With vehicle service contract companies and auto repair facilities ranking as some of the most distrusted industries by consumers, two companies in those spaces said they are committed to working together to change this reputation by providing transparency and higher levels of quality in vehicle repair.

ProGuard Warranty announced on Wednesday that it formed a partnership with RepairPal to bring its network of certified repair facilities to ProGuard’s base of independent and franchised dealers across the United States. 

The companies explained the timing of the partnership reflects ProGuard’s expectations of the effects COVID-19 will have on vehicle ownership going forward.

“We recognized the current economic crisis would force many people to keep their vehicles longer and wanted to ensure our customers had a source of reliable technicians to get their cars repaired quickly and correctly,” ProGuard Warranty president Dominic Limongelli said.

“For our dealerships without service facilities, it was critical to have access to a trustworthy network of shops that are dedicated to helping their customers throughout the ownership of their vehicles,” Limongelli continued. “Not only does RepairPal offer the largest nationwide network of auto repair shops in the U.S., but we felt their product offering added to the value we bring to our customers.”

RepairPal emphasized that certified shops must undergo a comprehensive evaluation by a team of auto experts in order to receive certification.

ProGuard customers can take their vehicle to any participating RepairPal certified shop and be guaranteed that repairs will be completed at fair prices with quality parts. They also have access to RepairPal’s Fair Price Estimator, an online tool that educates consumers about the cost of repairs in advance of any actual service.

To further boost confidence and trust, customers are provided with analytics to confirm that their vehicle is being well maintained, according to the companies.

Moreover, ProGuard stressed that this partnership dovetails well with goal to offer plans that protect the customer and the dealer’s reputation by delivering the best service experience every time.

“We design our plans to protect the consumer and cover everything from the core components to the advanced technology that makes up so much of today’s vehicles,” Limongelli said. “Getting customers back in their vehicle as quickly as possible is very important to us and we are constantly enhancing our claims processes to improve turnaround times. 

“We’ve recently incorporated the use of video in the claim approval process, enabling service facilities to review the diagnosis with our ASE certified adjustors to keep the claim moving without tying up bays,” he continued. “We’re always looking for new ways to improve efficiencies in order to create satisfied customers.”

RepairPal vice president and general manager of shop and partner networks Kathleen Long offered her perspective on Wednesday’s announcement, reiterating the goal of changing consumer views.

“ProGuard has an excellent reputation for great customer service and transparency, which is in perfect alignment with RepairPal’s own mission to provide consumers trust, quality and fair pricing in caring for their cars,” Long said. “We admire their commitment to creating a great customer experience and feel they’ll make an ideal partner as we continue to build out our network of trustworthy mechanics who deliver exceptional quality and service excellence.

“Together we will work to minimize the fear and uncertainty that can accompany car repair and change the current perceptions of our respective industries,” she went on to say.

For more details, go to proguardwarranty.com.