FAQ for Members of BettyNet

Q. What is BettyNet?

A. BettyNet is DentBetty's network of participating body shops. Consumers love the convenience of shopping online. By providing consumers with online repair estimates, BettyNet shops demonstrate their willingness to embrace the latest technologies available in order to provide customers with the best service possible.

Q. What does it take for my zip code to go "LIVE"?

A. DentBetty is not much of a consumer service if there is only one local shop providing estimates. Therefore, at least 3 legitimate competitors within driving distance of any particular zip code must be participating for it to function there. Feel free to tell other quality shops about DentBetty! The sooner we can get them going, the sooner your local customers will say Thank You!

Q. Which shops can participate?

A. All quality shops are invited to play. DentBetty is a neutral third party - we do not show any favoritism... Let the consumers decide! However it IS important to us that the shops that are on DentBetty are legitimate, professional operations that take pride in their work. If poor shops sneak past our initial application review, sooner or later we'll hear enough consumer complaints that we will kick them off the network - this service is only valuable to consumers if excellent shops are participating. We're very fortunate to have some great shops already on here, and more are signing up every day, so your shop is in good company.

Q. How do I log onto my Dashboard?

A. Every email you receive from DentBetty has a link to your login page. Your password is your email address. One advantage of this method is that it is easy to login directly from any email you receive from the 'Betty. Also, the only people who have access to your account is the member of your staff who receives your email - our assumption is that you keep your email secure. Be certain that the address you use for this system is your shop estimator's work address at your body shop's domain so that in the event that this employee leaves your company, the next estimator on your team can take over where he left off. We are now also providing a standard browser-only password/login method which you can enable once you have signed into your dashboard for the first time.

Q. How do I make an estimate?

A. When you receive an email saying that a local consumer has made an inquiry, click on the link to sign into your dashboard. There you will see all of your estimate requests - click on any of them or on the Estimaterater™ tab at the top to make estimates.

Q. Why do you call it the "Estimaterater"™?

A. Because with each estimate you are required to also rate whether the photos and information have enough detail so that you are "Very Confident," "Pretty Sure," or this one is too "Tough to Estimate" (but come on in anyway).

Q. Some cases are difficult to estimate by photo alone. What liability do I have?

A. You have no more liability than you would if you were to give them a rough guess on the phone. These are not written sheets - the consumer is only expecting a ballpark indication. Whatever confidence level you rate the photos, there is an explanation what that means, and boilerplate caveats and disclaimers so that consumers know that this is not as accurate as a physical inspection. You can also click the "DENY" button to remove an inquiry from your queue without sending any response at all.

In your comments to the consumer you may provide greater detail if you like so that there is no confusion. When they come to your shop they will expect a physical inspection before they give final authorization to make the repairs.

Q. What about consumers who upload photos that aren't clear, or that show damage that is obviously too extensive to estimate this way?

A. DentBetty prescreens every estimate request that comes to us prior to notifying shops of an inquiry. Spam, inappropriate requests, and poor photos are removed immediately. In some cases we'll suggest to the consumer that they try again or recommend that they go to your shop in person. Part of the value we provide to shops is a stream of leads that is as clean as possible so you don't waste time sorting through requests that are not legitimate. Sometimes we make a mistake, but we are pretty good at this already - more than 95% of the estimate requests that shops are spending time on receive "Very Confident" or "Pretty Sure" estimates.

Q. What about the VIN?

A. Sometimes you will get it, sometimes you won't. We encourage consumers to provide it, but it is not currently required. If you do not have the VIN available to you, it is okay to do your best guess - remember, this isn't a physical inspection, it is meant to be fast for you.

Q. Can I use my estimating software system with DentBetty?

A. Yes (for PRO shops only). We recently added the ability for you to upload a PDF from your Mitchell, Audatex, or CCC systems (or any other you may use) and attach it directly to your DentBetty estimate card. It is easy and optional.

Q. How long do I have to respond?

A. The consumer's request expires within seven days, but depending on when you are notified, you may have fewer. In general it is best to reply within 24 hours - if you don't, we may give your slot to someone else.

