offer customers. Here we offer brief summaries of our staple service, but also Vehicle Frame Dimensions, PDR Estimating Software, free training to all customers, free usage of the program for 14-days and free technical support.
###### [Resources](https://www.web-est.com/resources.html)
The **About Us** page, found under the “Resources” drop down navigation menu, is an opportunity for us to introduce ourselves as a company, prodiving a brief description of ourselves and leading to a page that displays profiles of all of our employees.
The **Industry Resources** is a page that lists all of Web-Est friends and associates in the automotive industry. Here you will find lists of general autobody resources, Aftermarket vendors, automotive organizations, and others. This page is designed to provide you with lists of trusted sources to look into. We hope to continue to add to this page over the years.
The **Web-Est blog**, also found under the “Resources” navigation tab, is the primary source we provide new updates and content pieces to share our thoughts, opinions, updates and news releases. Our previous website had three separate blogs to discuss different topics. The current blog will only be one blog with but with several filter featuers that will permit users to read different blog entries under the same categorical heading.
You can visit all of our past blog entries by clicking the link at the bottom of the page, “View Past Blog Posts.”
###### [Contact Us](https://www.web-est.com/contact-us.html)
The contact us page is accessible through the navigation menu. This page is designed primarily for users that are not ready to start a free trial, have a simple question or have lost their customer login credentials. For any questions or inquiries, fill out the form and one of our representatives will get back to as soon as they can. All of our contact information is also on the page if you wish to reach out to us directly.
###### [Training](https://www.web-est.com/training.html)
The training page is designed with a simple on-page interface that allows users to view videos to help them get more acquainted with the Web-Est estimating platform. The filters are set up to offer brief introductions into every important function of collision estimating. Clicking on each feature will bring up relevant videos that explains how to write an estimate, set up account profiles, create supplements and more.
###### [Free Trial](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
Our 14-day Free Trial continues to be one of our staple services. Many sign up on a daily basis to get a view of our program. We offer this service to provide full access to interested auto body shops to help them make an informed decision about our service. Any user that’s interested in starting free trial need only fill in the form. We hope to continue to add more videos to this page to give more insight into the services that we offer.
###### [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
The customer login page, by far the most important page for users, continues to be a simple interface to allow users easy access to our collision estimating software. In fact, realizing how important this page is to customers, we kept the website address the same to prevent any inconvenience to customers. New to the page, however, is the Web-Est Twitter feed. We realize that not every Web-Est user actively uses Twitter, but by posting the Web-Est Twitter feed on the login page, we at Web-Est can communicate new updates, new articles or news releases to customers whenever we release news. This allows you as a user to bookmark this important page, but for us to continue to communicate with you with inconveniencing users. Continue to observe the Twitter feed when you login to capture any news Web-Est releases.
###### Like Us!
Users will also notice that every page has an icon that says “Like” with a number right next to our logo. This icon links to our Facebook page and displays the number of users that have liked our page. Any user who does this performs a great service to us and we greatly appreciate it. Any users that are fans of Web-Est, we encourage you to click the icon and share a thought or two about your experience with Web-Est.
###### As always, we thank all of our users for being Web-Est customers and we hope to continue providing excellent customers service.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Upload Logo Guide
[Web-Est Collision Estimating Software, How to upload a logo to your estimate header.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcAvYlxm-1k)
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## Estimado con WEB-EST
[Como hacer un estimado con WEB-EST en español](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4yTXU-n38g)
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## Login Request Page
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| This page will eventually allow you to request a login to view the demo.
Until this screen is implemented, please call Support (888) 932-3780 Ext. 112 Corporate Offices: (813) 854-9900 to request a login. |
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| | [Minimum Requirements](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/MinimumRequirements.aspx)
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[Lost Password](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/LostPassword.aspx)
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[Terms Of Use](https://www.web-est.com/mywebest/TermsOfUse.aspx) | | |
## Web-Est and Crash-WriteR Acquisition
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Web-Est, LLC and Crash-WriteR Announce Closing of Acquisition Agreement
The two leading providers of collision estimating software for the small-to-mid size collision body shop market combine brands under one company.
November, 2014. Oldsmar, FL and Toms River, NJ. Today Web-Est, LLC and Crash-WriteR, Inc. jointly announced that the two companies recently closed an asset acquisition agreement. This agreement creates a “First-in-the-Space” national leader for the small to mid-size Independent collision repair shop market. The transaction will not, however, impact either company’s customer base nor their respective product offerings as they exist today. The combining of operational teams and resources is expected to create expanded, programmatic features which will translate into additional value for their customers. The combined companies will be operated under the newly created brand “Web-Est Global.”
Once the transition is completed, Web-Est Global will continue to offer its core program, Web-Est Online Estimating platform, as well as “Crash-WriteR by Web-Est” as an offline/cloud product. By combining development teams, Web-Est and Crash-WriteR programmers will develop a new “best-in-class” online estimating platform. This new platform will incorporate all of the most powerful features offered in both products and provide a more powerful, mobile product designed specifically for the small to mid-sized, independent shops.
Eric Seidel, Web-Est President and CEO commented “We believe the new operation creates the single largest customer footprint serving the small to mid-size body shop market in North America for collision estimating products. We intend to leverage the economies of scale to build value for our customers and the small shop market as a whole.” Seidel continued, “The leadership at Crash-WriteR has demonstrated their commitment to their customers and product. This shows in their high level of customer loyalty, we are very excited to join forces.”
“The Crash-writeR brand has a long standing reputation for focusing on needs of the small independent shop; we see the same focus with the Web-Est brand” stated Art Rezac, President and CEO of Crash-Writer. “Combining these two organization will benefit both customer bases and serve as a launching pad for more value to this segment of the market” Rezac Continued.
About Web-Est, LLC:
Web-Est, LLC is the provider of an online auto collision estimating programs: the Web-Est Online Platform and the Crash-writeR by Web-Est program. Web-Est licenses their OEM collision repair data from Mitchell International™ and configures the information into its platforms. The product also integrates with most body shop software. Web-Est caters to the small to mid-size auto collision repair shops and Auto Physical Damage Appraisers by providing a low-cost, high-value, logic-based collision repair estimating software solution. For More information contact Web-Est, LLC (888) 932-3780.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780
## Manual Entry for Estimates
Add Manual Entry Item
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| | OperationBettermentSublet | |
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| | Select a preset charge:No Customer Profile Presets were found. | | ##### "Learn How" [-Pre-Set Charges](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGyOKJXyJIE) [-Rate Profile](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKKOApIDXBU) [-Tax Rate](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF0N-olNnlU) [-Supplements](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8e5zluFigY) |
| | Operation | ReplaceRepairRefinishBlendR&IR&ROverhaulAlignOther | Operation Description | |
| | Part Number | | | |
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| | Part Description | | Part Source | OEMLKQAftermarketRemanufacturedOther | Vendor | |
| | Part Price $ | | Quantity | | This item is part of an overhaul |
| | Section | |
| | Labor Type | Labor Time | Other Charge $ | Other Type |
| | BodyFrameStructureMechanicalElectricalGlassDetailCleanupOtherBetterment | Hrs. | | NontaxedTaxedSubletTowingStorageBetterment | |
| | Paint Type | Paint Time | Panel Type | | | Betterment % |
| | ClearcoatSingle Stage2 Stage3 Stage2 Tone | Hrs. | First PanelAdjacent PanelNon-Adjacent Panel | Lock Panel Type | | |
| | 2 Tone/3 stage
Allowance | Clearcoat Time | Blend Time | Edging Time | Underside Time |
| | Hrs. | Hrs. | Hrs. | Hrs. | Hrs. |
| | Include? | Include? | Include? | Include? | Include? |
| | Lock? | Lock? | Lock? | Lock? | Lock? |
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| | Notes everyone sees:
Notes only your Org/Shop sees: | |
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| | Estimate Lines | |
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| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | Line # | Status | Group | Op | Op Description | Part Name | Part # | Part Price | Part Source | Overhaul | Labor Items | |
## Terms of Use
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| This page will eventually list the legal terms for using the site. |
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| | [Minimum Requirements](https://www.web-est.com/MyWebEst/MinimumRequirements.aspx)
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[Lost Password](https://www.web-est.com/MyWebEst/LostPassword.aspx)
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[Request Login](https://www.web-est.com/MyWebEst/RequestLogin.aspx) | | |
## Password Reset
[](https://www.web-est.com/index.html)
Please enter the email address on the account. If you do not have the account email address please call support at (888) 932-3780.
Email:
## Business Plan for Auto Shops
- (888) Web-Est-0 [Customer Login](https://www.web-est.com/login.html)
#### Implementing a Business Plan into your Auto Body Shop
The uses of an auto repair shop business plan
are as varied as the operation itself. These forms can be used to
document ways to obtain funding, establishment of standards within
the organization, provide training guidelines for employees and
detail a vision for the future. While many potential business
owners focus on only the beginning stages of forming a new
enterprise, a robust plan will include aspects of all areas
included within the company. Considering these various aspects
before undertaking a new objective can help gain greater
understanding in the need of the business and how to resolve
potential conflicts.
The traditional auto repair shop business plan details the need for
the operation to begin. It communicates the necessity for this
endeavor to be undertaken for potential investors. Lending
institutions need to understand why this problem exists and how you
intend on resolving the problem. Investors are interested in
learning more about the people involved and what qualifications
they will be bringing to the table. Details of how the operations
will be conducted and the procedures put into place to meet project
deadlines need to be examined. This will help convince these
financial backers that their money will earn a valuable return.
Forming a new business requires that employees
become familiar with how procedures should be followed. If the
workers have an understanding of the auto repair shop business
plan, they can integrate this into their daily work habits. The
objectives stated in this document can be used to establish
appropriate procedures that need to be followed. It can also be
used as the basic outline for any training materials that need to
be created. Following this approach will allow a consistency in the
materials that cannot be achieved in other ways. Using a
standardized format makes it easier for employees to gain a good
grasp on the underlying mission of the organization.
All organizations need to change their scope
and processes over time. The auto repair shop business plan is
meant to create a starting point to create a solution to a found
problem. While this document is important to the long term
well-being of the firm, it will undergo changes as the organization
discovers improved processes and becomes more knowledgeable about
the operation. An informative business plan can help a manager
create a robust initiative that will focus on continually working
toward improvement of the quality and vision of the firm.
##### Did you know?
Web-Est has a free 14-day trial available for all users?
[Click here to start your free trial today.](https://www.web-est.com/free-trial.html)
3905 Tampa Road #1517
Oldsmar, FL, 34677
[info@web-est.com](mailto:info@web-est.com)
[techsupport@web-est.com](mailto:help@web-est.com)
(888) Web-Est-0
(888) 932-3780