Enhancements have been made to both the group view function and the bodyshop view. The group view allows authorised users to view live statistics for a group of bodyshops. The enhancements that are part of V2.5 revolve around more sophisticated filtering of the data: users can now filter jobs by all repair stages, including write-offs, and all finished jobs can now be filtered by date.

The main bodyshop view has six major improvements, two of which focus on its SMS capability. V2.5 includes a secure payment gateway for buying SMS credits online, (bodyshops can still opt to pay by cheque but credits will only be added to the system when the cheque has cleared). Also, ClaimWatch now includes the facility of adding an internal mobile contact to the system. This can be activated when a car is written-off and will send a text message to a nominated dealership's sales team or salvage agent advising them of the write-off.

ClaimWatch V2.5 also allows bodyshops to use the online payment facility to collect excess payments from policyholders. This useful service will only be activated at the specific request of the bodyshop.

The three other new features were developed to improve the users' day-to-day experience with the system. ClaimWatch V2.5 enables operatives to look at potential jobs as well as current, finished and pre-booked jobs. Any details held in the potential jobs area can be transferred into a live job at the touch of a button. V2.5 also permits the filtering of finished jobs by date (particularly useful for larger shops where the completed job database may include 1000's of vehicles) and allows the bodyshop to permanently delete the details of any courtesy car that is no longer in use.

As with all ClaimWatch upgrades the majority of the enhancements have been developed at the specific request of a number of bodyshop users. It should also be noted that all new and existing management system links will be unaffected by the upgrade.

Steve Wheele, ClaimWatch's Managing Director, comments, "That we believed it was necessary to make significant enhancements to both the group and single bodyshop views, shows the growing importance of ClaimWatch to bodyshops of all shapes and sizes. ClaimWatch is proven to make a real difference to the efficiency and customer care standards of user bodyshops - allowing them to increase productivity without adding to their working hours - we're confident that the improved V2.5 will further increase user benefits - and enable us to win even more customers!"

ClaimWatch V2.5 is available immediately and all existing users will be automatically upgraded at no extra charge. New users pay a one-off set up cost of £950.00 (+VAT) and a monthly licence fee of £95.00 (+VAT). Lower volume bodyshops may be interested in ClaimWatch Starter, which makes the sophisticated technology available for just £11 per week. The licence fee includes all maintenance, web hosting costs, upgrades and telephone support.

ClaimWatch can be purchased direct from ClaimWatch Ltd. For more information on the system generally, or Version 2.5 enhancements specifically, please visit www.claimwatch.co.uk. To obtain a user name and password to trial the system please call 01274 244088.

ends

For further press information please contact:

Gill Nichol
Mosaic Communications
T: 020 7249 3486 / 07956 414371
F: 020 7249 2377
E: gill@mosaiccommunications.co.uk

Notes to editors

ClaimWatch:
ClaimWatch is an easy to use, web-based tracking package that enables insurers, bodyshops and customers to monitor the repair status of their vehicle(s) twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, improving efficiency and customer care benefits. In essence it works like this: as soon as a vehicle to be repaired enters the bodyshop, all of its details are entered onto ClaimWatch and these are updated as the car moves through the repair process. The policyholder is given a secure ID number to enable the customer to access ClaimWatch and view the progress of his/her vehicle, whilst the insurer/work provider can view the repairs by logging onto password-protected web pages in ClaimWatch.

In the two years since it was launched, ClaimWatch has gained widespread acceptance in the bodyshop industry and has recently started to gain recommendations and mandations from insurance companies.