Q. How do I know if I've won?

A. You will receive an email saying so, and a complete record of the jobreq will appear in the Jobs You Won Report.

Q. What happens next?

A. The consumer will contact you directly to schedule an appointment.

Q. This works well for out-of-pocket repairs, but what about insured claims?

A. In time we expect this technology will revolutionize the way that all claims adjustment is performed. However, for now, to avoid legal controversy, we have chosen to only forward onto the shops repair requests that are specified as out-of-pocket. Consumers that indicate that they are looking for insurance estimates are currently removed from the system with a polite decline by email. Most cosmetic damage is near or below consumers deductible anyway. Our belief is that the opportunity to help insured consumers with their repairs is definitely possible; we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Q. What about cases where there are various methods to perform a repair? Aren't consumers comparing apples to oranges?

A. The Estimaterater™ provides you with an additional comment box for you to describe the method and implied quality of the repair that you propose. You will want to be certain to distinguish for the consumer what you are offering so they know the difference, for example, between PDR and blended paint. There is ample room for you to make your case why your repair is best. In time we will add more content to the website so these distinctions are more clear to consumers, but thus far shops have done a terrific job providing consumers with adequate detail.

Q. How tough is the online competition on DentBetty?

A. It depends on your geography. Often the consumer will receive 3 to 5 competing local bids. We have purposely set the maximum to 7 so that you do not have to worry that your estimate will get overlooked in a stack of hundreds. Further, our proprietary Cascading Waterfall Technology™ is applied such that there is a tendency to present the consumer with only 3 estimates from shops that are nearby.

Q. Isn't this just all about price?

A. No. Of course price is important to consumers, but we have already observed many cases where the lowest price did not in fact win. We have even had cases where the consumer specifically chose the highest priced estimate. Our data thus far suggests that consumers are most influenced by in Distance/Convenience, perception of quality, and many have mentioned that they specifically made their selection based on the comments that the shop wrote about their particular car's damage. Trust is a really important issue on the Internet - your personal attention to a consumers needs and your history of success in consumer reviews will make a big difference.

Q. How do I WIN on DentBetty?

A. Everyone is a winner on DentBetty! Just by participating you are telling consumers that your brand means customer service, and that you are proud of the quality and value that you offer. We are developing new features to make certain that the most active members of this community see the most benefit, no matter how many individual jobs they win. Two recent examples that we just released in November 2010 are "Pro Badges" and "Featured Shops" - you can read about them in your "Manage PRO" tab. And more Rewards just for making estimates are coming soon! Stay tuned...

Q. How do I win new jobs on DentBetty?

A. There will be many strategies that work, and what works will change over time. Most of today's users are tech-savvy early adopters - they are comfortable with the Internet and tend to have high incomes. Therefore they may be influenced by distance, confidence level, your comments, convenience, additional features, and price. In time as you build your reputation online, all of your positive reviews will help you win more and garner premium rates. Our belief is that this is in some ways similar to (but much better than) Yelp in its first year. The earliest participants on Yelp only needed a couple of consumers finding them through that channel to ultimately snowball into scores and scores of rave reviews that benefitted their business pretty much in perpetuity. But the truth is that no one actually knows what will happen! Exciting stuff!! Happy experimenting & best of luck.

Q. My shop is higher quality and has a higher cost structure than lower end shops down the street. How can I possibly compete with them? Why should I want to use DentBetty when they will undercut my best offer every time?

A. Your prospects online are no different than your experience is in the real world. The fact is that today your customer is already shopping the competition. You win because they see the quality your work represents and they TRUST that you will treat their baby right! So, to have the same success online, you should make sure that your presentation and reputation are A+. One great way to communicate your orientation to customer service is simply to participate. Sometimes you'll win, sometimes you won't, but overall your brand stands to gain simply by demonstrating to the world that you are willing to be there for them. Many consumers have told us that they do not care about saving every last penny if they know that they will receive excellent service.

Q. What is Cascading Waterfall Technology™?

A. It's a proprietary system that sequences notifications to shops of new estimate requests. We do not send out a single blast email to all shops every time we receive a consumer inquiry. Instead, we issue notifications in batches of 7 or fewer. The selection algorithm is complex but serves to give every shop an equal opportunity, to minimize systemic burden, and at the same time tend to give the consumer a good variety of responses by distance.

Q. How do my estimates compare with what the other guys are doing?

A. Soon customer reviews will start to be posted, so you will be able to find some information in shop profiles. Also, at the option of the winning body shop, the original estimate cards (without logos or shop name indication) may be disclosed publicly as well. (If you prefer that your bids are made "in stealth", with no public disclosure, choose "do not brand this estimate" when you make estimates on your Estimaterater). As we learn more about the diverse needs of consumers and shops, we may modify how this data is disclosed - we welcome your feedback.

