Submitting Photos for Body Repair Quotes
A Dutch startup called “Fixico” is rolling out some fascinating technology that connects car owners in need of bodywork with local body shops in order to get their vehicle cosmetically repaired.
Take Three Photographs of Body Damage
The Fixico platform allows a user to utilize their smartphone to take three photos of their vehicle’s cosmetic damage and upload them. Then the photographs are manually reviewed by staff at Fixico. The staff filters out any submissions that lack sufficient detail, thereby providing only relevant and valid leads being passed along to participating body shops.
Get Your Quote Within 24 Hours
Auto body shops that are using the platform are required to send a quote within 24 hours of receiving the photographs. They must provide a fixed price guarantee on the original quote. This prevents them from raising the cost of the repair after a customer agrees to accept the initial repair quote.
Images Must Be Decent Quality
Fixico says that because it’s only cosmetic damage, photographs are generally enough for repair shops to give a quote. Fixico explains that dents and scratches are easily recognizable. Fixico monitors the bid process. If a photograph upload doesn’t receive quotes, they’ll suggest the car owner submit improved images. Due to this type of quality control, they are able to filter out about 15 percent of the requests as invalid.
No Mechanical Repairs Allowed
It is important to note that the quote does not cover mechanical damage of any kind. This service exists to offer cosmetic damage repair to your vehicle. Multiple body shops go through a bidding process on each of the requests. Car owners can choose a repair provider based on criteria, such as reviews from other users, price, and service level. Fixico claims it saves users an average of 30 percent due primarily to increased transparency provided by the platform.
Fixico – A Company On The Move
Fixico claims its human-eye powered inspection process is super quick, with one of its examiners spending “ten seconds or less” reviewing each image. It explains that one person can look at 200 or 300 requests each day. The company is also interested in photo recognition software to increase its photo review speed as the company expands into new markets. Additionally, Fixico thinks that one day it may use the large database of damaged vehicle images collected to help train artificial intelligence software to assist with the review task.
The Dutch startup initially ran a pilot program in Amsterdam in 2013. By April 2014, it officially kicked-off its platform in the Netherlands. While the company only operates right now in the Netherlands, it says it has already generated some 50,000 orders at auto body repair shops because of its exciting photo-to-quote platform.
Car owners pay nothing to utilize Fixico’s platform. They simply pay for their repairs at the body shop once the work is completed. Fixico invoices the auto body shops via its platform once a month. They charge a commission percentage of each total order amount. There is also a one-time administration fee from each auto body shop.
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Photo Attribution: [Images in the Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons