Detroit, Michigan — July 31, 2014 — For those who work in the collision repair industry, I-CAR’s new online resource, the Repairability Technical Support Portal, is aiming to be the “go-to†resource for collision repair technical questions and answers.
The Repairability Technical Support Portal is designed to enhance the overall repair process for the collision repair Inter-Industry—including front-line technicians, shop owners, estimators, insurance specialists and field educators—providing these professionals with a centralized information hub.
“This portal represents I-CAR’s direct solution to the need expressed by the industry, notably the improved accessibility to the repair information required to support performance of complete, safe and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer,†says John Van Alstyne, CEO & President of I-CAR. “We have created an online resource that brings the OEM and collision repair worlds together for an exciting collaboration that will make critical repair information more available across the industry, contributing to time, resource and cost savings in all aspects of the repair process.â€
The launch of I-CAR’s Repairability Technical Support Portal (RTS Portal) follows months of development and testing, including feedback from hundreds of technicians, shop owners, estimators and insurance personnel, and others who play an active role in the collision repair industry.
“They [I-CAR] have moved mountains to get this off of the ground,†said Barry Dorn, owner of Dorn’s Body and Paint of Richmond, Virginia.
Dorn is on the board of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists and participates on I-CAR’s Collision Repair Industry Segment Advisory Council.
“I can only imagine all of the incredible ways this will serve our industry now and into the future,†he says.
Jason Bartanen, Director, Industry Technical Relations with I-CAR, who played a key role in the portal’s development, echoed similar feelings.
“Knowledge is the new game-changer for our industry,” Bartanen says. ”In fact, we believe the RTS portal is the most relevant, robust and user-friendly tool available to successfully repair the vehicles of today, which are far and away more technically advanced than the vehicles of yesterday.â€
Among the portal’s highlights:
- Thousands of pages of OEM Repair information specific to hundreds of vehicle models
- “Top 10†repair inquiries, plus an extensive searchable database that allows model specific research into the thousands of technical inquiries I-CAR has already addressed over the years
- The latest industry news and information
- Quick and important reference materials such as the Airbag and Partial Replacement Matrices
- And all the content is accessible on-the-go, from a laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.
A key element of this new service offering is “Ask I-CAR,†a new service I-CAR designed to help the industry with repair technical questions. Inquiries can now be submitted online, or via telephone. “Ask I-CAR†features full-time staff dedicated to responding to collision repair inquiries from users.
“The Repairability Technical Support Portal is all about finding solutions and helping the industry do the right repairs, and adding full-time technical specialists to be `on call’ just reinforces our deep commitment to this goal,†said Bartanen.
The Repairability Technical Support Portal, combined with I-CAR’s broader Repairability Technical Support program, represents I-CAR’s most relevant, robust solutions to the lightning speed change underway within the collision repair industry.
“Rapid advancements in vehicle technology and construction materials are reshaping the collision repair industry, creating information gaps,†explained Bartanen.
Van Alstyne says the RTS Portal is directly linked to execution of I-CAR’s Mission, which is to deliver increasingly accessible, on-demand and relevant education, knowledge and solutions for the Collision Repair Inter-Industry.
“Knowledge is truly the foundation for complete, safe and quality repairs, as well as for ongoing improvement in business performance. While the RTS Portal contributes in these manners, it also provides the information required to navigate the choppy waters of the Technical Tsunami our industry is facing,†he says.
For more information on I-CAR, please visit I-CAR.ca.
