Careers | Body Shop Estimator

Mission Statement

The Estimator at ColorKraft Auto Refinishers bridges customers, insurers, and the production team. By creating precise repair plans, the Estimator safeguards safety and profitability, guiding every job toward a flawless finish and an exceptional customer experience.

Competencies

• Technical Mastery: Understands collision-repair methods, OEM procedures, and parts nomenclature. Proficient with CCC One (or similar) estimating software and able to read frame and repair manuals.
• Analytical Precision: Builds complete repair blueprints, captures hidden damage, and aligns each line item with DRP guidelines and state regulations.
• Customer & Insurance Communication: Explains technical findings in plain language, negotiates approvals, and guides clients smoothly through the claims process while protecting shop margin.
• Sales & Profit Focus: Identifies every billable operation, labor time, and material; recommends value-added services that enhance vehicle longevity and customer satisfaction.
• Organization & Time Management: Juggles multiple inspections, schedules vehicles efficiently, and keeps supplements moving to hit cycle-time targets.
• Team Collaboration: Hands off approved estimates to parts, paint, and production without gaps and stays available for clarifications.
• Adaptability: Tracks evolving repair technology, insurer procedural changes, and parts-availability challenges, adjusting plans quickly when conditions change.

Key Responsibilities

• Damage Assessment – Inspect vehicles, capture photos, and write complete estimates (labor, parts, refinish, sublet) in estimating software.
• Customer Onboarding – Welcome clients, gather claim information, secure repair authorizations, and provide clear status updates.
• Insurance Liaison – Submit estimates and supplements, negotiate prompt approvals, and document every conversation for full reimbursement.
• Repair Planning – Coordinate tear-downs with technicians, uncover hidden damage, and revise estimates swiftly to keep production moving.
• Cost & Profit Tracking – Review open repair orders daily, verify parts pricing, update supplements, and help meet gross-profit goals.
• File Documentation – Maintain comprehensive photo sets, notes, signatures, and repair-plan revisions for DRP and OEM compliance.
• Continuous Improvement – Pursue I-CAR training and OEM certifications, sharing new knowledge to elevate shop expertise.

Expected Outcomes

• Accurate Estimates – Capture required repairs on the first submission, keeping the supplement rate below 10 percent.
• Customer Confidence – Maintain a CSI score of 95 percent or higher through proactive, transparent communication.
• Cycle-Time Efficiency – Contribute to a keys-to-keys average under ten days by securing insurer approvals within 24 hours of estimate completion.
• Revenue & Margin – Produce repair plans that meet or exceed ColorKraft’s labor-rate and gross-profit benchmarks while remaining insurer-compliant.
• Team Alignment – Provide technicians with complete, approved repair blueprints that eliminate rework and downtime.
• Professional Growth – Progress toward I-CAR Platinum status and additional OEM certifications, strengthening ColorKraft’s reputation for expert, safe repairs.