Florida Autobody Shops Invited to Join US Launch of Web Referral Network

PITTSFORD, NY--(Marketwire - April 11, 2008) - Florida autobody shops are being recruited for the US launch of an online referral network called SceneExchange. Membership is free and currently open to all collision repair shops.

Sponsor Scene Genesis Inc. is actively recruiting in Central Florida, which will be the first area to go live. SceneExchange, a new concept that lets shops capture more jobs by using the power of the Web to connect with customers, was unveiled last November.

"This is a chance for shops to benefit from a new opportunity with huge potential," said Chrisa Hickey, Scene Genesis director of product management. SceneExchange will connect vehicle owners with shops in Florida starting in June, she added.

Industry veteran Jeff Sherrill is spearheading the Florida rollout.

The process starts when a participating insurer receives a claim and the customer agrees to use SceneExchange to help select the repair shop. An independent appraiser next inspects the vehicle and submits an estimate and digital photographs to SceneExchange.

Member shops are alerted via SceneExchange when a new job in their area is available. They view the appraisal and compete for the business based solely on turnaround time and service. Vehicle owners go online to review proposals and information on the shop's training and warranty policy and read ratings from other SceneExchange customers who've used the shop.

The shop pays a flat referral fee only for the jobs it wins. After completion, the customer posts a rating of the service on SceneExchange.

"Joining early gives you a leg up. The shops that are members when we roll out will get customer feedback and ratings first, and in our pilot customers tended to choose shops that had the most feedback," Hickey said.

During the pilot in the Carolinas, shop owners said that customers were better informed and more engaged in the repair process, leading to higher satisfaction rates.

A three-minute video about SceneExchange is at www.sceneexchange.com. Click on the SceneExchange tab and then "collision repair shops." Membership is available in all states, and the service will continue to roll out across the country during 2008.

More information is available from Jeff Sherrill at jsherrill@scenegenesis.com.

Scene Genesis (scenegenesis.com) is a technology company serving the collision repair and insurance industries.

Contact Information: Contact: Beth Bailey Scene Genesis 585-387-9883 bbailey@scenegenesis.com Henry Stimpson Stimpson Communications 508-647-0705 Henry@StimpsonCommunications.com