Prestige Automobile successfully concludes third technical forum for insurance partners

Prestige Automobile Ltd., Sri Lanka’s sole authorised importer and distributor of BMW, BMW i, and MINI vehicles, successfully concluded a technical forum for its insurance partners at the Grand Monarch in Thalawathugoda with more than 40 participants in attendance recently. 

Embarked on 2016 with the objective of educating partners on the technical advancements involving BMW, BMW i and MINI vehicles, the positive response turned this one-time event into an annual forum. 

“It is our aim to share our knowledge on the technical advances that our brands continue to make. This improves the understanding on both sides and ultimately leads to an increase in the satisfaction of our shared customers,” stated Volker Arnkens, Director Aftersales at Prestige Automobile.

During the forum, Assessors, Claim Managers and Senior Managers gained insights into the latest developments on the technicalities of BMW, BMW i, and MINI vehicles through a briefing provided by Laksiri de Silva, General Manager Aftersales, Prestige Automobile.

Key topics covered at various “Action Stations” during the forum include: 

nBMW high voltage battery technology – technical structure as well as diagnostic and repair procedures. 

nWindshield cutting – Latest method using a special tool from BMW which eliminates the risk of damages and enables technicians to carry out their work without disturbing noises. 

nPrecise colour matching – Using a “Colour Scanner” to identify the exact colour code sprayed on a vehicle in order to achieve a precise colour match the first time and further shorten repair durations. 

nInnovations in water-based paint – PPG Asian Paints showcased innovations such as the “self-levelling primer” which guarantees an even more professional paint preparation. 

nAudatex – A software solution for professional and efficient estimation of accident damages.

The “Action Station” which gained the most interest was the live demonstration of “Audatex” software by Shankar Agarwal, Chief Technical Officer at Audatex India. Participants were amazed by the capability, accuracy and user friendliness of the estimation software. They experienced the capabilities of VIN-based identification which enables precise estimation in real-time simply by selecting the components to be replaced or repaired from a graphics screen.

“Claims processing will drastically improve with accurate, transparent, and fast assessment tools like Audatex. This will be a key factor in not just gaining higher levels of efficiency and reduced Turn Around Time (TAT) in claim processing, but also make a significant positive impact on customer satisfaction,” said Gautam Prasad, Managing Director, Audatex India. “I was pleased to see that participants recognised these benefits and it excites me to bring Audatex into Sri Lanka.”

“The success of this forum is a clear indicator that we are moving in the right direction and we believe that it enables all parties involved to better provide world class service to their customers. These are exciting times ahead as we look forward to the continued advancement of the insurance sector in Sri Lanka,” said Heinz Reuter, Chairman/Managing Director of Prestige Automobile.

Prestige Automobile is also the authorised importer and distributor of Hyundai vehicles in Sri Lanka. Sandeep Katipearachchi, General Manager, Hyundai After Sales, Hyundai Lanka, also presented at the technical forum and demonstrated their calibration tools for Blind Spot detection.