The Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA) has established a repairers' advisory panel to help meet two of six core strategic initiatives. 

CIECA is the standards-setting group for electronic data exchange in the collision industry. In September 2004 at CIECA's annual Strategic Planning Meeting, the committee identified six strategic initiatives. Two of the initiatives were to "remain focused on our core competencies and provide even more robust standards within the collision industry" and "demonstrate CIECA's value proposition to each market segment within the industry."

The CIECA Marketing Committee has met and recommended to the Board of Trustees that a Repairer Advisory Panel be established to "Listen to their pain" and hear "first hand" from repairers. On April 13, the Board of Trustees approved this motion and established the repairer advisory panel.

The first panel will meet in July 2005 during CIC week (July 28 in Scottsdale, Arizona). Between now and the first panel meeting, CIECA is working with ASA, NABC, and SCRS in developing the membership of this panel. It is anticipated that members will represent shops from the smallest to the largest in size and volume.

"We want a good cross section of the shops represented," said Bill Garoutte, Elite Dent, marketing committee co-chair. "Our objective is to have broad representation from the large multi-store owners to the smaller independents," he added.

Co-chair John Webb, CSi Complete, added that CIECA is looking outside for direct input with the repairers. "Hearing and understanding what they have to say is of vital importance to the mission of CIECA," he said.

CIECA Board Chairman Paul Krauss of Craftsman Auto Body believes the Advisory Panel is a key step in meeting CIECA's Strategic Initiatives. "I believe this panel will go a long way toward bridging the language gap between repairers and the standards developers, as well as provide direct input to our planning and standards projects," he said.

More information about CIECA can be viewed at www.cieca.com.