Documentation that gets approved fast and protects your shop

Disorganization is a surefire way to cut into your shops’ profit. 

This is just one of many ‘boogeymen’ out there that could eventually pose an existential threat to your livelihood. Fortunately, you have the power to fend off these misfortunes by being prepared and organized.

One workflow that many shops must consider today is having a comprehensive and efficient protocol for documenting your ADAS calibrations. After all, airtight documentation is like a bulletproof vest against these aforementioned threats. 

Part of an efficient documentation strategy is ensuring it gets approved quickly the first time. Following this guide will ensure that your shop crafts this right strategy to document your ADAS calibrations.

The importance of an efficient documentation procedure

Documenting ADAS calibrations is already commonplace. The question remains though, how can you complete them more efficiently? What exactly do you  need to protect yourself against? 

These are important questions that require answers when coordinating a documentation strategy. Understanding potential risks to your shop is the first step in this process. The three largest threats that documentation can protect against are:

1. Liability concerns
2. Insurance claim denials
3. Issues related to general disorganization

Let’s delve into how these threats can wreak havoc on your shop, and what angle you can take to defend against them.

Liability concerns

Picture a scenario in which an ADAS feature that your shop serviced malfunctions and results in a collision. If it required calibration that was not completed, you absolutely can be held liable. The plaintiff’s lawyer knows this and will look to come after you first.

Malfunction or not, proper documentation can fully protect you in this scenario. There are some specifics you need to keep in mind when documenting to avoid this exact threat. The lawyer will want to prove that your shop miscalibrated or ignored the malfunctioning feature. The correct documentation will stop this investigation in its tracks.

To avoid liability concerns, your documentation should include:

• Proof you followed OEM requirements
• Proof your calibration environment was adherent to OEM standards
• Proof of post-repair validation results of the specific ADAS feature

If your documentation provides these three vital proofs, then your shop has an airtight defense against a liability suit. 

Now let’s move onto the biggest obstacle facing shops doing ADAS work today: insurance claim denials

Insurance claim advantages

Lengthy processing times reduce your cash-on-hand, denials waste your time and patience. Nobody is going to argue that insurance claims aren’t an absolute pain for everyone involved. Thankfully, the right documentation approach can improve your wait times and approval rates.

Insurance agencies are looking for reasons to deny your claim. It’s the nature of their business. That said, it’s fully within your power to avoid giving  them a reason to deny or delay your payout. All they’re looking for is specifics. To process your claim and award your payout, they need to see:

• Proof that the ADAS feature needed service
• Reasoning for prices charged
• Correct tool-use and environmental standards
• Customer acknowledgement
• Proper procedural documentation

Providing this evidence in your documentation and insurance claim will guarantee that your denials drastically reduce. Reducing insurance headaches may be enough of a reason to craft a protocol, but let’s look at one last threat to your business.

Overall shop efficiency

Inefficiency is detrimental to any business operation, especially one like yours in which time truly is money. Inefficiency can reduce your turnaround times, and you’ll miss out on unrealized profit. Proper documentation strategies are beneficial for many reasons, but especially for shop organization. 

An organized shop is one where administrative tasks are performed on time and correctly, inventory and tools are stocked, and tasks are completed using proper and repeatable steps. This organization both helps and is helped by a comprehensive documentation strategy. An organized shop makes documentation easier and quicker, and proper documentation makes your shop more efficient; iron sharpening iron.

Don’t miss out of profit or have to repeat tasks more than once. 

The strategy that sets you up for success

The best documentation protocol involves the best defenses against the threats to your business. To craft the perfect strategy, you must include pre-repair diagnosis data, customer acknowledgement forms, environmental verification, procedure documentation, and post-repair validation. 

Below is what you should include for each of these necessary components.

Pre-repair scans

Pre-scans are now mandatory and for good reason. Diagnosing a vehicle—and documenting that diagnosis—is important to ensure you provide the correct (and necessary) service. Insurance agencies will want proof to support this diagnosis, and it’s also vital for explaining your service to customers.

