Ford Motor Company's first 100 dealers participating in the Certified Collision Repair Network (CCRN) stand ready to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction and quality collision repair. 

That's the mission of the company's Customer Service Division national network of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealer-owned collision repair centers.

"In addition to providing customers in each participating market with top-quality vehicle repairs, this new program is designed to meet the needs of both the insurance industry and dealers who want to enhance and improve their current operations," said Garry Nelson, Ford's CCRN program manager.

The national rollout began in November 2003 and eventually will include approximately 35 markets and about 250 to 300 U.S. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealers. The rollout will be completed in the first quarter of 2006.

Becoming certified

Before a dealer can participate in the CCRN program, Ford experts inspect each collision repair shop to ensure that they meet tough acceptance criteria. During the rigorous certification process, which follows an intensive ten-week training and program implementation stage, an independent third party company inspects estimating procedures, repair quality, equipment availability, training levels, mandatory government licenses and customer satisfaction data.

Ford's CCRN is also unique in that shops are required to have and use a computerized unibody and frame measuring system, providing both pre- and post-repair dimensioning reports tied to the overall process quality control program.

In an extra step to assure quality repairs, the independent experts, at the time of certification, perform a detailed formal inspection of three "in-process" vehicles. Additionally, they rate the attractiveness of the customer waiting areas. Organization and lighting levels in shop areas also are evaluated. All of these checkpoints, among other criteria, must meet Ford's standards before shops are certified. Finally, to meet ongoing quality control standards, dealers must pass annual CCRN re-certification standards.

High-quality repairs

Ford's certification program focuses on providing both vehicle owners and their insurance companies with a combination of high-quality repairs and high customer satisfaction

One key to success in the pilot phase of the CCRN program is a unique quality- control program that provides for an eight- point inspection and quality evaluation during the repair process. The quality process is installed in the shop as part of extensive on-site training in which all dealers participate prior to certification.

Tracking customer satisfaction

CCRN also requires shops to implement a new process for tracking customer satisfaction data. Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT worked with key insurers and dealers to develop an expanded Customer Satisfaction Indexing program which meets specific Ford requirements.

The monthly reports track information by insurer and key quality trends and targets and compares this information with industry benchmarks. This system also immediately "red flags" any concerns or issues.

Under development and testing for the past two years, the pilot program involved 27 dealers in three markets - Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Jack Demmer Collision Center in Dearborn, Michigan, was the first shop in the pilot program to be certified in Ford's new Certified Collision Repair Network.

For more details, visit www.collisioncare.com.