The Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA) will host its next webinar, “Why Shops Rekey Estimate Data—and What Can Be Done About It,” on Thursday, November 12, at 11 a.m. PST/1 p.m. CST/2 p.m. EST. Industry representatives will discuss the prevalence of body shops across the country rekeying estimate data and the impacts. They include Mike Anderson, owner of Collision Advice; Dan Stander, president of Fix Auto Highlands Ranch and chairman of the Automotive Service Association (ASA); Craig Stevens, director, Solutions Delivery, Automotive Services Group for CCC Intelligent Solutions; and John Yoswick, editor and publisher of CRASH Network.
“Shops re-keying of insurer-generated estimates continues to be a common practice within the collision repair industry,” said Yoswick, who will share the findings from a CRASH Network survey conducted earlier this year related to the re-keying of estimates and how it compares to the findings of similar surveys dating back to 2022.
“The survey looked at the most commonly-cited reasons for the practice, and includes findings related to shops’ awareness and use of available re-keying solutions,” he explained. “One of the most commonly-cited reasons for re-keying is when the insurer uses a different estimating system than the shop.”
Yoswick will also discuss why some shops don't rekey based on principle.
“The operational impact of estimate rekeying and how duplicate data entry takes time away from higher-value work,” noted Stevens.
During the webinar, Stevens will discuss why rekeying is often a symptom of fragmented workflows and the challenges of moving information across the collision ecosystem.
He will also address the industry's opportunity to reduce redundant work by enabling information to be captured once and used throughout the repair and claims process.
Following insight from Yoswick and Stevens, Anderson and Stander will discuss the challenges of rekeying data, and explore solutions to improve shop efficiency.
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Mike Anderson is a former multi-shop owner based in Alexandria, Virginia. He is an Accredited Master Automotive Manager (AMAM) through the Automotive Management Institute (AMi) and helps develop the Collision ASE testing for technicians and estimators in the United States. Anderson has presented to groups nationwide, as well as in Canada, Mexico and Australia. He travels more than 300 days a year, working with collision industry stakeholders. His company, Collision Advice, facilitates 20 groups called the Spartan 300 for OEM-certified shops. Anderson produces a quarterly summary of the latest U.S. trends and statistics for the collision industry, as well as conducts quarterly “Who Pays for What” surveys of over 28,000 collision repair professionals focused on insurer reimbursement.
Dan Stander is President of Fix Auto Highlands Ranch in Littleton, Colorado, with more than 40 years of collision repair experience. He currently serves as the Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) national chairman and has contributed to advisory groups for I-CAR, AMi, ASE, Driven Brands, and NACE/CARS. He holds Honda/Acura ProFirst and Subaru collision repair certifications. Stander is an Accredited Master Automotive Manager and I-CAR Platinum Individual, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado Denver. His work focuses on safe, proper repairs, industry education, and helping collision repair businesses improve their operations.
Craig Stevens is a keynote speaker and industry leader with more than 30 years of experience across both the collision repair and insurance sides of the business. Having served as an estimator, reinspector, parts, production and shop manager, he brings a well-rounded perspective that resonates deeply with the audiences he serves. Known for translating complex ideas into “human speak,” he connects through real-world experience and authentic storytelling. Guided by his philosophy,“let the appetite feed the recipe,” he delivers practical insights that inspire action and help professionals see what’s truly possible.
John Yoswick has been a reporter and contributing editor covering the collision repair industry for more than 35 years, writing for trade publications in the United States and a half dozen other countries. Since 2008, he has been the editor and publisher of CRASH Network, a weekly subscription newsletter. His company also provides industry surveying, consulting and data research/analysis services.