You must document:

• Any codes and readings from the scanners
• Your diagnosis
• How you plan to address the diagnosis

Customer acknowledgement forms

One necessity is ensuring your customers are aware of the services that you are providing. Customers may not be aware of what ADAS even means, and it is your job to explain its importance. You want to avoid customers wary that your shop is trying to sell them something that they don’t need. Educating customers is good for word-of-mouth recommendations and good online reviews which is critical to the success of your business.

Also having your customers sign acknowledgement forms takes your documentation to the next level. With liability questions and insurance claims, showing that you explained the service to customers and that they understood what was being serviced goes a long way to protect your shop and strengthens your documentation.

Environmental condition verification

Environmental conditions during calibration are extremely important. Make sure you are up to date with any given OEM’s requested environmental standards when it comes to your calibrations. You should ensure that you document:

• Temperature and humidity
• Clean working areas
• Level working surfaces
• Specific static or dynamic calibration needs

Failing to prove that you had created the correct working space for a calibration can null your insurance claim, put you at risk of liability, or force you to start the calibration over again. While vital to a successful calibration, it’s also vital to your reimbursement.

Calibration procedure documentation

The process by which you calibrate or service ADAS systems is heavily detail-oriented.

OEM specifications change rapidly, in as little as weeks, so ensuring that you are up to date on the service requirements is vital. 

Documentation should include:

• A detailed explanation of the tools used
• Prior measurements found, and measurements after correction
• Verification that your shop followed the correct procedure.

Post-repair validation results

Once you complete the service, the job is not yet complete. You now must perform tests to verify if you conducted the service correctly. 

Your post-repair documentation should include:

• Proof all serviced sensors are adjusted to the correct heights, angles, and positions
• Proof the serviced ADAS feature works as intended
• Static test results with the vehicle stationary, if applicable
• Dynamic test results where the vehicle is in motion, if applicable
• The results of any scan to ensure all diagnosed issues have been resolved and codes are clear

All of the above steps are great improvements to any shop and will ensure that your shop’s documentation gets approved fast.

Risks of inefficient, improper, or incomplete documentation

The wrong documentation protocol will put you at risk. You may fall victim to liability suits in cases in which you cannot prove that you followed OEM requirements, will be denied insurance payouts if you cannot prove that your service was necessary, and miss out on potential profit if you must start a service over again due to disorganization. 

A lawsuit can handcuff your shop for a few reasons, namely:

• Large payout in a lost lawsuit
• Reduced customer trust and therefore reduced business
• Potential suspension of your business license

Insurance claim denials or delays can also wreak havoc. Issues related to insurance include:

• Reduced cashflow
• Waste of time when submitting a claim more than once
• Added administrative headaches

Finally, overall  friction in your processes can be detrimental to your business for reasons such as:

• Inefficient use of time, less revenue
• Lack of communication between departments or with customers leads to poor or incorrect service

Do not let these ‘boogeymen’ be a detriment to your operation. There are real steps you can take, such as following those previously mentioned, to keep your doors open for generations.

Enhance your documentation procedure with Revv

Creating a comprehensive and effective documentation strategy doesn’t have to be difficult. There are plenty of  resources out there to help. Revv’s AI powered search and generation tools to get you documenting and calibrating with confidence.

When it comes to all your record-keeping needs, Revv can auto-generate OEM-compliant documentation for each step of the way including:

• Pre-service scans and diagnostics
• Customer acknowledgement forms
• OEM-specific environmental checklists
• OEM calibration checklists
• Post-service validation tests

Revv also displays up-to-date information on constantly changing OEM specifications and tool or measurement requirements.

Improve your insurance claim wait times with Revv, protect your shop, and document correctly the first time. Set up a call with one of our experts to see just how Revv does the heavy lifting, leaving you focused on your customers.