Additional analytical reports and tools are coming soon to help you optimize your strategy to meet your immediate and long-term goals.

Q. How do I protect my shop's brand online?

A. Establish a public & transparent reputation for providing quality service! That's what DentBetty can do for you - customer reviews, video, your logo - all can give the consumers a sense of the dependability and professionalism of your service. In addition to customer wins, we help you track page views and other impressions delivered to your profile in the Directory. Stay in it for the long haul and you will benefit - both online and just by virtue of word of mouth.

Q. What is the DBQS?

A. The DentBetty Quality Scoreboard™ (DBQS) is one of the ways that shops build reputation on DentBetty. We report to consumers a variety of statistics to give them a sense of your estimate history. It is shown on the back of your estimate card. The data that comprise the DBQS may change - we are still learning what is helpful and appropriate to reveal to consumers. We are definitely aware that early participants may have skewed results because the nature of this service is evolving and there are lots of people simply testing the service to see if it works. So far people seem to like what we have done with the DBQS, but in the event that we need to adjust or reset data so that the earliest participants receive fair treatment and appropriate credit for their good work prior to modifications, we will. Our customer survey system only went live recently - that too will iterate as we receive feedback. Please contact us if you have any concerns at all, it is meant to help you.

Q. What is the conversion rate of shoppers to buyers?

A. This is something that we watch closely. So far the data sample size is not large enough to draw any meaningful conclusions, however it has been much better than we had expected. The ratio of shoppers to buyers over time will depend on many factors that will be continuously changing, including how aggressive our marketing programs are, how consumers hear about DentBetty, how trusted this platform becomes, and so on. Be sure to take advantage of the PRO features including the Customized Emails and video profile to improve your own odds - the key isn't just winning the job, it is in CLOSING the business! Get them to sign the line that is dotted... You can do it!

Q. How do I add video to my profile?

A. Video, photos, logo, and other premium features are enabled when you have a PRO account. To enable PRO, click on the "GO PRO" tab on your dashboard. (If you have subscribed to PRO, to customize your settings click on the "Manage PRO" tab on your dashboard.)

Q. How does DentBetty make money?

A. Today DentBetty is not profitable - it has been primarily a labor of love. To pay for unavoidable cash expenses during the time it will take for our network to grow to critical mass, we have raised a small amount of seed capital from early stage investors who believe in this concept.

Our business model is free for consumers and free for body shops. FREE as in BEER, yay! We believe this is a public service. However, to keep the lights on, we recently introduced the rough equivalent of a premium listing in the Yellow Pages: Body shops that prefer a more polished listing in the directory, video, logo, and so on, as well as various other CRM and SEO features that will help to highlight their professionalism, can opt to subscribe to a "PRO" account at a modest annual fee.

In time we expect to also assess a small transaction charge to shops (only on business that you win.) Our hope is that this service charge will be much less than the fees that most shops pay for traditional lead generation - perhaps $5 or $10 - but we are still working this out. Bottom line: Today this service essentially costs you nothing. Thank you for helping us get off the ground.

Other avenues for us to generate revenue include sponsorships from parts companies and other interested parties that want to promote themselves to body shops. They recognize that their support of this channel will help you to build your business and hope that you will appreciate their efforts to grow this industry. Please support our sponsors! Click on their banners! Buy their products! We also welcome advertisers for the consumer facing website.

We certainly welcome any other suggestions you have. Please don't hesitate to email us directly.

Q. How do consumers find DentBetty?

A. Lots of ways. So far, most have heard about us through mentions in the media, word of mouth, and some marketing campaigns that we have been testing. Recently insurance agents that prefer that there is no confusion about kickbacks or steering for their non-DRP referrals have started recommending DentBetty to clients that call about repairs that are best paid for out of pocket. We have a bunch of new methods to attract buyers in the works that will delight you. Coming soon! :)

Q. DentBetty is awesome! How do I help you guys?

A. Well, buy a "PRO" account, that will help us and you. And encourage other shops to sign up. And let consumers know about us. And tell insurance agents to recommend DentBetty for clients that call asking about out-of-pocket repairs. And tell your friends about DentBetty! And...and... well, you get the idea. We are a small startup, pretty much anything you think of will help. For all of our hard work, you are the reason this company will be a success. Please don't hesitate to call us with any suggestions you'd like to share. THANK YOU.

Q. Who are Daisy and Crazy?

A. They are the cats that power the Purrbine, a green sustainable alternative energy resource that we use to keep this whole thing running smoothly.