At the helm of a fast growing company, Anne Weil of Weil Wrecker says Auto Data Direct’s web-based suite of tools has improved the efficiency of her family owned and operated business.
“The best thing about my ADD account is that I have what I need for my notification letters and state records all in one place,” she said. “I used to go through a ton of paper and now, I do it all electronically from my desk. From looking up state records to completing my letters and getting them in the mail, it’s just a matter of a few clicks of my mouse.”
With over 80 trucks now at her Birmingham, Alabama location, Ms. Weil says the ADD system has made it easier to grow without pushing too much work on to employees. “It’s so efficient we’re able to do more in less time. That’s good for our bottom line!” ADD’s DirectPost-Office (DPO) is a tow operator’s best friend. It combines letter creation with state record searches to complete forms and send certified letters through the United States Postal Service without an aggravating trip to the Post Office!
Once a vehicle is towed, and the record is accessed, DPO allows the data to be merged into the appropriate form, saving keystrokes and ensuring accuracy. Once the letter is electronically submitted to the mail stream, DPO allows for tracking the certified letter every step of the way providing details on when the letter(s) was received and by whom, or if it was undeliverable. The DPO archive provided in an ADD account gives tow operators documented proof that notification requirements were followed if a question arises about whether the appropriate actions were taken to find the owner/lienholder prior to holding an auction.
“I’m the Chief Compliance Officer for our company,” said Ms. Weil. “When Alabama reduced the number of days required to send notification, we were concerned about being about to comply with the state code. The ADD system absolutely helps with compliance. It makes us a lot more confident in our ability to meet those timeframes. And because all of our documentation is maintained in our account manifest, I know I can always provide proof that I met the requirements.”
Coined DMV123, ADD’s most sought after service allows its customers who qualify under the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) to search through its secure system using a VIN and immediately retrieving the most current record available in real time. ADD offers tow and wrecker operators access to more states than any other company. “We used to have to search the individual state sites for records and sometimes never received them,” she said. “Now I get the most up-to-date record from the state and I know I’m going to get it in seconds so I don’t worry about missing deadlines and being able to collect our charges.”
Ms. Weil says that if she doesn’t know or have access to the state of title, using ADD’s National Title Pointer helps narrow down the search. ADD’s customers can identify the most recent state of title, search the real-time database if that state is available or send a good faith letter directly from their ADD account to the appropriate DMV.
And while her company doesn’t have to report a lot of vehicles to NMVTIS, Ms. Weil says the ability to do it from her ADD account is big benefit. Tow/wrecker operators need to report junk and salvage vehicles they purchase from a private party, take possession of in lieu of towing or storage costs, or sell at auction. ADD provides the solution from the same web-based account. Any entity that deals in more than five junk and salvage vehicles per year must provide specific vehicle information to the national database on at least a monthly basis. NMVTIS reporting applies to any vehicle a company parts out or crushes, or any vehicle for which a salvage certificate, a certificate of destruction or similar document is obtained. If a business has the right to sell or re-title, rebuild, restore or crush the vehicle, and it is a junk or salvage vehicle under the federal definition, it must be reported to NMVTIS.
ADD’s NMVTIS upload tools are designed to help businesses fulfill the reporting requirement quickly and easily. Two account types are available to suit any size business or upload volume. Full Service accounts include individual vehicle entry, batch vehicle entry using a spreadsheet and business-to- business processing which can be arranged with the customer’s IT staff, all for a low per-report fee. Basic Service accounts include no-cost individual entry and emailed confirmation receipts.
Ms. Weil says the system is so easy to use but there are times she needs to call ADD for assistance. “We’ve had great experiences working with customer service both through emails and phone calls. If we had a problem it has been solved promptly and completely. It’s really nice to call your hi-tech company and get hi-touch service with a smile.”
Thousands of tow operators have found ADD an incredibly easy, accurate tool to save time, money, and the aggravation of standing in line at the post office. State specific notification letters and forms are currently available for Florida, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Connecticut, North Dakota and Indiana.