Estimating software house Audatex will reposition as a claims management solutions provider later this year on the back of product launches that will move it up and down stream.

It is also looking to expand its training offer in a move that could see the launch of an Audatex Academy.

Five products are due to be launched this year, starting with AudaFNOL in October. FNOL (First Notification Of Loss) will enable insurers to make an immediate decision on whether a vehicle is repairable or a total loss. Total losses will be routed to a salvage operator instead of bodyshop, which will free up storage space.

FNOL will also assess via the VIN any special materials, such as ultra high strength steel, and route the car to a repairer that has the necessary equipment and training.

AudaSchedule is about to go into a pilot with an insurer outside the motor sector. The claims management product, which incorporates diary management and route planning, will be launched before the end of the year. Audatex believes it will reduce cycle times and improve customer service levels.

Three products will link together: AudaSettlement, which enables repairers and insurers to match invoices to the assessment, speeding up payments; AudaInvoice, an automated invoice checking service with pre-set rules; and AudaSalvage, which identifies and recycles salvageable parts from total losses.

“Our new products are all about taking cost out of the claims process, not out of the repair,” says Audatex commercial director Alan Cottrill.

Audatex has overhauled its training offer under the AudaSkills brand by basing programme content on a multiple choice paper that determines delegates’ abilities. It also provides a delegate feedback report.

An academy would see Audatex extend its training beyond estimating into areas like negotiating skills and marketing.

Audatex’s new estimating system AudaEnterprise Gold, rolled out in July, now has 100 bodyshops on board. Audatex expects all its 2,500 repairers to change over this year.