Originally published in Automotive Recycling magazine

When an insurance company emails an estimate to a body shop or a recycler buys or sells a vehicle, up until recently, little thought was given to the personally identifiable information (PII) being shared. That is no longer the case.

“Those in the collision industry who are participating in e-commerce today need to know that their customer and business information is being shared and compiled and then used in a number of different ways they can’t even imagine,” said Pete Tagliapietra, managing director of DataTouch.

Whether it’s an automobile manufacturer overseas looking to learn about the repairability of certain technology to compete against U.S. rivals, or a parts provider interested in the parts shops are buying from a competitor, Tagliapietra said this type of information is being shared electronically and available for purchase.

“All segments of the collision industry – from auto manufacturers to collision repair facilities, and insurers to recyclers and salvors – now rely on technology to communicate,” said Paul Barry, executive director of the Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA).